Unzipping the Zipper: The Secrets of Setup Revealed

[@PeteRondeau]

Spent the day on the carnival lot hoping to get some ideas on how we can better rack our rides for transportation. Watch them set up a Himalaya: kzbin.info/www/bejne/qqvXZIFqrbB2esU

[@cpost3998]

Thank you for sharing this video ...I wanted to do this ride in 1/16 scale ...now I'm thinking twice about it ...the ride would of been on the trailer as shown chance mfg make that ride ( ya I know ) big fan of your channel and chance rides...keep up the good work

[@nicholasweaver7809]

Take a look at some of the UK showmen's ideas. They are very good at this

[@JohnCappel-bt9mx]

I remember a year in the 80s we had 2 zippers at our state fair Ohio

[@basicbutter9753]

Please make more of these. I too love watching the way these things set up and operate

[@PeteRondeau]

Thanks for watching! I'll have another one in the near future.

[@Hackwar]

@@PeteRondeau I stumbled on your channel because of these ride setups and then went through all restauration videos. This is really cool! Of course I subscribed. 😉 I hope to see your rides restored soon and more setups in the future.

[@abpob6052]

IMO the Zipper is the #1 carnival ride of all time. Simple concept and is user friendly. In high school another athlete friend and I could rock the car back and forth till eventually we could make it spin indefinitely just sitting still. Add this to the motion of the ride and it was epic.

[@joeskis]

Yeah this is one of those interactive rides much like the tilt a whirl.

[@kevinthompson6986]

Y’all can have this it’s attached to a flat bed doesn’t look to safe

[@FuquarProductions]

Always fun. my number one ride.

[@WatchDoggyDog]

daredevil mode, dang lmao, props

[@tripswithtom]

Ask somebody who's been around the amusement industry for 40 years let me tell you that the zipper is not a user-friendly ride unless you've been there and you've actually set this right up it may seem simple but it is not you have to be perfectly level on all aspects on firm ground because the ground could not sink as a ride is in operation obviously but the rest of injury on this ride are extremely severe and the risk of this machine having an accident is very high because of the force it is generated of the personal carts as they flip over the top yes it's a good ride but there's a lot of risk that comes with owning one of these and it is also one of the highest insurance rates of any ride that is on a Midway

[@Coyotek4]

The distinctive whirr of a Zipper always informs me that carnival season is in session.

[@southpuddle]

Seriously the best non-coaster ride ever. Unpredictability, positives, airtime, this thing has it all. I've always fantasized about a permanent model being built at parks.

[@alm9951]

It does have everything! It's a good one for sure! Imo the Zipper simulates being violently slammed onto ground or thrown high up into the air and ultimately falling to death or serious injury. It's scary at times but a great ride overall.

[@bizarrealtispinax2747]

I think it was permanently installed in Parque Diversiones in Costa Rica back in the 80s and 90s, but it's no longer there unfortunately

[@bcrispchannel]

One of the best rides EVER created. Period (including any and all modern day coaster, Disney or Universal park thrill rides).

[@bmo5082]

I have good memories of this ride. It was one of the scarier ones when I was a kid, about 30 years ago. It was kind of a right of passage if you could ride on it.

[@bcrispchannel]

Still one of the prettiest, funnest, freakiest, loudest, thrilling rides ever created. Ever. Even with all of today's tech and millions of dollars put into thrill rides and coaster, the Zipper stands tall. Thanks for the share!

[@DavidChrisCastillo-im1wg]

56' "altitude" high on the zipper, a machine to have its name in lights.

[@handgunner1911]

I operated this ride for about 10 seasons in my opinion still one of the best rides ever made thanks posting this model is newer than the one we had

[@billyhackett4689]

Absolutely my #1 favorite Carnival Ride!❤

[@janmcguire5268]

Nothing like that characteristic whir sound of the zipper in operation. I love it!

[@alm9951]

The sound when the cable starts going is wicked isnt it?!

[@janmcguire5268]

@@alm9951 YES! And I think the tire drives add to it, also. It’s so unique!

