Riding the Sky Wheel: Revisited

I wrote this entry many years ago and decided to revisit it, add a little bit more insight as well as throw a couple of new experiences into the article.

A well-known fact about me: I am terrified of heights. Another well-known fact: I love carnivals. And, perhaps the most surprising fact: my favorite ride of all time is the Sky Wheel, better known to the general public as the Double Ferris Wheel.

My first memory of the ride dates back to the late '70s when Century 21 Shows booked the massive Space Wheels owned by Royal American Shows to play at the Greater Gulf State Fair in Mobile, AL. The Space Wheels are two Sky Wheel units sharing a center support. That was the only time I saw and rode the Space Wheels, until 40 years later when Drew Expo brought it back out, newly refurbished at the North Georgia State Fair. Though it was slowed down quite a lot, it was still great to be able to see it and ride it again. After that, the Sky Wheel became a regular staple on the midways of fairs in Mobile and Pensacola until the mid-1990s. Due to the size and the rising costs and difficulty of obtaining replacement parts, many shows have opted to retire the ride.

Having seen the Sky Wheel at every fair I attended as a kid, I feel let down when I visit a large fair without one. A few midway operators understand the appeal of the ride among enthusiasts and have taken the initiative to refurbish some of the older wheels and bring them back out. There are currently about 10 Sky Wheels on the road, and 4 have made it to Georgia fairs that I've attended over the past 10 years.

What's so great about the ride? You might say it's just a ferris wheel. Think again. It's actually a thrill ride disguised as a gentle giant. If you're lucky enough to sit in the "over the top" seat on either end of the wheel, you will experience an elevator drop that tips your seat so you're facing the sky from the top until you make it to the bottom of the rotation. And before you know it, you're back at the top, doing it all over again.

The ride has been manufactured by three companies: it began with the Valare Brothers before the rights were acquired by the Allan Herschell company, and then Chance Rides after they purchased the assets of Allan Herschell, continuing to build these giants of the midway until the early 1980s. It stands just short of 80 feet, usually dwarfing the rest of the midway. With 8 seats on each wheel, its capacity is 48 adults per ride cycle. Check out the video link of my 2011 Sky Wheel on-ride experience to get an idea of what it's really like. If you ever find yourself on a midway with one of these guys, be sure to check it out for yourself and you'll understand why it's known as "The King of the Midway."

A Historical Look Back at Royal American Shows and My 1993 Louisiana State Fair Experience

Before his death in 1965, Carl J. Sedlmayr, often regarded as the king of the amusement industry, had built the largest carnival in the world. Sedlmayr's Royal American Shows proudly held the title of being the world's most beautiful show and the world's largest carnival midway. It was also the largest show to ever travel by train, boasting a massive convoy of 90 railroad cars during its heyday. This enormous train had to be split into two separate sections for transport. The first section contained 37 flat cars, two stock cars for equipment storage, one pie car for employees to eat and socialize, and seven sleeper cars. The second section included 20 flat cars, two concession supply cars, two private coach cars, one dining car, and 17 sleeper cars.

Royal American's success was partly due to its strong route, primarily playing state fairs in the United States and large regional expositions in Canada. Growing up in Mobile and Pensacola during the seventies and eighties, I remember visiting midways like Century 21, Goodings Million Dollar Midways, and Conklin but never experienced Royal American Shows as they had lost the contract with the Pensacola Interstate Fair to Goodings years before I attended. Royal American was known for its spectacular and massive midways, and anyone who witnessed it in its glory was truly fortunate. The entire show traveled by train until 1982, when the railroads' expenses forced Royal American to switch to trucks. Brightly painted equipment, including the show train and trailers, showcased Sedlmayr's circus-style flair.

Royal American Show's spectacular midway

In 1983, Royal American began traveling by truck, converting all rides to over-the-road status. During their Shreveport dates, they had the Space Wheels and Rod Link's Skywheel set up simultaneously, a sight to behold! In 1993, I visited the Royal American midway in Shreveport. Though not as large as before, it remained one of the most impressive carnivals I've seen. Their classic Rock-O-Plane ride still looked great and attracted many visitors. This was the 60th year for Royal American at the Louisiana State Fair, but sadly, it was their last for a while as they lost the contract to Bill Dillard Shows. They replaced the Shreveport date with the Greater Baton Rouge State Fair.

From what I recall, Royal American had the following show-owned rides on the midway in 1993: 36' Chance Merry-go-Round, 90' Majestic Scooter, Rock-O-Plane, Winky the Whale, Round-Up, Scrambler, four Hamptons, Dumbo Ride, Yo-Yo, Crazy Dance (the one from Problem Child 2), Hi-Roller, Go-Gator, SkyDiver, Gravitron, Spider, Swinger, Koncord Kastle, Kiddie Scrambler, Cycle Jump, Little Eli, Tilt-A-Whirl, and Four by Four. They also had several rides booked-on from other shows. Unfortunately, I never got to see Royal American after they closed for good in 1997, and their assets were auctioned off in 1999.