The Rainbow (HUSS) was first manufactured in 1983 containing many design elements of the Ranger (HUSS 1981). The ride concept of the Rainbow was quickly copied by various other ride manufacturers, failing to match the size and overall quality of the ride. eg. A.R.M’s Ali-baba.
This ride really has to be seen in motion to be appreciated. It’s typically HUSS – offering riders unbeatable smoothness (hydraulically driven), and spectators a well-lit, perfectly themed visual. Its dominant height of 66ft and solid structure makes a strong presence on any carnival.
The Rainbow appeals to riders of all ages, offering a wide orbiting sensation, with alternating speeds, both clockwise and counter-clockwise. When compared with similar copies, the sensations experienced are un-matched with good side-to-side motion and negative g’s of weightlessness as it orbits to full height.
With 3 trailers required for transport on an over-sized load, it is more common to see the HUSS Rainbow at an amusement park, however there are still at least 5 travelling units operating worldwide in Germany (Stammler Chilibi and Dehner), France (Fleur), Australia (O’Neill), Poland (owner unknown) and America (Wade).
Park models:
* Singapore (Escape Theme Park)
* Germany (Serengeti Safari Park)
* Japan (Gluk Kingdom)
* Japan (Tojyokoland)
* Japan (Yokohama Dreamland)
* China (Chrisland Amusement Park)
* China (Nanhu Amusement Park)
* France (Antibesland)
* Philippines (Enchanted Kingdom)
* Korea (Everland)
* Kuwait (Kuwait Magic)
* Germany (Heide Park)
* Spain (Port Aventura)
* India (Esselworld, Bombay)
* India (Diamond Beach Resort, Madras)
* Thailand (Siam Park City, Bangkok)
* USA (Kentucky Kingdom)
* USA (Elitch Garden)
* USA (Lake Winnepesaukah)
* USA (The Great Escape)
* USA (Wonderland, TX)
This is a great ride, you must try it !!!!
Dean - June 21st, 2009 at 1:41 am
Hey Dean, I did try this ride,and I always get butterflies in my stomack!
ba-boss-bomb - July 2nd, 2009 at 7:56 am
Hope to see this back at the 2010 RES!
Chris - July 12th, 2009 at 6:19 pm
Sexy Rainbow, i love you
loveparade - July 16th, 2009 at 4:41 pm
I’ve seen it at a local fair, but I didn’t really want to go on it. Maybe I will go on it this year. Reminds me of another ride, Moby Dick, which is pretty much the same, only a ot smaller.
Anonymous - July 17th, 2009 at 10:57 am
What do you mean with “sexy”, ;loveparade???
what this mean????????
Metronom - July 19th, 2009 at 12:42 am
It looks sexy (The sunface and simply all of the ride is looking very erotic!!! Is this the answer you needed, Metroliner?????
BEST regards THE LOVEPARADE
loveparade - July 23rd, 2009 at 5:05 pm
The Huss Rainbow has always been my favorite ride. I first fell in love with the ride when i was 7 years old in 1988. The first Rainbow i saw when i was that age was at the now gone, Myrtle Beach Pavilion amusement park in Myrtle Beach, SC. It was running strong back then, as the Pavilion just got it, it was new from Huss ( i think ). Of course being 7, i was too scared to ride it. A few years later when i was 12, i got up the courage to ride it and got my thrill for sure!
I don’t know what happened to the Pavilion’s Rainbow after they closed the park for good in 2006. I heard it was sitting on its trailer behind a go kart fun center in Myrtle Beach. Maybe they will set it up somewhere else in Myrtle Beach, if not the old Pavilion area again. Long live the Rainbow! It is a very awesome and good ride! O’Neil’s Rainbow looks fantastic! I sure would love to have the Rainbow cloud or sunshine face hanging in my bedroom, how cool would that be? :)
Ben - August 19th, 2009 at 3:29 pm
at the fair in my town this is called the lightning bolt and its AWESOME!!!!!
Melissa - August 20th, 2009 at 4:20 am
They had one of these at the CNE in Toronto this year. It was INCREDIBLE!
