VIDEO: Nolan Dalla Rides the VooDoo Zip Line in Las Vegas
The World Series of Poker is committed to bringing the fun back to poker this year, and PokerNews is here to help. The Muck will be bringing you all the happenings on and off the felt from inside the Rio, as well as the latest from Sin City.
Late last month we visited the VooDoo Zip Line, a zip line ride strung between the Rio’s two towers. The ride has been two years in the making and just opened at the end of May.
The VooDoo Zip Line is more like a zip ride versus a zip line. With a 360-degree view of the Strip, the 70-second ride differs from a traditional zip line in that two people are sitting in a specially-designed seat and you zip forward … and backward.
We twisted the arms of PokerNews Social Media Manager Pamela Maldonado and WSOP Media Director Nolan Dalla to test out the ride and give us their impressions. Both were willing and brave participants, and after signing the waivers we headed up 50 floors to the VooDoo Lounge which is the starting and ending point of the attraction.
When asked if he was nervous, Dalla replied, “I think I should be but I’m not. It’s probably because I’m too stupid to be nervous. If I’m going to go - this is the way to do it.”
Maldonado was a little more direct in her response: “Yes. My heart is beating so hard.”
Brian Altmann, the attraction’s manager, assured Dalla and Maldonado of the ride's safety. In fact, Altmann has opened zip lines across the U.S. including the two on Fremont Street. Altmann went on to explain that Clark County has some of the strictest permitting laws in the country but all of that safety information didn’t seem to help calm their nerves.
Just before traveling at 33 mph between the towers, the seat moves into position and dangles for a few seconds 112 feet above the ground. Dalla was quick to say, “Is it too late to change my mind?” Right on cue, the ride zipped off and all you could hear was Maldonado screaming, “Oh my god, oh my god, oh my god …”
Upon returning to safety, Maldonado was glad it was over but equally glad that she did it. You could see a little shake in her hands and admittedly her heart was still pounding. Dalla readily admitted to it being “scarier than he would have ever thought.”
Need some liquid encouragement? The VooDoo Zip Line begins and ends in the popular VooDoo Rooftop Night Club, boasting one of the best views of the Las Vegas Strip anywhere in the city.
We were at the ride in the evening and we can attest to the view being one of kind. There are plenty of picture-worthy backdrops atop The Rio’s Masquerade Tower and the attraction is there to help you capture every moment of the ride, scared faces and all.
Here's the full video of the ride, courtesy of VooDoo Zip Line:
The ride is open from noon to midnight daily except for Friday and Saturday, when it opens at 10 a.m. Daytime rides cost $27.49 and evening rides are $42.49. Because you’re entering a night club, you must be 21 to ride the zip line after 8:30 p.m. and all riders must be at least 48” tall.
Our thanks to Nolan Dalla and Pamela Maldonado for "putting their life at risk" for the story, and to the VooDoo Zip Line for their hospitality. Seeking some thrills this summer? The VooDoo Zip Line might be just the ticket!
