Las Vegas thread and MSE guide 2009 part 2

focus888

ferf1223 wrote: »

You don't say where you're flying from, if it's direct, which hotel you're looking at with the packages (or at least what level of hotel)...so...really hard to say...also not sure what classifies as 'around Christmas time'...is that over Christmas? Before? After? In general the run up to Christmas is the slowest time of the year in Vegas so lots of great hotel deals to be had booking direct...it starts getting expensive closer to NYE so again, depends on your specifics. Start by checking prices for flights for your preferred dates...then look at the links on page 1 about hotel deals to see booking flights and hotel individually compares to booking together.

Thanks for your reply i was looking to go around 22nd and come back on the 27th so i just miss xmas have had a look around and the prices vary from site to site but most go for around £700-£900 per person but i saw one site for around £550, this was on dream usa site. Has anyone used that site before? it seems so much cheaper than the other sites so was scared it might be a scam or something have never booked a holiday by myself before. Anyway we would be flying out from London and i was looking at staying at TI. But that was just an idea the hotel doesnt have to be TI as long as its in the middle of the strip.

How much spending money do you think we would need each if we are only going for 5 nights x

davidmcg2u

September

Hi guys,

For anyone who'll be in Vegas on 6th March 2010 Bon Jovi will be playing at the MGM Grand Garden Arena.

We seen them there in March 2008 & it was a superb show in a great arena.

Not sure exactly when the public sale takes place but no doubt will be available through www.Ticketmaster.com at some point.

Alternatively you can join the fanclub for pre-sales etc but minimum that will cost you is $50 but I know from previous experince they get really good tickets allocated to them.

Cheers

Stew68

davidmcg2u wrote: »

Hi guys,

For anyone who'll be in Vegas on 6th March 2010 Bon Jovi will be playing at the MGM Grand Garden Arena.

We seen them there in March 2008 & it was a superb show in a great arena.

Not sure exactly when the public sale takes place but no doubt will be available through www.Ticketmaster.com at some point.

Alternatively you can join the fanclub for pre-sales etc but minimum that will cost you is $50 but I know from previous experince they get really good tickets allocated to them.

Cheers

Mmmmmm, I was planning for a late March trip again but that might just make me change my plans, never been to a rock concert before but going to my first one in just over two weeks at Madison Square Gardens, Bruce Springsteen and the E street band.

Might have a look at flights later......

Thanks for posting.

Stew

stoneman

September

Stew68 wrote: »

Madison Square Gardens, Bruce Springsteen and the E street band.

Take a good book;)

davidmcg2u

September

Ignore the heading don't know what happened there - sorry!

For anyone looking to bag a late flight deal Thomas Cook have flights/flydrive for under £300 from Manchester on 4th Nov for 1 week.

They also had flights/accom at Mardi Gras for £399 last night but it mysteriously disappeared as I was just about to post it on here.

Yeah I know it's Thomas Cook/My Travel but sub £300 is ok if someone is looking for late deal IMO. Price includes meals & 20kg which isn't loads but is enough for us for a week TBH.

ferf1223

October , November

focus888 wrote: »

Thanks for your reply i was looking to go around 22nd and come back on the 27th so i just miss xmas have had a look around and the prices vary from site to site but most go for around £700-£900 per person but i saw one site for around £550, this was on dream usa site. Has anyone used that site before? it seems so much cheaper than the other sites so was scared it might be a scam or something have never booked a holiday by myself before. Anyway we would be flying out from London and i was looking at staying at TI. But that was just an idea the hotel doesnt have to be TI as long as its in the middle of the strip.

How much spending money do you think we would need each if we are only going for 5 nights x

If you can shift your dates to the 24th-29th netflights.com have a sale on Delta flights to Vegas for £393. So assuming 2 people travelling - £550*2=£1100 for the cheapest package you've found. £393*2=£786...leaving you £314 or about $100/night average for 5 nights. Plenty of mid-strip options for that sort of money that time of year...even just looking at Harrah's hot deals Flamingo, Harrahs, Imperial Palace and Ballys are all at or below that even with a Friday and Saturday night stay...not quite as nice properties as TI overall, but mid-strip locations and decent enough.

By all means, try dreamusa - but when I had a look - you don't book online, you make a 'request'...then they call you back. May be absolutely fine, but given that it only tells you what airline - not what flights, and the price is a lot less than you've seen elsewhere, I'd be moderately suspicious...also given that it says 'All prices are subject to availability'...that leads me to think that oh, lookie there, that price isn't available for your dates, sorry, but we can offer you this other package...can't hurt to call them though.

