Fair rides can be a little sketchy. With little more than nuts and bolts holding most together, it’s not always a trustworthy experience. One of the most popular fair rides is the “Dragon Wagon.” It’s a family favorite at Michigan‘s Ogemaw County Fairgrounds. In a video posted on TikTok, this coaster seems to be the delight of every kid strapped into it, until it wasn’t. Roller coasters typically need wheels on a track, and this one missed the mark.
As the Dragon Wagon goes over the first big “bump,” the front wheels go flying off. The cart comes careening to a halt. Thankfully, the children on board the roller coaster don’t seem to know what’s happening. Most are puzzled or smiling without realizing why the ride has stopped.
The wheels continue without the cart they’re meant to be attached to, and the ride moves backwards. The cart full of riders reverses up the incline, seemingly with no sense of urgency from the fair staff operating it. In the background, one person can be heard saying, “Are you even going to f***ing stop it?” as the ride jostles back down the first incline.
The TikTok video has already been shared more than 48,000 times. It’s appropriately captioned, “I don’t do rides at fairs because how tf you just pull a roller coaster out of a suitcase.” Thankfully, no injuries were reported following the incident at the Ogemaw County Fair. However, this has raised questions about how safe fair carnival rides truly are. TikTok users are also wondering this, with many commenting on the structural integrity of such rides.
“All I know is every ride mechanic and rides supervisor at Six Flags refuses to ride fair rides… and if they are afraid, that’s enough for me to be afraid, too,” says user It’s So Fancy. Another user, Erin Brace, comments, “The thing is 50+ years old, no wonder it’s falling apart.” Some people commented on their own personal experiences, such as losing teeth or watching machine parts fall off similar rides. Some found humor, thankfully knowing the ride’s passengers were unharmed. “Temu selling roller coasters now?” user jill.studio says. The incident is still being investigated, and the cause of the malfunction is unknown.
