Entertainment

This thread is to be used to discuss entertainment available at Stratosphere.

I never bring a first time visitor to Vegas without a trip to the Stratosphere Tower. It's something every visitor should do at least once. As many times as I've been there (at least 10 or so), I always enjoy it.

As for the rides, the Big Shot is great. Anyone should be able to do this one. But for a real thrill, nothing beats Insanity. In my first ride I went through at least 8 distinct emotions that ranged from ecstasy to nausea. I would definitely recommend it for thrill seekers, but not for the faint of heart. Just ride it, and you'll see what I mean. X-scream is kind of weak. Skip it.

The viewing tower is worth it even if you're too chicken to do the rides. It's fun to see the Strip from that view and interesting to see the rest of Vegas that you probably don't want to see from ground level.

I read this tip somewhere, and we have done it several times. You can go up the Strat tower for free to go to the bar, and it has NOT been very crowded the times we have gone.

I guess the bar is more like a lounge. It has good waitress service, and if you go at night, the lights are of course very pretty. It will set you back at least $ 6 for a beer if I recall correctly, and more for a glass of wine or a mixed drink. But its definitely a nice spot to sit back and relax in a relatively quiet atmosphere.

Maybe nobody stoped me because it wasn't busy, but I did this once.

When you're on the Restaurant level, you can climb the stairs one story to the roof observation deck where the rides are.

I don't have the balls to ride any of those rides, but it sure is fun to watch other people!

In this base jumping video in the second half when they are filming from inside the glass, is this the restaurant or some kind of viewing platform?

Quote: pacomartin

In this base jumping video in the second half when they are filming from inside the glass, is this the restaurant or some kind of viewing platform?

In that shot, there's glass facing up and down.

I seem to recall that from inside the restaurant, all the glass was angled downward.

Therefore, if I'm correct, this is a level between the restaurant and the rooftop observation deck.

Please note, I could be completely wrong. I've only been there once.



Edit: I just looked again. You'll note that in the first half-second, they are going up a staircase.

Is there an indoor observation area? I DO know that there is an indoor souvenier shop and restrooms. Maybe the rides and observation platform are ABOVE that level? I really don't remember.... But it makes sense. There's little worry about rain in the desert, but it can get windy at that altitude....

Here's a link to a CBS News video: Stratosphere's new Sky Jump.

Here's a frame from that video that answers some of your questions:
Admin note: removed image www.djteddybear.com/images/sky_jump.JPG

The restaurant ceiling was only about ten or twelve feet.

Obviously, if this platform was on the restuarant level, it would intefere with the people seated near the window.

FYI: The restaurant has seats right up against the window, and it rotates. So this platform has to be above the restaurant.

Therefore, it's safe to assume that the indoor vantage point from the base jump video that you're asking about, is at the same level as this platform.

I looked at the statistics for BASE jumps (Building, Antenna, Span, Earth [cliff]) jumps. Only 9 of the 147 deaths were from buildings. That may reflect that cliff jumps are by far the most common, or it may reflect the difficulty of clearing the cliff given irregular high winds that can blow you back. The distance from any emergency equipment may be a factor. One set of cliffs in Norway has claimed 8 lives so far.

The locations of the 9 building fatalities are listed in reverse chronological order. The US deaths have not occurred for 20 years.

Switzerland
Brazil
China
Australia
United Kingdom (London)
United States (Philadelphia) 23rd fatality
United States (Century City) 20th fatality
United States (Myrtle Beach) 17th fatality
United Kingdom (London) 3rd fatality

A total of 15 fatalities occurred from Spans (bridges) and 19 fatalities from Antennas. So leaves 101 from cliffs, and 3 as unclassified.

The database did not classify the deaths by legal and illegal jumps.

Observation Tower - I agree with a previous post, if you go to Vegas you need to go up here at least once. The night view is the best time in my opinion.

Air Bar (Top of the Tower) - A little bar they are super proud of with the prices they charge for drinks. I think the last beer I got was $8, I was like holy smokes.

Rides

Sky Jump - I won't do any of the rides up top. Scares the day lights out of me. Last I heard its like a $100 to make the jump.

X-Scream - Looks like you are going to roll right off the end of the rail on this thing.

Big Shot - Shoots you about 160 feet up the point on the top.

Insanity - Spins you 'round and 'round 900 feet up out over the strip.

Roller Coaster - I still hear this question being asked, the Roller coaster has been removed and is no longer on the top of the tower.

Even if you are chicken like me and do not go on the rides, they are great to watch. While some people faces are hilarious, at least they don't soil themselves like I probably would.


Shows

The only one I know of is Bite, a topless vampire show, I have never seen it, so I can not review it here.