Big Apple Coaster at New York-New York: Tickets and Tips

The Big Apple Coaster climbs about 200 feet, then sends you into a 144-foot drop, a full vertical loop, and a heartline twist where you roll like a fighter jet. Top speed is around 67 mph and the whole thing runs roughly two and a half to three minutes, which is long for a coaster.

Here is the honest warning: the ride is rough. The cars rattle and jerk, and you will get knocked around by the over-the-shoulder restraints. People with neck or back issues should sit this one out. It is an older coaster and it rides like one.

The layout is the payoff. You weave between the casino's fake Manhattan buildings and at points you are out over the Strip itself, looking down at Las Vegas Boulevard. No other coaster in town gives you that.

A single ride runs in the rough 25 to 30 dollar range. They also sell an all-day re-ride wristband for a bit more, which is the move if you actually like coasters and want to lap it a few times.

Buy at the arcade level counter inside New York-New York, or online ahead of time. Online occasionally shaves a few dollars and lets you skip a line on busy nights.

If you are stacking multiple Strip attractions, check whether a multi-attraction pass includes it. The Big Apple Coaster shows up in some Vegas attraction bundles.

Front row is the best view, period. You get the unobstructed look at the drops and the buildings rushing at you, and the airtime on the first hill is cleaner.

Back row gives you the strongest whip on the drops if you want maximum stomach. But back row also amplifies the rattle, so it is the rougher seat.

Avoid the very middle if you can. You get the bumps without the best views or the best airtime.

Empty your pockets. There are lockers and bins, and loose phones go flying. Do not try to film it with your phone in hand because they will make you stash it anyway and you risk losing it.

Ride before you eat the giant pizza slice, not after. The drop and the loop are not friendly to a full stomach.

Lines move fastest on weekday afternoons. Weekend nights, especially when the Strip is packed, can mean a real wait. Re-ride wristband holders often get a separate quicker re-entry.

If you are a coaster person, yes. Riding a loop while hanging out over the Las Vegas Strip is a genuine bucket-list moment, and the all-day wristband makes the price reasonable.

If you are not a coaster person, this is not the gentle one to start with. It is rough, and the rattle has turned casual riders off for years. Try the New York-New York arcade or FlyOver instead.

My pick: do it once, front row, single ride, and call it. Coaster fanatics should grab the wristband and ride it three or four times to get their money's worth.