The Wild Mouse (Wilden Maus) was designed by Franz Mack of Germany in 1957. The ride became an instant hit and licenses to build the design were quickly sold worldwide.
In Australia Ted Hopkins (General Manager of Luna Park, Sydney) saw it at the Seattle Worlds Fair while he was touring USA in 1962 for a new park attraction. He negotiated for the Australian license to manufacture the German ride. To minimise costs he had three built – one for his Luna Park, the other two for a showman by the name of Green. It was rumoured to reduce the sign costs he changed the name from Wild Mouse to Mad Mouse.
No huge rollercoaster drops by today’s terms but lots of tight, unbanked 180° ‘switchback’ turns and speedy dips over its quarter mile length. Most of the excitement is from that the skateboard-sized wheel-base under the car that appears to come off the track. Children of all ages love it.
All three rides still exist. The Adelaide Mad Mouse was operated by Bob Lawrence till 2007 while the Melbourne unit owned by Wittingslow, now resides in Indonesia after being a staple attraction of the Royal Melbourne Showgrounds till its removal in 2003. The original Wild Mouse of the late Ted Hopkins still runs in Sydney’s Luna Park today, is subject to a heritage order. There is one other Wild Mouse at Aussie World (previously located in the Perth Showgrounds, Western Australia); and before that, in the USA.
This is a truely GRAT ride,fo sho!
ba-boss-bomb - July 2nd, 2009 at 7:49 am
Not a nice ride at all! Makes me feel really ill, and its far to bumpy and dangerous for my liking… im suprised Blackpool Pleasure Beach is still allowed to operate it!
Danny - July 22nd, 2009 at 5:29 am
if some people seriously think dis ride is dangerouse YOU ARE NUTS! its amazon!
GO BELFAST!
ellen - August 17th, 2009 at 8:10 am
U cant deny it the old mouse at BPB Beats the new metal spinning an none spinning ones
Angie - February 4th, 2010 at 5:11 am
I went on one of these at Dorney Park.
mb - August 17th, 2010 at 7:07 am
This ride is G! My dads dad sed it was reel scary. These aren’t da original rides u c in da pics do. They shut down the de original ride cuz of safety issues
Poizegurl - August 28th, 2010 at 8:02 am
Great Ride! I can’t stress how safe these rides actually are, the whole “dangerous” rumor is from the fact the car takes such tight turns. It is designed to do what is does safely, and it does it very well!
Sam - September 22nd, 2010 at 10:31 pm
Isn’t Muholland Madness (Now Goofy’s Sky School) at California Adventure a Mad Mouse?
Annonymous - December 20th, 2010 at 9:04 am
I RODE A RIDE LIKE THIS BUT IT WAS CALLED WILD LIGHTNING!!! BTW : A HUGE FAT LADY WAS IN FRONT OF US AND ON EVERY SINGLE SHARP TURN SHE WOULD HIT THE SIDE AND SCREAM!!! THE LADY WAS SO OLD BUT YET, SO FAT!!
Angel - December 21st, 2010 at 6:49 am
Like the site alot, however what about the portable coasters like Super Zyklon, Flitzer, and Chances Toboggan, you don’t see them much anymore.
Bruce - May 7th, 2011 at 11:20 pm
love this ride and when it takes a pic of u in the rollercoaster.they have this ride at great america san jose california
paola paz - June 11th, 2011 at 6:46 am
You know that you’re getting old when you’ve backpains ofter riding a Wild Mouse….)-:
VulcanNonibird - June 23rd, 2011 at 5:56 am
wow this is the bomb
sydney - July 5th, 2011 at 7:38 am
The Western Washington Fair still has one in operation
Michelle - July 31st, 2011 at 5:13 pm
My grandfather Robert Thomas of Thomas Amusements was the first owner of the Mad Mouse in Melbourne. He had a carnival in StKilda in the sixties and brought the Mad Mouse from England to StKilda in 1963. He also was half owner in the Mad Mouse in Adelaid South Australia.
Scott Thomas - September 19th, 2011 at 3:11 pm
I am fairly certain that there was a version of this ride, called the Monster Mouse, at Jack & Jill’s, a small park in Fort Wayne, Indiana, in the 50s & 60s. I was very young, but it was easily my favorite ride – it was fast and fun.
Does any one else remember Jack & Jill’s?
CAL Jones - September 20th, 2011 at 11:44 pm
…or the wild mouse.
oliver - January 7th, 2012 at 11:55 am
wazza byrnes had a madmouse he imported it from fernandos rebuilt it here in aus worked it the royalmelb got robbed took it down 2 tassie then up to rollacoasta heavan qld the paula hass brought it for the frount traila last i herd of it
jimmy toot - January 20th, 2012 at 9:42 pm
can anyone tell me if the sattelite ride that byrnes bros had and sold to peter hass is still in operation or what happened to it
jimmy toot - February 27th, 2012 at 5:05 am
the one at fantasy island has cars wit wavy mouths just like me! go check if u don’t believe it.
wavymouth - July 15th, 2012 at 7:55 am
the cars spin on my mentioned one at f.i. also!
wavymouth - July 15th, 2012 at 7:57 am
I remember when Barry Thomas owed it he live across rode from us in elsternwick free rides great
Kimbd - December 13th, 2012 at 9:41 am
any body have spec on this ride
chris - January 1st, 2013 at 1:08 pm
The Wild Mouse at Hershey Park is so FUN!
Jen - July 29th, 2013 at 1:59 am
It’s remarkable to pay a quick visit this website and reading the
views of all mates about this post, while I am also zealous of getting experience.
Mainzer Scheidungsanwalt - October 7th, 2014 at 2:53 pm
I live in Pennsylvania and have ridden this ride, though I didn’t care for it. Everybody knows about it around here, though. My chiropractor told me I had whiplash, and when I told him I like roller coasters, he asked me if I rode the Wild Mouse at Hershey!
Daphne - April 14th, 2015 at 4:56 pm
You can’t beat the old Mad Mouse for sheer thrills. The Royal Melbourne Show has never been the same since!
Sam - September 24th, 2015 at 11:24 am
Roller coasters should hurt! When I rode the “Mad Mouse” at Como Park in Minnesota, I went home with bruises.
Wayne - June 12th, 2017 at 6:30 am
I thought there was also one at the Brisbane Ekka?
norty - July 11th, 2019 at 12:49 pm
I have a question for or two for Wayne about this coaster at Como Town. It looks as though I might acquire one of the coaster cars in an auction from there, as well as some other items. I have questions for you if you might see this to contact me! Visit my website to get in touch, WallCloudChaser.com
Jarrod Schoenecker - March 2nd, 2021 at 1:07 pm