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Polercoaster is a different own (Wallack from Mango's not Whittall of Unicorp). But 360 does have a number of other attractions in the works including a zipline, ropes course, and possibly another tower ride. Plus Whittall is still brainstorming ideas for the top of the parking garage after the heliport was voted down by the county. And don't forget the new hotel replace McFadden's and the apartments in the surface lot behind the wheel. We should start to hear some Skyplex/Polercoaster news soon. Wallack has said from day one that his plan was to open Mango's, then open the Hollywood Plaza, then open Skyplex. The Hollywood Plaza is opening by the middle of this year. That will bring with it the expanded Hulk beach shop (and new VR experience), a second retail store, the rooftop restaurant, plus the garage which will allow for Mango's to open its rooftop (it wasn't able to before due to parking restrictions).

It's a new land within the existing park. The name, "Lego Movie World," is what's *likely* throwing people off. If LLF was to add a second gate (or 3rd if you count the water park as it's 2nd) my vote is for Cypress Gardens to be it's own gate but that would be hard with the current park layout. The blog post for this mentioned two new rides. Permits show a large building and a small kiddie flat ride. Chima is getting remodeled. It's not clear (at least to me) if redone Chima is the 2nd new ride or if the land will have 3 rides, 2 being new. Previously, the thought was the bldg was a large dark ride, similar to the haunted house going to one of the European Legolands. The blog post mentioned character meet-and-greets. The bldg could house that despite a small outdoor M&G looking area on the other side of the land.

The Orlando Eye and I-Drive 360 is being rebranded at ICON Orlando. Things of interest in the press release- A new nightly light show using both the wheel and the fountains. The wheel now has its own annual pass. I've requested info on what this means regarding Merlin's management and ticketing but have yet to hear back. The capsules now have Wi-Fi as well which is great for live videos and Snapchat since the top of the wheel has weak phone signal. I've cut and paste the press release below. --------------------------------------------------------- ORLANDO, Fla. (May 9, 2018) – IDL Parent LLC, owners of the I-Drive 360 entertainment complex on International Drive, announced today a new name for its towering 400-foot centerpiece, the Coca-Cola® Orlando Eye, which is now ICON Orlando. An innovative marketing campaign will be launched following the rebrand, encouraging guests to “Find their Iconic Moment” at the 18-acre complex, which has also been renamed ICON Orlando 360. The new web addresswww.iconorlando.com will go live on Monday, May 14. “Since opening three years ago, the observation wheel has become an instantly recognizable part of the Central Florida landscape and a catalyst for growth along the I-Drive corridor,” said Cindy Campbell-Taylor, vice president of marketing, sales and public affairs at ICON Orlando 360. “As such, the new ICON Orlando name makes perfect sense as we introduce some key changes and position this iconic structure for the future.” According to Campbell-Taylor, the new ICON Orlando 360 will be adding several new “ICONic” experiences in the coming months, including: ICONic Annual Pass – Guests can enjoy 365 days of ICONic fun for only $69 (plus tax). Price includes unlimited entrance to the ICON Orlando. Annual pass holders can also bring a friend at a discounted rate. 7/14-Day Trade Ticket – Trade Partners can now offer their visitors added flexibility to their vacation with a 7-day or 14-day ticket that includes unlimited visits to ICON Orlando Enhanced Fully Immersive Capsules – ICON Orlando capsules will soon include Wi-Fi, as well as customized immersive experiences allowing guests the opportunity to personalize their flight. FUN IN THE SKY: Private Party Capsule – For adults only, the private party capsule features complimentary beer/wine and a private bartender for up to 10 guests. Guest can also upgrade to a second rotation and enjoy the flight a little longer. ICONic Every Night: Nightly Light Show – Coming later this year, ICON Orlando will come alive even more with enhanced synchronized nightly display incorporating the courtyard fountains. Other changes on the horizon at ICON Orlando 360 include the new high-tech Justice League: A Call for Heroesexperience at Madame Tussauds Orlando (May 25), and theOrlando StarFlyer, a massive swing ride that will give extreme thrill seekers one-of-a-kind, open-air views from 425 feet above the ground (June 1). The ICON Orlando 360 rebrand comes as the complex nears 100 percent occupancy and ownership company IDL Parent LLC shifts from development to management, with a focus on enhancing the guest experience. Now managing the newly named ICON Orlando is an executive team led by CEO Rosemary Rose; Senior Vice President of Facilities, Engineering and Security Bill Kivler; Vice President of Marketing, Sales and Public Affairs Cindy Campbell-Taylor; and Vice President of Operations & Finance Jim Forrester. ### About ICON Orlando 360: ICON Orlando 360 is a one-of-a-kind dining and entertainment complex in the middle of Orlando’s International Drive tourist district. The main attraction is the 400-foot ICON Orlando, one of the world’s tallest observation wheels. ICON ORLANDO 360 also features SEA LIFE Orlando Aquarium, Madame TussaudsOrlando, SKELETONS: Museum of Osteology and the new StarFlyer, opening this Summer. The 18-acre complex offers more than a dozen restaurants and bars, central courtyard and fountain with choreographed water displays, as well as live entertainment, vendors, special events, and private space for meetings and events. Developed in a partnership that includes Paul and Dayssi Kanavos and Adam Raboy of Flag Luxury Group; Brett Torino of The Torino Companies; and Chuck Whittall of Unicorp National Development, I-Drive 360 opened May 2015.