[@myrany8407]

This ride is slightly older than I am and I just love that they are still out there going strong. Such a big part of my younger years was riding these rides.

[@1SGBob1]

My all time favorite carnival ride! Thanks for posting this!

[@ericmartin3396]

I love the zipper. I had my phone come out of my pocket. I was able to get it while the ride was still in motion because it floated in the air right in front of me.

[@quandaledingle8960]

Clean editing. I feel like this is gonna be one of those videos that randomly goes viral

[@PeteRondeau]

Thanks!

[@debbiediedrick5449]

I love watching your videos on setting up and taking down it amazes me how it all works and folds up on one trailer

[@PeteRondeau]

Glad you like them!

[@lucasm7177]

One of my favorite rides. I've never understood why more parks don't buy these and install them. I've only seen them at fairs and carnivals.

[@TNM-Heatstroke13]

Yeah, I wonder why... But my local amusement company has one. But they recently sold it and replaced it with the Fury

[@LittleRockElevatorsandmore]

The zipper was at our state fair last year (2023) but wasn't brought back this year. No telling what could've happened.

[@itscs1175]

This brings back lots of good memories. We have a yearly carnival that comes up and parks by the pier parking lot, until highschool, I used to live literally across the street so once school ended for the day, I'd just watch them build right outside my bedroom window

[@Snapdragon07]

Thank you for sharing this video! Since I was a child I've always been fascinated with carnival rides and this video is just awesome!

[@LandNfan]

One of my favorites to ride and to operate. In the late ‘60s, I worked part-time at Joyland Park in Wichita. Chance brought out a recently modified Zipper for a weekend of field testing. I got to spend a few hours running it. Operators love it for its simplicity and the fact that it virtually rains money underneath it!

[@PeteRondeau]

Thanks for watching!

[@nicolewembley3093]

Rains money, to funny, that ride definitely can do that, was thinking of it when I was watching the ride in action.

[@crooked-halo]

Joyland! Wow. Miss the park and the Roller Coaster greatly! I'm a wood coaster hobbyist from Texas & went to Joyland many times. There's still huge piles of white wood & steel track on the grounds. I was there a few months ago & got some souvenirs.

[@LandNfan]

@@crooked-halo I loved that coaster, too. I couldn’t help comparing it with the Skyliner which opened at Fair Park in Nashville summer of ‘65. Joyland’s was already old when I was there and Fair Park’s still smelled of fresh paint. As it happened, I was working at FP that summer and was one of the first to ride the Skyliner. My job was running the Herschel Mad Mouse that also went in that year. At Joyland I spent a lot of time running the big Eli Ferris wheel, but was often the relief operator and got to run everything in the park at one time or another. As a lifelong rail fan (Granddad was an engineer), I have to confess that my favorite ride to run was the train. I was told Joyland had the very first Chance C.P.Huntington.

[@ericfriendzoned1303]

Look at the mudflaps of the trailer hauling the ride.... 😉 2:56

[@tommyscruggs7265]

I loved it. I have always been amazed at how carnival rides operate and the mechanical part of it works.

[@keithfulkerson]

These are fascinating. I didn't even know I was interested in watching these things being set up.

[@mrs.jasonmiller4763]

❤The Zipper is definitely one of a kind and an all time favorite for many❤ Thank you for sharing this video and content 👍💯

[@joybranch-londesborough6617]

The Zipper, my favourite ride. ❤ Interesting

[@TroyKristoffer]

Thanks for the cool video. The Zipper is one of my favorite rides to watch from a mechanical/engineering perspective. I also love these videos in-between restoration updates.

[@Crenga]

same. the zipper and hi-roller are some of the most fascinating rides; i love the insight of this video

[@joecline1006]

I've rode the Zipper a few times in the past and I loved it ❤

[@leroydenson1169]

I loved the Zipper when I was a kid. I was worried because I always look for it at every carnival that I see, but hadn't seen it in years.... Glad to see it's still around.

