Re: Geauga Lake rides find home at Kings Dominion
Kings Island has also been wheel-free for a while, since the removal of the Zodiac and the smaller Eli wheel in Octoberfest. I always thought they would one day install a very large wheel that would billboard the park. Back toward the end of the Coney Mall where Zodiac and Flight Commander were would be a good spot.
My favorite model of the giant wheel is the Vekoma version we find at Kentucky Kingdom, Darien, and Navy Pier. Just the right size for viewing the park from a comfortable yet thrilling height. I also really enjoyed the Sun Wheel at Calfornia's Adventure, a modern version of Coney's Wonder Wheel. Those rolling cars are enough to scare the crap outta you- very unsettling, especially to a first time rider!
I wonder if parks don't shy away from ferris wheels due to possible safety/evacuation issues. Rarely to you see a big wheel with all cars filled at all times. Even on the busiest of days Cedar Point leaves a car or two in each loading section empty, and most days they skip entire sections altogether. I imagine, especially on older wheels, the stop/start of loading is hard on them and there's always the issue of balance, too.
Anyway, I'm glad that the Americana and El Dorado have found a new home.