Disney has Toy Story Land. Universal has a big new nighttime water show. Infinity Falls looks great but also looks to be behind schedule. Lets just hope it opens by July 4th!

I'm not going to get into the propaganda piece that is Blackfish but SWO was hurting before the film. It was Hogsmeade that hurt it, though Blackfish certainly didn't help. While these numbers look great, a big part of this is thanks to Easter. Still a positive quarter, despite the lawsuit and servance pay which hurt the bottom line. In the end, the parks seem to coming back slowly but surely. Only question is- will it be enough to hold off a takeover of the company?

It was part of a Boy Scouts program nationwide for the bicentennial. There's 200 of them spread around the country. I think it's charming and unique. A better placed plaque explaining why it's there could be handy nearby.

Regarding Deland, we can't forget that at one point Volusia County was looking to expand SunRail to Daytona Beach via new tracks along I-4. That route actually makes a lot more sense to me than the current Amtrak in BFE plan or the downtown plan many on here wish for. A new rail line through downtown Deland seems like it would be crazy expensive with ROWs but an I-4 route could use the Park and Ride stations already being used at many of the Volusia County exits. I think connecting to Daytona Beach in the area near the Speedway would be a much bigger win than connecting directly to downtown Deland.

I disagree. I'm in Tampa twice every week. These proposals look nice but a lot of the new construction is very very bland. One building about to be finished is literally a giant grey box with little windows, I swear it looks like a prison. Most of the new construction is bland, even by Orlando standards. Then there's areas like West Shore with ugly, generic apartment buildings similar to what we see going in SoDo but in Westshore they rarely have any retail and all are independent with walkability almost impossible. Traffic is nightmare since none of the parking lots connect. Tampa has promise but it still has a long ways to go to even be on the same level as Orlando.

I love the colored glass. Reminds me of the Friction building in downtown Winter Park beside the train station.

A McDonald's would do wonders with all the field trip groups

Colonial Plaza is pretty close. I actually visit the one in Winter Park pretty much every Thursday (Prime Rib night). Let's be honest, Ale House would probably be more popular than many of the current restaurants (I'm looking at you Firebirds). Does The Yard have any restaurant spaces in it?

In some of the interviews Chuck Whittall mentioned big electronic billboards along I-4 for O-Town West so I think it does go all the way up to I-4.

Yes. And ironically, it was Universal who had originally placed the deed restrictions baring theme parks from being built there. They sold 1,200 acres in 2003, they now look to have acquired around 700-1,000 acres back but have paid more than double what they sold it for. I tried to give a rundown of the history of the deed restrictions in my article on it . One interesting thing yet to come out of this is what land Stan Thomas has remaining and what will happen to it. That and the Ripley's lot are the two big question marks outside of Universal's holdings.

Thanks for the discussion regarding my article! Here is the powerpoint regarding value engineering the Beyond the Ultimate. According to this, the viaduct system saves $27.1 million over ROW purchases (slide 34). The difference between here and downtown is in downtown most the widening is on top of other roads, very few private parcels seem purchased in downtown. The image in question above is from this powerpoint (Slide 19). It also goes into some of the funding regarding the BtU project.

