TTW
TTW

I-Drive – the new attraction of Orlando

Saturday, December 29, 2018

Favorite

A growing number of tourists visit the Walt Disney World or Universal for days and also spend at least a few hours on International Drive, which until recently was known mostly for its hotels, restaurants and miniature golf courses.

 

In recent years, more attractions have arrived, including virtual-reality gaming centers, the StarFlyer ride, the giant Ferris wheel known as Icon Orlando 360 and the nearby Andretti Indoor Karting & Games Orlando. All the growth has made I-Drive compete with Orlando’s major theme parks for tourists’ time, said Dennis Speigel, president of the Ohio-based International Theme Park Services.

 

“If you could put a fence around” I-Drive, it has almost become its own theme park gate, Speigel said. “I-Drive is part of the conversation now.”

 

A glowing 400-foot Icon Orlando 360 — formerly known as the Orlando Eye — churns slowly around, catching attention of tourists. “The Eye is a visual icon that draws people that way and makes people want to say, ‘Let’s see what’s going on,’” Speigel said. “It draws the moth to the flame.”

 

The arrival of Icon Orlando has brought a renaissance to the area, said Visit Orlando CEO George Aguel.

 

Now, “it’s a world-class boulevard,” said Chris Jaskiewicz, president of Icon, which sits on a $250 million, 20-acre site that houses attractions, restaurants and bars.

 

It is not known exactly how many visitors come to I-Drive.

 

Visit Orlando reported that an estimated 72 million tourists came to Orlando in 2017; however, that doesn’t track numbers for I-Drive specifically.

 

But more people are staying at hotels on I-Drive, according to Visit Orlando. Hotel occupancy rates on I-Drive have went up from 72 percent to about 81 percent in the past five years.

 

Those who work on I-Drive say that business is growing.

 

Share On:

Subscribe to our Newsletters

« Back to Page

Related Posts

Select Your Language

PARTNERS

AHIF
IITM
at-TTW

Subscribe to our Newsletters

I want to receive travel news and trade event update from Travel And Tour World. I have read Travel And Tour World'sPrivacy Notice.

Mar 27
March 27 - March 30
Mar 27
March 27 - March 30
Mar 29