restoca Posted March 3, 2009 Posted March 3, 2009 The Galaxy wheel. Was that a one-of-a-kind? There was one at AstroWorld. -Tatum While many parks (including Hersheypark, both Great Americas, and AstroWorld) had huge multi-arm wheels, none that I have seen were exactly like Magic Mountain's Galaxy. Here is an AstroWorld postcard from 1968 featuring the Astrowheel.
Nrthwnd Posted March 4, 2009 Posted March 4, 2009 Current postings on this page of the Magic Mountain thread show a few glimpses of The Galaxy there, on a flyer drawing (bottom of 'overview') and a postcard (blue framed) ... http://www.themeparkreview.com/forum/viewtopic.php?p=709348#709348
thrillerman1 Posted March 4, 2009 Author Posted March 4, 2009 ^^ That card is gorgeous! It looks like there is some construction going on in the upper right corner of the card. Hmm I wonder what that was about. Also, don't forget Kings Island had one of the Intamin double armed wheels too on which I was fortunate to take a spin way back in the awesome 80's. Thanks for the Magic Pagoda description on the previous page Bill.
astroworldfan1 Posted March 4, 2009 Posted March 4, 2009 I think it was construction for the Alpine Sleigh Ride. I'm not 100% sure. -Tatum
ebl Posted March 4, 2009 Posted March 4, 2009 On the way out of Ninja, you use part of what was the queue for Magic Pagoda. It pretty much took place underneath that upper patio area adjacent to Ninja. Ninja itself uses the former upper station of the old Dragon ride as its queue/boarding area. You can still see remnants of the Dragon track when you're climbing Ninja's last lift hill. The lower Dragon Station is still intact, but unused. It sits behind the Soda Shack next to where Spin Out used to be. The Galaxy used what is now Buccaneer and Swashbuckler. It was actually a very troublesome ride, and the park didn't get it to work reliably till the second or third season if I recall. On most of my early visits, it was not open. Eric
Markieb Posted March 4, 2009 Posted March 4, 2009 ^^ That card is gorgeous! It looks like there is some construction going on in the upper right corner of the card..\A carousel and picnic area were being finished off.
montezooma Posted March 4, 2009 Posted March 4, 2009 God I miss AstroWorld. Restoca the AstroWorld postcards are my FAVORITES on this thread. I hope you have more!
restoca Posted March 4, 2009 Posted March 4, 2009 God I miss AstroWorld. Restoca the AstroWorld postcards are my FAVORITES on this thread. I hope you have more! 1. ditto 2. my pleasure 3. I sure do, as you'll see...
thrillerman1 Posted March 4, 2009 Author Posted March 4, 2009 Oh was that the area for the Dentzel carousel being built?
montezooma Posted March 4, 2009 Posted March 4, 2009 More great old Magic Mountain stuff. It sure used to be easy to get around the park. Take note of the caption on the back side of the postcard. "In-Park Transportation is provided to HELP guests experience the 260 beautiful acres..."
Markieb Posted March 5, 2009 Posted March 5, 2009 "In-Park Transportation is provided to HELP guests experience the 260 beautiful acres..." That is one mighty large park! That is Magic!
thrillerman1 Posted March 5, 2009 Author Posted March 5, 2009 This whole time I've been thinking the Magic Pagoda was the white looking geometric shaped smaller structure to the right of the Sky Tower. I just realized that's something different. What was that structure?
Markieb Posted March 5, 2009 Posted March 5, 2009 Looking back at the AW post card I started laughing. "Ethel" as the Intamin double wheel was known at AW, was one heck of a contraption. for basically a Ferris wheel. You got to hand it to Intamin for coming up with that massive beast. Even the cars on this thing were massive. They later used those cars as employee picnic benches. They could hold a dozen people easily. According to Intamins database the "Double Giant Wheel" only lived at AW and MM. I can Assume MM also took theirs out as well? What a beast Ethel was. Do any of here sisters still operate?
tmac031467 Posted March 5, 2009 Posted March 5, 2009 I didn't think that the wheels at astroworld and magic mountain were made by Intamin. The information that I have seen give the design credit to another(can't remember who but not Intamin) and manufacturer as Garland Steel. Maybe Intamin marketed them? or mabe these wheels were another ride originally made by another concern but rights were purchased later by Intamin (ie Air Race plane rides at Six Flags Georgia and Texas were built after the Brady and Kaye Rides at Opryland, Worlds of Fun and Old Chicago).
astroworldfan1 Posted March 5, 2009 Posted March 5, 2009 ^ No. They were definitely Intamin's creation. Trust us Astroworld fanatics. -Tatum
Markieb Posted March 5, 2009 Posted March 5, 2009 I didn't think that the wheels at astroworld and magic mountain were made by Intamin. That is debatable and some suggest Intamin only brokered the rides. They claim the fame so I went with them. Call it made by who ever makes you happy.
montezooma Posted March 6, 2009 Posted March 6, 2009 Speaking of Intamin Wheels...here is one of their GREATEST. The Sky Whirl at Marriott's Great America in California. Also shown are the Lobster and The Turn of the Century. I miss Great America when it was Great
thrillerman1 Posted March 7, 2009 Author Posted March 7, 2009 The Sky Whirl should be listed as one of the 7 greatest inventions of mankind...or something like that. Nice card Shane!
Nrthwnd Posted March 7, 2009 Posted March 7, 2009 ^ Or, "The 7 Best Amusement Rides in the World", then? (Go, Bouncy Bouncy!)
restoca Posted March 8, 2009 Posted March 8, 2009 This is a great card, but I was wondering if anyone noticed that the actual pic is from the days when the ride was at Paragon ... an early cut-and-paste...-S That's a very keen observation, Scott. Certainly one that I missed. This ride doesn't reach the small numbers of many enthusiasts' lists, but it's certainly had a more interesting history than most. Here is a card that was mailed in 1955. postmark July 28, 1955
SeaWhippet Posted March 8, 2009 Posted March 8, 2009 Wow, Restoca, what a nice card! That's one I've never seen. I wish the ride had been redesigned in Maryland to run as it did when this before The Big Fire. Still, I agree; it's underrated despite the questionable alterations it's had to endure at the hands of SF. I was based at BWI when the Giant first moved south and I spend many, many summer afternoons in a near-vacant Wild World as the only rider for countless circuits. Although the rebuilt helix was always somewhat jarring, the Giant was still a very good coaster back then. I miss that ride.
thrillerman1 Posted March 8, 2009 Author Posted March 8, 2009 Wait is this postcard referring to the name of the coaster or the big snowstorm that moved through the south and up the east coast last week? Well...hopefully it's NOT referring to the cheesey 80's rock band! So yeah I loved Morey's. I was totally unprepared when I drove up to this seaside wonder back in '05. I had been to a couple of other piers that morning and Clementon's in the afternoon, all of which were fairly dead. Then I drove to Morey's and discovered this is where all the action was happening. The place was jam packed with wall to wall people and amusements. It had a really great, lively atmosphere and is a place I would absolutely love to visit again someday. Once bitten, definitely NOT twice shy! Second verse same as the first Myyyy my my
montezooma Posted March 9, 2009 Posted March 9, 2009 Ahhh, memories from my Christmas this year in the Smoky Mtns. LOVE this park! (and loved this ride)
montezooma Posted March 10, 2009 Posted March 10, 2009 Another Great card from a Great park. Marriott's Great America.
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