ICON Park Orlando: Complete Visitor’s Guide!

1. The Wheel At Icon Park

Formerly named the Orlando Eye, The Wheel at Icon Park is one of the best places to visit while here and is considered as the heart of the attractions area.

With a height of 400 feet, you get an amazing bird’s eye view of the Orlando area on this jaw-dropping observation wheel.

On The Wheel, you can see a few of Florida’s lakes, as well as Walt Disney World, Universal, and the downtown Orlando area.

At night, the area is lit up really well and you’re able to see the fireworks from Disney if you go at the right time.

There is a bar right before you get on the ride so you can get drinks and bring them up with you if you want.

And you may want to take a couple of drinks with you if you’re afraid of heights!

It can be a little intimidating going up that high but the capsules that you ride in are very stable and not jerky at all.

The Wheel itself moves less than a mile an hour and lasts about 20 minutes.

The capsules have air conditioning and they have screens to read about the different area attractions while you’re inside. You can also connect your Bluetooth when you’re in the airconditioned capsules if you’d like.

The Wheel at Icon Park is the tallest Ferris Wheel on the East Coast of the US and on a clear day, there’s a viewing distance of 57 miles.

2. Orlando Starflyer

Next is the Orlando Starflyer, a large swing attraction.  I did not go on this ride since going around in circles on a giant swing really isn’t my thing.

However, this ride is one of the most popular things to do at Icon Orlando, so it had to be included on this must-do list.

If you don’t get dizzy on rides and you’re not afraid of heights, then this is your ride!

They claim that the Starflyer is the tallest swing ride in the world and at the top is 450 feet in the air.

3. Ripley’s Believe It Or Not

Ripley’s Believe It Or Not isn’t technically part of Icon Park but it’s just a short walk away, and definitely worth going to when you’re in the area.

This Odditorium is full of old, unusual artifacts and bizarre attractions that are logic-defying.

From two-headed animals and record-breaking individuals such as the world’s tallest man, the museum has a lot to see and do.

There are many interactive exhibits here, too.

It took me about an hour to get through, but you can definitely spend a couple of hours in here if you stop and read all of the information at the displays.

Hours are 10 am-10 pm Monday-Thursday and open until 11 pm Friday-Saturday.

4. Madame Tussauds

For another odd museum, you can check out Madame Tussauds at Icon Park. This wax museum is a great option for adventures at the park.

There are several different sections that feature the likes of movie stars, sports stars, superheroes, singers, and other figures from history.

If you’re a big celebrity fan, Taylor Swift, Jimmy Fallon, and Shaquille O’Neal are just a few of the many wax celebrities that are here.

5. Sea Life Orlando

Right in the same complex as Madame Tussauds wax museum is the Orlando Sea Life Aquarium.

There are 9 exhibits and a 360-degree ocean tunnel, and you can watch feedings here, too.

The aquatic world in Sea Life has jellyfish, coastal rockpools, and ocean exhibits.  Here, they have sharks, sea turtles, octopuses, stingrays, and other sea creatures.

This is a great place to take the kids or even check out for yourself!

6. 7-D Dark Ride Adventure

Next to Sea Life and Madame Tussauds is the 7-D Dark Ride Adventure.

This motion theater is a lot of fun and they have several different 7-D Ride interactive experiences that you can do.

We did the Zombies experience where you strap in and shoot the zombies with a laser gun.

While here, you compete with the other players for points and bragging rights.  Overall, the adventure is about 10 minutes long.

I’ve done the 7-D ride several times at the park and there were virtually no waits to get on the ride.

With that said, take a look at the trailer for the Zombie ride!

7. Check Out The Restaurants!

Icon Park in Orlando has some fun restaurants to dine at.  The park itself has over 40 different restaurants and there are a lot of places nearby, too.

There are large chains like Buffalo Wild Wings, Carraba’s Italian Grill, Outback Steakhouse, Cold Stone Creamery, and Ben and Jerry’s.

Or if you’re looking for some Mexican food, they have Uncle Julio’s restaurant.

Tin Roof and Ole Red Orlando are both well-known restaurants in Icon Park, popular for their food and bar, fun atmosphere, and the best live entertainment and music in the area.

Tin Roof also features comedians and dueling piano shows.

I ate lunch at Tin Roof during one of my visits to Icon Park. They have good food and you can either eat inside or on their outdoor patio.

8. Play Arcade Games

Another family-fun option is at Icon Park, located inside the Wheelhouse, next to Madame Tussauds.

In the Game has the latest arcade games with prizes, a Mirror Maze, and virtual reality experiences!

They have different play cards you can buy.  Starting at $25 and all the way up to $200 on arcade credits.

9. Pirate’s Cove Adventure Golf

Pirates Cove mini-golf park is just a short walk away from Icon Park. This Pirate-themed new attraction has 2- 18 hole mini golf courses around waterfalls and caves.

Play either Blackbeard’s Challenge or Captain’s Course and see who gets the lowest score!

10. Escape Game Orlando

Escape Game Orlando is not in Icon Park but is just steps away. They have several hour-long escape rooms.

You can also book a remote game and do a virtual escape room.

From Prison Break to Heist escape rooms, Escape Game has different themes to choose from and different levels of difficulty, ranging from 6 to 9 out of 10.

You can book an escape room for 2-8 players.  See below for individual and combo tickets.

Yes, Icon Park is a safe place to visit. However, as many people already know the tragic incident in March 2022, a 14-year-old Tyre Sampson was sadly killed after falling off of the Drop Tower Ride.

This accident seems to have been caused by a ride operator error and the ride has been permanently shut down.

Also, on New Year’s Eve 2022, The Wheel suffered a mechanical issue and lost power, stranding 60 riders on The Wheel for several hours.

Fortunately in the latter incident, the riders were rescued by the fire department and nobody was hurt.  (The ride has been temporarily shut down).

Icon Park has pledged guest safety after these incidents and remains a safe place to visit, overall.

When thinking of Orlando, Florida, the first thing that usually comes to a person’s mind is Disney World or one of the other big theme parks, but there are a lot of other fun places in Orlando to check out and one of them is Icon Park!

In fact, Icon Park is just a couple of miles from Universal Orlando Resort.

I really love Orlando.  Not only is there sunny, Florida weather and tons of activities here, such as jet skiing, but Orlando is also in a great central location.

With that being said, it’s an hour away from the Atlantic Coast and less than 2 hours away from the Gulf beaches. 

1. Universal’s Endless Summer Resort

⭐️ Rating: 8.9/10     📌 Location: 7000 Universal Boulevard, Orlando   Check Rates Here

I stayed at Universal’s Endless Summer Resort during my most recent stay in Orlando, and I really enjoyed the location and amenities.

It’s really just a short drive from Universal Studios and Icon Park.

There’s so much to do in Orlando, but with the conveniences of the resort, you could just spend a great time hanging out here if you wanted.

Grab some food at Beach Break Cafe, work out at the gym, or hang out by the pool.  Plus, they have a Starbucks for coffee.

2. Hampton Inn Orlando Near Universal Blv/International Dr

⭐️ Rating: 8.1/10     📌 Location: 7110 South Kirkman Rd, Orlando   Check Rates Here

3. Wyndham Garden Orlando Universal / I Drive

⭐️ Rating: 8.9/10     📌 Location: 5855 American Way, Orlando   Check Rates Here

In summary, there are lots of things to do at Icon Park and the nearby area.

With the great places to shop, some of the best restaurants in Orlando, and attractions that provide big thrills, Icon Park is a fun place to spend the day at!

What did you think of this list of the top 10 things to do at Icon Park Orlando?