- Title: USA-NEW YORK/CAROUSEL Sea themed carousel shimmers in lower Manhattan
- Date: 19th August 2015
- Summary: NEW YORK CITY, NEW YORK, UNITED STATES (AUGUST 19, 2015) (REUTERS) VARIOUS OF CHILDREN RIDING IN LUMINESCENT FISH FIGURES ON CAROUSEL EXTERIOR OF CAROUSEL SIGN THAT READS "SEAGLASS" ON CAROUSEL BUILDING REPORTERS AT PRESS CONFERENCE AHEAD OF TOUR FOR SEAGLASS (SOUNDBITE) (English) WARRIE PRICE, PRESIDENT OF THE BATTERY CONSERVANCY, WHICH IS BEHIND THE ATTRACTION, SAYING: "We want that seaglass feeling. We want it in this chamber nautilus, which is a cephalopod not a fish. It's a cephalopod. There are two words I want children to learn, cephalopod and bioluminescence ... You'll get maybe a free ride. But those are the two essence of what this is about -- the sea." VARIOUS OF PEOPLE RIDING ON THE CAROUSEL AS IT LIGHTS UP BETH A NEW YORK CITY MOM HUGGING HER DAUGHTER SIMONE AND ASKING HOW SHE ENJOYED THE RIDE (SOUNDBITE) (English) BETH, A NEW YORK CITY MOTHER, SAYING: "It was really cool. The light is cool. It was worth waiting for the, what, I think it's 10 years ... and really different than other carousels. The fish, the music... We've been to a lot of carousels and this one's very unique." (SOUNDBITE) (English) DYLAN CONNOLLY SAYING: "It's fun and colorful and beautiful." (SOUNDBITE) (English) PIPER SAYING: "I liked when it went up and down." (SOUNDBITE) (English) JAKE DOBKIN, WHO TOOK DAUGHTER ZOE ON THE RIDE, SAYING: "On a scale of one to ten, I'd give it an eight." VARIOUS OF PEOPLE RIDING THE CAROUSEL AS IT CHANGES COLORS AND MOVES IN DIFFERENT DIRECTIONS
- Embargoed: 3rd September 2015 13:00
- Keywords:
- Topics: General
- Reuters ID: LVA3RQ2W1PDZQ0FWX7WF7JN8WC6D
- Aspect Ratio: 16:9
- Story Text: With its calming music, and cephalopod shapes that change colors, the SeaGlass carousel transports riders into what feels like an aquatic dream.
The new ride has been in development for more than 10 years and will finally open to the public on Thursday (August 20).
At a preview for reporters, Warrie Price, the president and founder of the Battery Conservancy, which is behind the project, said she hopes visitors will have a unique theatrical experience at the Oceanic themed carousel.
"We want that seaglass feeling. We want it in this chamber nautilus, which is a cephalopod not a fish. It's a cephalopod. There are two words I want children to learn, cephalopod and bioluminescence ... those are the two essence of what this is about -- the sea," Price explained.
One of the facets that separates this carousel from others is that its motors lie under the floor -- so riders can see across the whole shell and riders sit within the figures, rather than on top of them.
The fish figures are as large as 13.5 feet tall, which creates an immersive experience for the rider. In addition, each ride has its own distinct piece of music, ranging from reinterpreted Classical pieces to original arrangements.
After stepping outside their cephalopods, a New York mom named Beth and her daughter Simone said they thought the ride "was really cool."
"It was worth waiting for the, what, I think it's 10 years ... and really different than other carousels. The fish, the music... We've been to a lot of carousels and this one's very unique," Beth said.
Seven-year-old Dylan described the ride as "fun and colorful and beautiful."
While for six-year-old Piper, the highlight was "when it went up and down."
The SeaGlass Carousel was conceived as an effort to revitalize The Battery neighborhood in Manhattan, which was the original home of the New York Aquarium. It is surrounded by the Tiffany & Co. Foundation Woodland Gardens and developers hope that the public space and carousel experience will draw new visitors to the area. - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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