Show tickets

I%26#39;m taking my 3rd trip tp Vegas and I%26#39;ve still not seen the show ';O';. I went to their site the day they went on sale for the day I needed, and not to my surpise the were all sold out!!! Is there any other way to go about getting tickets to the ';O';. Right I guess I will have to wait for people to cancel for me to get in. I will be there from March 8th thru the 13th. I was trying to get them on the 12th which is my bday :)

Show tickets

Um, I believe that march 12 is a Monday and ';O'; is dark(not showing) on Mondays and tuesdays.Not sold out, just not playing on the day you want to see it.Sorry.

Show tickets

There are tickets available for all of your other dates though.8th-11th.

Thanks

Section 103 is open but they are wet seats. Just how wet are the wet seats? LOL :)

I wouldn%26#39;t recommend sitting that close up for O. It%26#39;s a show better seen from further back (like upper orchestra). I%26#39;d suggest calling the Bellagio box office, You can choose the exact seast you want instead of relying on the computer to choose the ';best available'; which just means the closest.

Best route for drive from Dallas to Las Vegas?

Hello Tripadvisers,

My daughter is getting married in Las Vegas and I need to get my family of seven (four adults and 3 kids) to Las Vegas for New Year%26#39;s Eve. Plane fare is too much for this family right after Christmas, so we%26#39;ve decided to rent an SUV and make the drive. We are staying outside of the city, so lodging is not a problem.

Have any of you made this trip? What is the best route for us to take? How are road conditions at this time of the year? Several people have said that the road is winding and too time consuming to make, but I think we can do it!

All suggestions or comments are welcomed.

Thanks, GalvestonGal

Best route for drive from Dallas to Las Vegas?

Do you belong to AAA? Get a triptik or have someone you know that belongs get one. Good luck.

Best route for drive from Dallas to Las Vegas?

I35 %26gt; I40 %26gt; US93 is the fastest and most dierect.

Golf at Bali Hai

We prefer to not rent a car or spend a lot of time driving for golf. We are in vegas to party and gamble but thought we might try to get a round in too. With that in mind, we are considering the twilight rate of $150.00 to golf in December at Bali Hai. We are staying at Mandalay Bay and it looks as though it%26#39;s a few blocks away. I have read about the other deals off strip but would like to know if Bali Hai is a nice course and provides a worth while vacation golf experience.

Thanks.

Golf at Bali Hai

I did play there once, probably 3 years ago or more -- the course was practically brand new. We had a very nice round in spite of the fact that we played in the (early moring) heat of August.

I%26#39;m not sure what you mean by a ';worthwhile vacation golf experience';, but, if your looking for a beautiful course, well-maintained, and not too difficult, then I think you may have found it. Our group included a few high handicappers so we appreciated the openess of the course. The fairways are pretty forgiving with some of them actually having a gentle slope towards the middle. We also took a forecaddy who helped by advising us where to place our shots and to read the greens. I can%26#39;t judge the ';value'; because it was a business affair so none of us had to hand over our own $.

The only negative that I could find was that it is so close to the airport that the planes can sometimes be a distraction.

Have a good trip!

Golf at Bali Hai

V4Fun, you will still need to cab from MB to BH. Course is well conditioned and upscale but overpriced. It has adjoining fairways, some water, nice greens and lots of planes landing and taking off low overhead. I wouldn%26#39;t pay 150 for a full round.

At $150 Bali Hai may be worth it for the convenience. It was closer to $300 when I played it and it was nowhere near being worth the money.

The courses I like all involve at least some travel -- TPC Canyons, Paiute, Wolf Creek to name a few -- so you have to decide what is more important to you: better golf or less travel time.

I%26#39;d be more worried about playing twilight in December. Might get a little nippy out there. Guess it depends on when twilight starts for them.

Also, are you taking your clubs? Lot of trouble for just one round. If not, it is probably $70 to rent them.

I love to golf in Vegas, but my attitude is you have to be in or out. And being in means at least a couple of rounds and a rental car to make geting to the right courses easy.

My husband played golf at Bali Hai. It cost him $250.00 with his own clubs and loved it. Said it was one of the nicest courses he played. This was about 2 years ago.

Played it a few times for free, but wouldn%26#39;t pay to play there as there are much better courses for less money. The mosquito’s are terrible there and will not leave you alone. The worst mosquito is the 747. As a general rule the further you get away from the strip, the better the course for less expense. If it were me I would rent a car for a day and play elsewhere, you may never get another chance. Try Mesquite Wolf Creek or Reflection Bay, well worth the time.

Thanks for the great feedback. We don%26#39;t mind lugging the clubs around as we are used to it. The course sounds like it might be worth playing a round at the twilight rate. We are from Seattle so cold should be an issue. The planes might be something to consider. Thank again.

V4fun, I am a local golfer and something no one has mentioned yet, sunset is 4:26 to 4:35 in Las Vegas. If you are not chasing the ball down #1 by 12:00, you will need a flashlight the last few holes to finnish. Bali Hai gets a lot of play, and once you catch up to the crowd it plays slow.

My advice is if you want to play a full 18, either pay up at Bali Hai to get started by 10:00, or rent a car and play elsewhere during the normal daylight hours.

Good Luck, hit-m-long-n-straight.

best sports book in the casinos

My buddies and I are going to Vegas in December and need to know which casino has the best sports book to watch/bet games. Any help would be appreciated. We are all in our thirties and have been in Vegas numerous times.

best sports book in the casinos

on your previous trips did you find any sportsbooks you liked?

you might try

Hilton - large, easy to access

HRH - small, great charis, hard to get a seat if not ';reserved'; for you, great vibe

venetian, small, compact, not much traffic

caesars - large so you can see the screens even without a seat

most sporstbooks fill up VERY early on game day. many have a lot of ';reserved'; seats - i enjoy this perk more than a free room if we have a large group-can be hard to get seating for 10 or more otherwise

best sports book in the casinos

Go early, as in about 2 hours early and cross fingers you can find a seat.

Bellagio has a great sports book, I also like the one at the Mirage.

Thanks for the advice guys I really appreciate it. I didn%26#39;t know the sports books filled up that fast....but being Vegas it only makes sense.

And don%26#39;t forget games start in the morning, so you need to get there by dawn. Just kidding, but don%26#39;t forget about the time change if it is a 1:00 start EST!

I don%26#39;t know too much about any sports to bet on them, but my ex did and he only went to Caesars

Bellagio, but you have to get there early. We were there last weekend and got there by 8:15am and were lucky to get seats. They have free drink service which is unusual for a sports book. Some guys that live in Vegas said the Hilton is not as crowded and also has free drink service.

What does free drink service mean exactly? I%26#39;m going with 15 guys for my bachelor party during the NFL playoffs in January. What would be a good place to go to place small wagers and drink for cheap? Also, how and when do you go about reserving a few seats for the games?

Thanks so much!

Bellagio is the best. None of that drink coupon B.S., free drinks if you are playing, comfortable seats, gotta get there early though.

My preferance is Mirage or Mandalay Bay. Las Vegas Hilton is pretty good too.

revlon makeup

Which Helicopter tour for the Grand Canyon from Las Vegas?

I will be staying at the Venetian for two days only, so I would like a short helicopter trip of the Grand Canyon. Which tour is recommended (not too expensive)? I would like transfers from Las Vegas to be included.

Which Helicopter tour for the Grand Canyon from Las Vegas?

I%26#39;ve been on Sundance. You get a limo ride as well.

Others to consider is Maverick, Papillon.

Ask the hotel concierge. There is one company that is a third the cheaper than the above. My Paris concierge told me about the company and said they were ok. I did not risk it.

handling exceptions

carrying $ in the US

Hi guys

THanks for all the useful info so far on this forum. Just to check - if we%26#39;re coming from Singapore and don%26#39;t want to carry so much cash, what is the best (and cheapest) option? Traveller%26#39;s cheques, credit cards or ATMs? Which banks are more accessible and are they hard to locate in LV or other cities such as LA and SF?

carrying $ in the US

I would go with travelers checks %26amp; credit card. You can charge almost anything you eat/drink, but if you want cash to gamble with, travelers checks are probably cheaper than the fees charged for ATM%26#39;s and credit card cash advances. You can cash them at the casinos I think.Plus some ATM%26#39;s and credit card companies have a limit how much cash per day you can withdraw, usually around $300.

carrying $ in the US

so u can cash travelers checks at the cashier at the casino? does this go for all casinos?

Yes, traveler%26#39;s checks will work anywhere.

But you pay for them. But you knew that.

Not really a bad way to go.

Not perfect, but there ya go.

Yeah, I think they are worth it.

ATM%26#39;s are a bigger ripoff than traveler%26#39;s checks.

Besides, if you lose your card or if it doesn%26#39;t work (or if it gets lost or stolen) , you%26#39;re screwed.

So. What.

Here.

Buy a couple of thousand dollars in T-Checks.

Use them as backups, in case you need them.

Better safe than sorry.

Yes, traveler%26#39;s checks will work anywhere.

But you pay for them. But you knew that.

Not really a bad way to go.

Not perfect, but there ya go.

Yeah, I think they are worth it.

ATM%26#39;s are a bigger ripoff than traveler%26#39;s checks.

Besides, if you lose your card or if it doesn%26#39;t work (or if it gets lost or stolen) , you%26#39;re screwed.

So. What.

Here.

Buy a couple of thousand dollars in T-Checks.

Use them as backups, in case you need them.

Better safe than sorry.

so, how much does a traveler%26#39;s check cost? So much per hundred or what?

