This just in: Led Zeppelins Stairway to Heaven is exactly 150-feet tall. It is also made of steel
and its located in the rock-tastic metropolis of Myrtle Beach, South Carolina.
The Stairway in question is actually a theme-park roller coaster; more specifically, its the latest addition to the Hard Rock Cafes massive amusement park. Slated to open in spring 2008, the 140-acre
Hard Rock Park is the single largest tourism investment in South Carolinas history. That's press-release jargon for
really expensive, as this tourism investment is currently running a tab of $400 million. Equal parts amusement park (rides, amphitheaters, play areas, etc.) interactive museum (including exhibitions on the British Invasion and '70s rock), and bizarre musical sideshow (a stunt show devoted to roadies?! a country themed ice show?!), Hard Rock will
also boast an ultra-modern sound system specifically developed for the project, creating a totally immersive full day experience. Even so, perhaps the park's greatest feature is Mount Rockmore, a 250-ton sand sculture that reinterprets Mount Rushmore. Instead of featuring the faces of U.S. presidents, Rockmore bears the likenesses of Jimi Hendrix, John Lennon, Bob Marley, and Elvis Presley.
Cool.
Not much else is known about the Zeppelin ride, but park developers are working with the surviving members of the band to determine the rides logo, structure, and shape of the vehicles (blimps, anyone?). Whole Lotta Love has already been selected as the coasters theme song, which will orchestrate the ride via those aforementioned ultra-modern speakers. The orchestrated ride will be similar to Aerosmiths
coaster at Disney-MGM Studios in Florida
only with a very long drum solo and slightly higher vocals. Other rides include the Magic Mushroom Garden (described as "the world's largest black light poster," whatever that's supposed to mean), Reggae River Falls, and the Muddin' Monster Race (which seems to involve a car ride and lots of Woodstock-evoking mud).
Cool.
