We had a crystal blue winter day to see the view that made the $18 per person price worth it. Always a classic to come to Navy Pier which was the home to one of the first Ferris wheels ever at the 1894 world fair Columbus Exposition. The pier is built on one of the world fair grounds. Check it out! read more

See all

This looks like the sort of thing you do once for the view to say you did it. I didn't quite feel like it today, and honestly, the view from the rooftop garden next to wheel was also excellent. The individual carriages are protected against wind, which is helpful in the 30sF (0C) weather read more

Navy Pier's Centennial Wheel - View of the wheel - Amusement Parks Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

See all

Fun ride and great view. Once you're at the top you get a great view of the Chicago, Lake Michigan and Navy Pier itself. The new Ferris Wheel carts have ac/heat, seat 6 and feel very stable. Not sure if anyone remembers the old carts. They seated just 2, were open and could only be ridden during summer, they also rocked back and forth when the ride stopped. You go around three times and really slow. This is perfect because the slower the ride the longer you can enjoy the view and take more pictures/videos. Two different spots you can buy tickets which helps bring down long lines. $15 isn't bad considering it's Navy Pier and $25 for fast pass which gets you to the front of the line. However if you want a cart by yourself it's $50. Tickets are good for 30 days from purchase so if for whatever reason you can't go that day you have a month. Long lines are hit or miss, when we were in line it was only a 10 minute wait. However when we were at the top of the Ferris wheel the line wrapped around and around, maybe 45-60 minutes. My girlfriend and I can't wait to go back. read more

See all

Super fun. Line was relatively long, but moved well. You get to around 3 times (the big question for most people). Cabins were air conditioned, which was nice (and I'm thinking heated in colder weather, but maybe not). Obviously great views of both the city and Lake Michigan. My only criticism is that the windows were very dirty (hand smudges, finger and nose marks, etc), so taking pics from inside was frustrating. Even though we were at the end of the day, it seems they could clean the windows once in the middle of the day (get employees to ride one time around once in each car and clean as you go; it could be done). All employees were very nice and helpful. If not for the filthy windows, I'd give it 5 stars. read more

Five stars for team spirit!!! Last Night April 1, 2017..the Ferris Wheel was lit up in Cubby Blue in preparation for the opening day of the Chicago Cubs baseball team! read more

Navy Pier's Centennial Wheel - Cubby Blue for opening day! Go Cubs Go! - Amusement Parks Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

See all

This is a fun ferris wheel with great views of Chicago and Navy Pier. The cars are all enclosed and the day we went, everyone got to have just their group in the cars instead of sharing with strangers. However. THERE WAS AIR CONDITIONING. It was under 30 degrees outside but with the cold air coming through the vent, I'm pretty sure our car was even colder than the weather outside. I'm not sure what that was about but I think it could stand to be temperate, if not heated. read more

View of city was fantastic. Cars were clean and the neon lighting made for some really fun pictures. However the ride lasted at most 5 mins, and the pricey vip tickets that I bought online had to be exchanged for worse, cheaper tickets because of issues with a car. But the workers were really amazing, and so friendly (even when dealing with a distressing amount of Karen's). Really fun, despite all issues. read more

This gargantuan ferris wheel is impressive in size, but I couldn't help feeling underwhelmed after my ride. For $7/person, the 15 story ferris wheel consists of only one revolution which lasts for about 8 minutes. Although the highlight is seeing the Chicago Skyline from the east side of Illinois, I guess after seeing the entire skyline from SkyDeck and Chicago360, (which had much more gorgeous views) the ferris wheel ride was a bit disappointing. I can imagine if you rode with a signifiant other while the navy pier fireworks were going off, it'd be much more memorable, but timing that would be difficult. There are 40 gondolas, each seating 6 people. While the optimal time to ride would be at night, it's at this time where the employees would group you and your party with strangers, potentially eliminating any romance or comfortability from the evening. ---- Conclusion: Although very smooth and safe, it's a lackluster ride that I feel isn't worthwhile, especially for only one go-around. Extra Notes: -Cash Only -Employees can be more jovial and kind -Lines can be long -HATE how the wheel never stops and keeps turning so as you get on/off, you'll have to be careful and quick! -FUN FACT: The record for the longest ferris wheel ride is held here, standing at 48 hours, 8 minutes, and 25 seconds--Thinking of that makes me nauseous -Restrooms at the navy pier are filthy read more

