Margaritaville’s Ferris wheel lights up Biloxi’s night sky. When will the park open?
Drivers crossing the bridge from Ocean Springs into Biloxi see a new skyline day and night as the amusement park at Margaritaville Resort Biloxi continues to take shape and LED lights illuminate the progress.
Three of the rides are in place — the observations wheel, the Aerobar and one of the roller coasters, said spokeswoman Tessy Lambert.
An opening date is yet to be determined.
The other 12 rides are on the way from where they were manufactured in Europe, she said, and Paradise Pier Fun Park will open once all are in place.
The rides are being delivered by boat and she said, “We’re at the mercy of the shippers.”
Lambert was one of the first to take a trial ride on the observation wheel that has enclosed cars rather than open seats like most Ferris wheels.
“It was beautiful,” she said, with views extending out to Mississippi’s barrier islands. The cars are heated and air conditioned, so the ride can be enjoyed year-round, she said.
The wheel, which has sparkling lights illuminating it day and night, is called the Biloxi Tide Turner.
“This amusement park is going to turn the tide of fun on the Coast of Mississippi,” she said.
Among the most anticipated of the rides is the Aerobar, built by European company Aeorophil, and already in place. Riders will sit facing each other in a circle with a bartender in the middle.
The ride slowly rotates as it takes 2 minutes to go up and down and 5 minutes on the top, according to the company website, allowing for time to admire the view, sip a drink and talk with fellow Parrotheads and fans of all things Jimmy Buffett.
Guests at the park will have easy access between the outdoor rides and the Escape arcade and indoor amusements and restaurants.
The amusement park is being built on a platform that will lift it above the storm surge and provide parking underneath. The rides can be taken down and moved to a huge storage facility on the Coast if a hurricane is forecast for South Mississippi, Lambert said.
This story was originally published October 14, 2022 at 10:00 AM.