[@kathrynwhitby9799]

i think that was a great idea to do the voiceovers afterwards, really made it clear what was happening.

[@crooked-halo]

I've ridden all U.S. wood coasters (my hobby) and almost every type of flat ride that exists. The greatest is the defunct Boomerang, which I rode at Bertrands Island, NJ in 1982. However, among all other flat rides, The Zipper is one of the best, most thrilling, and enjoyable rides ever! It was a complete pleasure watching this setup! I'm an aircraft mechanic & fascinated with stuff like this.

[@PeteRondeau]

Thanks for sharing, and watching! I appreciate it.

[@troshs]

Loving the paint scheme on this one.

[@kens.3729]

I’ve seen this Ride but have never been on it. Guys assembling them are very familiar and safe working around them. 👍

[@izzynutz2000]

The zipper has a distinctive sound when it's running that I would know anywhere

[@tommysin194]

I love the Zipper so very much, it's truly the "King Of All Rides" in the midway! Sometimes I ride on it 3-4 times lol hahaha! Watching carnival rides set up is also satisfying and fascinating to me as well too!

[@tmay092698]

I love Chance Rides. I am from Wichita and as a kid, you would always see new rides, rebuilt rides or pieces of rides set up through the fence at Chance on the west side of town. Their building was right off the highway. Once I am out of the Marine Corps I want to work for Chance so bad.

[@antoniocognato5023]

these guys do great work! there should be a union for these guys!

[@raventhunderwings]

I just happened on your channel while trying to find set up and tear downs of rides that my hubby and I used to set/slough in the 80's, so that we could show our daughter...your videos are really informative!! Maybe a few words we had to change for her so that she also knew the carney lingo for things but all in all, excellent videos!!! Thank You!!!

[@lonniescott7366]

As an old Zipper Man you made an excellent video! Well done.

[@PeteRondeau]

Thank you kindly!

[@KenPurcell]

Zipper was the best mobile carnival ride ever!

[@TheKurtsPlaceChannel]

Very entertaining and fun to watch. Thanks for posting this.

[@sophiewallace8662]

My favorite carnival ride of all time. Always have to ride it.. hope they never get rid of it.

[@mikebrown2948]

THIS IS SO AWESOME & I love ❤️ to see every theme park in the USA will have a ZIPPER 👋👋👋❤️❤️❤️❤️

[@ladyrachel13]

Never been on the Zipper; too wild for me. I wonder how they set it up back in the day. The original Zipper was a ride called The Swooper. It was an oblong Ferris Wheel.

[@ricotrujillo2842]

This is the BEST video of the Zipper being set up, up close seeing the details and all.. thank you.....

[@PeteRondeau]

Thank you so much, and thanks for watching!

[@mikej3187]

This is my all time favorite ride. Many good times.

[@TruGloryxists]

Zipper #1 as always. The moment we got in cage, rocked til it twirled. Once we kept spinning, we didn't stop til the end of the ride and the guy had to stop us. Loved it growing up.

[@gstevens6948]

And he’s running it at a pretty good clip too… nothing like the Zipper for sure, great video.

[@ToanLoeky-jz8ju]

That was always my funnest ride at the carnival

[@goosubux]

The Zipper is the coolest carnival ride.

[@bensonwr]

Just found your channel and Bingeing these build videos. I too have been fascinated about how travelling fairs build their rides since I was a kid. I remember watching builds and breakdowns for hours. Your explanations are the best I have found.

[@PeteRondeau]

Awesome, thank you!

[@punchfisttop]

the ZIPPER is a classic! awesome to see the set up. Amazingly self contained! Wish the Bayre Kurve was still around.

[@PeteRondeau]

The are rebuilding one at Knoebels. Actually taking parts from 2 Kurve's to make one good one. I saw the cars in the maintenance shop a few weeks ago but didn't get any video footage. They are hoping to have it open next season.

[@punchfisttop]

@@PeteRondeau OMG! Thank you so much for telling me. The Bayre Kurve is the greatest flat ride ever and not to sound corny....means the world to me!!!! I will die a happy man when I get to ride it again! LOVE the air horn onr the fastest lap. Thank you again my friend!!!!

