Ferris Wheel

redfishpaw · Post by **redfishpaw** » Mon Aug 15, 2005 9:56 am

Who remembers the ferris wheel at the Gurnee Park? It stood between Eagles Flight and the train station. I do not believe that is was an original ride and I'm not sure when it was removed, also I am not sure if SC had one. I was reminded of it today when looking at a 1984 Gurnee map. I did ride it once. Does anybody have any photos of the Ferris Wheel? Thanks.

BrianPlencner · Post by **BrianPlencner** » Mon Aug 15, 2005 10:16 am

I remember the ferris wheel at the Gurnee Park. I don't remember though, if I ever rode on it.

Your location is correct. What's interesting is if you look at that space today, you may wonder how a ride fit in that area, as it is quite small. That answer leads to the answer of your question, as to when the ride was removed.

Now, I'm not sure exactly which ride caused this, but I know that with either Z-Force, or Iron Wolf, the fairgrounds train station had to be moved south to get the ride in. It was quite a move too, like 20 or 30 feet.

Again, I'm not sure if that was to add Z-Force, or Iron Wolf, but I have a feeling when they did that, they took out the Ferris Wheel.

I know in later years, former park president and GM Jim Wintrode kept saying that he wanted a Ferris Wheel back in the park, but he never got his wish. Jim left the park at the end of the 2003 (?) season.

redfishpaw · Post by **redfishpaw** » Mon Aug 15, 2005 2:01 pm

Thanks Brian, I had forgotten about the moving of the train station. I do recall it now that you mention it. I remember when when I first saw it in its new location, it was quite noticable. Maybe this is what squeezed out the ferris wheel. The ferris wheel could also have been taken out when Eagles Flight was turned into the funnel cake foundry. One interesting note, since you mentioned Zforce and Iron Wolf, is that these two rides both reused the original MGA queue line from Whirligig. I still remember whirligig in its first location quite well. The queue line and building were reused for zforce and then iron wolf, then after a while the building was taken down and a fabric sunscreen structure went up over the same queue area. They may have redone the queue lanes recently, but they there is still a concrete retaining wall that is original from 1976 which is directly to your left as you would enter the queue for Iron wolf. It may sound weird, but every time get in in line for Iron Wolf, I see this concrete wall and I remember waiting in line for Whirligig.

Tanya · Post by **Tanya** » Mon Aug 15, 2005 2:08 pm

There was a ferris wheel in SC. I think it was where The Edge went in later.

Santa Cruisin · Post by **Santa Cruisin** » Mon Aug 15, 2005 10:29 pm

Tanya wrote:There was a ferris wheel in SC. I think it was where The Edge went in later.

That's exactly where it was in SC.

Post by **steven** » Mon Aug 15, 2005 10:40 pm

Yes, you've got the locations correct. In Gurnee, it was nearer to the Eagle's Flight station. In Santa Clara, it was further away from the Eagle's Flight station in the spot where the Edge eventually went in. I suppose that they did not put it in that spot in Gurnee because the Whirligig was already there. Santa Clara did not have a Whirligig.

Here's a photo of the Santa Clara Ferris wheel:

Steven

Demondude102110 · Post by **Demondude102110** » Tue Aug 16, 2005 11:05 am

I remember riding the ferris wheel at the Gurnee park in the year 2000

WhizzerSFGAm · Post by **WhizzerSFGAm** » Tue Aug 16, 2005 2:07 pm

Gurnee's regular ferris wheel was gone before 2000. Either you have the wrong year, or you are talking about Sky Whirl or the Bedrock Boulder Roller kiddie ferris wheel.

redfishpaw · Post by **redfishpaw** » Tue Aug 16, 2005 5:06 pm

Correct, 1984 may have been the last year for it. It is on the 1984 park map. I am quite sure that it was gone by 1985 when Zforce arrived.

Demondude102110 · Post by **Demondude102110** » Wed Aug 17, 2005 1:42 pm

WhizzerSFGAm wrote:Gurnee's regular ferris wheel was gone before 2000. Either you have the wrong year, or you are talking about Sky Whirl or the Bedrock Boulder Roller kiddie ferris wheel.

I'm probaly thinking of another one because I think that the one I rode had cages.

twixmix0303 · Post by **twixmix0303** » Wed Aug 17, 2005 4:11 pm

That's the kiddie one.

xxlatinogueroxx · Post by **xxlatinogueroxx** » Wed Aug 17, 2005 5:26 pm

Are you probly talking about in the kids area located in the Yukon Territory? Or are you talking about the Sky Whirl?

Demondude102110 · Post by **Demondude102110** » Thu Aug 18, 2005 7:24 pm

xxlatinogueroxx wrote:Are you probly talking about in the kids area located in the Yukon Territory? Or are you talking about the Sky Whirl?

I don't know what I'm talking about

Maybe I'm thinking of a Ferris Wheel at another amusement park

twixmix0303 · Post by **twixmix0303** » Thu Aug 18, 2005 11:11 pm

Well the kiddie one only has 6 cages. If you vist the park often, next time you're there, stop by Camp Cartoon Network and take a look at Bedrock somthing 'rother Rubble. This is it. Though, it used to be painted pink, purple, and teal. It would have to stop and go to let people in and out at the ground. If you don't remember being trapped in a tiny cage at the top of a ferris wheel that was standing still, then this wasn't it.

RLAiello · Post by **RLAiello** » Thu Aug 25, 2005 11:41 pm

I remember reading somewhere (and I can't remember where) that the ferris wheel was removed when they built Z-Force. They did move the train station, which is why the ferris wheel was removed. (I have to wonder if they actually physically MOVED the building or just built a new one to exactly match the original?)

The ferris wheel was then moved to Six Flags Autoworld, the profoundly failed venture they had in Flint, Michigan. (It was featured in Michael Moore's movie "Roger & Me" and the Ferris Wheel was even shown in a scene.)

History galore!