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Purchase Tickets

Tickets for children 0-2 and seniors (65+) only available at ticket booth. Not available online.

Youth (3-11)

$9 Buy Tickets

Adults (12+)

$14 Buy Tickets

Seniors (65+)*

$12 Buy at Booth

Great Wheel VIP

$50 Buy Tickets

VIP Gondola

  1. 1. The VIP gondola is our special luxury gondola with four leather bucket seats, a stereo system, and a glass floor. We do not take reservations for the VIP gondola.
  2. 2. The VIP gondola is available on a first-come, first-served basis, and tickets can be purchased online or at the ticket booth on the pier.
  3. 3. Tickets are $50 per person and each ticket also includes a champagne toast at Fisherman's Restaurant, a special VIP t-shirt , photo booth photos, and you will be personally escorted to the front of the line to board the wheel ASAP!
  4. 4. The VIP is guaranteed to be private for your personal group of up to 4 people; we cannot guarantee a private cabin in the regular cabin.
  5. 5. If you purchase your VIP tickets online, please be sure to follow the VIP ticket holder instructions printed on your tickets and check in FIRST at the Ticket Booth Will Call window so we can provide the front of the line service that comes with your ticket.
Map Overview

Pier 57
On Alaskan Way

Hours & Directions

Take a ride on the iconic Seattle Great Wheel on Pier 57 and see the city of Seattle like never before. Each gondola can fit 8 people and provide an amazing ride that lights up the sky at night.

Address

Pier 57 - Miners Landing
1301 Alaskan Way
Seattle , WA 98101

Phone: 206-623-8607
Email: [email protected]

Map of Location

Hours of Operation

Fall/Winter Hours beginning Tuesday September 12, 2017 Monday-Thursday 11am-10pm Friday 11am-12am Saturday 10am-12am Sunday 10am-10pm *Last ride loads 10 minutes before closing time
The Great Wheel Adventure

The Great Wheel Adventure

A Storybook of Adventure at the Great Wheel

The wondrous adventure of Gabe and Betty, two siblings who find themselves on a fun exploration of Seattle's most exciting spots. Beginning at The Seattle Great Wheel, the kids journey to the Aquarium, Elliot Bay, Seahawks' stadium, Mt. Rainer, Mariner's ballpark, the Space Needle, Pike Place Market, and much much more. This 36 page storybook is full of uplifting, colorful illustrations.

Authored by local entrepreneur Kyle Griffith and Illustrated by Ryan Hobson, this limited publication is a joyful read for all ages!
 

Learn More About The Book
The Great Wheel Adventure

Frequently Asked Questions

What are the hours of operation?

Our hours change based on the season. The current Spring 2018 operating hours are: Monday-Thursday: 11 AM-10 PM Friday: 11 AM-12 AM / Midnight Saturday: 10 AM-12 AM / Midnight Sunday: 10 AM-10 PM Summer operating hours July through Mid-September are: Sunday-Thursday 10 AM-11 PM Friday & Saturday 10 AM-12 AM/Midnight

How do I redeem my photo digital download?

If you purchased your photo from our photo booth, your photo receipt provided with the photo has a digital code on the bottom of the receipt that you can enter into the Picsolve.com website to download your photo. Go here to download your photo: https://www.picsolve.com/seattlegreatwheel

Where can I buy tickets?

You can purchase them at our ticket booth on the pier or right here on our website! Just click on the Buy Tickets button below the type of ticket you wish to purchase. If you don’t want to wait in the ticket booth line, make sure to print out your tickets at home and have them in hand when you arrive on the pier. If you only have a confirmation code, you will have to wait in the ticket booth line to have your tickets printed. Tickets are general admission valid for any date or time that the wheel is open (excluding the by reservation only New Year's Eve Midnight Ride) and do not expire until used.

Do you offer special rates for groups?

We do not offer a group rate or discounts. All prices are as listed on the website.

What is your refund policy?

We’re sorry, but the Seattle Great Wheel does not offer refunds or exchanges. Tickets are valid any day and any time!

Do I have to choose what day and time I want to ride when purchasing tickets online?

All of our tickets are general admission, and are valid any day and any time. They are not day nor time specific. You can use the tickets whenever you want, and they never expire!

Can I buy a gift card?

We don't sell gift cards, but our tickets work very similarly. They can be used on any date or time that the wheel is open (excluding the by reservation only New Year's Eve Midnight Ride) and they do not expire, so they make the perfect gift!

Can I upgrade my regular ticket to the VIP ticket?

Yes! If you purchase a regular ticket online or at the pier and decide later that you want the VIP experience, you can pay the difference in price to upgrade your ticket at the ticket booth on the pier.

Can pregnant women ride? What about babies?

