Big Shot

Big Shot at the Stratosphere Details

• Hours of operation:
  Sunday - Thursday, 10 a.m. - 1 a.m. Fridays, Saturdays and holidays, 10 a.m. - 2 a.m. In cases of extreme weather conditions, schedule is subject to change.
• Cost:
  $23. Price includes admission to Stratosphere Tower. Tickets to ride the Big Shot, Insanity and X Scream are $33. Tickets for two rides is $28. An all-day ride pass is also available for $34. All of these packages include admission to the Stratosphere Tower. Front-of-the-line passes are also available for an additional $10.
• Payment options:
  Cash, Visa, MasterCard.
• Reservations:
  Not applicable.
• Location:
  Located at the Stratosphere hotel-casino, just north of the intersection of the Vegas Strip and Sahara Avenue.
• Age/Height/Weight restrictions:
  You must be 48 inches tall to ride.

Big Shot at the Stratosphere Description

It's one thing to feel like an astronaut. But on Big Shot you're launched so quickly, you might feel like the rocket itself. 

This ride atop the Stratosphere Tower whisks as many as 12 riders 160 feet in the air in an astounding 2.5 seconds along the tower's needle at 45 mph. It happens so fast, it feels as if you might actually shoot right off the top of the Stratosphere -- 1,049 feet above Las Vegas. 

Get a feel of weightlessness as 4 Gs of force literally makes you float out of your seat. Thank goodness for seatbelts, right? 

After the initial shock and awe, and once (a.k.a. "if") you're able to stop screaming, you may want to look around. You might be able to see your hotel, your Aunt Sally's house or even your favorite Vegas Strip Club.

The return to the ground at one-negative G is much more relaxing than the launch. Plus, it gives you a little bit of time to think about just what a big shot you are.

After the drop, you'll bounce up and down the 238-foot mast three times. After "floating" back to the base, you'll feel so giddy and energized that you can't stop giggling. You may even want to hit up some of the other rides atop the Stratosphere Tower, including SkyJump Las Vegas, X-Scream and Insanity.

Everyone wants to be a big shot when they visit Las Vegas. This is the fastest, easiest and most adrenaline-inducing way to do it. With this ride under your belt, no one will ever question your big shot status again.

Ride facts

Max Height: 1,087 feet (including the height of the tower).
Biggest Drop: 160 feet.
Max Speed: 45 mph.
Ride Duration: About 1 minute.
Capacity: 16 riders per launch.
Designer: S&S Original Amusements, Logan, Utah.
Special Features: Traveling 160 feet up the top Stratosphere Tower mast in 2 seconds is a unique experience. Riders experience 4 Gs of force from the thrust.