16 AMUSEMENT TODAY September 2020 remains busy in 2020 making, maintaining attractions

AT: Dean Lamanna for a complete rebuild. [email protected] Said Chance: “We’re help- WICHITA, Kan. — Having ing our customers by refurbish- survived — and thrived — as an ing some of their older rides attractions supplier for nearly 60 so that when they’re open next years, Chance Rides, Inc., has year, the rides are reliable, safe found itself in a relatively strong and ready to operate.” position to face the challenges The slower-but-steady work of the coronavirus pandemic. has taken some of the sting out While adhering to COVID-19 of 2020 for Chance Rides, which, safety protocols for its work- along with several other major ers in the factory and in the companies, made the difficult field, the company has contin- decision to bow out of the annu- ued taking new ride orders and al November trade show held Steve Gladow, mechanical handling maintenance requests in Orlando by the International from its varied client base dur- engineering manager for Association of Amusement ing a difficult spring/summer Chance, and Dana Wyatt, Parks and Attractions. (IAAPA period for the industry. director of operations for was still weighing whether to “The theme park busi- Pacific Park, test the new move forward with this year’s ness is pretty slow right now,” train on the Santa Monica, gathering as AT went to press.) acknowledged Dick Chance, Calif., park’s Route 66 West The company has exhibited owner and CEO, in a chat with Coaster (right). Chance at every show since Chance’s Amusement Today. “Fortunately, recently delivered an Electric founding in 1961. we have a variety of products C.P. Huntington train to Chance admitted the call was and are in very diversified Lincoln Children’s Zoo (above “very tough” and made it only markets. We’ve branched out left) and a gas-powered C.P. after consulting with his custom- into the zoo, city park, loca- Huntington train to Canada's ers and fellow manufacturers tion-based entertainment and Santa’s Village (above right). Great Coasters International, stand-alone attraction markets. COURTESY CHANCE RIDES Inc., Larson International, Inc. Operations able to get the bud- and Premier Rides. gets and make capital purchases car, bright-red paint, headlights, Hayward, California, are ship- in Missouri (AT, July 2020). For “I’ve been going since I are still going forward.” stylish side panels, four mock ping in September. Chance’s Tramstar trams, which was 14 years old, and I’ve never The fun-seeking public’s rubber-look spoked wheels and “It’s been called the Tesla of have wider seats, the company missed a show in 58 years,” he willingness to follow coronavi- tail fins on the back car, was trains,” Chance said of the throt- has created dividers of clear, cut- said. “But most of the member rus safety protocols, he added, based on a 3D computer model tle-free, fully automated prod- and-sewn vinyl that attach eas- parks are operating on a very has been key to keeping the of the real thing and physically uct, which incorporates , ily with adjustable brackets and limited basis, and a lot of them business going at some level. produced by Chance’s in-house dynamic-braking and wheel tighteners. The North Carolina are completely closed. Most of “People are glad to be out. As CNC (computer numerically wear-reducing traction controls. Zoo in Asheboro and Grant’s the ride manufacturers have long as they take precautions, controlled) molding machine. “When the operator pushes the Farm in St. Louis are among the zero business. We’re one of the things will be all right. I think The job, which included upgrad- start button and the train is sup- locations that have ordered sets. lucky ones that have at least masks are a small price to pay ing the ride with magnetic brak- posed to go five miles an hour On the manufac- some business coming in.” for staying open.” ing and a variable-speed control on one area of the track, that’s turing and refurbishment front, The executive is hopeful the But even for parks that, system for smoother chain-lift what it goes. If it’s got to slow Chance Rides has been plenty industry, and the world, will because of state and/or local engagement and station reentry, down before going into a curve, busy. The company recently recover and rebound from the mandates, have not yet been took about six months from the it automatically does that. It’s a supplied 28-foot units to 501 pandemic next year. able to reopen, the company has time the order was placed. big safety advantage.” Ranch in Uvalde, Texas, and “I think 2021 is going to be found opportunities to enhance “COVID slowed us down Additionally, the company the Municipality of Cayey in a boom year for the industry customers’ offerings as they about a month, but we got the recently supplied an Electric C.P. Puerto Rico, while it delivered a because there will be a vaccine,” await the green light. In some train delivered by Memorial Huntington to the Montgomery custom 20-footer with all-white Chance said. “As soon as we get cases, operators commissioned Day weekend,” Chance said. Zoo and Mann Wildlife horses to Pacific Amusement the vaccine, people are going to work before the coronavirus “Unfortunately, they weren’t able Learning Museum in Alabama International Co., a mall devel- start feeling comfortable about emerged. to open the park, but we were able and its last gas-powered C.P. oper in Seoul, South Korea. getting out in crowds and doing Pacific Park on the Santa to get in and do all the testing. It’s Huntington to Santa’s Village Horse-refurbishment jobs have things — there’s going to be a Monica Pier in Southern ready to go as soon as the state in Bracebridge, Ontario, Canada. been completed for lot of pent-up demand for enter- California contacted Chance gives them the okay to reopen.” Chance Rides has enjoyed in Hershey, Pennsylvania, and tainment. And after next year, Rides last fall to replace the Pacific Park, Chance noted, success with two newly intro- the Milwaukee County Zoo in parks are going to start ordering 30-seat train on its 55-foot-tall, expects the coaster’s annual rider- duced pandemic-related safety Wisconsin. new equipment again, so 2022 is 35-mph West Coaster, a family- ship of about 1 million to increase products for its trains and trams. In early August, Gillian’s going to be a boom year for the style steel installation originally by 20-30% with marketing tied to It has sold plexiglass seat divid- Wonderland Pier in Ocean City, manufacturing business. built in 1996 by D.H. Morgan the $1 million retheming project, ers that allow its C.P. Huntington New Jersey, looking ahead to the “We’re coming back. And Mfg., which Chance acquired which includes a redecoration of models to operate at 100% 2021 season, sent its 1992 we’re coming back strong.” in 2001. The world-famous des- the station and queue and a new capacity to the St. Louis Zoo to the company’s Wichita factory •chancerides.com tination, which sits at the west- name: Route 66 West Coaster. ernmost terminus of old U.S. Chance Rides’ has ful- Route 66, wanted to retheme the filled several orders for its C.P. ride to take promotional advan- Huntington trains recently. Since tage of its historical location. it went into full production at the “We talked to them about start of this year, the company’s classic cars and came up with all-electric, lithium battery-pow- the ’57 Chevy,” Chance said. “We ered, emission-free model — intro- own the original Morgan train duced at Landry’s Downtown engineering, which was proven Aquarium in Houston two for 24 years at that location, so years ago — has been shipped we could build them a brand- to the Lincoln Children’s Zoo new chassis. We did the artist’s in Lincoln, Nebraska. Units for concepts and they went for it.” the Brevard Zoo in Melbourne, Chance has continued turning out new and refurbished , building a 20-foot custom The new train design, sport- Florida, and the multiuse, unit for Pacific Amusement International Co. of Seoul, South Korea, and 28-foot unit for the ing a ’57 Chevy-shaped front city-owned Kennedy Park in Municipality of Cayey in Puerto Rico. COURTESY CHANCE RIDES September 2020 AMUSEMENT TODAY 17