2 thrill-seeking rides coming to Icon Park next year

ORLANDO, Fla. - The view of ICON Park is about to get even better as two new record-setting rides are planned to open next year.

"It’s the international capital of amusement rides," said Ritchie Armstrong.

He owns the StarFlyer and the sling shot ride down the street on International Drive (I-Drive), but he plans to make it even better by building the world’s tallest sling shot at ICON Park.

"That would be 300-feet-tall towers and will be shooting the guests, passengers 450 feet into the air." 

Armstrong says he also plans to build the world’s tallest drop tower at 430 feet.

"The riders will actually rotate up the tower as it’s climbing up the tower." 

And when they get to the top, "We’re gonna tilt them forward about 30 degrees, hold them there while they take it all in and then we’re going to drop them at about 75 miles per hour back down to the ground," Armstrong said.

It’s a rush for any thrill-seeker.

"We’re super, super excited about it. It’s been a tough year for everybody," he said. 

Armstrong insists that the rides are safe.

"These are extreme rides, but there’s protocol and policies that we follow."

Many can’t wait to ride the new attractions. 

Zackary Feirstein said, "I’m excited. I love thrill-seeking rides. It gets my adrenaline going."

Armstrong says business is slowly getting better and believes I-Drive will prevail.

"We’re ready to bring guests back." He hopes to open the new rides by July 4, 2021.