[@mikek3951]

I miss the days. 7 years I traveled around running rides. Setting up. Maintenance etc. I personally hated the merry go round to set up. Time time time time

[@Littlefreetime]

OMG! THAT WAS GREAT!!!!!! Thanks a million for that! I am so fascinated how these carnival rides rack and road. LOVE THIS. And my compliments to Majestic Midways on a BEAUTIFUL looking Zipper!!! Light package is superior on that one!!!

[@PeteRondeau]

Glad you enjoyed it! I will pass along your compliment. I'll be uploading a full build of the Wisdom Himalaya next.

[@prestonestes1388]

My mom and one of her friends were nearly killed on a Zipper ride back in the 80s. While they were on it the bolts on their carriage started to fly out and it started to swing erratically. They yelled for help but the ride operator (a teenager) just laughed and said he would only stop it if they threw the candy he knew that they had to him, even as another bolt flew off and the people in line were screaming at him to stop it as well. Luckily the carriage held on until the end and my mom and her friend were able to get off. They chewed the operator out, and the ride was shut down for the rest of the day.

[@Kiki099]

cool video Till this day I still say this ride beats all other carnival rides in terms of fun factor. Simple yet Effective!

[@therealunclep]

You make the best ride set-up videos I've ever found. Great stuff and thanks!

[@ytzpilot]

The Zipper is my favourite carnival ride although very dizzying to ride it is also mesmerising to watch

[@alexlail7481]

This is my absolute favorite ride. I am typically more into roller coasters and have ridden quite a few up and down the east coast... but this is still my favorite ride. When you described it as a roller coaster wrapped around a Faris Wheel you hit it on the nose. It really is deceptive how extreme it is compared to other carnival rides. Until someone rides one you really can't appreciate it.... whether you love it or hate its.

[@vonyinzer]

The Zipper is one of the most awesome and intense carnival rides ever.

[@docdeth904]

The Zipper was the second ride I worked back in '80, I worked them for 2 seasons. I am impressed with your narrative and the fact that you didn't jigger the Jocks' arms while they were building it. There are no dumb questions in syntax, just in the circumstance you ask them in. Voice overs are fine. I will say, that I am impressed that you used the correct names for the various parts of the ride, such as scenery and H and K bars. The Zipper was an excellent ride to work, it could be run by 1 person if the crowd was patient and the operator was fairly quick with an R-Key. The dog houses under the trailer made good accommodations for the crew in good weather, and the thing basically rained money. We had a huge sign that told people to secure their goods, and we were not responsible for lost articles, yet people insisted on donating to the 'Ride Operators Booze and Burritos Fund of Walla Walla, WA' I could make 15 to 20 dollars (after the split) a night on a good spot. Setup was not complicated, we could put it together and ready for inspection in 2.5 to 3 hours if we had a local with some common sense to help us, and was simplified by the awesome brace of hydraulics. Chance built and awesome machine. The only gripe I had was the yoyos who would get the thing into a death spin and would not stop even after they got to the bottom. I saw someone get laid out after being hit by a spinning tub. It's fun, I know, to see how fast you can make a tub spin, but, remember, you have to get out when the ride is finished, please, for the love of all that is holy, PLEASE stop spinning toward the end of the ride.

[@PeteRondeau]

Thanks for sharing!

[@lorabor8967]

In the early seventies when the carnival came into town, we as kids, would go watch them set up and we're offered free rides to test out to see if everything was in order.

[@brianjacobsen8878]

Lot of memories with all the rides you cover.

[@jjjjj33333able]

Nice. Great Reporting. Three rides I would like to see get setup like this one would be the Skydiver, SuperLoop and Spider.

[@PeteRondeau]

Thanks, and thanks for watching! I know where there is a skydiver but it doesn't get brought out much. Not sure who I might know that has the others, but I will keep that in mind.

[@paulshamblin6260]

Loved the Skydiver. I think there's one at a park in WV.

