ICON Park have today, Friday, February 10, shared the good news that the entertainment district's iconic attraction The Wheel at ICON Park has now reopened!
“The Wheel has been successfully run for days now to assure that all systems are ‘Go!’ and it has passed all inspections to allow the safe and fun operation of this spectacular attraction”
The Wheel has been closed since New Year's Eve, December 31, when that the lights went out high above I-Drive as the The Wheel lost power, sparking dramatic scenes as firefighters climbed the massive structure to rescue stranded passengers.
Now, after weeks, when crews have spend endless hours repairing The Wheel, and inspecting thousands of components on the 400-foot observation wheel, and with state inspectors giving approval for the attraction to reopen, The Wheel is now turning again.
ICON Park released a statement, commenting “We’d like to thank the technical team and our outside engineering partners who have worked hundreds of additional hours to help complete repairs and the meticulous inspections required by our internal safety protocols.”
ICON Park president Chris Jaskiewicz has especially appreciated the support of the local community during The Wheel's downtime, saying “We especially appreciate the community’s support as we have through this process, and we are pleased that Orlando’s most visible ‘welcome to the world’ is open.”
ICON Park on International Drive was hosting a New Year's Eve party, December 31, when the entertainment centres observation wheel, known simply as The Wheel lost power, resulting in a multi hour rescue operation by Orange County Fire Rescue to safely bring dozens of passengers back down to the ground.
At the time of the power failure there were 20 pods occupied on the ride, with Orange County Fire Rescue confirming that they had to rescue 62 people left trapped inside the pods during the incident.
Officials said no one was hurt, and ICON Park confirmed in a statement at the time saying, “The Wheel lost power Saturday night and we’re working with the Orange County Fire Department to safely evacuate guests.”