Arcturus - August 27th, 2009 at 2:21 am
The Rainbow is the sexiest ride ever. I did an orgasm, when i just see it!!!!!!!!!!!
loveparade - August 28th, 2009 at 9:40 pm
The Rainbow is a neat ride but it is commparible to the Ali Baba which is seen at the county fair at my home town .
TomN - January 6th, 2010 at 1:42 pm
The Rainbow is great and my first experience riding it was at Myrtle Beach back in 1983 or 1984. Webers 1001 Nacht was my favorite of the two. It was Rainbows competition back in the day. When new or in good operating condition ,1001 Nachts actually has a faster orbit speed than the Rainbow. Unsuspecting riders would be going round and round rather leisurely when the panel operator would speed it up! And yes you really did need the uncomfortable lapbar harness for that second element of the ride. There are still a handful operating in Europe and one(that I know of)in Elysberg PA here in the U.S. at Knoebels Amusement Park. This ride should not be mistaken for the smaller(yet some use the same name)inferior versions seen at many of the traveling carnivals. Huss and Weber nailed it perfectly with the counter-weighted roundabouts in the early 1980s.
Eddie - January 17th, 2010 at 5:31 pm
Hi, The Odenton Maryland Firehouse Carnival has this ride. ONE TIME MY NANA AND PAP TOOK ME THERE AND I SAW MY FRIEND FROM MY SCHOOL AND HE WENT ON IT.
Jen - February 6th, 2010 at 9:29 am
I too, first saw the Huss Rainbow at Myrtle Beach’s Pavilion Amusement Park in the mid 90’s! I fell in love with the huge sunface and felt it was looking at me! I would build the ride back at home with Lego’s and draw the sunface. I even build a trailer model haha! Anyways, Loved the ride, Miss the park alot! Long live MB Pavilion!
Joey Belanger - February 27th, 2010 at 2:17 pm
I wanted the Rainbow to come back to the RES this year, but they’ve replaced it with Ali Baba, which is nowhere near as good as the Rainbow. LPS ought to add it as a permanent ride! It’s a very awesome ride which offers a different thrill from its cousin, the Ranger.
T-Rex - March 23rd, 2010 at 6:44 pm
i was like a magnet to this ride when i operated this ride at the sarasota county fair in 2005-2010.this happened in march 2010 and i was operating it and it got stuck but still a good ride
cristian - April 6th, 2010 at 3:15 am
I so miss our rainbow at Playland Vancouver. I noticed that since the major accident many have been dismantled or moved. Before i die, I want to connect with that exact ride and sit in my favorite spot. Front row just left of center. The Rainbow at USA’s Great Escape looks identical to the one we had… I wonder if that is where ours went. I believe they got rid of it from there too :( Sad… I am getting old…
TheFiend - May 7th, 2010 at 3:39 pm
The Rainbow that was at Kentucky Kingdom is missing. Anyone know where it ended up?
John - May 8th, 2010 at 12:19 am
I remember this at kings island kentucky kingdom!! too bad i was only 5 the last time i went there…
Dylan - July 7th, 2010 at 4:42 am
this ride at my county fair is called 1001 naughts or somthin like that and its like aladin themed.
Dylan - July 7th, 2010 at 4:44 am
I came over from Scotland and worked at the Myrtle Beach Pavillion during the summer of ’94 and I ran the Rainbow. What a blast. I got paid peanuts but it was a great time, especially during the evenings when the boulevard was packed with people cruising. I ended up living in SC and now TX but I never went back to Myrtle Beach-I hear it has changed a lot since I was there and they tore down the Pavillion. Lost times…
jake scott - July 11th, 2010 at 3:58 am
I love this ride. A huss rainbow has just the right amount of thirll. for someone who cant take nausing ride.
Please update your artical. Strates shows sold thier Rainbow at auction after not running it for 2 years. I was extremely dissapointed. It was well themed and I loved it, sat on it once for 10 rides in a row, after the third one the ride operator stopped making me get off to get right back in. I wish Huss would update the ride mechanics (it has many technical bulleitns and there curretnly are very few still operating). Long live the HUSS Rainbow!!!!!!
