See full version: Your Ultimate Guide to Riding the Seattle Great Wheel
Just about anyone can experience the Seattle Great Wheel. It is wheelchair accessible (however the door width is 30”), the ride is slow and smooth making it appropriate for both pregnant women and babies and given that each gondola can hold up to 1300 pounds, nobody is too big to ride. more
Seattle Great Wheel
1301 Alaskan Way – Pier 57
Seattle, WA 98101
206-623-8607
Online: seattlegreatwheel.com [links]
The bad news? There isn’t a ton of room in the gondolas, so you’re going to want to pack light. The good news? You can bring a stroller and park it at the bottom of the stairs where you get on the wheel and leave some of your not-so-valuable items in there while you ride. Speaking of strollers, leave your SUV-sized double jogger at home and opt for a smaller umbrella stroller instead. It will be great for little ones who get antsy standing in line. Otherwise, bring clothes for the weather–you will be waiting in line outside in the Seattle elements sunglasses for the ride in the wheel to make sure you can see all the sights and, of course, your camera. Food and drinks are not allowed in the gondolas, so leave the snacks and juice boxes in your stroller. here
It’s hard to believe that one of Seattle’s most iconic attractions is also one of its youngest. Since it opened in June of 2012, thousands of Seattle families and tourists have flocked to the Seattle waterfront to ride the ginormous Ferris wheel perched high above Pier 57. But believe it or not, there are many families who have never taken a ride. The next time you’re looking for things to do in Seattle, head to The Seattle Great Wheel to get a bird’s-eye view of the city like no other. Scroll down to learn more.
Each gondola seats a maximum of four people, with reservations available between 5pm and 6:30pm. Vegetarian options are available and diners can also pre-order their wine before the meal. more
The lofty US$152 (£110) per person price tag includes the meal, a parking voucher, ride tax and service charge. [links]
Customers are served one course per rotation of the wheel, which at its peak reaches 175ft (53m), according to the BBC. here
As reported by Kiro 7, the Covid appropriate private dining experience is being served up by The Fisherman’s Restaurant and Bar, which is located next to the Ferris wheel.
The maximum capacity on the wheel is 300 persons. There are 42 climate controlled gondola units. The units can fit up to eight passengers and the VIP unit can fit four. The ride itself can last up to 12 minutes and 40 feet of the actual ride is always present over the water of Elliot Bay. The twelve minutes of the ride include three full revolutions of the wheel. The actual ride on the wheel can be quite memorable. [links]
The designer of the project was Chance Rides and Manson Constriction handled the actual building. The full budget from start to finish was $20 million. On June 29th, 2012, the finished wheel was opened to the public. At 175 feet, it is the tallest Ferris wheel on the West Coast. The wheel is one of only three wheels in North America with a similar design. The Great Wheel is the only one situated over water. more
At present, the tickets to ride on the wheel are $13 and discounts are available for seniors and children. A VIP seat with glass a glass floor can be accessed for a $50 ticket. Children under the age of 3 ride for free. Tickets can be bought at the booth near the wheel. Gift cards can also be purchased from the ticket booth. [links]
The first steps taken to acquire the necessary permits to create the wheel commenced in November of 2010. It then moved into the conceptualization stage once permits were procured. The construction to build the wheel started on April 17th, 2012. The wheel is owned by the Griffin family’s Great Western Pacific Company. Hal Griffith always wanted to build such a wheel on Elliot Bay, but it took 30 full years for the project to reach fruition. The Griffith family also owns the pier on which the Great Wheel is now located. more
The Seattle Great Wheel is located at Pier 57 in the famous Elliot Bay of Washington city. The exact address is 1301 Alaskan Way. here
The hours in which visitors can take a ride on the Seattle Great Wheel vary depending upon the time of the year. The management of the wheel has posted the hours publicly.
If all goes according to plan, Great Western Pacific Inc., owner of Pier 57 on the Seattle waterfront, will unveil its 175-foot-high Ferris wheel on June 28. The new attraction, announced nearly two years ago by Great Western Pacific President Hal Griffith, will feature 42 climate-controlled, enclosed gondolas offering 360-degree views of Seattle, Elliott Bay and beyond (on a good day, anyway). The wheel, made by Chance Rides of Wichita, Kansas, will do about 1.5 turns every minute. Hours and prices TBD, Pier 57, 1301 Alaskan Way [links]
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