Coasterbill's Alcohol, Coaster and Culture Trip Reports Land

Amazing report! That's unbelievable that they take the on-ride photo on the stationary car in the station. That's just one step above taking a photo in a test seat.

I know I'll make it to Vegas someday and experience the fury of Manhattan Express. While it's expensive, at least it's cheaper and over sooner than a NYC taxi.

[NrthwndBAYSIDE STATION!!!]

If Manhattan Express does to your heads and bodies like I think it did, when you get over to Europe,
be sure to take a spin on El Condor in Walibi Holland, outside of Amsterdam.

Worst - SLC - in - The -World! And unfortunately, this is/was the original SLC I believe (?).
So now you have to ride it, if only once in your fragile life. And when you approach it,
you can hear screams of pain on that first drop, from the lift hill. Truth!

Great ongoing report, btw. Looking forward to more.

I take it from the time allotted you mentioned, that you didn't bother with High Roller (as that's a good chunk of time expenditure needed, tho I think it's totally worth it for the incredible views. .and bonus if you get in a carriage with the bar).

Took me a minute to realize you were talking about the Ferris wheel and not the now-defunct coaster atop Stratosphere LOL.

And yes, the Bar Car is the ONLY way to do the High Roller. 35 minutes of open bar (beer, wine, AND simple liquor) is SO worth the $50 or whatever it is now.

[bill_sA donkey is a domesticated member of the Equidae or horse family.]

Seemed almost like you skipped the ride itself.

My thoughts on Manhattan Express -- which it still was at the time, I rode Speed while I was there! -- was that it wasn't rough particularly, see almost any Arrow, but it is so weird. A big thing was that it looks so good from the Strip, but most of the view from the ride is butt ugly. You emerge outside between 2 industrial-looking walls and the main sort of stunt/inversion section near the end is all on one roof around on the side, think tar paper etc. basically could be any of a million buildings anywhere. It is rough enough on the faster sections to be annoying and the brilliant maniacs that gave us airtime on standups didn't give us any here. Said stunt section I liked but was awkward and slow. Final run back into the casino was cool but short.

[coasterbillWhy do I still have a donkey title???]

That story was so good I feel like I have the full experience of riding that coaster and I don't actually have to now. Thanks a lot!

You're welcome! And no, you don't have to ride it. Nobody should ride it.

continues to be a great report, and eagerly await the part II installment.

Thanks!

I take it from the time allotted you mentioned, that you didn't bother with High Roller (as that's a good chunk of time expenditure needed, tho I think it's totally worth it for the incredible views. .and bonus if you get in a carriage with the bar).

I take it from the time allotted you mentioned, that you didn't bother with High Roller (as that's a good chunk of time expenditure needed, tho I think it's totally worth it for the incredible views. .and bonus if you get in a carriage with the bar).

Took me a minute to realize you were talking about the Ferris wheel and not the now-defunct coaster atop Stratosphere LOL.

And yes, the Bar Car is the ONLY way to do the High Roller. 35 minutes of open bar (beer, wine, AND simple liquor) is SO worth the $50 or whatever it is now.

You NEVER KNOW what could happen in part 2

Amazing report! That's unbelievable that they take the on-ride photo on the stationary car in the station. That's just one step above taking a photo in a test seat.

Thanks! And while it does seem strange, the station is the best part of the ride so I guess I understand.

If Manhattan Express does to your heads and bodies like I think it did, when you get over to Europe,
be sure to take a spin on El Condor in Walibi Holland, outside of Amsterdam.

Worst - SLC - in - The -World! And unfortunately, this is/was the original SLC I believe (?).
So now you have to ride it, if only once in your fragile life. And when you approach it,
you can hear screams of pain on that first drop, from the lift hill. Truth!

Great ongoing report, btw. Looking forward to more.

(And thanks!)

Seemed almost like you skipped the ride itself.

Yeah, normally I can give better "play-by-play" on rides but some rides are just so f*cking bad that they become a total blur of sh*t and pain. I barely focused on the ride. Basically I was just wishing it would end.

75% of the time it was all a blur of sh*t, and the other 25% of the time we were just traveling through totally pointless elements like slow a** camelbacks or a helix that didn't do anything.

I don't even remember the run back into the casino, but I can back you up on the fact that the ride is butt ugly when you're riding it.

[PKI JizzmanJizzy jizz jizz jizz jizz]

hEY! That BTMRR pic would have fooled me if the train wasn't in it. Nice curveball

[TBpony414Fluffy, Fluffy, Donkeys Filled With Medicine and Goo!]

The on-ride photo taken in the station and a coaster train themed to a taxi, complete with non-working turn signals is pretty fantastic, I have to say! I did not ride it when I was there in March even though my brother tried to get me to. I was only there a very short period of time and wanted to not have a headache but the next time I visit he won't let me off that easy. I really, really wanted to get to Circus Circus to ride El Loco but the hotel is basically nowhere near the main part of the strip so didn't make it there either. Damn, what did I do?!

[prozach626Why do I still have a donkey title???]

Great report, Bill. Glen Canyon looks awesome. Emily and I went kayaking years ago where we put in at the base of the Hoover dam. We had to get security clearance a couple months in advance by filling out some permits, a couple months in advance. I knew the canyons were huge at the time, but after reading your report I probably didn't realize just how tall they were.

I'm glad you guys had a good time, despite Manhattan Express trying to kill you.

[Arthur_SeatonDonkeys are my way of life!]

Yeah, I have to say that I've never found Manhattan Express to be that bad. It's definitely not a noteworthy coaster by any means, but I've been on plenty of stuff that's just as rough / headbangy. It's a weird design more than anything — like a wannabe hyper that dumps you into compact traveling-style coaster 1/3 of the way through. Speed: The Ride was always my favorite on the strip, and I think it's sitting in pieces in some parking lot now.

[bill_sA donkey is a domesticated member of the Equidae or horse family.]

The other thing about Speed is the wristband also got you their driving simulators. Ambitious but so bad, Bill would have had us in stitches.