I didn't get to ride the Griffith Park Park Merry-Go-Round nearly enough when it was running. But now that the 100-year-old Spillman Engineering Corp. ride hasn't been running for four years, I've been desperate to experience it again.
First, COVID-19 shuttered it in 2020. Then one of its two private owners, Julio Gosdinski, passed away unexpectedly later that year. He left no will—and while his stake in the carousel went into probate, other skilled operators stepped in to keep it going once pandemic restrictions were lifted.
But mechanical issues brought the wooden horses—some originally carved by Charles I.D. Looff as far back as 1895—to a screeching halt in 2022.
The Merry-Go-Round—relocated to Griffith Park from San Diego's Mission Beach in 1937—became famous for being where Walt Disney would sit on a park bench, dreaming up Disneyland. But time has been ticking away as the lights have gone dark and the music has gone silent.
There is, however, hope—because in August 2025, the City of Los Angeles Department of Recreation and Parks approved the purchase of it for a cool $1 million. (Co-owner Rosemary West—who inherited it along with Julio when her ex-husband Warren Deasy died in 2011—could've sold it for more and had it relocated, but reportedly she wanted to keep it in the park.)
This past Saturday marked the launch of a series of open houses hosted by Tracy James from the Parks Department...
...and I was thrilled to come upon the carousel house, music blasting out of the Stinson 165 Military Band Organ, with the opportunity to wander among the 60-some-odd horses and get a good look at them.
Whenever I ride a carousel, I'm always rushing to snap as many photos as I can before selecting a good horse (or some other creature, if a menagerie style). And then once the ride is over, I'm always dawdling to get more photos while the operator eyes me, waiting to let the next group in.
This time, I could linger between the three rows as long as I wanted, examining each beast from every angle.
But it was odd to experience the machine not being in motion. The Griffith Park Merry-Go-Round is famous as the fastest carousel around, spinning at a maximum of 14 mph. It's a big part of the thrill for me.
That's really fast when you consider all the horses are jumpers. And it's no wonder that work needs to be done on the mechanics (and electrical). After all, a carousel needs to run to keep running.
From a cosmetic standpoint, the Griffith Park horses have all looked a little rough ever since I can remember. (I think my first ride was back in 2013.)
One hundred years or more of children and adults climbing up and off of them have worn off layers of varnish and paint.
The horses' manes still flow, but they've lost some of their luster.
Their real horsehair tails have thinned out...
...or are missing altogether.
One black stallion has even lost an eyeball.
Jewels have fallen off, or maybe been stolen.
Their adornments have aged (and, especially in the case of the Looff-carved ones from the 1800s, understandably so).
Some of them are becoming almost unrecognizable, their hues muted and everything blending into become simply "horse color."
But they can come back to life...
...which is exactly what the Department of Recreation and Parks wants to help make happen.
For now, they've had to put the brakes on the carousel until repairs can be made—but these Saturday open houses are a great way to grow community support (and have some experts in the field pop by, too).
There's a lot of history here to preserve...
...and it's going to take a lot more than just another coat of paint. 
But in the meantime, how special to not have to "Keep Back"...
...and to approach freely, with no concern over getting kicked mid-spin.
These horses are still pretty feisty, even in their stationary positions...
...but horses are meant to gallop, and without that, the life is draining from their faces.
Bring on the cavalry! Hannibal the horse is ready for battle.
The Griffith Park Merry-Go-Round isn't just an amusement park ride, an affordable way to recreate in Griffith Park (without climbing Mount Hollywood). And it's not just a piece of Disneyland lore, either.
It's been the site of many a historic event, from race riots to "love-ins"—as well as so many birthday parties that made lasting impressions on generations of children.
Azndd it's the last of its kind, too, the only remaining Spillman carousel with rows of four horses (instead of the usual three).
Let's not lose this one, too.
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