Double Ferris Wheel

What ever happened to the double ferris wheel that used to be near the entrance of the park? Did they move it to some other park or just tear it down and junk it? People think I'm crazy because I still remember this ride. Not many people remember it.

I remember it. I used to love it as a kid. I think they tore it out around the same time they added the Demon Drop. I don't know what happened to the actual ride, though. I did get to ride one again a few years ago at the local county fair. It's the first time I've seen one since the early '80s at CP. Oddly enough, I got motion sick on it for some bizarre reason (I don't get sick on any other rides i know of, except maybe the Tilt-a-Whirl which I haven't gone on since I was a kid because of that).

I want to say 1981 was the final season for the Sky Wheel. Unfortunately, that's before my time so I don't know for sure.

Don't worry, Ginger, you are correct that there really was a double Ferris wheel on the main "Funway."

Sky Wheel was at the park from 1961-1980. It was on the Main Midway near Centennial Theatre.

*** Edited 8/7/2004 1:08:34 PM UTC by Walt***

This was one of the earlier Allan Herschel built versions of the ride originally built and patented by the Velare Brothers of Long Beach, CA. At the time it was considered a spectacular which is why it was placed where it was.. I imagine that old age and low rph did it in. This ride is still in the Chance catalog, but I don't recall any being built recently. *** Edited 8/7/2004 8:54:10 PM UTC by Dutchman***

I remember hearing about this ride in CP. I wish they still had it, though it would be pretty old. So in response to that, I'd wish they'd build a new one. Just seems like a nice family ride, or a triple-ferris wheel. I know I rode one of those at Six Flags: GA. It was neat how it transformed from one type of rotation to the next.

-Eagle-

I just saw McDonagh's Sky Wheel at the Monroe County fair in Michigan recently.

http://www.gruelurks.com/images/carnival/cvs_monroe_2004/cvs_monroe_08062004_midway.jpg

I have some more pics of it here as well:

http://community.webshots.com/album/81841141GtbHsC

I believe it is a 1967 model, that was completely rebuilt. Has a custom neon lighting package on it too, that wasn't completed at time of the webshot pics.

Thank you everyone for info. on Skywheel. The photos are great.

Unless my memory is very mistaken, those pictures look exactly like the old CP Sky Wheel, which was considered very frightening at the time (at least by a 10 year old kid).

-- Harley

Heck, that Sky Wheel was very frightening to me the only time I was brave enough to ride it, in 1977 when I was 23. I swore I would never ride it again.

I have seen pictures of a triple ferris wheel. I think it was at SFGaM but I am not positive. It looked really interesting and complex.

The Sky Wheel was a great ride. It had a great dropping effect when you were at the top and the entire wheel was rotating.

I'm a little nervous about heights, but for some reason the Sky Wheel was much more fun than frightening to me.