Columbia Carousel

Columbia Carousel (known as Carousel Columbia at California's Great America; originally known simply as Columbia) is a double-decker carousel located in Carousel Plaza (Celebration Plaza at Santa Clara). Debuting with both Great America parks in 1976, they are the center of their respective themed locations and are a staple of both parks. The Carousels are the tallest in the world with the Santa Clara counterpart reaching 101 feet while the Gurnee Carousel reaches 100 feet.

History
The Carousel Columbia was originally inspired by Randall Duell Associates and other people close to the park. Chris Mueller Jr, a Hollywood sculptor whose work can be seen in other landmarks such as Cinderella's Castle at Walt Disney World in Orlando, the Palace of Fine Arts, the Mission Dolores Basilica, Sir Francis Drake Hotel, and others, designed much of the exterior decorations and fiberglass work on the Carousel, including the sculptural acanthus sprays, reflective shields, shells, scrolls, and columns.



The animals on the Carousel are all replicas of the world's rarest carousel animals. Fiberglass replicas of rare carousel animals such as Dentzel horses (horses carved by Gustav A. Dentzel, famous carousel maker), the 'Silver Anniversary Horse' made by the Philadelphia Toboggan Company (successors to Dentzel), and more are all in display at the Carousel. In total, 106 animals (including camel, a giraffe, lion, tiger, dragon, deer, seahorse and pairs of jumping ostriches, pigs, cats and rabbits) decorate the Carousel on both levels.

The Carousels debuted in both Great America parks in 1976 when the parks opened and have generally not seen much change since then. During the years in which Marriott operated Great America, both Carousels were near identical clones of each other. Once the parks were sold, both carousels began to differ slightly with color changes.

The Santa Clara Carousel has been featured in a few movies such as Beverly Hills Cop III.

Song
A unique feature of the Carousel is that it has its own song, the Carousel Song. Apart from the Demon Song (which was made a few years after the Carousel Song), the Carousel is the only original Marriott attraction to feature its own song. The song was written by Gene Patrick for the Carousels at Marriott's Great America and can still be heard sometimes.