Vegas Baby!

I just returned yesterday from my first trip to Vegas where I rode everything except Canyon Blaster due to lack of time and interest in it. My arm is broken so I'm in cast and sling but I simply took off my sling before the rides. I started off with High Roller, walked to Sahara for Speed and then the next day I took a tram and then walked to New York New York for Manhattan Express.

High Roller
Rides: 1 ride, 2 laps
Wait: Walk-On
If the ride wasn't 909 feet off the ground, it would suck. Even though it is 909 feet up, it still sucks as it is about the most mundane coaster I've ridden. However, I would say that if you're in Vegas you should still ride it for the views and to say that you have. It starts out by taking you up ever so slightly and then sending you on a slightly downward curve around most of the building. After that yu hit the ride's biggest drop that propels you to a whopping 30mph. However, the drop is fairly fun because there's a decent headchopper and it skirts the building while curving around it. After that drop, you make another long turn around the building and head up a fly-wheel powered turning lift. They do give you two laps around the short track which makes it a little better.

Speed: The Ride
Rides: 5
Wait: Walk-On (Even for the front row.)
This was definitely the best ride of the three. One ride was 9 bucks or I could get an all-day pass for 12. I obviously opted for the all-day pass and got 5 straight walk-ons including 2 in the front row. The only thing that I would do to improve this ride would be to have Premier come in and fic it up with the lapbar system. The first launch may only propel you to 45mph, but it's still a rush and the second launch more than makes up for it. After the first launch through a tunnel out of the cafe, you turn in to a highly banked 90 degree left turn that takes you down 25 feet in to a 115 foot long tunnel under the sidewalk. You are then catapulted up and through the loop which provides ample hangtime. Next, we head to the second launch which gets us to 70 mph and goes right through the hotel's marquee. Through a slight right hand turn and a another one to the left, we head up the 224 foot vertical spike before plumetting back down to earth and navigating the course again backwards.

Manhattan Express
Rides: 2
Wait: 10m, 15m
The problem with Manhattan Express is that it can't decide whether it wants to be a junior hyper (even though it's 203ft tall, the biggest drop is 144) or a megalooper seeing as minus the loop and reverse immelman, its layout is much like a hyper, complete with bunny hops and a helix. Because of that conflict, you have a lapbar and shoulder harnesses though the shoulder harnesses aren't full horsecollars as they don't have anything connecting the two pieces. That aside, you board the well-themed NYC taxi trains, turn left and head up the lift where you have a short piece of track and a slight left turn before taking the initial 75 foot plummet. We head back up while turning 90 degrees to the left and hurtle down the 144 foot drop reaching speeds of 67mph. Next, we go back up, turn left, and head in to the loop which is just like any other loop in the world. Then it's up and in to the reverse immelman-esque inversion in which we ride upside down for a little while before diving out of it. After that it's the brake run followed by a very hyper-like second half with 180-degree turns, bunny hills, and a 540 degree helix. After all that, we head back in to the building and hit the downward-sloping brake run and head back to the station.

Well... that's my trip to Vegas coaster-wise. I do have pictures on my computer, I just haven't uploaded them to my server. Once I do, I'll let you all know.

Shane

Are you old enough to gamble, drink or see "adult" shows? That's where the real action is in Vegas!

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Jeff - Webmaster/Admin - CoasterBuzz.com - Sillynonsense.com
DELETED! What time does the water show start?

Agreed. There is nothing like playing craps for four hours, getting sloshed, and experiencing the Star Trek Experience. :)

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Missing the Fallen:
King Cobra 1984-2001
The Bat 1981-1983

Or staying up all night hitting a big jackpot and playing poker with a really really hammered guy.

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I hope they kill that iron yuppie. Thinks he's so big. The great homer simspon

You did a dumb thing to skip out on Canyon Blaster. After doing an average of 3 visits each year to Sin City, I am able to say Canyon Blaster is the best of all the Vegas coasters. It is the smoothest looping Arrow coaster I have come across, has unsuspecting ejector air, sustained lateral G-forces, and a non-stop intensity that puts it on the map. It's too bad that the misconception against any kind of looping coaster under the hand of Arrow gets dismissed as a inferior ride. Speed - though fast as it may be, lacks the elements that would make it a great ride. The Express, though being the longest coaster on the strip and showcases two hair-raising drops and the unique twist-n-dive element is much too uncomfortable in the second half - what with all the jolting from left to right and those evil harnesses...