The History of the Carousel

The carousel is also popularly known as a merry-go-round and is a popular gentle ride located in any amusement park. It consist of a rotating circular platform that contains wooden animals, mostly horses, that can be mounted while gears make them move as though they were galloping. Occasionally there are chairs that will be attached to the carousel for riders to just sit on and enjoy.

The word carousel originates from the Italian garosello and Spanish carosella ("little battle"), used by crusaders to describe a combat preparation exercise and game played by Turkish and Arabian horsemen in the 12th century and can be dated back in the Byzantine empire in 500AD with just rotating chairs. Can you believe that it would also be used as a training device for warriors back in the day? The carousel eventual replaced jousting in the mid 16th century as a non combat form of entertainment.

By the early 19th century carousels were being built and operated at various fairs and gatherings in central Europe and England. Animals and mechanisms would be crafted during the winter months and the family and workers would go touring in their wagon train through the region, operating their large menagerie carousel at various venues.

Early carousels had no platforms: the animals would hang on poles or chains and fly out from the centrifugal force of the spinning mechanism; these are called "flying horses" carousels. They were often powered by animals walking in a circle or people pulling a rope or cranking. By the mid-19th century the platform carousel was developed where the animals and chariots would travel around in a circle sitting on a suspended circular floor which was hanging from the centre pole. The first known recorded Steam powered carousel was created by Thomas Hurst and shown at Bolton New Year Fair in 1861.

The first carousel to be seen in the United States was created in Hessville, Ohio during the 1840s by Franz Wiesenhoffer. The first carousel patent was granted on July 25, 1871, to Willhelm Schneider of Davenport, IA. Several centers and styles for the construction of carousels emerged in the United States, Philadelphia style, with Dentzel and the Philadelphia Toboggan Company, Coney Island style with Charles L.D. Looff, Charles Carmel, Marcus Charles Illions, Soloman Stein and Harry Goldstein and Mangels, Country Fair style with Allan Herschell and Edward Spillman of western New York, and Charles W. Parker of Kansas.

Today the carousel is one of the most popular rides for those who enjoy gentle rides. Its fun for all ages and families come together to experience it. It has been around for many many years and seems to still be popular even to this day.

Mickey Mouse Ice Cream Bars

Everyone knows the iconic Mickey Mouse from Walt Disney Co. but who knew he would be the number one theme park food seller nationwide? Found only in Disneyworld Theme Parks around the world, the Mickey Mouse ice cream bars are a huge favorite amongst all ages.

This iconic trend started out in the 80's in the first Disney Land amusement park in California. It ended up becoming so popular that the high demand caused it to be sold in all Disney Parks that opened all around the world.

The ice cream bar couldnt be any simpler. It is a vanilla ice cream with a hard chocolate shell on a stick. Simple as that. but the shape of it is what made it popular in the parks. Especially on a hot summers day in California or Florida, what can be better than a nice ice cream bar to cool you down?

The ice cream bar used to be sold in all kinds of stores nationwide but unfortunately can only be found now in the parks. I guess its a way to bring more guests in each day. The bar's popularity continues to boom and even became replicated throughout amusement park history. For example, head a couple miles down Disney in Orlando and you can find a similar ice cream bar shaped as the iconic orca whale Shamu from Sea World.

All though there are many like it out there, no one could ever beat the flavor, trademark shape, and the history behind this best selling treat. Head down to Disney and get your hands (and mouth) on this tastey delight!

Webslingers Rave About Improved Spider Man Ride

Orlando Florida you will find one of the most famous amusement parks known to man filled with award winning rides that will have riders in awe. One of these rides opened in 1999 and still ranking as an award winning theme park ride is the Amazing Adventures of Spider Man 3D experience. For those of you who think that this is an experience where you just sit down in an auditorium in front of a screen then you are wrong.

In this ride, you will sit in a "car" that takes you around the city. You go from room to room with huge projection screens all with a new scene of the action. There are physical sets and special effects that make the experience "4D" such as water spritzing, pyrotechnics, fog, and electricity that makes the entire ride feel extremely realistic. The car spins and makes sharp turns to continue to keep riders part of the whole experience.

The storyline consists of Spiderman facing his enemies such as, Doctor Octopus, Scream, Electro, Hydro-Man, and the Hobgoblin who all try to attack you as well. They are trying to capture and destroy New Yorks landmark, The Statue of Liberty, while you and Spiderman face them and try to stop them. The entire plot is very exciting for all ages.

The Spiderman attraction released news in 2011 that there will be major improvements in the special effects and digital technology used. It is now March 2012 and the new and improved ride is now complete for guests to experience. Improvements consisted of better 3D technology, more realistic artwork used with each character and set, and improvements to the special effects as well. Keep an out out because within the 3D film, you can find Spiderman creator Stan Lee making an appearance several times throughout the ride.

This is a ride that cannot be missed and will definitely have you jumping back on line. After exiting, you can easily forget that the entire experience was just a ride. Beware of Hobgoblins bombs being thrown at you!

