26 Feb 2015

A question about : Las Vegas guide and MSE thread 2012

LAS VEGAS
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.. is not like other places you might have been, where the Hotels are near to the attractions . in Vegas the Hotels are the attractions. most have a huge casino attached , but if you think thats all there is to the place , you are sorely mistaken

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This page cannot hope to cover everything , but hopefully should point you towards some good money saving tips
How to get there

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Las Vegas is 5235 miles from London , with flight times in the region of 10 hours +

you could book a package from pretty much any online or high street travel agent that would include flights and hotels. however this is a money saving site so we try to beat those prices by booking things separately .Thats not to say a package deal might not be a cheaper option . it's easy to work out if a deal you have been quoted is value for money . If the price of the package (X) is more than the price of the flight via the Airline (A) + the Price of the Resort ( or similar quality resort) listed in the deal links below (B) then why not save money and book things separately .

so please before you post the question is this a good deal ? please work out the following is X>A+B ? . if you are booking in advance there might not be a deal for your hotel yet , but you should be able to get a reasonable idea of prices by looking at current deals, but be sure to factor in any holidays / sporting events / big conventions ect.
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only three airlines at the time of writing operate direct flights to Las Vegas . British Airways , Virgin and Thomas Cook

Virgin fly everyday from Gatwick airport and twice weekly fromManchester from 2011 .however be warned this flight is poor quality IMO. the planes used (747's) are old , with cramped uncomfortable seats arranged in a bad configuration ,

UPDATE
Virgin Atlantic is to refurbish its fleet at Gatwick with new economy and premium seats and an updated entertainment system.
The Ј100 million refit, which also includes its Boeing 747400 aircraft operating out of Manchester, is due to be completed by October 2012.
The premium economy cabin will feature leather seats with a 38-inch pitch, dual-position footrest, lumbar support and adjustable headrest with wings.
The newly fitted aircraft will also include the IFE touchscreen entertainment system, which allows users to watch a film at the same time as following the moving map on the handset.

Extra leg room seats - if you would like more leg roomyou can purchase exit row seats at Gatwick airport on selected flights on the day of travel from between Ј50 and Ј75 one way depending on the route. Alternatively Virgin Atlantic is creating a number of Economy seats on its Gatwick fleet of aircraft with a larger seat pitch of 34 inches which will also be available to purchase at check in for only Ј30 one way.

Upgrade at the airport - if you want to travel with more space and luxury why not upgrade at the airport to Premium Economy. Depending on your economy ticket type an upgrade can be purchased on the day of departure at the airport, prices start from Ј149 one way. Premium Economy offers passengers a leather seat with a seat pitch of 38 inches. Passengers travelling in Premium Economy benefit from many dedicated services including a dedicated check in, cabin crew and meal service along with priority boarding and luggage.

Make sure you take the Quidco cashback available if you book with Virgin

Thomas cook fly 2 times a week from Manchester. but only in the summer

(a note about Thomas Cook flights , the baggage allowance is a very poor 15kg ( upgradeable to 20kg) , and some flights in June + July could see your flight stopping off at Belfast or Glasgow to pick passengers up , . prices for these flights used to get quite low when they used to fly before May , and you booked late .TIP: try searching for a holiday on the TC site , you get a option without hotel added on .

Feedback regarding new British Airways direct flight .
https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/...74765&page=252

should you consider flying indirect there are many choices available , and far too many to cover here, but please be sure you know what you are letting yourself in for . flying times direct are 10 hours plus . you can probably add a few hours on top of that flying indirect .

