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Personally, I hope this ride never gets built. This looks like the cheapest, most unoriginal way to break 500 feet. Just look at the thing. There will be no airtime and no large drop. Plus they should have sick buckets waiting at the bottom. Sorry Mr. Kitchen, you had an excellent idea with the skycoaster, but the polercoaster looks like a real clunker.

 

Actually, the idea is pretty ingenious. First off, I'm not entirely sure that the layouts they showed us in the animations are even real layouts (they could be; I have no idea.) Second off, it's very obvious that those animations don't have accurate physics engines if you look closely at how the trains move.

 

Of course there isn't a big drop. The faster a coaster goes, the wider the turn has to be in order to keep the G's the same, so in order to have a 500+ foot drop have safe G's, the turn will be massive and will require space that not too many parks have. This ride is primarily intended to be at home in a downtown urban skyline, not necessarily a dedicated amusement park. Since space in those areas are at a premium, there's a guarantee that there probably won't be any huge drops. But just because the drops aren't big doesn't mean it's going to be weak, it just means that in order to create intense G's you can make the track curves of a tigher radius to achieve the same intensity. Take Nemesis, Maverick and Kawasemi for example; they are some of the top coasters on the planet, yet they barely have 100 foot drops.

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^You're right when you say a coaster might be great without a big drop (my favourite ride, dragon khan, doesn't have a massive one either) and I'm not saying in any way that I don't want this to actually get built. However, I would like to see the record being beaten by a "traditional" ride: either with a launch and a 500 feet top hat (imagine the speed! ) or a lift hill and drop (which would also be awesome). But then that's me

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  • 3 weeks later...

If you are in the Orlando (or Central FL area in general), they are going to have more information about the coaster on the 5pm news on WESH. OF course knowing them that could be as late as 5:59....lol

 

 

*UPDATE*

 

They have announced that the coaster will be in Central Florida. The location will be in Orange County. It will not be going into a major theme park and most likely be along the I-Drive corridor. This was reported by WESH 2 news at 5:15pm May 30, 2014.

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Polercoaster coming to Central Florida, sources say

 

ORLANDO, Fla. —A WESH 2 News investigation reveals the world's tallest roller coaster is coming to Central Florida.

 

U.S. Thrill Rides, designer of the Polercoaster vertical coaster, has been saying for months that it has a client in Florida to buy and build the ride, but we didn't know where.

 

Now, documents made public provide evidence the coaster is coming to Orange County.

 

All indications are that the Polercoaster will be built outside of a major theme park, and the company believed to be leading the effort is already building the new Mango's Café just south of Sand Lake Road.

 

The idea that the tallest roller coaster on earth is coming to Florida has been racing through the attractions world.

 

In November, at the amusement industry convention, U.S. Thrill Rides' president Michael Kitchen detailed the plans for the ride and the attraction.

 

It will feature a concert hall, entertainment, restaurant and retail space, all 570-feet in the air.

 

"Imagine being 50 stories in the air and orbiting the entire observation structure, rolling inverted and coming down to the ground. It's going to be an incredible ride," he said.

 

WESH 2 News has obtained a copy of the visitor log that shows Orange County Mayor Teresa Jacobs or her staff met Thursday with Jeff Forrest, president of Winter Park Construction, Joshua Wallack of Wallack Holdings LLC, Kitchen and Alan Helman, founder of global architectural firm HHCP.

 

Sources tell WESH 2 News that Wallack, who is currently building a huge Mango's Tropical Café on International Drive, is leading the team to build the Polercoaster in Orange County.

 

Planning records show Wallack previously planned to build a large parking lot a block away from his café, but that land could be the coaster site,

 

Since then, Wallack bought a Walgreen's property near Mango's to build a new garage.

 

The world's tallest coaster could blend well with the nearby Orlando Eye, a 425-foot observation wheel.

 

Everyone connected to the Polercoast won't comment.

 

Sources tell WESH 2 News an announcement of the Polercoaster project including the exact location could be revealed as soon as the middle to end of next week.

