There is an awesome antique merry go round in San Diego's Balboa Park right next to the zoo. Every kind of animal one can think of. And a brass ring too!

Here is a question: is it true that the name carousel applies to rides with strictly horses on it, and merry go rounds have all different animals? I heard that somewhere.

I also heard that carousels always run counterclockwise and merry go rounds go clockwise.

Do those bits of trivia rank up there with six people falling in the Hoover Dam concrete? Someone please enlighten me!!

Originally posted by adriennek



But on our recent vacation, we went to Golden Gate Park only to find out that its carousel had closed half an hour before we got there. Anyone know if that carousel is considered an antique?

Adrienne K

It is. It had been closed for several years while they refurbished the horses. It opened again in 1994, I think. Did you notice the lovely tails on the horses? They are real "hair" vs. wooden tails. What is nice also is the cheap price to ride this carousel. I think its only .50 cents or so.

Even the San Francisco Zoo's is a whopping $2.00 or more. That's a beautiful Merry-go-Round also. The different animals are painted beautifully.

Also, the Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk has a beautiful antique Carousel. It also has the brass rings that you can grab and throw into ....I think its a clown's mouth? I was just there and cannot remember.

Oh, and back to the topic. I think the carousel should be refurbished to allow people in wheelchairs to ride. Disneyland was meant for everyone...if they can do it, they should.

The Santa Monica Pier carousel is a great one (at least it was 18 years ago when I lived in Santa Monica) and if you want to see it, its the carousel that Paul Newman worked/lived in in The Sting (the inside shots, not the outside).

Originally posted by lisap
Here is a question: is it true that the name carousel applies to rides with strictly horses on it, and merry go rounds have all different animals? I heard that somewhere.

Nope that isn't true, although it seems to be a common misconception among Disney fans. I suspect this idea probably came from something that Walt Disney himself said at some time and it has been echoed (and probably exaggerated...) in some of the Disney park guidebooks.

Within the industry and among carousel enthusiasts, the terms "carousel" and "merry-go-round" are treated as completely synonymous. Essentially, the first is the more formal term while the second is more of a slang term.

The proper term for a carousel that has different kinds of animals on it is a "menagerie" carousel.

I also heard that carousels always run counterclockwise and merry go rounds go clockwise.


I can't recall off hand which is which, but carousels manufactured for use in the US generally go one way and ones manufactured for Europe go the other.


Just as a note of explanation, my father used to volunteer as a tour guide at the Merry-Go-Round museum in Sandusky, Ohio and even researched and wrote their tour manual at the time. It is through him that I learned a lot about carousels.

-Jeff

Actually, I had heard many of the same Merry-go-round/carousel comparisons (clockwise vs. counter clockwise, horses vs. all sorts of animals and benchs) way before I joined the Disney cult by reading these websites and posting to these boards. So I don't think we can lay this idea on Disney fans. I think I've actually read it in news articles or feature pieces on various locations with carousels. I'm not saying its correct, I'm just saying that I've heard it outside the realm of Disney.

Originally posted by JeffG



I can't recall off hand which is which, but carousels manufactured for use in the US generally go one way and ones manufactured for Europe go the other.


Well, the DLR carousels go counter-clockwise, I know that much :)

Adrienne K

JeffG--thank you so much!! I didn't really get these ideas from a Disney perspective--I honestly don't know where I first heard about them. But I certainly won't spread and more merry go round falsehoods anymore, promise.

Thanks to David Koenig for a Part II to the carousel question.

I agree, 3894. That was a nice follow-up. However, I think he could have done a better job investigating the stability, strength, and balance issues. He claims to have access to insider information, but can't go talk to an imagineer about it? Since the change is going forward, surely the imagineers have worked out this issue, if there is an issue to be concerned with.

I can't remember who posted the "facts/figures" in an earlier post I "think" it might have been Tony but don't hold me to that ok.. but that answered most any reasonable questions regarding the shift in weight issues, the removal of the horses, ect vs the weight of the wheelchair guests so that seems to be why no one is really going 'there' with any of the information. the only one that I saw that might cause concern was that the ramp to load/unload might be an issue but it would be very simple to have it attached to the carousel, either in the form of a folding one that would take a very short amount of time to open/close or even one solid one that just lifts up vertically while the ride is going then down to the sidewalk when the ride ends...this adaptation is so totally doable and would allow more guests to enjoy another attraction at the park....I am amazed at all the people who are "upset" that this 'treasure' might be changed.. it isn't original now and Walt never intended the park to be a muesuem but a constantly evolving wonderful place for families to enjoy.... in 1955 people with disabilities were shunned and hidden so it is little wonder that there wasn't more consideration for the accessibilty but if Walt were alive and building the park today I would bet the Matterhorn he would have been all over the imagineers to come up with more ways to allow all guests to enjoy as much of the park as would be possible...maybe a "lift" to assist them from their chairs to a specially fitted PoC boat with shoulder harnesses to help them support their upper bodies.. same with Splash or Space or Thunder... the possiblities are endless

