Stratosphere's New 'Ride'

[rawrtotheargh]

I was just at the Stratosphere!

I would have totally done it it was there.

Will definitely have to go on it next time.

But I wonder how much it will be.

[bearcut]

This is one of those rides that before I did it, I'd be there's no way, then once I got up there I'd be like "Okay, this is gonna be awesome"...and then I look over the edge...and begin crying like a little schoolgirl.

[Team Thriller]

I wonder if you have to sign any papers before you ride that thing

I'll say I'd do it, but deep down inside, I know I'd probably not.

 

Who knows though, because I was scaried sh!tless over Skyscrapers, and I remember riding Booster when I was at Fun Forest and it was a blast.

 

--James

[Speeddeamon128]

I love heights! I must do this

[Niller]

Looks like a modified version of a SCAD tower. Exactly how big is this? It can't be the whole tower, can it? That's a seriously huge freefall.

I don't know if I could make myself do it...

 

It is not freefall..

 

But it still looks awesome.

[steel]

How is it not freefall? It's just as much a freefall as any Intamin drop tower, it's just individual.

Maybe I'm missing something.

[HEADCHEEZ]

...Holy @#$%!

 

I'd probably do it. I'd be freaking out, But I'd do it.

[miniviews]

^^ Its a controlled fall, but a thrilling fall nonetheless.

 

< See my avatar for my first skyjump experience at Macau Tower. The scariest part of the ride is that first step--it feels unnatural.

 

At Macau Tower, you are required to sign a consent regarding the risk involved and the company's "none" liability.

[emmmmmalee]

Wow, that looks awesome! I've seen the other ones, and I've really wanted to try them out. Glad to see that there is one within a relatively short distance from me so I can go try it out some time!

[steel]

^^Well, so is an Intamin drop ride, but it's still a freefall. From what I can see, this is exactly the same as a basic drop tower, it's just individual and quite a bit taller.

[andyuk200523]

^^Well, so is an Intamin drop ride, but it's still a freefall. From what I can see, this is exactly the same as a basic drop tower, it's just individual and quite a bit taller.

 

I think what miniviews was refering too was that the Intamin Drop towers are a true Freefall, whereas this drop ride would be either a) an accelerated freefall, or b) not a true freefall as it would be a "controlled (ie. speed) freefall.

 

This looks very similar to what the Paratroopers in the UK use to train every day, good fun, but from all the way up there.....not a chance in hell of me going on that!

[mayberry21]

Sweet Jesus

 

There's no way I could not go on that if I got the chance; it would be incredible. I will say this...I would loose my voice for days from all the blood-curdling screaming I'd be doing.

[Electerik]

I can't believe no one has posted this yet:

 

absolutelyreliable.com

 

Monday, April 26, 2004

 

Stratosphere Just Starts Throwing People Off Their Tower

 

In a move designed to "give our guests the ultimate thrill experience," the Stratosphere hotel and casino began randomly throwing guests off the top of their tower this weekend.

 

"I was just thinking to myself, 'How can we push the bar further here at the Stratosphere? How can we really get on the map as a thrill ride capital?'" reminisced Stratosphere CEO Jim Knipfel. "It so happens I was snorting cocaine with Penn and Teller off a stripper's ass at the time, and Penn, he looks up from the powder on this Grade A perfect ass and says 'Hey Jim? Why not just start throwing the f**kers from the tower?'"

 

"I said 'Penn, I know you were joking, but that's a good f**king idea!'"

 

As of last Friday, all tower visitors to the Stratosphere are required to sign a legal document waiving all damages in the event "of random tower expulsion." Guests are chosen to be thrown off the tower at further randomly determined rates, though Knipfel assured ARN&R that the Stratosphere "will be ejecting at least 1-5 customers a day." Those guests who visit and are not murdered will receive a prize in the form of a 10% buffet discount.

[WFChris]

I LOVE it!!!

 

Chris.

[Homeboy23]

Oh hell ya I am making a trip to Las Vegas when this thing opens.

[Twister II]

Just drove down Sahara yesterday and there wasn't much to see.

 

I know the Stratosphere owns some land just north of the tower, and that's probably where a majority of construction equipment may be kept.

 

I'll try and find out more from my boss soon.

[Medusa1861]

Looks fun. Maybe a trip to Las Vegas will be worth it now. I bet the cost to doing this would be very expensive. I assume it will cost $60-$70 per... jump, fall, ride or whatever they call it.

[Crazy4Coasters!]

I assume it will cost $60-$70 per... jump, fall, ride or whatever they call it.

 

I think the word "suicide" comes to mind pretty quick!

[Der Der Dongt]

Looks kind of slow and boring. A real bungee jump would have been better.

[KBrylczyk]

Looks kind of slow and boring. A real bungee jump would have been better.

 

Yeah, I've gotta agree with you. Watching the video just made me sad to see the people jump only to be caught by the rope and slowed immediately. Not even a little bit of freefall on that thing.

[chemical_echo]

Ok, does it really matter if it's a controlled free fall or not?

 

You're stepping off of a platform on top of a tower and dropping towards the Earth. It's not like you're going to be thinking "hey, this isn't a true free fall!" on the way down.

 

Watching the video it seemed like they fell pretty damn fast. Not skydiving, or suicide jumper fast, but still pretty fast.

 

As for the price; Sky Jump in Auckland is priced at $195 NZD, which is roughly $123 USD for adults. No way in hell I'd pay that much.

[Carnage]

You're stepping off of a platform on top of a tower and dropping towards the Earth. It's not like you're going to be thinking "hey, this isn't a true free fall!" on the way down.

 

Well, maybe somewhat. I rode Vertigo at Cedar Point in like the month it was open, and it had a controlled free fall. I remember it being an odd feeling. I thought to myself "I should be falling fast, with my stomach getting pulled out ... but I'm not".

 

Though you do have a point, that controlled free fall or not, it will be freaky as hell stepping off that platform.

[WFChris]

^Ok, so if SkyJump in Aukland is $123USD, and Manhattan Express is $20, that means that the SkyJump at the Stratosphere should cost around $750 per jump! No but really, based on that number, I would expect the Vegas experience to be around $100, as I have heard that activities in New Zealand are quite expensive.

 

 

Chris.

[nannerdw]

You're stepping off of a platform on top of a tower and dropping towards the Earth. It's not like you're going to be thinking "hey, this isn't a true free fall!" on the way down.

 

It might just be me, but true freefall (like the kind you get from a drop tower that releases from a dead stop, Intamin 1st Gen towers especially) always gives me this really intense feeling that I don't get from any other kind of drop. People usually refer to it as "losing your stomach," but I feel it more in my head, like the blood is rushing to my brain. It always makes me cringe on the way down. I don't ever get this sensation from steep drops or towers that launch up or down. I think it's just your body's natural reaction to being in true freefall.

[ECZenith]

I am definately interested in trying this attraction out next time in vegas, I just have to wonder how much they're going to charge for a "jump". Given what they charge just to ride the elevators I can only imagine it won't be cheap.