You can sometimes get TC for free from your bank or AAA.

They are the best way to bring lots of money to Vegas without worry. They are accepted everywhere. You should use your credit cards for restaurant and show expenses. There are no banks on the strip and ATM machines can be expensive if you use them often.

Last time I checked it was 3%.

So 2 large ($2,000) would cost you $60 US.

5 large would be $150 US. etc.

I don%26#39;t like spending it either, but if I was coming from half the world away, it%26#39;s worth it.

Unca Mike, I only paid 1% through my credit union for traveler%26#39;s cheques...don%26#39;t know if that is the normal cost at all banks or just because it was a credit union. I am able to withdraw $500 every 24 hours through my CU and never paid over $4.00 at the ATM (once at Caesars %26amp; once at TI). My CU does not charge me for using the ATM. We always do a combination of cash, TC %26amp; plastic.

LVescape et al.

If you can get ';free'; or ';cheap'; (1%) traveler%26#39;s checks more power to you.

I was just suggesting that it%26#39;s better to have them than not.

It%26#39;s the equivalent of cheap insurance, in case something goes wrong.

And when you get ';home'; you can easily cash them in, anyway.

I dunno count. Credit cards charge you 3% plus an APR of about 22% if you don%26#39;t pay them back within about 3 weeks.

ATM%26#39;s are even worse.

Cash advance machines at the casinos might as well wear a mask and point a gun at your head.

The other option (if you have good credit) is to take out a ';line of credit'; at the casino you are going to.

Hi count123 -

If you are going to carry traveller%26#39;s checks, American Express are the most widely accepted. It is often difficult to find places that accept Thos Cook or others in America.

The charge for TC varies from bank to bank - at many they are free if you meet certain minimum balance requirements. Also, as mentioned, the AAA may have a good rate - try the Singapore Auto club, if there is one. Additionally, if you carry a Gold or Platinum American Express card you%26#39;ll probably get a good rate directly from the Amex office, I can%26#39;t remember what rate - but they might be free.

As you can tell from the various posts, the rate for withdrawing funds through an ATM varies from bank to bank. Also the daily limit from one%26#39;s account varies from bank to bank. Additionally, the charge for using an ATM not directly affilliated with your bank varies from bank to bank. Independent ATMs - those freestanding ATMs not affilliated with an actual bank usually have higher user fees and lower limits per transaction.

So - visit your bank and get a 4 digit PIN if you don%26#39;t already have one - although, on my various visits to Singapore I%26#39;ve never seen an ATM that requires anything but a 4 digit one, but you never know --

Generally ATMs in America allow you to access more than one account - decide whether you want to be able to use your savings account as well as your current or checking one. Also - request that your daily limit be increased if need be - and double check what the charges will be to use a machine in America. Then - use credit cards whenever possible - a keep the ATM card as a back-up.

Enjoy your trip - Las Vegas is great fun, even if you don%26#39;t gamble - Cirque du Soleil is a great show -- and try to visit Hoover Dam - the tour is amazing --

Best/Worst Restaurants in Las Vegas on Restaurant.com?

Besides Commander%26#39;s Palace, what other restaurants on Restaurant.com, anywhere in the Vegas valley, do you think are worthy of a visit (or avoiding)?

Best/Worst Restaurants in Las Vegas on Restaurant.com?

We enjoyed Kahunaville and Ben %26amp; Jerry%26#39;s. Would probably skip Giorgio Caffe on the next visit. Have eaten at Ricardos before and liked it. Next time we may try Bonito Michocan. Have a certificate from last trip for Merchant%26#39;s Harbor that we%26#39;ll use on next trip.

Best/Worst Restaurants in Las Vegas on Restaurant.com?

Rosemary%26#39;s was very good. Kahunaville (TI) was pretty good. I also really enjoyed Jillians (downtown).

I agree... Bonito Michocan was excellent..good guacamole..

Merchant%26#39;s Harbour was ok for a quick breakfast as we were staying at Aladdin

Kahunaville was also good.

Next trip I plan on b eing a little more adventurous and trying more places off strip..There are some really good restaurants off strip that I keep hearing good reviews about.

We loved Kahunaville at TI . Little buddah at the Palms was nice, great environment though very over priced for what you get in my opinion. Lastly, stay away from oyster bay seafood, I got food poisioning here and was extreamly sick!!! Not worth a discounted coupon. Good luck!!

You should avoid all of them that have coupons on the strip because they have smoking sections. More coupons for me!

commandres palace

Other than the view the Voodoo cafe at the Rio sucked - bad tables/service/food...

Hugo%26#39;s is a must for me nowadays, as is Top of World

Mix was ok but you%26#39;re paying for the name and for the bucks its not that good

Commanders Palace was excellent but think you really need to check out the menu before going - not to everyones taste - despite being very good

Agree with teacher sue ,most of the restaurants allow smoking within 100 yds of their front door so the smoke will waft into the restaurant and kill you.

Just got back and used several coupons: Commanders Palace - very good, Jillians - Good - Kahunaville - food-pretty good and expensive but their ';Big'; Margarita is very good but is not included in coupon, Blondies - very BAD!

A good highly over looked restaurant is the House of Lords at the Sahara. Worth a try if you like the classic Vegas feel!!

What's the Best Site to book tickets in advance?

Can anyone help me?

What's the Best Site to book tickets in advance?

If you%26#39;re talking about show tickets, I%26#39;d book directly with the venue.

What's the Best Site to book tickets in advance?

Thanks. We want to see Prince at the Rio. Does that mean to call the Rio directly then?

try RIO website or try www.lasvegas.com or www.vegas.com These sites should be able to help you

If Prince is performing at Rio . . . yep, visit the website for Rio . . . or call. Personally, I call for show tickets. The box office staff can give good advise on the quality of seats. ';Best seats'; on a Web site can be objective.

I have a bunch of dumb taxi questions....

I heard the taxi line at the airport tends to be extremely long....I will arrive around 10pm and would plan on hitting the stand around 10:45ish (hopefully) are the lines still generally long then? I already read to tell the taxi driver not to take the tunnel..right?

Tipping: I heard $1/bag is reasonable, do I tip the taxi driver that as well as a bellman - (do they have those - do they take your bags right away and will hold them and bring them to your room once you check in (and I would defenatelly tip if they did that - no question) - I only ask this part because that is what they do in Mexico, and please dont pounce on me - I know Vegas isn%26#39;t Mexico, but they are both geared towards tourism....so....)

Do you tip the bell man for calling a cab for you?

Is it custom to tip a taxi driver for a ride from here to there when you don%26#39;t have luggage and how much?

Is the taxi rate by time or by distance? Where I live it is by person, a five minute taxi ride for four people is $20 - talk about unbelievable!

Do the taxis there restricted by zones?

And lastly, I heard no ';flagging'; down taxis right?

Thanking you in advance for the responses to my dumb taxi questions!

I have a bunch of dumb taxi questions....

Here are the ones I can answer:

-Don%26#39;t take the tunnel for most strip locations. Downtown is a different story.

-The bellmen at the major hotels take your bags and name when you arrive. After you check-in, you call the bellman from your room and they%26#39;ll bring the bags up. Tip $1-2 per bag.

-Most (all?) of the hotels have taxi lines you wait in. Not sure that a tip is required for a bellman here as the taxis generally just come (you don%26#39;t have them call).

-Yes, tip without luggage. There was a thread recently about tipping, I think recommended was 10-20%

-Taxis are prohibited by law to pick up passengers hailing them on the strip. To catch a taxi, go to a hotel taxi stand.

Here is more info from the NV Taxicab authority on pricing info:

http://www.taxi.state.nv.us/FaresFees.htm

I have a bunch of dumb taxi questions....

No question is dumb, but I%26#39;ll require a tip for answering.

I usually arrive about that tim on a Sun. or weekday and have never waited longer than 10 mins.

I give the cabbie 20% (as long as he/she doesn%26#39;t try to long haul me) all of the time, bags or no.

The Bellmen do hold your bg until you check in and the normal tip is a buck or 2 each bag.

I always give the valet a buck for getting my cab and opening the door etc.

Taxi rate is by time and distance. Here is the link for you. http://taxi.state.nv.us/FaresFees.htm

No zones like DC.

The easiest place to get a cab it at the entrance to any hotel. No you cannot flag a cab.

The fare is determined by both time and distance. This can make a relatively short trip mileage-wise cost a lot if your cab is stuck in Vegas traffic. Most cabbies want to get you from point A to point B as quickly as possible, so they know all the alternate routes to the Strip like Koval, Frank Sinatra Drive, etc.

I tip the hotel bellman if he takes my bag, loads it in the cab and opens the cab door for me. $1 per bag is fine. It depends on the quality of the hotel whether they perform that service or not. If they just wave a cab up to the stand, then no tip. Oh, and you can only have 5 people max in a cab, even in the ones that are mini-vans.

P.S.-those are not dumb questions, at least I don%26#39;t think! There are no doubt a few people lurking who might say otherwise.

Your questions are not dumb, you%26#39;re just looking for some info. The name ';Honey Butt'; on the other hand.....lol

Okay, I%26#39;ll answer what I can from my experiences.

Taxi lines can be long, but generally move fast. 10:45 should be no problem unless there%26#39;s a huge convention in town the next day. I%26#39;ve never taken the tunnel, which goes south, so I Can%26#39;t help there.

I usally have 4 bags and tip $5. Tipping the bellman will help get your bags to the room. =) Not tipping isn%26#39;t a good idea! They take them to the baggae claim area, and sometimes follow you up, or bring them when you arrive to your room and call down.

