ICON Park

ICON Park is an entertainment complex in Orlando, Florida. The complex is on 20 acres and has more than 50 attractions including a 400 foot tall (122m) observation wheel, a Madame Tussaud's Wax Museum, a Sea Life aquarium, as well as bars, restaurants, shops and specialty kiosks.

ICON Park
Previously known as I-Drive 360 (2015-2018)
The park green and The Wheel at ICON Park
LocationOrlando, FL, United States
StatusOperating
OpenedMay 4, 2015 (2015-05-04)
OwnerIDL Center (FL) LLC
Attractions
Total7[1]
Websitewww.iconparkorlando.com

Attractions
The Wheel at ICON Park at night.

Rides and activities

In addition to rides, the park features a museum, aquarium, arcade, a "7D" theater and a museum of illusions.

  • The Wheel at ICON Park is a Ferris wheel standing 400 feet (122m) tall.[2]
  • Madame Tussaud's Wax Museum Orlando
  • Orlando Starflyer is a 450 foot tall swing ride.
  • Sea Life Aquarium Orlando
  • Museum of Illusions Orlando
  • In The Game / 7D Motion Theater
  • Carousel on the Promenade at ICON Park
  • Pearl Express Train is a locomotive ride around the ICON Park Promenade[1]
  • Max Action Arena is an entertainment center with virtual reality technology and adventure rooms that was announced in fall 2022.[3]
  • Orlando Slingshot. The tallest slingshot ride in the world, standing at 300 feet tall.
  • Carousel Museum at ICON Park

Shopping

The park features more than 40 specialty retail kiosks around the ICON Park, as well as an original shop featuring park merchandise.

  • Build-A-Bear Workshop
  • Sugar Factory
  • The Wheelhouse Gift Shop
  • Calenoi Sunglasses
  • ICON Park Gifts
  • Breathe – A modern Wellness Bar
  • Currency Exchange International[1]

Restaurants

The park features several notable restaurant chains such as Buffalo Wild Wings, Outback Steakhouse and Shake Shack.

  • Tin Roof: A Live Music Joint
  • Blake Shelton's Ole Red
  • Gordon Ramsay Fish & Chips
  • Sloppy Joe's Orlando
  • Sugar Factory
  • Tapa Toro Spanish Restaurant
  • Uncle Julio's Mexican
  • Carrabba's Italian Grill
  • iCafe de Paris
  • Haagen-Dazs
  • The Wheelhouse Market Food Hall
  • iLounge Istanbul
  • ICON Park Sky Bar, Lawn Bar, Wheelhouse Bar
  • Brother Jimmy's[1]
  • Juan Valdez[4]

Former Attractions
  • Arcade City Orlando: an arcade at ICON Park. Permanently closed in March 2021 after being replaced by the new In the Game arcade which can be found inside ICON Park's Wheelhouse.[5]
  • The Orlando Free Fall: a 430 foot (131m) tall, free-standing drop tower. Permanently closed in 2022 following an accident resulting in the death of a 14-year-old rider. The structure was dismantled in March 2023.

Incidents and accidents
See also: Incidents at independent amusement parks

On March 24, 2022, 14-year-old Tyre Sampson of St. Louis, Missouri, fell to his death from the Orlando Free Fall ride.[6] Owned and operated by The Slingshot Group, the attraction opened as the tallest free-standing drop tower, and operated for less than 3 months prior to the accident.[7] The ride was immediately closed alongside another ride at the park, the Orlando Slingshot, also owned and operated by The Slingshot Group, as the investigation proceeded.[8] Through an investigation and report provided by Quest Engineering and Failure Analysis, Inc., it was discovered that the restraint proximity sensors of the seat Sampson was in had been manually adjusted after they had been initially secured in place by the ride manufacturer. The ride would not operate if the sensors detected that any of the restraints were not sufficiently closed, and this adjustment allowed the restraint to be open almost twice as wide as normal without triggering a shutdown. Consequently, Sampson's restraint left a large enough opening for him to slide out of his seat.[9][10] On October 6, 2022, ICON Park confirmed the permanent closure and future removal of the ride. Demolition began in March 2023, with the final pieces removed on March 22. [11]