See all

I can't think of a more romantic spot in Chicagoland during the summer than being in the Navy Pier Ferris Wheel car with your love interest as it rounds slowly over the top and presents a stunning view of the lake, the pier, and the entire city of Chicago behind it. Yes, it's touristy. Yes, the ride is actually quite short (I think you only make one rotation and it takes less than ten minutes). Yes, it goes around slow so you can soak up each height. No, you won't fall out -- you're in a plexiglass cube. Yes, you'll enjoy it. This isn't something I'd do often, but once in awhile would be special. I've only been on this once (that I can remember, and yes, it was with a love interest at the time) and it was marvelous. I found out recently though, that this Ferris Wheel is actually being replaced with a newer one slated to open this summer (summer of 2016). That will be interesting. read more

Not a fan of ferris wheels in general. Have to say, though, that the Navy Pier Ferris Wheel looks good. Seems larger than most ferris wheels. Get nice views of Chicago from up there. Cost is okay for the short ride. If I remember correctly, it was $8 for about a 7 minute ride. This attraction is A-OK in my opinion. read more

See all

One of the iconic places of Chicago. Not very busy during the winter so the line is shorter to buy and get on. The seating is enclosed so won't be that cold on it, other people can be seated in the cabin as well as it has seating for 8 ppl inside. Is about $18 per person. read more

See all

Totally worth the $15! You can "fast pass" for $25 and move to the front of the line but it honestly probably isn't worth it. I was there at a very busy time and waited 10 minutes tops. They told me the wait would be 30 minutes so I was impressed. The cabins seat up to 8, weight permitting. They are also heated and air conditioned so that's definitely worth it as well. Quite comfortable. A must see/to-do while in Chicago! read more

See all

Having rode other rides similar to this in other cities this is just okay. There's nothing special in terms of info or how the ride operates. It sits in the middle of the upper level surrounded by a few other carnival style rides at the pier. The ride lasts all of 10 minutes as you will go around approximately 3 times before being de boarded but be prepared to sit as there may be a wait time with the stop and go to get riders boarded. Great views of the city from the ride. Depending on when you visit I wouldn't recommend riding when the 'Windy City' is showing why it's called that. The staff that were operating the ride were more into their private conversations than doing their jobs and ensuring that the line was moving, greeting people, or responding to their questions. Overall the price to ride the ride and parking aren't worth it. It is something to do once to say you did it but no big deal if you don't make it to this attraction when at the pier. read more

See all

Good views, yet staff sucked. I had a large group of people with me purchasing tickets, and this irrelevant worker told me they had to wait to the side as they were taking up too much room. I was forced to take a photo in front of the green screen despite my argument that I was wearing a green shirt and the photo would look awful. Some 18yr old staff kids were rudely singing the rap songs and kind of shoving us to the entrance of the gondola. Views of the wheel were nice, and you went around 3 times. Afterwords, they printed out all of the photos, yet you had to buy them if you wanted to take them home. They threw out the ones that weren't purchased. Waste of paper. Overall, you're going to get good views of the city with poor customer service. read more

I stopped by here this past Saturday night with my fiance while we were visiting the Navy Pier. The Ferris Wheel itself is less of an amusement park ride and more like a viewing platform from which you can see Chicago's skyline. As a matter of a fact I think that I read on the website that it was a 7 minute ride. The waits for the ride itself were pretty minimal as I think we waited a couple of minutes to buy a ticket ($6 each) and then 10 minutes to get on the ride. The carts of the Ferris Wheel are pretty secure as they mostly surrounded by plexiglass and metal railings with a few areas that you can look out of unobstructed. We decided to go at night and I think that was the perfect decision as the views of the city were awesome and both my fiance and I enjoyed our ride and got some great pictures. The bottom line for me is that I would recommend this ride for anyone looking for a great way to see the city's skyline. I thought that the price was reasonable for what you got and I loved the view and pictures we got from our experience. read more

The Navy Pier Ferris Wheel in three words: Expensive. Boring. Overrated. read more

I always love Ferris wheels! Whenever I'm in a city that has one, I want to do it! We bought tickets for $15 each and waited in a short line. We had our own carriage and went around 5 times or so! It was overcast and rainy but we still got a pretty awesome view! I think this is worth doing once! read more

