Star Trek: the Experience in Las Vegas may close

Cafe Society
1

According to this article, the days may be numbered for Star Trek: the Experience at the Las Vegas Hilton.

This is bittersweet news to me. I finally got to see it in January 2007. It was obvious then that the ride was not as popular as it once was, but it was still a lot of fun. While you are in line, you get to see all kinds of props from the movies and TV shows, as well as a timeline of the future according to Trek. (There was no line when we went, but we wound our way around the exhibits so slowly that the people running the ride had to encourage us to go a bit faster so they could get started!)

I have to say that finding myself on the replica of the Next Generation-era Enterprise bridge brought a tear to my eye. It was so well-done and so real. However, at the end of the ride, when they return you to Earth, you can tell how old the ride really is…you are returned to “modern-day Las Vegas”, but the Strip has changed so much since they filmed the scenes showing your return that you almost want to protest that the Enterprise set their wayback machine several years too early!

The Borg part of the ride is much newer, and has some interesting special effects. I don’t really want to spoil them, just in case one of you still gets the chance to see it. However, at the end, one of the actors broke character for a second and asked us if we liked our “mini-massage and facial”. (The seats jab you in some unexpected places as the Borg try to “assimilate you”. There is also some mist sprayed in your face at some point.)

I was impressed enough by Star Trek: the Experience that it even played a small part in the NaNoWriMo novel I wrote in November! Now I’m sad because it’s unlikely that I will make it back to Vegas in time to see it again.

Anyone else see it? Want to share some memories? To anyone else, if you’ve been planning to see it “someday”, make it very soon, because it could be your last chance.

2

Fascinating.

3

Did the experience with a friend back in the 90s. It was pretty cool, riding the shuttle, going in the turbolift, seeing the Bridge and all.

4

Some Trekker friends of mine have been, but I never have. Be a bummer if it closed before I ever even got out there.

5

My sister and I went on both rides when we came to the Vegas Dopefest.

I’m a Start Trek fan, she isn’t - but we both enjoyed it.

There was mass squealing when the Borg attempted to assimilate our group and I really enjoyed the flying return to Vegas.

I shall miss this.

6

I haven’t seen it in a few years, but the last time I went I also went on the behind the scenes tour, which was fascinating.

Maybe if I make my usual annual trip to Vegas in November I’ll catch it one last time.

7

Isn’t there an all new Trek expo thingummy just around the corner?

8

My wife & I went on it last year…lotsa fun. Had dinner in the restaurant, as well.

The Star Trek franchise is on the wane, sadly, so I’m not surprised…

9

I went through it in Jan. 2001 and I had a good time. Even then the ride felt a bit dated to me but it was still funny. Not as dated as Star Tours but dated nontheless.

Marc

10

Star Tours! I barely remember that. Is it still around? I bet it does seem dated now–I was there in 1989 when it was brand new at Disney-MGM.

Oh, and I found out that Star Trek: The Next Generation is going to be on Sci-Fi Channel Mondays starting June 2nd.

11

I went last summer, and I noticed how old the Vegas footage was also. Fun, if overpriced (but isn’t everything in Vegas.) I went to the bridge, but I wish I had gotten there when they had the TOS bridge, which is more my style. I think the timeline was the most interesting part - I could have studied that a bit longer.

It wasn’t that crowded when I was there either.

Is Star Tours still in Disneyland? The last time I went, which was probably 10 years ago, there was 0 line. Has it been upgraded with stuff from the prequels? Captain Eo lasted far longer than anyone cared - that was another one with no line the last time I went.