Getting a good fare is not straightforward . Factors that can see you getting that good fare are
Flexibility
be prepared to travel mid week not at the weekends like everyone else.
Preparation
look into you flight upto 11 months before you fly if you can.
Time of year
most Brits like to take holidays June till September .
Research
asking advice to regular posters on this site .
Airline Sales and Offers
airlines know when people start thinking about booking trips , keeping very regular tabs on the airlines websites for sales and fare reductions is a good idea. also some airlines offer reduced fares for frequent flyer's and members of there flying clubs.MSE members have found good fares by booking before Xmas for the following year , when Xmas is over lots of people start planning their holidays.
Risk
great fares can be had if you a prepared to wait till very close to your chosen dates with My travel .

before booking you should check that you qualify for entry to the USA under the Visa Waiver Program (VWP) . Also from January 2009 you will need to obtain a ESTA ( Electronic System for Travel Authorization ) to board a flight to the USA . you can find info on ESTA here . you can apply for one HERE
TIP: Print off your ESTA approval and/or write your ESTA number in your Passport

Dont forget insurance!

]https://www.moneysavingexpert.com/ins...avel-insurance

Where to stay

The Strip is where most visitors tend to stay , a few casinos worth staying at are slightly off strip and usually have a free shuttle bus to and from the strip.the other main area is called Downtown, where the standard of accommodation is lower ( and cheaper ) than most of the strip.

Great site for lots of hotel pics including room pics and reviews

https://www.oyster.com/las-vegas/hotels/#

if your a first time visitor you really should try to stay on the strip if your budget allows . you can then check out the other areas to see if you would consider them on a return visit.

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A common posted question on the old Las Vegas thread was where is nice but reasonably priced . It is a hard question to answer. none of the main strip hotels are likely to make it on to a Hotels from Hell show on ITV, but you do get what you pay for. a good starting place is to look at the following link

https://www.vegas.com/resorts/

anything with a Four star rating is unlikely to displease the Vast majority of people . but a fair few people will probably be happy with something in the Three star bracket and consider the hotel to be nice.

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A word of warning about using Tripadvisor to pick your hotel. there are nearly 300 hotels reviewed on the site meaning good hotels can end up way down the list in the 30's 40's and below . Also the site lists hotels that are in the Las Vegas area , but no where near the strip. South point for example is listed as 8th best reviewed hotel , and is on Las Vegas Boulevard but it is about a 15 min car ride to the heart of strip and is not walkable in any circumstances .

The Hotels on the strip to be most wary about are unsurprisingly the cheapest. They are Circus Circus , The Stratosphere , The Rivera , The IP , Excalibur and,Hooters . post for some advice before booking

There is no set price for the majority of hotel rooms . it's a myth that rooms are given away for next to nothing. rooms are priced on a supply and demand basis . if the hotel is selling rooms at a high price why discount? but if they are not then there is no money to be made from empty rooms.

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prices for your hotel room can vary day to day , let alone week to week. Normal Friday and Saturday night prices are always more expensive than normal weekday prices ( upto 3 times as expensive is not unusual) . other things that can have a big impact on the price you pay to stay at your preferred location are.

Big sporting events
Super bowl weekend in January for example or the Rodeo finals at the start of December, March Madness basketball which starts on the 15th in 2011.. also Big Boxing matches (beware the fight set for May 1st 13th 2010)

Large Conventions
Events like the The Consumer electronics show , can have 150,000 attending . here is a calendar to try to avoid large convention dates https://www.lasvegastourism.com/conventions_jan.htm

National and Public Holidays 2012

January 2New Years Day
January 16Martin Luther King Day
February 2Groundhog Day
February 20Presidents Day
April 16Emancipation Day
May 13Mothers Day
May 28Memorial Day
June 17Fathers Day
July 4Independence Day
September 3Labor Day
October 8Columbus Day
November 12Veterans Day
November 22Thanksgiving Day
November 23Thanksgiving
December 25Christmas Day

also special events like Halloween etc can push prices up.

