Florida 2018: 'The Skyscraper' - Intamin - world's tallest coaster

[Martin]

I just find it so strange that coaster enthusiasts are not just ambivalent but actually opposed to the building of a unique, ridiculous coaster full of inversions and crazy elements, along with various other attractions and things to do, just because the structure isn't aesthetically pleasing to them.

A lot of people find RMT rides ugly, which is fine, these things are subjective, but no one opposes them being built for that reason. As far as I'm concerned this thing can look as ugly as it wants if it turns out as crazy as the plans suggest.

 

[Sku]

I hope it does get built, for the above listed reasons. But it is ugly, ridiculous, and probably doesn't have a long shelf life. Wouldn't want it in my town, but I'll look forward to a ride if it gets built!

 

[DiogoJ42]

I go past the Orbit Tower twice a day. Trust me, this thing is a work of art by comparison.

 

[Rob]

Because it's an eyesore - I feel sorry for anybody living within a 10 mile radius of it.

Take a read of this article published by the Orlando Sentinel, I've put the text in a quote here as you appear to need a subscription to read it online:

Last year, when the Orlando Skyplex announced plans to build the world's tallest roller coaster on International Drive, it made worldwide news. Media from NBC's "Today" show to the London Daily Mail fawned over the 570-foot-tall attraction's jaw-dropping plunges.

YouTube videos featuring animated renderings of the vertical drops and twisty turns were viewed millions of times.

From Vegas to Milwaukee, media showed viewers what Orlando was doing and asked: "Would you dare ride it?"

Everyone was excited.

Well ... not everyone.

Unbeknownst to many, Universal Orlando has been quietly lobbying to quash Skyplex's sky-high ambitions.

You see, the Skyplex needs permission from the county to build that high. And Universal — which operates coasters of its own — has been griping to county officials.

At a meeting of county staffers back in May, a Universal attorney complained that the Skyplex would prompt a "character change" to I-Drive.

If so, bring it on.

Seriously. much of I-Drive is T-shirt shops, fast food and hookah lounges. If the Skyplex will change that character, please go right ahead.

Universal's attorney also argued that the Skyplex would create "visual intrusion and sound intrusion" at the site at the intersection of I-Drive and Sand Lake Road.

And that part — Universal arguing that a ride might bother people — is downright laughable.

Sixteen years ago, when I was a beat reporter covering Orange County, I remember sitting with residents on the patios of homes in the Orange Tree subdivision — right across the street from Islands of Adventure and the park's Dueling Dragons roller coasters.

For 12 hours a day and into the night, coaster wheels clicked, carts roared and passengers screamed. Some residents said the coasters even rattled their homes.

Today, those coasters still roar across the street from residents.

Now, consider the neighbors of the Skyplex: A giant McDonald's, a liquor store, hotels, bars and restaurants ... oh, and a 425-foot-tall Ferris wheel just down the street.

According to Universal's logic, loud coasters near homes are fine. But a tall coaster in one of the busiest tourist strips in America would be a big problem.

That doesn't even pass the straight-face test.

Joshua Wallack, developer of the Skyplex, said Universal is really just scared of the competition.

"They don't want I-Drive entertainment district becoming competitive with CityWalk or their theme park," he said. "They have started coming at us in all these meetings, throwing everything at us they can, hoping something will stick."

Universal said that's not the case. While noting it built its own park under "more restrictive guidelines," Universal spokesman Tom Schroder said: "We compete on a global basis, not with individual attractions on I-Drive. Most of our guests know they will visit us before they arrive in town."

If that was true, Universal wouldn't have an attorney griping about this individual attraction.

Still, it should be true.

Universal is the giant wizard on the block. It kicks theme-park tail. Ever since Harry Potter opened, the park has shattered attendance and profit records. It's pioneering and popular.

It's not like a family planning a trip to Orlando for Universal will spy a giant coaster and say: Ya know what? Forget Universal.

Plus, I'll be honest: I've been skeptical about whether the Skyplex will ultimately rise.

While I like Wallack's vision and spunk, I've worked too long in this town to believe every pie-in-the-sky proposal — whether it's a supposed "seven-star hotel" or billion-dollar resort.

Wallack says he's the real deal, having already acquired the land and invested more than $100 million, an admittedly big deal.

But it doesn't matter what I think. Skyplex should succeed or fail on its own merits, financing and market conditions — not because Universal or anyone else is afraid of competition.

And certainly not because county commissioners or officials take orders from the bully on the block ... even if he does have a cool wand.

This is not being built in one of the world's natural beauty locations, it is I-Drive! With the Orlando Eye now in place something like the Skyplex project will only complement the changes going on. I-Drive is a bit of a mess at present, it's lost a lot of appeal. It needs this!

