Hello again; This week I am proud to announce that I have finally recorded the first episode of The Midway Showcase which will be a regular show based on the amusement industry. The plan is to include interviews with industry leaders, visits to notable amusement based businesses, and the proper display of equipment available on the site. Like all things I do, the ultimate goal is to improve my chances of finding new homes for the rides, games, inflatables, vehicles, concessions machines, etc that have been entrusted to me.
Click Below To Watch Th Show
Chance Park Model Carousel
This week’s featured item is a 1997 Chance Rides park model carousel for $89,999. The ride is in good mechanical and cosmetic condition. Its current owners had been operating it for about four years now. It has 14 horses and one chariot. According to the manufacturer’s specifications the ride can handle a maximum of 16 adults and 14 children per load. Based on this they came up with a capacity of 720 people per hour with a ride cycle of two to two and a half minutes. From my own personal experience in the industry, I believe four to five hundred per hour would be closer to the truth.
Just The Ride Video
If you just wanted to see the video of the ride in action, then you can click this next link.
This video was taken about four months ago at a mall in South Carolina where the unit is still on location. After watching the video, I’m sure you have a couple of concerns. And I will address them now. There is a squeaking noise when the ride is running. I’m not too worried about that noise for two reasons. One if you notice the squeaking gets quieter the longer the ride is running. It is coming from the mechanism that makes the horses go up and down. My guess is it just needs to be greased. Second, if you ignore the squealing sound, you will notice that the rest of the ride is running smoothly and quietly. Next, you probably noticed some lights out at the top of the ride. I have been assured by the owners that there are no electrical problems. They tell me it only needs to have some bulbs replaced. Since they are planning on selling the ride, replacing the bulbs is something that could be done much easier during the process of removing, transporting, and reinstalling it at its new location. By the way the buyer would be responsible for all the relocation costs. The owners may be able to assist with the process for an additional fee.
Some Final Thoughts About The Carousel
I know that most people would probably expect that a ride in a mall would be in perfect condition. The truth is that even in an indoor environment where the temperature and humidity are controlled it comes down to regular maintenance. The owners of this ride operate many units in several locations. I still feel that this would be a good ride whether it would be your first purchase or as part of expanding your business. A unit like this would be an excellent addition to an amusement park, family entertainment center, themed restaurant, pleasure pier, or beach boardwalk. Since it would be coming out of a mall, obviously it would be a good fit in a shopping center, traders village, flea market, city park, zoo or aquarium. Basically, it would fit in anywhere that large groups of families with children gather.
If you have further questions about this or any other item on the website, or if you want to move forward on purchasing the Chance carousel; then feel free to call or text me at 979-215-1770. You can also email me at maxwell@midwaymarketplace.com You are also welcome to contact me if you wish to b featured in a future episode of the show or if you have equipment you want to list. I am expecting several other rides from this company, so stay tuned to the site.
I hope you have enjoyed this post and the videos accompanying it. If you did, then please help spread the word by sharing this post with your friends, family, and coworkers. It would also be great if you left comments either on the youtube videos or on the blog post. I have comment love premium installed on the blog, so all comments result in your receiving up to three back links. You get one for your website, blog, or social media page. You get one to your twitter profile if you are on twitter. And if you are also a blogger, you get a link to your most recent post. And if you would like to embed the video on your site to give it more exposure, I would have no problem with that at all. I really appreciate your time, so I want to say thanks in advance for giving me your valuable time this way. Please let me know if I can ever do anything to help you.
Today, I took another step in the development of the site and my own personal growth. I feel pretty good, and I’m glad to have all of you along for the journey. I’m always happy to hear from my readers. I look forward to getting to know you and learning a lot from you. Thanks again and take care out there, Max
This is a very cool article. I love the video of the ride and the explanation of why rides are not always running perfectly. I guess a merry-go-round is pretty safe even if not in tip top shape.
Beth Niebuhr recently posted…Plans A, B, C, D and E
Hi Beth; Thanks for stopping by and for watching the video. I feel that people read my blog or visit my site for my knowledge of the industry; so I try to give as much helpful information as possible. the miner issues I mentioned are not safety related, or I would have made that very clear. The small problems it does have are easily fixed. And a merry-go-round is and is not one of the safest rides. There is not much that can go wrong with one, and they generally run slowly compared to other rides. But the fact that you are dealing with small children means that more supervision is required for safe operation. For this reason most ride operators will put their most attentive conscientious employee at this ride’s controls. I hope that explains it better. Thanks again and take care, Max
Very well done Max. My husband has a carousal at the park he operates. It’s a very popular attraction. I understand the squeaking sound. I hear that on the one he operates and it does have to do with needing a good greasing. I get that about the light, they do burn out… LOL. As for me, I still love riding a carousal.
BTW: I love your video, you continue to improve as did I.
