Is Desparado Worth the Drive From Vegas

My soon to be bride wants to take me to Vegas for my wedding present (more roller coasters for me that I have never ridden, hmm let me think about that). So that makes a trip to the Dells for the honeymoon for some woodies (no pun intended) and Vegas for a second honeymoon. Not too shabby!!

Anyways, for those that have been to Vegas and made the trip to ride Desparado, is it worth the drive from Vegas just to ride? I dug up some old posts on this looking to see if it would be worth the drive and a lot of people think it is rough but I just don't seem to have a definite yes or no.

So if you have had a chance to ride this, would you recommend the drive? The only problem is we will only be there maybe 3 days so if it is worth it, we are for it. Of course, I will be riding the ones in Vegas including the Big Shot and X-Scream but wonder if this should be added to the trip.

Thanks everyone

I was there last November, and I enjoyed Desperado. They have some sort of wristband special where you can ride all the rides for like $15 I think. Also, that wristband goes down like after 3pm or something. Check their website. Not quite sure on the prices, but the wristband was worth it.

Desperado is kinda rough, and if you ride in the back, you may not want to ride it again. So, make sure you get as close to the front as possible. It has some amazing airtime, not floater, but ejecter type. I thought the airtime was more painful on my legs hitting the lapbar than the overall general roughness. Personaly I love rough rides, except SOB.

Overall, I think it would be worth your time.

If you've never been to Vegas before and you're only going for 3 days, I'd say to save Desparado for another trip. There is sooooo much to do on the strip that you won't even miss it.

That being said, if you decide the strip is "not your thing" and you wanna escape for the day, hit Desparado and then drive a little ways into California and wander around the desert. It's kind of neat.

Have fun!

-dawn, vegas bound in 7 days :)

crazyforcoasters,

Take it from me, Desperado is not worth the drive, the money, nor your suffering. It isn't just ROUGH, it is ridiculously painful and it subjects you to pain akin to that of Windjammer Surf Racers AND IT HAS NO HORSE COLLARS! To boot, it is not thrilling nor fun to compensate for it. The only reason you'd ever put yourself on that thing is for ride count and to say you've experienced a near complete skeletal shattering. It may seem like I'm exaggerating, but wow was that ride BAD. See, to me, Psyclone is tolerable, but Desperado is beyond that.

I disagree - I like Desperado better than Magnum. It's got a great drop, incredible speed, three EXTREME air hills and a cool indoor helix.

But even if you don't like it, there's more in Primm to make the drive worthwhile. Buffalo Bill's has a great casino and arcade, plus a log ride and S&S tower ride. There's an outlet mall next door.

And the drive there is just so beautiful, especially if, like me, you're not used to seeing mountains and deserts.

I've been to Vegas twice, both times for three days or less, and I made the drive both times.

Its 40 miles...not that far out of one's way that if you really hated it you couldn't be back in Vegas shortly. I say go give it a whirl.

I thought what happened in Vegas STAYED in Vegas....;)

Seriously, for Despy ALONE I don't know that I'd make the drive....oh heck, sure I would...:)

But really, the *prize* at Buffalo Bill's is NOT the subpar hyper (beats out only Steel Force and the old Phantom in my book), but the really COOL shoot-'em-up log flume. What a BLAST that ride was (pun absolutely intended). There's also a rather *ordinary* S&S tower, the only fun in riding it is making the ops come outside to run it...it sits outside in the BLAZING Nevada desert sun...

The other COOL things at Buffalo Bill's are their *programmable* Iwerks theatres...I think there were TEN(!) features available, and two separate theatres. If they still have the mine ride, I highly recommend that one....WELL-timed, and fun! :)

I agree with Dawn!

I've been there 4 times now and have not been able to squeeze in time for Desperado. I keep saying "I'll get around to it someday" but things like Red Rock Canyon take much precendence over Desperado. Watch out for those tigers! I'll be there July 25-29.

