Las Vegas guide and MSE thread 2011

jadamcp

Is it too early to look at Gigs and Concerts for next March.

We'd like to see either Elton John or Rod Stewart but couldn't find anything on Caesars website, nor on a lot of other sites.

We are also looking at Carriage House or Ballys on 17th for a week but prices are high due to St patricks day and/or March madness.

In your experience is it likely to drop ? We usually book flight and accomodation with Expedia but decided to take the gamble this time with the hotel after booking BA flights directly with BA.

nvh

ferf1223 wrote: »

Harrah's is 6 months, not 12...

woops, lol, i knew that!

right, well done a bit of interweb scouring - not sure if anyone is interested in this but in case you are

!!!!!!:
Tier Credits expire one year after they are earned. The minimum amount of Tier Credits required to qualify for tier benefits must be maintained on a 12 month basis. Visit the M life Players Club in the casino or mlife.com to view your current Tier Credit balance.

Pointplay - couldn't find detail regarding pointplay expiry

Freeplay - if redeemed from pointplay, expires 18months after redemption

Hurrahs:
Reward Credits are valid as long as at least one (1) Reward Credit is obtained every six (6) months. If no Reward Credits are obtained within a six-month period, the entire Reward Credit account balance will expire.

Wynncore:
Points are valid for 12 months from the date earned. Unused points that exceed 12 months in age will be retired from red card accounts without notice


Incidently, why is !!!!!! so... dare i say... over-complicated?! Free Play, Point Play, Express comps, something called HGS... tier credits and so on!?

nvh

incidently, when i was scouring the Wynn website for details of their red card expiry stuff (what a nightmare that was), I stumbled across this summers "Taste of Wynn" menus - dunno if it's been mentioned here before but here you go anyways:

http://www.wynnlasvegas.com/dining/summertime-taste-of-wynn

ferf1223

March

nvh wrote: »

!!!!!!:
Tier Credits expire one year after they are earned. The minimum amount of Tier Credits required to qualify for tier benefits must be maintained on a 12 month basis. Visit the M life Players Club in the casino or mlife.com to view your current Tier Credit balance.

That's tier credits though...different thing to what you're asking about I think? Tier credits aren't the points that you can use to buy stuff...they determine which tier in the program you are on (same with HET - but HET tier credits are based on a calendar year - as of 1st Jan they go away).

<LI class=number>The date on which an M life member earns the minimum amount of tier credits required to qualify for corresponding tier benefits is the tier anniversary date. The minimum tier credits must be maintained for each 12 month period after the tier anniversary date in order for the member to maintain eligibility for applicable tier benefits. Members must redeem tier benefits within 12 months following the tier anniversary date or will forfeit such benefits.
So if you earned enough points to go up a tier on 1st March 2011...you would stay at that tier until 28th Feb 2010 if you do not, in the intervening year, earn enough points to requalify...at which point you would go back down a tier.

Same with HET platinum/diamond - but calendar year there - you have to earn enough points in any given calendar year. I kind of like that better as we don't have to remember when we qualified for platinum.

For points that you can actually use for something...

<LI class=number>A member's accumulated points or Express Comps™ may be subject to forfeiture if the member's M life account does not reflect any gaming activity for a period of 12 months.
So also 12 months...but different kind of credits.

HET and MGM are pretty similar now I think - just that HET doesn't have the convert points to PointPlay. Express Comps are basically the same as redeeming HET reward credits for stuff I think - they just gave it a name...so where you use your points at a shop/restaurant/show to buy something. At least this is how I think it works.

PointPlay is, based on our experience, the option to turn your points into FreePlay to use on a machine...that isn't something Total Rewards offers. You just do it at the machine at MGM properties...we had a ridiculous run of luck in turning our PointPlay into FreePlay last trip.

I haven't actually worked out if you use say 200 points to turn into FreePlay (via PointPlay)...does that then impact your Express Comps...or are they completely separate...I assume it's one pot - you can choose to use the points toward FreePlay or Starbucks or whatever (it seems we always use our MGM comps for Starbucks) or any combination...but maybe not...maybe they are separate pots.

You can also get FreePlay via hotel offers, etc...

I do think that MGM makes it overly complicated...but at least they make an effort...I think that Wynn keeps things a bit too close to their chest - other than FreePlay which you can check at a machine.

nvh

Yeah, sorry, included tier credits just for Hell of it on that one cos it was all bundled together. I still don't see why pointplay and freeplay get separated so much when they're effectively the same thing, tho suppose like you say it allows them to give freeplay as part of a promotion knowing they can kill it after 18mths.

Traincrashing

November / December

ferf1223 wrote: »

You actually officially pay the rest when you check out.

It also gives you the freedom to keep an eye out for better deals along the way...but gives you the comfort of knowing you have something locked in at a rate you are happy with...that's why so many here do it this way. I do understand liking to pay as much as you can in advance though...we try to do whatever we can that way...I find it somewhat depressing to get a credit card bill after the holiday with loads of holiday stuff on it...only because it reminds me that it's over and done with.

I'm a bit confused about the whole holding money on your card thing. Would you be able to explain this? When I give my card in at check in do they just hold the money for the rest of the stay until I check out, or do they hold more money than that? Also, how long is this held for before I can use that money again? Haven't really had to do all this by myself before so I'm a bit lost!

vegasvisitor

September

nvh wrote: »

nuts, now i have food on my brain! - this may be of use too: (taken from and almagamated from here: http://www.vegasmessageboard.com/forums/showthread.php?t=62914 ) - note that the list is from February so is no doubt already out of date! - hopefully the abbreviations are decipherable to most people here

List of Happy Hour Food Deals:

Glad to see Maggiano's on the list. Enjoyed this happy hour 2 nights in a row on our last trip. Nice cheap appetizers and good martinis!!! We'll be back!

ferf1223

March

Traincrashing wrote: »

I'm a bit confused about the whole holding money on your card thing. Would you be able to explain this? When I give my card in at check in do they just hold the money for the rest of the stay until I check out, or do they hold more money than that? Also, how long is this held for before I can use that money again? Haven't really had to do all this by myself before so I'm a bit lost!

In general, they take a swipe of your card when you check in and block off an amount equal to the total for your reservation (so total room fees + resort fees + tax) less the deposit you paid initially...so they pre-authorise that amount - so you can't spend it...that way the hotel knows they will be able to charge your card at the end of your stay.

Most hotels also have an additional amount they will hold for incidentals - it varies by property...but generally between $100 and $200/night. This amount is also held/blocked from the available credit/funds on your card. When you check out, they will bill your card for the actual balance due and any surplus hold will be released. How long is, I think (?) down to your card issuer...but I have heard people say it can be 7-10 days before the hold clears.

Some hotels will take a cash deposit rather than taking a credit card hold...usually a much smaller amount - I know some here have said $100 total vs. $100/night...but usually it means you give up some options to charge to your room...which isn't an issue for some.

Traincrashing

November / December

Thanks very much that's very helpful as I had no idea at all about any of that.

MariaC

October

Hi All
Quick question - have any of you eaten at Roy's on East Flamingo Rd?
We are considering it for our post Wedding dinner. We were going to eat at Top of the World @ the Strat but after pricing it up it worked out at well over £100 per head :eek:.
I know Roy's is a chain but the type of food really appeals to me & H2B, and prices seem reasonable.
The reviews on Trip Advisor, Yelp & Open Table are all very favourable too.