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Hi Susan; I think we all love the carousel. Teenagers may be too cool for the merry-go-round, but the rest of us just can’t resist it. I think I mentioned that one of the first jobs they let us kids do on my grandma’s carnival was to remove the cylinders that go at the bottom of the horses feet. We got pocket money for unscrewing them and putting them in the proper place for travel. We also helped with the valley cloth that goes around the bottom of the ride. Thanks for confirming my thoughts about the squalling noise. I don’t hear anything seriously wrong in the video or i wouldn’t be recommending it. Maybe your husband knows someone at another park that might have a home for this one. I’m also glad that you liked my video and that I am getting better at recording them. I didn’t know you have done videos. Could you send me the link to one. Thanks so much and take care, Max
You offer thorough information about the condition of the carousel and the video adds a lot to your presentation. I had to laugh at the mention of it being about a 2.5 minute ride. It reminds me of how willing most folks are to wait in line for 30 minutes, in order to experience the fun of a 2 minute ride. What a beautiful carousel, one of the few rides I still enjoy without getting a queasy feeling.
Michele Harvey recently posted…What Do You Do When the Bottom Drops Out? by Michele Harvey
Hi Michele; Thanks for watching the video. I’m glad you liked it. I recently wrote a post about the double ranger ride also known as a kamikaze and a lot of people mentioned that they were nervous just looking at it. so, I figured that my first video being about a carousel would only invoke good memories. I’m glad you appreciated the information i included. I am hopeful that this video will help find the ride a new home quickly and lead to more listings. I look forward to our sharing more posts in the future. Thanks again and take care, Max
Hi Max,
Very cool. I see that your blog is getting better and better and some people seem to really enjoy it too.
Where I grew up we had a yearly fair that I was waiting for so much, it was on August 15 and the days following it until after the weekend of that week. Since my birthday is August 20 it was a great birthday gift. I remember riding that carousel that I really love to ride. Your post reminded me of that.
Nice pictures and videos 🙂
Sylviane Nuccio recently posted…How To Create Your Perfect Life – Part Two
Hi Sylviane; Thanks for taking the time to watch the video. I’m glad I could remind you of a special time from your childhood. It must have ben a special birthday for you. Its great to hear from someone with your experience at blogging that I’m getting better. And there do seem to be more views and comments. Of course a lot of that is from my good blogging friends like you. take care, max
Hi Max,
Congratulation on another great post – your video is very detailed and clear, and the video of the carousel gives a really good impression of what the ride’s like. As for the squeaky noise, wouldn’t that be covered up by the loud music they often have playing when rides are running? (Or don’t they have that any more? It’s just what I remember from my youth – it’s years since I’ve been to a funfair!)
Good luck with this one, Max – I hope you find a buyer.
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Hi Sue; Thanks so much for your warm comment. I’m glad to hear that i did a good job on the post and the video. and i should be ashamed of myself. I am the ride man and i didn’t think about mentioning the music. That video was taken on location, so the fact that they didn’t try to cover the squeaking with loud music is definitely a point in their favor. And you are right no one would hear it. Now days most every ride has loud music playing on them. And if there is going to be only one ride with music, it will definitely be the carousel. And I’m sure it hasn’t been that long since you went to a fair or fate as i think they call festivals over there? Now, I need to start working on next week’s show. Thanks again and take care, Max
What a fun business you’re in! I attended a wedding a few years back in a public event space in New Haven, CT. The reception was on one side of the hall and a carousel on the other. We all had fun riding the carousel. I’m sure you know the historic carousel at Coney Island was restored and went back into operation last year. I’ve yet to take the subway out there but it’s on my list.
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hi Jeannette; thanks for your comment. i didn’t know that the carousel had been restored, but i did know that zamprla, the new managing company of coney island, was in the process of restoring some of their old classic favorites. glad to hear the work is done. It is expensive and time consuming, and the people who can do it are real artists and craftsmen and women. This carousel isn’t in that one’s league, but i’m hoping the video will help sell it. thanks again and take care, max
You certainly do have bragging rights when it comes to being in a unique and interesting line of work. I’ve always like carousels, and love the one that’s in downtown Missoula, MT. Thank goodness some of the older ones are being restored.
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Hello; Yes, i am in a unique niche. And when you add in that I’m almost totally blind; I’m probably one of a kind. it is good that old carousels are being restored or relocated. The one at coney island just finished having a complete make over. and I just sold a double decker carousel to a park in australia. well it was last june, but the point is it had been removed when the park in lake george new york closed down. It had been in storage for about ten years. And amazingly it was still in great shape when they pulled it out of storage. The truth is the cost of new units probably has as much to do with this as nostalgia or an obligation to history. I was wondering what you thought of the videos? thanks for the comment and take care, max
I LOVE merry-go-rounds especially with beautiful painted wooden horses and love to take my girls for rides. I often get on a horse next to them because I don’t think you are ever too old for that! Great article and videos. And best of luck getting this into the right hands. I do believe it will make many moms, dads and children of all ages very happy 🙂
Valerie Remy Milora recently posted…The Gift of Perseverance
Hi Valrie; I agree with you we never get too old for carousels. I have been fortunate enough to have sold several of them in the past couple of years. I haven’t had any nice enough or old enough to have wooden horses, but they have all been special in their own ways. I too hope i can find this one a new home soon. I was actually hoping the small footprint would be a selling point. Awe well I have only been working on it for a week or so. Its still early in the process. Glad you liked the videos. I wish you and your girls many more happy rides on the carousel. take care, max
Congratulations on recording your first episode of The Midway Showcase! How exciting; can’t wait to see more!