And just to be sure - many shows will be dark at Christmas, and it may be very cold - it won't be pool weather, that's for sure. Seems a lot of people think Vegas is hot hot hot year round, so just thought I would mention it.

trets77

Scazza wrote: »

First time poster here! Would just like to say what an excellent thread, it's helped me alot when booking my trip to Vegas! Just want to post a breif overview of preparations I have made so far and if I should consider anything else!

Me & a friend are off to Vegas on Nov 7th for 5 nights! We are massive poker players, we play alot so are looking forward to playing in Vegas and watching the November 9 of the World Series of Poker in the Rio!

I booked our package through Expedia.co.uk, we fly from Gatwick (11.35am) with US Airlines, we change in Charlotte. We arrive in Vegas at 6pm (Las Vegas Time). We have 5 nights stay in the Bellagio and we piad £550 each. Which I thought was pretty reasonable!

I am definatelty going to be trying the $20 bill trick, hopefully it will work, the Bellagio seems to have a high success rate. but with the World Series of Poker Final Table taking place when we are staying it may not be as successfull as I'm sure there will be plenty of people about!

I am going to opening a Nationwide Basic Bank Account for Cash Withdrawals whilst over there (as I see that this account is not charged the 1%, only the FlexAccount is charged) using any Cirrus Cash Machine, which according to MasterCard/Cirrus website there are plenty about on the Bellagio's doorstep! I am hoping that this is the case! As I have looked at exchnage rates, at the moment it's 1.6573, but the best currency exchange rate I can get is with Online FX at 1.6018. I know for a fact that you get a better rate from banks if using a cash card.

I have taken out an Abbey Zero Credit Card for Purchases out there as they are 0%.

Has anyone on the forum here been to Vegas to just play Poker?! If so it would be great if you could give me some tips/hints of where the best Cash Games/Tournaments are!

Not long now, I'm like a kid at christmas I am that excited!

hey sorry i have not posted for while folks , been working hard and have just had a trip to London and then Alton Towers with my Niece .


Most casnio ATM's do charge for withdrawals , i think the Walgreens ATM and the Casino Royal ATM are cheapest at $1 .

also beware a little trap we fell into with ATM's . some display your available balance in $ and some in £ , and don't indicate which .


As for Poker , I'm sure you have seen the link on post 1 , but here it is again

http://www.allvegaspoker.com/


before you leave print off this Tournament schedule
http://www.allvegaspoker.com/tournaments.php


you of course need to find your level in terms of price and players . unless your very rich and very good i would stay clear of The Bellagio . my personal Fav is Harrahs poker room

Good price , not flashy , good tournament structure , and great location . but you might find somewhere else more to your liking .

Good luck and have a great trip :beer:

ferf1223

October , November

trets77 wrote: »

Most casnio ATM's do charge for withdrawals , i think the Walgreens ATM and the Casino Royal ATM are cheapest at $1 .

We had trouble with the one at Casino Royale - using our FairFX card it just wouldn't process the transaction after we selected the amount we wanted to withdraw (which was below the machine limit) just kept telling us that it couldn't complete the transaction or something like that. Tried it at Bally's shortly thereafter - same amount, same PIN and worked fine...at a $4.99 fee.

As for the balance thing - we took withdrawals 2 consecutive days and got receipts both times. In both cases, the balance showing on the receipt was the same...so...I would just pretty much discount any balance a US ATM shows.

davidmcg2u

September

Stew68 wrote: »

Mmmmmm, I was planning for a late March trip again but that might just make me change my plans, never been to a rock concert before but going to my first one in just over two weeks at Madison Square Gardens, Bruce Springsteen and the E street band.

Might have a look at flights later......

Thanks for posting.

Stew

Just a warning, they are doing 5 nights at O2 in London & I just tried to get some tickets as I was looking to go down for 1 of them.

The good seats are £200 - were £100 last time. So far they're doing 1 night in Vegas so I'd expect good tickets to be very pricey - shocking if you ask me!!

Needless to say I will not pay that amount of money - £100 is my limit.

funkyfin2000

May

Hey guys,

Been a while since I have been on this thread....but I do still lurk!

Looks like I may have another trip (third time) to Vegas coming up in 2011!!!!

A stag do this time!

I am looking at Early April 2011 for about 8-10 people.

I can't book flights/hotel this far ahead at the moment but I have been looking at general costs/flights etc...

Looks like I can get something on Lastminute.com for about £450 inc flight and something like a 2 star hotel, Stratosphere/Golden Nugget etc.....

Has anyone got any experience of booking large groups? Will i get a better deal calling places direct? opdodo? last minute etc?

When will flights be available for April 2011? About Jan/Feb 2010 I guess.....

Any help on large bookings grateful!

Rich