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WOW that is amazing if it's true

 

Haha now whenever I talk about Kingda Ka I'm going to be like, "Kingda Ka is the world's tallest-I mean second tallest-roller coaster."

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There was a bit more news today...polar.jpg.0b130142d10c50482db8e2b0fed079de.jpg

http://www.wesh.com/themeparks/other/polercoaster-update-worlds-tallest-rollercoaster-to-be-built-on-idrive-sources-say/26292424?utm_source=dlvr.it&utm_medium=twitter&utm_campaign=wesh#!TNM8y

 

ORLANDO, Fla. —The world's tallest roller coaster, the Polercoaster, will be built at the intersection of International Drive and Sand Lake Road in Orlando, WESH 2 News has learned.

 

Last week, WESH 2 News reporter Greg Fox broke the news that the Polercoaster was coming to Orange County, and now we know where. Several sources tell WESH 2 News it will be on the northeast corner of the intersection.

 

At 570 feet, the Polercoaster would not only be the tallest structure in Central Florida, it would require special Federal Aviation Administration clearance before construction can proceed.

 

It would also be roughly 150-feet taller than the Orlando Eye observation wheel, now under construction along I-Drive just south of Sand Lake Road.

 

The Wallack family, under the name Wallack I-Drive LLC, is listed in county property records as having paid $3.1 million for the former "Fun & Wheels" property in March 2013.

 

State records also show a new company, WF IDrive Realty, is owned by the Wallacks and their registered agent is the Winderweedle, Haines Ward & Woodman law firm in Orlando.

 

Sources tell WESH 2 News the company has agreements to buy at least six more connected parcels, including the Fishbones, Popeye's, Burger King, and IHOP restaurants, as well as the 7-Eleven and a T-shirt shop.

 

All to make room for the Polercoaster.

 

Susan Godorov runs Pointe Orlando and says the Polercoaster is just one example of the economic rebound that's drawing more people back to I-Drive.

 

"We are becoming a destination and not just tourists and conventioneers but really the locals," she said. "We've got a lot going on down here that the locals are interested in, and we've always had a great local following here, and we expect that to just get bigger."

 

An announcement about the Polercoaster could come as soon as Thursday.

 

Below are some photos of the proposed area that will be re-developed for this attraction.

1247003171_ScreenShot2014-06-02at17_14_08.png.a2c2587b9c72ac199b9ea00bef7128df.png

359846590_ScreenShot2014-06-02at17_14_25.png.2ef55bdcc4387dc9e5e0cc8851af63ea.png

1910925134_ScreenShot2014-06-02at17_15_32.thumb.png.fe772dd8b0f27c71fd53ce15248edc32.png

1272447500_ScreenShot2014-06-02at17_16_01.thumb.png.3b20e6510995e3b649fd33ce31fe8aba.png

1137588284_ScreenShot2014-06-02at17_20_30.png.7757250dff4559acfccbdec32cae1b8e.png

1473398721_ScreenShot2014-06-02at17_21_03.thumb.png.f415f106ebe2a1cc495fcf3047420e25.png

Edited by robbalvey
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^ I think they said that SkyScraper will be open for 2015. Maybe the entire complex will be done by then, or it could be done in 2016. I dunno, but it makes sense that the complex would be done before the worlds tallest coaster. Makes sense at least.

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Still not sold that this is going through until vertical construction starts. If everything was slam dunk for this thing to open the people connected to it would not be hush hush about it. In fact, they would be blabbing and hyping as much as possible. My guess is that it is very early in planning and there are more ends untied than deals made.

 

The fact that it is not part of an established park makes me question just how probable it's opening is. Seems like a very "all eggs in one basket" type deal that investors avoid like the plague.

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The fact that it is not part of an established park makes me question just how probable it's opening is.

 

I also question very much not only when but if this project will happen. Even Six Flags started digging its big hole for kingda ka's tower support in late may and this project is taller and needs to support much more weight with a much more elaborate structure. Yet it doesn't even seem to have all of its red tape in order. At this point 2016 seems like the earliest possible date but I'd put more money on a 2017 opening if it doesn't end up being one of those projects that stalls out. Red tape kills a lot of deals so I'm not holding my breath on this one.

