Merry-Go-Round

Construction
Circular carousel with horses and a fairground organ mounted in the center.

Other Information
Double Deck Carousels can do Control Failures in Time Twister like traditional carousels do. But when it starts to shake it shakes the whole carousel.

Merry-Go-Rounds have only one type of music, the "Fairground Organ Music", which includes Band Organ variations of "The Blue Danube", "Tales from the Vienna Woods", "Die Regimentskinder Marsch" and "The Poet and Peasant Overture".

These tracks were originally recorded in 1976 by the C. John Mears Organisation, from a Voigt Model 35 69-Keyless Band Organ at Bressingham Steam Museum, Norfolk. Called the Bressingham Voigt, it remained there for many years, but was eventually sold and now performs in the Netherlands. The record was owned by Chris Sawyer's father, and its tracks were used in both RollerCoaster Tycoon 1 & 2. All of these songs are original arrangements from the Ruth Fair Organ Company. The original LP, called "The Bressingham Voigt" occasionally turns up on eBay or other internet auction sites. The song "Dornroschens Brautfahrt" ("Wedding Journey") by Viktor Nessler is slightly longer than the original and added some repeated rhythms.

The Voigt organ is currently in the Netherlands and is in top condition. It is owned by a Dutch showman, Herman Riddering from Garmerwolde. The Voigt organ has its own website:

On the occasion that a Merry-Go-Round is struck by a breakdown, such as a Safety Cut-Out, it will slow down (rotation and sound) to a stop. Sometimes, more rarely, with a Control Failure, it begins to shake, move about twice as fast (rotation and sound, which raises the pitch of the music at the same time), emit smoke and, after a while, jump up and down. However, the smoke does not appear in the first two games.

Music List
1. Die Regimentskinder Marsch (Children of the Regiment March) [ Julius Fučík ]
 * See also Julius Fučík (Komponist) (in German)

2. Heyken's Serenade [ John Heyken ]

3. Die schöne Spanierin (Alternate names "La Belle Espagnole" or "Grande Valse Espagnole"), Robert Vollstedt

4. Wedding Journey (Dornroschens Brautfahrt) [Traditional or Viktor Nessler]

5. Tales from the Vienna Woods [ Johann Strauss II ]

6. Slavonic Dance [Traditional or Antonín Dvořák ]

7. Das Alpenhorn [Traditional]

8. The Blond Sailor [Traditional-or that sung by The Andrews Sisters]

9. Poet & Peasant Overture (Dichter und Bauer Ouvertüre) [ Franz von Suppé ]

10. Waltz Medley (Includes The Blue Danube at the end, which was by Johann Strauss II.) [ Johann Strauss ]

11. Bella Bella Bimba [Traditional] (only in RCT2)

RollerCoaster Tycoon 3
In RollerCoaster Tycoon 3, the organ music is removed and the style is changed. In Night Mode, the lights turn on.

In Real Life

 * The design of the Merry-Go-Round is based on the Gallopers found in United Kingdom.
 * The Columbia Carousel (aka Carousel Columbia ; California's Great America) are twin double-decked carousels at California's Great America and Six Flags Great America. Originally designed for the two Marriot's Great America parks, these carousels are the tallest and largest in the world (100 feet tall with over 100 figures each). Both were constructed in 1976 by Chance Rides, and cost $1.5 million each.

Trivia

 * The Merry-Go-Round was available in all scenarios in the original RollerCoaster Tycoon game, and was always an initially available ride. However, from Corkscrew Follies and onward, in some scenarios it would be a researched ride or excluded in spite of being the trademark gentle ride of the series.
 * In RCT Classic, guests are not depicted riding the ride even though they are on board.