Yes tip the man getting you a cab.

Yes Taxi drivers want that tip. Even when it%26#39;s just people!

Actually don%26#39;t know if it%26#39;s time or distance with Taxi fares.

From what I%26#39;ve seen, Taxis head for hotels and wait in line. I%26#39;ve never seen one stop on the street, but I could be wrong. A lot of walkways prevent us humans from coming close to the strip, so that helps with traffic.

Hope this helps you some. =)

THANKS everyone for all the fast responses, you guys are awesome!

Strip Cruiser - Thanks on the people limit, I totally forgot about that one!

Lowrance - That name is from my hubby it%26#39;s because (so he says) I have a ';sweet @$$';.....and I%26#39;m not original enough to come up with something else.

Thanks again everyone!

Lowrance,

Four bags? What are you bringing? How many are in your party? When I drive I bring half the house but flying I bring as little as possible.

Lowrance brings 1 bag with clothes,1 bag with $1and$5 bills for tipping,and 2 bags full of $100 for gambling.

Just a guess, am I close, or way off lowrance?????????????

Lmao. nosey people.

2 suitcases, 2 garment (sp?)bags

If you must know, the wife packs half the house. Hairdryers, bondo, etc. She loves her extra shoes and multiple outfits. Two suitcases full. I have to sit on one to close it. I pack about one and a half. I leave half of mine empty in case we buy something ( Note I say we, but ';she'; buys stuff and uses my suitcase. Casual clothes as well as something nice to wear are packed. Some end up in my suitcase, too.

I tried to point out that when we traveled to Hawaii she basically wore one friggin outfit most of the week. But that doesn%26#39;t stop her from emptying our closet. Gotta love her. (She knows where I sleep)

A couple of comments:

We travel light-- just a carry-on sized suitcase each and one other smallish bag which counts as our personal item. That adds up to 4 bags to go into the trunk, between the two of us.

As for the taxi line- we took a taxi for our last trip and arrived in town around midnight on Friday 11/3. The line was like something at Disneyland! It must have taken us at least 30 minutes from when we got in line to when we got into a cab!

And you%26#39;re completely right about asking not to take the tunnel. I didn%26#39;t specifically ask, but opted to mention immediately that we usually rent a car so the taxi queue was a new experience for me in an attempt to make it clear we knew our way around town. And what do you know, the wench actually tried to longhaul us!! I always like a new experience when I visit Vegas, but this was one I wasn%26#39;t banking on and didn%26#39;t really appreciate. We, of course, called her on it and she ended up calling her dispatcher to get an alternate rate to charge us ($12.65 to Ballys) which we thought was reasonable.

Part two - I still made a complaint to the Nevada Taxicab Authority because I don%26#39;t want Lucky Cab company or this driver to continue to try to take advantage of people and I wanted them to have a record. The stunning news is that they are actively following up on the complaint and the drive may very well be fined for having broken multiple laws-- not taking the most direct route and not charging the amount shown on the meter, to start with.

I%26#39;d recommend anyone who experiences this to take action too. You can submit complaint details online and you don%26#39;t have to be present in the courtroom for the trial to take place. you just need to do a photo lineup and provide a notarized statement.

http://taxi.state.nv.us/

The taxi line at McCarran moves incredibly fast . . . you won%26#39;t believe it! FWIW, I%26#39;ve never mentioned the word tunnel and have never been taken through it.

If you use a bellman, yes, tip him. $1/bag is reasonable unless the bag/s are very heavy . . . then I%26#39;d tip more. We tend to travel with two bags and two carryons (that strap right on to our bags). I don%26#39;t use the service of a bellman unless I have to have the hotel hold my bags until checkin. This will NOT be the case at that time of night.

Yes, we normally tip for the calling of a cab . . . even though we don%26#39;t like it (there%26#39;s always a line up waiting!)

Absolutely tip your cabbie . . . even without luggage. We tip from 10% to 20% . . . depending upon how friendly the cabbie is . . . therefore how enjoyable the ride is. Some LV cab drivers are VERY entertaining :D

Rates are based on time and distance . . . no matter how many are in the cab. One note: there is an additional pick up charge at the airport.

No zones that I%26#39;m aware of.

Right . . . no ';flagging down'; cabs on the Strip. It is illiegal for them to stop. Find the nearest hotel pickup spot.

These are not dumb questions . . .

nov 25-dec 2 looking for fun

2 guys going to vegas week of nov 25 - dec 2 any one going on these dates maybe hook up for drinks staying at m.g.m.

nov 25-dec 2 looking for fun

Ill be at the Wynn 28th-30th if you fancy a drink guys

nov 25-dec 2 looking for fun

sounds good

sounds good

revlon makeup

cover up beauty marks

which is better, Tao or JET?

going to vegas for a weekend...which is better to head to on a saturday night with 5 girls? Tao or Jet? tell me the pros and cons for both...thanks

which is better, Tao or JET?

or could we do both?

Suite at TI

Thinking of booking a petite suite at TI. Are they worth the extra money.(about $300 more than a regular room for 5 nights) Are they nice or just ok? The pics on their web site look great but I know how that can be. Pics on the trip review section all seem to be of regular rooms or bigger suites than the petite. We are on a budget and places like Bellagio and Wynn are out! Stayed at Mirage last trip-rooms were ok but nothing great! Thanks

Suite at TI

The petite suites at TI are very nice, the 2 bathrooms are great or at least they were last time I saw one of them when friends were staying there.

Suite at TI

i just want to say that the reason I stayed at TI in July was because of the pic of the Petite Suite on their website. And guess what.... They are exactly as is. What a great suite. I am very, very fussy about the room I stay in and I loved it. You will too. Very classy.

7777

Depending on your budget, and what you need/desire from a room, the $300 extra is worth it. I usually look for cheap rooms etc., but took a special trip and paid the extra $$ for the suite at TI and was impressed. Well worth it if you you want a VERY nice room and feel like you are being ';pampered';.

Some friends stayed there last week and asked if any complimentary upgrades were available as it was their anniversary, and they were upgraded for free to a petite suite. I wouldn%26#39;t suggest doing that as the TI is becoming more popular and people are booking the suites at the posted rates so not many are available for upgrade without paying the extra charges. It worked out for my friends that were on a ';tight'; budget though.

Ugrade away and ENJOY your trip to Las Vegas

Trip Report incl. wedding, Barbary Coast, eating out, etc.

Hi everyone, just back from our first trip to Vegas. What can I say but it was fantastic! We arrived around midnight on Wed 8th Nov. Got ripped off by taxi driver from airport to Barbary Coast. Cost us around $22 - forgot to tell him not to take the tunnel. BC was everything we expected and more. The rooms are quite big and the plasma tv is great.

On Thursday we went to Bally%26#39;s Sidewalk Cafe for breakfast which was very good. Then we jumped on the deuce to go to courthouse to get our wedding license. I think we waited around 10 minutes (around 11am). Then we had a walk back up the strip stopping in by every hotel along the way. Gave up walking when we got to the Frontier and caught deuce back to hotel. At night we went downtown. Fremont experience was great. Went to Main St Station for buffet dinner. Excellent food and great value for money. Visited almost every casino downtown then made our way back.

Friday was our wedding day. Went to Paris Le Village for buffet breakfast. It was one of our favourite meals of our vacation. Huge selection and only $13.99 each including juice and coffee. Went back to hotel to start getting ready. We booked A Special Memory Chapel for 4pm. Limo picked us up at 3.30. Thought I was a celebrity (1st time in a limo). Our minister was called Jean Claude and service lasted around 10mins. Chapel was lovely. We booked a basic package then added on extras like DVD, photos and flowers (cost around $500 including tips). Glad we chose this one. Had a look at some others which looked a bit dingy from the outside. Limo took us back to hotel where we had a couple of drinks to celebrate. Forgot to mention, only the 2 of us went to Vegas. Our biggest disappointment of our vacation was our wedding meal. We booked Mon Ami Gabi for that night. Although we had a reservation, we still had to wait for our table (around half an hour). We both had French onion soup to start which was the best I have ever tasted. For our main course we both ordered steaks which we so flat. Was expecting a 2'; thick steak. Although it did taste nice there were more fries than anything else. We ordered a bottle of wine which cost around $40. They gave us a dessert to split as a congratuations which was a nice touch but I thought the place was overpriced and overrated. But maybe that%26#39;s just me.

On Sat, we went shopping. Went to fashion mall and Forum shops which were great. Was expecting shops that I couldnt afford to buy stuff in but I was pleasantly surprised. Bought a few xmas presents and had lunch in a deli in Forum shops (think it was called Main stage). Very good and not very expensive. At night just wandered in and out of some more hotels and played lots of slots and lost lots of money. Think we had a snack in one of the hotels. Ended up at Casino Royale - 1$ drinks (beer and margaritas).

For Sunday we booked with Scenic to go to the Grand Canyon. It was awesome!! Views were breathtaking. It cost us around $280 each but was worth it. Would like to go back and spend a few days there. Sunday night we went to Margaritaville for dinner. Just ordered a couple of starters. Had the volcano nachos. HUGE!! Wish we took a picture. Great atmosphere. After that we hit more casinos. Had some good luck in the Mirage. Then back to BC where we had some more good luck.

