Sky Whirl cabins

[jonrev]

Powerdive went about a week or two ago. I need to go through A51 sometime and look for the Skywhirl cabins; if they're still there and they're cleaning house, I might start making phone calls soon.

[sfgam]

^ They were not used in Area 51 this year.

[DarkJak2050]

The about-to-be-scrapped cabins were offered free to anyone who would pick them up. I was the only one who took advantage of the kind offer. I went for two and ended up with three. I don't want to give away too much more of the story now because I still plan to follow through with that article about it. Even though they were free, the transportation and storage charges were very high.

The first objective was to save them from the scrap heap. That's been accomplished. Next is to figure out what to do with them. I would like to restore them and have them looking just like new. Besides that, however, I don't yet have any plans. I thought about hanging one from a frame that would allow it to swing a little bit. But that could present some safety problems. Any other ideas? Good suggestions are most welcome!!!

Steven

I have a suggestion. I know this post is kinda old but I'm surprised that there are still remains of the Santa Clara Sky Whirl/Triple Wheel after 10+ years of the ride itself being torn down. Not to mention on how many people here miss it. Here's my suggestion, if you still have the cabins to this day:

Donate one of the blue cabins back to the Santa Clara park, have them put it on display at Invertigo's que entrance and have it serve as like a memorial, letting park visitors today know that the park had it's own very unique and rare triple armed ferris wheel. It makes sense to put it at Invertigo's que entrance since that was Sky Whirl/Triple Wheel's site.

So what do you say, Steven?

[steven]

I still have the cabins, but paid big bucks to ship them across the country to where I could store them at no charge. Storage costs for them in San José were too high. I don't know if they'd be interested in having one of them back. But the idea of having one of them on display as a museum piece is a good suggestion and is definitely something that I would support.

Steven

[DarkJak2050]

There could be a possibility that they'll take one of the cabins back and display it. Besides, I read on a different post mentioning that Cedar Point puts a "tombstone" for rides that're gone at it's original site. That's where my suggestion sparked. If Cedar Fair does that at Cedar Point, then why not at the Santa Clara Great America park? (Since Cedar Fair owns both Cedar Point and the Santa Clara Great America park)

And it's just as you said, Sky Whirl was like a symbol of the park as the Carousel Columbia. With that, Sky Whirl should have a memorial at it's original site. You won't find a ferris wheel like that anywhere else in the world now.

[steven]

I didn't know about Cedar Point putting up markers as memorials to removed rides. That's interesting. The idea of putting a Sky Whirl cabin on display is a good one and one that I'd support. I'd much prefer, however, that they commission the building of an all-new Sky Whirl / Triple Wheel. That would be a fitting tribute!

Steven

[DarkJak2050]

That would be more of a resurrection than a tribute. It'll be great to have a brand new Sky Whirl, it's just the matter of where to put it. But then again, seeing how the Santa Clara park is right now, I seriously doubt that Cedar Fair's gonna build a new Sky Whirl. I know that it's gonna be off subject but, let's take a look at the Santa Clara park's latest rides from when Paramount used to own the park:

1993: Flight Deck (Top Gun)
1996: Drop Tower (Drop Zone)
1997: Xtreme Skyflyer
1998: Invertigo (Better suited in Williard's Whizzer's site, than Sky Whirl's)
2000: Stealth (Removed in 2003)
2001: Psycho Mouse
2002: Delirium, Flying Eagles
2006: Survivor the Ride
2008: FireFall

All these latest rides have one thing in common, they're all thrill rides. There's a possibility that the park is aiming towards thrill junkies now, and moving away from family friendly rides. And I hear that there's gonna be another thrill ride that's gonna take Williard's Whizzer's site. I don't know for sure, but if Cedar Fair does resurrect Sky Whirl, I don't think park visitors today are gonna like it.

I think it's best to have one of the remaining blue Sky Whirl cabins on display at Invertigo's que entrance as Sky Whirl's memorial.

[steven]

May 2010.

Steven

[steven]

Of the three cabins, only one still had these on the inside of the door.

Steven