We recently took a look at the best VR attractions on the Las Vegas strip, but if you prefer your reality somewhere between virtual and actual, today we’ve got your Unofficial Guide to the FlyOver Las Vegas simulator ride.
Located at the Showcase Mall across from Park MGM, FlyOver Las Vegas is the first theme park–quality simulator ride on the Vegas Strip since the long-extinct Race for Atlantis at Caesars Palace and Star Trek: The Experience at the Las Vegas Hilton. Anyone who has experienced Soarin’ at a Disney theme park will recognize this style of attraction, in which a large gently-moving bench lets passengers’ legs dangle in midair as they bob before a big spherical screen, creating the spectacular sensation of free flight.
Indeed, FlyOver’s creative director is Rick Rothschild (the former Disney Imagineer behind the original Soarin’), who has improved here on his earlier acclaimed E-Ticket with more-dynamic motion, vivid 8K visuals, and a substantial 9-minute ride length; best of all, every rider gets a near-ideal view, with no dangling feet in your face.
The entire experience takes about 25 minutes, including an informative preshow (projected on circular screens) highlighting the geological history of the area you’ve chosen to fly over. Destinations may rotate; currently you can pick from the “Wonders of the American West” (featuring Grand Canyon, Zion National Park, and Monument Valley), Iceland, or the snowcapped peaks of the Canadian Rockies.
We liked Iceland the best, for its dramatic views of majestic glaciers and magnificent animals (although the cold-mist effect is overdone). However, all the films are both thrilling and emotionally engaging, thanks to their stirring soundtracks and their focus on human figures amid the awe-inspiring landscapes.
FlyOver is open daily, 9 a.m.–9 p.m. Single rides cost $36 ($26 for kids age 12 and under; free with adult ticket at select times), or you can purchase a double ride ($57, $41 ages 12 and under) or double ride with drink ($65, $49 ages 12 and under) package and ask to use them on different days. Paid self-parking is available in the mall garage near the attraction’s rear entrance; another entrance lures pedestrians off the Strip, down a long corridor of colorful lights, to the ride’s lobby and pre-flight cocktail lounge.
What’s your favorite theme park-style attraction in Las Vegas? Let us know in the comments below!
For all there is to see and do in Las Vegas, check out The Unofficial Guide to Las Vegas by Bob Sehlinger and Seth Kubersky. If you enjoyed this post, please subscribe to our YouTube channel and sign up for our newsletter here. Be sure to follow us on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest, and YouTube.
