Seattle Great Wheel Tours and Tickets

Rides around the Seattle Great Wheel typically clock in at 10–20 minutes, but the timing depends on the crowds, the time of year, and the number of loaded gondolas. During summer, when there are larger crowds, rides last 12–20 minutes, while in winter, rides are slightly shorter, lasting 10–15 minutes.

The Seattle Great Wheel Private Dining experience costs US$152.50 without wine, which you can add. The 4-course dinner, courtesy of the Fisherman's Restaurant nearby, is designed for 2–4 people and features a set menu with prawn cocktails, a Caesar salad, grilled salmon, vegetables, and rice pilaf.

The light show at the Seattle Great Wheel typically starts at 10pm on Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays. During evenings in the middle of the week, the ring beam of the wheel becomes illuminated; on holidays, special occasions, and evenings when the University of Washington or Seattle Seahawks play, the light show plays.

No, the Seattle Great Wheel is not the tallest Ferris wheel in the world. Standing 175 feet (53 meters) over Elliott Bay, the wheel has been the tallest on the US West Coast since it opened in 2012. Yet it's shorter than the Myrtle Beach Skywheel in South Carolina and the London Eye.

No, there isn't free parking at the Seattle Great Wheel. However, there is parking in the metered lots in front of the Ferris Wheel on Alaskan Way and the paid lots on Western Avenue—you can find additional parking in garages on Third Street, Stewart Street, and Seneca Street.