Star Trek: The Experience is closing

It was bound to happen sooner or later, and though I've known this was coming for a few months now, I was still really sad to read confirmation that Star Trek: The Experience is closing September first.

Offering a sad commentary on the state of the Star Trek franchise, the Hilton Hotel in Las Vegas will shut down Star Trek : The Experience this fall.

Part simulator, part environment, part museum and (of course) part gift shop/restaurant, the Experience opened 10 years ago during the height of popularity for the Star Trek: The Next Generation movies.

But, the exhibit isn't drawing the fans it once did -- just as the franchise is fading off the public radar. While J.J. Abrams is hustling to save Star Trek on the big screen, it's too late to save it in Vegas.

The Experience will always be special to me, because, as I wrote in the Geek in Review (excerpted from Dancing Barefoot):

The Transporter Chief says, “Welcome to the 24th century. You are aboard the starship Enterprise.”

She could have said to me, “Welcome to 1987, Wil. You are on Stage 9.”

She touches her communicator and says, “I have them, Commander.”

Jonathan Frakes' voice booms over the comm, “Good work, Lieutenant. Please take them to the bridge.”

We leave the transporter room and walk down a long corridor which is identical to the ones I walked down every day. I realize as we walk that, in my mind, I'm filling in the rest of the sound stage. I'm surprised when we don't end up in engineering at the end of the corridor. Instead, we are herded into a turbolift, where we enjoy some more special effects. The turbolift shakes and hums . . . it's infinitely cooler than the real ones we would stand in for the show.

When the turbolift doors open, and reveal the bridge of the Enterprise, I gasp.

The bridge is a nearly-perfect replica of ours, with a few minor differences that are probably imperceptible to anyone who didn't spend the better part of five years on it. The hum of the engines, which had only existed in my imagination on Stage 8, is now real. I stare at the view screen, where a beautiful starfield gives the appearance of motion. I remember how much I hated doing blue screen shots on the bridge and how much I loved it when they'd lower the starfield. When I looked at those thousands of tiny mirrors, glued onto a screen of black velvet, I could lose myself in the wonderful fantasy that this spaceship was as real as the view.

I am consumed by hypernostalgia.

I am 14-years-old, walking out of the turbolift during Encounter at Farpoint. Corey Allen, the director, excitedly tells me, “Picard controls the sky, man! He controls the sky!”

I am 15-years-old, sitting in my ugly grey spacesuit at the CONN. My fake muscle suit bunches up around my arms. I feel awkward and unsure, a child who desperately wants to be a man.

I am 16-years-old, working on an episode where I say little more than, “Aye, sir.” I want to be anywhere but here.

I am 17-years-old, wearing a security uniform for Yesterday's Enterprise. I am excited to stand in a different place on the bridge, wear a different uniform, and push different imaginary buttons.

I hear the voices of our crew, recall the cool fog that hung around our trailers each morning from Autumn until Spring.

I recall walking to the Paramount commissary with the cast, on our way to have lunch meetings with Gene before he died.

I have an epiphany.

Until this moment, all I have been able to remember is the pain that came with Star Trek. I'd forgotten the joy.

It's obviously an important place to me, though I don't expect it be nearly as important to anyone else in the world. I've always said that it's something every Star Trek fan should, uh, experience, at least once.

They say that the props and things from the museum will be returned to Paramount, where I hope they'll be put on Star Trek: the Tour . . . though if past is prologue, Paramount will likely have them looked after by top men.

Comments

[Justin Yost]

Man, I can't believe they are closing it before I ever got to see it. I've always wanted to go and never had the chance.

[rikomatic]

I have such fond memories of visiting the ST:Experience for my birthday when I turned 30. My sister and I were in that long-ass line to get in, staring at all the cool props on display. A snarling Ferengi comes up to me and asks, "How much for her?"

My sister replies, "You can't afford me."

He huffs off and we laugh our asses off.

[GetSheila]

Yeah, I guess it is time but I am still sad to see it go. I am glad I had the opportunity to visit when it was still exciting and groovy. The Klingons were quite tall and surprisingly sexy. I shall remember the experience, er Experience, fondly.

[Jimbeaux]

I've been twice - most recently just this May. All in all, I'm not heartbroken to see it close down. If you're not in to the rides, there's very little there other than an over-priced restaurant and a rather small "museum".

[Jan Hanford]

I'm sad too. One of my favorite moments was being photographed in the captain's chair on that bridge. I'm verklempt!

[cliff]

It's obviously an important place to me, though I don't expect it be nearly as important to anyone else in the world.

I think you are underestimating how important the entire Star Trek experience is to a lot of people.

I suspect that a new home for it may actually be a big help for it if they pick carefully - part of the problem could well be that it's in Vegas, a place where a lot of geeks don't go. You want to drive up visitors, put it somewhere more geek friendly.

[hklbry]

I was just there in June and it totally took me back to my Star Trek fangirl days. All those great, horrible memories! At least it didn't fall into disrepair and shabbiness before they called it a day.

[catnip]

That's terrible news. I'm glad I got to go a few years ago, but that was before parts of it were even open yet. I was planning to go again next spring. *wipes tear from her eye*

[Rob Speed]

Top men.

[zizban]

I remember going there and it was great! I worked in Orlando so I didn't expect much but the simulator ride in the shuttle was awesome. The whole thing was awesome.

I will miss it.

[Tony]

Wow, that does suck. I went to Vegas for a friends birthday and we walked there from the strip (not recommended - unless you are from the hood, not even the cabs will go into the neighborhoods we walked through.).

