‘The Big Apple Coaster’ is an adrenaline-fueled thrill ride with an extraterrestrial twist.
“What happens in Vegas, stays in Vegas.” It’s a phrase I’m sure most of us are familiar with, serving as the unofficial motto of sin city for as long as anyone can remember. However, this iconic saying could be on its way out the door thanks to a new attraction everyone will be spilling the beans about.
Open to the public today at the New York-New York Hotel and Casino in Las Vegas, Nevada, The Big Apple Coaster combines the real G force pressure and high speeds of a roller coaster and the immersive capabilities of VR, taking passengers on a blood-pumping ride through some of NYC and Vegas’ most recognizable landmarks. During the ride, you will step into the shoes of a scientist engaged on a high-speed chase after an alien creature that has escaped your not-so-secure research facility.
“The Big Apple Coaster has provided heart-racing excitement to millions of visitors,” stated 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.”
Developed by VR Coaster, one of the largest providers of VR augmentations for standard thrill rides, The Big Apple Coaster incorporates a variety of sensors into its passenger cars to establish a precise wireless connection between the graphics shown in the experience and physical movements of the ride.
VR Coaster’s custom “Hybrid VR” graphics system is reported to display visuals in 4K resolution at a comfortable 60 FPS. 4,777 feet of twisting looping track officially makes the ride the longest VR coaster in the world according to the company. Apparently this ride is also the first to include current landmarks in its visuals.
“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,” said Thomas Wagner, co-founder and managing partner of VR Coaster. “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.”
The Big Apple Coaster is open to the public now at the New York-New York Hotel and Casino in Las Vegas Nevada. Individual tickets for the upgraded VR experience start at $20. You must be at least 4’ 5” to ride.