I couldn't disagree with kRaXLeRidAh more, Desperado is a definate MUST do! I'll certianly admit that Despo is rough, but no way is it worse than Psyclone, not by a longshot. Big D has crazy airtime and an overall out-of-control feeling that is very rare in this day and age of watered-down wanna-be "let's-cater-to-the-weakest-rider-to-avoid-complaints" coasters.

If you happen to catch it on a day where the trims barely tap the train, then you are in for a treat.

I do, however, reccomend riding while holding on to the grab bars and preparing for impact. There IS roughness, but if you are ready for it, you will enjoy yourself. If you ride all willy-nilly with your hands raised above your head, you will feel the wrath.

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Den said:
But even if you don't like it, there's more in Primm to make the drive worthwhile. Buffalo Bill's has a great casino and arcade, plus a log ride and S&S tower ride. There's an outlet mall next door.

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...and a LA SALSA in the food court! Best margaritas in vegas and mahi mahi tacos. Yum! Just because you can get a 46-oz. margarita for 99 cents at "the Ho" (Westward Ho, that is) doesn't mean you should. Treat yourself to something good. :)

Wow, you're getting the same mixed reviews here too! :)

I think it comes down to your schedule. The drive isn't far at all. Is it worth it to take a little time out of your 3 days to make it a stop? Will this be a 'once in a lifetime' trip or will you be back in Vegas in a year or two?

I wouldn't look at it from a ride quality standpoint, I'd look at it from a time/opportunity standpoint.

There's two Chipotle eateries in Vegas and everyone knows Chipotle is much better than La Salsa ;)

I think that "The Ho" also has the $1 Heineken. Those huge margaritas at LaSalsa seem like they're all syrup and no tequilla! By the time I had this nasty feeling in the back of my throat.

I was in Vegas in January and didnt make the drive to Desperado, but I did ride M.E. and Speed: The Ride. M.E. is a waste of money but the first drop was fun. Speed was the best coaster we rode there and it was awesome especially the second launch.

Put in another yes vote for Desperado. Being an airtime whore, it's one of my favorites. If there's any Nevada coaster I'd skip, it'd be Manhattan Express, a coaster that definitely should be handing out Advil at the exit.

Desperado's actually really not that far away, and worth the short drive IMO. You just have to ride this beast defensively, keep your back off the hard seats, don't wear shorts (the metal lap bars can indeed do a number on you) and just enjoy it for what's it's worth. I didn't find it any rougher than Magnum, and with an untrimmed first drop, more satisfying. If possible, take a sunset ride, unbelievable experience in an breathtaking setting!

Do make sure to call first before making the trek, those strong Nevada winds sometimes shut down the ride, so plan accordingly.

Magnum's first drop doesn't have a trim...does it? I certainly don't recall one.

mOOSH [I gots me a GID ;)]

Haven't ridden it since 1995, it definitely did back then, not sure about now. Was really disappointed with the lack of airtime for such a big coaster. Nice floater, but not ejector air like Deperado.

And sure, go ahead and rub in your GID! (just jealous jomo!)

Hey! It's been 12 years since I've had a GID...let a boy enjoy it, eh?

No trims on Magnum's first drop, only before the turnaround.

I really hope this thread doesn't turn into *yet another* Chipotle/LaSalsa/Baja Fresh fight...

/if I could get a meal of Chipotle's carnitas tacos and Baja Fresh's taquitos, life would be perfect...

Wow! You got me beat Moosh. It's been 7yrs for me, and I thought that was long! So do enjoy! Especially for us sad single guys ;o)

Den - you sure about that? Even back in 1995? My friend and I rode twice in the very last car, and each time, you could hear/feel the holding back on the first drop, and just barely floater air down the rest of the drop. With the height and angle, we were really expecting alot more air, and even the return bunny hills were just barely floater air. Not the airtime machine we were expecting/had hear so much about. Maybe we just caught it on an off day?