Las Vegas guide and MSE thread 2018

Triker

Aha, good to meet you again.
Yep, jet lag been horrendous here too. I remember your hubby saying about your previous experience. Sorry I couldn't catch up on way back, I was stressed by the debacle of getting my daughter a wheelchair on the way back.

Small world eh? Hope you both had a great Vegas experience.

That crying infant for 9 hours on the way back didn't help!

Seldom_Seen_Kid

The trip that turned in to a pool holiday - 10 nights 4th May to 14th May.



Flight. Flew Thomas Cook. Friday to Monday for £350.00. We also had a £100 voucher, following a suggestion / complaint from last year, so £300.00 each. Nothing to report really. Flights departed and arrived on time, and we got there safely and smoothly. We have flown them many times, and know that anything extra cost (e.g. a decent selection of films cost £5.00 each way to upgrade).



Hotel. MGM Signature in a one bedroom suite. Friday 4th to Sunday 6th was originally about £600.00 as there was a boxing match on. However, the boxing was cancelled and we paid £297.00 with $75.00 resort credit. We were in Tower 3 in 11-821. We love tower 3, and 821 is our preferred room - the end of the corridor and a strip view. The one bedroom suite was at 109% occupancy for the weekend, so had to accept floor 11. On Sunday, as loads checked out, we switched to 36-821. 36th floor meant there was much less road noise, and superb views. We love the MGM Signature for many reasons, one being the fact we can eat cheaply and healthily at breakfast (porridge and scramble eggs). Cost for the 8 nights 6th to 14th was 80,000 avios. [Disclaimer I know this is not the best use of avios, but this was about spending as little cash as possible whilst still having our preferred room type in our preferred hotel].



Buffets. MGM, Mirage, Aria and Bellagio free via myvegas and resort credit. We had a Groupon for Paris, which came to £33.00. Quality seems to slightly slip every year, but all in all we were both satisfied with what we had eaten. In my opinion, maybe due to the £:$ rate, they are now overpriced for what you receive (assuming you pay full price). I also wonder if people are visiting them less. The sq m of a few has been decreased over the years, with Paris being smaller than last year.



Gambling. We do not really, maybe $20 each a night. We play mainly for a laugh and the drinks. We did finish up $108 according to mlife. We always enjoy MGM. MC in the past has been fun, but it lacked people / atmosphere this trip. NYNY was where we had the most fun this trip. The only other thing to note, is that we were refused alcoholic drinks in Aria as we only had $5 in the machine. Apparently you need a minimum of $10 in the machine.



Weather. It was sticky. 33 to 40 deg c and sunny from landing to Friday 11th. Basically, we had a pool holiday - for 7 days we spent the morning and early afternoon by the pool. We like pool 2, but it does not get the sun till 11:30, so we would start the morning off at pool 1. We hardly went anywhere - imagine a loop of Signature, MGM, NYNY, and then the MC, Aria, Bellagio tram. Basically, a walk to work up an appetite for the evening buffet, whilst staying indoors so that I did not sweat too much in my evening attire.



Shopping. Saturday 12th and Sunday 13th at 27 and 29 deg c felt a lot nicer to get about. LV is not great for me shopping, mainly due to the brands I wear, so it is always selective. I always like a trip to South Outlet, as we can do it pretty quickly and it never seems crazily busy. I always seem to drop on a bargain pair of trainers, and this year was no different. Fashion Show Mall and Forum Shops contain my favourite shop / sports brand in lululemon.Their leggings are incredible, although they are expensive. However, 25% instructor discount does help.



Random.
Go Knights Go. Friday 4th May we found ourselves, fighting jetlag / the urge to sleep, sat in the park next to the arena. The game was to start soon, and despite not being interested in sport, the atmosphere was incredible. DJ, stage, mascot, cheerleaders etc.



Luxor birthday wheel. Just a reminder for anyone being in LV on their birthday, to attend the mlife desk where they spin a wheel and you receive freeplay. Last year I got $5 and won $190 off it. This year I won $10 and won $0 off it.



Foundation Room at MB. No need for the myvegas reward. There is often a lady at the bottom of the escalator near House of Blues who will pop you on the guest list for free entry. $8 a bottle of bud, but the view is fantastic.