Tom Stack - August 15th, 2010 at 2:27 pm
I emailed a few people who operate State Fairs and the Wade Shows, who own a Rainbow. and I asked them if it was going to make a return (im in Oklahoma) and heres the reply I got:
From: GBurchfiel@okstatefair.com
First of all, thanks for being such an enthusiast that you actually know enough about riding to even recognize the rides and which ones make memories for you. I’m a rider myself—although I don’t always pay attention to the names, so I totally appreciate the fact that you’re missing your favorite.
I’ll be honest with you about why it isn’t part of our current operator’s traveling inventory. It’s particularly due to an incident in Sweden in 2008 where the manufacturer and operators were charged with taking the Rainbow out of circulation for quite some time until the cause of the accident was determined. Resulting from that determination, owner/operators were told to reverse an earlier recommended repair procedure (if they had already done it) to the tune of tens of thousands of dollars and a many months wait for available parts. Quite simply, some opted not to currently throw that kind of money toward the ride since the confidence from the manufacture only came back with a “weak okay” to operate after this incident. In fact the one operating at the South Carolina Fair, which just ended I think, was involved in an electrocution – all the details aren’t in on that as to cause so a judgment is probably unfair, but still the ride has suffered some hardships post 2008. I don’t know that as many are actually in operation anymore. Due to these hardships, our owner/operator has benched the ride which you can imagine is a huge hit to his operation. Rides are EXTREMELY expensive and to have one sit idle is extremely unfortunate.
We take great pride in doing the very best to put on a carnival of size and interest to as many people as we can. We have more than 70 rides, with many new and unique ones. I hope you can find something on which to have fun. While I know they are not exactly the same, I recommend the structure and experience of the Space Roller and Fire Ball which have similar feel in that it’s one arm rotation with a rider end that spins on another axis.
This may have been more information than you cared to know, but I took the chance that if you are that specific with your complaint…you probably want our whole story. I’m sorry, again, that your favorite ride isn’t here and hope that you can give some other super-spectacular rides a chance.
Thanks for taking the time to let us know about your concern and disappointment.
Sincerely,
Gina Burchfiel
Vice President – State Fair
Ray - October 21st, 2010 at 2:18 pm
This Ride Would Be Scary!
Angel - December 21st, 2010 at 6:44 am
Are any still in operation? And no, the Rainbow is NOT comparable to the Ali Baba, Ali Baba can’t kiss the Rainbow’s cloud covered butt! I miss the 1980s when fair rides were of amusement park quality.
John - January 13th, 2011 at 11:36 am
Hello, in my country (Argentina) is called “LA CARRETA DESBOCADA” (The runaway cart). When I started called “EXPEDICION AL ARCOIRIS”(expedition to the rainbow), a few years later was themed as a wagon (western theming.) Location: PARQUE DE LA COSTA “Buenos Aires Argentina (LOCATION: TIGRE). for more information about the park visit: http://www.parquedelacosta.com.ar. thanks. it was moved to English with google translate. sorry if you do not understand some things
alan.BS.AS - June 6th, 2011 at 8:57 pm
Who is the original version?
HUSS Rainbow or
WEBER 1001 Nacht
LouisCP06 - June 21st, 2011 at 3:22 pm
do they have it at the oc fair this year or i meant will they?
sydney - June 30th, 2011 at 7:54 am
Love this Ride. First whent on 1001 Nacht at Adventureland Long Island circa 1984. It was prone to problems though and only lasted 2 years there, replaced by a HUSS UFO. First saw Rainbow on a TV commercial for the Westchester County Fair. Immediately fell in love with the Sunshine face and colorful lighting. Always wanted to see one in person. Got the opportunity in High School on a trip to Myrtle Beach. Pavillion was an impressive amusement park. Lots of stuff crammed in there. Lots of great rides, including the Rainbow. Just as awesome of a sensation at I remembered. The Pavilion’s Rainbow faced the main road, right across from the ocean, so when you were at the top you’d look out and see the ocean, great view. Found out just last year that Pavillion closed. What a shock. Darn shame. Great amusement park. Wish I took more pictures while I was there. Too bad we didn’t have digital cameras then.
