Skyplex Expand Vision Adding Pedestrian Plaza and 450-Foot Drop Ride
Developers of The Skyscraper™ – the world’s tallest roller coaster and the anchor attraction for the $300 million SKYPLEX™ indoor entertainment complex – revealed a dramatic expansion of the project, including the addition of a 450-foot drop ride called SkyFall™ as well as a landmark deal with Perkins® Restaurant & Bakery. David and Joshua Wallack, father/son owners of Mango’s Tropical Café South Beach, Mango’s Tropical Café Orlando and SKYPLEX, will incorporate the world’s largest Perkins Restaurant into SkyPlaza™, an open-air promenade to be located on the northeast corner of International Drive and Sand Lake Road and connected to Skyplex via pedestrian bridge.
The SkyFall drop ride, developed by Intamin Worldwide, will lie flush against the tower of The Skyscraper, the world’s first Polercoaster vertical roller coaster and destined to be the tallest structure in Central Florida at 570 feet. Upon opening in 2017, The Skyscraper and SkyFall will join the soon to open Orlando Eye observation wheel as focal points of the skyline, helping I-Drive cement its own brand as an entertainment destination apart from the major theme parks.
The newly constructed 10,000-square-foot Perkins Restaurant & Bakery will anchor the new SkyPlaza portion of SKYPLEX and will be joined by numerous other attractions and retailers. SkyPlaza was unveiled in an updated ride simulation video released by the Wallack Holdings, showing Skyscraper’s new track design throughout the complex. The original animation of The Skyscraper,which was released at the International Association of Amusement Parks and Attractions (IAPPA) conference in November 2014, has since had more than 300 million views and shares on social media. Animation of the SkyFall ride is currently in development.
“We are extremely pleased to announce further expansion to the incredible SKYPLEX, including our partnership with Perkins as well as yet another thrill to our guests’ experience, the 450-foot drop ride, SkyFall,” said Joshua Wallack, managing principal of SKYPLEX and COO of Mango’s Tropical Café. “Now more than ever, SKYPLEX will offer an immersive, thrilling entertainment experience for Orlando visitors, and we have so much more in the pipeline. I-Drive has a brilliant future.”
Jeff Warne, Chief Executive Officer, Perkins & Marie Callenders, LLC adds, “We are delighted to be part of this exhilarating and premier development project. As a mainstay in the market for more than 40 years, it is both fitting and exciting that this site will serve as the future home of the world’s largest Perkins Restaurant & Bakery. We look forward to sharing details with the community and our guests as plans unfold.”
“From day one, we have been committed to creating a roller coaster experience for Orlando unlike any in the world,” said Bill Kitchen, Founder of Orlando-based US Thrill Rides and creator of the Polercoaster. “What you see today (with this animation release) is not only the world’s tallest roller coaster, but the world’s most exciting roller coaster experience ever conceived!”
“After many months of land acquisitions, scope increases and coaster design review meetings, we are once again very excited to announce the second iteration – of the even more exciting – Skyscraper at Skyplex,” said Michael Kitchen, President of US Thrill Rides. “The ownership group and design team have spent months extracting every inch of excitement we can out of the Skyscraper roller coaster layout. Because of the sheer number of Guinness Book of World Records we intend to break on a single roller coaster ride, we expect coaster enthusiasts from around the world to travel to Orlando and experience the newly redesigned Skyscraper polercoaster!”
The $300 million SKYPLEX comprises approximately 1,500,000 square feet located on 14 prime acres in the Orlando attraction’s corridor. SKYPLEX will feature the area’s largest indoor theme park complete with upscale arcading, simulators, bars, and a host of rides and games, as well as additional opportunities for attractions, interactive venues, restaurants and retail. SKYPLEX also will include a 2400-car parking garage with a valet parking option. The Skyscraper observation deck will offer views 535 feet from the ground and will be accessible by the region’s tallest glass elevators.
‘The Skyscraper, SkyFall, and the new SkyPlaza are just part of the excitement that guests will be able to experience at Skyplex,” said David Wallack, Founder of Mango’s Tropical Café, “the thrills abound and the ‘art of it all’ is really what is so special.”
Mango’s Tropical Café Orlando and its adjacent parking garage will open in summer 2015 across from SKYPLEX on International Drive. With nightly family-friendly Dinner & Show including the Michael Jackson tribute as well as Mango’s dancers performing Brazilian Samba and Cuban Conga to the music of a live Latin band, an evening at Mango’s becomes an event to remember for guests of all ages. Mango’s nightlife heats up after 10 p.m. with live DJs, dancing and some of Florida’s largest dance floors. Private event space is available for groups of all sizes.
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