Las Vegas thread and MSE guide 2009

stoneman

The Bellagio Fountains

pebblesmax wrote: »

There is supposed to be a bikini parade down Las Vegas Boulevard this Thursday morning. It is an attempt to beat the Guinness world record. We'll be going to have a look, but can't find much info about it. The only thing I can find on google is the ad for students at UNLV. they are being paid $100 each for participating.

Has anyone heard about it?

Where do I sign up!!

trets77

The Bellagio Fountains

Trets - I'm not sure if I should add to the Spice Market buffet review. The twice we've been since it changed from Alladin have been pretty mediocre. Not sure we'll bother to go back. I know I seem to be in the minority.....

wdyw wrote: »

Why would you need Trets approval to post on the Spice Market buffet? Say what you think. It's a buffet and you get what you pay for at those, if you think its one to avoid then say so!

absolutely .. say what you think . good or bad , it all helps people who have not been make a choice .

pcg2001

The Fremont street experience

mookybargirl wrote: »

For the guys who have connected via LA or San Francisco (mainly to avoid the crap Virgin plane), can you tell me what you thought? Is it worth the connection for the difference in place etc?

Trets - I'm not sure if I should add to the Spice Market buffet review. The twice we've been since it changed from Alladin have been pretty mediocre. Not sure we'll bother to go back. I know I seem to be in the minority.....

I only flew last year and wanted to enter via Las Vegas and leave via LA. We flew with United to Chicago then LV, and direct from LA to London Heathrow. This was done via Expedia. From Las Vegas we took the LuxBus which connects the hotels in Las Vegas to Hotels in Anaheim (where Disney is) since this was out actual destination for a conference, not LA. Though this was not cheap ($68 one way), it did collect from the hotels on the strip and leave at our hotel in anaheim, they had movies aboards and it was pretty confortable.
Not sure what you want to visit, but this could be an option if you haven't visited LA before.

luci

The Bellagio Fountains

ferf1223 wrote: »

Labor Day weekend is usually quite busy from what I understand as most people have the Monday off...it falls on 7th September this year.

I was going to say Bike Week is normally in September but I checked and looks like first week in October this year (when we're planning on being in town - so thanks for asking, need to research the impact of Bike Week to decide if we want to shift our dates!)

Hi

I would appreciat any info on Bike Week and we are tentatively looking at 19 September to 2 October and I did notice hotel prices are more expensive for the last few days.

sew109

The Volcano @ Mirage

mookybargirl wrote: »

For the guys who have connected via LA or San Francisco (mainly to avoid the crap Virgin plane), can you tell me what you thought? Is it worth the connection for the difference in place etc?

Trets - I'm not sure if I should add to the Spice Market buffet review. The twice we've been since it changed from Alladin have been pretty mediocre. Not sure we'll bother to go back. I know I seem to be in the minority.....

I have done both many times last time was LAX in January. Going back it does not matter whether its LAX or SFO both easy and quick, SFO is probably a bit more relaxed and quieter than LAX but LAX has better options for nosh ;-)

Coming in SFO is better than LAX unless you are flying AA as the AA terminal is I believe the only one that has immigration so you get off the plane and go straight on to a bus airside to immigartion. It only takes about 10 mins and then you can get a bus or walk back with your luggage, last time we walked back with our luggage and still made a 47 minute connection.

SFO is easier coming in as you are in the same building all ready and just walk round and there are loads and loads of desks SFO is a newer airport but in a nutshell I would go which ever route had the timings that suited me the best.

I will never fly with Virgin in Coach again and not in Prem unless they price the seats more realitsically

ferf1223

The Bellagio Fountains

This was posted at Open Vegas in case it helps anyone.

Celebrate 25 years of Cirque Du Soleil!
Buy one ticket and bring a friend for only $25

Call 1-866-934-8893 for tickets and info!

joebob

Katykat wrote: »

Next instalment
We did have a dabble on the machines, mostly as we were passing through, which of course you can't avoid. I forgot to mention that only 3 of us ate at Mandalay Bay. Son & Gf got tickets to watch the Hatton fight in Mandalay arena on large screen. $50 each. Good job they didn't pay the $750 MGM wanted for the live fight.
4th day went to Venetian for breakfast, in the food court, which wasn't brilliant, but the Venetian itself is fantastic. Had a relaxing afternoon by the pool with OH whilst the younger ones had a flutter in MGM casino. Son won $70, & lost it all . Thats LV though.
Dinner in Paris ( I think its called Il Cafe???) was great. $12.99 for fillet steak. I really enjoyed it. We spent the rest of the night in the duelling piano bar. This was top class entertainment. Those guys really rocked the place ( made a pot of cash too).
Next day- monday was Grand canyon day. What can I say!!!!!!Booked with Scenic/Papillon. Picked up by luxury coach & taken to Boulder City where we flew by light airplane( not my favourite ride) to GC. Then helicopter through the South rim & bus tour to Bright Angel lodge viewing point. There were some real boneheads who insisted on perching right on the edge for photo's. My heart was in my mouth. We had the aussie actress Jackie Woodburne ( Susan Kennedy from Neighbours) on our trip, her friend had a serious bout of travel sickness & missed quite a lot. Felt really sorry for her.
After that tiring day, could only stagger to Fiamma in MGM for dinner, but boy was it worth it.
Last day we split up & did bits of shopping ( got a fabulous handbag in Miracle mile after having the full works at Spice market buffet, Mmmmm. Youngers tried the roller coaster at NY NY. I didn't!!!!
Booked a table at Gallaghers as we couldn't get in on a previous night. I have to say although we enjoyed it, I think we had built it up more than we expected. As it was our last night, we decided not to take any money home, so spent quite a few hours on the wheel of fortune. We all got really plastered with the free drinks. We won quite a bit really, but put it all back into the slot in the table. Had lots of fun though.
Home next day, & I have to say that although the flight itself was good, the B*** check in at McCarron airport was DIRE. Thomas Cook, PLEASE READ THIS. If you need to check 200+ passengers in, you need to open more than 2 desks!!!!!!. Honestly, we were all wilting. Finally about 40 mins before take off due, they finally opened 2 more, then they were rushing like maniacs trying to get us all through.
It didn't deter us though, we're definately going again, just have to start saving.

how much was the grand canyon trip..????

Froggitt

The Fremont street experience

mookybargirl wrote: »

For the guys who have connected via LA or San Francisco (mainly to avoid the crap Virgin plane), can you tell me what you thought? Is it worth the connection for the difference in place etc?

We went via SFO on the Saturday, spend Sunday doing a city tour (in summer book the one on the Segway!!!) and an Alcatraz tour, and flew to LAS on the Monday (about £50 each). Would defo recommend doing this.....in fact in summer I would do an extra day visiting a winery. However if going straight to LAS, I wouldnt bother.

yozzer2006

MGM rates to rise....

http://www.lasvegassun.com/news/2009/may/11/room-rates-rise-rock-bottom/

Some interesting comments from the new owner of TI on there too.

“I’m not going to give rooms away. That’s a heads-in-beds philosophy,” Ruffin said. “I don’t want the $50 customer.” Doesn't seem to be the right thing to say during the downturn.

sew109

The Volcano @ Mirage

yozzer2006 wrote: »

“I’m not going to give rooms away. That’s a heads-in-beds philosophy,” Ruffin said. “I don’t want the $50 customer.” Doesn't seem to be the right thing to say during the downturn.

Well what do they think will happen with rooms at TI $100 and rooms at Encore $105 tough one that ;-)