Last Updated on January 5, 2023
Icon Park is a fun place with some of the best restaurants and bars in the area, as well as home to the aquarium at Sea Life Orlando and the famous Ferris wheel, The Wheel.
You can also purchase tickets for most of the attractions here in this post.
Table of Contents
Where Is Icon Park?
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.
What Is Icon Park?
There’s also live music and entertainment here.
Although probably best known for the Ferris wheel, this Orlando area is growing and they are adding new things to do.
The park and nearby area are kid-friendly with lots of things for them to do, including Santa’s Workshop during the holidays and In The Game Arcade.
This place has some awesome attractions and there are many fun things to do nearby. And parking is free.
Here is my list of the top things to do at Icon Park Orlando!
Icon Park Orlando- Complete Visitor’s Guide For 2023!
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.
With a height of 400 feet, you get an amazing bird’s eye view of the Orlando area on this giant Ferris wheel.
On The Wheel, you can see a few of Florida’s lakes, as well as 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 capsule, 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 Park 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.
Kids over 44″ tall can ride.
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.
Taylor Swift, Jimmy Fallon, and Shaquille O’Neal are just a few of the many wax celebrities that are here.
My girlfriend posing with Vin Diesel
5. Sea Life Orlando
Right in the same complex as Madame Tussauds wax museum is the Sea Life Orlando Aquarium.
There are 9 exhibits and a 360-degree ocean tunnel, and you can watch feedings here, too.
Sea Life has jellyfish, coastal rockpool, and ocean exhibits. Here, they have sharks, 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!
Icon Park
Restaurants
7. Check Out The Restaurants!
Icon Park in Orlando has some fun restaurants to dine at. The park itself has over 40 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 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.
The Wheel House Market is right by the Wheel Ferris Wheel and has tacos, pizza, sandwiches, and pasta.
Inside the Wheel House Market, there are eateries such as Tin & Taco, Brick & Fire Pizza & Pasta Parlor, Let’s Jess Bake, and Chicken On Fire.
I’ve also dined at King’s Restaurant right next to the park. The place is nice with a retro vibe to it. It’s a restaurant with 2 bars and a bowling alley.
We went on a Saturday night and it was a 2-hour wait for bowling, so we didn’t do that.
You may just want to plan ahead if you want to go bowling.
The day before, I had drinks and some tasty jerk chicken appetizers at Cafe Tu Tu Tango.
This restaurant is a short distance from Icon Park, just a block or so from the park.
It’s been around for 30 years and is known for its art, live music, and tapas-style dishes.
Definitely a restaurant worth going to if you’re in the area.
Other Things
To Do At Icon Park Orlando And Nearby
8. In The Game (Arcade)
Another family-fun option 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 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 tickets.
Icon Park Orlando – FAQ’s
Is Icon Park Orlando Free?
√ Free parking and free admission! Icon Park is free to walk around and has a large parking lot and parking ramp that are both free to use.
What Is Inside Icon Park?
√ Icon Park is filled with rides such as the The Wheel (Orlando Eye), Starflyer, and other attractions and restaurants/bars listed above.
It also has shops such as Wheel House Gift Shop, Icon Park Gifts, Build-A-Bear Workshop, Calenoi Sunglasses, and Sugar Factory.
If You Are Looking To Bundle Icon Park Experiences & Nearby Attractions On I-Drive
Check Out The Orlando Explorer Pass
Is Icon Park Safe?
Yes, Icon Park is a safe place to visit. However, as many people already know, in March 2022, a 14-year-old boy 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.
Things To Do For Kids At Icon Park?
Icon Park has many great things for kids- here are some of the best options!
√ Pearl Express Trolley
√ In The Game Arcade
√ 7-D Adventure Ride
√ Sea Life Adventure
√ Build-A-Bear-Workshop
√ The Carousel
√ Marvel Adventure Lab
And don’t forget to get them some treats at The Sugar Factory!
Still Looking For More To Do At Icon Park?
√ Check out the Museum of Illusions
√ Flavors of Icon Park Foodie Walking Tour
Where To Stay Near Icon Park?
Photo Credit: Expedia
Universal’s Endless Summer Resort
There’s so much to do in Orlando, but with the conveniences of the resort, you could just spend a great deal of 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.
Photo Credit: Expedia
Hampton Inn Orlando Near Universal Blv/International Dr
Photo Credit: Expedia
Wyndham Garden Orlando Universal / I Drive
My son and I taking a picture in front of the Starflyer swing at Icon Park
Summary: Complete Guide To Icon Park Orlando!
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?
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And for more places to visit in Florida, check out beautiful Clearwater Beach!
Travel Resources
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Icon Park
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Really enjoyed your description of things to do at Icon Park. You can check this place out multiple days during your visit because there’s so much to see. You gave enough info for us to dig deeper into each site commented on and this place is definitely worth checking out when in Orlando!