What is the difference between a carousel and a merry-go-round?

Technically, the difference between a carousel and a merry-go-round is that the animals on a carousel move up and down. In contrast, those on a merry-go-round are usually stationary. Historically, another difference between the two was that carousels were motorized, and merry-go-rounds featured hand-crank operations. However, both types of rides usually feature motors today. Many people also use the two terms interchangeably. Shop a collection of carousel horses on 1stDibs.