The Seattle Great Wheel offers a slow, smooth ride that is appropriate for people of all ages and conditions, including pregnant women and babies. Children age 2 and under ride for free, but they still require a ticket. This ticket can be obtained at the will call window of the ticket booth without waiting in line.

Do you fulfill donation requests for charities or auctions or other worthy causes?

To request a donation, please email us at: [email protected] We will enter you into our weekly drawing for fulfilling donations. You can submit one single request for The Seattle Great Wheel AND Wings Over Washington which will be combined into the same donation request pool. Please submit only one request. Submitting two requests will not increase your chances of being drawn-only one entry is allowed per group. Please do not mail your donation request-we prefer all requests via email.

How long is the ride?

Ride time varies based on how large the crowd is and how many gondolas we are loading for each ride. During Summer operations with larger crowds, we typically have ride times between 12-20 minutes. During Winter operations with smaller crowds, we typically have ride times between 10-15 minutes. But as always, every ride is three full revolutions of the wheel.

Is the Seattle Great Wheel wheelchair accessible?

Yes! We have a lift and ramp that allow wheelchairs to roll directly into the gondolas. Please note that the door width is 30"

What is the weight limit on the Seattle Great Wheel?

We do not have a per-person weight limit, but each gondola can hold up to 1300 lbs or 8 riders. We cannot put more than 8 riders per cabin even if you are under the 1300lb weight capacity. We ask that you please respect the capacity policy as we have everyone's safety to consider when we are loading and balancing the Ferris Wheel.

Do you offer any military discounts, disability, AARP, AAA, Prime Card, or web promo codes?

We currently do not have any discounts to offer. We simply break our ticket prices down by age to be fair to everyone. All prices are as listed in the ticket pricing section.

Can I reserve a gondola for a specific time?

We do not take reservations during normal operations. Our New Year's Eve Midnight is available for reservations, however we do not take reservations until December. Sign up for our email list to know the exact day and time they are released online.

Do you allow pets?

While we love all animals, we only allow service animals on board. Please notify the ticket booth if you have a service animal, and be prepared to answer service animal questions as allowed by Federal and State law. This helps us provide the best accommodations to those with service animals.

Anything else I need to leave on the ground while I ride?

We do not allow food or drinks on the wheel. Drugs and alcohol are strictly prohibited. We also ask that you leave large bags, suitcases, strollers and car seats in the area near our loading dock while you are on the wheel. An attendant is always standing close by to ensure that your items are safe.

How many people can fit in a gondola at one time?

The 41 regular white gondolas can each hold up to eight riders. Parties of 6 or less may be grouped with others if the crowds are very large and the lines are long. We ask that you please respect the capacity policy as we have everyone's safety to consider when we are loading and balancing the Ferris Wheel.

When are your light shows?

The wheel is lit up each night with our white gondola lights, but on special occasions we have awesome LED light shows on the wheel. In the fall, these shows will take place at dark on the evening of any University of Washington or Seattle Seahawks home football games. On other special occasions like holidays, we will also display a light show.

Where is the best place to park?

There are metered lots directly across the street from us on Alaskan Way. You can also park in paid lots along Western Avenue. A map of public parking lots is available here. Please visit www.downtownseattleparking.com for up to date information on parking.

Does the wheel ever shut down because of weather?

The wheel is designed to operate in all weather conditions including rain, snow, hail, sun, fog and anything else Seattle has to offer. We will stop operating if winds reach sustained speeds of 55 MPH or higher, or if there are lightning strikes within 1 mile.

Fun facts about the Seattle Great Wheel

The Seattle Great Wheel was built in less than a year, but its story goes back much further than that. Seattle businessman Hal Griffith had envisioned a Ferris wheel in the city for nearly 30 years, but it wasn't until he realized he could build one on his own pier that his dream became a reality. The Seattle Great Wheel opened to the public on June 29, 2012. Since then, it has become an icon of the city and a destination for tourists and locals alike. The Seattle Great Wheel is the largest observation wheel on the west coast, standing 175 feet tall. The wheel has 42 fully-enclosed gondolas. 41 white gondolas each seat up to eight adults. Cabin #42, the VIP cabin, has leather bucket seats, a stereo system, glass bottom floor, and can seat up to 4 adults. In total, the wheel can hold over 300 passengers at any given time. The wheel was manufactured in various parts of Europe and the United States, and assembled right at the end of the pier. The wheel extends nearly 40 feet beyond the end of the pier, over Elliott Bay. The Seattle Great Wheel is open year round. With fully-enclosed gondolas and a covered waiting area, the rain can't stop the wheel from spinning! The wheel weighs 280,300 pounds. 550 tons of concrete were poured to create the foundation for the wheel.

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