El Sombrero - The Hat Ride
The El Sombrero, or the "Hat Ride" as it is known, was first opened in the park in 1965. This makes it the seventh oldest operating ride in the park. Most likely manufactured by Chance Rides, the Hat is a generic carnival ride, often know as the Wagon Wheel, the Tabrant, or the Chaos. The ride is designed to look like a giant Mexican Sombrero. The riders sit is a circle of two adult seats which constitute the rim of the hat.
The ride begins by spinning around on an off-center axis. As the ride picks up speed, an arm raises the ride in to the air at approximately a 45 degree angle. These leave the riders spinning in all directions, around the circle of the hat, up and down at the angle of the arm, and around the platform.
The ride was originally installed at the site of the short lived La Cucaracha Roller Coaster, in an area next to the current location of the Silver Star Carrousel. It was later moved to its current location near the
The La Vibora (Avalanche Bobslide) Ride.The ride is currently painted with a yellow base. Earlier, the ride was painted blue.
(c) Davis McCown, 1998