[@Non_Of_U_business]

We agree Pete, please make more of these individual ride set ups!....Even though Chance rides manufactures the Zipper, ...Wisdom Industries was the first carnival ride manufacture to create trailer mounted rides that overwhelmingly decreased ride set up and tear down times in terms of labor hours and saving on labor costs. Thanks

[@RKS4581]

Love this! Best carnival ride of all time! The Spider, Tilt-A-Whirl, Sky Wheel, Ferris Wheels are some of my favorites.

[@alm9951]

You forgot sizzler, hurricane and skydiver. 😊

[@danalarose846]

Thank you! I've been fascinated by this as well, the zipper is one of my faves, followed by the double ferris wheel. New subscriber.

[@PeteRondeau]

Glad to have you along! I would love to find a Sky Wheel (the double Ferris wheel) to do a setup video on.

[@LD_IRL]

(Totally was late to see this video lol) What an interesting video! As someone who is really into these rides and how they work, there were many things I didnt even know about that I learned from this video. This was really informative about how the Zipper is setup and operates. Honestly thank you for documenting this! Hope to see more of these types of videos in the future along with the restoration of your carnival rides, keep up the good work!

[@PeteRondeau]

Glad you enjoyed it!

[@BluemanDrummer]

Coolest ride ever

[@zekervyy]

Zipper has been my new favorite ride since I first tried it about a month ago at the carnival. (sorry for my English)

[@Iamnot4Sure]

Pete that was totally unexpected, I have enjoyed your ventures . I am still looking forward to the day when your rocket ride is 100% done to enjoy. I am just like a little kid in a candy store when I see your videos, I can’t wait to view them videos my soul jumps.

[@zipper761882]

I ran a 1976 Zipper from mid 90s to early 00s. Ours didn't have the power assisted levelling system, we had a hand pump. We also didn't have the catwalk as half our possum belly doors were removable completely. We had to do our tubs and kbars the old fashioned way by moving a ladder around. What made it even worse is the kbars themselves didn't rack on top of the trailer. The rack back then was in the possum belly. You can imagine the hassle this caused. The place where the kbar rack is on this one is where we used to have to put the 2 tubs we had to take off each week. This was thankfully fixed a couple years after I started working on it when we got a kit from Chance to make it so we didn't have to take the two end tubs off anymore. Anyway I just had to say think you for this video! My time as a carny ended right before the iPhone unfortunately, so all I have is old Polaroids lol.

[@philrabe910]

Thanks for the animations and drawings! This is a Very old attraction: I remember it from at least 1968-9 at the Pinellas County Fair (RIP).

[@philrabe910]

PS Do you have a double ferris wheel set up?

[@marksmith9295]

Can always tell a "good ride" by the amount of sawdust at the base and perimeter. Best ridden before you frequent the beer gardens. First and only ride on this was at CNE in Toronto in 1977. My "brave" buddy freaked out and was screaming in fear within seconds of starting..made me laugh hysterically at him (out of fear) so glad he broke the ice rather than me. We were last to be loaded so the operator gave our bucket a spinning start for a good send-off. Astronauts should train on this. Thanks for posting!

[@Jeff-mc6pv]

So cool. I'd love to see how all the rides get put up and taken down.... Very fascinating ❤💯

[@TurtleIsland-o7z]

I love the Zipper !

[@Bruuuhh314]

I really hope I can work for a carnival and help set up and operate rides when I’m older,it always amazes me on how my favourite rides set up

[@SchardtCinematic]

While I haven't been on one since the 90's. It's still one of my favorite to take video of. It's just a beautiful and awesome looking ride

[@mattgiardina6533]

love to watch your chanel i will watch anything you put out that took me back to my late teen age years i traveled with colman brothers for 5 years doing that same thing every town and good time in the early 90s thank you

[@PeteRondeau]

Glad to have you along! Thanks for watching

[@laurajurek4065]

This is one of my favorites, I hope to ride this again

[@thomasallen9086]

I’m so loving your channel always been fascinated by the same thing most of the videos I find when I search are from overseas

[@dbfairgroundfilms8195]

Hey! I just love these build up videos. The engineering on these rides is simply remarkable, and although I love to see build ups in the UK, it’s good to see how things are done, if not a little different, across the pond. Keep them coming 👍😀

[@PeteRondeau]

Glad you like them!

