One summer outing I loved as a child was visiting amusement parks and fairs. Whether it was the Dalton Carnival or what was then Riverside Park in Agawam (now Six Flags New England), I enjoyed roller coasters, Ferris wheels, haunted houses, arcade games and much more.
Speaking of Riverside Park, one ride I didn’t really want to go on but suffered through every time was The Rotor. You might remember this stomach-churning ride. It was a big cylinder machine that people spun in. Imagine if people could fit into a top-loading washing machine. Much like clothes during a wash cycle, people would get stuck to the wall during the ride and the floor would fall out from under them.
I remember not liking this ride as it always made my stomach turn, although I never vomited. However, I did witness other people throwing up on the Rotor a few times. One time I saw a guy vomit across from me and another time the person was a few people away from me. It was not pleasant. If you want to refresh your memory of what the Rotor was like, below is a YouTube video of the amusement park ride. The video was taken at Luna Park.
I don’t know what made me keep riding the Rotor. I think it’s because I was a kid and my friends and brother always wanted to ride it. I’m not sure if the Rotor is still in theme parks, but you can’t get me to ride that ride these days. No way. It’s not going to happen. Who am I kidding? I’d probably ride it and immediately regret it. What was your experience on the Rotor?
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