Vegas Coaster Questions

I will be going to Las Vegas next week (10/7) and I am planning on going on the coasters. I haven't been there since 1996 and I have some questions. I was wondering if anyone knows the operating schedule or prices for the Manhatten Express...I tried to find the info on-line, but I didn't have any luck. Also, are there any discounts, better times to go, etc. for the rides in Vegas. Any info would be appreciated. Thanks in advance.

*** This post was edited by derekbpm on 10/3/2002. ***

Try doing a search on this site for the answers. Or, try Google. It took me about 6 seconds to find the price and operating hours.

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A day is a drop of water in the ocean of eternity. A week is seven drops.

Manhattan Express is open everyday at 11am and closes on weekdays at 10 and midnight on weekends.

Try Vegas.com for other info...its a shame I live here and I dont know this stuff by heart.

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"ok everyone go ahead and pull down on your shoulder restraint so you feel nice and stuck!"

I believe ME runs daily til 10 pm in the off season, but I don't know for sure. It was $10 per person in July when I rode it. My suggestion is to buy one ticket to get the credit, and then run as far away as possible.;) Ride Speed at the Sahara, and (definitely, no matter how much you are frightened) ride the Big Shot and the High Roller. HR isn't great, but is different and the 'pull' over the crest is really intense, albeit really short. The Big Shot is everything you can imagine and more. Buy the full deal at the counter on the ground floor, and buy repeat rides for Big Shot after you get off the ride. You will love it. Don't forget to open your eyes. The world will distort right in front of you.
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www.tripowered.com

*** This post was edited by nasai on 10/3/2002. ***

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nasai said:

The world will distort right in front of you.

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Hell, if that isn't one of the best endorsements/taglines ever, then I don't know what is. You could sell that!

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www.coasterimage.com
Dorney Park visits in 2002: 17

And don't forget about Canyon Blaster at Circus, Circus. It may not be the biggest looper out there, but "blasting"through the "canyon" is pretty neat. Makes you feel like you are going faster than you really are.

Also, you may want to check out some of the sims there too. Star Trek: the Experience is worth the money, if anything to check out the history of flight from the Wright Brothers and into the "future" via the Star Trek Timeline. Lots of uniforms/props from the TV series and movies. Most interesting queue I've ever waited in.

There are sims at the Luxor and Ceasar's, and some smaller ones at Excaliber and Circus, Circus.

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I'd rather die living than live like I'm dead

Yeah, the sims are sweet, but so terribly expensive. Granted, everything is expensive in Vegas.

Thanks Lord G! Perhaps I should work for an ad agency???;)
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www.tripowered.com

Not food, Steak and Eggs for $2.99 ;)

Also in Primm, NV (about 30 miles south) is Desperado at Buffalo Bill's. It's pretty good, but very rough. It's "only" $6/person.

Manhattan Express was up to $12 a person when I was there a few weeks ago. It looked like it had a lot of poorly designed transitions, so I passed.

And of course, EVERYTHING is cheaper away from the Strip :)

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My K'Nex Coasters - 2nd Coaster added

Coming to Wyandot Lake in 2003: Sea Dragon's Revenge

There are sims at the Venetian as well, but are also small. There are three or four, and one, Time Traveller, is pretty cool. Buy the combo package, of course, for an ok deal.
Personally, I don't think Desperado is nearly as rough as it's reputation, but bring a helmet of some type for Manhattan Express, no joke. And don't forget the sims at Buffalo Bill's; when I last went, they were among the best. Theatre-sized screens , with seats that really have a wide range of movement. The Off-Road Race was a blast!

*** This post was edited by Robocoaster on 10/5/2002. ***

Honestly, the irony in ME is that the twist-and-dive, the helix, and the finishing bunnies are all *relatively* smooth....the first drop and pull-out are unreasonably rough, and the far turnaround was too. Togo transitions are like the old Arrow transitions, only far worse...how do they DO that?...

Desperado has one of the best first drops ever. I don't know why but it really kicks.