Hi Jen; I’m so glad you liked the first show. You know how it is its a good feeling to have it done. I wasn’t sure I’d ever get this far with it. I still want to visit clients in person, but until I can work out the logistics; this is the next best thing. I figure I am building an audience and hopefully will have a lot more subscribers by the time i do my first live on location show. Next show is most likely going to be about a carnival themed haunted house in canada. By the way I’ve had 90 views in the first week. That seems pretty impressive to me. What do you think? Thanks so much for all your support my friend. Take care, Max
Congrats Max on your first vid. May I say I love the pics on your site. I’m so happy that carousels around the country are being brought to our attention, they’re too beautiful not to keep.
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Hi Elle; glad you liked the video and that you enjoy the photos on the site. I imagine more than a few people visit the site to look at the images and have no need to buy or sell anything. Which is fine with me because all traffic is good traffic. smile I have been fortunate enough to be involved in the sale of four carousels since i started. Two were relocated from malls to amusement parks and two were use on traveling carnivals. The oldest one was a 1952 allan Herschell merry-go-round that went to a family that does food in the midwest who were sad that a lot of the events they go to didn’t have any rides for the kids. I’m working on another video about a haunted house in canada. And thanks to your comment this keeps up my streak of three straight posts with at least ten comments. Thanks again for your support and take care, Max
Max- Great video and you did a very good job of what carousel ride is like. It brought back some fond memories. I lived in San Francisco and would love to go with parents to Playland at Beach and ride the carousel. It is too bad we have become such a digital age and children today don’t get to experience what we have because they are too interested in texting or using their Ipads.
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Hi Arleen; So glad you liked the video and the carousel. I thought that starting with a carousel for my first video would be the best way to go because who doesn’t have fond memories of riding the carousel, the merry-go-round, the galloper, or to some the jenny. Glad I could bring back some good ones for you too. I think as long as there are grandparents kids will love to ride the horses. smile I’m already working on my next video and blog post which will be about a unusual walk through haunted house in canada. Hope i don’t scare you or my other readers with it. Thanks so much for coming back to read more posts. Take care, max
Hi Max,
Sorry it’s taken me so long to make my way over here, but glad I finally did. I love the video format. I now get to enjoy your southern accent (yes to me here in Canada you have great southern accent) 🙂
Carousels are all nostalgia to me and also a bit of magic. I’ve lost count of the number of books and movies I’ve read over the years that have a carousel that does magical things like take you to the past, move you to the future, change your age, make you disappear etc. With a pedigree like that, they are always a popular attraction.
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Hi Debra; I know we are all busy, so I’m glad you were able to find the time to stop by. I do have a southern accent, so I’m glad you like it. I like what you said about carousels being magical. Maybe I should make it a practice to rad some of these books you mentioned and do reviews on them as a new type of regular post for the site. I keep thinking that when i finally get started traveling to do my shows on location that I’d like to put together a coffee table book of all the people and rides i visit. And I’m glad you approve of my format. Like I keep saying if i waited for perfect conditions I would have never gotten started at all. I’m working on a show about a great haunted house from canada. I would have posted it this week but I’m waiting for permission from the people who took the video. They are different than the ride’s owner, and they have their own youtube show; so I felt it was only right to ask first. thanks again and take care, max
Nice post
First of all let me congratulate on your first video.You have done a wonderful job.
Fair is always a place where every body love to visit. There isn’t one reason for anybody to visit a fair , it is such place which attracts people of all age group, from children to aged persons. The video which displays the carousal ride is awesome. The most attractive part of fairs is the rides. The ride is really amazing, its just for 2 minutes but gives joy of 2 hours for me.With this video i remember the days when i used to go with my friends to fairs.
Anyway nice post and Thank you for sharing.
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Hi Max,
Wonderful post indeed 🙂
It reminded me of the fairs we used to have in our times and the merry go round, along with all the fun – good old memories I’d say 🙂
The video is very clear and well made, and the video of the carousel gives portrays what the ride’s like. Keep up the good work on your blog as well.
Thanks for sharing. Happy weekend 🙂
Harleena Singh recently posted…Why Use Social Media Signals and How They Impact Search Engine Ranking
Hi Harleena; Thanks for your comment. I didn’t choose the carousel for my first showcase episode. It was pretty much the only video I had to work with that I thought I could use to do my first show. Turns out I learned that everyone seems to have a fond memory of carousels, so it was the perfect ride for my first youtube show. I’m glad it reminded you of some good times too. I’m still working on show two, but isn’t that always the way things work out. I am still waiting on clients to send in some videos or get me permission to use some I already have. Possible next subjects are a walk through haunted house in canada, a thrilling sky coaster that used to be at opreyland in nasheville or a further story on the casey jones cannonball train that I previously wrote about on my blog. I am actively searching for advertisers or sponsors so i can start visiting my clients. There would be new challenges, but I believe it would b much easier than depending on people to send in videos for me to work with. For now I’ll just keep doing my best and good things will happen. Thanks again for your kind words and take care, max