Anyway, it was really "Real"> The cast never break character. The transporter experience was pretty rad and the stage was sweet. I pressed on some control panels to goof around. On the way to the bridge, I peeked down some hallways and tested some doors. Everyone was true to the show and their character, pretending to work some wall panel or something. I saw a few exposed hinges, but other than that - almost felt real.

It was really cool and every fan should have really made the effort to go.

As for the afterparty in Quark's Lounge (or whatever it was called). Some Ferengi came up and intentionally bumped me.

I am 6'2" and 250 lbs of twisted steel and sex appeal. I was with two other guys on a birthday trip. We were all bouncers at a pretty tough bar in California. Basically, none of us like to be bumped - especially on purpose. That irritated me quite a bit. I don't know if it was a character point or just the guy being a jerk. But that was almost 10 years ago.

But, for the record, I could mess up a little Ferengi and not even feel bad about it. I would have felt bad if it were like an Andorian or something. But the little guy got to keep his knee caps with a warning whispered into his humongous ears about caution in taking his role too seriously.

RIP ST:TE I was looking forward to taking my family to see you this year.

[CMJ]

Oh no, what a shame. That was such a cool experience. I've been to the Star Trek Experience once, and it was so fun. I remember being so surprised and thinking how clever it was that the sim rides "takes you back into the Hilton." I had a conversation with a Ferengi and a Klingon regarding the "cloying sweetness" of rootbeer. Also, that was a very nice Quark's cafe/restaurant there. Portions weren't too big and it's the only place I've ever been offered non-alcoholic versions of neat-o drinks. But I digress. About four years ago, we went there and I was excited to go to the new 3D Borg Experience. To my dismay, the entire Star Trek area was closed all weekend because of a VIP event. I was hoping to go back sometime, but alas, I guess that won't be happening. I now have no reason to go to the Hilton, what with it way in the back there, because the Star Trek part was the only reason to go unless you were at a convention there.

It's like how disappointed I was about the closing of the Back to teh Future Ride at Universal Studios. That, Star Tours and Star Trek the Experience are/were the only good sim rides I've been on. I tried a Race for Atalantis one at Caesar's Palace and it sucked by comparison. People said the BTTF ride was rundown, and had bad audio and broken effects, so people didn't go on it anymore. But obviously Universal deliberately let it get that way. I think some things are just timeless. BTTF isn't dated like the Waterworld stunt spectacular was, lol.

[SandieK]

NO!!!!!!!!!
Nonononononooooo
I never got to see it. That was my only reason to ever go to Vegas.
I started this comment about 10 minutes ago (I multitask), and the more I dwell on it, the sadder I get. We're about to loose so much.
Its just...wow. I cant put it into words, but theres plenty of others who'll post here who can. So...yeah. Ill miss it.

[Chuck]

I remember getting slightly blitzed at Quark's bar and commenting to one of the Klingon's how much I admired the Klingon Ale. He said "I prefer blood wine, myself...but I have to remember you HUMANS only have one liver to process the alcohol with." Good times.

[swordman69]

I can't believe they're going to shut this down BEFORE the new Star Trek movie comes out. It'll certainly generate interest.

[regexp]

My brother was married on the deck of the enterprise a couple of years ago. I found the "ride" interesting but the sets where showing their age then but I loved the fact that the crew didn't take things too seriously (favorite line: "phasers sent on fun" in a droll even voice)

Quarks bar suffered from bad food and overpriced specialty drinks but I will cherish the Borg Teddy Bear that I bought at the gift shop.

[steph]

Figures. I'll be in Vegas at the end of October and that was #2 on my list of things to do. :( Curses!

[David Goodwin]

Makes me very glad I made plans to go in August, but still kinda sad cuz I'll be getting married there and it won't be around for more than a couple months after. *snif*

Now that I think about it, lots of people get to go back to the place they were married. I guess I won't. But I'm still looking forward to seeing it.

[Rebel26]

You're leaving off the part where the Borg show up and and fan girls like me SCREAM bloody murder. OMG I thought I was going to have a heart attack. The whole time I was trying to tell myself "I know this isn't real" but I couldn't help it, I am genuinely terrified of the Borg.

It was awesome! I'm sad it's going away.

[John Shirley]

My wife and I married there -- well, at Quark's. Maybe we'll get the chance for one last road trip to see it one last time.

[Jedi Kevin]

I went once during their second year. There was a guy in full Klingon makeup walking around the museum. I gave him a "Qapla!" and he responded in kind. I always assumed he worked there, but now I'm not so sure. :)

It was a good show and I'm sad I won't have another chance to go back. It really did bring out the inner Wesley in me.

[Fricka]

I'll be in Vegas in August for a convention so I'll be working most of the time until around 7pm, which I think is when it closes. Maybe they'll keep it open longer for its last run? I'm crossing my fingers!

At least I've had drinks at Quarks. I guess they might remodel that bar too after the Experience is gone?

[Addy N.]

What a bummer! I've never been, but I am going to a conference in Vegas next spring. Too bad I'll miss it...

[Karen Anderson]

I've been there several times; it's the highlight of every Vegas trip, and we really enjoyed it (with the second experience added) at the 2007 Con. Very sad.

[crucislancer]

I was there not long after it first opened, with a couple of my band mates at the time, one of which was not a Star Trek fan, but we got him to go anyway. He had a good time, particularly afterwards in Quark's bar drinking some bizarre concoction called a Warp Breach. That drink makes people do silly things like walk all the way down to Dive Restaurant (anybody remember that place?) after imbibing one. Of course, we shouldn't mention that we went to the first run-though of the day, about 10am or so, so our warp cores breached by the time lunch rolled around. Ah, memories.

Sad that it's closing. Even more sad that Star Trek has faded enough from peoples minds to cause it's demise.