Preview of The Orlando Eye
The Orlando Eye officially opens on Monday 4th May but a couple of days ago we got to take a preview ride of the latest attraction to hit International Drive in Orlando.
After a photo op and a short preview movie, it was time to take our first ride aboard the Orlando Eye. The Eye has 30 capsules from where 10 to 15 people can enjoy a 20 to 25 minute ride taking in the Orlando area skyline. All the capsules have full length tinted glass, a small seating area, air-conditioning, lighting as well as audio effects and interactive tablets to enhance the guest experience.
A soothing voice-over points out sights in the distance and shares some interesting historical facts as guests spin a full cycle aboard the Eye .
Perhaps the biggest surprise is just how much natural beauty Orlando and Central Florida really has. For an area known for sprawl and man-made attractions, there was a surprising amount of nature visible from the air and it was interesting to see so many lakes and a lovely tree lined roof top in many areas of Orlando.
The wheel elevates you first towards the north and to some fabulous views over Universal Orlando, the home of Harry Potter, Hogwarts, the Incredible Hulk roller coaster (clearly visible) and Islands of Adventure theme park. You could also see Fun Spot America amusement park and the Downtown Orlando skyline.
To the east, there was a lot of greenery skirting the Lockheed Martin complex and out towards the Atlantic coast, even though it was hazy, it was possible to see the Vehicle Assembly Building at Kennedy Space Center. Amazing stuff!
As we turned round to the south, we saw the Orange County Convention Center and SeaWorld Orlando complete with a marvelous view of Kraken, the large roller coaster. A little further in the distance we spotted the Walt Disney World landmarks including Spaceship Earth at Epcot, otherwise known as the Epcot ball, Space Mountain at Magic Kingdom and several of the hotels on the property. Perhaps the easiest thing to spot was the Characters in Flight balloon ride at Downtown Disney, shortly to become Disney Springs.
Finally, looking to the west, the blue waters of Big Sand Lake and Little Sand Lake were in the foreground just beyond Interstate 4.
It was an amazing view even with a little haze in the morning air and it is a simply going to be a “must do” attraction to everyone visiting Orlando in the future.
Tickets for the attraction can be found at The Orlando Eye web site. https://www.officialorlandoeye.com/
More photos at www.FloridaLeisurePhotography.com
