10 Things To Know About The High Roller

The High Roller, which opened on March 26, is an engineering marvel. At 550 feet, it’s the tallest observation wheel in the world – even taller than the London Eye and the Singapore Flyer. It’s already an indelible part of the Las Vegas skyline and well worth a visit. Here are 10 things to know before you go:

1. The 360-degree views of The Strip and the entire Las Vegas valley are stunning, whether you ride during the day or at night. Helpful videos played onboard point out your altitude, various landmarks, and when you’re about to reach the top of the wheel. The ride lasts about 30 minutes.

2. Each capsule (as they’re called) can hold up to 40 people, and has two seating areas for those unable or unwilling to stand during the ride. When crowds aren’t extensive, you may have as few as a dozen or so people in your capsule, which gives you plenty of room to roam around and take in the 360-degree view.

Here’s an example of the view during an evening ride. Note that the wheel moves quite slowly – about a foot per second – and very smoothly. This video was taken with a handheld iPhone.

3. The cost of a ride depends on when – and with how much flexibility – you want to ride. Current prices: $25 for daytime rides, $35 for nighttime, and $60 for an “express pass” to ride day or night and skip any lines. If you’re unsure exactly when you’ll be able to ride during your stay, you can buy a one-day flex pass that lets you ride once anytime on a given day for $45, or a three-day flex pass (ride one time during a 3-day window of your choosing) for $55. You can buy tickets online or on site; they’re the same price either way.

Pro tip for Nevadans: During the month of April, kids under 12 can ride free with an accompanying paying adult showing a valid Nevada ID.

4. Those with deep pockets (or who hit it big at the casino) can buy out a capsule starting at $1,600. (You still only get a single 30-minute ride, however.) Food and beverage catering is available for buy-outs at an additional cost. For private capsules or group rates, call 866-574-3851 or email Group Sales.

5. No outside food or drink is permitted on the High Roller, so finish up before you head over. You can buy drinks at a bar located inside the queue area, however, and take them on board with you.

6. As a new operation, they’re still working out some of the kinks. The first time we tried to go, we had pre-paid tickets for an 11:30pm ride. However, it was a slow night and they decided to shut down early despite having pre-sold tickets for later rides. We turned up to find the entrance locked. We tracked down a manager via the gift shop, who gave us passes to return another day. So my advice for now would be to avoid pre-paying for ride times that fall within an hour of closing time.

7. Getting there:

• By Foot. The High Roller is located at the end of The LINQ, a lively new restaurant, club and retail thoroughfare off The Strip. It’s located directly across from Caesar’s between The Flamingo and The Quad (formerly the Imperial Palace).
• By Car. Plentiful free parking is available in back of the High Roller, off Koval Road. However, during special events (like the ACM’s “Party For A Cause” April 4-5), the parking lot might be unavailable. In that case, your best bet is to park at a nearby hotel and walk on over.
• By Taxi. There’s a dropoff right at the High Roller entrance. However, during busy times (like the ACM event mentioned above), the taxi queues will likewise be daunting. Have the driver drop you at Caesar’s or Bally’s or the Venetian instead, and walk over.
• By Monorail: The Las Vegas Monorail passes right under the wheel. Exit at the Harrah’s/The QUAD station.

8. The wheel generally stays in continuous motion. As it passes through the loading area at the bottom of the wheel, doors on both sides of the capsule open. Those boarding enter from one side, and those leaving disembark from the other. 

9. The wheel does occasionally stop, without notice, to allow wheelchair access or to give a large party time to board. That might be disconcerting to those already mid-ride, so I hope they’ll be adding an announcement when such delays happen to let people know that they’re intentional, brief, and no cause for alarm.

10. You might be so entranced by the view that you don’t notice the music played during your ride, but it’s a clever, thoughtful playlist. All the songs are themed to being aboard the wheel or to Las Vegas. You’ll hear snippets of Iggy Pop’s “The Passenger,” Dead Or Alive’s “You Spin Me Round,” Daft Punk’s “Get Lucky,” Elvis’ “A Little Less Conversation,” and so on. For good measure: The Jackson 5’s “I Want You Back” serenades you as the ride ends.

Disclosures: None. We paid for our tickets, and have no affiliation with The High Roller or The LINQ.