vegas coaster doesn't stack up to cp thrillers

I rode Manhattan Express when it first opened and it was smooth and very fast. Finally a "real" rollercoaster in Vegas, not just the lame Circus Circus/MGM Grand Adventures junk. The past few years it got a lot rougher. Hint - the front seat gives an acceptable ride but the rear half of the train is just painful.

Speed-The Ride is fun. Try blasting from air conditioning into the sun when it's 115 degrees outside, then try it again after dark going through that lighted sign.

As for Stratosphere, the Big Shot is terrific, but High Roller is about as exciting as the brake run on most coaters. X-Scream wasn't open the day I last visited but it's only a 30-foot long teeter-totter. It was originally supposed to be MUCH longer and faster but the safety engineers rejected the earlier designs. Insanity is more like the original concept ride for the tower - the drawings from 1991 show the tower capped with ride consisting of a spinning mast with two long rotating arms and gondolas on the ends of the arms. When spinning, centrifugal force would push the gondola cars out over the edge of the tower.

I just returned from Vegas. Speed and Manhattan Express are so much better than over half the rides at Six Flags Magic Mountain. Manhattan only had one "rough" spot for me, all else was GREAT!

I got lucky with riding High Roller, but then the Stratosphere shut down the rides cause of high winds (gusts 50+ mph). I went back later that night and they were still closed (winds were around 45 mph).

SILVER BULLET ROCKS! Great job Knotts!!

Gilbert Gnarley, yer killin me.

Are you the real thing or just a fan of THE BIG ONE?

My brother just rode the rides (Big Shot and High Roller) on the Stratosphere not too long ago. He said the Big Shot was pretty fun, but the High Roller was pretty dumb. He said there really wasn't anything to it as soon as you got on it.

boatman, yes, it's me because i'm a retired eccentric and my dog, the amazing krepso, just soiled the carpet. and yes, i do look like paul mccartney's grandfather in a hard day's night. ok ok ok.

I went to Vegas 2 years ago and rode all the rides except that indoor one at Circus Circus. Speed: The Ride was amazing (I ended up riding 5 times). At that time, only High Roller and Big Shot were on the Stratosphere, and I agree that High Roller blows, and the "up so high in the air" novelty still doesnt save that ride. Big Shot was sweet though. Finally, granted I rode in the front seat, but I found Manhattan Express to be pretty smooth, of course that 120 degree air blowing in your face is not the best feeling.

missthepoint said:
The coasters here are not trying to be the tallest, the fastest, the smoothest or the best. They don't have to be...the mere fact that they're in Vegas is enough to make people pay the ridiculous prices in order to ride them...you did, didn't you?

I too live in Vegas and couldn't agree with you more. I do make it back to CP 3 - 4 times a summer, so I don't need to waste time and money on Vegas coasters. I do however, usually hit Desperado at "state-line" on the way to California... kind of a tradition. Speed is also a decent coaster, but the other's are not worth wasting any energy on.