Don't miss Speed: The Ride. It's awesome from beginning to end. It is my favorite launched ride just behind Excelerator. Hey, I was wondering, is this the only coaster with 2 sets of LIM's?

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Coasterlovers unite....Please!!

V:TBC...

ME is a little underated, it can be a bit of fun, it can be a little painful but some of the elements are rather cool, at $12 a ride it is only worth one, Big Shot is the best S&S out there, terrific view and gives 2 great spots of airtime. Go to Primm and buy the all day ticket, it is $27 I beleive, WORD TO THE WISE: only ride Desperado in the back car, all the other cars are ME and a Boomerang combined in terms of brutality, but in the back car the ride is silky smooth and the 3 elevated bunny hops are superb. Don't count out Turbo Drop, since it is the first model of Trubo drop it is more intense, you get THRUST down a lot better then Supreme Scream ever has. Canyon Blaster is a lot of fun, shockingly smooth, very few rough places, but it gets old quick if you've ridden it before. I'd only ride it a couple times. High Roller pretty much can be avoided, it is just to pricey for that ride. I'm pretty sure Big Shot is $12 for your first ride then $3 for each reride. I beleive High Roller is maybe $10, I think there is a combo ticket, but I would spend my money on Big Shot if you aren't dying for the coastr credits. But there is only one ride in Vegas that you have to hit no matter what! And that is Speed: The Ride, B&M or Intamin smoothness, both launches are incredibly energetic, the loop is superb and great floating on the tower. It is $8 for a double shot (gives you 2 consecutive rides) and $14.99 or 15.99 for all day pass for just the coaster. I'd buy the all day for the coaster (unless you'd want to ride the race games also) and stick around there for a couple hours and ride ride ride, you can ride it about 5 to 7 times in an hour depending on the crowd. If there is steady stream of people coming in it can go up to 7 an hour but if it is trickle it will be down towards 5 rides. You have to ride it in the front and the back, the front is the best seat, duh, but the back makes the initial launch and loop very fun. So spend most of your time at Sahara, hit Canyon Blaster and Big shot, stop by NYNY to see about ME. The dash over to Primm.

Both Mr. Freezes (SFOT & SFSTL) contain two LIM's, one at the start and the second at the base of the spike.

Back to Vegas coasters:

High Roller--don't pass this one up, but only ride it on the outside front row to get the best sensation of being 1000 feet in the air, especially as the first drop briefly curves out of sight. An inside row seat will merely seem like a junior steel coaster at ground level. Big Shot is still the better ride--try it at night if you can!

Canyon Blaster--I haven't ridden this since 1999 but found it enjoyable, especially after learning to lean into the headrest going to the turnaround to reduce head banging.

Manhattan Express--Likewise, 1999 was my most recent ride, but others I know who have ridden ME more recently have remarked on its roughness and don't have an urge to re-ride it, and not just because of the high price to ride it.

Speed--I rode in 2001 and noticed some roughness in the first section of track after the launch and would welcome a removal of the shoulder restraints. Another ride that would be fun to try at night!

Desperado--Nevada's only "wooden" roller coaster! ;) (rode rough like a poorly maintained wood coaster in 2000) This year in June the train ran smoother than ever before (not Intamin-smooth, of course) and I could handle a re-ride better than in previous years. Plenty of ejector air in the bunny hops before the block brake. There was some sort of discount (2 for 1?) for Manhattan printed on the back of my Desperado ride ticket.

Enjoy your visit to Sin City!

Yes...the "deal" on the Despy/ME tickets is that if you buy a single ride on Despy, your ticket is a buy one, get one free ride on ME...saves the $5 re-ride on ME (as if you need two to show you how truly bad it is, lol). Besides, Despy is the better ride anyway, and with the Turbo Drop, the simulators, and that awesome shoot-em-up log flume, the wristband at BB, while overpriced, was a better option IMO....your mileage MAY vary...

*** This post was edited by rollergator on 10/6/2002. ***