South Florida Sun-Sentinel (Sunday)
TANKS FOR THE MEMORIES
Tucked in the woods of urban Orlando, just off Forsyth Road near Colonial Drive, there’s trouble afoot with enemy troops lurking and the scene of a plane crash in the trees.
At least this is the narrative tourists will experience while driving a 17-ton tank — what some might consider a bucket-list item — at Tank America, which recently relocated from Melbourne to Orlando. The experience opened near the coast in 2017 and moved this year to be closer to what co-owner John Kinney called “the largest tourism destination in the country.”
“The majority of our customers have always been tourists coming from Orlando. A lot of people Uber nowadays and it makes things a bit difficult to take a trip over to Melbourne,” he said. “We’re less than 30 minutes from I-Drive, Universal
“Tanks are so much fun. I don’t care whether you’re 16 or 96. When you drive that tank, you get a smile on your face.”
— Tank America co-owner Troy Lotane
and all the other attractions. That was the main goal, to be in the heart of everything in the tourist world over here.”
Packages vary from the basic (starting at $299), which includes a safety briefing and two laps around a half-mile trail, to the “Ultimate Combat Experience,” which gives visitors the mud hole add-on, a chance to drive a tank from inside “locked up” and the opportunity to crush a car. As the holidays approach, it’s helpful to know that Tank America also sells gift cards and provides group deals.
Tank America has experienced some organic interest generated by billboards and Google searches but the attraction expects a surge in customers once they implement a new marketing push. Amid the company’s relocation, more than 3,000 people signed up for a “wait list” to be informed about reopening details.
“A lot of blood, sweat and tears went into getting the move over here, but I couldn’t be happier with the way the trails and everything came together,” Kinney said.
Co-owners Kinney and Troy Lotane are also implementing a referral program for Uber and Lyft drivers, allowing drivers to receive a small commission when sending customers to the theme park.
Tank America is eager to welcome guests to its new location and put smiles on customers’ faces.
“Tanks are so much fun. I don’t care whether you’re 16 or 96. When you drive that tank, you get a smile on your face,” Lotane said, with Kinney adding: “It’s ear-to-ear smiles almost every time when people get off a tank.”