One of the most enjoyable things to do as a child is visit an amusement park. As a matter of fact, many adults find amusement parks quite enjoyable as well. Some of the rides at these parks, invented more than a hundred years ago, are still found at amusement parks in the 21st century. Some rides have come and gone, however, the most popular favorites have stood the test of time.
The Ferris wheel, one of the most well known and popular amusement park rides in the world, was introduced in Chicago in 1893. Named after George Ferris, the first person ever to build and design this historic ride, the Ferris wheel was originally designed to look and operate similar to a large vertical-shaped version of a merry-go-round. In the 21st century, it is rare, to find an amusement park without one Modern parks have at least one, and sometimes more. As an example, Disneyland in Anaheim, California, boasts a large Mickey Mouse-faced Ferris wheel, enjoyed by people of all ages, as does Six Flags Over Mid America, in Eureka, Missouri. Six Flags has a giant-sized Ferris wheel, and a small sized one for younger aged children. The Ferris wheel seems destined to stay around forever.
The first roller coaster was introduced in 1885, but there were very crude early versions of it, dating all the way back to 17th century Russia, where it began as a sliding board, made with ice to increase the speed. As the roller coaster evolved over time, it began to look and operate more like the modern version. Most of amusement parks feature a variety of different types of roller coasters. Some strive to be taller than any other ever built, and others are built to loop upside-down more times than any other that has ever existed. Carnivals that come to town for a few days usually have a smaller-sized roller coaster, whereas the larger theme parks such as Six Flags over Mid America, and Busch Gardens in Tampa Florida each have several versions each. As these rides continue to develop and evolve, there is no telling what the roller coaster may look like in another decade, or century from now.
One of the most famous and favorite amusement park rides in all of history is the carousel. Dating back to the 1100's, this ride was originally used as a game, with men riding live horses. As the carousel evolved over time, it became increasingly as it is in the 21st century, where statues of horses, or in some cases other animals, are placed in groups on a flat platform. While the entire platform turns, the horses go up and down at the same time. Disney World in Orlando, Florida has a carousel by the name of Cinderella's Golden Carousel with all horses, as does Six Flags over Texas, which boasts a Carousel built back in the 1920's. For more then a century, the basic carousel design has stayed pretty much the same, and seems to be at the end of its evolution.
