Location: Stratosphere

Insanity

This is the newest ride, opening on March 10, 2005. It’s a spinning ride that dangles you over the edge. I admit I was too apprehensive to try it. Maybe it was the screams and the look of sheer terror on the faces of the riders as I watched them from the observation deck, or maybe it’s just that I didn’t care to be dangled a sixth of a mile from the ground that day. Or maybe it’s that a month after the ride opened, two riders were stuck dangling over the edge for an hour and a half when high winds caused the ride to shut itself down.

X Scream

This one is a see-saw thingie that dangles you over the edge. It doesn’t go as far over the edge as Insanity, and you definitely feel more enclosed and grounded, so I imagine it’s not nearly as terrifying. I have to “imagine” because while I’ve ridden X Scream I haven’t tried Insanity yet. Still, it’s pretty scary if you’re scared of heights. One nice touch is that on one of the runs after your cars get to the edge of the platform, the whole arm stutters and drops the angle even more, making you think for a second that the thing broke and you’re about to hurtle towards your death, ha ha. It opened on Halloween 2003. In Nov. 2005 six Japanese tourists were stranded on the ride for an hour and a half when the power went out

Big Shot

This is the one that made the Stratosphere famous. You’re strapped into a chair with your legs dangling, and then they shoot you straight up the tower’s steeple, 160 feet in two seconds, at four G’s. Then they freefall you so you get negative G’s, then shoot you up again, etc. If this ride started at ground level it would be scary, but add to that the fact that you’re a fifth of a mile from the ground and it’s terrifying. As you’re going up you worry that the brakes will fail and you’ll go straight off the steeple and land down the strip at the Sahara. (Notice in the picture that you can see Insanity on the right-hand side.)

Speed

Vegas.com says: “Simply put, Speed – The Ride is the best ride in Las Vegas. Like rocks out of a slingshot, riders catapult from the launch area at 35 mph around the first curve and plummet through a mist-filled tunnel 25-feet below ground. Riders then hurtle to the surface and through a 72-foot loop, accelerate to 70 mph, and speed through the Sahara’s marquee to the top of a 224-foot tower. They then do it all again — backward.

“Speed will have even the most seasoned thrill-riders screaming bloody murder, but that’s half the fun. Although you can see the ride’s first twist, you’ll never know what to expect from that point on. The sprays of mist and vision-impeding safety harnesses also add to the surprise element.

“Be sure to sit up front –it’s definitely worth the wait. You’ll only be on the ride for 45 seconds anyway. Those opting for a shorter line should sit in the second row — when stopped atop the 224-foot tower you’ll see nothing but the blue skies above you. The back row’s a dud.

“So get it all out and scream to your little heart’s content. Speed is short [45 seconds], but definitely sweet. ” — Vegas.com

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Location: Circus Circus

The Canyon Blaster

This is the only indoor double-loop, double-corkscrew roller coaster on the planet. It drops 90 feet and hits 55mph over a 2,000 foot long track, and lasts 1:45.#

Chaos

This is a three-dimensional tilt-a-whirl, tilting, spinning, and flipping riders at the same time. No two rides are the same. (review at Vegas.com)

Inverter

it keeps you upside-down and staring at an upcoming wall of concrete for a full four seconds before turning you right-side up again. The ride is a generous two minutes during off-peak hours. (review at Vegas.com)

Rim Runner

This is the only indoor flume in the world, featuring a 60-foot drop which will soak you but good.

Sling Shot

The newest addition, is Circus Circus’ answer to the Stratosphere’s Big Shot, shooting you straight up a column at 4 G’s.

As of September 2006, all rides are $7, but you can get an all-ride pass for $23. Here’s the official page for the Adventuredome Theme Park, where the rides are located.

Location :New York New York

Manhattan Express

Casino Player magazine says: “At two minutes and 45 seconds, it’s easily the longest-lasting ride in Las Vegas. Top speed is 67 mph and the biggest drop is 144 feet, but what keeps everyone coming back for more is the insane 540-degree spiral, not to mention the fact that it takes place over a pretty solid replica of New York Harbor. If this ride doesn’t put you in a “New York State of Mind”, nothing will.”

