ICON Orlando Experience Review with Ocean Florida*

The experience in this post was gifted by Ocean Florida, all thoughts and opinions are my own.

Last month LM and I headed out to Florida for our 6th trip. We had 12 glorious days exploring Disney, Universal and Sea World. One evening we ventured over to ride the ICON Orlando wheel courtesy of the lovely people at Ocean Florida. If you haven’t heard of them yet, Ocean Florida are a travel company who’s main aim is to help you put together your dream vacation to where else, Florida. If you’re planning a holiday, definitely check them out.

I had heard of the ICON Orlando wheel as it’s where one of my closest friends received her wedding proposal from her now husband a couple of years back. I’d also driven past it on a few occasions, as it’s not hard to miss a 400ft tall observation wheel, especially when it’s all lighten up at night. Having taken Little Miss on the London Eye a couple of years back, I was excited to experience this with her as it was something a bit different to our usual Disney only trip. She’s also a complete daredevil and not at all afraid of heights.

Our friend came with us as it wasn’t something she had experienced either. As I mentioned above, the wheel isn’t hard to miss so we could see it coming into view on our drive over from Disney and there is a parking structure right beside it that costs nothing. If you don’t have a car, you can take the I-Ride trolley as it’s just off International Drive, or you can even hop in an UBER. It’s in such an area of Orlando that is super accessible for tourists.

As we had a lot of Disney filled days, we decided to do the wheel at night. Although you don’t get a real view of the area, the sparkling lights of the city are beautiful and without a doubt it was a nice way to spend an evening. The observation wheel is open from 10am – 10pm Sunday to Thursday and 10am – 12pm Friday and Saturday.

On arrival we discovered the entrance to the wheel is surrounded by an area filled with restaurant, stores and other attractions. You could quite easily spend a whole evening or even day exploring. As well as the observation wheel there is a Sea Life Centre, Madame Tussauds and even a Skeleton Museum. I was pleasantly surprised and wished I’d pencilled in more time to explore but before arriving I figured it would be very much like the London Eye and stand alone.

In the main building there is a check in desk like at an airport where you can purchase tickets or exchange any vouchers you have. The whole place was very quiet but I think that was because we went midweek and in the evening. Then there was bag check, again the same as any theme park you’d visit in the area. Once you were through it was a short walk to boarding. Before you board there is a photograph area where you’ll have you photo taken against a green screen. At the end you’ll get to view them and decide if you want to buy them. There is also a ICON Orlando “wall” (if you know, you know).

LM wasn’t in the best moods at the start (because I made her leave Disney) so she insisted on carrying Baby Dory around. Kids, eh?

I have to admit, my favourite thing about the ICON Orlando wheel is the fact that you get your own pod. At first I wasn’t sure if this was standard or because it was quiet during our visit, but on reading some of the other reviews it looks like each party gets their own pod. I LOVE this. I felt so self concious talking on the London Eye and worrying about ruining someone else’s experience that LM and I just stood quietly watching out the window and occasionally I’d point something out to her. But on this observation wheel we were able to chat all the way around and enjoy each others company.

There were a couple of touch screen tablets that pointed out places of interest on the view for you but since it was dark we just enjoyed the ride trying to guess what theme park was in each direction.

The wheel was completely accessible too which was fantastic, I liked knowing that families with less able members of their party would still be able to enjoy the experience. The pod was roomy too with a single bench in the middle and a bar around the side to hold onto if you wished. It moved slowly and as it was the evening we were treated to a light show on the wheel itself.

Although I didn’t feel like the pod itself was as sealed as other wheels i’ve been on, I did feel completely safe the whole time. The pod itself was comfortable even in the Florida heat (last month it was unseasonably hot). I’m not a huge fan of heights but the pod didn’t swing at all and the pace the wheel moved at was smooth. It lasted about 25 minutes and we timed it perfectly so we were able to watch the fireworks from Disney! I’m glad we had a Florida native to point us in the right direction but there was no denying it was magical being able to watch them from the top of the wheel.

Once we disembarked we walked through a shop and back out into the main building. The gift shop had everything from ICON Orlando merch to gifts and toys for children. We didn’t buy anything and instead opted for ice cream from Sugar Factory next door.

It was a truly fantastic experience and I really hope we can go again during the day to compare the view in the light. It’s a perfect addition to an Orlando holiday especially if you want to see more than just the theme parks. It’s $27.99 for a standard flight, but there are additions to make your ride even more special such as including the Sky Bar or one of the other attractions.