One of the classic amusement park rides everyone loves is the ferris wheel. The Eye of Orlando is currently under construction and is poised to be one of the largest ferris wheels in the world.
Some of the most famous ferris wheels you might be familiar with is the London Eye, which is UK’s most popular tourist destination since its installation in 2000, and the Singapore Flyer, which is one of the largest observatories in the world.Merlin Entertainments, the same company responsible for creating the London Eye is also responsible for creating The Eye of Orlando. The Eye of Orlando, which is supposed to be the 2nd largest Ferris wheel in the USA, is still under construction and is expected to open May 2015. The Eye of Orlando will extend 400 feet tall, complete with air conditioned gondolas, and is estimated to take 20 minutes from start to finish. The wheel is said to be a part of the I-Drive complex which will also include Madame Tussauds Wax Museum and a live aquarium. The location of the ferris wheel is at the old Mercado site on International Drive, just north of the Orlando Convention Center. This ride will stretch 18-stories between International Drive and Universal Blvd. in Orlando.
Local Perspective:
Amusement rides and parks outside the big three (Disney, Universal Studios, and SeaWorld) always are severely tested. Getting visitors to spend time and money outside the big three is not easy. The wax museum, live aquarium, and ferris wheel might be a bit much to package all together. And, the sites from the Eye of Orlando will be much different from the London Eye or Singapore Flyer since Orlando’s landscape is much different as opposed to a fully developed city landscape. However, we anticipate a large ferris wheel will be a sought after attraction for both locals and vacationers visiting Orlando. In addition, as Orlando’s landscape continues to grow in stature, it will be interesting to see what the city looks like 400 feet in the air. It will be a very different scenic view from all other major ferris wheels in the world. Only Orlando has multiple large scale amusement parks, a growing city skyline, and an abundance of lakes all in one place.
Resources & Other Useful Links:
- http://www.merlinentertainments.biz/
- http://www.visitorlando.com/things-to-do/theme-parks/
- http://www.usatoday.com/story/travel/destinations/2013/03/24/10-best-theme-parks-in-orlando/2012843/
- http://www.mynews13.com/content/news/cfnews13/on-the-town/article.html/content/news/articles/cfn/2014/4/15/eye_rise_constructio.html
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