It’s Star Trek like you’ve never experienced it before… unless you were lucky enough to visit the Las Vegas Hilton in the late ’90s and early 2000s! This week, AJ, Mike, and Chris beam aboard Star Trek: The Experience, a one-of-a-kind immersive attraction that brought fans into the final frontier in the most Vegas way possible. From Klingon kidnappings to Quark’s Bar and even weddings on the bridge of the Enterprise, this was no ordinary theme park experience.
We dive into how Las Vegas rebranded itself as a family destination in the ’90s, the abandoned dream of a full-size Enterprise downtown, and the Hilton’s transformation into a Trekker’s paradise. Relive iconic moments from Klingon Encounter, brave the Borg Invasion 4D, and explore everything from the gift shops and museum to the walkaround characters and their surprisingly deep lore.
Plus, what killed this incredible attraction just before Trek’s 2009 comeback? And how did it influence the next generation of theme park storytelling?
Things We Talked About
- The failed $150 million Enterprise replica project for downtown Vegas
- The rise of family-focused attractions on the Strip, including MGM Grand Adventures and Luxor’s Sega arcade
- The Las Vegas Hilton’s surprising Star Trek connection
- Klingon Encounter and its groundbreaking transporter illusion
- Borg Invasion 4D and how Voyager influenced its creation
- Deep dive into the museum, Quark’s Bar (Warp Core Breach, anyone?), and character interactions
- The closure of the Experience and its legacy in themed entertainment
Watch and Read More
- Hollywood Reporter: The Star Trek Saga
- Musings of a Middle-Aged Geek
- Memory Alpha: Star Trek: The Experience
- StarTrek.com: Remembering Star Trek: The Experience
- YouTube: Walkthrough Video 1
- YouTube: Walkthrough Video 2
Follow Us
Email us your memories or questions: 90sDisneyPodcast@gmail.com
