Guys I just wanted to let everyone know that I just got back from Las Vegas where I got to stay at the Hilton and I did The Star Trek Experience which was amazing and I also got to eat at Quark’s which was just as cool. I have got lots of pictures if anyone is interested and also they have a pretty good website to if you search for it on google it is like the first or second result. Anyways just thought I would put that out there because I heard Chuck talking about it and wanted to let everyone know how awesome it was! Anyways hit me up if you want details.
I’ve finally added some pictures to the GWC Flickr pool of our trip last winter to Las Vegas. It was pretty much only the ST:Experience (and one other show I’m not going into details about, IF YOU KNOW WHAT I MEAN) that made Vegas bearable…
(Sorry for the blurriness, the lighting was difficult)
no!! not before we can have the nat’l meetup at Quark’s!
Well, we can have a southwest regional with folks from SoCal and Phoenix coming in. Otherwise, I just keep waiting. The Las Vegas Hilton is just a drive from Henderson into Las Vegas around the I-15. In checking the map, it is not that much farther to go from taking the I-15 in from Los Angeles to get off at Sahara (turning right from the off-ramp) and hang a right on Paradise. The drive from LA should only take 3-4 hours.
I just checked Expedia and found tickets out of DFW for $298.50 per head over the weekend of August 22-24. I am curious how that might mesh with schedules. Those were the cheapest tickets I could find out of DFW for August.
I am up for a meet up in Vegas this summer…
Name the weekend and I will be there.
If some of the SoCal people want to car pool, I would be up for that too… I can fit five ( plus luggage ) comfortably…
From:http://trekmovie. com/2008/05/02/future-of-star-trek-the-experience-in-doubt/
The Future Of Star Trek:The Experience In Doubt
Since opening in early 1998, Star Trek The Experience at the Las Vegas Hilton has been the premiere live Star Trek attraction in the world. With its Trek-themed restaurant, museum, shops and rides, it plays hosts to thousands of tourists and Trekkies every year. However, the current contract is up and it looks like 2008 may be the last year for Star Trek The Experience.
The contract between CBS and Cedar Fair (current owners of The Experience) ends December 31st, and a spokesperson for Cedar Fair tells TrekMovie “there are currently no plans to renew” it. Talks are still ongoing and, although Cedar Fair is said to be happy with recent results from The The Experience due to effective cost-reductions, the attendance has been in decline for years (even after the introduction of the ‘Borg Invasion 4D‘ ride in 2004). The only ray of hope right now is that the new Star Trek feature film in 2009 may show promise of increased attendance. A final decision on The Experience is expected by the end of May.
Another possible lifeline for The Experience could be for Cedar Fair to sell it to another company and for there to be a new deal struck with CBS (and the Hilton). Cedar Fair took over The Experience, when it purchased Paramount Parks from Viacom in 2006.
If Star Trek The Experience is to close, then the current contract calls for them to entirely vacate their current location in the Hilton Hotel by December 31st, 2008. Since Cedar Fair will need time to dismantle the attraction, TrekMovie is told The Experience would likely close to visitors in September or October (if the contract isn’t renewed). At that time, all the genuine props and many of the replicas would be returned to CBS. It hasn’t been decided what would be done with the Star Trek related replicas owned by Cedar Fair, but it is possible they would be auctioned off.
A closure of the Experience would also have an impact on the annual official Creation Star Trek Convention, which has been held at the Las Vegas Hilton since the Experience opened there. Creation CEO Gary Berman tells TrekMovie that they would continue to hold the convention in Vegas (as they did for a decade before The Experience opened), but Creation would consider moving to a different hotel. Berman would be interested in getting a location closer to ‘the strip,’ but would want to ensure the new hotel offered fans prices as reasonable as those of the Hilton. If you want to be sure to see The Experience one last time (or first time), this year’s convention may be a good choice.
So far CBS (the Star Trek license holder) has refused any comment regarding the future of Star Trek The Experience. As the story develops TrekMovie will provide updates.
You can find a current piece that was released today by the Las Vegas Review-Journal on the closing at http://www.lvrj.com/news/18924724.html . I didn’t realize that the folks who own Cedar Point out in Sandusky also own this event.
Thanks for the update. I have mixed feelings about this. Of course I would like to see it continue but I’m sure that it could use some updating and refurbishing. If it has to go away or move, it would be great if it moved closer to me in PA. I have been there years ago and seen it a couple of times but I’ve never been to the Borg attraction.
Here’s my favorite bit of the piece:
“It is the premiere, and right now only, live Star Trek attraction in the world,” Pascale said. “A lot of nerd weddings go on at that place.”
I just have to say as a sci-fi geek it hurts me that they might have to close it down. I mean I love the rides and the fact that I could have my picture taken with a Borg and a Klingon!
From my 2002 trip…
From the Borg 4D press kit. I really wanted to see this but now I guess I wont have the chance…
I agree! I’ll be really bummed if they don’t renew and close it. I’ve been going out there at least once a year since 1999. 
Should we cross post this to the National Meet Up thread to kick start that back up? I’d be up for a meet up there during the break in episodes!
This is a pic from my 2007 trip. Me (on the right) and my friend wanted to go at least once before they closed it down. It was a lot of fun and I wish they wouldn’t.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/9387114@N06/2498735829
btw, how do I get photos to show on the forum instead of having to put a link up?
Frak. Looks like they moved stuff around on Flickr. I can’t find the linky.
I dont know about flickr but on photobucket they provide image codes to allow you to post them.
I was too cheap to do the behind the scenes tour and have my picture taken in the captain’s chair, but now I kinda wish I’d had.
The Borg ride was pretty cool though…
Right click on the picture to get the link, then click on the yellow sky with the mountains button at the top of the “create post” window thingie. Then paste that link into the window that pops up. Should be good to go at that point.
Cool! I’m going out to Vegas at the end of the month for my bachelor party. Tell me, are there any Orion slave girls there?
Didn’t see any at the Star Trek Experience. I’m sure those nice guys handing out cards on The Strip might be able to help you out…