Monday was our last full day. Did more shopping and more casino hopping. At night we went to the Rio for World Carnival buffet which was brilliant. Huge selection. There is no way you could get round the whole thing. It cost $23.99 each and was worth every penny. The rest of the evening was spent casino hopping at the South end. Went to Mandalay bay first. Put $5 in slot and won $405! Then went to Luxor where hubby won $300. Didnt like Excalibur at all. New York had a great atmosphere and good bands playing. We both won some more on the slots. All in all we won almost $1000 on our last night.

Tuesday morning back to airport for long flight back. Taxi cost us around $12 (that%26#39;s more like it).

We had a fantastic time and are planning on returning for our 5th anniversary.

High points - Our wedding, Hotel/casino hopping, Rio and Paris buffets, shopping and winning on the slots.

Low points - Getting ripped off by taxi driver , Mon ami Gabi

Best cocktail service - In my opinion, Mirage, New York, BC

Wow factor - Venetian, Caesars palace, Bellagio fountains and Mirage Volcano.

Not so wow - lions/tigers in Mirage/MGM. Didnt like that much at all. Doesnt seem natural to me.

Cant think of anything else at the moment. Will write separate reviews for chapel and hotels soon.

Thanks for all your help with planning our vacation. See you in 5 years hopefully!!

Trip Report incl. wedding, Barbary Coast, eating out, etc.

Congratulations on your wedding. Glad you had a good time. I love hearing stories about weddings in Vegas.

Trip Report incl. wedding, Barbary Coast, eating out, etc.

Gardenfrog, thanks so much for your TR. I%26#39;m really glad you had a great time, and congratulations.

Congrats on your marriage, Jean Claude was the minister that married us too! We are going in Dec for our 3rd anniversary. I hate to hear that about Mon Ami Gabi as we have that reserved for dinner one night. I am willing ot give it a chance though. Thanks for posting!

Glad you have a great trip, and CONGRADULATIONS!!! Makes it nice to win on your last day. The flight home is so much nicer when that happens! Thank you for sharing your trip report with us.

Nice report ,wishing you both a long and happy marraige.

Congratulations Gardenfrog, wishing you both a long and happy

marriage.

My sis got married in Vegas Nov 2003, my first trip ever to Vegas which was never on my list of places to visit. All I can say is thank you little sis, just booked our fourth trip. Maybe I shouldn%26#39;t be thanking her didn%26#39;t know of this type of addiction existed.

Great TR. Thanks for writing. Congratulations and Best Wishes!

Best of luck to you both. I really enjoyed reading your report! I hope you manage to get back to Las Vegas sooner than 5 years.

Gardenfrog wrote, ';Got ripped off by taxi driver from airport to Barbary Coast. Cost us around $22 - forgot to tell him not to take the tunnel. ';

You should contact the Nevada Taxicab Authority and turn the driver %26amp; company in for longhauling you! I was longhauled on a recent trip and the officer from the taxicab authority is going to take the case to court so the driver gets fined. I%26#39;m only doing it so people like you and others unfamiliar with the tunnel scam don%26#39;t continue to get taken in by dishonest drivers. You were not in the wrong for not requesting that you not go by way of the tunnel. The drivers are required by law to take you to your destination via the shortest route. If you%26#39;re interested, you can read more about what happened to me in today%26#39;s ';I have a bunch of dumb taxi questions....'; thread.

If you%26#39;re interested in filing a complaint, here%26#39;s the link to the site:

http://taxi.state.nv.us/

Thanks for the report- I%26#39;ll read the rest of it now. ;-)

Congrats on your Wedding! Wow if your luck playing the slots is any inidication of your future you are on a roll! I%26#39;m happy you had fun and some wins! Really enjoyed your report and it sounded like you checked out alot of the Casinos. Glad you thought the BC was a good stay.

goldcoast for 1 nite only is it worth it to go cheap ...

we get in late sat nite so im thinking about doing gc for one nite, how is it. as far a the south coast we stayed their and liked it very much...any comparision to sc or the orleans

goldcoast for 1 nite only is it worth it to go cheap ...

99 just work with me here i am at a disadvantage with the ocd, i mean no harm to any one , simply put im just like to make sure everything is going to be as nice as possible for our upcoming trip next month , here the scoop .. we get in late on a sat nite around 9:00 pm only in town till tue so i dont want to spend an arm and aleg on a room that nite, i have rooms waiting on me at a much nicer location center strip with a fountin view and all.. so please try %26amp; understand i just try to make everybody happy im traveling with which are the wife and 3 18-20 yr olds...

goldcoast for 1 nite only is it worth it to go cheap ...

GC is fine. Have stayed there twice within the last year and will be staying again in January. Clean. Inexpensive.

I%26#39;m sure the GC will be just fine. I%26#39;ve stayed at the Orleans and Barbary Coast and they were AOK. Same outfit. I%26#39;m at the Orleans next month but just as easy could have tried the Gold coast except I couldn%26#39;t turn down an offer of $25 a night made my mind up for me.

Note to woodpecker99: you seem to be getting a little bit Staunch in your postings. Every thing OK down Texass way?

I never stayed at the South Coast so I can%26#39;t compare the two, but I have stayed at the other Coast hotels-especially the GC. The GC is a little step down from the Orleans (it is older) but I really like it. It is very clean, very safe and it has the friendliest staff around. Do not have any worries about staying there.

Hi TRIPPER

You can read my trip report from Sept or go on the following.

We were arriving close to midnight and didn%26#39;t want to waste money on an expensive room.

Choose GC for the first night and very glad we did.

I think all coast casinos are similar, we stayed at the Orleans this trip also.

GC rooms are smaller, restaurant choice similar, cocktail service though is poor but would not prevent me from staying again.

Casino good with a nice mixture of locals and us blow ins.

hope this helps

mpo

I would not hesitate to stay at Gold Coast for one night. It%26#39;s not a glamorous property, but it%26#39;s got some decent food and reasonable table limits.

thanks to all , i booked 2 room at gc .. 39.00 on a sat nite thru tripres.

Can%26#39;t go wrong at the Gold Coast if you are looking for cheap. I have stayed there. Nothing fancy, but clean decent room. I like saving money as much as the next guy especially if you are upgrading later in your trip.

ENJOY

New Year's Eve 2006: Questions, help, suggestions

Hi!

My friend and I will be traveling to Las Vegas for New Year%26#39;s Eve. We will be arriving on Dec. 29 and staying until Jan. 1. I have already booked our hotel stay. We will be staying at the Imperial Palace. Although it%26#39;s not a luxurious hotel we chose this hotel as our primary use of the room will be to shower and get ready to go out partying. So luxury isn%26#39;t a concern on this trip. During our drunkness we should find The Imperial Palace suitable. At least we are hoping to.

So, now with the hotel and airfare taken care of. We are in search of finding the best venue to ring in the New Year. However, we are having problems doing so. This is where we are inquiring the help of others.

Firstly, we are interested in spending the night partying at a club/lounge. I am a 24 yr. old female. He is a 39 year old male. We are interested in a venue where we can dance the night and drink the night away. We realize we would need to purchase tickets to such events. Where do you find out about said events? Where can you purchase tickets?

Obviously, we are quite certain prior planning is needed. If anyone could steer us in the right direction we would greatly appreciate your help.

Thanks.

New Year's Eve 2006: Questions, help, suggestions

I ran across this today. Maybe it will help some.

www.vegas.com/newyears/…

New Year's Eve 2006: Questions, help, suggestions

Well I hate to take the ring out of your bell FA Belle, but if you have not been invited to or have made special arrangements you could find yourself ringing in the new year 4 deep at the Habuki lounge at the IP. NYE is a complete madehouse, Iam sure you will have a blast no matter what you are doing but clubbing that night is pretty

much imposible. Further more you should already have a reservation for dinner that evening or you will find yourself at the food court.

Thank you teachrsue!

That%26#39;s exactly what I was looking for.

Belle

email hosting

Cheap eats

Can anyone tell me where there are a few quick, cheap places to eat w/ kids, not looking for a 2 hour dinner that cost $$$$. Thanks!!

Cheap eats

Whre are you staying? no point traipsing across town just to dine.

Cheap eats

most hotels (not all) have FOOD COURTS

Subway, Mc Donalds, Panda Express, italian, etc

Slots o Fun - foot long hot dogs 1 buck. Also have 1 dollar amstels for adults.

Food courts and

http://www.bigempire.com/vegas/cheapeats.html

Day old Hamburgers, half price.

Greasy fries, no fungus guaranteed.

Left over sodas,

Coupons available.

Location is next too OLD Thunderebird Motel, LV Blvd, North

Vegas is like ANY other city. If you venture away from the Strip, you%26#39;ll find the usual fast food places. Some of them are on the Strip too.

I agree about the footlong hot dog at Slots O Fun!

Max%26#39;s- They have 3.99 specials. Many options for lunch-hamburger, wings, chicken sandwich are all good. Plus, they have 3 4 1 drink specials at the bar, which the adults may need after navigating Vegas with kids. It is in the Desert Passage (Aladdin), and the kids will enjoy the FAKE (yes, it is FAKE), thunderstorm inside the mall.

Thanks everyone, some great suggestions!! We are staying at the Aladdin also. Max%26#39;s seems like it would be fun for the kids. We are going for the Miss America pageant in January, so not alot of time for fine dining w/ kids!!

There are a couple of Denny%26#39;s on the strip.

There are quite a few fast food places on the Strip.....McDonalds, Subway, etc. I%26#39;m assuming you want to stay on the Strip? Agree with Umaga that if you leave the Strip, the choices are ENDLESS!!

revlon makeup

How much time should I allot for Red Rock?

