The Las Vegas Thread and MSE guide

triggerrabbit

October

ferf1223 wrote: »

I think on the power pass the only way to know if it's worth it is to go through the list of things it covers, check the prices for those things (with or without discounts available, depending on whether you would seek out the discounts) and then decide if it's value for money. Sure, if you do everything on the list it probably is, but would you?

Personally, I've never bought one as you have to buy the pass for a number of days and the price goes up each day that the pass would be valid...so it either means a day of really rushing around to get everything done or paying more for extra days.

Remember that the Star Trek Experience is available at the 1/2 price ticket booths.

Thanks ferf, when i looked further into the attractions, a lot of them i dont think i would bother with. I did the star trek experience last time, but did'nt know it was half price at the ticket booths. will have to remember for next time!
Are there booklets that we can get mailed to us here in uk or is it a case of collecting whats given to you by people on the strip or in the monorail stations.

ferf1223

March

triggerrabbit wrote: »

Are there booklets that we can get mailed to us here in uk or is it a case of collecting whats given to you by people on the strip or in the monorail stations.

Most are ones you can pick up in Vegas - back of taxis, at the monorail, sometimes you see racks of magazines various places (near the food court at O'Sheas comes to mind).

Someone previously posted that you can get this sent to the UK for free:

http://www.visitlasvegas.com/vegas/footer/contact.jsp?page=free-brochure

Not sure if it has any coupons in it.

And there are some you can print online...ex.

$4 off Madame Tussauds or 2-for-1 after 7pm.

http://www.destinationcoupons.com/nevada/Las_Vegas/Activity_Madame/Coupon.htm

And ask at the slot booths...sometimes they only hand out voucher books for new sign-ups but sometimes they will give them out just for asking.

Katykat

Well, I've checked BMI ( flight £316 + 300 tax & Sept11 security charges) and Thomas cook (£420 + £40 tax and no security charges). Whats the game? I realise the security has compromised prices, but this much? And why can Thomas Cook absorb it more. OK, I know they charge it and its hidden in the price, but even so, theres a big difference.
Incidently, this is T Cook basic price, with extras like meals, baggage, it comes to £532, but if I book the premium seats for £100 extra, all these are included. Plus you get wider seats and free drinks. The booking form asks for any promotional codes so does anyone know any? I'll also post on the voucher codes thread. I have NHS membership, so this might do hopefully.

ferf1223

March

Katykat wrote: »

Well, I've checked BMI ( flight £316 + 300 tax & Sept11 security charges) and Thomas cook (£420 + £40 tax and no security charges). Whats the game? I realise the security has compromised prices, but this much? And why can Thomas Cook absorb it more. OK, I know they charge it and its hidden in the price, but even so, theres a big difference.

I've never flown with either but from what I understand, BMI is a 'better' airline all around. I'm not sure how different airlines choose to show the tax and security charges as separate items (if I remember correctly on our Virgin flights we just booked the actual fare was something like £150 with the balance of about £280 going to taxes, etc). One other thing to look at is the baggage allowances - I know you said that you are looking at booking the TC premium package - but would almost guarantee that the baggage allowance is a lot less than BMI...BMI is 2x23kg cases per passenger unless something has changed recently. This won't matter if you travel light, but if you plan to do the sort of shopping most of us plan to do - on TC you may have a big surprise waiting for you...I've mentioned before that a guy on another board got hit with either $700 or £700 excess baggage on a flight with them!

Katykat

Thanks ferf. Not planning of going OTT on the shopping, so although 15kg would be pushing it, 20kg should suffice. Do you know if we need visa's? First ever time went to USA, we needed them, then they scrapped it, but not been for a few years, whats the current situation.

ferf1223

March

Katykat wrote: »

Thanks ferf. Not planning of going OTT on the shopping, so although 15kg would be pushing it, 20kg should suffice. Do you know if we need visa's? First ever time went to USA, we needed them, then they scrapped it, but not been for a few years, whats the current situation.

If you have a machine-readable UK passport you don't need a visa. - some info here:

http://www.natives.co.uk/news/2004/09/21pass.htm

But I highly recommend signing up for the IRIS program at the airport if you have time before your flight. We finally did last trip and it was brilliant - especially for me as I travel on a US passport and when we got back to LGW the queue was all through the barriers and up the ramp and going back around into the entrance to the ramp...would have been over an hour wait for me and instead, it took about 35 seconds! While the benefit isn't as large for those on EU passports, it's still nice to skip the queue.

TangoBunny

October

We did the iris scan last year at Gatwick...took minutes to do.We have british passports and even though they are biometric we still chose to use the iris scan when returning....huge queue for immigration.....we just breezed through....though we were at the carousel for our cases before it had even staarted

TangoBunny

October

BTW Do they have the iris scan machine at McCarran yet

Froggitt

Just fingerprint AFAIK

ferf1223

March

TangoBunny wrote: »

BTW Do they have the iris scan machine at McCarran yet

IRIS is only good for entry into the UK as it's a programme of the UK border agency - only UK citizens, residents and a few other limited categories of people can sign up for it. There's no reciprocal agreement with the US...one day I'm sure there will be something rolled out worldwide but would expect that it will be some time.