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Popular times
a lot of this has to do with the weather . July and August are often disliked because of the intense heat. January and December are also quite months ( pools often close down in October till March ) . That said Las Vegas is a year round destination. Many consider the best months to visit as April, May , Sept , and October . Prices for UK flights in traditional UK holiday months of June to Early Sept always seem to much more expensive than April or May ( excluding bank holidays and Easter of course) , yet April and May are better times to visit . By not going in the Traditional UK holiday season , you could save a considerable amount of money on your flight, meaning more money to spend on your hotel.

finding a good deal on a room usually only requires a small amount of searching. Booking through the Hotels direct has BIG advantages . first you are cutting out the middleman . second all of the hotels operate the same booking policy, that you only need to pay your first nights rate as a deposit and the deposit is 100% refundable if you cancel upto 72 hours before you stay. this is generally the rule with all hotel offers but there are exceptions . Some offers have recently have been NO REFUND offers and The Rivera charges a small cancellation fee at the time of writing. Be sure to check all terms and Conditions before you book to be sure .Offers can become available any time , but generally start appearing 12 weeks before your dates
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There are several websites that list offers and discounts for hotels. remember these sites simply list the deals that Casinos release so there is no need for a flashy website.Unless stated the offers usually take you to a direct booking with the Casino

https://www.vegas-promotions.com/
https://www.vegashotelhunt.com/
https://casinotripreports.com/smf/index.php?topic=57.0
https://www.vegasmessageboard.com/for...splay.php?f=13
https://www.openvegas.com/vegas/forum...splay.php?f=17
https://www.vegashotelspecial.com/
https://www.harrahs.com/hot-deals/
https://www.vegas-hotels-online.com/
https://casinotripreports.com/smf/ind...3e&topic=57.90
https://www.smartervegas.com/
https://www.earlyvegas.com/promo_codes.html
https://www.vegasuncovered.com/pages/special_offers.htm
https://www.fatwallet.com/forums/trav...6400/?start=40
https://www.flyertalk.com/forum/hotel...promos-35.html

Also some hotels now have Facebook pages , that sometimes have deals on . see post 4

please be careful about posting on these boards though as some are for the posting of deals only , not for questions on deals etc.

also give the 3rd party sites a try , people sometimes get good prices .

https://www.atlaschoice.com/new/
https://www.netflights.com/
https://www.cityandshow.com/
https://www.travelrepublic.co.uk/
https://www.hotels.com/

don't forget Quidco if you use these

some deals say they require you to be a member of the Players club to book. usually if you can book it without a players club ID, then they won't generally ask for it at check in.
FAQ number 4 on the Fatwallet page (https://www.fatwallet.com/t/63/704925/10193203#m10193203) covers this subject well. but the important thing is NOT to bombard the hotel with phone calls and e mails about honoring the booking without a players club card. otherwise they might pull the offer ect ( or tip them off to very thing you are concerned about) . people on this thread have done these type of bookings without being signed up members .. no problem .you can of course join the club before checking in if you want . personally i would not worry , but don't be tempted to call the hotel if you book it and you are worried

when you have found and booked a hotel , it's a good idea to keep checking the new offers as they come in on the various threads, as you might find a better deal for the same dates . If the better offer is for the same hotel , you can probably get the hotel to match the better price under your existing booking by calling them up ( don't forget to use the MSE International call checker !!) . Really good offers may not hang around if there is a lot of interest , so get in early if you see a new one thats a great deal .

Moving hotels is also a good idea if you find great deals for different blocks of nights , and is not as much hassle as you might think.

A recent and unwelcome addition to the cost of some hotels is the Resort Fee . a mandatory amount per room per night that covers the cost of things like Wi-fi or Gym access . full list of which hotels charge what and what for here . be sure too factor in this cost if applicable .
Tip: Casino Gym's are something that are generally not free , so if you plan on making use of the Gym most days the resort fee might work out better value .

Some people ask if it is better to find a hotel when you arrive , this is most defiantly not a good idea. besides the fact that you need to have your 1st nights stay booked up , to enter the USA under the Visa Waiver Program (VWP) , simply showing up at a casino without a booking will almost certainly mean you being charged Rack Rate for a room , which is pretty much the most you can end up paying.

