New Sears Tower Skydeck "Ledge" Opens this week

[themeparkguy27]

http://www.suntimes.com/business/roeder/1646642,CST-FIN-roeder01.article

 

The Sears Tower Skydeck opens its lure for thrill-seekers Thursday. It's called the Ledge and it gives the illusion of standing on air a few feet outside the building, 103 stories off the ground.

 

It could put the Skydeck on the must-see list for tourists, right up there with the museums and Michigan Avenue shopping. It's supposed to be an engineering marvel.

 

The Skydeck bays are retractable so they don't block the window-washing equipment. Stancik said each one is designed to hold 5 tons, about the weight of three Toyota Camrys, while the city code required only a 2-ton limit.

 

"Dare to stand out" is one tagline the tower will use for its attraction, although the Ledge is strictly optional for Skydeck visitors and included in the $14.95 admission price, which recently was increased $2.

[dandaman]

I'm either disappointed or glad that wasn't open when I visited in April; I haven't decided yet.

[chmilo24]

This looks pretty cool. If I ever go to Chicago I will defiantly have to do this. It looks like a miniature version of the one at the Grand Canyon.

[Mr. Starr]

Yeah, saw this on NBC5 and the Today show this morning. Frightening, but can you see GAm from the top?

[Chris Benvenuto]

^ I think not....I think Gurnee's a way's away from Chicago's bustling downtown commerical district.

[chemical_echo]

Looks pretty cool.

I think if I'm able to stand on the glass floor of the CN Tower, I can do this.

[monsterfan99]

^ I think not....I think Gurnee's a way's away from Chicago's bustling downtown commerical district.

you can however see Chicago on a clear day from both the Giant Drop and Sky Trek Tower.

 

The idea looks, um, interesting to say the least. Not my cup of tea, but should be a blast for others.

[cooksta77]

I think this is pretty cool. I'm still hoping the Stratosphere does this because that's closer to me.

[chmilo24]

^What about X-Scream and Insanity, that's not far enough over the edge for you?

[cooksta77]

^Yeah I love those rides but I mean something like this would be cool. It's not a ride but it's still thrilling standing over 100 stories over the ground.

[emily>piers]

Wow! I want to go and see Sears Tower and would definitely have a shot at that!

[thomas2]

That's nice and it's bound to give a thrill.

 

Let's hope the glass doesn't get dirty quick or it could ruin the experience.

[jmicha]

^Well if it's anything like the normal glass you can count on it getting dirty and staying dirty lol. There was crusted on dirt when I went a few months ago.

 

I wonder how this will work with the $350 million renovation to become the Willis Tower that will use eighty percent less energy. Does anyone know if the skydeck and this attraction will be open during renovations (whenever it is that those start)?

[Jds03]

Let's hope the glass doesn't get dirty quick or it could ruin the experience.

 

They're retractable so the automatic window washer can clean over them. Not to sure about the sides though. Maybe they could use some dare devils with Windex.

 

 

 

 

I think this idea is awesome. I love visiting really tall buildings or observation decks because theirs so much to look out at. This is definitely something I have to do before I die.

[Yankee cannonball]

Let's hope the glass doesn't get dirty quick or it could ruin the experience.

 

Knock on wood fast before some hobo takes a dump up there.

[robbalvey]

Wait, am I missing something here? What part of this is the thrilling part? Am I seeing this right that you just stand on what looks like a fully enclosed 4 foot by 6 or 8 foot balcony made out of thick glass that you know isn't going to fall and there isn't any risk of danger at all?

 

I don't quite get it. You're not exposed to any elements, and unless you're just scared of heights (and why would you be up there in the first place) it really doesn't seem that exciting to me.

 

Hanging out over the Stratosphere on some ride contraption...that scrares me! Bungeeing off a tower in China, also scary. Standing in a glass closet? Not so much.

 

--Robb

[ParkTrips]

I think the main point of this is that the building is, what, 35 years old? It could use something new to attract tourists at $15 a head and I'm sure it would take all of a week to pay for the thing. Just a nice marketing device to justify an increase in cost

 

And you know if Elissa can't stand the holes on the Strat then she probably would be creeped out by this too! I'm sure she's not the only one who would find it to be a bit scary

[Calaway Park]

Wow. Um. They'd definitely need to clean that glass often because I have a feeling that many people might wind up crapping themselves.

 

I would be one of those people.

[USCoaster]

Having done the glass floor at the CN Tower in Toronto, it really is just a gimmick used to get people up to the top of the tower. I like the idea because it lets you escape the normal building envelope that most viewing platforms are restricted to and actually look straight down. I think that the most entertainment will come from watching people walk up to the windows for the first time to see their reactions. From what I remember at the CN Tower, almost everybody would walk towards the glass floor and when they got to the edge, they would all stop and it would take a couple seconds to adjust to the idea that the floor is glass and it is safe to walk on.