Ferris Wheels Suddenly Become Cool

Cool kids do not go on Ferris wheels. Ferris wheels are for those who can't stomach the other rides. Ferris wheels are boring.

This is perception I had back in the day of summer camp amusement park adventures. Why waste time and money going in a slow, useless circle when I could ride on a Roller Coaster or get all wet on a Log Flume?

Recently, though, the Ferris wheel's reputation has experienced a face lift. According to an article in today's New York Times, the once old, archaic, overlooked amusement park ride has become a trendy must have for cities across the World. Some what of an arm's race has erupted to see what city can build the largest wheel.

The race began in 1999, when the 443 foot London Eye was built in commemoration of the Millennium. It was a huge hit, and since then, massive wheels have opened or are being built in China, Singapore, Malaysia and Australia. These new "observation wheels" are a bit different from the romantic, private wheels of yesteryear.

"Unlike the seating in their older counterparts, the observation wheels feature climate-controlled, rotating capsules that can hold up to 40 people, and can be reserved for business meetings, birthdays and weddings. Capsule amenities include leather seats, plasma screens, refrigerators and bars," Douglass Heingartner writes.

A ride costs $20 to $30.

Unlike the race to have the World's largest building, which can seemingly go on up forever, this race apparently has its limits.

You see, as the diameter of the wheel increases, so does the riding time, and this presents a problem. Heingartner explains:

"The call of nature is another barrier to height. 'The biggest constraint is the amount of time people need to be away from the toilet,' Mr. Vocking said. A spokesman for Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, another builder of giant wheels, said studies indicate 35 to 45 minutes is the longest people are willing to wait."

It doesn't seem to far out of the question that toilets will eventually be added to each car. Heck, as the population of the World continues to grow and land grows scarcer, I say we stick houses on Ferris wheels. If the wheel's tall enough, you won't even notice it's rotating.

In all honesty though, it would be pretty cool to stick a Ferris wheel smack dab in the middle of the Capital Mall. Once Thomas Jefferson sinks, I say we re-memorialize him with a Ferris wheel.