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Saturday, March 27th: On March 18th, the new Borg Invasion 4-D attraction opened in
Star Trek: The Experience at the Las Vegas Hilton. Needing more information on how to deal
with the Borg menace, USS Trinity River CO Robyn Winans and Communications Officer
Ed Dravecky spent the following weekend in Las Vegas and checked out the experience.
We won't spoil it for you but the basic story is this: You and your fellow participants
are on Copernicus Station, on the edge of the Delta Quadrant, for medical experiments
under the care of The Doctor. As he's explaining the tests, the Borg attack. You're
evacuated to a waiting shuttle but still captured by the Borg Queen. Okay, yes, you get
rescued but the how and the who are a secret.
The 3-D effects are stunning and the live actors make the experience memorable but the
4-D stuff that uses your sense of touch is what sets this ride apart. Borg Invasion
4-D is not as "thrilling" as the original Klingon Encounter (which is still up and
running) and we're glad we took a tip from Wayne, the guy who sold us our tickets, and
did the Borg attraction first.
The Museum of the Future, in the waiting area for both attractions, is an incredible
collection of uniforms, gadgets, and displays from all five series and all ten movies.
Enormous starship models hang from the ceiling against a starry background, each to scale.
The timeline is impressive and informative and occasionally amusing as they work Star Trek
events into our real world chronology.
Fans of Enterprise should pay special attention to the current date on the show (2154)
and the timeline's stated date for the start of the war with the Romulan Star Empire (2156)
and the founding of the Federation (2161). Oh, and somebody needs to tell the Museum that
the USS Voyager is no longer "presumed lost" and they should update that display. Still,
this collection alone is almost worth the price of admission. Enjoy the photos.
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Robyn and Ed arrive at the Las Vegas Hilton by taxicab since the futuristic
monorail system won't be ready for another few weeks. (53kb) |
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As with any event, it takes a ticket to gain admission. These new tickets
now include both attractions for one price. (39kb) |
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They're models but the Enterprise-D sure does look majestic following the original
series Enterprise out of spacedock (and into the SpaceQuest casino). (45kb) |
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Haven't been to Star Trek: The Experience in a while? They've added a lot
of new stuff to the Museum of the Future. (60kb) |
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Yes, the movie uniforms still look cool and, yes, the civilian fashions of the
23rd century still look goofy. (56kb) |
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When you are allergic to Retinax, your doctor will buy you glasses (and these will
come in handy two movies later). (40kb) |
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Since Odo just shape-shifted to look like he was wearing a uniform, doesn't
that mean he was running around in the buff? Maybe not. (66kb) |
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Two of Captain Sisko's prize posessions: his baseball and a genuine
Buck Bokai trading card. (66kb) |
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NOMAD seeks perfection. Robyn seeks entertainment. For Star Trek fans,
this is perfect entertainment. Problem solved. (53kb) |
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Borg Invasion 4-D begins in 2-D as you monitor the attack on an impressive
display screen. (33kb) |
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Computer graphics replace the static displays of the original attraction for
added realism and a bigger wow factor. (50kb) |
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Borg Invasion 4-D in 3-D, sort of. (The 4th 'D' is a surprise.) Be sure to
wear that protective visor on your way on to the shuttle. (42kb) |
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Robyn relaxes in a regeneration chamber after successfully fighting off the
Borg nanoprobes. Hey, wait a second... (62kb) |
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Riker briefs you during the Klingon Encounter after you've been pulled into the
24th century so that Captain Picard will...hey, what's that sign in the upper-right
corner? I don't remember that from the series. (32kb) |
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Ed discovers that the better tables at some Las Vegas restaurants are worth
fighting for. Oh, if only he could remember how to make gunpowder. (49kb) |
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Robyn follows the modified Ferengi rules of acquisition. (Rule #173: Never buy
more than you can fit in your carry-on luggage.) (60kb) |
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Robyn poses with the cutest and softest members of the Borg Collective. Be careful,
they'll assimilate all your other bears when you take them home. (66kb) |
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Here's how Ed and Robyn won the trip to Las Vegas: Ed won the
Dallas ESPN Radio 103.3
"King of the Wing" hot wing eating contest and thus a trip for two to the
national Wing Mania event at the ESPNZone in Las Vegas. Ed came in a
close second in the national finals. Those wings were hot (and messy). (66kb) |
Click on a photo to see a much larger version.
Last updated 30 May 2005
Text and images Copyright 2003-2005 by USS Trinity River, Dallas, Texas.
"Star Trek" Trademark by Paramount Pictures. All rights reserved.
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