Someone here knows...

[ldadar]

why are there no Ferris wheels at Disney?

[bbangel]

There is the Sun Wheel in California Adventure.

[kaytieeldr]

For the most part, Ferris wheels are an amusement park ride; Disney is a theme park. The Sun Wheel is in a section of DCA that implies a Boardwalk, and the typical rides one would find there.

[wildeoscar]

where do you put the audio animatronic on a Ferris wheel?

[kaytieeldr]

Could you have an audioanimatronic controlling the lever that starts and stops the wheel? You couldn't have one opening and closing the ride vehicle bars, could you, because an AA wouldn't be able to determine if it was securely fastened (at least, not yet)?

[Rora]

For the most part, Ferris wheels are an amusement park ride; Disney is a theme park. The Sun Wheel is in a section of DCA that implies a Boardwalk, and the typical rides one would find there.

This response is basically what I think too. When I think of a ferris wheel, I think of like a carnival..but Disney, as mentioned, is a theme park. Most every ride/ attraction is Disney themed and I'm not too sure if a ferris wheel could be Disney themed. But, the DCA does have a ferris wheel because it's boardwalk themed. :)

[jenseib]

I'm glad they don't. I hate ferris wheels. Disney also doens't have most of the amusement park type rides. They have a few rollar coasters, but not your typical ones you see everywhere else. Thats why it is unique!

[ldadar]

I love Ferris wheels. There's one in the kiddy section of Sea World San Antonio that could be themed to fit Toontown maybe. i guess I'm going to have to plan a trip to CA.

let's see...

It could have Rescuers theme-the cars could be bird shaped or

or a Hunchback theme-don't they fly around in that movie? or

even Tarzan.

I'm sure an imagineer could come up with a great ride.

[Dawn68PA]

I like to think of WDW rides as friendly to me. If the put in a Ferris Wheel, I would think Disney was beginning to want to scare me :rotfl:

[wannabprincess]

I agree, if they would put one in it would be on the boardwalk.

[Mr. & Mrs. Smith]

I'm glad they don't. I hate ferris wheels. Disney also doens't have most of the amusement park type rides. They have a few rollar coasters, but not your typical ones you see everywhere else. Thats why it is unique!

As others have already stated, Disney does in fact have a rather large ferris wheel at DCA.

[Mrs. Bee]

People are saying that Disney doesn't really have amusement park rides. But a few of the themed rides are just glorified amusement park rides (tea cups, dumbo, aladdin, etc.) And Space Mountain is just a themed wild mouse (and a horrible one, at that..IMO.)

The Sunwheel at DCA isn't just a regular ferris wheel. Have of the cards on on rails that they slide down and swing back and forth. Scary.

[Disneychix]

WDW also has a Cindy's Carrasel (sp?) and I would put that right in line with "amusement" type rides. So I'm not sure if the theory of amusement vs theme holds up.

[DisneyDeeva]

One of the biggest arguments agains a ferris wheel type attraction would be the ride capacity. You would load a finite number of Guests on the ride...run the ride...unload the ride...repeat. Very inefficient process.

Most recent additions to the parks have continuous loading or mass loading. This enables them to move a high volume of people through the attraction in any given day. That is one of the reasons the wait time for rides like Dumbo are much longer than the line would seem to indicate. It all about efficiency.

[ldadar]

A huge slow moving wheel could have continuous loading and large capacity (like the London Eye)

[Mrs. Bee]

A huge slow moving wheel could have continuous loading and large capacity (like the London Eye)

Not really though. Because people would only move a little way, then stop. Move a little, stop. Usually ferris wheels go around a full time or two so people can actually enjoy them.

[ldadar]

In the original post, I was thinking about a traditional amusement park ferris wheel or a kiddie ferris wheel, but you people have really got me thinking...

according to wikipedia, London Eye has continuous loading, a 2000 person capacity, and revolves every 30 minutes, thus solving the efficiency issue.

Maybe a small one in Downtown Disney...

Ferris wheels are American, perhaps it could fit into an Americana theme somewhere.

[Mr. & Mrs. Smith]

It's very easy to make a ferris wheel that is continuously loading. That means that the riders wouldn't stop at all. (Think the clamobiles at Nemo only vertical.) In fact, it would be better than a lot of the loading for the rides that are currently on Disney property. So, I don't get the loading argument.

[Dengar]

I think it would be very neat if they had a ferris wheel with Disney characters that sit by you.. kind of like the Haunted Mansion! It definitely would be great for pictures!

If they can have the carny Dumbo ride, they can have the carny ferris wheel ride!

[ldadar]

Dengar-

Disney should pay you for that fabulous idea.