It's official. Star Trek:The Experience to close in September.
- Thread starter MattJC
- Start date
Luke Lightsaber
Captain
Wow. Do you think they might have another auction for the ride stuff?
A
Amaris
Guest
I never got to visit!
Anger rising.
J.
Anger rising.
J.
When I lived in LA my friends and I would go every 2 months. Lately I took my wife and stepchildren to it, We got a picture on the bridge. I am so glad I got to take them, that place meant a lot to me.
The news of ST:TE's impending closure has got me reminiscing about my personal adventures there.
Opening day, a two-hour line to get in and a parade of Trek celebrities. Michael Dorn and Terry Farrel pose for a few photographs... "Jadzia" is wearing painted-on blue jeans and is just breathtakingly beautiful. Later my buddy and I, both wearing combadges, are walking out of the Spacequest Casino area into the main casino as Ethan Phillips and a female companion are walking in. Phillips spots us from several yards away and ducks his head, sort of tucking in to his lady friend to avoid a fannish encounter. We walk right past him and I call back over my shoulder "relax, dude... you're just Neelix."
Of course I will never forget the magic moment of being trasported onto the Enterprise D... looking down at your feet as the lights come up and realizing what's just happened and where you are even before you see the transporter room. I was euqally giddy to be in an Enterprise corridor and walking out nto the bridge was simply amazing... a sort of geek awe had overtaken me.
I remember my first meeting with the Ferengi, singing Klingon drinking songs at the bar... with Klingons, ordering Romulan Ale after Romulan Ale and seeing the next day how it manifests itself on the way out of the body... receiving my first Warp Core Breach... buying my Starfleet Academy class ring... the Halloween party at Quark's one year where I went as a Ferengi... meeting my first Borg drone, then learning through conversation with him that he's "liberated" ala Seven of Nine and partially rehabilitated... the shock of feeling myself being assimilated in the Borg Invasion ride...
I remember the one remarkable evening when the ride still stayed open late... I was the only one in line for the last show of the Klingon Encounter ride and they did the entire show just for me... and not one of the cast cracked a smile or blinked... they played it entirely straight.
I also remember the weekends I'd visit alone while my wife was working out of town for extended periods. I'd get absolutely plastered at the bar and talk to other Trekkies. I met people from Australia and New Zealand and England and Germany as well as from across the US and we all had inebriation and a love of Trek in common, making us instant friends.
I've been so many times I've lost count (one of the perks of living a quick drive away in Southern California) and the place and the people who work there - from the bartenders to the costumed cast to the lady who takes the tickets and stamps your hand and always remembers me - will always hold a special place in my heart and memories.
See you one more time when my wife and I celebrate her birthday there July 28-30.
Thanks for the memories, ST:TE... thanks for the "experience."
It's been... fun.
Opening day, a two-hour line to get in and a parade of Trek celebrities. Michael Dorn and Terry Farrel pose for a few photographs... "Jadzia" is wearing painted-on blue jeans and is just breathtakingly beautiful. Later my buddy and I, both wearing combadges, are walking out of the Spacequest Casino area into the main casino as Ethan Phillips and a female companion are walking in. Phillips spots us from several yards away and ducks his head, sort of tucking in to his lady friend to avoid a fannish encounter. We walk right past him and I call back over my shoulder "relax, dude... you're just Neelix."
Of course I will never forget the magic moment of being trasported onto the Enterprise D... looking down at your feet as the lights come up and realizing what's just happened and where you are even before you see the transporter room. I was euqally giddy to be in an Enterprise corridor and walking out nto the bridge was simply amazing... a sort of geek awe had overtaken me.
I remember my first meeting with the Ferengi, singing Klingon drinking songs at the bar... with Klingons, ordering Romulan Ale after Romulan Ale and seeing the next day how it manifests itself on the way out of the body... receiving my first Warp Core Breach... buying my Starfleet Academy class ring... the Halloween party at Quark's one year where I went as a Ferengi... meeting my first Borg drone, then learning through conversation with him that he's "liberated" ala Seven of Nine and partially rehabilitated... the shock of feeling myself being assimilated in the Borg Invasion ride...
I remember the one remarkable evening when the ride still stayed open late... I was the only one in line for the last show of the Klingon Encounter ride and they did the entire show just for me... and not one of the cast cracked a smile or blinked... they played it entirely straight.
I also remember the weekends I'd visit alone while my wife was working out of town for extended periods. I'd get absolutely plastered at the bar and talk to other Trekkies. I met people from Australia and New Zealand and England and Germany as well as from across the US and we all had inebriation and a love of Trek in common, making us instant friends.
I've been so many times I've lost count (one of the perks of living a quick drive away in Southern California) and the place and the people who work there - from the bartenders to the costumed cast to the lady who takes the tickets and stamps your hand and always remembers me - will always hold a special place in my heart and memories.
See you one more time when my wife and I celebrate her birthday there July 28-30.
Thanks for the memories, ST:TE... thanks for the "experience."
It's been... fun.
Damn. I wanted to go there again, but at least we did both rides and the backstage tour when we were there a couple of years ago. And got pictures and souvenirs.
If you get there before it closes and you haven't done the backstage tour, I recommend it. We had a great time.
If you get there before it closes and you haven't done the backstage tour, I recommend it. We had a great time.
Awww man! That sucks! 
Oh well. Glad I got to enjoy it once.
Oh well. Glad I got to enjoy it once.
Yep. Me too. Vegas is just a bit too "out of the way" for me.
The Hilton is neither a neat extravagant hotel, nor is it on the strip or the Freemont Experience...without ST:TE is there ANY reason for anyone to go there? This is not even speaking as a Trekkie. Why would you go out of your way to go to a hotel that has no real points of interest?
Good point. I stayed there when I visted the Exp. mostly out of convience. But I can't think of any reason for one to stay there unless they want a (cheaper) place to stay than the hotels downtown or on the Strip.
I wonder how much better TE would've done if it WERE in a hotel on the strip?
Maybe I can get there for the August con. It'd be nice to get my picture taken there with Bob and Ethan. I've never actually "done" the attraction, but I enjoyed walking through the cafe and stores, and people watching.
Since they sell almost everything else there, is there an official, legal DVD of the place and highlights from the shows they've had there? (Oops. Just read the rest of the thread. Asked and answered). Perhaps now they'll allow cameras in the non-ride portion at least.
--Ted
Since they sell almost everything else there, is there an official, legal DVD of the place and highlights from the shows they've had there? (Oops. Just read the rest of the thread. Asked and answered). Perhaps now they'll allow cameras in the non-ride portion at least.
--Ted
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The Hilton will still do all right because of the convention center, but it will lose much of its tourist popularity. Still, I'm sure they worked the numbers and decided that this will be more profitable in the long run. They may replace the Experience with something with even more general appeal.
I had been planning on visiting Vegas in August. I guess its time to make those plans concrete.
But, living in Vegas, some of the buzz I've been hearing is that at least SOME of the bigger conventions have been looking to move elsewhere. The cost of holding these things in LV has become increasingly expensive.
This August will be my fifth visit to Vegas, my fifth visit to the Experience and I've always enjoyed it. I've never done the Behind-the-Scenes tour so gotta do that this time. Also, although I don't drink alcohol, I think I'll try a Warp Core Breach, just for the hell of it. And, for all those going to the con, there will probably be a sale on in the shops so it's not all bad!!
Still, I'll miss it and who knows, if the new movie is a big hit, they may want to put something new in Vegas.
Still, I'll miss it and who knows, if the new movie is a big hit, they may want to put something new in Vegas.
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