Just to clarify, Mammasilva, I don't think that the weight of a wheelchair is an issue, as I stated in one of my posts above. Going by my own engineering instinct, even though I have no working knowledge of the specifics of this carousel, the arguments against making the change just don't seem logical. Tony's remarks made sense to me, and I do agree. However, it would have been nice of David to thoroughly dismiss the claim from the CM by having a true authority make a statement about it. How hard could it have been to pick up a phone and ask an imagineer? Then there would be no more room for opinions or speculation. All the facts would be made available so the dissenters can be put in their place.

Accessibility issues are truly important so the more precise the information and the more reliable the source, the better.

On technical information from Disney employees, does MousePlanet have difficulty getting sources to speak on the record?

ADA aside.....

If the people who want to preserve everything just as the way "Walt would've wanted it" or "Walt had a hand in this", or "It's Walt's original idea", then all of Fantasyland is wrong. And we all agree its beautiful now, right? I'm sure a lot of folks here don't remember when it had the circus tent look. I do. And did anyone complain when the makeover was done? I don't know. But, I think Walt would perhaps love the way it looks now...we will never know.

But, even aside from that. People who say lets not change it...need to "walk a mile in my shoes". Meaning, if they knew what it was like to have a child with a disability, and wish that their child too, could enjoy the carousel. Or even an adult who would love to ride on one of the original DL attractions, but was restricted because of his/her wheelchair.

It's hard to be "PC" about everything in our world. And sometimes its not appropriate. But, if they can do it...they should. If its not feasable, than so be it. But just to say it would ruin Walt's beautiful carousel just dosn't seem right...(then we'll have to go back to the colorful Circus Tents).
I'm sure I'll get blasted for my unqualified speel here...but, I gave my thoughts anyway.

On It's a Small World, I saw a boat equipped with a flat area for a wheelchair to be placed on top of it. From afar it looks like a jacuzzi hot tub.

I hate to sound Bill Maher-ish but is it possible for every ride to be handicap accessible? I mean I couldn't see how they could put a wheelchair user on Splash... For safety concerns of the person and fellow riders, isn't it just a bad idea to accommodate some people? It's not even a matter of handicap. I saw a woman who was at least 350lbs being unable to ride Space Mtn because she couldn't fit.
A friend of mine is 6'6" and depending on which CM he gets, he's often not able to be accommodated for Space Mtn. Once they stratled him in the back of a car by himself with one lap bar over each leg. It was kind of odd looking.
Who knows, maybe it is possible to let everyone on but if you do or don't, it seems like a lawsuit is inevitable.:confused:

I have to agree a little with Disneylad here. It's not safe to accomodate every person on every ride, but the Carousel has to be one of, if not THE safest ride to accomodate anyone on, no matter age, ability, or size. Also, I would think it would be relatively (compared to other situations) cheap and simple to achieve. Change is inevitable. And improvements are necessary. If Disney can pay to put Fast Pass unnecessarily on *some* rides, why not make others accessible to all/most?

THose people don't deserve it...they are gimpies

Originally posted by FantasmicFan82
THose people don't deserve it...they are gimpies

Since this topic hasn't shown up in quite some time, please explain who "Those people" are.

Originally posted by FantasmicFan82
THose people don't deserve it...they are gimpies

We are hoping that you are trying to make a joke. But, if either if you are making a joke, or are not...it is in EXTREMELY very poor taste.:(

Originally posted by FantasmicFan82
THose people don't deserve it...they are gimpies
OK, that wasn't me. someone who got hold of my computer at work found that i did not sign out. oops

wow. and they pointed it right to mousepad??? Do your friends work for Miss. Cleo?

anyway, I think that it'd be wrong to make every ride wheel-chair accessible. And for some, it's not possible (Indy, Splash Mountain, all 3 roller coasters)... I think that the carrousel should stay like it is... Just don't ask me why.

After reading Al's article of this week, it seems that the work on the carousel is being done-good job Disney! Now I'm looking forward to when the ride opens and you locals can ride and report whether it's been "desecreated" or not.