I won’t ride this one again because it whips your head back and forth into the projections on the headrest. I wonder how many people get mild brain damage from this thing.

Buffalo Bill’s: Desperado & Turbo Drop

In Primm, Nevada (40 miles south of Las Vegas on I-15), 1-800-FUN-STOP

Desperado is a VERY tall coaster. You start off with a crazy 225-foot drop down a 55-degree hill, reaching speeds of up to 80 mph. Here’s more info and video of the ride.

If that’s not enough, you can try the Turbo Drop, which is similar to Stratosphere’s Big Shot, except that it climbs slowly and then shoots you straight down instead of straight up.

Video of Roller Coaster’s In Las Vegas

Popularity: 100% [?]

Location: Venetian

Escape the hustle and bustle of the Las Vegas Strip with a relaxing gondola ride at the Venetian.

From the soothing sound of water lapping the sides of the gondola to the eloquent singing of the gondoliers, passengers will feel as if they have truly been transported to Italy.

Modeled after authentic Venetian gondolas, there are several gondolas on the canal and in the lagoon at any given time. Each gondola seats four, so smaller parties may be paired with others. There also is a wedding gondola, elaborately decorated in white and gold, that serves as the site for numerous wedding ceremonies.

The indoor gondolas make their way through the Grand Canal Shoppes, beneath bridges and below the quaint shops and cafés that line the canal running through the Grand Canal Shoppes.

The half-mile ride lasts about 14 minutes and is a great way to get a unique view of the shops. Surrounded by a ceiling emulating blue sky as well as architecture inspired by Venice landmarks, a gondola trip down the Grand Canal delivers a unique Vegas experience.

After a trip down the canal, riders return to dry land to explore the different shops and cafés that caught their attention along the way.

Outdoor gondolas take the authenticity of the Venetian gondola ride one step further. Although two minutes shorter at 12 minutes long, the views afforded on the outdoor version more than make up for the shorter ride.

With the warmth of the sun overhead and sparkling water below, passengers glide along a 31,235-square-foot lagoon located at the front of the Venetian resort on the world-famous Strip. Watch out for winds or rain, the outdoor gondolas are subject to closure due to inclement weather.

If you have a chance, get to the canal or lagoon 15 minutes before the gondolas open for business and you may catch the gondoliers as they begin their day with a song.

Video of Gondola Rides at the Venetian

Popularity: 16% [?]

Location: Bellagio

A couple years ago, two mad-scientist types known as Eepy Bird became an internet sensation by dropping more than 500 Mentos mints into 200 liters of Diet Coke with explosive results. Thanks to a scientific force called nucleation and some careful manipulation, the cola shot in the air like a geyser and danced around in ways resembling the world famous Fountains at Bellagio.

Fountains creator WET Design was so impressed by this hilarious tribute that they brought the creators Fritz Grobe and Stephen Voltz to their California-based office for a live performance.

“When I first saw it I thought it was just fabulous,” said Mark Fuller, chief executive officer of WET Design. “It’s very flattering.”

Equally as flattering for Fuller is seeing the day-to-day reaction of Vegas visitors as they watch the actual Fountains at Bellagio.

“People laugh and literally cry when they see it,” Fuller said. “I typically stand with my back to the fountains because I enjoy watching the expression of the crowd.”

With several professionally choreographed musical routines and rushing water that soars as high as 460 feet from a total of 1,214 water-emitting devices, the $40-million, 8.5-acre lake is the most ambitious water feature ever created by WET Design. The free show has been celebrated in countless films, television shows, photographs and articles on Las Vegas.

“If you were to fly around the world today there is no other water feature you would see that has the same scope, same spectacle, same emotional impact,” said Fuller. “We were very choreographed and prescriptive about how the water moves and how we tie that with the music. Nonetheless, the moment those water molecules leave those jets and loft themselves into the sky, they’re completely subject to the forces of nature and the whims of the sunshine. Even if you see the same show, you never really see it twice.”

Fuller believes it is this “marriage of the expressions of nature with the hand of man and machinery” that so mesmerizes viewers.

Speaking of marriage, the Fountains at Bellagio is a prime destination for proposals and weddings. Just ask Bill Mayers, assistant manager of operations for the fountains.