See all

Even though Navy pier is a total tourist trap and the Ferris Wheel is a big part of it, I must say it's beautiful. It's one of those things that even if you know it's super touristy you can't help but to come visit it and take pictures. Especially when during the summer months they have fireworks in the backdrop. This thing is iconic, and it's worth a trip to see it even if you don't ride it. read more

Paid extra for the VIP but it isnt very 'extra'. The only difference was the car- the seats were different. But the VIP car also included some trash and puddle. The clear bottom doesnt have a view so not sure what the point if that is. DEFINITELY not worth the money. Save some money and ride the regular car... read more

Being that I'm LA native I was looking for just about any touristy thing me and my girlfriend can do during our stay in Chicago. We found ourselves near the Navy Pier after some drinks at Caffé Olivia, and in comes the ferris wheel. We saw signs that Sunday September 27 would be the last day it will be active, so we figured why not. It was a great opportunity to get a semi-aerial view of the city and the lake. We now also feel honored to be able to say we got a chance to ride the Navy Pier ferris wheel. Now that being said, it is just a ferris wheel -nothing to go gaga over. Especially at $8 a ride, but it was a nice experience to mount it before they shut it down. read more

Navy Pier's Centennial Wheel - Amusement Parks Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

See all

A nice little diversion on Navy Pier. Basically for $7 you get one rotation on the giant Ferris Wheel that goes about 2 mph. It is a nice easy ride and you get a great view and a few minutes off your feet. I would say it is maybe a 15 minute ride (it might vary based on how many times they stop it). A few things to know, they don't stop the wheel to let you get on or off (but it is going very slow). There are ticket booths all along the pier and the one right by the wheel seems the busiest (so avoid it). We didn't have any problems with getting our own car (we had 3 ppl), so maybe the 4 person a car depends on how long the line are. At any rate, it was low key fun. read more

When in Chicago, you have to go on the ferris wheel. Tickets are $7/person. The wheel doesn't stop like others so be careful getting on and off. I did enjoy the view from above and liked the fact that each cart was pretty much enclosed, blocking most of the wind and coldness. It also was a pretty smooth ride around. Altogether, I think it took about 10 minutes for one full round. While I probably wouldn't go back again, it's worth it to go on just once. read more

Navy Pier's Centennial Wheel - Amusement Parks Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

See all

I am so impressed with the new Centennial Wheel! It is so luxurious and it is wheelchair accessible! I was lucky enough to be able to visit on a rare free day. I've never been on a Ferris wheel where an entire wheelchair could go inside. Usually, people with disabilities have to transfer so when I was informed by an employee that my sister had the option to go in with her wheelchair or transfer out of it, I was ecstatic! I know they put a lot of hard work into the new Ferris wheel and you can definitely tell that a lot of thought and effort was put into it. The Ferris wheel has TVs inside that give a little bit of information about the ride. Even though I am a bit scared of heights, I didn't feel scared at all because it is fully enclosed. (Unlike the previous Ferris wheel where I did feel a bit afraid.) It feels very safe and stable. It is also air conditioned. Even though it was a free day, the line moved very quickly and the employees were very efficient. The views from the Ferris wheel were spectacular! I would definitely recommend visiting. Also, all of Navy Pier seems to be getting a spruce with lots of new restaurants and attractions! It's very fitting that Chicago has such an awesome Ferris wheel since the first one was invented for the Chicago World's Fair in 1893! read more

See all

The ride itself is overpriced for the amount of time you're in it. My real issue is that I paid $25 after the ride for the photos they take before you get on the ride. I stressed to them that I did not want the paper photos and that I only wanted the digital copies...would they be able to charge me less for this. They said no and that I had to buy the entire package in order to get the digital copies. I paid the money and gave them my email address and was told that they'd send them. 4 days later and I still have not received anything. I called the phone number listed for the centennial wheel on google and it does not connect me with a person. I'm extremely upset as this was basically throwing money away. read more

Navy Pier's Centennial Wheel - Amusement Parks Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Prices: Ferris wheel, $6 Wave swinger, $6 2-ride combo, $10 3-ride combo, $13 5-ride combo, $16 10-ride family pack, $37 Pros: -cheap when you get a 10-pack for your "family" -nice view of pier -short line Cons: -short ride, only 1 go around read more

