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| - Maybe I'm too much of an adrenaline junkie to appreciate the Stratosphere Thrill Rides (considering I thought skydiving was a rather peaceful float thru the atmosphere). Or maybe my 3-year eager anticipation of the rides left me with an expectation that was impossible to meet, much less exceed (especially after watching them on Travel Channel's Top 10 Most Extreme Rides). The Insanity was closed due to high wind (which was extremely disappointing for me because I love spinning), but I was able to ride the X-Scream and the Big Shot (my husband, on the other hand, observed from the skywalk).
I thought about staying at the Stratosphere just so I could do an unlimited rides pass but after going on the rides (which weren't as thrilling as I'd hoped), seeing the ghetto that the hotel/casino is located in, and walking through what just felt like a dark, dingy building, I was glad we decided to stay high rent at the MGM and actually be near the action.
As for the rides: the X-Scream shoots you over the edge of the tower and teeters you back and forth a few times (and by few, I mean like 3... it's almost over before it starts). It's fun... but maybe because it catches you about a foot before you lose sight of the track that it wasn't really scary. (At least that's what my new buddy and I thought while sitting in the front seats... we had a whole conversation about it while on the ride actually). I really thought it was going to feel more "oh-crap-we're-going-over!!" than it did. Don't get me wrong, the drops back and forth will make your stomach drop a bit... but it's definitely not piss-yourself-scary... it's not fast enough and doesn't get enough momentum for that. Now if the car ever comes off the track it will be a long flight to the pavement below, but when you know, realistically, you're not actually going over, it's not that bad. If you're afraid of heights, however, you'll probably be screaming in terror.
The Big Shot, on the other hand, shoots you straight up, hangs you in this weird zero-gravity suspense for a bit, before dropping you down. The anticipation of having no idea when exactly the launch is coming is probably the scariest moment. Like skydiving, I enjoyed the gravity-free suspense of floating in space. This one was definitely fun. I could definitely kill some time just riding it over and over again for the adrenaline rush and the prime view of the Vegas skyline (get a seat on the front of the ride for the best vantage point). I found it kind of tranquil... high above the bustle, way up in the sky, dangling in the air. This was also when I wished I'd come at night to see the skyline all lit-up in its neon glory.
The SkyJump, while I didn't do it (way too expensive), was probably the best for a truly heart-pumping ride. Unlike skydiving, you're close enough to the ground to actually have a sense for how fast your falling which will give you the ultimate "heart-in-throat" sensation. And, unlike bungee jumping, you won't have the jarring whip-lash at the end. All of the thrill, none of the pain. Win!! Maybe next time I'm back I'll cough up the money for that one.
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