Costumed witches can score a free spin on Orlando's 400-foot observation wheel this Wednesday as organizers attempt to set a world record for the most people dressed as witches riding an observation wheel at one time. The attempt runs from 6 to 7 p.m. at the Orlando Eye inside ICON Park, with guests who show up dressed as witches eligible for complimentary rides during that window.
The event, scheduled for October 21, targets a niche Guinness category that is distinct from the overall world record for the largest gathering of people dressed as witches, according to WKMG ClickOrlando. That broader record, set in September 2022 at the Pendleside Hospice Witch Festival in Lancashire, England, counted 1,882 costumed participants, as reported by the Burnley Express. The Lancashire gathering claimed a new record, but Guinness still had to verify and ratify it; Guinness lists 1,607 as the record, achieved in Spain in 2013.
Guinness World Records has specific wardrobe rules for these attempts. Participants in the 2013 record wore a black hat, a black floor-length dress, and a broom, according to Guinness World Records. The Orlando Eye's own rules also include local restrictions: costumes must be suitable for all ages and cannot include full-face masks or weapon-like props, and no costume element can interfere with the ride's operation.
Capacity Limits Will Cap the Final Count
Capacity Limits Will Cap the Final Count The Orlando attempt measures a different category from the Lancashire gathering, so the counts are not directly comparable. The Orlando Eye stands 400 feet tall and operates 30 air-conditioned glass capsules, each holding up to 15 passengers, for a theoretical maximum of 450 simultaneous riders across the wheel, according to the Orlando Business Journal. With a single rotation taking about 20 minutes and the event window lasting just one hour, the total rider count during the attempt will be constrained by how many full rotations the wheel can complete before 7 p.m.
Admission is first-come, first-served and subject to capacity and operational availability, and an RSVP does not guarantee a spot, per the seed facts tied to the event listing. Guests can register ahead of time, but showing up in costume is still no sure bet to catch a ride during the hour-long window.
Glittery Mocktails and Discounted Combo Tickets
Organizers are leaning into the theme with a signature drink called the Witch's Brew, a color-changing concoction made with butterfly pea flower, blue curaçao, champagne and edible glitter. A nonalcoholic mocktail version will also be available for guests who want the spectacle without the alcohol.
An Orlando Eye ticket can include a second attraction at no extra cost. That bundling fits into ICON Park's broader fall calendar, which includes Madame Tussauds Orlando's interactive scavenger hunt, The Great Wax Heist, running through October 31, and SEA LIFE Aquarium's Pirates of the Haunted Seas on select weekends, according to Madame Tussauds Orlando.
A Wheel With a Few Different Names
The Orlando Eye itself has changed hands and names more than once. Merlin Entertainments, which also runs the London Eye, repurchased the 400-foot wheel in March 2024 and restored its original name, The Orlando Eye by Merlin Entertainments, after it had previously operated as the Coca-Cola Orlando Eye, Icon Orlando and The Wheel at ICON Park, according to Frommer's.
The wheel sits inside ICON Park, a gate-free, 20-acre entertainment complex on International Drive. Its gate-free layout could encourage walk-up crowds, a dynamic that could work in the record attempt's favor Wednesday evening.
Part of a Bigger Halloween Push on International Drive
The witch attempt lands amid Halloween activities along International Drive, including Universal Orlando Resort's Halloween Horror Nights. ICON Park has also been preparing to expand its dining lineup with Nomikai by Sushi Saint, planned for the former Sloppy Joe's space with an approximately 60-seat room and Tokyo neo-cyberpunk design; its opening was targeted for late July or early August, Hoodline reported.
