If you’ve spent any time recently in the Universal to Sea World to Disney corridor of Orlando, you might have seen this massive tower that has sprouted up over there on International Drive, right next to the ICON Orlando ferris wheel, and wondered “What the heck is that thing?”. You really can’t miss it. That’s the Orlando StarFlyer. It’s 450 feet tall, absolutely massive, and they’re billing it as the highest swing ride in the world.
So we stopped by to check this thing out, and went for a ride! It’s $12.21 per ticket, which comes out to an even $13 with tax. If you want to go ride again, it’s $7 for every ride after your first one.
I have to admit, I was JUST a touch nervous getting on this. I love roller coasters, but I’m not crazy about spinning rides, and wasn’t sure how it would feel to be spun around at nearly 50mph while my feet dangle 450 feet over Orlando.
So up we went, and within a seconds we were at the top and at full speed! It’s actually a lot gentler then it looks. You are spinning around fast enough to put you on your side a little bit, but the circle is large enough that you don’t really get (too) dizzy, maybe a bit disoriented, but never really dizzy. The breeze up there on a hot Central Forida afternoon feels great, and I was able to catch glimpses of Epcot, downtown Orlando, Volcano Bay, and Universal Studios. You are spinning just a bit too fast to really do a whole lot of sightseeing up there though, which I guess is what the 400 foot ferris wheel next door is for. But just as we were getting settled in up there, it was time to come back down. The entire ride only lasts about 4 minutes from the moment you leave the ground to touching back down.
So would I recommend this? YES. It was a lot of fun, and a memorable experience.
I feel like this is one of those ride attractions that bridges the gap really well between the thrill seeker, and those who are adventurous enough to try new things, but who might not necessarily love thrill rides. The spinning doesn’t feel as fast as it looks, and it never drops your belly like a roller coaster. I never really felt dizzy on the Starflyer, just maybe mildly disoriented for a second while it was going at full speed. If you have a fear of heights, then it goes without saying that the StarFlyer probably isn’t the ride for you.
My biggest issue with it, is that it is a bit short. I feel like $13 is really reasonable for a ride like this, especially compared to a lot of the other standalone attractions in Orlando, but it’s only 4 minutes long. So a family of 4 would be paying a little over $50 bucks for a quick little experience, which could be an understandable dealbreaker for a lot of people. But if that’s not an issue, give the Starflyer a ride. I get the feeling that this is one of those experiences that a lot of people will remember and be telling their friends and family back home about after they get back from their Orlando vacation.
The Orlando StarFlyer is part of the ICON Orlando 360 entertainment complex on International Drive, in Orlando.
Address: 8255 South International Drive, Suite 200 Orlando, FL 32819
Price: $12.21 per person ($13 with tax). Additional rides are $7.
Bottom Line: A lot of fun, but I wish it was a little longer.
