Las vegas roller coaster's

Manhattan Express is bumpy to say the least. If you can sit where you have a good view of the track ahead then you can prep for how you have to brace yourself to keep from getting your head banged too much. It is all about atmosphere for that ride and the feeling of racing high up through the NY skyline. It is worth one ride, IMO, just for that.

High Roller is fun, but gimmicky and not too much to the ride. If you like heights it is a nice ride with a spectacular view of the city. While you are up there on the Stratusphere don't miss the other rides - of course you have to plan what you want to do before you even get up on top of the tower because you have to buy tickets below in the hotel before you even get allowed to go up to the top of the tower.

Any way, on top the Big Shot is fun and gives you the best view and thrill up there if you like S&S Turbo launch towers, that is. There is just something about being lauched upwards from a starting height of around 1100' in the air. It is exhilarating.

X-Scream is fun too, but pretty lame, IMO after the first time and even moreso if you don't get the front row. If heights are a problem for you this ride will scare the crap out of you. Of course at this point if you already paid to get up there and bought a wrist band you might as well ride the heck out of it.

I can't comment on Insanity, they just had installed it right after my last trip to Vegas.

While you are down at the Strat, do not miss Speed the Ride at the Nascar Cafe adjoined to the Sahara hotel. That is the best ride in Vegas.

Across the street is the Circus Circus hotel which has the Adventuredome indoor amusement park. This is a collection of various flat rides and the Canyon Blaster rollercoaster. That one is actually a pretty decent typical Arrow-type corkscrew ride. If you are feeling a little adventurous, while you are at Circus Circus there is a bungee-jumping tower right there also.

Boardwalk casino has a fake coaster facade and a ferris wheel as part of the outdoor theming of the hotel. The ferris wheel used to have fake riders in the seats and actually operated and spun around in years past. It doesn't anymore from what I know and at least did not the last time I was there.

Desperado is an hours drive outside the city in the Buffalo Bill's Casino in Primm, Nevada right on the Nevada/California border. That is a great ride also. They also have some other rides and a log flume which never seem to be operating when I go there.

Have fun in Vegas and don't spend too much. ;)

*** Edited 11/18/2005 11:58:27 AM UTC by cyberdman***

• Speed at the Sahara ($10 for one ride, $13 unlimited)
• Canyon Blaster at Adventuredome in Circus Circus ($6 for one ride)
• ride Manhattan Express ($12.50 for one ride) and High Roller ($12 for one ride) only if you must. They are not very thrilling.

For amusement park thrills

• nothing scared me quite as badly as Big Shot, X-Scream and Insanity at the top of the Stratosphere Tower. ~$30 covers unlimited rides on everything (including High Roller)
• Adventuredome has a nice mix of rides. ~$23 is a good price for unlimited rides on Canyon Blaster and Rim Runner. The fact that it includes other thrill rides like Sling Shot and Inverter is a bonus.
• NASCAR Café. $20 includes unlimited rides on Speed and on their racing simulators. ($25 package includes a Speed photo.) Speed is incredible, and the 7/8 scale simulators are unique and fun -- something you definitely have to try at least once.

There are discount coupons for Adventuredome and the Stratosphere Tower in just about every guidebook in every cab and hotel lobby. Coupons for NASCAR Café are more difficult to find.

Location

The Stratosphere Tower, Adventuredome and NASCAR Café are all within a mile (easy walking distance) at the northern end of the strip. The Sahara has a monorail station, which makes it easy to connect to newer hotels at the southern end of the strip. *** Edited 11/18/2005 3:11:19 PM UTC by greatwhitenorth***

1. Manhattan Express - I didn't find this rough at all, but I may have had an advantage because I got lucky and snagged a front seat ride. The latter half of this ride rocks--lots of air and laterals--and the twist & dive is one of the best inversions ever.

2. Canyon Blaster - Smoothest Arrow next to Tennessee Tornado. It has the same style trains that Drachen Fire had, which in my book is a plus.

3. Speed: The Ride - Good fun, but nowhere near the intensity of Mr. Freeze in my opinion. I have it ranked slightly higher than the Premier Mad Cobra designs. The second boost after the loop is pretty cool.

4. High Roller - Ranked lowest, obviously, but still a very enjoyable coaster. It's basically a kiddie coaster with very restrictive trains, but at over 900 feet high, it's quite a rush. Big Shot was the star attraction of the Stratosphere, however...but I have yet to ride either of the newer attractions since my one trip to Vegas was in '03.

Go here for my almost 3-year-old Vegas trip report, you'll find a lot of people really enjoyed Manhattan Express, although all who replied had also ridden in the front.
*** Edited 11/18/2005 8:49:00 PM UTC by Vater***

I thought that X-Scream was the most thrilling ride there (Insanity was not yet installed). However, I went into the ride purposely knowing nothing about the ride cycle (other than the fact it rolls you over the side of the tower), so it had a few surprises. I also lucked out and got a front seat ride which seems like the only place to really experience the effect of dangling over the side with nothing below you. I felt that Big Shot actually loses its effectiveness up there; because, I did not experience the ground rushing away from me. I was looking at out the view, and the Strip is so far below that the feeling of the motion is reduced drastically.

My coaster rankings would be:

1. Canyon Blaster: I loved the feeling of going up into the loop and having the roof of the dome rushing at you. It was somewhat disorienting.

2. Speed the Ride: Good quality ride. I would pay to ride it again.

3. Manhattan Express: Not the worst coaster I have ever ridden; but certainly in the lower tier. Not worth the price for the ride. I will not pay to ride again; but I would probably ride it for free.

4. High Roller: A blah kiddie coaster with OTSR. Very disappointing. If there was ever a perfect place for trick track, this was it...and they blew it! Can you imagine riding around the circle on the second pass and having the train suddenly tip to the outside? Now that would be thrilling.