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ICON Park

From @bioreconstruct

Aerial view of where a 425-ft Ferris Wheel is to be built on I-Drive, Also Madam Tussauds, Sea Life attractions.

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This project is moving painfully slow. I wonder if they will be able to open this area before the end of 2013 (their first goal was to have it open by the end of Spring 2013, but that is absolutely not going to happen...).
 
The Orlando City Council was the hold up. Things have been moving pretty fast since it got approval from the city. They are de-watering the plot now. Vertical construction should be happening soon.
 
From WFTV

Vegas-style nightclub coming to I-Drive project

Whittall said beginning in February the construction will go vertical, which means those driving through the popular tourist area will start to see buildings going up.

Along with a 425-foot observation wheel, an aquarium and restaurants, a 20,000-square-foot Las Vegas-style night club with a pool is now part of the plans.

"The economic impact is going to be huge. If we bring in 4 million visitors a year, it's going to be hundreds of millions of dollars worth of economic impact in our area.

Whittall said the project is six months behind schedule. He said they are having a difficult time getting some large murals approved because they violate county code ordinances.

We were asking for a little bit of change that hasn't been done here. But we think this change is what's going to make the project," said Whittall.

Whittall said 50 percent of the I-Drive Live project will be open early next year. The nightclub and observation wheel will be open by the end of 2014.


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I was concerned at first because the article makes no mention of Madame Tussauds, but I see a logo for it in the second image. Not interested in a nightclub, but the rest of the project looks great.

I rode the London Eye a few years back; it's just barely taller than the proposed wheel. It's really neat and I'm really interested to see the view from the wheel. Between this and the Fun Spot addition, I might need to start including an I-Drive Day in my future vacations!
 
Looking good, much needed investment for I Drive.

Im happy to see Merlin moving more and more into Orlando, hopefully make my Merlin annual pass more valuable too.

I was going to ask if it was near the castle hotel, I can see that it is from HTFs first aerial pic. Had a couple of nights there last year, good price for a good hotel and a good location for the parks.
 
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At this point they are at least 6 months behind schedule. Certainly not by Sept/Oct 2013. April 2014 is your best hope. The Holidays 2013 is the soonest we will see anything open.

Dang, look like I will need to plan a third trip then.:rofl:
 
From ORLANDO THEME PARK NEWS!

New I-Drive Live Permits: Sea Life & Tussaud's

Today we have a great deal of new information regarding the upcoming I-Drive Live project to share with you. As most of our readers know, we are incredibly excited about it because of the addition of a Sea Life Center, a Madame Tussaud's museum, the huge Orlando Eye, and multiple new shops, restaurants, attractions, hotels, and much more! This is definitely going to be a game changer for the already popular International Drive area.
 
^
Let us first compare the newer look of the area with the former look (the plan has slightly changed for the better):

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Compare this with this slightly older artwork:

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Let's hope the giant American Flag graphic on the side of the wheel doesn't make a return. :lol:

I am as patriotic as the next person, but the original concept art looks downright tacky. The wheel just as it is looks better by miles.
 
Woohoo! Just got wind of this project, so exciting! I think this is really a great addition to International Drive. Funny to think that when I was eating at the Joes Crab Shack in April of 2012, I kept thinking of all the possibilities this land had to offer!

Pretty excited for the Carrabba's too! :drool5: Even though theres another already in Orlando :p

Can't wait to see it go vertical next month! :thumbs:
 
A night club with a swimming pool? :inquisitive:

oookay :shrug:

Yeap..its the biggest thing on the strip right now...it started at the Wynn, then Encore and Cosmopolitan decided to open up their own clubs...they are basically 24 hour clubs..during the day they just call it a Dayclub :lol:
 
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