Traveling to Las Vegas isn’t just about sleeping in beautiful hotels and gambling at the casino tables. In addition to museums and shows, there is a multitude of attractions. During our stay, we went to FlyOver, a simulation that promises a thrilling flight.
Were we seduced? Read our review of FlyOver in Las Vegas.
What is “FlyOver: the Ultimate Flying Ride”?
FlyOver is a flight simulation attraction. Contrary to what I thought before the big day, it’s not virtual reality and you don’t get 3D glasses.
You’re strapped into a gondola, just like on an amusement park ride. In front of you is a huge canvas that covers your entire field of vision. Then, as the ride starts, the ground beneath your feet drops away, and you’re suspended in the void. On the FlyOver website, it says you’re 16 meters high.
The projected film, a magnificent landscape, begins. The gondola moves to the rhythm of your ride. Sometimes you move gently uphill, sometimes you descend at full speed. Even though the gondola’s movements are minimal, tilting forward or upward, you get a real sense of speed.
Other senses are worked on. You can feel the wind, catch a few raindrops and smell the scents.
The aim is to transport you into the world of your landscape, while giving you a few adrenaline rushes.
Where is FlyOver?
FlyOver’s exact address is 3771 Las Vegas Boulevard in Las Vegas.
More concretely, the studio is located just before the MGM Grand. Look for the red logo with FlyOver written in white to find the storefront. It’s not visible from far away, especially as it’s positioned between several signs. On our first visit with Amélie, we passed it without realizing it.
If you’re staying at one of the Strip’s top hotels (Caesars, Venetian, Bellagio, Paris…), it’s easiest to get there on foot. It’s an ideal location.
By car, you can park at the Showcase Mall Parking Garage next door.
What are FlyOver’s opening hours in Las Vegas?
FlyOver is open daily from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m.
How much does a FlyOver ticket cost?
You currently have 3 ticket prices for FlyOver :
- 36 for 1 flight simulation ($26 for children 12 and under)
- $57 for 2 flight simulations ($41 for a child).
- 65 for 2 flight simulations and a drink ($49 for a child).
Locals benefit from a 30% discount on all offers.
Book your tickets with free cancellation on GetYourGuide.
Do I need to make a reservation before coming to FlyOver?
If you want to visit FlyOver on a weekend, or on an afternoon during Las Vegas’s busiest periods, you’d better make a reservation. Space on the gondolas is limited and there are only 2 rooms, so waiting times can quickly exceed an hour.
As our flight simulation took place at 10 a.m., we didn’t make a reservation. But our little group already filled up more than half the attraction!
What different worlds does FlyOver offer?
I don’t know if universes often evolve or are fixed.
During our visit, we had the choice between :
- Iceland
- The American West
- The Canadian Rockies.
We chose Iceland for our first FlyOver flight.
These three very different environments have similar geographical qualities. You’ve got impressive relief, stretches of nature as far as the eye can see, and this allows for a wide range of speeds and movements during flight simulation.
How does a FlyOver session work?
As soon as you enter the building, you arrive at the ticket office. Buy your tickets and go to the back. Your ticket shows your world and the start time of your attraction.
In this vast space, you wait. Closed lockers are provided for your bags and any other belongings that might fall out during the simulation. To eliminate this risk, we took a closed bag to put it around your neck.
If your wait is long, you can go to The Lost Cactus bar for a drink. A number of more or less comfortable seats are available for you to wait in peace and quiet. The decor is tidy, and you’re already traveling a little just by looking at the photos.
The entrance to the theaters resembles that of a movie theater. Signs indicate the times of the different universes, as well as their status. When “boarding” is available, you go.
An employee then takes you to a waiting room. Each pair of customers occupied a line. For the Icelandic universe, a small ambiance with a screen showing an image of a cabin and a fireplace is displayed.
When the group of customers is assembled, you move into the room next door. For a few minutes, less than a dozen, an animation introduces you to the universe. At first, I feared this might be the attraction… Fortunately, it wasn’t. For Iceland, we were treated to a few tales of Norse mythology.
The room is beautiful, with a circular path and pictures in the middle, but I wasn’t captivated by the story.
Then, at the end of the presentation, it’s time for the flight simulation. You take your place in the basket. Safety instructions are given, and the flight begins for about ten minutes.
At the end of the latter, you return to the area between the ticket office and the simulation room. You can then either leave the area, have a drink at the bar, or pick up another ticket.
What did we think of FlyOver?
First, let’s start with an important detail: the staff. All the staff we met (ticket office, waiting area, attraction) were very friendly. This puts you in the right frame of mind to have maximum fun.
On our schedule, the wait was short. As the waiting area is pretty, it’s not an unpleasant moment.
As I said before, the short presentation seemed long. Arriving at the ultimate location, the fly-through, is surprising. With a huge projection screen and the protectors to keep you in place in your seat, you think the simulation is going to move more than you thought.
In fact, the movements are very light. I have to admit I was clinging to my seat more than Amélie. Fear never arises. You never think you’re in danger of an accident, and your heart never races.
FlyOver’s big plus is obviously the landscape of your world. The team pulled out all the stops. I’ve never been to Iceland, but I had the opportunity to discover in a short space of time everything we imagine Iceland to be. Volcanoes, rivers, hills, the warmth of Icelanders, the cold of winter…
You chain shots together without a logical narrative or sequence, but that didn’t bother me at all. The most exciting moments are those that give an impression of speed, or when you reach the summit before falling into the void. A great deal of video work went into creating these shots. You can see some of it at: https://www.flyoverlasvegas.com/behind-the-scenes/.
In addition to the scenery, the room comes alive with a little water and fresh air when the passageway lends itself to it.
The attraction’s duration is reasonable. Of course, I’d have loved it to be twice as long, but it’s still quite reasonable. We were thoroughly entertained during our flight simulation in Las Vegas.
I have two reservations, however. The first concerns the gondola’s movements. More adrenalin would have been nice. But the current style makes FlyOver an attraction accessible to all audiences.
Secondly, the price remains high for the duration and experience. To give you an idea, with a double flight, you pay the same price as for our bus excursion to Hoover Dam. Since we hadn’t come to Las Vegas with the intention of traveling cheaply (you’d have to be crazy to go there with that in mind!), the price didn’t hold us back. But I’m obliged to take it into account to give an overall review of FlyOver.
So it’s a fun ride, set in an absolutely magnificent landscape, and run by a friendly staff in a well-appointed setting. A more dynamic simulation and a lower price would make it an activity to do again and again!
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As a professional blogger, I take advantage of my flexible schedule to travel a lot. I haven’t been everywhere, but it’s on my list!