Pink Monorail Manufacturing the Magic Ep 13: The Ferris Wheel & the Carousel

Heya friends, here is the link to the next episode of the Pink Monorail Podcast. This podcast is designed for Disney fans, amusement park visitors, and history buffs. You’ll learn the roots of the multi-billion dollar theme park industry from ancient history all the way to today. The missus, and I worked hard putting these episodes together through 2024, and we’re growing it through 2025. Click on the picture or link to visit our streaming page hosted on Jim Hill Media. I hope you get a chance to listen, subscribe, and leave a review so we can climb the theme park podcast rankings!

The Pink Monorail Podcast: Manufacturing the Magic. Episode 13 SPECIAL EPISODE The Mechanics of Magic In the thirteenth installment of this educational series, Shelly & Noe talk about the origins of two theme park favorites; how the very first carousels & Ferris Wheels were developed & constructed. Throughout this episode, listeners will learn about: 

• What do knights have to do with the creation of the very first carousel
• What’s the main difference between a carousel and a merry-go-round 
• How did amusement park operators compel customers to ride the outermost ring of horses on a carousel (which traditionally did not move up & down like the inner circle of horses) 
• How can the very first Ferris Wheel be traced back to the Columbian Exposition 
• How were Pleasure Wheels (i.e., the predecessor of the Ferris Wheel) powered 

Carousels, merry-go-rounds, and Ferris Wheels have a literal timeless charm as they are among the oldest amusement rides in existence. Do you have a favorite version of the classic attractions? Are there any current or former theme parks, or attractions that you love? I’d like to hear about it in the comments section. As always if you would like to sponsor me please visit my Patreon page and consider donating each month, even as little as $1 would help make better blogs and even podcasts!