“I personally proposed to my wife on the second of February last year to Elton John’s ‘Your Song” on the center outlook,” said Mayers. “I got a resounding, ‘Yes, yes, yes, yes, yes’ – that’s five yeses to one question.”

Bellagio also offers a wedding package on the Terrazza di Sogno (Terrace of Dreams), an Italian balcony overlooking the fountains. The water soars to the sky at the moment of the couple’s first kiss.

And there are a lot of drive-by weddings.

“A chapel will put everybody into a limousine and pull up in front of the fountain,” Mayers said. “They’ll throw open the door and the minister will jump out and the groom will jump out and the bride will jump out and they’ll rush to one of the outlooks and do the ceremony right there.”

With its diverse and ever-changing lineup of musical numbers, from show tunes like “One Singular Sensation” to the evocative “Con Te Partiro,” couples don’t necessarily know what song they’re going to get.

“Last Christmas, I saw a couple get married to Madonna singing ‘Santa Baby,’” said Mayers, laughing.

Mayers and a staff of 37 work behind the scenes seven days a week, 365 days a year to maintain the show, which begins every 30 minutes between 3 and 7 p.m., and every 15 minutes until midnight on weekdays (shows begin at noon on weekends and holidays; times may vary due to daylight saving time). Along with cleaning the fountains, the crew works with several different types of shooters, compressors, purification equipment and a fog system that is so intense it could literally blanket Las Vegas Boulevard “and turn Paris (the hotel across the street) into London, in less than five minutes,” said Fuller.

The fountains only use about 10 percent of the water that was used by the Dunes Hotel golf course it replaced. Through an agreement with the Clark County Fire Department, the water can be used at the department’s discretion to fight a nearby fire or for another catastrophic event.

The computerized program that runs the fountain show automatically cancels or scales it down based on weather conditions. But apart from a three-day period in 2004 when the Bellagio had no power and the occasionally prohibitive weather, there have only been a handful of times that the show has not gone on.

One of the windiest nights in the Bellagio’s history took place during the hotel’s black tie opening ceremonies in 1998. Despite the whipping wind, the fountains were run full blast.“

Video of Fountains at Bellagio

Popularity: 10% [?]

Location: Treasure Island Hotel

It’s hard to believe a show that combines a phenomenal set, risky high dives and beautiful temptresses is free.

The 18-minute Sirens of TI produc­tion, which is celebrating its five-year anniversary, is still going strong and you don’t have to spend a dime to enjoy it.

When Treasure Island (TI) decided to revamp its 10-year-old traditional pirate show, the Battle of Buccaneer Bay, they wanted to turn it into something a little more sultry.

Kenny Ortega, the creator of Sirens of TI, had the perfect vision in mind.

“TI’s desire to include women in the new production set me sailing to the Greek mythology of Homer’s ‘Odyssey,’” Ortega explained. “With the enormous size of the theater and the enormous space between, a pop opera seemed like a good idea – something that was accessible to a young Vegas crowd that was upbeat, sexy and interactive.”

“The show is light and whimsical,” he continued, “very appropriate for street theater.”

Sizzling dance moves. Dashing sword fights. A pirate held captive. These are just a few of the elements of the show. And since the crowd and performers are different each night, it doesn’t get boring for the dancers either.

“It’s a new show every night,” said Stacey Kane, lead female dancer for Sirens of TI.

Adding the ladies (better known as the Sirens) had a major impact on the pirate show.

“The addition of the girl performers was really innovative,” said Michael Cotten, set designer for Sirens of TI. “I don’t think anyone really thought they could find enough people to continue to perform in those weather conditions and [laughing] skimpy costumes day in and day out!”

“It was such a big change for TI,” male lead dancer John Bentley added. “The sirens brought chemistry.”

Many of the sirens have various backgrounds, including ballet, tap, jazz and even opera. But it takes more than a pretty face, a svelte figure and stellar talent to rock the show. The sirens also execute a dangerous sword fight.

“The one thing that hasn’t changed about the show is that it requires a tremendous amount of talent and skill from our cast,” Ortega noted.

