Premier Rides to build Pepsi Globe Observation Wheel at Meadowlands Xanadu
Posted
[Ed. note: The following is an unedited press release. -J]
BALTIMORE, MD - PREMIER RIDES, INC., considered one of the world’s most innovative theme park ride providers, has been awarded the contract to design, fabricate, and install the iconic Pepsi Globe Observation Wheel to be located at the spectacular Meadowlands Xanadu entertainment and retail complex in East Rutherford, NJ. The iconic wheel will be leased and operated by Merlin Entertainments Group, the world’s second biggest visitor attraction operator, who also has The London Eye in their portfolio of over 60 attractions.
“We at Premier Rides are extremely honored to have been selected to design and build such a visionary attraction that the Pepsi Globe Observation Wheel represents,” said Jim Seay, President, Premier Rides, Inc. “Being part of the group that creates a signature product is both an honor and a significant responsibility. Merlin Entertainments Group and Meadowlands Development are leaders in the development of high quality experienced based visitor attractions, entertainment and retail centers and we are proud to be part of their team.”
The electricity used to power the Pepsi Globe, the tallest and most spectacular wheel in the Americas at 286 feet, will be 100% offset with renewable energy certificates. In addition, the aluminum used for the ferris wheel sign and many of its components will be made with 95% recycled content.
Merlin Entertainments Group which is rapidly building its US business, with 5 new attractions to open in the next 12 months, will offer a unique experience during the Pepsi Globe ride, which will last approximately 25 minutes for a full revolution and offer sweeping vistas of the New York skyline and the Hudson River. Groups of up to 20 visitors each will enter 26 glass-enclosed, climate controlled, capsules for the ride of a lifetime.
The Pepsi Globe promises to be among the most outstanding tourist attractions in the New York City metropolitan region.
Premier Rides is currently designing, fabricating, and installing five to six major attractions every year both on a domestic basis and at international locations such as Dubai and Singapore. “The Pepsi Globe at Meadowlands Xanadu is a signature project and one of the most important in Premier’s history. As a company that focuses on unique custom attractions, we strongly believe in the Xanadu business model and believe there is amazing potential for iconic type attractions like the Pepsi Globe,” Mr. Seay said.
Somebody start hecking the software to eliminate the back door ala HRP.
Coaster Junkie from NH
I drive in & out of Boston, so I ride coasters to relax!
It's not a backdoor when the parks are well aware of the fact that the manufacturer can remotely access the system.
This is first time we have heard details of the actual construction and erection of this Pepsi Globe. Does anyone know how long it will take to actually build this
Wheel. Will it be a miniature of the London Eye? Did
Premier Rides build that one or any of the major Ferris
Wheels built in the last several years?
The locals in the Meadowlands area are interested in this
new ride and have not been given much info to go on. We wold like to know more about the actual Wheel.
This does look to be a smaller version of the London Eye. The London Eye has 32 pods that hold up to 25 people each and stands at 443 feet. The Eye takes exactly a half hour to make its rotation traveling at .5 miles per hour. The Eye was not built by Premier Rides. It was designed by a husband and wife team, David Marks and Julia Barfield.
When I was in London in March, our tour guide told us how his father had lived in London his entire life and knew his city was beautiful but when he saw it from the Eye, he was able to get a view of the entire city at once in all it's glory with all of it's history and landmarks and truly appreciate what a spectacular city London is. This could be the same case with New Yorkers getting that same spectacular view of their city with the Pepsi Globe. Seeing the entire Manhattan skyline at once, I would think would be just as gorgeous.
I am also interested in the 5 rides that Merlin Entertainments Group is planning on building in the US in the next 12 months. Does anyone know what they are?
I remember people in the Rutherford area (which sits to the west of the Meadowlands on a hill overlooking the swamplands) not being too happy about this, claiming it would block their view of the Manhattan skyline. Regardless, I am happy about this. The northern NJ area lacks a major amusement park and while this is no substitute, it will be nice to have around.
Now, what happened to the plans for that coaster?
Rob: The coaster plan was scrapped because of Teterboro Airport. Well, more specifically, the FAA. Because of the FAA, the ferris wheel was shrunk in size, because they were afraid one of their planes could accidentally crash into the wheel. Same goes for the roller coaster. O.o (And I think those are pretty silly reasons unless they believe pilots can't tell a difference between a runway and a tall amusement ride...)
Teterboro already has a lot of past accidents steming from a plane crashing into a NYC apartment building to planes crash landing into houses. >_<
Edit: Although, I think I remember Xanadu still re-thinking about adding the coaster in the future, but ..eh... At this point, it seems the coaster is non-existant.
Makes sense... I guess. Teterboro has had a lot of trouble keeping planes inside the airport, although those 767 pilots seem to have no trouble landing their planes at Newark when Manhattan's towering skyline isn't all that far away.
Twisted Twins at SFKK is something like 5-6 feet below the envelope for the airport. I cannot imagine any coasters being closer to the airport than that one.
Does anybody know how these large wheels load and unload individual cages? Also what about weight distribution? I imagine loading has to be different from a standard Ferris wheel, since you're talking about 1 revolution that's going to take 25 minutes.
RGB,
I rode the new one in Singapore earlier this year. The rotation is slow enough that the wheel does not stop to load. They just open the door, unload/load, and off you go. I joked with my friends that you could have a fantastic 30 minute dance party in one of the pods if you brought a stereo and a disco ball.
To RGB: The same goes for most of the ferris wheels that I rode in Japan. They don't stop the wheel during loading/unloading. Each wheel has very small capsules with a capacity of about 4 people in order for the wheel to have a lot of capsules on them. So, I'm more use to that capsule size than a large one that will accomadate more than 10 people.
My favorite wheel is the one in Palette Town in Odaiba with 16 minutes of rotation. The voice can be a bit annoying if you're just trying to take in the sights. I don't really understand how all the young couples can actually enjoy dates with the English tour voice going about over their heads, but they apparently don't mind it. (And I'm not kidding. The Giant Sky Wheel is seriously a major magnet for dates. O.o)
I think the one ferris wheel that does stop for loading/unloading in Japan has to be that dinky carnival looking one in Hokkaido.
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