Enterprise is one of those rides that many people look at and go “Aw, hell no. I’m going to get sick on that.” I mean, it spins like crazy and sends riders upsidedown, how can it not be nauseating? The truth is that Enterprise is a pretty enjoyable ride, even for someone like me who is getting more and more prone to motion sickness as I get older.
The Ride
Riders choose a car and hop in. It’s at this point where most first time rider will say “Gah! Where’s the damn seatbelt!?” Don’t worry, you won’t need it. Riders will need the door though. Depending on the model the door either slides closed or flips down. Some models also have a backup chain in addition to the standard lock.
Once secured, the wheel begins to spin until it hits warp speed. Once riders are nice an plastered to the seat, the arm holding the wheel begins to rise up to 87 degrees (basically vertical.) Most Enterprise rides will keep the wheel vertical for less than a minute, however I’ve seen some go for longer. Strates’ Enterprise goes for at least a minute and a half. Astroland’s old Enterprise went for three plus minutes!
Other Info
Enterprise variants are made by a handful of manufacturers but Huss and Schwarzkopf were the two major manufacturers. Schwarzkopf was first to actually design and manufacture Enterprise in 1972 with Huss producing their own version the same year.
Enterprise rides are commonly found at amusement parks but there are traveling versions as well. In the US, Wade Shows and Strates Shows each have a Huss Enterprise model. In Germany, a Huss model re-named Mondlift makes appearances at funfairs.
Beleive it or not, owners of the Huss Enterprise models had the option to convert the ride to run backwards as well as forwards. This conversion was made available through a company called North American Parts Inc in 1984, according to a Huss service letter. I’d sure love to ride a backwards Enterprise…but I think I’d be terrified at the same time!
Multimedia
Here’s some photos of Strates’ Enterprise
Here’s a video of Enterprise at the North Brunswick Youth Sports Festival in New Jersey. This ride is owned by Strates Shows.
7 Comments
I have been on the one at Six Flags Over Georgia for many years. I first started riding it when I was 10. I’m 22 now and for my birthday my friends took me to Six Flags to ride my favorite flat ride…only problem was I was too tall to for the lid to close on the car.
I first seen this in 1984 when i was in Germany.
I was on this once when the ride operator announced we we getting an extra long ride to celebrate making the most tickets on the midway that day. Needless to say, I have never been so dizzy and sickened in my life.
ahh..the enterprises..one of my favorite flat rides..must ride one if i see one at a park..when i was little i used to be scared of them..i was a wuss back then..now..NO FEAR!!!
The one of these I’ve gone on pretty regularly is the one at Lagoon amusement park north of Salt Lake City, Utah. It’s called ‘Centennial Screamer’ there. Other places I have been on it is the one at Dorney Park (pictured above), and the one at Cedar Point, where it’s called the ‘Witches Wheel.’ I have also been on a Schwarzkopf model one at Six Flags Great America called ‘the Orbit.’
SFOT had one for years. It was behind the Southern Palace Theatre. I love this ride, even after the accident at the Texas State Fair.
Another thing I have heard is road models of this ride apparently have a no single riders policy. This policy makes it harder for people who come to the midway by themselves or in an odd numbered group to get to ride. All the park models I have been on don’t seem to have this rule, which makes the rule seem stupid and even ridiculous where they do have it. Having this rule for a ride like the Zipper I sort of get it. But on a ride that can clearly be ridden single, they should let anybody who wants to ride ride.