The pirates also have impressive resumes with backgrounds in aerial stunts, acrobatics and professional diving. During auditions, each pirate had to pass a vigorous swim test. Divers also take a risk each night by jumping off of high, slippery platforms – all while the ship is sinking.

So if these don’t stop the pirates from performing, is there anything that scares these fearless mates?

“The winter is coming!” said Bentley. “It gets pretty cold. You could only be in the water for five minutes.”

In fact, water temperatures can get as low as 38 degrees. But dressing up as a pirate makes it all worth it.

“My friends are jealous of me,” Bentley said, laughing.

The pirates excite the crowd so much, that they elicit all sorts of bizarre reactions. Some have even gone as far as jumping in the water to join the pirates.

“Guys [would] yell out ‘Arrr!’” said Bentley.

Funny moments also happen on the performers’ end. While the Sirens can sing, dance, sword fight and look great all at the same time, there are occasional mishaps during the show.

“I lost a hair piece!” dance captain Kimi Bateman admitted.

The set has also had major renova­tions, including the building facades and the two pirate ships.

“We wanted to make a female ship [The Song] and a male ship [The Bull],” Cotten explained. “They become characters in the story because one boat is trying to overtake the other.”

Since the ships are on opposite sides of the viewing dock, it took clever planning to make the set and performers work well together.

“Designing choreography and the fact that the theater is on both sides of the audience was enormously challenging,” said Ortega. “To draw the audience’s focus in on a particular moment made sound and lighting effects integral in the staging design.”

In addition, the set design team had to keep all safety precautions in mind.

“The theatrical space where the sirens and pirates perform does pose its fair share of tripping and slipping hazards,” Ortega explained.

The show’s stunt supervisors tested all the performance areas before rehearsals. “The safety of the performers was always our foremost concern,” he added.

And even with all the bursts of fire, the dancers stay safe beneath several shelters. “You can feel that blast of heat!” Cotten said. “Thank God no one’s ever been hurt. It’s pretty well-controlled.”

In addition to the flames, the fireworks finale makes it seem like New Year’s Eve every night at TI. “What you can do every night is certainly different than a regular fireworks show,” Cotten said. “To pull that off four times every night, there are several experts who work that material.”

The pyrotechnics aren’t the only thing that creates sparks.

“The people leaping off high posi­tions,” said Cotten, “they are the human fireworks!”

Combining stunning choreography, an action movie-like set and shoulder-to-shoulder crowds every night, it’s no surprise the Sirens of TI show has garnered so much attention for the past five years. TI had the right idea.

“It’s always a constant effort to make Vegas more exciting and sexy,” Cotten said. “I don’t think anyone can disagree with that.”

Video of Sirens of Treaure Island

Popularity: 12% [?]

An energetic mix of hypnosis, comedy, and showgirls,Mesmerized brings a whole new kind of show to the Las Vegas Strip. Watch one of the world’s top hypnotists exhibit a spellbinding talent. Witness the whacky results when the subconscious mind is unleashed!

Arrive early to witness the Fountain at V Theater—a spectacular and free attraction. Just a few feet from the box office, this towering indoor fountain is an electronically controlled, live-action display of fountain jets, music, waterfalls, fog, and special effects, all indoors underneath the soaring ceiling of the shopping mall

Anthony Cools — The Uncensored Hypnotist – Paris
Dr. Scott Lewis Outrageous Comedy Hypnotist – Riviera
Hypnosis Unleashed – Tropicana
The Mentalist, Gerry McCambridge – Planet hollywood
Mental – O’shea’s
Mesmerized – Planet hollywood

Video tour for Hypnosis and Physics Shows Las
Vegas

Popularity: 7% [?]

Not all Las Vegas shows take place at night. Afternoon shows are usually more family friendly and feature a wide variety of entertainment from magicians to puppets

Amazed! The Magic of Music and Comedy – Planet Hollywood

Defending the Caveman – Excalibur

Gregory Popovich’s Comedy Pet Theater – Planet Holywood

Mac King Comedy Magic Show – Harrahs

Nathan Burton Comedy Magic – Flamingo’s

Price is Right – Live – Bally’s

Rich Natole, Comic Impressionist, Voices of a Generation – Planet Hollywood

Video Tour Afternoon Shows Las Vegas

Popularity: 7% [?]