A couple of days ago VRFocus reported on LegoLand Florida Resort announcing a new virtual reality (VR) roller coaster would be opening next month called The Great LEGO Race. If you can’t wait that long and happen to be in Las Vegas anytime soon then New York-New York Hotel & Casino has just opened the ride for you, The Big Apple Coaster VR Experience.
Opened this week, The Big Apple Coaster VR Experience white-knuckle ride high above The Strip, combining thrill-seekers’ need for speed with the latest immersive graphics. There’s even a story to go with the experience with riders taking on the role of a scientist in hot pursuit of an alien that escaped their research facility, flying high above the Nevada desert and up the Las Vegas Strip.
“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 in a statement. “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.”
Designed by VR Coaster, the ride measures 4,777 ft. in track length, which New York New York claims is the longest roller coaster in the world equipped with VR. Riders will experience a 180-degree “heartline” twist and dive manoeuver along with loops, negative Gs and top speed of 67 mph.
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.”
All passengers must be at least 54” to ride and a minimum of 13 years old to ride The Big Apple Coaster Virtual Reality Experience, with tickets costing $20 USD for the VR version and $15 to ride without VR. For more VR roller coaster updates, keep reading VRFocus.
via Mint VR