So, I went to Las Vegas over Spring Break. We stayed at the Cliffs at Peace Canyon, which is out by Summerlin in West Vegas.

We arrived on Friday night at 11 and headed to the resort. On Saturday we went to the Hoover Dam. Sunday was our first day on the Strip (Easter Sunday at that, lol). First, we went to the Bellagio and saw the Conservatory (lots of flowers and giant bugs and fountains, very cool) and ate Breakfast at the Jean-Phillipe Patisserie (sp?), which was the highlight of my entire life up to that point (really, it was that good).

The patisserie has the world's largest chocolate fountain, and it is 17 feet tall and contains over 2 tons of confectionary-grade chocolate. So of course I got 3 chocolate crepes and ate them all in a minute.

We then headed down the Strip (past all the stripper workers) to New York, New York. I used the buy on get one free coupon to get two rides on Manhattan Express for $12.50, which at the time I considered expensive.

Manhattan Express:

Front seat: 9/10
5 min. wait
Back seat: 7.5/10
Walk-on

Overall: 8.5/10

I liked the first three big hills, the loop, the twist and dive, and the bunny hills. The helix was okay, but the MCBR killed the second half. The turn from the Twist and Dive to the MCBR was awful, as was the turn from the final brakes to the station (an unbanked, weird curve that was taken too fast). The front was pretty smooth, especially for a Togo, but the back hurt like a mother. Good air for the most part, and a nice ride. NOTE: Although the track length is 4,777', at least 1,000' of that is flat/brake track.

After that, we went to MGM, Gameworks (I conquered the enormous rock wall), Aladdin, Paris, and then Mandalay Bay. The shark reef at Mandalay Bay is incredible, and is a must see in Vegas (unfortunately, their hammerhead had just died; it was the only one on public display in the U.S.) We then ate at Lupo, a Wolfgang Puck restaurant, and headed to the Sahara for a night ride on Speed.

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However, when we arrived, we found the price for Speed was much more than advertised. $9.95 for 1 ride, $19.95 for an all-day pass. Even worse, Nascar Cafe was about to close for the night (probably because of a lack of patrons; we were the only ones on Speed). I got one ticket for Speed, and headed up to the station, expecting to ride twice (once you return to the station, they launch you once more, or so I'd heard). We had to wait for 3 minutes before the next launch (or until the next full train, which wasn't happening).

Speed: The Ride:

Front seat: 9.5/10
3 min. wait

Wow. This ride barreled out of the station in the overbanked turn (and boy is it overbanked). You then go into a boring tunnel and into the vertical loop. After the loop, you rocket to 70 mph and go through an S-curve. Rocketing up the 225 ft. tower, you are weightless for at least 4 seconds. The ride only goes up the tower 200 ft. or so, and there's a brake to ensure you don't go any higher than 210 ft.

Incredibly smooth (absolutely no headbanging) great hangtime in the loop and on the tower. Really fast, but much too short for the cost. The advertised price is much lower, but I think they jacked it up for Spring Break.

After Speed, we called it a day.

The next day, Monday, we went to Zion National Park in Utah. It was really cool, except for the fact that the drive was much longer than anticipated since we got behind some moron in an RV. Tuesday was our last day on the Strip, but first, we headed out to Primm for Desperado.

To be continued.......(with pics)

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Sounds cool. Did you go to Circus Circus Adventure Dome? How about Stratosphere Tower?

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I'm flying!

I'm getting there. No Adventuredome, sadly. Obviously I went to the Strat, just look at my sig. Strat=infinite pwns0rz.



EDIT: Argh, my digital camera just fell off the desk while I was hooking it up the computer to upload pics. The little switch that takes the camera from picture mode to view mode is broken, and I can't figure out how to fix it.

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Please dont say it is a Sony. Great trip report, and has speed got lap bars yet?

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I LOVE ANN COULTER Dont Mess with me, I am an extemporaneous speaker. If you know what that is and what it means, give yourself a cookie. Also I am the only Conservative Libertarian on this site, and proud of it.

^ No, Canon.

I don't think they're going to get lapbars for Speed; it's by far the smoothest Premier. Plus, Nascar Cafe seemed pretty thrifty to me; they wouldn't spend that much for an upgrade anyway (if it costs money, that is).

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I have a canon digital elph. What do you mean the switch is broken? I think it happenedto mine once, maybe I'll remember how to fix it.

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^ I have the same camera.

You know the switch that takes the camera from picture mode to short movie mode to view mode? Instead of clicking/stopping at each spot and displaying what it's supposed to, it slides back and forth without clickling and can only take pictures. It can't make movies or display pictures.

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^Well, try to push the swith "into" the camera. The exterior part of the switch probably disconnected from the part in the camera. It may be one piece, in which case you'll have to take the camera in for them to repair it. If you do send it to get repaired, takes out the compact flash card and go to a kinko's or copy max or some other copy machine place, bring a blank CD or disk, and you can put the memory card right into a machine that they have there. No need to use that crappy Zoom Browser.

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Anyway, on with the TR.

On Tuesday, we headed out to Primm at 10:15 to get there right at opening. After leaving Vegas/Henderson, I was amazed at how empty the surrounding area was. Vegas really is a giant oasis surrounded by nothing. After going through Jean, 12 miles from Primm, I spotted Desperado's yellow track far in the distance (yep, the desert is that flat and you can see for miles. We passed by a correctional facility on the left and pulled into the parking lot at Buffalo Bill's.