Plus I'm sure the people who live in this area of Orlando are used to lots of big buildings and structures around them full of bright lights etc. That's kind of the point of the area.

 

[smudge]

Never feel sorry for anyone living in Florida - especially on I Drive :/

 

[Rob]

Intamin have shown off their version of this at IAAPA now that they have the contract for the project. It features a vertical lift rather than a long spiral lift up the tower. You can also see how the drop tower is to be integrated:

 

[Sku]

It now looks more like a really tall rollercoaster with a drop tower down the middle, a bit like Kingda Ka I guess. Obviously the track layout is a lot more unconventional though!

Previous concepts gave more of an impression of a rollercoaster attached to a skyscraper, now it just looks more like a really tall standalone coaster, which just happens to have a drop tower and observation deck.

Doesn't really change my impression of the project, just interesting to note it slowly becoming more grounded in reality as it progresses.

 

[Rob]

Skyplex is now not the only proposed development in this area of International Drive. Unicorp National Developments have revealed a masterplan they have for the area:

This development would link Skyplex with I-Drive 360 (i.e. location of Orlando Eye) with new hotels, retail space, entertainment and open green space. There are also plans for new restaurants, a theatre and outdoor water show on a lake to the east of the Orlando Eye.

Overall I've got to say this entire development looks outstanding as is just what I-Drive needs. I can only hope that it all goes ahead.

 

[Rob]

GOOD NEWS!!

Despite the planning and zoning board voting against recommeding that this should go ahead back in October, the Orange County Commission last night voted unanimously for the project which means it is allowed to go ahead!

I watched a large portion of the meeting last night; in total there were 46 people who spoke to give their opinions on whether the were for or against the project. I missed the start but everone who I heard speak strongly supported the project, well, not everyone. There were two speakers from Universal who spoke against it citing various issues. The most amusing of these was that this had nothing to do with competition but community. They claimed to care for the local community and that Skyplex is not for the good of the community. Yet it was the rest of the community that were speaking at the meeting and the support was far greater than could ever be imagined. Universal were well and truly put in their place.

Universal actually sent out a couple of hundred thousand flyers to all the residents of Orange County urging them to be against the Skyplex project. This junk mail didn't go down too well and as pointed out by the Skyplex developers, Universal have acted as big bullys.

But why would Universal be so opposed to a project such as this? Are they really concerned about the height or the increased traffic? Of course they are not but this is the line they have to take. Their main concern is added competition and their want to feel like they have full control of their surroundings. Disney control their entire world as they bought all the land; Universal do not have this luxury so have to resort to underhand tactics to get what they want. Of course Skyplex will not take guests away from either of Universal's theme parks. However no doubt it could take guests away from CityWalk in the evenings. And it emerged last night that Universal have the option to buy 474 acres of land off Universal Bullevard, 2 miles from the Skyplex development. They want a monopoly in the area which they just can't get.

Now, let's hope this does get built. You can read more about last night's meeting at the Orlando Sentinel.

 

[Martin]

Great news, hope it's built sooner rather than later, I'd hate to miss out on this, I still think it looks incredible.

 

[Maelstrom]

Currently planned to open in 2018 now.

 

[Sam]

Bumpety-bump.

Wasn't really sure where else to put this. At Amsterdam's Stedelijk I went to an exhibition of the French artist Jean Tinguely. His big thing was making kinetic sculptures that moved (and often self-destructed). They are often really spindly and delicate but nearly always ridiculous, like a fantastical man-machine beast from a children's story. Worth a quick watch of this video to see his machines in action.

Anyway there were sketches in this exhibition of a project he designed that never materialised due to its scale and cost, and presumably because it would have been technically impossible at the time. I took the photos below (apologies for poor photography skills). The sketches look remarkably similar to the 'The Skyscraper', and the Polercoaster or whatever the other similar projects are called.

As you can see it would've included a coaster, a ferris wheel and what looks like a Dumbo-style ride. Seems like it would have been funded by corporate sponsorship.

Can't remember what his planned tower was called so unfortunately I can't find any more info on the net. Perhaps it was never more concrete than the above drawings. I read elsewhere in the exhibition that Walt Disney approached him to work on a collaboration at one point, though presumably Tinguely was a bit too avant-garde to be building audio-animatronics.

 

[Matt N]

So... what happened to this thing? The most up-to-date info I can find is that this is due to open in 2020, with construction on the Skyplex due to start in 2017. As far as I know, construction has not started yet. And as it's now December 2017, they are cutting it quite fine. Is this becoming the Paramount London of the USA in that it has been delayed loads? The original proposal would have seen the ride open last year. How crazy is that?

 

[MattyH]

I'm holding out more hope for that London Park than this.