The Orlando Slingshot, despite not causing any accidents, was temporarily closed due to the owners' fear of guilt by association.[12][13] The Orlando Slingshot reopened in May of 2023. [14]

A new skill/laser tag game known as Bullseye Blast was closed in July 2022 shortly after its introduction and put into a redesign, as social media users complained after several nationwide mass and school shootings. Centered on The Wheel, the game had players target certain buildings, streetlamps, and parking lots around park property with pre-placed targets using a laser tag-esque gun during a twenty-minute circuit on the wheel.[15][16]

On December 31, 2022, around 6:20 p.m., Orange County Fire and Rescue received a report of a power failure of The Wheel, stranding 62 people on the ride for over three hours.[17] Several videos emerged of large sparks, smoke, and fire coming off of the side of the wheel, slightly above one of the rides pods.[18] No injuries were reported.

References
  1. "Park Map & Directory". Icon Park. Retrieved March 27, 2022.
  2. "The Wheel at ICON Park". ICON Park®. Retrieved April 6, 2022.
  3. "Max Action Arena coming to ICON Park this fall". ICON Park®. Retrieved October 31, 2022.
  4. "Juan Valdez Coffee Store opens at ICON Park". ICON Park®. Retrieved October 31, 2022.
  5. https://www.clickorlando.com/theme-parks/2021/03/15/icon-park-levels-up-with-new-in-the-game-experience/#//
  6. "Boy, 14, dies after falling from FreeFall ride at ICON Park in Orlando". WFTV. March 25, 2022. Retrieved January 2, 2023.
  7. Bristow, Holly (March 30, 2022). "The Slingshot Group: Company behind Orlando FreeFall owns other rides in and around Florida". FOX 35 Orlando. Retrieved January 2, 2023.
  8. "Slingshot ride suspended at ICON Park amid FreeFall investigation". www.mynews13.com. Retrieved January 2, 2023.
  9. "READ THE REPORT: Engineer report on teen death at ICON Park". Orlando Sentinel. Retrieved January 2, 2023.
  10. Yancey-Bragg, N'dea. "Florida park ride seat was adjusted before 14-year-old boy fell to his death, accident report says". USA TODAY. Retrieved January 2, 2023.
  11. "Orlando FreeFall At ICON Park Has Now Been Fully Dismantled". Theme Park Tourist. March 25, 2023. Retrieved May 19, 2023.
  12. "Orlando FreeFall ride will be taken down after teen's death, operator says". CNN. October 6, 2022. Retrieved October 6, 2022.
  13. Phillips, Garrett (October 6, 2022). "Orlando Free Fall to be torn down after death of Tyre Sampson 6 months ago". WPEC. Retrieved January 2, 2023.
  14. Meredith, Michelle (May 12, 2023). "Orlando SlingShot ride reopens at ICON Park". WESH. Retrieved July 14, 2023.
  15. Mates, Thomas (July 15, 2022). "ICON Park pauses new game on The Wheel in Orlando that allowed riders to shoot at targets". ClickOrlando.com. WKMG-TV. Retrieved July 17, 2022.
  16. "Bullseye Blast Shooting Game on The Wheel at Icon Park". YouTube video. Attractions Magazine. June 23, 2022. Retrieved July 17, 2022.
  17. "The Wheel at ICON Park loses power, dozens of people rescued from ride, official says". FOX 35 Orlando. December 31, 2022. Retrieved January 2, 2023.
  18. Meredith, Michelle (January 2, 2023). "'Nerve-wracking': Riders recount being stuck on The Wheel at ICON Park after power failure". WESH. Retrieved January 2, 2023.
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