I%26#39;m going to be renting a car while in Vegas and am thinking of checking out Red Rock Canyon for a part of one day. I%26#39;m just planning to do the driving tour and stop occassionally for a few photos. How much time should I allot for this type of tour, approximately?

Thanks :)

How much time should I allot for Red Rock?

I was just there a few weekds ago. It was about 1/2 hour drive from downtown. We spent about 15 minutes in the visitor center and another 30 or 40 minutes drivng thru the park, stopping once to look around and once for a wild burro on the road.

How much time should I allot for Red Rock?

Your timeframe is about what I was thinking.

Thanks for replying!

We were there last week. It was an unusual day since it was very windy, maybe 30 mph, cold (45 deg) and even some drizzles, but we thoroughly enjoyed the day. We spent about a half hour at the visitor center buying some jewelry, games, and books at the store. Drove the loop in about 45 minutes stopping at most of the parking spaces for the trails. Since it was such a nasty day though, we didn%26#39;t do any of the hikes. Mind you, there were a lot of brave souls out. Joggers, bikes and a lot of hikers and even some rock climbers were braving the inclement weather. The views and vistas are breathtaking. The overcast skies seemed to really bring out the colors in the rocks. Overall, I%26#39;d say it was our #1 favorite thing we did on this trip. Do bring some sturdy shoes to enjoy the trails. We intend to go back in May on our next trip. Only negative was that two tour buses of seniors arrived and it made the vistor centor very crowded.

You can set your own time based on what has already been written here. I%26#39;ve gone about 40 times and have done different things with different times spent. Look for the petroglyphs which take a small amount of time at Willow Springs.

As long as you are there, you should take advantage of some of the hiking trails. Some are very short and it does make the visit so much more enjoyable.

www.redrockcanyonlv.org/Hiking_Trails.htm

You should also consider going to Valley of Fire rather than RRC. It is a distance but it really is so much more spectacular than RRC.

You will enjoy either one.

taxi advice

Staying at the Orleans. Does one say to the driver ';Don%26#39;t take the tunnel'; apply for such destinations that are off the strip? (I don%26#39;t want to sound like an idiot, but neither do I want to get ripped off.

: - )

Thanks (

taxi advice

I%26#39;d tell him to take Tropicana down to the Orleans.

red rock tours

Hi, Can anyone tell me if it would br cheaper to rent a vehicle for a day or book a tour. There will be 6 of us going in January. Thanks!!

red rock tours

bump

red rock tours

Have you done any research on pricing of tours? I just looked on vegas.com without knowing exactly what you want a tour is 59.95 per person for a tour of Red Rock. Not sure if that is what you mean, your question is so vague about what you plan to do.

That is around 360.00 total. If you rent a mini van for the day I am sure it would be a lot cheaper, look up prices on vans, I am not going to do all the work for you, I have planning to do of my own.

So it is a no brainer, a rental will be cheaper and drive yourselves. Hope this gets you started on your planning.

Okay I was curious , so I looked up the rental for a minivan on dollar for a weekday in Jan. 62.39 a day. That is at the airport. You can rent from whatever rental desk is at your hotel and return it to the hotel instead of the airport.

The tour I mentioned was the cheapest one of Red Rock that was listed on Vegas.com.

Thanks, I usually do alot of research on my vacations, this one came up quick and unexpected. I do know how to find things out, but thought a local would have some good info for me. Thank you for checking into it though, appreciate it. I think I will go with a van for the day, already checked prices for them anyway!! Just wanted to tool around the desert, check out the beautiful land there. I am from Maine, so dont get to see much desert land!! haha....Thanks again!!!!

Is it me, or are some people just completely clueless?

If you have the rental go to Valley of Fire early it is so much more beautiful than Red Rock.

I remember now, you are going for the beauty pageant. Stop at a deli and pick of drinks and sandwiches, drive an hour up to Valley of Fire, picnic and see the park. Awesome! You can drive along Lake Mead and see the beautiful formations along that route. Then head back to LV, it is well marked. I

f you need more info, ask, I am sorry, I was a bit snippy, my teenage son was talking to me, he should know better than bother me when I am on the computer.....lol, and I really am glad to help!

teachrsue, You are to funny!!! Thanks for checking!!! I will go exactly where you mentioned!! Sounds great!! I know how it is when the kids bug you while on the computer!! haha I hope I wasnt snippy, I really research the heck out of our family vacations, dont to usuing global images to see where hotels are located, my husband tells everyone that I usually know exactly where everything is located before we go!!! I got a little lazy with this trip and decided to ask for help. And NO DERECKBC, I am not clueless, so why even reply like that, you must be having a bad day, hopefully you arent always a pompas a**. Thanks again teachrsue!!!! I really did have to laugh though when you wrote you did check into the van rentals!! Was very nice of you and I usually do use Dollar to.

Good luck and it is very easy to get to red rock or valley of fire, whatever you decide. Here is my favorite site for Valley of Fire,

http://www.desertusa.com/nvval/. I am sure you are excited and it will be a big shock if you have never seen the desert before. It is amazing to me!

';I really research the heck out of our family vacations';

I don%26#39;t buy that statement. If you did any more than five minutes research, you would have never asked your question.

Thank you, I wrote the site down and will check it out. I have always wanted to vacation in Arizona, now that we are going to Las Vegas, its just as good, I really think I will love the feel of being in the west, I have never been anywhere except the East coast, up and down the whole east coast from Maine to Fla. So it should be a whole new world for us!!! Plus seeing my Niece in the Miss America pageant will be a once in a life time treat for our whole family!!!!

Bankrupt: Roulette wheel ball was BLACK eight times in a row

A long time ago I was really big into Roulette. I thought with the ';single 0'; games I could get close to a 50/50 chance without really thinking. I loved the game, until I bet on RED eight times in a row and lost all my money.

RED was always my favorite color and I had always had good luck with it before. So that day, each time I bet on RED and I lost. I wanted to come back and felt that RED was due so I doubled my bet and put my money on RED. I lost eight times in a row and was out a ton of money. After I lost all my money, I continued to watch the table and it was RED 6 times in a row.

Does anyone know the statistical chance of one color coming up 8 times in a row in Roulette? (I know that each time there is a 49% chance of a specific color coming up without regard to what color came up last time) BUT 8 times in a row?

Bankrupt: Roulette wheel ball was BLACK eight times in a row

I once bet on a 3 legged lame horse with a blind amputee jockey riding backwards in the Kentucky derby whilst his saddle was covered in petrol and ignited.

Can anyone tell me why I lost my money??

Bankrupt: Roulette wheel ball was BLACK eight times in a row

Keep in mind that every spin is independent of the previous spin. The electronic boards they have that monitor the spins are for show and to give you a false sense that you can predict the next spin by looking at what has happened in the past.

I played roulette Twice - one time was like your example 6 black and 2 green and no red. I think all the booze clouded my judgement.

Never played again.

check out www.wizardofodds.com for some good math.

Hey CV, I think it would be fair to say ';Conversationist';%26#39;s posts are not your cup of tea?? He/she does seem way too premeditated if you will. The questions are way too store bought. Not original...kinda strange.

Underpar,

I could understand it if it was the odd question every so often but its every day and they get progressively worse!!

CV, like your appreciation of Wynn, gotta agree with you on this one too

Statistically speaking there is a .012% that black would come up 8 times in a row, or to put it another way the odds are about 1 in a thousand. Hopefully I used my calculator correctly...

Off-hand, I don%26#39;t remember the statistical chance, but being a craps fan, I know that even tho the ';chance'; of something occuring is a proven fact, streaks do happen in every game and in life in general, so the seemingly impossible can and does happen, sometimes when you least expect it. Check out wizardofodds.com for some interesting thoughts on statistics.

Forgive me, I forgot to move the decimal when converting back to a percentage, it%26#39;s actually .12%. That%26#39;s still roughly 1 in a thousand. I%26#39;m a little rusty.....been a few years since my college days.

The question ignores the basic rules of probability.

If I flipped a coin, I could get heads 42 times in a row and then tails the next 50.

The likelihood is that I will reach a ratio of 50% heads 50% tails.

You actually answered your own question as the roulette went red 6 times afterwards

The moral.

Sod the statistics and have enough money to last the course.

server

TR- A whole week in Vegas

Now that I have caught up on my sleep, Isit down and write a trip report.

Arrived on a Friday night at McCarron. Don%26#39;t do that. Don%26#39;t arrive on a Friday or leave on a Sunday. So crowded I thought I%26#39;d lose my husband a couple of times. Waited about a half hour for luggage. Rented a car from Thrifty which was nice. Book a full size for $179 a week. Ended up with a nice big Chrysler Pacifica which was very comfortable.

Stayed at The Orleans. Very nice room for the price $49 during the week and $79 for the the weekends. Others in our party were staying there or else I think we would have stayed on strip. The room was very clean, bed was very comfortable and the sitting area and extra width made it very spacious. The bathroom was small but adequate. Dould have used more counter space considering how much space we ladies need. Lots of hot water and pressure for soaking after a long day on my feet. The coffee pot and supsequent charge of each cup of coffee I thought was tacky. I went to Walgreens and bought a four cup maker for $7 and made my own with Community Coffee I%26#39;d brought from home. I gave the maker to the bellman at check out. You would have thought I gave a him $100.

