The Las Vegas Thread and MSE guide

tingtong

trets77 wrote: »

I've booked Death Valley up , by the way , you have to try everything once . looks like only 5 nights in Vegas now . as we have decided to do San Fran and Yosemite as well as LA and Death Valley before LV

Sounds like a similar trip to ours in July / August. Vegas 3 nights, Death Valley, Kings Canyon & Sequoia NPs, Yosemite, 3 nights San Fran. As we only have 12 nights we are then flying back to Vegas for the last 3 nights (only £28 each). Will have to to Pacific Coast Highway next time !

Whereabouts did you book into for Death Valley ?

Also, you are probably aware but www.roadtripamerica.com is a great website for planning roadtrips.

Steff

July

Trowel wrote: »

Is it also worth you also adding the World Series of Poker (WSOP) which takes place at the Rio this year from May 28 to July 17. As usual offers are running through the whole Harrah's chain for players, so they're likely to be heavily booked.

..... Looking to fly in on Fri 11th July and hang around to experience WSOP for a day - do you have any experience of Vegas during WSOP Trets?

Hi Trowel,
I know Im not trets, but I do have experience of being in Vegas (and staying at the Rio) for the wsop, so thought I would share my experience.

Its usually the main event that makes The Rio turn into a mad house - they have planned for in excess of 8,000 players for that event alone this year, so it does get busy, but the size of the place absorbs this and it doesnt feel that bad! The main event starts on 3/7 and there are x4 Day Ones (up to 2,000 players per day) so by the time you get there - 11/7 - it should have dramatically calmed down as it will be about Day Four and there wont be that many players left....

If you are wanting to see some action inside the Amazon Room (which is where the events are held) then BEWARE as security last year was extremely tight (my other half was actually playing and I wasnt allowed in to watch!) - In 2005 it was basically walk anywhere you like when you like. Now they have security guards on every door and it is VERY strict. If you can get hold of a media pass then great - if you cant then you have to queue and access is sometimes limited to the TV Table ONLY where you can sometimes see some famous names (access is restriced everywhere else - which isnt good if you want to see how your other halves chip stack is coming along).

They also hold a huge poker exhibition in the room adjoining the Amazon Room and its usually great to go get lots of freebies and there are always poker players signing t-shirts/chips etc. Its definately worth taking a look if you're into the game.

As trets says - contrary to other times of the year - the flights to vegas in June/July NEVER go down - only up (in my experience anyway), so book now to avoid paying in excess of £1,000 for an indirect flight. and also - beware the Manchester to Vegas "direct" My Travel flight (which is now Thomas Cook) as it is definately NOT direct and touches down in Glasgow or Belfast to pick up (usually on the tarmac for an hour AT LEAST) it better to get a connection at least then you are not stuck in your seat (and believe me the pitch size is not great!).

Cant think of much else really - as trets says - its not that big compared to other events in Vegas.

Thinking about it, the best day to go for the sights would be the charity event that Don Cheadle arranges (I think they are doing it again this year) as all the big poker names play in that as well as huge stars such as Mat Damon, Ben Afflek etc. Brad Pitt & George Clooney were supposed to be there last year, but couldnt make it at the last minute, so they may be there this year instead. Some of the poker players make huge entrances - for example Phil Helmuth arrived with about eight blonde ladies dressed in black lycra jump suits with music playing in the background - very cheesy but fun to see.

I would recommend checking out the wsop just for the atmosphere - it really is something else. If you can get into the amazon room in the early days of the main event then imagine at least two football pitches filled with poker tables and the shuffling of chips and the buzz & excitement in the air - its rather unique.

Hope you get sorted & hope some of this info helps you!
S;)

wdyw

Steff wrote: »

As trets says - contrary to other times of the year - the flights to vegas in June/July NEVER go down - only up (in my experience anyway), so book now to avoid paying in excess of £1,000 for an indirect flight. and also - beware the Manchester to Vegas "direct" My Travel flight (which is now Thomas Cook) as it is definately NOT direct and touches down in Glasgow or Belfast to pick up (usually on the tarmac for an hour AT LEAST) it better to get a connection at least then you are not stuck in your seat (and believe me the pitch size is not great!).


S;)

Funny that on the 6 or 7 times that we have used the Mytravel flight in the last couple of years we have NEVER EVER stopped at Belfast or Glasgow. In fact has it ever stopped in Belfast given that the Belfast-Vegas flight only commences later this year for the first time? so to say it definItely stops in either Glasgow/Belfast is just not true. Maybe we just get lucky with getting always managing to get the direct flight ;-)

Lasy year we were in vegas while VSOP was on - would never have known if we hadn't gone to see a bit of it.

trets - don't forget that the pass acorss the mountains through Yosemite will almost certainly still be closed when you go next so I'd say go around the south and get sequioia as well as Yosemite rather than heading around via Reno.

gt568

September

wdyw wrote: »

Lasy year we were in vegas while VSOP was on - would never have known if we hadn't gone to see a bit of it.

Exactely the same as us, only realised it was on when we went to the Rio for the seafodd buffet. Which btw I thought was pretty rubbish, though we did have some 2for1 coupons.

trets77

April

tingtong wrote: »

Sounds like a similar trip to ours in July / August. Vegas 3 nights, Death Valley, Kings Canyon & Sequoia NPs, Yosemite, 3 nights San Fran. As we only have 12 nights we are then flying back to Vegas for the last 3 nights (only £28 each). Will have to to Pacific Coast Highway next time !

Whereabouts did you book into for Death Valley ?

