Giant Wheel

[29yrswithaGApass]

Click here to see the whole

Spotlight!

Comments and discussions welcomed.

[The Master]

Very nice spotlight! The Giant Wheel is a great ride and I never knew it was used. I noticed that in recent years they don't load all six cars at the station anymore, probably because their are stairs to climb for the cars at the ends of the station. The old Big Wheel sign is just lying on the ground in the employee area by Nitro's first drop.

[gafreak]

Many of good memories on the big wheel. It was a toss up what a better ride to bring your girlfriend on sky ride or big wheel. Both gave you alone time as long as you told the ride attendant you wanted to be alone

[JetsDevs4Lyf]

Awesome spotlight as usual guys. This is by far one of my favorite rides in the park as it really offers that classic theme park feel in the ride, while giving such amazing views of the park. It is a timeless ride and hopefully it stays with us for a long time to come!

[29yrswithaGApass]

You are right, the wheel is timeless. The views have surely changed but the ride experience is still top notch. The crew operating the ride this year is great! They even include some interesting tidbits like the height of the wheel in their welcome announcements for the riders. It really helps highlight what a classic this ride is at the Park.

 

For the kid in us, don't forget to color the Giant Wheel picture from the Goodtime Alley Coloring Book!

 

[JetsDevs4Lyf]

With the new parade shutting off the majority of the lighting in the park, the Giant Wheel really stands out nicely against the dark sky!

[29yrswithaGApass]

In the early days of the park the lights on the Giant Wheel didn't all stay constantly lit. Here's a couple of examples of just the flower design illuminated.

 

 

[Thunderbolt]

In the early days of the park the lights on the Giant Wheel didn't all stay constantly lit.

Wow, even back in the early days; nobody replaced the defective light bulbs on "The Big Wheel". That's one frustrating aspect plaguing Great Adventure throughout its history. It seems every management team simply plops a new ride or building down and forgets about it. Instead of providing the TLC needed, they defer refurbishment to the point where its no longer feasible (either cost wise or structurally). Even with "The Flying Wave" refreshes, nobody cared enough to budget and replace the dead bulbs or non-functioning light panels. I would like to see the park replace all the incandescent light panels with LEDs, but that won't happen. Despite their brighter appearance, efficiency, and enduring nature, management wouldn't dare bother to do it. Great Adventure loses so much of its splendor do to the poor lighting at night.

Edited August 11, 2008 by Thunderbolt

[29yrswithaGApass]

I always loved the glow of all the miniature lights. It has been a long time since we received a ride with a "night lighting package".

 

[Matt]

As always I love reading these spotlights! I say if there was a guided history tour through out the park, you guys would be teaching the tour guides they hire!

[JetsDevs4Lyf]

Hey if and when you guys decide to retire, Matt seems to have a good idea there for you

[29yrswithaGApass]

Retirement is way too far off! I want to do the history tours now!

[JetsDevs4Lyf]

I hear you on that. Heck for me I need the permanent secured job before retirement can even be in the future somewhere

[29yrswithaGApass]

A new Giant Wheel album has been set up in our GAH Spotlights Extras Gallery. It includes a couple of old pictures including a car with the decorative vinyl trim on the roof as well as a shot over the treetops with the original "GA" logo on the central hub.

[grounds75]

The Giant Wheel is the center of the park and was also the center for the workers. But it is also the most boring ride to work. My sister use to count red sneakers to pass the time. Almost everyone I knew who worked it had a dream that the wheel broke lose and was rolling down Dream Street, or they had to change all the light bulbs and when they got done, the wheel was turned over and they had to do the other side.

 

The summer of 75 they did change bunt out bulbs. We found a 50 gal garbage can filled with them at the compactor behind Gingerbread, spent the night smashing all of them. The “flower” of lights had several patterns in the “70” and would light up the whole area. The park is always nicer at night.

 

Rain would hydroplane the drive wheels and I spent many nights helping pull the top cars down

 

[29yrswithaGApass]

^ I love hearing these types of stories relating to the park's early days! Welcome grounds75! If you have an opportunity, please post a introduction about yourself in our "Introductions" topic. It sounds like you were at the park at least from 1975 to 1977?

 

We would love to hear more of your stories and if you have any photos you can share, we'd love to see those! Once again, welcome!

[gafreak]

Ya more oldie stories please!

[gafreak]

id like to see them add the lights inside the cabins again ,like the pic in the 1975 souvenir book

[29yrswithaGApass]

In all my years going to the park I think the Giant Wheel was at its worst during 1988 when some of the cars were missing and they appeared to be installed randomly without any consideration for their colors. In addition, the colors of the cars during that year were very dull and drab.

 

[gafreak]

The Big Wheel is closed for the rest of the 2011 season due to the DMP stage construction

[scipiomask]

Not that I was even alive then, but I'd say that 1988 was the lowest year for the park. Then Scream Machine came, and things were high-sailin' for a little while.

[Up_Up_and_Away]

The Big Wheel is closed for the rest of the 2011 season due to the DMP stage construction

 

Interesting; on the Fright Fest page (under 'Spine-Chilling Adventures') it says:

 

Big Wheel of Doom

The greatest scientific minds in New Jersey have gone mad trying to understand the deadly and befuddling mystery hidden deep within one of the most scariest and brain melting rides in the world.

[gafreak]

ya, i saw that, too, i wonder if the rumor of moving DMP was true untill last minitue

[29yrswithaGApass]

There is now an update... Big Wheel of Doom is now Parachutes of Doom.

 

Parachutes of Doom

 

 

The greatest scientific minds in New Jersey have gone mad trying to understand the deadly and befuddling mystery hidden deep within one of the most scariest and brain melting rides in the world.

 

The Parachute tower is one of the most popular rides in the park. What most people don’t know is that it hides a mystery so deadly and befuddling that some of the the greatest scientists in New Jersey have gone mad trying to understand it while others have simply died of fright.

 

Within the workings of this ride lives something so wretched and so elusive, not much more can safely be said. No one knows where It came from. No one knows Its demented goal. When it first arrived our best maintenance men tried to expel it. They’re all dead now. Or missing. Or zombified. Or retired.

 

This wicked invader raids the brain, melting and reconstructing the living tissue, replacing normal cells with the eggs of Its evil nature. The eggs hatch immediately and, repulsed by the pleasant thoughts and feelings they encounter, the hatchlings vomit up their disgusting essence. The foul liquid coats the minds of thrill riders and, by the time they reach the ground, the pain is so intense, the sound so loud, and the ideas so hideous, their original personalities are only vague memories.

 

Once-innocent riders – now possessed – are directed to mingle with unsuspecting friends and others in the crowd to spread their wickedness. We warn our visitors, but evil does as evil pleases.

[Chiller]

Its disapointing, the stories on the website have nothing to do with the ride. They dont plan on retheming it at all. Here is a quote from facebook, "The stories get guests in the groove of Fright Fest-- it adds a cool creepy element!"