Watch Out—It’s a Shark Frenzy!

Published on August 14, 2024

The world’s first ‘Shark Frenzy’ ride debuted at Pacific Park in 2017 and is still delighting guests with its toothy thrills.

Based on a classic ‘Tilt-a-Wheel’ ride, Shark Frenzy features seven freely-spinning cars designed to look like real Pacific Ocean inhabitants. These include the blue, bull, great white, lemon, mako, sand tiger and tiger shark species. Once you’ve chosen your favorite, hop inside the shark’s mighty jaws and enjoy the whirling, twirling ride!

How Does Shark Frenzy Work?

The seven shark-shaped cars are attached at pivot points on a rotating platform. As it rotates, parts of the platform raise and lower.  The resulting centrifugal and gravitational forces cause the revolving cars to spin in different directions and speeds. Additionally, the weight and distribution of the riders can change the intensity and speed of the spinning. This layer of variability is called  ‘chaotic motion.’ What it all means, is that riders are spun in their cars while also whirling around and being sent side-to-side in sudden, unpredictable movements—and that is a lot of fun.

History of Shark Frenzy

Pacific Park’s installed its Shark Frenzy ride in 2017. However, the ride’s history goes back much further than that. The ride is based on the original ‘Tilt-A-Whirl’, which was invented by Herbert Sellner in the early 1920s.

Herbert Sellner lived in Faribault, Minnesota. Apparently, his creative process for the ride included putting his son in a chair with wheels, then putting the chair on a kitchen table and spinning it. This led to the first Tilt-a-Wheel concept. Sellner began building the full-size version in his home basement and yard.

Sellner’s Tilt-a-Wheel debuted at the Minnesota State Fair in 1926. These early versions were constructed from wood, powered by gas motors, and had nine half-globe-shaped cars painted in cherry red. Sellner built and sold 14 of these rides from his home before he opened his Sellner Manufacturing factory in Faribault. The company would eventually build more than a thousand Tilt-a-Whirl rides. Some of the rides produced in the 1940s and 1950s are still in operation. For example, Conneaut Lake Park in Pennsylvania still has its original ride from 1949. And, the oldest operating Tilt-A-Whirl is a 1927 model, which travels with the Evans United Shows carnival company through the Midwest.

Today, around 700 Tilt-A-Whirls are in operation, and about 70 million people ride them every year at amusement parks all over the world.

Riding Shark Frenzy at Pacific Park on the Pier

At our two-acre amusement park looking out over the Pacific Ocean, experience fun touches like classic ‘shark warning’ signs, shark-bitten surfboards, lifesaving buoys and beach warning flags. But don’t worry, there’s no risk of a shark bite here.

Like other modern versions of the Tilt-a-Wheel,  Shark Frenzy is constructed of steel, aluminum and fiberglass, and has seven cars powered by seven small electric motors. Each car (or shark) can seat up to three adults or four children. The minimum height requirement is 36 inches with a supervised companion. Guests 46 inches or taller may ride alone.

Pacific Park’s unique version of the Tilt-a-Wheel was made by Larson Entertainment in Plainview, Texas. Santa Monica artist and designer DJ Neff created the memorable shark concept and design.