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| Manufacturer | Universal Design | ||||||||
| Product | Sky Ride | ||||||||
| Capacity | 2 per gondola | ||||||||
Sky Ride was a Ropeway built by US manufacturer Universal Design that was previously located at Frontierland Family Theme Park in Morecambe, Lancashire, England, UK. It opened at the park in 1989.
History
The ride was originally built and first operated at Magic Harbor in Surfside Beach, South Carolina, USA as Sky Ride. It opened at an unknown date, but it is believed to be 1969 or earlier. It would operate at the park over various owners over the years, including Blackpool Pleasure Beach in the UK. While at Magic Harbor, the ride was originally built over a lake.[1]
When Blackpool Pleasure Beach closed the park after 1986, Sky Ride was one of the few rides that were removed by them and was transferred to one of their other parks in the UK. The ride was later dismantled and exported from Magic Harbor, being transported in sections by helicopter to its new location in the UK.[2][3]
The ride later reopened at Frontierland Western Theme Park at Morecambe, Lancashire, England, UK in 1989, retaining the Sky Ride name from Magic Harbor and the ride towers being repainted brown to suit the park's western theme.[4][5][6][7] It was opened by tennis player Annabel Croft.[8]
Frontierland Western Theme Park would eventually permanently close down over the last three years of its operation by its owner Blackpool Pleasure Beach, starting from late 1998 to 2000 in stages of downsizing. Sky Ride would continue to operate until it closed in 2000 along with the remaining rest of the park. The ride was listed for sale in November 1999 along with a few other attractions from the park, but it isn't thought to have ever been sold.[9]
References
- ↑ "Who Remembers Magic Harbor". Facebook. John Walker.
- ↑ "Who Remembers Magic Harbor". Facebook. Carl Pace.
- ↑ "Who Remembers Magic Harbor". Facebook. Carl Pace.
- ↑ "Park doors remain closed". Sun-News. 1988-05-23. p. 5. Retrieved 2025-04-02.
- ↑ "Lease lawsuit keeps park closed". Sun-News. 1988-05-23. p. 1. Retrieved 2025-04-02.
- ↑ "Magic Harbor park to open at noon today". Sun-News. 1993-05-29. p. 32. Retrieved 2025-04-02.
- ↑ "All the fun of fair!". Crosby Herald. 1989-06-29. p. 23. Retrieved 2025-03-02.
- ↑ "Frontierland Morecambe: How The West Was Lost". Joyland Books.
- ↑ "Frontierland Morecambe: How The West Was Lost". Joyland Books.
