Orlando Eye, Observation wheel in International Drive, Orlando, United States
The Orlando Eye by Merlin Entertainments is a 400-foot-tall (122 m) observation wheel at ICON Park on International Drive in Orlando, Florida. Its white steel lattice structure has a central hub with spokes radiating to a double rim, and 30 enclosed, air-conditioned capsules are spaced around the outer rim. Two angled white legs form an A-frame base, and at night the wheel is lit in bands of blue, green, red, purple and pink.
Planning began in March 2011, county commissioners approved the wheel in September 2012, and erection of the main support structure started in December 2013. The 30 air-conditioned capsules were installed from mid-January to February 5, 2015, and the first official passenger, a 13-year-old leukemia patient, rode on April 29, 2015. Merlin Entertainments renamed it Coca-Cola Orlando Eye in 2016, sold it as ICON Orlando in 2018, and it became The Wheel at ICON Park in 2019 before Merlin repurchased it in 2024.
The wheel sits on International Drive, the tourist strip of Orlando, and its name has followed its owners: Orlando Eye, Coca-Cola Orlando Eye in 2016, ICON Orlando in 2018, The Wheel at ICON Park in 2019, and Orlando Eye by Merlin Entertainments after the 2024 repurchase. The 2016 Coca-Cola deal added four "Surprise and Delight" capsules with a soda cooler and selfie sticks.
The wheel stands at ICON Park on International Drive. Its 30 enclosed capsules are air-conditioned and each holds up to 15 people. The structure is white steel lattice with an A-frame base, and at night it is lit in bands of blue, green, red, purple and pink. A sign near the base shows a red circle with a white diagonal bar.
One full rotation takes around 18 minutes, giving riders enough time to take photos or spot details in the landscape below. The capsules are fully enclosed with glass, allowing a clear view in any weather.
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