Once inside the casino, I noticed that the log flume (with laser guns) ran through and around the entire casino before going outside. We headed to the back of the casino and bought two rides on Desperado each. After waiting for a few cycles of testing (they were running only one train; the other is in the shop and the third is used for parts) we hopped on the first ride of the day in the front. However, the wind shield in the front is enormous-bigger than Magnum's-and really blocks your view.

After dropping out of the station and zipping up the lift hill (much faster than Magnum's) the train plunged down with minimal airtime into the tunnel, which is over in a flash. You then coast up the second hill into a very highly banked curve where the train shuffles heavily. As you level out, you get a pop of air in the front before heading down a very long and rampy drop that leads into a poorly transitioned dropping and then rising turn, which levels out too slowly to produce any airtime. After heading into a downwards right hand turn with a terrible transition to level, you shoot up a bunny hill with massive air. You head back down and then back up into a slight rising curve before you are thrown out of your seat again. You do this curving bunny hill one more time before a very painful and fast turn into the MCBR, which could not stop the train if it needed to.

After exiting the MCBR with almost no speed, you head into a downward S-Curve that is painful. You then go just above the dropoff area/entrance into a bunny hop with decent air. You head into a fake mountain for a 540* helix which also encircles the log flume. After this, you go through a slow turn in the same direction and dive under a monorail thingy for a small bit of air. After this, you head up a slope and into the brakes, followed by a right hand turn back into the building.

Pros:
Lots of air
Excellent enclosed helix
No lines
Fairly cheap

Cons:
Very rough in spots
Only one train
MCBR kills the ride
Post-MCBR part of the ride is weak
Strange turns and transitions

Front: 7/10
Back: 8/10

Verdict:
It is worth the drive from Vegas, but don't get an all-day ride pass; you'll get a headache for sure. Also, the enormous first drop has almost no air, even in the last row, perhaps because it only has 5 cars as opposed to Magnum's six. This ride was probably incredible in its heyday, but has simply become another not-well-aged Arrow.

Part 4 including Stratosphere next...........

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So where is part 4? Apparently, you liked Insanity best, so why don'tyou tell about that?

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Part 4 (Stratosphere: Las Vegas)

After coming back from Primm, we headed over to Caesar's Palace for a late lunch/ early dinner at Spago. This restaurant was awesome, obviously, and so were the nearby Forum Shops. After Caesar's Palace, we drove up the Strip to Stratosphere. I began to worry about the rides operations, beause the winds were really high that day. As we headed into the casino, I saw Insanity swing out into the open air for the first time..............wow, awesome. We got up to the top of the tower and looked at Vegas for awhile from the indoor observation deck. We even saw the 737-200s (from Area 51) fly close to the tower on their approach to McCarran.

At about 6:00, I got in line for Insanity, and the line was enormous! The line stretched through the entire queue and to the entrance door. It was about 1 hour from the door. The sun set, and I saw that there would be an open seat on the next cycle. I motioned to the ticket-taker, who let me bypass at least 20 minutes of the line. I pulled down the "escape-proof" lap bar/leg restraint to a comfortable level, and the ride op quickly stapled me VERY tightly. The actual process once the riders are loaded takes forever; there are 4 sections of raling that lower one at a time for load/unload, greatly increasing the ride cycle time. Once we were dangling 909 feet above Las Vegas, a realized how fun and insane this ride was. Once the ride began to spin, the arms rose up to a near-vertical angle and the on-ride cameras flashed. The whole experience is impossible to describe; you really have to experience it yourself.

Insanity: 10/10
35 minute wait
15 minute wait

Pros:
-Height
-Spinnage
-Face-down extremeness
-Awesome light package (green, purple, white and orange, red, white)
-Awesome sound package

Cons:
-Long-loading
-Bad view (top of the Stratosphere hotel=lamer)

After Insanity, we headed up another level to the Big Shot/High Roller level. We went outside again (windy and freezing) and up a flight of stairs to reach the launch platform of Big Shot. The platform was empty of all riders, so we got the money seats; the ones facing the entire Strip. After floating up several feet for weighing, our restraints finally locked (to the relief of my terrified brother) and were checked by the attendants. The attendants stood not 3 feet from the vehicle to press the launch button (not very safe). The structure glowed red, and we shot off into the night sky, with all of Vegas lit up before our eyes.

Big Shot: 9/10
Walk-on (2x)

Pros:
-High
-Good airtime
-Excellent view

Cons:
-Slow loading

After this, we rode Big Shot yet again and then headed for High Roller. High Roller actually loaded quickly, and we were in the front in no time. The first time around was nice only because of the view, but the second time, the ride went faster over the crest of the "lift hill", providing an unsettling pop of airtime.

High Roller: 6.5/10
Walk-on

Pros:
-High
-Good view
-Pop of air

Cons:
-OTSRs
-Fairly boring

After High Roller, I took a final spin on Insanity and called it a trip.

Note: I didn't ride X-Scream because it was down for yearly maintenance for the entire time I was in Vegas.

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It's a bummer you missed the Adventure Dome; it's a lot of fun. Canyon Blaster isn't as rough as you would probably would think. Did you look to your right towards the road on the tower(dumb question)on Speed? It's really intense looking at the rode on and feeling the hang time! Too bad you didn't get to see X-Scream in action. It's scarier than crap when you are on the observation level of the tower and it comes joltin in front of the window! The train like actually hangs off the track a about 2 or 3 ft.

Wow, that sounds like a cool place. Someone explain to me how the tower is set up. Are there two outdoor observatories, each with two rides?

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Big Shot was so scary when I first rode it...I can only imagine how Insanity is..!