Used the spa for the Orleans Package. Had a scrub and wrap, a facial, and a massage for $240, each treatment was 50 minutes. Good value since alone they would have totaled $290. The steamroom and whirlpool were nice and hot. Shower facilities and dressing area were well attended and had all of the toilettries you could need. Had my hair styled at the salon by the hairdresser from hades. Only true negative of the place. She was brutal and pulled a lot of hair out. Used a half a can of spray and it was very expensive. $65 for a shampoo, blowdry and hot iron. If you use the salon, run if you get Becky. It was so bad, it was quite funny. Hard to explain.

Lots of food options at the Orleans. None were really bad or good but OK and reasonably priced. Took the shuttle once and it was nice, about 10 minutes to the strip. Negatives were no concierge or sundries shop in the hotel. Clientele is in the lower range of income, definitely not the Bellagio crowd.

Lots of low limit tables at the Orleans. The casino area was smokey on weekend nights but otherwise, not too bad. I asked for a non-smoking table when I couldn%26#39;t find an open seat at one and the pit bosses always accomodated my request. Seems there were a lot of non-smoking patrons that appreciated it. Whenever a non-smoking table was designated, it quickly filled up. I quess it just doesn%26#39;t occur to most people to ask. I came out about even playing two deck shoe blackjack and pai gow poker at $5 tables. The dealers were cordial and most were even friendly. Drink service was good and yes, the costumes are rather scimpy. Tips get you better service as it should. Tips to the dealers were always acknowledged and appreciated. Roulette tables were $1 minimum with $1 chips only, no quarters. I won about $100 and had fun.

Went to Red Rock Canyon Preservation Area on probably the worst day in LV this year. Cold, windy, and even drizzly but it was gorgeous anyway and a great outing away from all the glitz. Lots of brave souls out jogging, biking, hiking and even a few rock climbers. Thoroughly enjoyed it and recommend it anyone that wants to see some beautiful geologic formations. Only bummer was the fire last year scorched a good deal of the desert and it looks like a moonscape. But even that was beautiful in a creepy sort of way. Hard to explain again.

Bellagio - Had reservations for ';O'; and dinner at Sensi. Sensi was magnificent. The food, the waiter and being able to see the food prep area was a treat. We had specialty cocktails instead of wine. Try the homemade ginger ale if you have indigestion problems. My husband had the ribeye which was cooked to perfection and I had an Indian medly dish with fish, shrimp, chicken, and steak medallions. I forget the name but it was a delight. Dinner was $200 with two cocktails each which I thought ws very good value. Seats at ';O'; were obstructed view which are normally not bad. These were bad, very bad. They were center stage on the first row of the second level. The railings from the steps were in the way and half of the stage area was blocked. But still, I wasn%26#39;t impressed with O. The divers were the best, the clowns the worst. First of all, the act was in poor taste. They float out on the roof of a flooded house and appear through a hatch in the roof. It seems the whole Katrina thing completely slipped thier attention. I was near tears and almost walked out. Even aside from that, I just didn%26#39;t think it was very good. So anyway, Bellagio was beautiful. The Conservatory was rather creepy in the fall decor. The table games were all high limit with a few $10 tables. It was very crowded too.

G2E - for those who don%26#39;t know is the Global Gaming Expo. Lots of fancy new slot machines but the biggest new things are all the wireless gaming and electronic table games. Seems they are trying to put dealers out of work. I found the Plasma screen dealers to be a bit creepy. And there were all manner of poker variation games. Most of them way too complicated for the average person to understand. Wireless gaming for your PDA was big as was chipless gaming. You buy a debit card with money on it and use it instead of chips. I don%26#39;t know, but part of the reason I like table games is for the social aspect and that includes the dealer. It fosters an us against them game. Everybody wants the next ';Wheel of Fortune';. BTW, thw WOF slots are a bad bet. The payout is on the low end of the legal limit. Best bet is DDB VP.

Didn%26#39;t get to do much else that we had planned. But we have to go back in May so I can see a few more shows hopefully. We are staying at Mandalay Bay in May.

TR- A whole week in Vegas

Thanks for the trip report, being from Louisiana, I can understand why you didn%26#39;t care for the Vegas weather. Thanks again!

Where is South Point

Haven%26#39;t been to Vegas in several years and I guess I have forgotten the location of several casinos. I keep seeing this casino come up in a lot of post. Can some one tell me a little about it. We will be there in March. Don%26#39;t really want to stay on the strip, would rather be at a smaller locals casino. Any suggestions.

Where is South Point

The South Point is formerly owned by the Coast Casinos, so if you have ever stayed at the Orleans, the South Point is an upscale Orleans. The hotel is located about 6 miles west of Mandalay Bay. I stayed at the then South Coast back in January and I loved the hotel. The rooms are large, clean, beautiful and have 42’ Plasma Televisions. The Casino is very nice and the staff is wonderful. They have a movie complex, bowling alley, spa and fitness center and several very good restaurants. They do offer shuttle service to several strip locations that run from 9am to midnight. They also have shuttle service to/fro the airport. I would stay there again in a heartbeat. GOOD LUCK!

Where is South Point

Trinity covered it nicely =) It%26#39;s new, just opened last December.

One more to add..... Just stay on Las Vegas Blvd South from Mandalay Bay and you should reach South Point in about 5-7 minutes on your right.

';The hotel is located about 6 miles west of Mandalay Bay.';

Hope you are not a pilot or a cpatain of a ship :%26gt;)

6 miles west....might as well stay in laughlin....an upscale orleans????really

revlon makeup

Hey Guy, Problems faced in Las Vegas being 20?

hello advisors!

On the 11th of next month we will be arriving in las vegas as part of our US tour, i know the drinking age is 21 out there, but what age do you have to be to go onto the casino floor?in australia and south africa it was 18, and in auckland it was 20. my girlfriend is 21 so she should be fine.

also does the 21 drinking age apply with meals?im not a heavy drinker but i enjoy a drink with dinner, is this possible?

thanks guys!

Hey Guy, Problems faced in Las Vegas being 20?

Sorry, but the answer is 21 for all your questions, no exceptions. Casinos are very strict in enforcement in LV and will not hesitate to tell you to leave if you are not 21. If you are drinking anything with alcohol you must be 21. Las Vegas is great if you are 21 and frustrating if you are 20.

Hey Guy, Problems faced in Las Vegas being 20?

thats ok, wasnt planning on gambling, just wanted to have a look!im backpacking anyway so not much money to gamble with!

shame about no drink with the meal though.

The other poster is correct, its 21 whether you eat or not..........they are VERY strict on this - you can own a gun and go fight in Iraq when you are 18 but you are not allowed a glass of wine with dinner until you are 21............sorry to get political guys/gals but this always confuses me (as it does with all my friends back in Fl.)!

Well, if you wanna be sneaky like I was when I was 20, you%26#39;ll take your chances and walk through... enjoy yourself... and hope no one stops you. If they do, they will just kick you out. You could just move on to the next hotel/casino and do the same thing again. As for having a drink with dinner, try to order one. If they ask your age, play innocent and tell them you didn%26#39;t realize the drinking age was 21, then order something else. In any case, it could be to your advantage if you look older than you are.

Most places in Vegas will check, but you may be able to slide on some occasions. As the previous poster suggested, order a drink and if they card you then claim ignorance and order a non-alcoholic drink. You’ll probably get away with this at the more local places. The larger mega hotels/casinos/restaurants tend to card lots of people – even I’ve been carded and I’m 40!

I have heard of people in their 40s being carded in Vegas,we have been to new york 6/7 times (and going again on mon) and never being carded,will we need to carry passports(or will photocopies do) in Vegas,both in our mid 40s

Oh I look it my wife does not

lol lol

oh to be carded, just one more time.

Have fun in NY, Firsttimer. Great time of year to be there.

Looking forward to thanksgiving and the parade,but dreading black friday,

The annointed one is getting me out of bed at 5 to be at macys at 6,credit card in hand.

She is hyper as we talk(type whatever)

firsttimer123

Enjoy the parade but stay away from street lamps, etc. There have been accidents caused by those balloons hitting poles, etc. Last year two sisters were hurt. My sister lives on the street where they blow up those balloons the night before. Really fun thing to watch.

Took my 23 yr old son to vegas and 18 yr old daughter.

He was carded 12 times a day. Either on the casino floor or at the bar. My daughter who is the resaurant manager at the Hilton hotel

was told she was unable to walk down some stair unless with an ';adult';. I would.nt even try it they can spot anyone under 30

from 100yds.

MGM Grand Bungalow Suites -

Where are the bungalow suits located inside the hotel? Are they worth the extra ???

MGM Grand Bungalow Suites -

This depends on if you want the extra square footage. West Wing is 350sf and Grand Tower is 446sf. Bungalow 675sf.

I%26#39;m guessing these are placed throughout the hotel, please call to verify.

I have one pet peve against the Bungalow, Celebrity Spa, and Hollywood Suites....no toilet with a door you can shut. I like my privacy in there! So Premiere is as small as I%26#39;d go for a Suite. Otherwise I%26#39;d stick with the Grand Tower or West Wing.

But the choice depends on exactly what you want.....

MGM Grand Bungalow Suites -

we%26#39;ve stayed in the bungalow suites and enjoyed them very much.

You get a nice living room area which is separate from the bedroom by a big armoire type piece of furniture. The tv in the armoire is on a swivel so that you can turn it into either the bedroom or living room, depending where you want to watch tv. The bathroom is nice and big. It has a separate stand-up shower and a double sink vanity... There is also a mini-fridge and bar/counter area.

