The Great Florida Road Trip debuts at Icon Park’s The Wheel

After boarding private wheel cabins and rising up to 400 feet in the air, players use a special retro-themed camera outfitted with infrared technology to aim at markers on the rooftops below and compete for points to win a prize. 

The Great Florida Roadtrip is based on retro travel

This experience’s art and game pieces are themed to a nostalgic road trip through Florida in the 50’s and 60’s, paying homage to the state’s original tourism attractions that were here even before the arrival of the famous theme parks. 

In the early-to-mid 1900s, Florida was a unique vacation spot with its natural sights, inventive attractions, unique architecture, and sports, including the Everglades, Silver Springs’ glass-bottom boats, Miami’s art deco style, Daytona car racing, and more. Now, old Florida charm meets gamification with the launch of The Great Florida Road Trip at Icon Park. 

 “We’re excited to offer our visitors an additional and entertaining way of learning about everything that Florida has to offer,” said Visit Florida’s Dana Young, president and CEO. “Travelers have been choosing Florida for decades and this immersive experience will further their understanding of the history, nostalgia and the many reasons why Florida is still the number one vacation destination.”

 A unique gamification and learning experience

“This new experience is inspired by the original features that put Florida on the map,” said Chris Jaskiewicz, Icon Park president and CEO. “The Great Florida Road Trip is the first interactive gaming experience that you can play on a 400-foot-high observation wheel. Weaving together new technology with nostalgia, this experience was designed for people of all ages to enjoy. Parents and grandparents will love the vintage appeal, and kids can put their gaming skills to the test.” 

How to play Great Florida Road Trip

Upon boarding The Wheel, each player receives a special camera, resembling a vintage long-lens photographer’s camera from the 50s. Each camera is outfitted with infrared technology that reaches up to 1,000 feet to interact with game markers on the rooftops below. The 45 markers represent a nostalgic road trip through the Sunshine State, including Florida oranges and giant vintage postcards promoting famous travel destinations of the era. An optional 1940s-era radio voice describing fun facts about the sights can be activated in the cabin as well.

Using the camera, players aim at the sensors at each marker and “snap” a photo to electronically register points. Every cabin has a winner, with the high scorer getting a $5 arcade card for In The Game Icon Park arcade.

At the end of the experience, every party will receive a special memento of their vacation with the Flamingo Family. Guests will be provided a retro-style postcard they can fill out after the experience and drop in a themed mailbox for Icon Park to mail for them. 

Along with this new experience aboard The Wheel, there’s a redesigned queue with a new 70-foot-long vintage Florida mural, a new 1960s Orlando map, a pre-show, and themed merchandise, all transporting guests back to what has been called the golden age of Florida tourism. 

This new game is included for most ticket packages, but only costs $2.50 if your ticket option doesn’t include it.

The Great Florida Road Trip game replaces the short-lived and controversial Bullseye Blast Shooting Game on The Wheel. This game used the same style targets, but was faced with backlash when riders were using their “guns” to “fire down” at targets near other guests at the park.