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NEWS: The Big Apple Coaster adding a VR Coaster experience


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The New York-New York Hotel & Casino has announced that The Big Apple Coaster (formerly known as Manhattan Express) will launch a new virtual reality experience next month!

 

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Fasten your safety belts and prepare for liftoff! New York-New York Hotel & Casino will take attraction rides to new levels when The Big Apple Coaster Virtual Reality Experience debuts February 7. The first of its kind in Las Vegas, this white-knuckle ride high above The Strip will combine thrill-seekers’ need for speed with advanced, immersive graphics, resulting in a 4D experience that’s out of this world.

 

The first virtual reality ride to incorporate popular current landmarks into its creative visuals, the ride combines real G forces, drops and the high speed of The Big Apple Coaster to create an unforgettable experience.

 

The adventure begins as riders are equipped with virtual reality headsets, and they take on the role of a scientist in hot pursuit of an alien that escaped their research facility. The chase soars high above the Nevada desert and up the Las Vegas Strip, all virtually, of course.

 

“The Big Apple Coaster has provided heart-racing excitement to millions of visitors,” said Cynthia Kiser Murphey, president and chief operating officer of New York-New York. “Combining leading-edge technology with the thrill of our coaster overlooking the Las Vegas Strip, we are now able to offer visitors an experience that is new, adrenaline-inducing and something you can only find at New York-New York.”

 

This new experience was designed by VR Coaster®, the world’s leading creator of virtual reality enhancements on thrill rides. The coaster’s passenger trains are equipped with sensors that use wireless connectivity to precisely synchronize the virtual reality creative visuals with the real ride. This advanced, lightweight technology was developed to withstand the ups, downs, dives and loops of a roller coaster without losing connection to the virtual reality headsets. The experience utilizes VR Coaster’s unique graphic system, “Hybrid VR,” to deliver 3D footage in 4K resolution at 60 frames per second for high-quality visuals and a more immersive ride.

 

Thomas Wagner, co-founder and managing partner of VR Coaster, said, “We’re very proud to have had the opportunity to work on such an iconic attraction. The creative freedom New York-New York gave us on all aspects of the ride, from storyboards to the final virtual reality application, was invaluable. Our most exciting accomplishment with this experience was the fact that we had never before incorporated three completely different environments into a single ride… the research facility, the desert and The Strip… each with its own creative and technical challenges.”

 

Measuring 4,777 ft. in track length, The Big Apple Coaster is the longest roller coaster in the world equipped with virtual reality. The coaster also is the world’s first to feature a 180-degree “heartline” twist and dive maneuver. This, along with loops, negative Gs and top speed of 67 mph, gives guests a thrilling Las Vegas Strip experience.

 

Murphey said, “We are thrilled our partnership with VR Coaster allowed us to bring this new, exciting opportunity to New York-New York, and we couldn’t be happier with the relationship or results. And for guests who adore The Big Apple Coaster just the way it is, or aren’t quite ready for the virtual reality option, never fear. You can still enjoy the experience just the way you want it.”

 

Tickets are $20 for The Big Apple Coaster Virtual Reality Experience and $15 to ride the roller coaster the traditional way. All passengers must be at least 54” to ride and a minimum of 13 years old to ride with virtual reality.

 

For more information, call (702) 740-6616 or visit mgmresorts.com/nyny.

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Edited by jedimaster1227
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Ahhh, gotta love their efforts to try polishing a giant turd!!

 

They'll probably jack the price up now too! "Now you can experience VR on one of the worst coasters in America!! Saddle up for the low price of only $40 per ride!! Payment plans available!"

Well, it does literally say at the bottom of the press release that a ride will be $20 with VR and $15 without. You're not wrong, just off by a factor of 2.

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Ahhh, gotta love their efforts to try polishing a giant turd!!

 

They'll probably jack the price up now too! "Now you can experience VR on one of the worst coasters in America!! Saddle up for the low price of only $40 per ride!! Payment plans available!"

Well, it does literally say at the bottom of the press release that a ride will be $20 with VR and $15 without. You're not wrong, just off by a factor of 2.

 

Ha, totally glazed over that! My bad.....reading, it's fundamental!!

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I've never ridden this coaster. However, from what I've heard, the VR should feature a gang of casino security goons beating the living hell out of you to match the actual ride experience.

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Because this is definitely the coaster I don't want to be able to see what's coming to brace accordingly...

 

That was my first thought too! I think VR and hard OTSRs is borderline dangerous.

 

 

The Real Question: What'll be worse- VR on this, Ninja at SFStL or Kong at SFDK?

Slightly Off Topic: I wish they would get rid of the OTSR's and just keep lapbars.

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Slightly Off Topic: I wish they would get rid of the OTSR's and just keep lapbars.

I'm pretty sure that if you didn't have the shoulder pads, your back would be thrown out as you hit the transition between the half-twist and the dive loop.

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Maybe I’m a masochist of some sort, but I rode it last January and it...actually wasn’t terrible. A middle of the road coaster, sure, but it wasn’t the torture machine that I was expecting it to be.

 

Actually heading back out to Vegas on 2/8 so I’ll have to check this out.

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^^This ride sucks, but like you I expected worse. Luckily putting VR on it should give it the extra boost it needs to take it from "just terrible" to "historically terrible" and it can finally live up to it's stelllar reputation.

 

The TPR Poll has come out just in time.

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Pretty sure during the inversions the headrest in front of you could do quite some damage if your hands are caught in the wrong place. Sounds like a disaster waiting to happen. (Another reason for the shoulder restraints...so those headrests can only hit your arms, not your face.)

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