16 Responses to “Pensacola Beach Observation Wheel Opens Today”

1. jeeperman on July 5th, 2012 2:14 pm

   I thought there was another wheel, just like this one on the east coast ?

   And since it is “portable”, if it is not a success, it will be removed to another location.

   I bet the V.I.P. gondola will be popular for marriage proposals and anniversaries also.

2. Christopher on July 4th, 2012 4:03 pm

   The wheel will only give kids a new place to go drink and fight. It will not keep them from drinking and fighting. Also, It will be a great view of whats left of the beach. If we keep it up, the only thing you will be able to see is high-rise condos all around. In the not to distant future, there will be no beaches left. Only after a hurricane will average poeple like me get to see it again. That is until I have to start paying (as a taxpayer) to let them do it all over again only to have MY hurricane insurace go up or cancel.

3. Christopher on July 4th, 2012 3:53 pm

   Many of you have missed my point. I am happy that there are more jobs coming to the local area. I was just trying to suggest that the local government should be trying to get the big, well-paying industry jobs (like Airbus) as opposed to a few minimum wage seasonal/tourist jobs. While we can be happy that Pensacola is getting “new jobs” (A crappy job is better than no job if you’re not afraid to work), can we really be happy that we created a handful of minimum wage jobs that will probably have crap benefits whan we could have landed many well paying jobs with great benefits?

4. 429SCJ on July 4th, 2012 4:50 am

   Those things look a little stuffy to me.

   I can’t wait to ride, maybe on a weekday night after labor day, after the turistas leave.

5. barrineau on July 3rd, 2012 5:30 pm

   I remember in the 80’s you could see nothing but beach for miles and miles,now high rises,hotels,bars and the like.Now an observation wheel. Just another eye sore…..that I will most likely pay to ride.

6. JM on July 3rd, 2012 3:47 pm

   @ That’s not a Trailer Park….its the RV Park, better quality of people!!!! Those who can afford $30,000-$175,000 high tech, high quality vehicles

   Not those that pay $300-600/mo in rent for a Trailer that costs the owner of the park $5,000-$15,000 to purchase a low quality mobile home, to rent out to a bunch of low class druggies.

   Pensacola Beach use to have a RV Park that got wiped out during Ivan. Someone recently purchased the property to bring back the nostalgia of an RV Park…vs Building another hotel. Retirees and Seniors love it. If you can afford to purchase a RV for more then $100,000….you can defiantly afford to ride the wheel…all day long if you want.

7. Mike on July 3rd, 2012 10:32 am

   @ Christopher: There are Trailer parks on Pensacola Beach!?! Surely you jest sir! If so, somebody inform Skeptical, as the rental rates most likely will be in line with young families’ needs.

8. positive person on July 3rd, 2012 10:04 am

   I don’t understand why everyone is being so negative about this. If you can’t afford to ride it then don’t ride. If you don’t care about the great “trailer park view” then don’t ride it. People will always find something to complain about. I think a lot of people will enjoy the ride and I would love to make a tradition to ride at least once every summer (=

9. darryl on July 3rd, 2012 9:29 am

   I see Pensacola’s leaders are moving ahead with over development of the beach and tacking it up too. When this barrier island is hit by the next hurricane and the island shifts some more, how much will this cost taxpayers to replace? Sad to see the thing that brings people to Pensacola Beach (the beaches) is being messed up with this crap.

10. Ben Thar on July 3rd, 2012 9:16 am

    I’m OK with the carnival ride. It gives young adults something to do besides getting drunk and fighting.

    Of course we do need more jobs locally. I believe this adds quite a few new jobs. How many jobs have you created this year?

11. Christopher on July 3rd, 2012 9:05 am

    Wow! What a great view of the trailer park! Alabama gets Airbus, We get a carnival ride.

12. Mike on July 3rd, 2012 8:32 am

    @ Skeptical: Sure Pensacola loves young families! The Pensacola Interstate Fair will be around in (I think) October, a delight for kids & adults!

    And I’m certain there are many parks in the Pensacola area that have ball fields, jungle gyms, swingsets, etc, that cater to & are very family oriented. There is also a public swimming pool downtown.

13. William on July 3rd, 2012 8:27 am

    >>>Either there are alot of vehicles on the beach or I’m seeing a reflection…

    There are a lot of giant vehicles in the water in the bottom picture.

    These were smartphone pictures that Jaimee Lee at channel 3 took for me. Maybe with a “real” camera, the pics would have turned out better (and a UV filter would help too).

14. Bobby on July 3rd, 2012 8:23 am

    “Gondolas will feature UV protective, non-reflective glass for excellent viewing, photo or video capturing” Either there are alot of vehicles on the beach or I’m seeing a reflection…

15. Skeptical on July 3rd, 2012 8:10 am

    It would cost my family of 4 $40 just to ride once! That’s ridiculous! $40 for a ten minute aerial view of the beach? No thanks. I guess Pensacola really doesn’t care to cater to young families.

16. Mike on July 3rd, 2012 2:05 am

    Very cool! Take a date for lunch or champagne (I’m assuming food will be allowed since champagne is) or after dark the view will be even more stunning. 40 new jobs, I hope this will be a success.