Goodbye to Speed: The Ride at the Sahara (Vegas)?

[NoxegonI'm a culture ho]

Interesting. When I went to Vegas I actually decided to stay in the Sahara on the grounds that it had a monorail stop and was the cheapest. Don't remember much from that trip at all, but I'm sure I'd have remembered if the hotel was in any way unpleasant...

[utahTPRI Guess Donkeys Are Okay]

Is it worth making a 6-hour drive to ride it before it disappears? What else in Vegas is worth riding besides the stuff at Stratosphere?

We've been to the State Line and ridden Desperado. That was pretty decent, but it was hot and rattled us around quite a bit. Not sure we'd pay the money to ride it again. Speed is significantly better, right? Hopefully?

[DJeXeLThis button makes my penis erect.]

I personally like speed. Not as good as Mr. Freeze @ SFStL or SFOT however still a quality coaster nonetheless. I mean where else can you be launched immediately after exiting a vertical loop?! 6 hours is a long drive though......

Desperado is a little rough for my taste and I don't even like walking by RollerManhattanExpressCoaster, let alone riding it.

[Philrad71Don't put that donkey on the floor!]

Well, that sucks, but it's reality I suppose. I still remember staying at the campground at Circus Circus when Wet-N-Wild was between the Sahara and El Rancho. Not too many of the old casinos left on the strip from my youth. Circus Circus, Caesars, Imperial Palace, Ballys, Sahara, Hiltons...that's about it. I kinda wonder how much longer Circus Circus has left in the tank...that looked pretty ghetto when I was there in 2009.

Speed was a cool coaster and as many have said, the best coaster in Vegas (which isn't saying much). But I agree with Robb in that I don't see another park picking it up when no one wanted Chiller.

I had no clue what was with the excessive wait before launch...I just figured they were trying to fully load the train. But I do remember commenting on the horrid ride operations because they never really made any attempt to tell us why we were kept waiting so long and perhaps I missed a sign that may have posted this? The ride ops were texting & goofing around while all of us that wanted to ride all had puzzled looks on our faces!

[DiveMachineI think Intamin should make a donkey!]

Doesn't surprise me. Speed was a good ride and I'd like to hope it will get saved...but let's be honest, Chiller was a BETTER ride, and even had the train retro-fit...and there were no takers.

And when you have brand new coasters sitting in crates at parks that never became a reality also not getting bought up, I'd prepare to say goodbye to Speed: The Ride forever...

--Robb "Just thinking worst case, and unfortunately a realistic scenario here..." Alvey

Robb, I believe Chiller was bought! I remember hearing awhile back that a company had plans to pick it up on the cheap after Gadv announced it's removal, refurb it and sell it somewhere in the world, although, from my understanding, the project was cancelled and Chiller is rotting in a field a few miles from the park.

Speed was a great ride. When I was in Vegas, it always looked closed as I would stand there and wait for the launch for 5 minutes and walk into the hotel only to find that it's open

Doesn't surprise me. Speed was a good ride and I'd like to hope it will get saved...but let's be honest, Chiller was a BETTER ride, and even had the train retro-fit...and there were no takers.

And when you have brand new coasters sitting in crates at parks that never became a reality also not getting bought up, I'd prepare to say goodbye to Speed: The Ride forever...

--Robb "Just thinking worst case, and unfortunately a realistic scenario here..." Alvey

Robb, I believe Chiller was bought! I remember hearing awhile back that a company had plans to pick it up on the cheap after Gadv announced it's removal, refurb it and sell it somewhere in the world, although, from my understanding, the project was cancelled and Chiller is rotting in a field a few miles from the park.

I realize this happen, but it was never followed through on. That's what I'm saying. There just doesn't seem to be the money out there for a used ride like this when even newer rides aren't getting picked up. But you never know. Stranger things have happened. I mean, who would have ever thought that both Deja Vu's would end up seeing a new life?

[rcdudeAm I allowed to eat donkey during lent?]

This is too bad. I liked Speed, and compared to the other coasters in Vegas it was a really good ride. The ride was unique, with two launches and an unusual layout for a shuttle coaster, but it would be better if the ride only had lapbars. It wasn't really rough, but Premier's shoulder harnesses aren't very forgiving. I'm guessing that it's unlikely this will be relocated, but you never know. Maybe Cedar Fair can purchase it and improve CGA, then send it to Dorney a couple seasons later.

As for those timed launches, I only rode Speed at one time (July 2009), and was told their policy was one launch every ten minutes unless they had enough riders to fill the train. This meant it took me a half hour to ride twice. I would have rode once more but the rest of my party (none of which wanted a second ride) wanted to get going.

Once this ride leaves, Desperado is going to be the best coaster in Nevada, and there are many coasters that are better than it. Maybe that new park (assuming it gets built) will have something decent.

[DougMJrJar-Jar Binks smells like Donkey]

All I have to say is, bummer. Speed was the best coaster in LV. Although I only got one ride in 2009, I remember really enjoying it. I do remember the 15 min launch increments though. I stayed at the Stratosphere and would just watch the strip from our hit room. Anyway, just wish I would have ridden it twice.

[chemical_echoI just swallowed a whole donkey!]

If this really is true than I'm really happy I got my rides in last summer. But as others have said the 15min between launches was horrible. I had an all day pass and decided to just ride it 3 times to get my money's worth.
Rode once in the back, middle, and front.
The ops just stood and stared at me while I waited in the station and just stared at the clock. I think the shortest between launches was 10min

The ops just stood and stared at me while I waited in the station and just stared at the clock. I think the shortest between launches was 10min

This is exactly what they did to us on our last visit too. They were like "We know you're all standing there, but we don't give a f**k. You're waiting 15 minutes like it or not, bitches."