The Grand Ole Carousel has been in operation at Six Flags St. Louis since 1972. The year after Six Flags originally opened. Yet this is by far the longest operating ride that exists at the park. It was first manufactured by the Philadelphia toboggan Company in 1915 for the now-defunct Luna Park in Cleveland, Ohio.
Made by hand
The saying “they don’t make them like they used to” really rings true here. Grand Ole Carousel was hand-made by master craftsmen. Because of this, you will doubtfully ever see a brand-new ride like this at an amusement park. The paintings were done by hand the horses were carved by wood. Yeah, this is a carousel from 1915 and sadly looked like that for a while. While we may not get brand-new rides, we can get the next best thing.
Grand Ole Carousel is in good hands.
I am so excited that Six Flags St. Louis is currently in the midst of a full restoration of the Grand Ole Carousel! And I do mean a full restoration. Currently, if you go to Six Flags St. Louis you will be able to see the prototype horse named Able. If Able is a testament to the quality to expect from the rest, then Six Flags St. Louis is getting something truly special. In house team at Six Flags are using the wood taken from trees on the property to help in the restoration. They are pouring heart and soul into this ride.
Final verdict is coming
I am not going to give a rating for Grand Ole Carousel just yet. Instead, I will wait and update it once the ride becomes operational again. This should be in the 2022 season, but depending on how things go, it might get pushed to 2023.
If you liked this post or found it helpful then please consider sharing with your friends, family, or fellow theme park enthusiast. Please post your questions, or thoughts on this ride in the comments. Check out this article for more details on the restoration process. For my review on another ride that I hope gets the same kind of restoration check out our review of Log Flume.