The Big Apple Coaster is a steel roller coaster built into the New York-New York Hotel and Casino on the Las Vegas Strip, threading its track through a scaled-down replica of the Manhattan skyline. Manufactured by the Japanese firm Togo, it opened on January 3, 1997, and remains the only Togo-built coaster still operating in North America.
Originally named Manhattan Express, the ride was retrofitted with new Premier Rides trains in 2006 after complaints about its rough, jarring layout, reopening as The Roller Coaster before settling on its current name, Big Apple Coaster, in 2013. Its taxicab-themed trains still carry riders past faux skyscrapers before diving into a loop and a dive loop above the casino’s entrance.
Stats at a Glance
- Park: New York-New York Hotel & Casino, Las Vegas
- Manufacturer: Togo
- Opened: January 3, 1997
- Height: 203 ft
- Top speed: 67 mph
- Length: 4,777 ft
- Inversions: 2 (vertical loop and dive loop)
- Drop: 144 ft
The Ride Experience
Riders board taxicab-themed trains for a 2-minute, 40-second circuit that begins with a 180-ft chain lift, followed by a 76-ft first drop and a second, steeper 144-ft drop. The layout weaves in and out of the hotel’s Manhattan skyline facade, giving the coaster an unusually tight, urban footprint for a ride of its size.
The ride’s original Togo trains earned a reputation for rough transitions, prompting the resort to commission replacement trains from Premier Rides in 2006. Those trains, later updated again in 2021 with softer restraints, smoothed out the experience while keeping the same track layout, loop, and dive loop.
A Strip Landmark
Because it’s built directly into the New York-New York building rather than a standalone park, the Big Apple Coaster functions as much as a visual landmark for the Las Vegas Strip as a thrill ride, with its track visible from the sidewalk below. An optional virtual reality overlay was added in 2018, letting riders swap the skyline view for an animated experience during the run.
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Big Apple Coaster FAQs
Who manufactured the Big Apple Coaster?
Togo, a Japanese roller coaster manufacturer, built the ride when it opened in 1997. It’s the last operating Togo coaster in North America.
What was the Big Apple Coaster’s original name?
It opened as Manhattan Express in 1997, was renamed The Roller Coaster in 2007 after new trains were installed, and became Big Apple Coaster in 2013.
How fast is the Big Apple Coaster?
It reaches a top speed of about 67 mph during its 144-ft second drop.
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Photo: Stefan Scheer / CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons.