Credit: International Drive OrlandoOne of the most recognizable icons of Florida’s theme park scene has a new owner: Merlin Entertainments.
When it comes to Central Florida’s theme parks, Walt Disney World Resort, Universal Orlando Resort, and SeaWorld Orlando get most of the attention. However, Orlando is also home to ICON Park – previously known as I-Drive 360 – a 20-acre entertainment complex just 11 minutes away from Disney World, for which tickets are sold on a per-ride basis.
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The most iconic of these rides is The Wheel at ICON Park Orlando. First opened in 2015, the 400-foot-tall Ferris wheel offers views of the Orlando area, with the likes of Hogwarts Castle, The Incredible Hulk Coaster, Spaceship Earth, and Magic Kingdom’s Happily Ever After fireworks all visible on a good day.
As of this week, however, The Wheel at ICON Park Orlando has a new name. It is now known as the Orlando Eye (or, more formally, as The Orlando Eye by Merlin Entertainments), having been purchased by the British-themed entertainment company.
“Today’s acquisition of the Orlando Wheel in the vitally important tourist hub of Orlando demonstrates our Gateway strategy in action and serves to replicate our successful London Gateway formula, whereby we have clustered four of our branded attractions alongside the iconic anchor that is The London Eye,” said Scott O’Neil, CEO of Merlin Entertainments. “Similarly, The Orlando Eye by Merlin Entertainments will become an unmissable stop on visitors’ itineraries, delivering an elevated experience with unobstructed 360-degree views of the ICON Park area and beyond. We look forward to connecting guests to our wider portfolio of premium attractions and resort theme parks in and around Orlando as well, including our SEA LIFE aquarium, Madame Tussauds, LEGOLAND Florida Resort and Peppa Pig Theme Park.”
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This isn’t the first time Merlin Entertainments has owned the iconic wheel. The company operated the Orlando Eye under the same name from 2015 to 2016, when it was sponsored by Coca-Cola and renamed the Coca-Cola Orlando Eye. In 2018, it was sold and renamed ICON Orlando after the park took over ownership.
Now, six years later, the Orlando Eye is back under its original owners. Merlin Entertainments is no stranger to Florida’s theme park scene, currently operating Legoland Florida Resort, Peppa Pig Theme Park Florida, Madame Tussauds Orlando, and Sea Life Orlando (the latter two are both also located at ICON Park).
ICON Park also shared a statement on the wheel’s change of ownership, confirming that it was a positive move for the park. “We successfully built and developed it into a famous Orlando landmark, and now welcome The Orlando Eye by Merlin Entertainments as one of our outstanding ICON Park tenants,” said its President and CEO Chris Jaskiewicz. “We’re proud that Merlin recognized the global appeal of this attraction, and of ICON Park as a destination, in selecting us as the site to expand their popular brands in Central Florida.”
ICON Park has experienced its fair share of controversy over the past few years. In March 2022, 14-year-old guest Tyre Sampson died after falling from his seat on the park’s Orlando FreeFall ride. The attraction – which was the world’s tallest free-standing drop tower – was subsequently closed and dismantled, with the incident blamed on ICON Park workers manually adjusting Sampson’s restraints, leaving enough room for him to slip from the restraints.
The Orlando Eye has also suffered multiple issues during its tenure. In 2015, the ride malfunctioned and stranded 66 riders for approximately three hours. It experienced more issues on New Year’s Eve in 2022 when Orange County Fire Rescue had to rescue over 60 people following a power malfunction and reports of a small fire. The ride remained closed for nearly two months.
Have you ever been on the Orlando Eye? Let us know your thoughts on the attraction in the comments!