Removing the Mickey Wheel

[Maleficent4811]

Other than the fact that it scares the bejesus out of me, it can stay. Its playful and fits with the water front amusment park theme on the backside of the park. I guess I have never read into it as far as some of the other posters. Perhaps if I really analyzed it I might have a different opinion. For now I think I'll stick with me view point so that I don't spoil the fun for myself.

[seafaring_ghost]

The fun wheel is not a generic ferris wheel, as has been said before, but a unique one of three wonder wheel, in other words there are more Towers of Terror or Haunted Mansions or dare I even say it's a small worlds than there are rides like Mickey's Fun Wheel. Not only that, the only other two are also located on boardwalks, making the one in DCA a thematically appropriately placed attraction.

[animark]

What sets Mickey's Fun Wheel apart from other Ferris Wheels is its integration in World of Color. It real showed what it can do during its TRON sequence. It would be nice to hear the classic Disney Cartoon Medley's during your ride.

[doppio]

Fix the queue. Talk about an eyesore. Had to go to first aid after that. Ouch.

[WDW1971]

First and foremost, the Mickey Wheel you speak of (I am assuming you meant Mickey's Fun Wheel, silly mistake I know) is essential to the sightlines and "sense of place" (sense of place means the time and place the Imagineers wanted to put the guests into the story) of Paradise Pier and it would be foolish and irresponsible to remove a perfectly functioning ride and replace it with what? Nothing? Not a good idea in my professional opinion. What is really wrong with it? You do not think that Walt would have liked it? DCA needs its amusement park type rides because it needs to differentiate itself from the other 5 Disney Parks® across the country. If people want cheap carnival attractions, they know to go to DCA and not Epcot.

[QuiGonJ]

The fun wheel should stay. It is unique and beautiful. All it needs is a better que. I say remove jellyfish and zephyr!

I'll agree on this. Jellyfish could at least be moved over to Flik's fun fair somehow.

[bayouguy]

I like the Wheel.
Disneyland did install a "real" ferris wheel back in the 80s I believe for its Country Fair promotion. It was installed in the plaza in front of Sleeping Beauty's Castle. That certainly was a weird sight.

[TjGilmour]

All the pictures people take from the pier are some of the best scenery, without the fun wheel the pier would be nothing, aside from Screamin'. It's part of what makes DCA a lot different from other Disney parks, since none of the others have ferris wheels, let alone swinging gondolas.

[Chesire]

What is really wrong with it? You do not think that Walt would have liked it? DCA needs its amusement park type rides because it needs to differentiate itself from the other 5 Disney Parks® across the country. If people want cheap carnival attractions, they know to go to DCA and not Epcot.

People also know that if they want to witness beautiful rock work and a 200 million dollar attraction, they should go to DCA.

Each and every park has it's flaws and a few outdated, cheap, attractions, and only paying attention to one park is pretty unfair.

Back to the topic...

Paradise Pier would be pretty bland at night without the Fun Wheel, and it's a fun perspective to view DCA at without being on a roller coaster.

[Dillamond]

[Michael808702]

makes some beautiful sight lines and looks even better at night with the lights and stuff plus its a part of WOC and it just looks great.

[ducktalesfan5555]

Mickey's Fun Wheel is by no means a favorite of mines. I recall riding it only three times (once as the Sun wheel, twice as MFW). MFW does serve a purpose by giving Paradise Pier a sense of time and place. Without it, PP would look and feel naked, like something's missing. All they need to do is to fix that sorry excuse for a queue, and beautify the wheel, it looks too modern and bland at most angles.

---------- Post added 10-02-2012 at 12:39 AM ----------

The fun wheel should stay. It is unique and beautiful. All it needs is a better que. I say remove jellyfish and zephyr!

I strongly disagree with you on the Golden Zephyr! It's a very unique ride, there's nothing like it anymore and fits the theme of Paradise Pier greatly.

[Disneymike]

Well, since Carsland is done and we don't need anymore pictures from the Wheel.....

[Spence]

Although I'll never ride the thing simply because I don't care for ferris wheels, I think it's an excellent part of Paradise Pier, and now looks soo much better since the Mickey Face inclusion. I also think it's used quite nicely in WoC as well.

[fifthrider]

I see a lot of support here for the wheel so I'm sure my comments aren't going to be welcomed but the fact of the matter is this whole Paradise Pier land is an emulation of an idealized California boardwalk, and in doing that they basically made a land filled with attractions you can find in any theme park ( or boardwalk ) anywhere else. I have never been on that wheel nor do I have any interest in ever going on it. That whole corner of the park has been one big "meh" to me.

Outside you're in Anaheim, CA. Then you walk through the turnstyles into the park to find yourself in the far off imaginary land of.... Oh wait, you're still in California. Did you like the Supreme Scream at Knott's? Then you'll love the Mailboomer. Are you a huge fan of those traveling carnival swing rides? Here, hop in a giant orange and do the same thing. We Disney fans have the expectation of better rides and why shouldn't we? Disney has a proven history of raising the bar, often being THE PARK that everyone else tries to top.

....and then they bust out carnival rides and a ferris wheel?

Look, I get that a lot of you are fans of it and that there's arguments like it's a grand ferris wheel unlike the average one, and how it ties into world of color, etc. As far as Ferris Wheels go I'm sure it's really well done and just the pinnacle of all things "ferris wheel."

If it left I wouldn't shed a tear. Imagineers have a history of amazing things, and I have no interest in ever going on this. I just don't get the attraction to this. Unfortunately it's also a pretty iconic piece of the park so I see no need to ever remove it. when you look at DCA pics and postcards it's pretty much California Screamin', this Ferris Wheel and Grizzly Rapids. Those are just the three iconic parts of the park so that wheel isn't leaving.

I would imagine that whole corner of DCA ( between Midway Mania and Ariel's ) has been a topic of discussion amongst DCA execs numerous times in the past and I'm sure changes are due in the future.