Attraction Type: Ferris wheel.
Location: On the southern side of the bay.
General Description: Ride one of eight stationary or one of sixteen swinging gondolas on a Mickey Mouse-themed Ferris wheel.
Will’s Review: Rising 156 feet above Paradise Pier Bay, from first glance Mickey’s Fun Wheel is a deceivingly simple attraction: a Ferris wheel. Closer inspection will reveal it is that indeed, and much more. Drawing on inspiration from the famed Coney Island Wonder Wheel, you can choose to ride the stationary gondolas, but the real adventurer will go for the ride’s signature swinging gondolas. Hooked on their own oval-shaped track, they use the physics of gravity to rotate into place – and swing ferociously – as the Wheel turns. And yes, motion sickness bags can be found on the cars. This bit of unexpected fun makes this a “must see” attraction.
On a side note, up until October 2008, Mickey’s Fun Wheel was known simply as The Sun Wheel. A visual icon of the park, the Sun was stylized in character-face form in the center of the Wheel, with the rays of light sparkling out from the center; all of this was encompassed by a gold-colored infrastructure. One of the first attractions to be redesigned for the massive $1 billion DCA makeover, the sun face has been replaced with a giant classic-design Mickey Mouse face, with cartoon-like spokes radiating out from the center. In addition, the ride’s infrastructure was repainted red and black, and the gondola cars themselves are now adorned with images of the Classic Disney Five characters rather than the Paradise Pier logo.
Touring Tips: The ride can be equally long for both the stationary and swinging gondolas, as there are very few stationary ones and the swinging carriages are so popular. If there is a line, visit back later in the day. If possible, try to ride the attraction at dusk when you can still see the details of the park, but be treated to a sparkling array of lights over Orange County – and on a clear day, views clear out to the Pacific Ocean and Catalina Island.
Family Info: Kids and seniors should take caution; the swinging is fun but relentless. Try riding in one of the stationary gondolas if you feel this could be a problem. Other than that, children, teens, and adults alike love the ride and the great views.
Variations: This attraction is unique to DCA.
Golden Zephyr - Jumpin’ Jellyfish - S.S. rustworthy - Mulholland Madness - Maliboomer - California Screamin’ - Toy Story Midway Mania - Games of the Boardwalk - Mickey’s Fun Wheel – King Triton’s Carrousel of the Sea
Paradise Pier Shopping Guide - Paradise Pier Dining Guide