Wouldn't a slight curve like this slow traffic and therefore help make the area more pedestrian friendly?

The one here was a traditional gondola system with AC'd gondolas. But there was a Transit X style system just proposed for Clearwater.

I recall seeing plans that called for toll lanes nearly all the way to 95 in Daytona. The Beyond the Ultimate project looks to be heating up. (See the Attractions area board for that discussion.) That project will take the I-4 Ultimate design all the way to 27. (Which I just say is impressively landscaped these days.) Ironically, on the Tampa side there's discussion on adding toll lames to their end of I-4. Those talks have been controversy filled, as are all transit debates there. I think that project is currently on theback burner, but I doubt it'll ever truly die. If it gets built it could extend toll lanes to all the way to Lakeland (though many proposals cut it off on the western edge side of Plant City). If the Lakeland length plans there happen it could mean an I-4 that's nearly completely rebuilt and with tolls lane running nearly the entire length of it. One interesting aspect of the Beyond the Ultimate project is that it deals with the Orlando stretch of I-4 was to have a high speed train. It'd make sense for a transit option to be added at the same time as the I-4 rebuild. MCO to 27. It seems like the perfect time to do it. A gondola system was once proposed along 50 connecting Pine Hills to downtown to the executive airport and eventually out to UCF. There was even a few local politicians who traveled to Central or South America to see systems in use. I still think a gondola system us likely our best option at this point for east-west connectivity. I'm hopeful the one currently under construction at WDW will help more people buy into the benefits of gondola transit.

Just caddy-corner to here is Vista Way. I'm surprised that FDOT isn't shifting the plans to use that site instead but with Crossroads closing and Disney likely closing Vista Way I expect a major development going on that land even more. This should also help Palm Parkway.

Don't forget, it actually worked for the high speed rail. (I'm still sour over that and hope it comes up in Scott's Senate bid...)

Technically, maglev states it's just waiting for new Orange County leadership and isn't dead but yeah, I'd say it's dead. Issue with East/West SunRail routes are the lack of rail lines (ironically thanks in part to the many bikes trails in the area). Elevated lines, like what maglev called for, would be difficult with the current SunRail trains. If a MCO to I-Drive connector happens I'd love to see it run up Kirkman. A bus dedicated lanethe length of Kirkman is in the long term plans but light rail along this route would be even better. As far as UCF goes, I think something like earlier proposed gondola system is a better option. I live 1 block from a SunRail station (Winter Park) and rarely use it because it doesn't run when I need it, like nights and weekends. I suspect the same would be true for UCF students. I know when I was there for grad school all my classes were late afternoon and evenings, often times with classes not getting out until 10 PM and me not getting out to my car well past 11 or 12. I suspect the next leg after Phase 2 and 3 would be the Orange Blossom Express simply because the tracks already exist and many of the stations (Mt. Dora, Eustis, Tavares, Winter Garden) do as well. It'd be great to see them add a stop in the upcoming Packing District too.

I totally agree. I worry that the ARB might have too much say in designs here. They seem to push everything into a specific look that might look aged in a few years. We're seeing the same thing in Winter Park too.

Yes, exact same setup on the north and south side. During the Match Day one side was males and one side was females. It was awesome watching the planes coming into MCO too.

I went the College MatchDay UF vs FSU at the USTA. They had bleachers on one side of the courts with temp ones on the end. The other side is grass and can accommodate more bleachers if needed. There's a tiny stadium near the main building that looks like its probably used for classes or something. The USTA doesn't have a permanent stadium but it looks like they could construct one rather easily if needed.

O-Town West is a huge deal. I see this hurting I-Drive and becoming a major player in local retail. Even more so than I-Drive 360. Sent from my SM-N950U using Tapatalk

It looks to have a small building with a taller stretching over it. Maybe that lot and the Fairwinds tower parking lot, might even integrate the Fairwinds tower into it. Edit- looking on a brighter screen I can see that it's part of the same building. Just ignore me and my blind self. Sent from my SM-N950U using Tapatalk