Department 56 Village Disney Swing HELP

[Debbie6221]

Does anyone have the swing with the Disney characters swinging in a circle? Santa is running the ride and there is also Pluto watching it?
I am going to finally put it away for the season and can not get the top off to put it back in the protective foam. I don't want to break it so I was wondering if any of you had any thoughts? It does come off right? I have turned it "lefty loosey" and "right tighty" and it is not coming off. I am talking about the piece the characters actually hang from.

Thanks!

 

[Debbie6221]

 

[JR6ooo4]

Why are you putting away christmas already, bah humbug....

DW says she think it unscrews the same way it turns which would be opposite normal threads. I think that makes sense because it spins clockwise and if it unscrewed counter clockwise it would unscrew by itself from the spinning and fall off .

But we can check tonight and get back to you.
PM me if you need an answer later.

It is cute though. we have little flood lights chining on it and it makes cool shadows on the wall as it is spinning.
Mikeeee

 

[Debbie6221]

I swear I have tried both ways and nothing is working...
I am sure I have broken the motor by now....
Get this...
You probably won't even believe this but in the middle of all this my DD4 went to "put it away" for me and YES, you guessed it...I had to watch in slow motion as it hit my hard wood floor! I really can't believe it! Goofy fell off completely (little chains broke), the Mickey ears broke off the top and now I realized Mickey's nose is gone!
So....aside from the fact I probably damaged the motor trying to take the top off, I have to try and fix everything else! I am praying super glue will do the trick. I just need for my patience to return. Everytime I look at it I see another chip or crack!

Sorry to vent...

 

[Debbie6221]

By the way HELLO fellow Illinoisian and the flood light thing sounds really neat!

 

[Debbie6221]

 

[JR6ooo4]

Hi, I did not even notice you were in chicago! How's the weather down there?
Sorry to hear of the damage. Use a similar color marker to cover any white cracks visible after glueing. But just dab it because the marker will show up a little more glossy than the finish. DW just got this one this christmas form her sister. Her mom gave it to the sister by mistake. She knew one collected them and the others did not but forgot who.... hehehehehee.

Mikeeee

 

[Debbie6221]

I have this feeling it is supposed to just unscrew off and mine is stuck. I probably stripped the threads or something.
My repair job is coming along but it will NEVER be the same!

The weather is VERY chilly!

 

[KrnB]

DW says she think it unscrews the same way it turns which would be opposite normal threads. I think that makes sense because it spins clockwise and if it unscrewed counter clockwise it would unscrew by itself from the spinning and fall off.

She's right - in this case, it's lefty tighty, righty loosey. Took me forever to figure that out the first time I put it together for display.

Try one of the WD-40 pens to see if that helps it get unstuck, since you've tried both ways, Debbie.

 

[JR6ooo4]

I have this feeling it is supposed to just unscrew off and mine is stuck. I probably stripped the threads or something.
My repair job is coming along but it will NEVER be the same!

The weather is VERY chilly!

Sorrry I thought you had the top part off. Ours does unscrew clockwise as you look at it from the top. The same direction as it spins.

Mikeeee

 

[AuntRoeRoe]

She's right - in this case, it's lefty tighty, righty loosey. Took me forever to figure that out the first time I put it together for display.

Try one of the WD-40 pens to see if that helps it get unstuck, since you've tried both ways, Debbie.

I am glad I came upon this thread! I got the swing right before Christmas and neither my husband nor I could get the swing to screw on to the base. Now I know we were doing it backwards! I put it away, but will try to get it together next Christmas. Thanks for the instructions!

 

[Debbie6221]

I am going to try one more time and then just pack it up a different way. I plugged it in and I have messed it up a bit. Unfortunately, I don't have a lot of patience. It sure isn't a smooth ride any more but that could have been from the hit it took too! Oh well! Can't keep crying over spilled milk, right?

 

[wendyl]

I know this piece well--and spent a good 30 mintues trying to screw the swing back on---it does NOT follow the 'righty tighty' 'lefty loosey' typical way. To screw it on, we had to turn it to the left (which really felt wrong--but that's the way it was designed). So, to unscrew it, you have to turn it to the right!!!

 

[Debbie6221]

Thanks everyone! I have this feeling though that now I have stripped the threads. Why can't things just be easy!!!

 

[Debbie6221]

Mine is NOT coming off. I am so bummed but I am going to just have to pack it up in bubble rap or something.

 

[dvcfamily41801]

Okay...we STILL have not been able to get this apart. I have it up high on a shelf and want to put it back in the box. If I turn 1 way it makes like a click sound, if I turn the other it makes a sound like those cars that you used to rub on the floor and let it go LOL if that makes any sense. We have even emailed Dept. 56 about how to unassemble it and have yet to get a response.

 

[JR6ooo4]

The top arm part twists off in a clockwise direction as viewed from the top. THe same direction as it spins.

Possibly if you plug in the swing and let it spin, then very carefuly try to spin it faster to unscrew it then the drag from the motor might hold the shaft enough to release the top arm section. It sounds like the top section has become stuck to the threads on the metal shaft. If you do get it apart you can put a lubricant on the shaft befre reasembly so you do not have the same problem. Maybe the top part crossthreaded when it was assembled. that coul dbe a problem.

I wonder if this could be considered a warranty issue and you could request a new one.
good luck
Mikeeee