Lego Ferris Wheel

The one thing about Legos that always bothered me is that they are block-like and non-curvaceous. I’m sure that when Legos were conceived, most buildings were square and rectangular, and so we could make very good representation models back then. However, we have made great strides in architecture, and so structures with curves are common and harder to replicate into Lego form.

Therefore, when I heard that Lego was making a Ferris Wheel (Set Number 4957), I thought it was odd that they would even attempt it. After all, the Ferris Wheel is a wheel, so it’s round, for crying out loud. Actually, the Lego Ferris Wheel isn’t really a wheel, it’s more of a multi-sided figure like a complex octagon.

Still, it works out. I was impressed that the Ferris Wheel section was able to hold its shape pretty well once the apparatus was assembled. There was a little bit of adjusting necessary on the vertices to get it there, and it was a touch-and-go situation to get the wheel on the Ferris wheel stand. It was so big, I was afraid that I would drop it. However, everything held together well, including the stand. In fact, I think the stand was the most stable of all, so much so that I could practically stand on it.

Not only did the Lego company figure out how to make a Ferris Wheel right, but they equipped it with a working motor. However, I found that the motor was really struggling to turn the big wheel, and it was only connected by one tiny rubberband. In other words, it works like a real Ferris Wheel that you’d find at a county fair. There are times when it spins fast, then it goes slow

The Ferris Wheel also came with some alternate instructions. One of them was for a drawbridge that would go up and down with the flip of a switch. I thought that model was just as cool as the Ferris Wheel. The other alternative model was for a crane that could make its load raise or drop with motorized action.

Unfortunately, none of these models are mini-fig scale. For those that aren’t Lego maniacs, that means that the Lego Ferris wheel is not designed for the little Lego Minifigures that come with most of the playsets. It does come with some little round pieces that I believe are supposed to be the “people” on this Lego Ferris Wheel.

This is a set that kids will love to play with, and it makes an excellent model to display. It costs about $69.99, and can be purchased at the Lego site.