MC / Park MGM pool area. Considering last year it was a big hole / building site, I was interested to see what it looked like (admittedly only viewing from the tram station). I have to say I was disappointed. Considering they had a blank canvas, it did not look that special. It appeared to be more function over style.



Weekend break. We talked to a couple who had flown in on Friday and home again on the Monday. I love LV, but jetlag hates me.I have no idea what to write, as the concept cannot be processed.



Summary. Reading back it sounds dull, and that we did not do very much. I can confirm that we did not do very much, but we had a fantastic time. Every time we go to LV we have a very different experience / holiday, and that is probably the reason we go at least once a year.

StuieUK34

Triker/Seldom
Good reports guys!!!
I will make sure I do 1 this year, as I didn't make 1 last year as I was/still am !!!!!! that I cant post photos as photobucket charge!


We do our Dublin flight tomorrow, then DUB-LHR-LAS on Friday (noted about the connections Stoneman)

Looking forward to our trip (again) !

Brats64

Nice to read a couple of trip reports, it helps get you in the mood.

Seldom seen Kid..The great thing about going back to Vegas many times is you dont always have to be doing stuff.To us its just great being in Vegas on holiday.We take our time now and only do what we want, when we want.

Dont feel the need to be charging all over the place when we have done most things before.

Brats64

Stuie....enjoy you trip.

Dont forget the cooking oil.:rotfl:

bobbyhibs

hi
and thanks for the detailed trip report seldom seen kid!
and it doesn't seem dull at all!

StuieUK34

Brats64 wrote: »

Stuie....enjoy you trip.

Dont forget the cooking oil.:rotfl:

hehe ! I got 4 tubs of the Hawaiian Tropic !
x3 Factor 4 oil & x1 Factor 2 oil....
Trip to Wal-Mart will see some vegetable oil thrown in !

nvh

StuieUK34 wrote: »

I cant post photos as photobucket charge!

https://imgbb.com/
or
http://tinypic.com/

StuieUK34

cheers nvh


Quick update..
BA 747 plane from LHR - LAS = NEVER AGAIN !!!!!
Plane was delayed on runway, plane was baking hot!! and we were sat on the wing too.... The peeps at the back cabin, even hotter!!!!
Eventually it became comfortable for us, but if u walked to back cabin, they had it like a sauna!!!

The plane IFE, LOL! on average, your mobile phone screen is bigger/better to watch something on!
Choice was shocking, and I mean shocking!!! Lucky I had my laptop!
The plane looked and felt fresh out of the factory, from 1983 !!!!!
Worst plane I have ever been on, even leg room compared to our Ryanair flight sucked!!!

Landed in Vegas, queued...... got to baggage, waited...... and waited........
Then went to baggage services.... "ahh, sorry Sir, your case is in London still".... !!!!!! !!!!
Had to go get my bag from the airport the following evening,

Had Nightingale Suite in Park MGM for 3 nights, had some fun on the slots & tables.... Won a handpay of $1639 , the guys filled out the forms for me so I didn't have to reclaim the tax thing..... Went to bed $3400 richer on Sat night.... Went to bed $1200 poorer on Sunday night ! haha !! I wont learn!

Just got to MGM Grand today, $50 sandwich = 1 bedtown Tower Suite!

oh, and Hire Car.....................
We booked a normal midsize car with Hertz (5* gold), so despite being a suitcase short , tired and angry, I put on a smile when we got to the garage for Hertz.....

Garage guy owns a R35 Skyline, and I have an R34, so that helped with some bonding chat and photo showing!! shook his hand with a $20, and he let us drive out in the Dodge Challenger BumbleBee !!
6.4L 485bhp awesome beasty machine! the noise, blows the Camero SS away easy peasy!! Hard acceleration gets the wheels spinning without traction, its great !!!!!!

off to the baseball game now

bobbyhibs

hi
and thanks for the update i guess *live*(ish?) sei trip report stuie, I just love hearing how you wheel and deal and what you get upto !!

sorry to hear about your flight and bags, is there a way to complain and get soetihng weather its points or something?

As regards the gambiling i sooo understand ! When my brother and I first went to vegas my mum told me 2 things-1. dont get married and 2 dont gamble everything within the first hour!! :rotfl: