Earlier this month we told you about a new flying theater attraction coming to Iceland. Today, the owners of that attraction announced that they will be bringing a sister flying theater ride to Las Vegas.
FlyOver Las Vegas will open in 2021 on Las Vegas Boulevard, following a construction start later this year. The film will feature not just aerial images of the city's casinos but also favorite tourist sights within a day's drive, including the Grand Canyon and Monument Valley.
"The launch of FlyOver Las Vegas will provide visitors with a truly unforgettable experience showcasing some of the most iconic and visually stunning landscapes in the American Southwest," Lisa Adams, Vice President of FlyOver Attractions, said. Here's the hype video:
Vegas has had a complicated relationship with themed attractions over the years. It remains one of the world's leading markets for live theater and musical entertainment, but it's seen less success with thrill rides and themed attractions. The Adventuredome at Circus Circus is hanging in there, as is the High Roller observation wheel. But the Star Trek Experience and MGM Grand Adventures theme park are no longer, and the few roller coasters that remain in the market seem to be closed more often than they run anymore.
Can a flying theater ride work as an alternative to helicopter tours for people who would rather save their time and money for the casinos and clubs? We will see when FlyOver Las Vegas opens in early 2021.
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Has any information been provided as to exactly where this attraction will be built?
I just don't see something like this surviving if it's not associated with some other attraction (like the High Roller, Circus Circus, Mandalay Aquarium, Stratosphere, The Roller Coaster, etc...). There are far too many entertainment options in Las Vegas for an attraction like this to survive as a 1-off. It must be paired with something else in order to succeed. Also, guests are not likely to go out of their way to experience it, so installing it in the void between the Wynn and Stratosphere or more than a block off the Strip won't cut it either. The price of this attraction also has to be right (likely less than $20 before discounts) to get guests to spend time doing this.
I hope FlyOver attractions knows what they're getting into, because trying to install a 1-off attraction like this in an already over-saturated market like Las Vegas would be like trying to build a new independent theme park in Orlando.
I actually think that it will fit well in Vegas, it will attract people who don't want to shell out $100+ and spend over an hour getting an aerial view of the strip. If they can get it close to the Eiffel Tower and the High Roller then I can see a lot of people doing all 3.
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I remember visiting Las Vegas with my family in the early 90s when I was 13 or so. It was around the time that a lot of the casinos were trying to appeal to families. You had Excalibur and Luxor both with themed attractions, then the MGM Grand and Circus Circus both with thrill rides.
The trouble was, to get from the front door to the attractions you had to pass through gaming areas with slots and tables, and security didn't like it. So everywhere we went we were being shepherded about as though we were undesirables. It was a pretty miserable experience to be honest. No wonder it didn't take hold as a family / theme park destination, the two concepts are just incompatible.