Star Trek the Experience: The Klingon Encounter (1998)

Directors:

Mario Kamberg
David de Vos

Writers:

Gene Roddenberry (creator: "Star Trek")
Kenneth Biller (written by) ...

Release Date:

4 January 1998 (USA)

Genre:

Action | Short | Adventure | Sci-Fi

Plot:

An attempt by some evil Klingons to kidnap visitors at The Las Vegas Hilton is foiled when the 24th century starship U.S.S...

Plot Keywords:

Star Trek | Part Computer Animation | Star Trek Spinoff | Spacecraft | Space Travel

Awards:

1 nomination

Cast

Vaughn Armstrong	...	Korath
C. Clayton Blackwell	...	Security Officer
LeVar Burton	...	Lt. Commander La Forge
Edward Dentzel	...	Security Officer
David de Vos	...	News Reporter
Jonathan Frakes	...	Commander William T. Riker
A.J. Gardner	...	Lt. Cmdr. T'Khyla
John C. McDonnell	...	Various (voice)
Charles O'Neill	...	Starfleet
Patrick Stewart	...	Captain Jean-Luc Picard (voice)
Debra Wilson	...	Security Officer

Runtime:

4 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Company:

Landmark Entertainment Group

Trivia:

Running almost constantly since its opening in 1998, it is the longest running show in the Star Trek franchise.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in "Robot Chicken: Boo Cocky (#3.16)" (2008)

Star Trek sci-fi meets Disney quality

This was everything I dreamed of and more. Having just visited Disneyland the weekend before going to Las Vegas, I was primed by the quality that Disney puts into all of its attractions, and I was not disappointed.

The first part of the experience is a long pathway you follow. On your left is the Star Trek universe timeline, from around the beginning of spaceflight through to the events of "Insurrection," giving important dates involving characters, episodes, etc. On your right is a display of series and movie replicas, from the original uniforms, to Khan's necklace, to the Voyager comm badges. Following this are displays on several different races, including Klingon, Bajoran and Borg. All along you are treated to video clips and montages from all incarnations of the ST universe.

Finally, you board the ride. When we first entered, the impression is that it will be a "Back to the Future" or "Star Tours"-type ride (as in you "ride" in a room full of seats with a movie screen projecting the action in front of you).

Then it all changed...

I won't tell you how they do it (as I couldn't figure it out anyway), but you get transported aboard the Enterprise-D, go to the bridge, take a turbolift ride, and end up riding a shuttlecraft (which actually is the ride part of the experience), all the while being guided by Starfleet personnel and some of the bridge crew. (See the IMDB summary for the plot of why, exactly, you're there.)

I was most taken with the detail - the transporter effect, the control panels, and especially the staff. I could believe they were actually serving on a ship, right down to seeing a few loading and unloading cargo in the shuttlebay as we stepped onboard - we went by them so fast, they could easily have done without them, but the point is, they didn't, and it added a sense of realism for me.

Finally, once you leave the shuttlecraft, you're let out onto a replica of the Promenade from DS9, including gift shops and Quark's Bar and restaurant.

All in all, I spent about 4 hours there, including eating lunch, and the $15 was *well* worth it - I know I'll go back again and again any time I'm in Las Vegas.