Flamingo to Ethel M and Green Valley Ranch

ok... kind of thinking about taking a little detour one day this trip (part of a day) and maybe head to Ethel M (right before Christmas) at sunset to see lights and cactus show, etc. and then thought maybe on the way there are back to check out anything else in that general area... maybe Green Valley Ranch. Might as well scout out potential future destinations.

Anyway, using Mapquest, the perfect route doesn%26#39;t seem clear for me, and thought maybe someone here, with driving experience to those areas could help. (I barely know direction.... I will call Stratosphere north and Mandalay Bay south). Is that trip worthwhile, and is Green Valley Ranch a good combination choice? Is there an especially good other thing to see while in a rented car? I figure I might as well make it worth it.

Flamingo to Ethel M and Green Valley Ranch

...

how to deal with men

New Years Eve with kids

Can anyone suggest somewhere to spend New Years in Vegas with 2 kids (6 %26amp; 8) that we can still have a few drinks and a good time with some atmosphere? We are staying at the Excalibur Hotel.

New Years Eve with kids

The whole issue of kids in Las Vegas has been a major hot potato of a topic on this forum since before anybody can remember. There%26#39;s a strong %26#39;kids shouldn%26#39;t be allowed in Vegas%26#39; lobby that will no doubt respond to your question quite strongly so you should expect some possibly unsavory replies.

The fact is the only places you%26#39;ll be able to have a drink with your kids around are at a restaurant or in your room. Nobody under the age of 21 may enter a bar and this is strictly enforced. Kids may be accompanied in a casino by an adult but must keep moving. If you stop for a moment, security will ask you to keep moving.

New Year at Vegas is a crazy time. I suggest you do a forum search to see old posts and get more info about what it%26#39;s like. The Strip is closed to traffic and becomes a mass of drunken humanity - not ideal for kids really. If your kids are still awake at midnight they%26#39;ll love the fireworks viewed from the safety of your room.

Sorry not to be too enthusiastic but LV at New Year isn%26#39;t really ideal for kids.

New Years Eve with kids

Stay in the room, watch TV, order a delivered pizza.

Sounds exciting.

****Don%26#39;t feed the Trolls****

21player, I sensed troll activity and you may well be right, but looking at this poster%26#39;s history I think he/she just may be genuinely naive.

Wow Vegas is not the place for kids at any time of the year..but you are probably picking one of the top three worst..Please reconsider, or find trustworthy family or friends to watch the little ones at home...Slotto

You did choose a good hotel for kids... I can%26#39;t think of any places for drinks and good atmosphere, although surely there are some restaurants that would be kinda cool and serve good drinks. How many of you are going? I was thinking if there was a group, you could all take turns one of you staying with the kids (either at Excaliber, Circus Circus, Stratosphere, Luxor, or in the room, with pizza etc) and the others could find some of the adult fun.

You will not be able to go to restuarants like ESPN Zone and others that serve alchohol and allow children because the hotels close the doors to the public on NYE and only allow guest inside or people with reservations and VIP invitations. So you will have to stay close to Excalibur and partake in whatever they offer. I don%26#39;t know of any bar/grills inside of Ex that would allow children anyway.

Whatever you do, DO NOT, I repeat, do not walk on the strip after 9 PM and next mornings.

I have seen beer bottles flying in the air and so on.

Best thing you can do for yourself and your kids is go to LA for NYE, go to Disny Land, let them have some fun, then return to Vegas the next day

Or stay in the hotel and do not go out (make sure to order for the pizza well in advance

That is actually a very good idea... leave the city for actual New Years night. They would have a lot of fun going to Disneyland or some similar amusement park.

YIKES!!!!! I%26#39;m going New Year%26#39;s Eve and I%26#39;m scared as an adult, let alone taking kids!!!!! I see you%26#39;re from Oz tho and probably have had your ressies for a while now.

Best advice, stay inside the Excalibur - don%26#39;t try and venture out. Whatever you do, have a good time and stay safe!

LV 50th BDay Trip

Hey Board, Starting to look ahead to next Feb 23 - 25 2007. Looking for Suite with adjoining room, 4 adults. OK now, Where do we stay?

Budget 200$$ +- per night, Looking for some fun, maybe Downtown location to save a few $$. Is it to early to book ?? I was looking for some promos, haven%26#39;t found any yet. Maybe to far in advance. Let%26#39;s get some good suggestions. 50 only comes once !

Thanks Board :)

LV 50th BDay Trip

Do you mean two nights... Friday and Saturday, the flight or drive home Sunday? Or would you also be staying Sunday night?

Golden Nugget downtown...one room $129 per night, Friday and Saturday, then $89 on Sunday. That is not adjoining rooms, but you could each just get a room. That may come down...though I think February is popular.

LV 50th BDay Trip

Hey Mad - is it 2 couples or 4 adults all one gender . If it%26#39;s 2 couples, don%26#39;t worry about getting adjoining rooms - most hotels will try to accomodate your request, but it all depends on when your arrival time is.

I just checked www.harrahs.com for your dates, and you can get Caesars for $800 or RIO for $600 or Paris for $575 or Bally%26#39;s for $368. So, some of those are within your budget.

Try www.mgmmirage.com for other rates.

Opps yea that was two nights, Friday - Saturday, Limp home on Sunday :) Is the Nugget still under construction ?? What about the Pool ?? Thanks

Kathyak, Its 2 couples, The Suite is 4 the BDay Couple, Do you have any idea on the suites at Ballys ?? I like the location. Thanks

taxi or limo for 5 arriving 10:00 at night?

I have a group of five guys coming in at 10:00 pm should i :

1 go to taxi stand wait for two taxis

2 pre arrange a limo ( best company best rates?)

3 go to shuttle area look for walk up a limo area

looking fior fastest wat to get to strip

thanks

taxi or limo for 5 arriving 10:00 at night?

What hotel?

For taxis, no way to tell but there may well be 2 waiting for you.

Limos, I can%26#39;t help you with but you are probably looking at $100.00 probably more..

Another consideration - 5 guys is at least 5 suitcases and that is a lot of luggage for one car..

taxi or limo for 5 arriving 10:00 at night?

If you willing to pay $100 + for a limo, then why not rent a mini van or a SUV for one day, and drive to the strip

I don%26#39;t want to pay 100dollars. I am worried that at 10 pm on a saturday night the taxi line might have a long wait. we are staying at the mirage

Someone else can confirm this, but I believe that the legal limit is 4 to a taxi. So if you don%26#39;t want to pay two cabs, then arranging a private shuttle or a limo is your best bet.

http://www.mccarran.com/03_shuttles_01.asp

Here%26#39;s a link that may help.

I am just a downtown boy but it there any chance that the Mirage will send one of their limos for 5 guests or is that reserved for whales? Anyway, it might be worth a call to the hotel to find out. You have little to lose.

I usually either drive to vegas or fly and rent a car.

BUT I thought there are mini van type taxis in vegas. They can take 5.

Again, a car rental won%26#39;t be more than 50 for a mini van or SUV (per day) maybe you need to concider that

Presidential limos $92+tip for return trip with a bottle of champagne,

2 taxis would probably cost $60+ for both trips

Limo is meet and greet.

The taxi line could be extremely long or not, its really hit and miss depending on the weekend.

Call your hotel and have them book a limo for you. It will be around $60 + tip to your hotel. Between 5 guys that is not very much money.

chitowngambler, the limos sent by the hotels to pick up guests are for the whales, not the lowly paying guests. Now that I think of it though, those whales do pay through the nose to get the privilege of being picked up by a %26#39;free%26#39; limo! ;)

revlon makeup

Quickest/Safest way from Luxor to 159 (headed to Red Rock)

Hey everyone...the countdown is on...we leave for the airport in 12 hours!!

We are planning a diversion out to Red Rock Canyon, and I%26#39;m looking for the quickest and/or safest way from Luxor to 159 to get out there. Should I just get up to Charleston and go, or perhaps take Tropicana up and around the golf courses? I am more concerned with my trip back to the Strip because it will probably be dark.

Any help will be appreciated. The wait is over!!!

jaspa

Quickest/Safest way from Luxor to 159 (headed to Red Rock)

Bump...

Anyone? Leaving tomorrow morning very early and could use some expert advice.

Quickest/Safest way from Luxor to 159 (headed to Red Rock)

Sorry Jaspa, never been there. Try asking at the Hotel. They should be able to help you.

Turn right as you exit the hotel, heading South on the Strip. turn right at Russell Road, just past the Mandalay Bay. Get on I-15 heading South. At the I-215 Beltway interchange, take the Westbound ramp toward Decatur Blvd. Exit at Charleston, and turn left. Red Rock will be about 5 more miles on your right.

If it%26#39;s dark when you return, there is an alternate route with a better night time view of the Valley, and its about the same mileage anyway. When you come back down Charleston and get to the Beltway, head North (over the freeway and turn left before the Best Buy). Follow the Beltway until you get to the Summerlin Parkway, and turn right. There is a traffic light at this intersection. From here, you can see the whole valley below you. Summerlin Parkway will lead you, after about 5 miles, to I-95 South. Stay in the left lane for the correct ramp. Follow I-95 another 5 miles or so until the I-15 interchange, where you will head south. Exit at Tropicana.

i agree with mp ,

there is good map of area in free mag.'; whats on';

I agree with mposin. The 215 beltway has the least traffic (if not going during rush hour). The only thing with the I-95 is there is construction going on so expect delays from Summerlin Parkway to I-95 if you are travelling back from Red Rock. Our place is west of the 215 on Charleston, so we know the area. My husband works near Craig and travels that route everyday. Have a great time.