[@dwaynegarfield1551]

Amazing video! From San Jose California... I used go crazy for the parking lot carnivals! I remembered the Folly Buck Shows Back in the day and Frazier Shows!

[@way2go636]

I think I found my new favorite channel. I hope to see a video with the pharaohs fury or Larson ring of fire

[@PeteRondeau]

Thanks so much. i'll keep that in mind!

[@TheDeathWillCome2012]

This is so cool 👍 I would love to see a video on how they setup the greatest rides of all time, The Tilt a Whirl! My favorite ride of all time

[@PeteRondeau]

I will be on the lookout for one to record. Thanks for watching!

[@talon1706]

This was one of my favorite rides at the C.N.E in Toronto many years ago.

[@darrenbeller5440]

in calaveras County the zipper was the best ride in late 90s. it was the scary one 😆

[@youfromuptown]

Best Carnival ride hands down

[@Ricardo-x1t1n]

After the sky wheel!

[@Ricardo-x1t1n]

And don't forget the turbo.

[@Ohsnapsitskevin187x]

ohh i remember these rides from when i was a youngster , my dad used to go watch bands and drink beer , id do ride the rides all night , ahhhh i miss those days

[@3dsmaxrocks699]

Best part of carnival week in the 70s and 80s was watching them tear down the rides on the final Saturday nite. Saxonburg carnival in PA. was the best! We'd watch them tear down the rides until early morning. Yea the big Butler fair was bigger, but the Saxonburg carnival was the greatest thing ever as a kid. I remember watching Match Game on TV around 4pm as we got ready to go the carny. They had the best arcade games too.

[@nicolewembley3093]

Everybody loves the Zipper ride, it throws you in so many different directions, one is looking face down at the ground then all of a sudden it throws you backwards spinning.

[@Ltech-ludditetechnologies]

Best ride I ever went on, Moomba 1983, awesome.

[@bartonpercival3216]

This was a fantastic video. I'm into the history of old (permanent park) carousels specifically Charles Loof carousels. But i also love these type of fair rides and have always loved the ones that were on trucks with hydraulic lifts. Thank you so much for this great explanation of how these incredible rides are set up!!!!!! 👍

[@PeteRondeau]

Thanks for watching! I really appreciate it!

[@Roger-hp1yg]

That was really cool thank you for the video. I've always been amazed on how those rides get put up n then taken down and can fit on the trailers. Thank you for the video.

[@zandig666]

I was on the classic "do you wanna go faster" ride once, was wondering why I could barely hang on and I noticed my belt wasn't on 😂😂😂

[@bretthays2674]

I absolutely love these videos. The one on the Himalayan was even more fascinating. I am such a nerd.

[@PeteRondeau]

Glad you like them!

[@donaldjohnson394]

That was so neat! I too have been interested in how some of these big rides fold onto 3 semi trailers. Tons of engineering go into them.

[@PeteRondeau]

I also got to watch them do a single trailer Himalaya ride. That is quite a puzzle to all fit.

[@DIYGene]

This is a really interesting video to watch. Great narration.

[@PeteRondeau]

Thanks Gene!

[@Bcharns]

I noticed the loop o planes earlier in the video, that was my favorite carnival ride! Would love to see a video of that.

[@PeteRondeau]

Hope to get to them in the spring

[@Seventizz]

This and the ultra rare Turbo are a few of the most thrilling flat ride's ever made.

[@adamsmith2331]

This ride is pure torture and by far the scariest most claustrophobic carnival ride created. Watching it be set it even adds to the fear this crap can collapse at any moment!

[@Just_a_normal_guy11]

Thanks for sharing such a wonderful video.

[@PeteRondeau]

Thanks for watching!