Unzipping the Zipper: The Secrets of Setup Revealed

We spend a day observing the setup and operation of the Zipper ride.
I hope to get a few ideas from this on how we can better rack our rides for transportation.
Watch them set up a Himalaya: • This Himalaya Ride fit...
I'm fascinated by the way carnival rides are engineered to fold up and stow away for storage and travel and the Chance Zipper Ride is an excellent example.
Thanks to Jay from Majestic Midways for giving me the opportunity to shadow the crew as they setup this classic carnival ride at the Phoenixville PA Dogwood festival. Although the ride has gone through a couple of revisions over the years, it is still basically the same ride first designed in 1968.
#ZipperRide #ChanceZipper #carnivalrides

[@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

[@Coyotek4]

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

[@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

[@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

[@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.

[@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.

[@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.

[@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!

[@kens.3729]

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

[@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

[@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

[@keithfulkerson]

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

[@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

[@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 😂😂😂

[@quandaledingle8960]

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

[@PeteRondeau]

Thanks!

[@Seventizz]

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

[@BigMoney23223]

Growing up me and a buddy discovered that if you two simultaneously start thrusting forward and back quickly in the zipper you’ll build momentum and can start flipping the cars non stop. We would spin that car so fast they couldn’t stop it. It was a lot of fun

[@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.

[@1SGBob1]

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

[@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.

[@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!

[@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!

[@tommyscruggs7265]

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

[@mikebrown2948]

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

[@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.

[@antoniocognato5023]

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

[@KenPurcell]

Zipper was the best mobile carnival ride ever!

[@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

[@vonyinzer]

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

[@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!

[@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.

[@porkryne72]

I remember my cousin and mine first ever riding a zipper. I'm 7 foot 3 and he's 6 foot 9 we both cram into a car with our heads up in the top only able to look downward out of the cage. Our first crest was at the tip plunging us first first to the ground screaming bloody murder and immediately laughed it off and tried to get multiple flips in a row. I've never experienced g forces like that on a roller coaster. It became a well respected flat in my books

[@iancameron5622]

7' 3", now that's circus tall. Tell the truth, you were one of the attractions on side show alley.

[@porkryne72]

@Ian Cameron lol close. I worked 3 years at fright fest great america and 2 college programs in ride ops at Disney world and one season at santas village azoosment

[@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?

[@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

[@kathrynwhitby9799]

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

[@shaungomez9898]

I like how they set that ride up in front of someone's house. Seems like a free admission to test ride if I were to live in that house!

[@PeteRondeau]

This is an annual festival in this town. It seems to be a big deal to the residents, they are quite proud of it. It has been going on for 80 years. So, I guess if you live in the houses surrounding that park you know what to expect.

[@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.

[@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!

[@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!!!

[@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.

[@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 👍💯

[@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.

[@TheKurtsPlaceChannel]

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

[@joecline1006]

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

[@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!

[@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!

[@DrMurdercock]

Growing up in a tiny farm town, when the Fair came each year, it was magic. Poor Jack Amusements would come every summer and transform our small town's "uptown" area into an awesome place. I would go up an there watch them set things up when I was little. Bug them, get in the way, etc. Good times

[@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.

[@averysprout1911]

I love the Zipper !

[@therealunclep]

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

[@Ltech-ludditetechnologies]

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

[@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.

[@wooderdsaunders7429]

Bring back memories, I was a carney for over 20 years

[@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

[@mikej3187]

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

[@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

[@tracedehaven2190]

I first rode the Zipper in '71 or 72, not long after it came out and probably the first year it appeared at the annual Flower Market in Wilmington DE. I was on with a friend who figured out that if you really rocked on it as your car was going around the wheel, you could get it to flip 360 degrees. This was making me crazy, but at one point, he got it flip SIX times in a row! The last time I rode the Zipper, maybe 5 years ago, I had difficulty getting to flip even once. I couldn't tell if this was due to some modification to prevent them so easily flipping around, or just because the ride was 40 years older. It's kind of amazing to me that a carnival ride manufactured in the late 60s or early 70's is still going. Wiki says: "The first fourteen Zippers manufactured spun at much higher speeds than modern models. The boom rotated at 11 rpm and the cable system at 7 rpm. These first-generation rides kept the passenger compartments spinning on their axes constantly, creating unsafe g-forces and causing impact-related injuries such as whiplash, bruises and back injuries. The safety hazard was quickly discovered and the mechanical rpms were permanently lowered to current speeds."

[@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!

[@Just_a_normal_guy11]

Thanks for sharing such a wonderful video.

[@PeteRondeau]

Thanks for watching!

[@lonniescott7366]

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

[@PeteRondeau]

Thank you kindly!

[@JLT_MEDIA]

Nice video really love to see how they set up this amazing machines stuff people never see

[@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.

[@DIYGene]

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

[@PeteRondeau]

Thanks Gene!

[@talon1706]

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

[@Jeff-mc6pv]

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

[@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!

[@chriswalker9435]

Great and so informative.

[@harleymitchell1977]

A+ content always like to watch the local crew traveling around building all the rides and games fascinating they go up so fast makes it look unsafe but taking a closer look with your videos show that safety is thought about

[@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.

[@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

[@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!

[@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!

[@trurayne7196]

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.

[@zekervyy]

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

[@ToanLoeky-jz8ju]

That was always my funnest ride at the carnival

[@troshs]

Loving the paint scheme on this one.

[@brianjacobsen8878]

Lot of memories with all the rides you cover.

[@edwardkirkland2022]

Excellent video!!!

[@PeteRondeau]

Thank you very much!

[@laurajurek4065]

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

[@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. 😊

[@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.

[@stevenmeadows6917]

Hey Pete, thanks for posting this, I too am amazed at how they design these things to travel on trailers. News subscriber here man :)

[@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!

[@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.

[@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!

[@trevorbarnes3615]

New follower! Thanks for the great videos!

[@PeteRondeau]

Awesome, thank you!

[@TriplePinesStudios]

This is my favorite carnival ride!!

[@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!

[@gio2vanni86]

Only been on it once.. But man was that a thrill. It was the craziest thing i had seen as a kid. Always saw older kids go on it, or the cool kids. When i finally got on it it was pretty crazy and i never went on it again because i thought to myself... Who maintains this thing?!?!?! Just a scary thought. But it was fun. Thanks for the insight.

[@davidhackett3079]

I saw two of these ZIPPERS back to back to each other going different direction at Florida State Fair few years back. They were two separate rides one behind the other very interesting

[@docdeth904]

We set our Zipper up next to another at the '80 FS Fair. We talked to the operator of the other one and basically synchronized them so we would either be running them in tandems and opposition. Our operator would trade hand signals with the other to set cable and boom direction. Absolutely awesome.

[@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

[@kohnkyriakou9581]

Still one of the best rides of all time. Every ride experience is so different and the adrenalin rush is awesome.

[@SixRoundsStudio]

Fascinating!

[@kylebutler7142]

I don't know when Zipper was introduced but in the early 80's it was Top Dog at our town show . Always screaming girls and vomit and it was awesome and crazy !

[@jeffchristianson-ziebell7727]

Ohh the memories LOL Who doesn’t know what the Zipper is? It’s definitely a piece of Americana

[@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!

[@GodSpeedRalphy2023]

My God what a Great interesting video . Gladly adding 👍 up & subscribe.

[@18266609]

great video

[@PeteRondeau]

Thanks!