Orlando Eye

Orlando Eye
General information
Status Complete
Type Ferris wheel
Location 8401 International Drive, Orlando, Florida, US
Opened  • 1st passenger: April 29, 2015
 • Official: May 4, 2015
Owner  • Structure: Circle Entertainment[1][2]
 • 'Eye' brand: Merlin Entertainments (tenant & operator)[3]
Height 400 ft (122 m)
Website
https://www.officialorlandoeye.com/

The Orlando Eye is a 400 ft (122 m) tall giant Ferris wheel near Orlando, Florida, US. It carried its first passenger on April 29, 2015.[4] Since July 28, 2016, it has been known as Coca-Cola Orlando Eye.[5][6]

Design and construction

The Orlando Eye is described by its operator Merlin Entertainments[7] as an observation wheel, because "[t]his is a stabilized-driven (capsule) that gives you a really smooth experience on the way around, so it doesn't feel like when you're at 400-feet, that you're swinging around in mid-air."[8] According to its official website, the Orlando Eye is the first wheel ever to use such a system in combination with a suspended 'ski lift capsule design'.[9]

The wheel was reported to be in the early stages of planning in March 2011,[7] with completion due in the summer of 2014 and was approved by county commissioners in September 2012.[7]

In January 2013, it was reported that the expected opening date had been pushed back to "by Thanksgiving [November] 2014".[10] Erection of the main support structure began in December 2013.[11] In April 2014 it was reported that completion had been further delayed until Spring 2015.[8]

Installation of the 30 air-conditioned passenger capsules, each of which can carry up to 15 persons, began in mid-January 2015, and the last capsule was installed on February 5, 2015.[12]

In mid-February, it was announced that the soft opening was scheduled for May 1, followed by a grand opening ceremony on May 4.[13]

Malfunctions

On July 3, 2015, at around 4:00pm, a few months after operations began, the Eye experienced a technical fault with the system that monitors the wheel position, causing the system to automatically shut down, stranding about 66 riders for approximately three hours.[14]

Rebranding

On July 28, 2016, the Orlando Eye followed the more famous Coca-Cola London Eye in becoming sponsored by the Coca-Cola company. The deal included the renaming of the Eye and four new "Surprise and Delight" capsules, which are branded capsules with a cooler of soda and selfie sticks.[5][6]

References

  1. ↑ Merlin Entertainments confirms talks with Circle Entertainment
  2. ↑ Wood, Debra (March 17, 2011). "Merlin Eyes Orlando for Ferris Wheel Project". ENR Southeast. Retrieved January 23, 2016.
  3. ↑ Merlin Entertainments PLC - Announcement of Intention to Float Archived September 25, 2015, at the Wayback Machine.
  4. ↑ Jensen, Christina (April 30, 2015). "13-year-old leukemia patient becomes Orlando Eye's first official rider". News 13. Retrieved January 23, 2016.
  5. 1 2 "Orlando Eye is renamed the Coca-Cola Orlando Eye". 28 July 2016. Retrieved 28 July 2016.
  6. 1 2 Dineen, Caitlin. "Orlando Eye officially flies Coca-Cola banner". Orlando Sentinel. Retrieved 28 July 2016.
  7. 1 2 3 Cruz, Georgina (January 19, 2015). "Orlando Eye observation wheel set to open in spring". Orlando Sentinel.
  8. 1 2 Fais, Scott (April 16, 2014). "I-Drive 360: Construction continues on the Orlando Eye". Bay News 9.
  9. ↑ Alava, Andrea (January 20, 2015). "Passenger Capsules Begin Installation". Orlando Eye.
  10. ↑ "Construction to soon begin on Orlando Eye". Click Orlando. January 24, 2013.
  11. ↑ "I-Drive Live: The Orlando Eye Goes Vertical!". Orlando Parks News. December 11, 2013.
  12. ↑ Bevil, Dewayne. "Orlando Eye: All 30 capsules now in place". orlandosentinel.com. Orlando Sentinel. Retrieved 5 February 2015.
  13. ↑ Dineen, Caitlin (February 17, 2015). "Orlando Eye grand opening set for May 4; Harris to Tussauds". Orlando Sentinel.
  14. ↑ "Orlando Eye back open after malfunction left riders stuck". WFTV. July 4, 2015.

Coordinates: 28°26′36″N 81°28′06″W / 28.443198°N 81.468296°W / 28.443198; -81.468296

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