Status | |
Founded | 1961 |
Website | https://chancerides.com/ |
Chance Rides is an American manufacturer of amusement rides.
History
Chance Rides was incorporated in 1961 as Chance Manufacturing Co. by Harold Chance. The company built replicas of the C. P. Huntington steam train - a product it still sells today - and trailer mounted flat rides. In 1970, Chance Manufacturing purchased the assets of the Allan Herschell Company and began building carousels.[1][2] Around this time, the Toboggan roller coaster model was launched. In 1977, Chance acquired a minibus company which has allowed the company to produce motor vehicles.
Company founder Richard H. "Harold" Chance retired in 1985. That same year, a holding company was created by the son of Harold Chance, Dick Chance, and the Chance business was split into three subsidiaries, "Chance Rides", "Chance Coach" and "Chance Operations". The coach line was sold off in 1998, however the company continues to manufacture people movers.[3]
The company bought Bradley & Kaye in December 1986.[4]
Michael Chance, son of Dick Chance, joined the company in 1998. He bought the roller coaster designs of manufacturer D.H. Morgan Manufacturing in 2001 and formed Chance Morgan, Inc.[3] Manufacturing was moved to Wichita, Kansas while engineering remained in California.
Chance Rides partnered with Dutch manufacturer Vekoma in 2006. The partnership resulted in four coasters, the last of which was Freedom Flyer at Fun Spot America in Orlando, Florida, USA, before the companies decided to terminate the partnership in October 2012.[5]
To mark 50 years since the incorporation of Chance Manufacturing, the company re-branded itself in 2011 as Chance Rides.[3]
Dick Chance's second son, John Chance, joined the company in 2016. President Michael Chance passed away that same year. Aaron Landrum joined the company as President and Chief Operating Officer the following year.
Chance Rides formed a financial partnership with Permanent Equity in June 2023. At the same time, Dick Chance announced plans to transition from the owner and CEO to a holding a minority interest in the company.[6]
Products
Rides
- This list is incomplete, please expand it if you can.
Name | Type | Introduced | Status |
---|---|---|---|
Astro Wheel | Ferris Wheel | 1970 or earlier | Discontinued |
Aviator | Aviator | 1998 or earlier | In production |
Carousel | Carousel | 1982 or earlier | In production |
Chaos | Chaos | 1996 | Discontinued |
Electric Car Ride | Track Ride | 2000 | In production |
Falling Star | Rainbow | 1984 or earlier | Discontinued |
Flying Bobs | Matterhorn | 1979 or earlier | Discontinued |
Freestyle | Trabant/Satellite | 2018 or earlier | In production |
Inverter | Inverter | 1999 or earlier | Discontinued |
Olympic Bobs | Bayern Kurve | 1968 | Discontinued |
Pharaoh's Fury | Pirate Ship | 1998 or earlier | In production |
Red Baron | Jets | 1975 or earlier | In production |
Revolution | Frisbee | 2002 or earlier | In production |
Rock 'n' Roll | Looper/Rock 'n' Roll | 1970 | Discontinued |
Rotor | Rotor | 1967 or earlier | Discontinued |
Skydiver | Skydiver | 1965 | Discontinued |
Space Shuttle | Pirate Ship | 1981 | Discontinued |
Trabant | Trabant/Satellite | 1965 | Discontinued |
Tumbler | Tumbler | 1970 or earlier | Discontinued |
Turbo | Turbo | 1980s or earlier | Discontinued |
UniCoaster | Looper/Rock 'n' Roll | 2010 | In production |
Wheel | Ferris Wheel | 1976 or earlier | In production |
Wipeout | Trabant/Satellite | 1991 or earlier | In production |
Yo-Yo | Chairswing | 1976 or earlier | In production |
Zipper | Zipper | 1970 or earlier | In production |
References
- ↑ "CHANCE RIDES / D.H. MORGAN". CoasterForce. Retrieved 2023-10-10.
- ↑ "Thrill Ride Firm Buys Out Rival". The Wichita Beacon. 1970-07-19. Retrieved 2023-12-09.
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 "History". Chance Rides. Retrieved October 23, 2020.
- ↑ Michelson, Harry (2016-11-29). "Bradley & Kaye Amusement Company". The Amusement Parkives (in English). Retrieved 2023-12-14.
- ↑ "Chance Rides & Vekoma Rides decide to discontinue North America cooperation". Amusement Today. 2012-10-17. Retrieved 2023-12-02.
- ↑ "Chance Rides plans for the future and forms financial partnership with Permanent Equity". Amusement Today. 2023-06-30. Retrieved 2023-10-28.