What "gaming" can we expect from the Great Florida Road Trip?

The last few posts in this series have considered the back story of the new experience coming to The Wheel at ICON Park. From its inception, we have described the Great Florida Road Trip as an "enhancement" to the overall Wheel experience. We have shared that it will be part Nostalgia, part Education, and part Game. So let's discuss what guests can expect from the gaming component.

To begin, let's be clear, the experience is NOT. The Great Florida Road Trip is not a roller coaster, a 3D simulator, or a high-speed attraction. It will not require warning signs for expectant mothers or those with heart conditions. We do not expect to win hearts or receive accolades from the hardcore gaming or thrill-seeking community.

We do, however, think the experience is a lot of fun for families, and the soundtrack and the camera devices indeed work together to create a challenging game that can be enjoyed by younger children, teenagers, and adults.

The Camera devices will keep score by tracking how many of your photos are in focus. Remember, in the '50s, 60's, and 70's you only knew if your photos were good once they were developed, you couldn't simply see the result and retake it at the moment. The older 35mm cameras were not usually self or auto-focusing, that had to be done by the person using the camera. Keeping that narrative in mind, we can appreciate why focusing on the required destination billboards and snapping a "good photo" is authentic and appropriate to this experience.

Top-scoring "photographers" will have their names and their results posted in the wheelhouse on a screen; this can serve as a badge of courage and a target for other would-be road trip photographers to pursue. Every "winner" from each capsule will receive a $5 gift card to be used in the "In the Game Arcade" inside the wheelhouse.

Over the next few weeks, we will conduct live previews with guests and refine the overall experience. We look forward to receiving and entertaining all of our guests in the near future. Are you ready to jump aboard and take the Great Florida Road Trip?