The Big Apple Coaster

September 1, 2015, 6:17 AM

I just rode the Big Apple Coaster/Manhattan Express/The Roller Coaster last night. What's the deal with that. Why would MGM put that coaster in their hotel? Do they think if you are drunk you can't tell its a Togo and not a B&M? Someone could get injured with the restraints on the train. I guess it's cheaper to get a Japanese Togo coaster and new trains and breaks from Premier rides than just getting something like a B&M or Intamin in the first place.

Replies (7)

September 1, 2015, 8:36 AM

I assume that New York New York makes a lot of money off of it, and MGM keeps it after their fiasco with a theme park in Las Vegas. The ride was fun, but expensive when I rode it, 64 dollars for four people and two pictures

September 1, 2015, 10:34 AM

Just another tourist attraction to suck the dollars out of your pocket while in Vegas....

Orlando does not do this at all..... hahahaaha...

September 2, 2015, 3:11 PM

What is even the point of those restraints? Can't they use floppy OTSRs like Tempesto at BGW has? I feel like by making that change, this coaster would be a lot more popular.

September 2, 2015, 3:39 PM

My best guess as to why they went with Togo is because at the time it was built that was the best option. The ride opened in 1997, two years before B&M or Intamin built anything of comparable size. Yes, Arrow did hypercoasters at that time, but I'm sure New York, New York wanted something different than Desperado 45 minutes away. It was not a cheap ride ($25 million from what I've heard), but at the time it was built Togo was the likely the only one willing to do a sitdown looping coaster of that scale. I have ridden the coaster several times and it's certainly unique, although it is a rough ride and very expensive ($14). Despite that, I do like it a little (mainly for the first half...everything after the dive loop is pretty dull), but it's not going to make a top coaster list or anything. I'm pretty confident the ride will continue to operate as long as it makes money, and I doubt the primary audience (tourists) will stop riding anytime soon. It is still the biggest thrill ride on the strip and does get 30-45 minute waits on evenings and weekends.

As for the trains, the original Togo trains used the same funky restraint setup and I am guessing Premier chose to imitate that as it was the best option at the time. The Tempesto restraints are very new (that is the first ride to use them to my knowledge) and nobody was using a soft vest in 2006. If the ride were to get new trains today, Premier would probably use their newest lap bars and ditch the shoulder harnesses completely. It would definitely improve the ride experience.

September 2, 2015, 10:54 PM

Yes! Those neck things are completely pointless. Also, there was and still is another Arrow Coaster (not a hyper) in Vegas, Canyon Blaster at the Adventuredome. And I'm supprised the Big Apple Coaster has any waits. I walked on at about 5 PM on Monday.

September 5, 2015, 2:47 AM

It may be the biggest thrill ride on the strip, but it's certainly not the ride with the biggest thrill. I'd say there's several on top of the Stratosphere that would beg to argue.

September 5, 2015, 10:02 AM

@Mark Kausch
After riding most of the thrill rides in Vegas, I'd say El Loco is the biggest thrill on the strip. I am not scared by coasters or hights (Stratosphere) El Loco packed a punch.

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