The Las Vegas Thread and MSE guide

ferf1223

March

JANE67 wrote: »

Hi
I am new to this site but been looking for a while, as like all I am trying to save money
We are looking at going to vegas next year as a treat for our girls both have birthdays 21 & 18 so we throught a family trip would be a good idea
we have have a quote for March 2009 fliights (virgin) and hotel (MGM) for 4 Nights cost quoted 3600 !!!!
I guess from reading this that you don't all pay this kind of price as you are returning often
Please could you offer some advice so i could hopefully take the family away

Thanks for any help you can offer

Is that through Virgin Holidays? For 4 people? 1 room or 2 rooms?

To get an idea - check the same dates on www.virginatlantic.com to get the price of the flights on their own...then subtract the costs of the flights from the total package price.

That will give you what you have left for hotels. Then you can check MGM for the same nights, same number of rooms and see how the total of flights and hotels on their own compare to the package price. It's entirely possible (and probably quite likely) that you can ultimately get the hotels for less than they will be quoted for now as it's too early for March deals to be out yet.

That's at least a start.

Vegas can be busy in March so hotel rates can be high sometimes - there's March Madness (basketball) going on throughout which brings a lot of people into town - but if you look at the hotel rate calendars you can usually pick out the dates that are expected to be really busy as they will be more expensive than other dates.

ferf1223

March

sew109 wrote: »

When you get off th plane you get a cab to the hotel you do not pick you car up at the airport you get it the following day at the hotel, not only is the cab fare less than a days car hire but you are tired and you dont hav to deal with the busses and wait for ages at the rental station the hotel ocikup is much quicker. You retrun the car the day before you fly and get a cab from the hotel to the airport. Oh I always use www.dollar.co.uk I find it the cheapest and they have desks in most MGM Mirage properties.

We always pick up the car at the airport/consolidated facility accessed via shuttle and drop off before our flight. I can see the benefit in just taking a taxi to the hotel when you arrive (but we're usually up and out by 6 am the next morning so nice to have the car with us already so we can head out).

On the way back, we always check in for the flight online the day before, then go to the airport about 10:30 am (in the car) when there's no queue to check in to check our bags and get our boarding passes...then we head back to the strip for a few hours before finally returning the car and getting the shuttle to the airport.

We like doing it this way as we feel it gives us more freedom and it makes the last part of the trip more relaxed - we're checked in, bags are checked in, we just need to get to the gate in time. You can also pick up the car at the hotel and drop off at the airport facility which would save one lot of taxi fares.

ferf1223

March

JANE67 wrote: »

our girls both have birthdays 21 & 18 so we throught a family trip would be a good idea

Just to check that you realise that the 18 year old can only walk through the casinos with you as you are passing through, she can't stop at all or play the machines or tables, can't really even stop and watch you play the machines or the tables as security will likely make her move along? And also that the drinking age is 21 and she won't be even allowed into most (any?) bars - even with you? And some shows (not many, but some) are 21+ only. There's plenty that she could do, of course - but should be aware of the restrictions and be sure that she'll be happy with them.

JANE67_2

( Is that through Virgin Holidays? For 4 people? 1 room or 2 rooms?)

Yes this was with virgin airlines for 2 rooms for 4 nights

I didn't realsie also there was so many restrictions for my daughter
I know I should never have trusted my husband to ask his Friend the travel agent to look for a deal I usually do holidays but he said let me asked what ever his name is to see what deals he can get

I appreciate all your help and advice

Thanks

tom81_2

Great thread! - if a bit long...

Anyway I'm off on Tuesday - wahey!

Anyone know how likely I am to get the seats I've pre allocated on the Virgin website? Or are they usually quite good at keeping them so you get them on check in. Is it better to check in online?

thanks!

Froggitt

Check in online into your pre-allocated seats.......one youre checked in, its unlikely theyll move you unless its "upwards".

pebblesmax

November/December

sew109 wrote: »

When you book the hotel you make sure that you do not book a refundable offer, you then check the hotel website every few dates and if the rate drops after you have booked you pick up the phone and call th hotel and they will match your rate.

Don't you mean non-refundable.

i.e. The offer must be refundable so that you can change it?

sew109

November/December

pebblesmax wrote: »

Don't you mean non-refundable.

i.e. The offer must be refundable so that you can change it?

What a terrible mistake for me to make thank you so much for pointing that out of course you should only book non-refundable offers - Simon

ferf1223

March

tom81 wrote: »

Great thread! - if a bit long...

Anyway I'm off on Tuesday - wahey!

Anyone know how likely I am to get the seats I've pre allocated on the Virgin website? Or are they usually quite good at keeping them so you get them on check in. Is it better to check in online?

thanks!

I agree with Froggit...we've never been moved after we have checked-in online, but we have been moved from our selected seats between the time we booked and selected seats and the time we checked in...so one of the reasons we like to check in online is at least then we're pretty sure where our seats will be and if they aren't where we were expecting, we have time to get over any disappointment (or we'll be relieved that we got the seats we were expecting and won't stress wondering about whether we would get them or not).

Froggitt

Indeed, on the way back, we didnt check in online, and guess what.......two sets of two at the back turned into one set of four.