Dec 13, 2010, 8:57 AM
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Why was Orlando sold?
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I forgot all about it but today I called iFly Orlando and remember it switched management hands about a year ago. Anybody know the reasons why? I tried googling but I couldn't find anything.
Dec 14, 2010, 9:58 PM
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Re: [sffudapparel] Why was Orlando sold?
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I forgot all about it but today I called iFly Orlando and remember it switched management hands about a year ago. Anybody know the reasons why? I tried googling but I couldn't find anything.
.....Just throwing it out there, but could it be because the cost to build and operate those new-fangled things outweighs the demand? I mean, if it were not the case, then all the tunnels that are on 'hold' would be well under construction.
Dec 16, 2010, 11:25 AM
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Re: [Heatmiser] Why was Orlando sold?
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Timing is everything! Back in the late 80s we taught a fellow to B.A.S.E. jump who owned and ran the very first commercial bungee jumping operation in North America. While we were there B.A.S.E. jumping his 240-foot crane I couldn't help notice how many customers were lined up to bungee jump.
When I went back to Perris I discussed it with Anne Helliwell and it turned out (being she's from New Zealand, the part of the world that invented modern Bungee jumping) she knew how to build the bungee cords from scratch.
So we rented a crane and set up an operation in Riverside. And we had the rubes lined up all day long to make the hundred dollar jump. This was better than drug dealing! I never saw so much money. It was the very beginning of the bungee jumping craze and we hit the jackpot!
Today, you can't give bungee jumps away. The last commercial operation I saw (about a year ago) was getting $10 a jump and the place was devoid of any customers, LOL.
Bungee has the same problem as tunnels do and to some extent, the same problem tandem skydiving has. Even though we know better, after most "normal" people do it once, they see little point in doing it again. Add in saturation and it's all over.
The parent company bought it back because it does make money and the other owner wanted to go do other businesses.
And I don't know what you've heard, but tunnels are extremely busy. Here at iFly SF Bay our normal operating hours (10am to 11pm) are already sold out through the rest of the month, and have much of January booked and paid for. Business is great!
Dec 20, 2010, 11:46 AM
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Re: [VivaHeadDown] Why was Orlando sold?
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My admin was there for a vacation. Her thoughts were "Look it's outside all of these fun things to do, why would I go out of my way to go out of a park which I paid for to get into just to float for a little bit?" She was right, location, location, location!
My admin was there for a vacation. Her thoughts were "Look it's outside all of these fun things to do, why would I go out of my way to go out of a park which I paid for to get into just to float for a little bit?" She was right, location, location, location!
We were down there a month ago and I happened by the site, I was thinking the same thing.
Dec 20, 2010, 2:10 PM
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Re: [airtwardo] Why was Orlando sold?
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Tunnels are a low invovment decision for every one but those who skydive. And as such they should be in locations that are easy to get to and or have the most foot traffic. The first person to open one of these up in NYC can and will make enough to buy all the other tunnels around the world.
Tunnels are a low invovment decision for every one but those who skydive. And as such they should be in locations that are easy to get to and or have the most foot traffic. The first person to open one of these up in NYC can and will make enough to buy all the other tunnels around the world.
sounds like a good idea! whose got 30 million i can borrow?
Tunnels are a low invovment decision for every one but those who skydive. And as such they should be in locations that are easy to get to and or have the most foot traffic. The first person to open one of these up in NYC can and will make enough to buy all the other tunnels around the world.
sounds like a good idea! whose got 30 million i can borrow?
Dec 21, 2010, 12:58 PM
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Re: [jimartle] Why was Orlando sold?
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yeah but unless you know what your looking at it will look like the funny shaped blue and orange thing. before i got into skydiving and thus tunnel flying thats exactly what i thought. dind know what it was, and really didnt give it a second thought.
yeah but unless you know what your looking at it will look like the funny shaped blue and orange thing. before i got into skydiving and thus tunnel flying thats exactly what i thought. dind know what it was, and really didnt give it a second thought.
DING DING DING! You got it brother!
You want people to come in, they have to know what the hell they are buying. Tandems well that's just a bucket list item that most people will either do or not do. But tuennel time? Well! Location location location!
Every one knows Universal, less than 1% of the pouplation knows what a tunnel is!
Thus, build it in or around a large city. Mix it up, tunnel + (other)
Montreal has it figured out, take a subway and with in 2 min you are there. And it's near a rather large mall.
yeah but unless you know what your looking at it will look like the funny shaped blue and orange thing. before i got into skydiving and thus tunnel flying thats exactly what i thought. dind know what it was, and really didnt give it a second thought.
DING DING DING! You got it brother!
You want people to come in, they have to know what the hell they are buying. Tandems well that's just a bucket list item that most people will either do or not do. But tuennel time? Well! Location location location!
Every one knows Universal, less than 1% of the pouplation knows what a tunnel is!
Thus, build it in or around a large city. Mix it up, tunnel + (other)
Montreal has it figured out, take a subway and with in 2 min you are there. And it's near a rather large mall.
yeah exactly!! there isnt any signs that you really see from the road either. it it was me, id put up a big ass billboard or something. and yeah they need to put one in like the mall of america. wait. . . .dibs on that idea!!!!! its mine!! i thought of it!!
A big sell to tourists staying in the Orlando / Kissimmee area are the flyer racks located in the hotel lobby, virtually every restaurant, all the rest areas, welcome centers, information centers, etc. I've seen flyers quite regularly and see a number of tourists in the tunnel when I go. But that's just my take on it. It seems to be surviving, it's still open.
ooohh. well i didnt knwo that, but for us that LIVE(d) here in central florida there isnt much advertising that i saw. literally was there for 3 years with no clue.
Were we not sky jumpers, it might go unnoticed. I am damn near anti-amusement park. Them bitches is crowded and expensive. Much like all of I-drive. Over-priced and under-valued. I don't see any advertising for locals outside the jumper community.
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