Whenever I drive past Navy Pier at night, I'm overcome with the desire to ride the ferris wheel! Four stars is a bit generous, though, and purely for nostalgia sake. It costs $8 for a 7 minute ride (or $13 for a two-ride ticket). So a little more than $1 a minute, but unfortunately you really have to turn and crane around to get a good view. If you sit still in your seat, you can see a limited view of...water. The ride is really slow moving, and so is the line from my experience. But overall, this is a must-do if you're visiting Chicago. But if you live here, as most Chicagoans would agree, this is probably a must-avoid, simply for the atrocious pricing at Navy Pier. The ride is rather romantic at night, and probably pretty exciting for little ones. I finally got it out of my system after not riding for something like a decade. The photos that they try to get you to buy are a bit silly, though. The background is basically just half of a gondola behind you and the photography is awful. They'd be more exciting if they had you stand in front of a green screen with a backdrop of the full ride instead of the crap they try to shove off for a ridiculous price. read more

Living in Chicago for over 20 years, there are things that are taken for granted ...until you leave - Seen from a distance, memories are seen from a different spectrum and as such, you want to recreate them as often as possible. We can all go back a bit down memory lane and remember when Navy Pier was a crumbling behemoth on the verge of being condemned before it succumbed to the waves of Lake Michigan. Fast forward to today and the old adage of "if you build it, they will come" rings more true that ever- Some may say that it is a tourist trap, some may say that parking is expensive, some may say that it has not added value. I respectfully submit an image of Chicago sans Navy Pier and Navy Pier without the Ferris Wheel - and I am thankful because it is only an imaginary picture. The fact is, it is there ! and it has to be ridden, as often as my visits to Chicago, once or twice per year, because no matter what time of the year it is, I get a view of how fantastic this City is and the views are put into context to fill the spaces in my memory and I remember why I miss this great City so much. Take the ride, enjoy the company you are with and be thankful that it exists and you can ride it - When it all done, you will be glad you did. read more

My wife and I were in Chicago for 3 days over Labor Day in 2011 and we had the GO! card so we got a ride on the Ferris Wheel for free. We learned that it was built for the World's Fair about 70 years ago. We waited for about 15 minutes to get on the wheel. I went on about 8 years ago, at the height of my fear of heights. I was deathly afraid when I went before, but I have gotten better. It was a calm day and I was pretty good. I got a little trepedacious for a few minutes, but I told myself that the place is fully enclosed and the only way I could fall out is if I were near the door. Solution? Stay away from the door. The wheel is seriously super high. The views are awesome and the music and narration is fun. Lots of Sinatra and Dean Martin tunes whisk you away to 1960. My wife sat across from me and I could gaze at her if the skyline got a little too much for me. Pretty ladies always help the anxiety go away. Kids who aren't afraid of heights will love this. Out of all the rides on Navy Pier, I would recommend this one. All the others are pretty lame. I couldn't believe how many people were at Navy Pier, you have an awesome city just sitting there and people are wasting their time at this pier. It is all commercial establishments that are chains in all major cities. Give it a shot, it is worth it, even at $6 a shot if you don't have the GO! card. I would recommend the Go! card though if you are a single couple. We more than paid for it, seeing 6 or 7 attractions that were about $20 a piece, for $100 for each card. read more

Navy Pier is a must when visiting Chicago. What a great place to visit with variety of shops and restaurants on the pier. You can drink while exploring and there plenty to do for all ages. You can take dinner cruise or a high speed 45 minute ride on one of their high speed tour boat. Caution, be prepared to get wet. My favorite is the Ferris wheel ride that takes about an hour to go around and the view of the city is spectacular. read more

Navy Pier's Centennial Wheel - Amusement Parks Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

What a great experience for the whole family! My son and I do not like carnival rides so we where very hesitant. My mom, myself and my 2 teen children went on a clear sunny day. It was very smooth and you could see all the way past the Shed Aquarium. I would love to go again at night. Definitely pay attention to the sign that says watch your head is my only advice! It is pricey but totally worth the view. Yes we even bought the cheese picture for $20 that they take read more