Coaster Review: El Toro

Born in Jackson, New Jersey, Six Flags Great Adventure opened up El Toro a few years ago for thrill seekers to conquer. Being a the second steepest wooden roller coaster in the world towering 181 feet in the sky and dropping at a crazy 76 degree angle. The train speeds up to seventy miles per hour and travels up zero g hills that have riders feel as though the world is falling from beneath them. The ride was made completely in a factory by lasers as opposed to being built fully from hand which causes the track to be extremely percise and snaps together perfectly upon constructing. Going onto this extreme ride will make you notice the difference this wooden monster is compared to others out there. The ride throughout is completely smooth and some ride operators even remarked that the ride goes five miles per hour faster than its supposed to at times. Depending on where you sit, the experience will be very different. Sitting int the front lets riders see the track and lets them hang over the edge of the first steep drop while the back of the train cannot see what is coming next and gets dragged over the edge causing riders to have moments of air time. This ride isnt only considered a thrill ride because of its intense speed and angle of descending, but also because it causes a "head chop" sensation. Throughout the ride, wooden crossbars that support the track make riders feel as though they are close enough to come in contact with them. Dont worry though this is only a mere illusion but still causes riders to put their hands back down when a support appears to be too close. The ride straps riders in two by two with handlebars that keep riders extremely secure. This could be a problem for older and heavier riders but this ensures that the rider is safely strapped in during seat lifting moments during the ride. El Toro translates to the bull, a perfect name because after riding this animal, you will forget your not actually on a bull.

Coaster Review- Hydra

After visiting Dorney Park in Pennsylvania, you cannot forget the ride of your life on Hydra: The Revenge, a floorless style coaster that brings riders through six spine tingling inversions. What makes this coaster so unique you ask? Hydra is well know for having an inversion (heartline roll) while coming straight out of the station. The ride takes guests up a lift chain and sends them through the ride of their life filled with extreme air time, all while their feet dangle above the track. You will experience corkscrews, zero-g rolls, a cobra roll and more as your   heart continues to pound with nonstop excitement. The first inversion, the heartline roll, causes riders to slowly suspend upside down, having nothing but the restraints holding them into their seats, as they hang for a split second. The rest of the ride quickly brings guests through several more gravity defying elements that will make you beg for more. Hydra takes two pictures for guests to purchase; one upside down during the hearline roll, and the next after the corkscrew before the cobra roll. Once purchased, both pictures will appear on the photo card. Hydra is a great ride for those thrill seekers who want something new. The ride has nonstop excitement and will have you jumping back on line just to get the full rush all over again. After experiencing Hydra, you will realize that there's nothing else like it out there. An interesting thing to know about Hydra is that there have been many disputes to whether or not the ride has seven inversions since it hasn't been professionally proven just yet. The "dive loop" after the first drop may seem to bring riders completely upside down; some agree to this while others feel they are close to it but not nearly there. Why don't you ride it and decide for yourself?

Coaster Review - The Incredible Hulk

For those of you who leave in Florida or visit Florida frequently may have heard about the exciting Universal Studios theme park located in Orlando. Universal is known as the one theme park built in Orlando that suits everyone whether they are riding the Dr.Seuss carousel or the Dragon Challenge dueling coasters.
Universal has a variety of attractions for all ages however it is the Incredible Hulk coaster that differentiates the thrill seekers from the gentile riders. After waiting on the queue where guests see the lab of Bruce Banner.  They reach the loading station where they await their fate. Riders are strapped in sitting down in rows of four and exit the station into a green tunnel that is filled with lights and sound. The train slowly lifts up the tunnel while hearing Bruce Banner explain that this time 'Everything seems fine ' but his plan of stabilizing as a human seems to fail once the warning sounds and flashing red lights appear, launching riders up the top of the hill at 40mph in two seconds into an inversion and reaching speeds up to 67mph.
Riders are put upside down at the top of the hill and plummet down toward the pond that centers the park. The coaster goes into a huge cobra roll following a vertical loop that gives riders a tingly feeling and sends them into another misty tunnel that cools riders down for a split second.
The ride continues at fast speeds into 6 inversions including another vertical loop and two corkscrews finally finishing at a break and making riders want to jump back into line again just to get another amazing rush.

This ride is great for those who love speed,  nonstop excitement, and a launching rush through their body. Not bad for a junior rider or a first timer but the pregnant and faint hearted should probably pass on this one. FOR MORE INFORMATION VISIT WWW.UNIVERSALORLANDO.COM

Thrill Seeker Since Birth

As a kid I never thought I would be so obsessed with finding new ways to get that adrenaline rush. I used to be crazy afraid of riding the smallest of roller coasters because I never knew what to expect. I would always be caught with my heart pounding out of its chest to the point that I would make myself sick.

Years later I am now 18, an adult, well at least legally but now I can never get enough of getting that tingly feeling in my stomach. You can think of it as an obsession but hey, being addicted to adrenaline rushes beats being addicted to alcohol or drugs any day.

The adrenaline I seem to enjoy most seems to come from roller coasters. I grew a large fascination over them throughout the years to a point where I even started simulation projects in order to create them, all unique. It was a form of expression through a creative matter. I cant help but visit Six Flags what feels like hundreds of times throughout the year ( yes I am a proud season pass holder) and never seem to get tired of it. I get excited visiting new theme parks, getting those rushes, and experiencing new adventures.

I give a lot of credit to my grandfather for being by my side through all of this because even till this day at seventy something years old he is still the number one person I can count on to be the one to experience all these roller coasters with. No roller coaster is too tall, too fast, or too crazy for either of us and I admire him greatly for his strength and drive.

Call me a loser but many times people are asked what their dream job would be, and they would say a doctor, a journalist, a fashion designer, but I always had a different response than the others. My dream job would be to work for Disney as an Imagineer; being able to design and create cruise ships, hotels, theme parks, and rides all through Disney. Disney is known as the happiest place on earth, and having a job with them would make me expect nothing less than the happiest job on earth making others happy.