Theme park-dominated Central Florida is used to new rides but there’s only one this summer. And operators say it is not really a ride.
It’s the $60 million Shuttle Launch Experience at the Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex.
“It’s the compelling use of sophisticated ride technology to tell a story,” says Daniel LeBlanc, Kennedy’s chief operating officer.
“And the complex is betting big bucks that its latest addition will encourage previous visitors to revisit, attract new tourists — especially the important teenage audience — and extend the amount of time guests stay in the park, which should increase the sales of merchandise, food and beverages,” said the Orlando Business Journal.
Research showed the park’s next big attraction had to tie directly to a space launch, said Mr LeBlanc. That’s because visitors overwhelmingly listed watching a rocket go up as their No. 1 request.
The new six-minute simulation of a space shuttle launch uses sophisticated projection techniques, motion simulators and a “hot seat” — a complicated, motion-activated chair that transfers rocket liftoff motion directly to the bottoms of about 1,200 riders an hour.
This latest addition is a big chunk of the estimated $260 million in capital investment spent on the complex. Until now, much of the budget spent by DNC Parks & Resorts Inc., the park operator, was used for catch-up projects such as new roofs and parking lot drainage.
The late May unveiling of the attraction was an elaborate affair KSC officials hope will attract worldwide publicity. It featured 44 current and former astronauts, NASA officials, parades and ceremonies, including musical performances by Mannheim Steamroller.
Report by David Wilkening