See all

I don't understand how a ferris wheel gets more than 3 stars. It's a damn circle that moves round and round a few turns, done! Worst of rides ever. It'd be much cooler if it was a Navy Pier zipper the size of the ferris wheel. If you have kids or want a nice view of the area and you have a very short amount of time to kill then yeah hit up the ferris wheel, else go check out something more awesome in Chicago. There's lots of it.... read more

The ferris wheel is great if you have good eye, hand, foot coordination and balance. The wheel never stops so you need to have the physical ability to jump in and out of the ferris wheel box. The views of the city were great but the ferris wheel ride was short. The ride was about 7 minutes long and it cost $7 per person. The wait for the ride was about 10 minutes (even though the ferris wheel was not seated at full capacity). For some reason they left about 8-10 boxes open to "even out" the weight of the wheel. That didnt make any sense to me. Would the ferris wheel tilt over if there was too much weight on one side? Thats scary! Customer service was not the best here. The lady who scanned our ticket never talked to us. She just stuck her hand out assuming we'd know what she wanted. I came here using an expired groupon. Since the value of my groupon never expired, I had a $6 credit towards my purchase. The man working the ticket booth said I could only use the groupon if I paid in cash. Ummm....how can I only use the $6 credit that I've already paid for with a cash purchase but not with a credit card purchase? Thankfully I had cash on me that day but I would have been upset if I had to leave the line to find an ATM to pay cash to use my groupon credit. read more

Parking to the Navy Pier is $28 flat rate daily. My first advice is to seat yourself strategically upon entering your bucket. Why? We couldn't see the city at all due to a couple taking selfies the entire ride. I even got a video of the girlfriend scolding her boyfriend for using the wrong camera and filter on her as well as not getting the right angle. I was told that they recently did a remodel and their prices jumped from from $10 to $15. But totally worth it, since each bucket is air conditioned and will cool you down from the fierce walk around the Navy Pier. The ferris wheel is nice and clean. Each bucket seats eight people, so the line for the ferris wheel after getting your tickets isn't too bad for us at all. read more

+ Great for photo ops of the city + Great for photo ops -- the wheel itself + Fairly priced - The line can get really long sometimes (holidays, summer weekends, etc.) - Quick ride - "Once-and-done" [but I'm glad it's there making Chicago twinkle] read more

See all

A little pricy for the amount of time you get, the windows on the gondolas were filthy. Still you got a great view and a few laps around. read more

See all

This is definitely a perfect choice for a date, entertaining your kids, or just to relive your childhood on the ferris wheel of a carnival As a tourist you come to Navy Pier and find everything grossly overpriced. You expect the ferris wheel to be + $10 when in fact its only 5 or 6. You get a solid 10 -15 minutes and you get some fantastic views of Chicago. Definitely something worth checking out on your visit to Chicago if you are on the pier. . read more

How about a view of the Chicago skyline on a ferris wheel? I typically don't like amusement rides that would elevate me from the earth's surface, especially the fast ones. I didn't mind being on this one, it goes very slow and felt safe. I didn't even noticed until we were almost done with the cycle because my attention was focused on the amazing view. read more

Navy Pier's Centennial Wheel - Amusement Parks Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

A wheel treat. My husband and I got a car to ourselves. Went around three times. A little pricey at $18 per person, but it is one of the best attractions round the city. read more

Navy Pier's Centennial Wheel - Photo of us in front of the wheel with surprise fireworks! - Amusement Parks Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Absolutely disgusted. Brought the family 6 hours to Chicago for a fun, long weekend. My daughter has never ridden the famous Centennial Ferris Wheel. Hiked to the Pier from the hotel, only to be told that the wheel was closed all day for "weather conditions." Are you kidding?!? It's 25 degrees with a dusting of snow. Hardly weather Chicago isn't used to dealing with. What a pathetic operation! read more

Navy Pier's Centennial Wheel - Amusement Parks Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

I'm a photography nerd and am a sucker for the romanticism of being on a ferris wheel, so of COURSE I had to give this a go. This place will probably give you the most interesting view of the city and with the slow turn of the wheel, a lot of quality time with your other half. The only downside is that you're forced to listen to chicago themed music (not the Cetera kind) and tourism pitches the whole time you're on the wheel. It kills the ambiance a bit if you're not in a learning mood. read more