 

As far as it not being apart of an established park...of coarse its not! I've said it the moment the polar coaster was released there are VERY few theme parks out there that are going to buy these. When a business looks in to one of these the first thing they will be looking in to buying first and foremost is whether or not they have a need for the venue on top. No one is buying this for the coaster the venue will be the ultimate moneymaker for this project, the coaster is just the sideshow. While I could see this as say a Universal hotel project with the venue on top being a hotel with the coaster underneath or maybe some international parks being interested I really don't see this being put in to the theme parks. THis will be more of a governmental/developer concept much like the "eye" ferris wheel projects. Thats just the truth

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If this does open, it's going to kill attendance at the Orlando Eye. Who would want a long ride to slowly get up to 425 feet just to be in the shadow on a 570-ft observation tower with a nice fast elevator to the top? It would be like having a 425-foot observation wheel in midtown Manhattan between the Empire State Building and 30 Rockefeller Plaza.

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If this does open, it's going to kill attendance at the Orlando Eye. Who would want a long ride to slowly get up to 425 feet just to be in the shadow on a 570-ft observation tower with a nice fast elevator to the top? It would be like having a 425-foot observation wheel in midtown Manhattan between the Empire State Building and 30 Rockefeller Plaza.

 

What? A Ferris wheel and 500-foot roller coaster are two completely different things. The Orlando Eye is going to be an attractive ride for non-coaster riders, riders weary of the Poler Coaster's height, and people just looking for a slow and relaxing ride in general. With your logic, any park with roller coasters can't have Ferris Wheels and thats obviously not true...

 

By the way there is an indoor Ferris wheel smack dab in the middle of Times Square in Toys R Us and that does just fine...its a ride, its different from an observation deck. The Poler Coaster wont cannibalize the Eye anymore than the Peabody or glass elevators at the Marriott World Center would.

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This isn't just a roller coaster. From one of the articles posted here, there will be an observation platform, dining, shopping, and a concert venue located at the top. The roller coaster part is just a sideshow, and probably not the primary revenue source.

 

The Orlando Eye also won't be like a theme park ferris wheel or the Toys R Us wheel (which is indoors and not designed to provide a view). The Eye is described as an observation wheel, and will move very slowly and most likely provide just a single revolution with each admission. It will have none of the thrill of a typical theme park wheel.

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This isn't just a roller coaster. From one of the articles posted here, there will be an observation platform, dining, shopping, and a concert venue located at the top. The roller coaster part is just a sideshow, and probably not the primary revenue source.

 

The Orlando Eye also won't be like a theme park ferris wheel or the Toys R Us wheel (which is indoors and not designed to provide a view). The Eye is described as an observation wheel, and will move very slowly and most likely provide just a single revolution with each admission. It will have none of the thrill of a typical theme park wheel.

 

Do Ferris Wheel's typically offer a "thrill"? I dont understand the difference between Ferris wheels, indoor vs outdoor or in a park vs not in a park. In any case, its still more fun than riding an elevator to an observation deck. I could also make the argument that the top floor of the Peabody would render the Eye unnecessary. Youre also forgetting that the London Eye does pretty well despite being in an urban area with large surrounding buildings.

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Now has been absoloutely confirmed, the actual coaster building and ride is called SkyScraper, and it will be in a new complex called SkyPlex, which will have Mango's Tropical Cafe across the street, the coaster and complex will open in 2016.

Pictures: (all by or posted through TPR's twitter page)

BpX4h4MIMAA20QS.thumb.jpg.30ed5481a3915eb6c43f7183a6fcd87e.jpg

BpX4h4MIMAA20QS.thumb.jpg.74864e6ba199a6d6123095c681aa77cc.jpg

BpX2qLiIgAIZizT.jpg.9853025a255794d224df7759df54583f.jpg

BpX3nnLIIAAJLm2.jpg.dd75a89fb8cdbbd99179d54ae17b006a.jpg

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