Magic, excitement, imaginations running wild, and making memories that last a lifetime all rolled into two enchanting locations; Disney World and Disneyland. Adults and children alike can be instantly transported to Frontierland, Critter Country, Adventureland, Star Wars Land, Tomorrowland, New Orleans Square, among many other amazing locations. Rides such as Big Thunder Mountain Railroad, Haunted Mansion, Grizzly River Run, and countless others can be a lot of fun for anyone looking for a little family friendly adventure. However, if a slower paced attraction is what you are looking for consider checking out Prince Charming’s Regel Carrousel in Disney World, King Arthur’s Carrousel, or King Triton’s Carousel of the Sea in Disneyland; all boasting beautifully decorated animals and whimsical music. These rides are classic park favorites, in fact King Arthur’s Carrousel is one of the original rides that Walt Disney himself chose to be part of the Disneyland Park when he opened it in 1955. Most of the horses featured are over 90 years old!

Keeping these carrousels in top working condition and in impeccable shape is important for the longevity of these gorgeous pieces. With many children visiting these attractions, accessibility and safety had to be considered while performing renovations over the past few years. A major upgrade to all three carousels included the removal of the old bar stirrups and installation of new slip resistant steps. The old bars made it difficult for small children to climb on the animals unassisted and harder for adults with physical limitations to board themselves.

Beginning in 2008 with the Charming’s Regal Carrousel (formerly the Cinderella Royal Carrousel), SlipNOT® Metal Safety Flooring started working with Disney World on an aesthetically pleasing solution to replace the existing bar stirrups. Disney supplied SlipNOT® with hundreds of 3/16”x 2.87” x various length aluminum plates to be coated with a high traction stainless steel surface. The aluminum substrate provided a light weight product while the stainless steel coating ensured long lasting friction and corrosion resistance. The pieces were then shipped back to Disney for easy installation. Some of the animals had one stirrup installed, while other animals had two or more pieces fashioned into a step put in place. In 2012 King Arthur’s Carrousel in Disneyland did the same and in 2015 King Triton’s Carousel of the Sea followed suit. Within the past 9 years all of these classic rides have permanently upgraded the safety of their creatures.

Riders from around the world now benefit from the slip resistant products on these Disney attractions. One blogger was so impressed with the transformation she wrote about it on the www.thedisneyblog.com. She stated that after the new stirrups were installed it was “the first time her friend had been able to ride the carrousel in years. The old stirrups were too hard to climb with a bad back but the steps made it easy.” She also suspected that it would be much easier for children to board the animals without the help of a parent. Not only did this renovation much improve accessibility, the slip resistant component will impact safety for decades to come.