Also, you are probably aware but www.roadtripamerica.com is a great website for planning roadtrips.

thanks for that site :beer: , i usually do my planning by reading up paper and ink books at work ect . we have booked the Furnace Creek Ranch ( Inn was just too pricey for what it was) . i'm really looking forward to it , want to try some pony trekking , i hear they offer and maybe take on a reasonably easy hike if i'm feeling brave. but it will just be great to experiance one of the worlds most inhospital landscapes in the flesh :cool: .



i think we had established in the old thread that the My Travel flights stop at Glasgow on a few trips in the summer months only. with Steff going at these times every year she probably always gets lumbered . while wydw misses this little detour . it is not well advertised on the site but all you needed to do ( on the old MY TRAVEL at least) was check when there were flights from Glasgow , as this meant the flight on the same day from Manchester stopped to pick them up.

no doubt this also puts futher upward pressure on the prices :mad: . if it is the same this year i don't know , i have not bothered to look on site since i found out they had cancelled 2 months of flights for start of 2008. will take look for you all when i get a chance.

gt568

September

trets77 wrote: »

thanks for that site :beer: , i usually do my planning by reading up paper and ink books at work ect . we have booked the Furnace Creek Ranch ( Inn was just too pricey for what it was) . i'm really looking forward to it , want to try some pony trekking , i hear they offer and maybe take on a reasonably easy hike if i'm feeling brave. but it will just be great to experiance one of the worlds most inhospital landscapes in the flesh :cool: .

I had to visit Nellis in a working capacity a couple of years ago and we had a "jolly" out to Death Valley. Awesome, really amazing environment, different to the other deserts I've been to, middle east and Afghanistan. Well worth the visit. I wouldn't put it on a par with the Grand Canyon in the wow factor, but it's definately something thats visiting and something that far less people visit.

Steff

July

wdyw wrote: »

Funny that on the 6 or 7 times that we have used the Mytravel flight in the last couple of years we have NEVER EVER stopped at Belfast or Glasgow. In fact has it ever stopped in Belfast given that the Belfast-Vegas flight only commences later this year for the first time? so to say it definItely stops in either Glasgow/Belfast is just not true. Maybe we just get lucky with getting always managing to get the direct flight ;-)

Lasy year we were in vegas while VSOP was on - would never have known if we hadn't gone to see a bit of it.

trets - don't forget that the pass acorss the mountains through Yosemite will almost certainly still be closed when you go next so I'd say go around the south and get sequioia as well as Yosemite rather than heading around via Reno.

Hi wdyw,
My comments were meant for trowel about being in Vegas during the wsop - therefore my reference to the "indirect advertised as direct" MyTravel flights were only for those during this time (June/July) and, as trets has kindly confirmed, this is indeed the case on some of these flights during summer months and is therefore true.

Last year the MyTravel flight that I was on stopped in Glasgow and when I last checked (at end of 2007) for flights during the wsop for this year - they were stopping in Belfast.

I HAVENT BOTHERED CHECKING SINCE as I am flying with BMI this year so it isnt a concern for me - just a warning for trowel really to beware as MyTravel certainly didnt advertise the fact - I have no experience of how Thomas Cook deal with it - but I do think its a valid consideration to bear in mind when deciding which airline to fly with and which price to pay.

Hope this clarifies

My_Fathers_Daughter

Steff wrote: »

Hi wdyw,
My comments were meant for trowel about being in Vegas during the wsop - therefore my reference to the "indirect advertised as direct" MyTravel flights were only for those during this time (June/July) and, as trets has kindly confirmed, this is indeed the case on some of these flights during summer months and is therefore true.

Last year the MyTravel flight that I was on stopped in Glasgow and when I last checked (at end of 2007) for flights during the wsop for this year - they were stopping in Belfast.

I HAVENT BOTHERED CHECKING SINCE as I am flying with BMI this year so it isnt a concern for me - just a warning for trowel really to beware as MyTravel certainly didnt advertise the fact - I have no experience of how Thomas Cook deal with it - but I do think its a valid consideration to bear in mind when deciding which airline to fly with and which price to pay.

Hope this clarifies

Steff - I have done this MyTravel flight in June / July twice and it has been direct Manchester to Vegas both times - I think you may have been unlucky on your trips, this is certainly not my experience and you may be unintentionally misleading people.

ferf1223

March

My_Fathers_Daughter wrote: »

Steff - I have done this MyTravel flight in June / July twice and it has been direct Manchester to Vegas both times - I think you may have been unlucky on your trips, this is certainly not my experience and you may be unintentionally misleading people.

There are plenty of reports on the web about the 'direct' MyTravel flights stopping in Glasgow - and plenty of people who were shocked to find this out enroute. It's not all flights (we looked into this before and it seems like it was the Wednesday flights in June/July - maybe?) It's somewhere in the old thread.

I think it's something people should be made aware of in advance as in some cases, the person booking the MyTravel tickets based on the understanding that it's a direct flight may have booked with another carrier had they realised that 'direct' wasn't 'direct'.

That assumes that Thomas Cook is running things the same way...which may or may not be the case as Steff has said.

Personally, I would much rather have the red flag raised for me so I can check the details of my specific dates before I book rather than finding out when I'm on the plane that oh, hey, we're stopping in Glasgow.

Steff

July

My_Fathers_Daughter wrote: »

Steff - I have done this MyTravel flight in June / July twice and it has been direct Manchester to Vegas both times - I think you may have been unlucky on your trips, this is certainly not my experience and you may be unintentionally misleading people.

Hi - glad to hear someone got what they thought they had paid for from them!
I must just be unlucky then and for reference I flew out on a Sunday.
Hope my post didnt mislead/panick anyone BUT forewarned is forearmed as they say! Doesnt hurt to check does it?

Ferf - thanks for the corroboration - I wish someone had warned me pre-flight. The only consolation will be that this year my journey with BMI will be over in a flash - as opposed to the total of 15 HOURS on board the My Travel plane:D