Helicopters / Rivets & Rotors

HELICOPTERS

Opened: Apr 1963
Closed: October 2024
Location: Kiddieland
Manufactured By: Allan Herschell Company, Inc. – North Tonawanda, New York
Ride Model: Helicopter
Max Height: 10 ft
Number Of Helicopters: 8
Ride Capacity: 16 (2 per helicopter)

Kids enjoying the Helicopters in its first season at Lagoon. Part of the Kiddie Coaster is seen in the background on the left. Photo courtesy of Deseret News

The Helicopters are one of the longest-operating rides in the park. The ride was introduced by the Allan Herschell Company in 1956 amidst a boom in kiddie rides and parks. Lagoon added its Helicopters a few years later in 1963 in addition to other Allan Herschell rides that had been at Lagoon for years including the Baby Boats, Kiddie Coaster and Sky Fighter.

Like most kiddie rides, the Helicopter’s operation is simple. As the ride spins counter-clockwise, riders can move the bar in front of them forward or backward to change their altitude, much like the Red Baron or OdySea.

Helicopters in 1973 with the Speedway, Jr. station and European Carousel visible in the background. Photo: Laura Moncur, Starling Travel

The ride was first installed just west of the corner where Scaliwags is today. It was later moved to its current location west of Speedway, Jr. and north of Baby Boats. It has had a few different color schemes as shown in the photos on this page. The current scheme has four different designs: fire department, police, military and KSL news chopper. A center tower with lights was removed during the ’70s or ’80s. One recent change was the addition of a pre-recorded safety spiel along with helicopter sound effects during the ride.

HELICOPTERS GALLERY

RIVETS & ROTORS

Opened: 24 May 2025
Location: The District, Pioneer Village

After the Log Flume was retired, Lagoon announced plans to replace it with three rides. The first two were revealed on social media in fall 2024. Then in early January 2025 it was announced that the third ride would be an existing kiddie ride – Helicopters, but it would have a new theme and would be renamed Rivets & Rotors. This could be the first instance (at least in the last several decades) that a ride strictly for smaller children would be located outside of the Kiddieland area.

A refurbished ride vehicle on Rivets & Rotors, 2025. Photo: B. Miskin

MORE LAGOON HISTORY

OTHER LAGOON RIDES FROM ALLAN HERSCHELL

Speedway, Jr. (original cars)

REFERENCES

Allan Herschell Firm Buys Miniature Train Company. The Billboard, 24 Nov 1956.

Helicopter ad in The Billboard, 13 Apr 1957.

Lagoon Chief Cites Improvements, Predicts ‘Most Promising Season’. Deseret News, 6 Apr 1963.

Instagram post, 4 Jan 2025.

3 responses to “Helicopters / Rivets & Rotors”

Gary Kay

15 September 2015

Looking for manuals for the helicopter ride.

Reply
1. admin
  
  15 September 2015
  
  Here’s one in PDF format from RideManuals.com.
  
  Reply
  1. Josi Walker
    
    2 April 2025
    
    Hello! I am looking for manuals for the helicopter ride mentioned in this article. I see you have replied to Gary about a PDF format of this ride. However, this was 10 years ago. I cannot find this website. If you have any information available, or if you can point me in the right direction, it would be greatly appreciated. Have a nice day.
    
    Reply