If you are an adventure lover, then Stratosphere Roller Coaster is a name you must have heard. It is one of the most exhilarating roller coasters for the people who love the stirring experiences. Amusement parks are incomplete without roller coasters. When you visit the amusement parks with your family or friends, you can enjoy the breathtaking roller coaster rides. However, the one we are going to discuss in this post is not an ordinary roller coaster. It was the highest roller coaster when it rolled out. Besides, the location of the Stratosphere Roller Coaster also makes it special. Read this post until the end to learn more.
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Stratosphere RC: An Overview
Stratosphere Roller Coaster is also known as the High Roller, which was the highest roller coaster at the time of its inception. It was made up of steel 909 feet over the Las Vegas Strip. It is actually named after the Stratosphere tower, which is the tallest free-standing tower in the United States. The roller coaster is located on the top of it. Due to these special features, this roller coaster has gained immense popularity among adventure lovers. I attract a lot of visitors every year who spend some great time with their loved ones here and return with the memories of a lifetime.
History Of The Roller Coaster
The High Roller came into being on April 29, 1996. Before it was finally opened for the general public, there was a grand VIP gala opening for the roller coaster. It was one of the two roller coasters on this tower. However, the visitors highly acknowledge the Stratosphere RC for its exhilarating gravity drop. With time, the ride has gained great popularity among adventure lovers. As the number of visitors increased, the price of the rides was lowered from $5 to $4 per ride. You need to pay for every single ride. Contrarily, most of the parks offer unlimited rides after the purchase of the tickets.
What Makes the Stratosphere Roller Coaster Different?
Stratosphere RC is not an ordinary roller coaster but stands on the top of the higher roller coaster list. It lies on the top of the Stratosphere tower’s observation pod and gives an awe-inspiring view before the gravity falls. Due to the safety concerns of the riders at such a great height, the speed of the roller coaster remains in moderation. However, its humongous height is alone sufficient to give riders a stirring experience. However, the height of the tower drop is also modest. It has a drop of 20 feet only.
Some people describe the ride as being bumpy when the coaster revolves at the sharp turns around the tower. When taking the ride, you will feel free movement, but there is a platform below the ride to support it. You may feel that the ride is overrated due to its low speed and acceleration. Besides, the crests and troughs are not too high or low. The location of the roller coaster at such a high position is the main attraction of the place. If you are looking for a high elevation and fall, it may disappoint you. However, the high positioning of the roller coaster makes it a must-visit place for adventure lovers.
Rider Experiences And Reviews
Stratosphere Roller Coaster is best known for its position on the top of the tower, which gives it a mind-blowing height. Reaching such heights is exciting itself. What if you will get to experience a roller coaster ride on the top of the tower. Exciting! Isn’t it? Most of the riders mentioned it as one of the finest rides.
On the other hand, some felt that the ride was overrated and could be more exciting in terms of the fall height and acceleration. The riders stated that there should be some more acceleration or thrill can be added to the ride. However, to ensure the utmost security of the roller coaster, the managing authorities have avoided any modification.
There are many negative reviews for the roller coaster for the same reason. Besides, Arthur Levine ranked it at number 8 in the list of the most overrated roller coasters in the world. Furthermore, themeparkcritic.com gave the Stratosphere ride an average rating of 2.77 out of 5.
The best thing about the roller coaster is that it never caused a small or big accident or injury to the riders. It had breakdowns every now and then. It was absolutely safe for the riders. However, there is an incident of the train derailing wherein all the riders were rescued without any potential harm or injury.
Is The Roller Coaster Still Running?
Unfortunately, the Stratosphere roller coaster is no longer in the running state. It was closed on December 30, 2005, only. The reason behind the closing of the gigantic roller coaster was the need for its reconstruction, which required a whopping amount of $500,000. In the absence of the fund, the authority decided to close it.
When it was closed, its dismantling was a demanding task from such a height. Removing the heavy roller coaster needed a special strategy. In the beginning, the estimated time to remove it was supposed to be 3 months by crane. However, a different strategy was deployed in the removal process; Plasma Cutting. It gave a speedy pace to the removal process. The job was accomplished in a shorter duration. Besides, an elevator was preferred over the crane for the shifting of the 140kg track segment.
Final Words!
There are many breathtaking roller coasters in the world nowadays. However, the Stratosphere roller coaster was a milestone accomplishment of its time. It was the highest roller coaster in the world at the time of its inception. Later, due to a massive demand for the fund for the refurbishment of the roller coaster caused its removal. Those who have taken a ride on this roller coaster acknowledge the ride for its amazing location at a great height. If you liked this information about the Stratosphere roller coaster, visit our blog section to find some more informative blogs.
