Skyscraper (roller coaster) facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Skyscraper |
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Concept art of the Skyplex complex featuring Skyscraper
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| Skyplex | |
| Location | Skyplex |
| Coordinates | 28°27′01″N 81°28′14″W / 28.45017°N 81.47066°W |
| General statistics | |
| Type | Steel |
| Manufacturer | Intamin |
| Designer | US Thrill Rides |
| Model | Polercoaster |
| Track layout | Custom |
| Speed | 65 mph (105 km/h) |
| Inversions | 7 |
| Max vertical angle | 123° |
| Capacity | 1000 riders per hour |
| Trains | Several trains with a single car. Riders are arranged 4 across in 2 rows for a total of 8 riders per train. |
Skyscraper was a super tall roller coaster that was planned for a fun place called Skyplex in Orlando, Florida. It was going to be the first of its kind, built around a huge observation tower. This special design was called a Polercoaster.
The Skyscraper roller coaster was designed to be over 500 feet tall. That's taller than many skyscrapers! It would have been the tallest roller coaster in the world. It was also planned to have the steepest drop and the highest loop-the-loop (inversion) in the world.
Developers hoped to finish the ride by 2016. However, many things caused delays. By 2019, people weren't sure if the project would ever happen. The website for the project was taken down. In 2022, the companies behind Skyscraper ran into financial trouble. This meant the project was stopped.
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History of Skyscraper
In 2012, a company called Wallack Holdings had an idea for a huge entertainment center in Orlando. They chose a special roller coaster design called Polercoaster. This design was created by US Thrill Rides and Intamin. The Polercoaster was meant to be the main attraction at their new Skyplex complex.
After finding the right land, work began on planning the roller coaster and Skyplex. In May 2014, they started looking for people to invest money in the project. They even made a website to help. News reports showed the roller coaster would be built in Central Florida. It was planned for a busy area called International Drive.
Announcing the Ride
Skyscraper was officially announced on June 5, 2014. Construction on the main Skyplex complex was expected to begin in 2015. The roller coaster was hoped to open in 2016.
However, the design changed a few times. Getting all the necessary building permits also took a long time. These delays pushed back the start of construction. The new plan was to begin building the complex in mid-2017.
In late 2016, it was announced that riders might wear virtual reality headsets on Skyscraper. This would make the ride even more exciting! The expected opening date was then moved to 2019. By April 2017, some parts of the roller coaster's track were already built. They were made by Intamin and put into storage. But the main building work for Skyplex was still waiting for permits.
Project Changes and End
In January 2019, the budget for Skyplex was made smaller. It went from $500 million to $251 million. The plan was to keep Skyscraper's original design. However, there would be fewer shops and restaurants around the base of the tower. The new opening date for the complex was pushed to 2020. The rides would open sometime after that.
By June 2019, the project's website was gone. Reports in 2020 suggested that Universal had tried to stop the project. The developers had not posted updates on Facebook since 2017. Their Twitter page had been quiet since 2015.
In 2021, Joshua Wallack, one of the developers, said they had a deal with Lionsgate Entertainment. The idea was to open Skyplex as a Lionsgate Entertainment World resort. Skyscraper would be the main attraction. But the project lost its funding in early 2020. This happened when theme parks in Florida had to close because of the COVID-19 pandemic.
In late 2021, Wallack Holdings still had the Lionsgate deal. Joshua Wallack said he still wanted to build a roller coaster. But he was also thinking about other ideas for the land. Maybe a resort hotel could support the nearby new Universal Epic Universe theme park. On December 21, 2022, the companies behind Skyscraper, US Thrill Rides and Polercoaster LLC, ran into financial trouble. This meant the project was officially stopped.
What Skyscraper Would Be Like
US Thrill Rides designed Skyscraper's steel track to be about 5,200 feet (1,585 meters) long. It would have seven exciting inversions. These include zero-g rolls, where you feel weightless, and raven turns, which are sharp turns that go up and down.
Skyscraper would have several small trains. Each train would have two rows. Four riders could sit in each row, making a total of eight riders per train. The ride could carry about 1,000 riders every hour. Each seat would have a lap restraint. This means no shoulder harnesses, so riders would have a clear view. Skyscraper would be 114 feet (35 meters) taller than the current world record holder, Kingda Ka. Kingda Ka opened in 2005 at Six Flags Great Adventure.
World Records Skyscraper Would Break
If Skyscraper had been built, it would have set several new world records.
- Tallest Roller Coaster: With a height of over 500 feet (152 meters), Skyscraper would have passed Kingda Ka's record of 456 feet (139 meters). This would make it the world's tallest roller coaster.
- Highest Inversion: Skyscraper was designed to have a loop-the-loop near the very top of the ride. This would have easily broken the record for the highest inversion. At the time, the record was held by Cedar Point's GateKeeper, which had a 170-foot (52-meter) tall inversion.
- Steepest Drop: Skyscraper's first drop was planned to be 123 degrees. This would have set a new record for the steepest drop on a roller coaster. It would also be the first coaster to have two drops that went beyond vertical.
