Perched above the Las Vegas Strip, the Big Apple Coaster snakes through a scaled-down Manhattan skyline built into the walls of the New York-New York Hotel & Casino — one of the only steel coasters anywhere where you buy a ticket at a casino counter instead of a park gate.
Whether you’re trying to figure out if you’re tall enough to ride, what a ticket actually costs, when it’s open, or what’s changed since the ride opened back in 1997, here’s what you need to know before you walk up to the taxicab-themed trains.
Quick Answer
The Big Apple Coaster is a steel, Togo-built coaster threaded through the New York-New York Hotel & Casino on the Las Vegas Strip. Riders must be at least 54 inches (137 cm) tall, single-ride tickets have run around $25, and the ride typically operates daily from late morning until midnight.
Prices and hours shift with the season and demand, so check the official New York-New York Hotel & Casino site for same-day pricing and operating hours before you go.
Height Requirements & Who Can Ride
Like most looping coasters, the Big Apple Coaster enforces a minimum height requirement of 54 inches (137 cm) without shoes, checked at the station before boarding. There’s no separate published maximum height, but riders need to fit comfortably within the Premier Rides lap-bar restraints, so very tall or very large riders may want to try the test seat posted near the entrance first.
The layout includes a vertical loop, a dive loop, and sustained changes in g-force that are more intense than the coaster’s compact, woven-through-a-building footprint suggests, so guests with back, neck, or cardiovascular conditions are generally advised to skip it, as with any major inverting coaster.
Tickets, Pricing & Hours
Unlike a traditional theme park, the Big Apple Coaster sells tickets at a walk-up booth near the ride entrance inside New York-New York rather than through a park-wide admission gate. Single-ride tickets have typically run in the mid-$20s, with occasional multi-ride bundles sold on-site. Monorail riders have historically gotten a discount on same-day tickets, so it’s worth asking at the counter.
Hours generally run from late morning until midnight daily, sometimes extending on weekends or during big Strip events, though the ride can close temporarily for maintenance, weather, or private events. Because both pricing and hours change without much notice, the official New York-New York Hotel & Casino site is the most reliable source to confirm before you visit.
The Ride Experience
Riders board taxicab-themed trains for a roughly 2-minute-40-second circuit that begins with a 180-ft chain lift, followed by a 76-ft first drop and a steeper 144-ft second drop that pushes the train to its 67-mph top speed. The layout then weaves in and out of the hotel’s Manhattan skyline facade before hitting a vertical loop and a dive loop directly above the casino’s entrance.
The original Togo trains earned a reputation for rough, jarring transitions, which led the resort to commission replacement trains from Premier Rides in 2006. Those trains were replaced in 2021 by new Premier Rides trains with softer restraints, smoothing out the ride considerably while keeping the same track layout, loop, and dive loop — so the coaster riding today is noticeably gentler than the one that opened in 1997.
Location, Parking & Getting There
The ride entrance sits inside New York-New York Hotel & Casino at 3790 S Las Vegas Boulevard, on the Strip near the MGM Grand and the Excalibur/Luxor corner. Because it’s built directly into the building rather than a standalone park, the coaster’s track is visible from the sidewalk below, functioning as much as a Strip landmark as a ride.
Self-parking is available in the hotel’s garage, and the nearest monorail stop is the adjacent MGM Grand station if you’re arriving from elsewhere on the Strip without a car. Parking policies and fees change periodically across Las Vegas Strip resorts, so confirm current rates at the garage or on the official site if that matters for your visit.
History & Name Changes
Manufactured by the Japanese firm Togo, the coaster opened on January 3, 1997, and remains the only Togo-built coaster still operating in North America. It originally opened as Manhattan Express, was retrofitted with new Premier Rides trains in 2006 after complaints about its rough layout, reopened as The Roller Coaster, and settled on its current name, Big Apple Coaster, in 2013.
Photos
Soak, snap and drape. A cooling towel takes the edge off a 45-minute midday queue in July.
Park apps, mobile ordering and photos kill a battery by 3 p.m. This one snaps on magnetically, so there's no cable to snag on a restraint.
Ride with your glasses on and keep them. Many parks allow glasses on rides if they're strapped, so check the ride rules first.
Big Apple Coaster FAQs
How tall do you have to be to ride the Big Apple Coaster?
You must be at least 54 inches (137 cm) tall without shoes, measured at the station before boarding.
How much does the Big Apple Coaster cost?
Single-ride tickets have generally run around $25. Check the official New York-New York site for current pricing before you go.
What are the Big Apple Coaster’s hours?
It typically operates daily from late morning until midnight, with possible seasonal extensions and occasional closures for maintenance or weather — confirm same-day hours on the official site.
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.
Is the Big Apple Coaster rough or scary?
The original Togo trains were known for jarring transitions, but Premier Rides trains installed in 2006 and replaced with newer Premier Rides trains in 2021 smoothed out the ride considerably, though it still includes real inversions and negative-g moments.
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