Carrousel / Founder’s Circle

Giant Wheel removal | 2004

/ Harry Michelson / 1 Comment

On February 6, 2017, pictures from 2004 finally resurfaced. These were images of the removal of Giant Wheel, which occurred in November 2004. The pictures were uploaded to the Hersheypark History Group on Facebook.

The pictures were originally uploaded to a Webshots album at this link: http://community.webshots.com/album/208350197uIEtoK (this link redirects to the Webshots main page because it is a deadlink). The original uploader is unknown. The album was removed several days later and wasn’t seen again until February 6, 2017.

I am sharing them here for anyone who is interested. Below is a slideshow of 26 images of Giant Wheel being taken down. The ride was removed from the park.

More can be read about Giant Wheel:

The photos below were emailed to me by Chad Hall.

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Sellner Manufacturing Company

/ Harry Michelson / 2 Comments

This is my regular Tuesday series about ride manufacturers who have made rides for Hersheypark. Today’s article is about Sellner Manufacturing Company. 

Sellner Manufacturing Company, Inc., was a ride manufacturer based out of Faribault, Minnesota. The company was founded by Herbert W. Sellner in 1923, when Sellner created a water toboggan slide, and then began producing their most well known ride, Tilt-A-Whirl, in 1926. Sellner was acquired by Larson International, Inc., in 2011, when the Sellner family decided to exit the business. A restored Tilt-A-Whirl car sits on a corner in the town of Faribault, a reminder of the classic ride invented there.

1954-02-27-the-billboard-p53

Advertisement; The Billboard, February 27, 1954, page 53.

Hersheypark purchased one ride from Sellner, Tilt-A-Whirl, in 1982. It was installed in Carrousel Circle in 1983, replacing the Monster. The description of the ride in a 1983 press release was:

NEW for Hersheypark’s 1983 season is a TILT-A-WHIRL on which courageous riders are flung around a circular track. The waved construction of the track causes each gondola, and its occupants, to tilt and whirl!

tilt-a-whirl-shawn-marie-mann

Tilt-A-Whirl in it’s second location, in Comet Hollow, from 2010. Photo courtesy of Shawn Marie Mann.

Tilt-A-Whirl was relocated to Comet Hollow in 1995, replacing the Chance Rides manufactured Rotor. Tilt-A-Whirl remained in this spot until 2011, when construction for Skyrush was beginning. The ride was relocated back to it’s original spot in Founder’s Circle (Carrousel Circle was renamed Founder’s Circle in 2005).

tilt-a-whirl-shawn-marie-mann

Tilt-A-Whirl, shortly after being reinstalled in its original Founder’s Circle location (now called Founder’s Way, originally Carrousel Circle), in 2012. Photo courtesy of Shawn Marie Mann.

To read more about other ride manufacturers that have made rides for Hersheypark, click here.

Carrousel Circle | 1972-2004

/ Harry Michelson / 3 Comments

This area of the park still exists today, but it is now part of Founders Way. And though it was renamed and renovated into Founders Circle in 2005, many people still call it Carrousel Circle. This is what today’s post is about – the first major addition to Hersheypark in the modern era.

Phase I Hersheypark (09-1972)

Phase I of Hersheypark included 3 new themed regions.

Carrousel Circle opened on May 7, 1972 to a lot of fanfare. It and three other sections were also opened, but Carrousel Circle was no doubt the most important. The new main entrance of the park would lead directly into Carrousel Circle, though that area of the park (then called Tudor Square and Rhineland) didn’t open until 1973. The entrance of the park was by Derry Road at Hersheypark Arena right next to the Monorail station.

  • Carrousel Circle replaced the old baseball field where the first opening of Hersheypark was held all the way back on Memorial Day 1906.
  • Only one ride prior to 1972 existed in any part of the area that became Carrousel Circle. The ride was removed: Miniature Train. Miniature Train later made a return during Christmas Candylanes starting in 1983. It was then installed in Midway America from 1997-2014. Miniature Train is currently in storage.
  • Carrousel Circle was partially completed in 1972 – the remainder was finished in 1973.
  • The initial name for Carrousel Circle was Circus Circle, but the circus concept was quickly abandoned.
  • Carrousel Circle had two roller coasters – the Twin Towers Toboggans – from 1972-1977.
  • Starlight Arcade, an area at the entrance of Carrousel Circle, was replaced in 2003 by a fountain and statue of Milton S. Hershey.

Other Carrousel Circle rides changes

1972: Opened with Carrousel, Scrambler, Space Age, Helicopters, Traffic Jam, Monster and Twin Towers Toboggans.

1973: Giant Wheel added.

1978: Twin Towers Toboggans replaced by Flying Bobs.

1982: Flying Bobs replaced by Balloon Flite.

1983: Monster replaced by Tilt-a-Whirl.

1987: Balloon Flite is relocated, replaced by Mini-Himalaya.

1990: Der Deitschplatz is merged into Carrousel Circle.

1995: Tilt-a-Whirl relocated to Comet Hollow, replaced by Tiny Tracks.

2004: Giant Wheel is removed in October.

2005: Carrousel Circle is renamed Founders Circle.

My beautiful picture

Part of Carrousel Circle seen here, from 1982.

…A Happy Experience | May 7, 1972

/ Harry Michelson / Leave a comment

Printed on May 7, 1972, in The Patriot-News, was a special section all about the grand opening of the new Hersheypark (although it was renamed a year earlier in 1971). What I’m sharing here is what was on the front page of that special section and what is one of the first prominent appearances of the Hersheypark pinwheel logo.

2016-02-25 - 1972-05-07 The Patriot News (p1)

When the park opened, there was a ceremony in which dignitaries and invited guests were in attendance. The ceremony was held in Carrousel Circle, the most prominent of the three new themed regions added to the park. The guests were paraded from the entrance of the park – for the 1972 season, located at the northern end of the park, adjacent the Dry Gulch Railroad station and the main lobby (Lobby 1) of Hersheypark Arena – to the edge of Carrousel Circle in Der Deitschplatz, another of the new themed areas (the third themed area added was the Animal Garden).

After the ceremony, normal operations began for the day. New rides to open included the Twin Towers Toboggans, Scrambler and Monster. This would be the start of the last month and a half of operations for the Philadelphia Toboggan Company water toboggan ride, The Lost River, which would be destroyed in the flood of 1972 in June. This would also be the last year of operations for the last funhouse, Funland, the Aeroaffiliates ride Flying Coaster, and the Magic Carpet Giant Slide.