Ted Russell - July 13th, 2011 at 5:11 am
isnt this called the”ali baba”?
oliver - December 4th, 2011 at 2:11 pm
Huss is the original designer and manufacturer of the ‘Rainbow’.All other versions are knockoffs!In light of an accident in Switzerland many operators have discontinued this ride due to drive shaft fatigue that caused the accident mentioned.The ride must be completely disassembled to inspect this part making it extremely expensive.This is also the reason why this ride is slowly(and sadly) becoming extinct.
CJ Ride Purist - January 3rd, 2012 at 2:26 am
thanks for that comment, CJ Ride Purist, it helps me alot.
oliver - January 7th, 2012 at 12:06 pm
Australia has TWO HUSS RAINBOWs now!!
Jeremy - May 17th, 2012 at 2:50 am
there’s a “rainbow” on cd.juarez mexico on a park called parque central.
christian - May 21st, 2012 at 2:40 pm
The accident that “ended” raindow was in Sweden.
I am having hard time finding any Raindows in Europe :/
Petteri - July 2nd, 2012 at 6:57 am
There is a rainbow to in Sommerland Syd (Denmark)
Delano - July 13th, 2012 at 5:07 am
I rode this at a fair as a kid and was told by adults to stare at one spot on a certain ride in front of us to see a secret-staring at the spot while spinning in circles opened a portal to another dimension-at least that’s what it tricks your brain into seeing. Does anybody else know about this secret of the rainbow ride?
Chris - July 16th, 2012 at 9:13 pm
Rainbow Rules I miss that darn ride NY state fair has the generic version that sucks Im a big guy and the rainbow accommodated the big and tall people the other generic ride didnt it had overhead bars and i couldnt fit on it so I couldnt ride on so the rainbow had 1 accident big freaking deal theres always gonna be ride accidents American rides have more stricter requirements than in Europe
KLL - September 4th, 2012 at 5:15 am
I met my husband on the rainbow it was a busy day at the park and i sat next to him and we had a blast together
CCCC - September 4th, 2012 at 5:17 am
Back in the mid 80s I worked for Murphy Bros. Expoy had a ride called Falling Star. It was manufactured by Chance Rides out of . It was a big ride (3 trailers side by side) and was just as good as the Rainbow. I agree that the Ali baba don’t hold a candle, but the Falling Star was a close 2nd.
David - January 1st, 2013 at 8:20 am
Person under #41 last comment above..Do you by chance remember some type of news or messenger paper that was circulated during this time that would have pictures and info about this. Please email clawsonxo@gmail.com
Harmony Gardiner
harmony clawson - March 13th, 2013 at 2:54 pm
Hi everyone, just wanted to give you all bit of good news that I just read. According to the site “Matts Carnival Warehouse”, Wade shows is going to bring the Huss Rainbow back on the road this year (2013)after restoring it. Should be back on the road by midsummer and used at select spots. Just wanted to update you all.
carniejim77 - March 14th, 2013 at 12:17 am
New news on the Wade Shows Rainbow!!
https://www.facebook.com/wadeshows
Wade Shows - March 27th, 2013 at 4:48 pm
What do you think will be a good theme for a Rainbow?
J.D. - April 1st, 2013 at 12:03 pm
There was one in Mexico City, it has been taken down due to it’s old and expensive parts.
Edgar Morales Rosales - April 7th, 2013 at 5:30 pm
A good theme is a the wild-west. the rainbow at Lake Winnepesaukah is themed Conestoga. it is still in operation. there is another one down in Brazil in a park called Hopi Hari.
Nicolas - April 30th, 2013 at 7:09 am
The original Rainbow is the best!!!
Mat - May 6th, 2013 at 4:37 am
Wade Shows has re-unvielded there newly refurbished Rainbow. Long Live Huss Rides!
John Brooks - February 22nd, 2014 at 9:43 am
In the 90’s I always saw this ride in front of the Great Escape in Lake George, NY. It never ran when I was there and is gone now, but I was always wanted to ride it.
nykid1990 - September 2nd, 2014 at 12:58 pm
The new refurbished rainbow was at the south florida fair by wade shows in january of 2014
That fair also had these rides:
Super Himalaya
Giant Wheel
Mega Drop
Zip Line
Enterprise
KMG Fireball
Spin Out
Vertigo Swing Tower
Zipper
Mulligan Giant Wheel
Himalaya
Orbiter
Rock Star
TechnoPower
Pirate
Spider
Yo-Yo
Green Ninja - December 27th, 2014 at 7:20 am
I loved the Rainbow ride, ever since I remember going to the show I loved watching it at the Royal Easter show and I was too small to go on it. My youngest sister was so disappointed when she was told she was too small to ride when we wanted to go on, I wasn’t but didn’t want to go as she was so sad. The next year we both went on for the first time and we always went on it twice when we went to the show, one in the morning when the lines were small and in the evening when the lights were on.
