Lagoon ride a great one for parents to accompany kids

By Lynn Arave
Deseret Morning News

Sometimes low tech can't be beat, and that's certainly the case with Lagoon's Tilt-a-Whirl ride.

This attraction has been around in its current form since 1954, and earlier versions date back to 1929.

This classic amusement ride is an old-time pleasure that many overlook, because it does look so old-fashioned and may not be that appealing — at least until you try it.

First of all, this ride is one where you control the action to a high degree. If you or your party slide left, that's where the spinning action will eventually go. This ride can spin so well in fact, that you may find yourself with a gravity "high" and become almost magnetized to the cushion behind you.

There are seven recently refurbished cars on this ride. Single riders are accepted, but this is one of those attractions where two or three riders are best. Solo riders usually can't generate enough spinning action.

Probably no more than four people can cram into this ride.

The cars follow a circular pattern, and if that's all the thrill you want, there is no extra spinning action for individual cars — if you stay balanced and don't shift the car's weight. However, lean or "tilt" and when the whole ride tilts that way, you will spin quickly out of control in a dizzying fashion.

Riders can quickly know what dizzy means if they get their own car spinning enough. Through trial and error, riders learn the best way to maximize their thrill here.

Riders must be at least 46 inches to ride alone. Those under that height need a responsible person along. This is a suitable ride for young kids to go along with parents.

Another good aspect of this ride is that a lot of the time, the lines for this ride aren't that long. The actual ride lasts about only 90 seconds, and loading and unloading moves fairly quickly. Even when the line may appear long, it moves quickly.

The Tilt-a-Whirl is located at the north end of the midway, just west of the north end of the Skyride and opposite the Space Scrambler and Boomerang Bumper Cars.

Red, yellow and purple are the rides' colors now, but they have had other colors over the years.

Lagoon is open weekends in September and Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays in October for Frightmares.

Lynn Arave