With the 40th Anniversary of Star Trek on the horizon, fans can rejoice and become part of the experience thanks to the Star Trek Experience attraction at the Las Vegas Hilton.
The numerous memorabilia on display in the outer lobby alone is worth the visit as props and other memorabilia from the various Trek incarnations are displayed along with detailed timeline outlying events from the Federation. One of my favorites was the Mark V Photon torpedo, as it is not every day that a person can say they were able to touch such a fabled piece of Trek history.
As vast as the array of memorabilia is, it is mere icing on the cake, as the true draw of the Star Trek Experience are the two interactive shows/rides, the Klingon Encounter and Borg Invasion 4-D.
After a brief wait for a wedding party to finish their ceremony, the group I was in was ushered into a room to attend a briefing by a Starfleet Officer. After a while, the Doctor from Voyager (Robert Picardo), appears on screen and informs us that we hold the key to resisting Borg assimilation within our DNA.
No sooner does the Doctor utter this news, than a Borg cube appears on the long range scanner and initiates a fire fight with the station. The floors vibrate and the station hums with energy as its shields absorb incoming fire and then unleashes return fire. This is not only thrilling but thanks to the detailed display information, it gives guests the sensation of being in a firefight.
Crew Members appear and tell us that the station is being boarded and we are whisked through damaged decks of the station while we avoid live Borg Drones who battle crew members desperate to get us to safety aboard a shuttle.
Upon boarding the shuttle, the true experience takes flight as we are then drawn into the Borg Cube and confronted by the evil Borg Queen, (Alice Krige). The incredible 3D technology puts you in the heart of the action as you will encounter everything from gripping action sequences, to the viewpoint of a Borg. The 4D technology allows for external stimuli to complete and enhance the effect as everything from air currents to motion is included to complete the effect.
There are a few surprise moments and guests as well that appear but I will refrain from spoiling them in this review. As the ride concludes, guests have a chance to purchase souvenirs in the very impressive guest shop and then grab a bite to eat or a drink at Quarks Bar, a very accurate replica of the Bar in “Deep Space 9”. The food and drinks were amazing as was the service, and all of the entries have Trek names such as the Phaser Blast drink.
After Dinner, it was back into the show as we boarded the Klingon Encounter for one of the wildest rides I have ever encountered. From the amazing transportation sequence, to the frantic motion ride that had us racing from Klingons and in a mad dash over the Strip, this ride was every bit as enjoyable as the Borg Invasion, though a much wilder ride as the emphasis is on motion rather than visuals.
Needless to say, I had an amazing time at the attractions and was impressed by the detail that was put into the shows, as this is as close to being in an episode as a fan can get. The rides also offer plenty of enjoyable moments to casual fans of the series, as
I brought my wife,fianc�, her Uuncle and aunt and his Wife along, who were more casual Star Trek fans and they had a blast. My fianc�wife enjoyed the rides so much, that she made a point of telling all of her family and co-workers how much fun she had and how much she wants to return.
The show also keeps expanding as there is a new backstage tour coming that will show many of the attractions secrets such as how the Transportation sequence works, and much more. In a town known for its entertainment and shows, Star Trek the Experience is a must for visitors.
For more information visit www.startrekexp.com or call 1-888-GO-BOLDLY.