I haven’t seen it in Sydney Show for many years. Please come back rainbow raise, it’s so beautiful and it was my first ride.
Melissa - February 13th, 2015 at 10:10 am
There used to be a Rainbow at Maple Leaf Village in Niagara Falls, Ontario. I remember thing it and if you search google images, you will see it existed! It needs to be added to the above list.
Lisa - June 18th, 2015 at 7:16 am
I miss when they had this at Eliches. I wish I could buy one
Sheldon - June 19th, 2015 at 9:10 pm
Just rode one at the Jefferson County Fair in WV. It was provided by colerides of VA http://www.colerides.com. It brought bank so many memories I had to ride it 4 times, as great as ever!
Silver - August 26th, 2015 at 8:06 am
You rode an ARM Ali Baba, which Cole has themed to Rainbow… You haven’t ridden a HUSS
cdm - September 3rd, 2015 at 12:20 pm
trying to find pictures of a racked rainbow, thanks
chuck walls - December 21st, 2015 at 12:11 am
Iowa’s Adventrureland had one of these in 1988.
Allen Huffman - August 18th, 2016 at 3:59 am
Even though Australia has two HUSS Rainbows, they still haven’t been used. I certainly hope one of them does, especially when I hear Sydney’s going to get back Wonderland in the future. Please let there be a HUSS Rainbow in a Sydney theme park. Make it happen!
T-Rex - November 13th, 2016 at 2:00 pm
omg i totally remember going on this! my family and i went to myrtle beach in summer 2002 and i was like 5 years old and we were recording a family video of us and i was walking with my mom and dad and stuff. i was soooo excited and yelled “i wanna go on the star bright ride!” {for some reason i called it “star bright” lol i was a funny child} and i remember not being scared and i enjoyed it so much!
Aria - November 17th, 2016 at 1:04 am
One of the best HUSS rides ever made
Terra Verso - October 22nd, 2017 at 7:05 pm
Hello guys,
We have a travelling model at Antibes land Park in France.
Still working very good : )
Laurent - September 22nd, 2018 at 5:10 am
Miss the Rainbow Ride at Elitch Gardens a ton
Simon Cleath - November 4th, 2018 at 5:32 pm
I had a summer job during highschool for several seasons at Southport Pleasureland, uk. I was the ride operator for a Rainbow (circa. 1987). I believe that the same machine was at Blackpool Pleasure Beach also, since both parks had common owners back then and often moved rides between the two.
What a marvelous machine, the Rainbow was. The ride was pre-programmed to give 4 revolutions clockwise followed by 3 anticlockwise and then would stop, just past lowest point. Operator then disengages then reengages drive to “land” ride at lowest point (which took a little skill based on weight/number of passengers). I do recall that there was an emergency stop button which totally disengaged drive. Personally, I was not impressed with the effect since if it was used while the ride was in motion, the ride would continue to move freely as an unrestrained pendulum. That would not necessarily be my first wish should an emergency arise. Last thought, the seats on the ride were slippy and although automated restraints kept passengers in seats, occasionally people could start to slide under the horizontal restraint above the seat. Overall a fantastic ride, loved it to bits.
Phil - November 6th, 2019 at 2:41 am
I Remember The Rainbow At Woburn Safari Park, The Noise Could Even Be Heard Over The Tigers Roars, My Son Just Made A Wooden Model Of It, I Almost Collapsed Due To Nostalgia, It Was A GREAT Ride!
Charlie - December 17th, 2023 at 8:18 pm
One of traveling Rainbow now bought Estonian company TivoliBaltic,now it’s operating in Latvia,Riga
Slava - September 10th, 2024 at 2:16 am