M&G at Ellis Island Dec. 12th Time to organize...

OK fellow cheapos with crazy low room rates and a desire for good cheap beer and the $5 hunk of beef, it%26#39;s now 30 days away and time to get this organized.

I have contacted the EI restaurant manager and they indicated they aren%26#39;t willing to ';reserve'; anything for us but if we end up there and tell them we have a party of XX, they will do their best to accomodate us. Knowing this place can be busy at dinnertime and pretty slow midday, my thought was to shoot for Tues. the 12th around 1pm.

I couldn%26#39;t find my original thread on this subject, but as I recall there were at least 5 or 6 people interested. EVERYONE is invited to attend and there will be many T/A Vegas forum veterans there.

Speak up so I can make a list and get your opinions on the above mentioned time.

Also. Chitowngambler is organizing a low budget ';pub crawl'; for the east Fremont area. Anyone wanting to join in for that Fremont Experience might want to mention it as well to help him with times/ date.

M%26amp;G at Ellis Island Dec. 12th Time to organize...

Would the crawl be after the %26#39;meet and greet%26#39; at EI?

Would the 1PM time interfere with lunch crowds? Not having been to EI, I%26#39;ve no idea if they are busy or not that time of day. I was thinking more like early dinner, then a crawl downtown afterwards instead of an afternoon crawl.

M%26amp;G at Ellis Island Dec. 12th Time to organize...

I will be there in spirit for the EI meal, the crawl and anything and everything else you decide to do-O.K. maybe not the tattoo thing.

I have only been to EI once so I can%26#39;t really pick a good time but in August I did go for dinner and I did have to wait quite a while- and I was only one person.

I think I will pass on the tattoo thing too! ;)

Dr Vegas, Gabby,

Advise me gain on your dates Iam still trying to pull this off.

21

21... I%26#39;ll be there from the 10th to the 13th.

The Ellis thing is the 12th.

Remember, think red.

How about early dinner instead of 1 o%26#39;clock........is it busy at around 5? EI that is! Just wondering and also want to put my 2 cents/pence in!

Anyone else?

Whatever you guys decide, I will try to make. I doubt that I%26#39;ll be enjoying the $4.95 special with you. The 12th is my last night there so I think we%26#39;re going to be going to a show and dinner. But I would like to join everyone for a few cocktails at the bar sometime that afternoon. I%26#39;ll be watching to see what you decide and I%26#39;ll do my best to get there and meet everyone at least for a little bit.

I think you guys mentioned arriving downtown on the 10th. That%26#39;s my first night in town, and the one night that I%26#39;m staying DT (MSS). So, I%26#39;ll also be watching what you guys plan for any DT stuff too :)

Did you decide on a time yet for the 12th?

We get in late mama. I won%26#39;t be on the street until 11pm or so, but I was thinking of checking out the homemade brew at MSS. Maybe we can meet up there.

21, this is still the ongoing issue. I%26#39;m waiting for a reply from a certain someone who thinks 1 pm is too early and that is why I need other opinions. 2pm? 3? Speak up everyone before I get a headache and start losing interest.

vb

Ok, I have decided on O. Can you recommend specific seats?

Finally made a decision on O over Mystere. Does anyone have specific seat recommendations? From reading other posts on this I have gleaned : dont sit too close to the front as wont be able to see all and get wet (no thanks!) 2) the restricted view seats are actually ok...

I was looking at the layout on the Bellagio website: I like the look of the ';boxes'; as such on the balcony on the side (only one row deep) but there doesnt seem to be any way of selecting specific seats. Id there any way of doing this on the site (or another kosher site)?

Has anyone been and can recommend their seat type/numbers or warn against it? Any help greatly appreciated. Thanks.

Ok, I have decided on O. Can you recommend specific seats?

I´m going for the 3rd time on Nov the 29th, I have tryed different seats and my conclusion is that the best seats are the limited view, trust me.

Ok, I have decided on O. Can you recommend specific seats?

Limited view are the best value seats, not necessarily %26#39;the best%26#39;.

4Holliers, if you want specific seats then call the box office with the seating plan in front of you. They%26#39;ll be happy to oblige and are most helpful. When you book online you%26#39;re automatically allocated what the computer considers to be the %26#39;best available%26#39; for your chosen price, which might not be the seats you actually want.

I have sat in the limited view and I agree they are great value and very decent seats. However, I%26#39;m not sure that ALL of the limited view ones are as great. I would recommend the ones in sec. 101 rows H or J (there are only two seats in each row). Any of the ones closer would be too close and the view would be cut off just a little bit more. Given the layout of the theatre I%26#39;m guessing that the seats on the opposite side of the theater in those rows would be similar.

ROW '; AA '; in the middle if possible.

You look straight ahead at the entire stage.

You look straight ahead at the aerial acts.

The box seats you are look at are called ';loggia'; seats. You can request those by calling the box office. If you go with those, you%26#39;ll want something in the middle.

We sat in limited view seats Section 203, Row P, Seats 1 and 2 (on the aisle) upon a recommendation from the Bellagio Box Office. They were only slightly obstructed by a handrail but this only blocked the very very bottom of the stage. Never noticed it once the show began. Plus, some of the pre-show action with cast members in the audience happened within feet of us! It was a great place to sit, and a fabulous value because the people sitting next to us had paid $40 more per ticket.

I would suggest calling the box office, it%26#39;s the best way to get the exact seats you are looking for and they are quite helpful!

We sat in Logia seats when we went. Do not know the seat numbers but were towards right side of stage.

These were very good seats. Excellent view of evertyhing. Little extra room to stretch out. Good Choice if you can get them.

Sc, do you mind my asking- were they the ';orchestra'; loggia or the ';balcony'; ones, and what price bracket were they?

Many thanks.

I believe they are priced the same as upper orchestra.

Our ';limited view'; seats were horrible. Half of the stage was blocked and I was nearly in the poor lady %26#39;s lap next to me leaning over to try to see. They were Orch Sec 203 Row O seats 1 %26amp;3. Seats 3-6 would have been excellent seats. My husband booked them and thought because they were on the first row of the section, maybe it was just the railing in front that obstructed the view. It was the stair rails and the railing in front and the cables inbetween that combined to totally block your view.

PS. I really didn%26#39;t care for the show. I found it slow and parts of it in poor taste. The divers were good but I%26#39;ve seen other Cirque shows that were much better. I plan on seeing Mystere or Zumanity on our next visit.

TI Suite Upgrade...Worth it?

We%26#39;re a young twenty-something couple booked at TI. This is our first time staying anywhere other than MGM. Read overall good reviews for TI and is within our price range. Is it worth the $20 extra per night to upgrade from a Petite to a Tower Suite? According to the hotel website, you basically get the same thing, except the Tower has about 250 more square footage. Should we just stick with the Petite and hope for a free upgrade at check-in? Travel dates are Dec. 18-21.

TI Suite Upgrade...Worth it?

Hi amy and chris.

I stayed at TI in July and it was great. I was booked in a Petite Suite and the next night, they upgraded me for free. But that was their slower time. I would absolutely pay the difference. The North Tower Suite is fantastic.You will not be disappointed.

7777

TI Suite Upgrade...Worth it?

Hi, thanks for the feedback. Upon arrival should we specifically ask for the %26#39;North%26#39; Tower? I read that room locations can be a problem, if you%26#39;re situated right over the Sirens show.

you should ask for a room on the south side overlooking the pool

thats the best view in vegas since the blvd turns in front of the Ti and you can see all the way down the road to the Mandalay.

wow Mtroh, thanks for sharing that...

MGM versus TI / half price tix

Going to Vegas in Feb.

Petite Suite at Treasure Island is same price as regular room at MGM. Which would you choose, and why?

Also, want to see The Producers. Tickets available on Ticketmaster now, obviously at full price. Can I get tickets for premium shows like this at the half price ticket booth when in Vegas?

Thanks

Dazarooni

MGM versus TI / half price tix

TI is a better winter choice, when the pool is not a factor

The larger room, petite suite, is much more pleasant than a standard room.. both hotels have good locations

You will not get 1/2 off tickets to shows that are popular

MGM versus TI / half price tix

Thanks. Would be grateful for more opinions please.

While I love the MGM, if the price is the same, I think you%26#39;d enjoy the bigger room at TI. I%26#39;ve seen a lot of reviews saying it%26#39;s not a bad hotel. (please do a search to verify for yourself) I like bigger, so I%26#39;d choose the suite over a deluxe room. Then after you wake up, get your butt down to the MGM and have a great time.....lol

TI has a better location IMO - near the FS Mall, Mirage, Wynn, Venetian .Short walk to Forum shoppes , close to Casino Royale ! Go with the Suite.

I like the smaller feel of the TI - short walk to the elevator, etc. the casino is good if you play table games - VP and Slots seem tighter than other places. We liked the Buffet - its not a huge selection but decent for the price with a good Asian food section - not many dessert selections though.

I would take the Petite Suite at Treasure Island... I have heard great things about them. I personally like both locations in different ways... one is farther north than center strip, and then MGM is on the south end, but they are surrounded by plenty to see. So, unless you have a big preference for a part of the strip, I would go for the suite for sure.

I have been to TI twice and have always enjoyed it. The location is better than MGM anyways.

If you plan on doing any shopping at all, you would probably enjoy being next to Fashion Show Mall - TI. If you want more of a nightlife without it being over the top busy than take MGM, if you notice most of the famous night spots are north strip but there is still great night spots on the south side without all the fake hype.

wow this is some really good feedback here!

thanx