Arrival

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McCarren Airport is right next to the strip . Shuttle Buses operate to all the main casinos . A Taxi is by far the most popular way to get to your hotel though. you can find a good estimate of the fare to your Hotel here https://vegas.taxiwiz.com/?lang=en
TIP: instruct the Airport taxi driver to NOT take the tunnel

Check in
you can check in from the airport at some Casinos.
when you check in the clerk will will assign you a room . some rooms of the same class are more desirable than others. Strip Views are always more sought after , as are corner rooms or rooms overlooking a casino attraction ( the Bellagio fountains for example) . also try to get a room that is not situated directly next to a elevator.you should try to do as much research on the rooms within your casino as possible to find out what to ask for
Cash is King is Las Vegas.. the following sites give advice on how to try and obtain a upgrade or a better positioned room by tipping the check in clerk using The $20 Trick.This works more often than not , but you may find it harder to get a upgrade by doing this if you have a long stay, or if the hotel is fully booked .Also don't expect to get a Penthouse suite from a standard room booking , you will probably only get one or two steps up the luxury ladder

https://www.frontdesktip.com/

https://www.thetwentydollartrick.com/

https://vegasuncovered.wordpress.com/...upgrade-trick/
note: The MGM Grand is known to be a difficult place to use the $20 trick

regardless of if you tip of not , if your not happy with the room , complain and get one you are happy with.

Best answers:

  • Getting around
    walking distances along the strip.
    this guide will enable you to work out distances between properties in miles
    0.0 Mandalay Bay
    0.2 Luxor
    0.4 Excalibur, Tropicana
    0.6 New York-New York, MGM Grand
    0.8 Monte Carlo
    1.0 City Center (Cosmopolitan, Aria, Vdara, etc)
    1.0 Harley Davidson Cafe
    1.2 Planet Hollywood
    1.4 Bellagio, Paris
    1.5 Bally's
    1.7 Caesars Palace, Flamingo
    1.8 Harrah's
    1.9 Mirage
    2.0 Venetian
    2.2 Treasure Island
    2.3 Fashion Show Mall
    2.5 Wynn/Encore
    3.0 Westward Ho, Slots 'O Fun, Riviera
    3.1 Circus Circus
    3.6 Sahara (Closed)
    3.9 Stratosphere

    If hiring a car you will have the choice of parking it yourself at the hotel( usually free) or using the Valet service ( a tip is usually given for Valet). The strip is very busy at most times traffic wise .Hiring a car gives you the freedom to explore the many great places to visit around Las Vegas , Like Lake Mead and The Hoover Dam for example , while being able to hop around the strip easily and cheaply
    Taxis are good option for speed and convenience , but cost more than the other methods of getting around the strip. also you cannot flag them down either , you have to get them called for you from the Casino or designated pick up areas . fare guide here https://vegas.taxiwiz.com/
    The Deuce is the local 24 hour bus service and is pretty reasonable.
    $7 is all it costs for a 24 hour pass up and down the strip. be warned though the buses fill up at popular mid strip locations and make it hard to get on at busy times.
    The Monorail runs from MGM Grand to The Sahara .
    full list of prices can be found here https://www.lvmonorail.com/ride/ticket_info/. while it is certainly fast, clean and comfortable ,the downside is that you have to walk through which ever casino you get off at. Casinos are designed to be difficult places to escape , so it can be a trek to get back to the strip. if your going less than a mile your probably better off walking.
    Strip Trolleys are cheap at $2.50 a ride or $4.50 for a all day pass. however they don't run 24 hours , are not the most comfy ride , and tend to drop you at the back and sides of casinos https://www.striptrolley.com
    There are also 2 free to ride Monorails . One connects The Mirage with Treasure Island. The Other one connects The Excalibur , Luxor and Mandalay Bay. This one has a interesting set up . If you catch it at The Excalibur it does not stop at the Luxor heading south. The Casino owners don't want you skipping Mandalay Bay , so it only stops at the Luxor on the return North journey .
    Eating
    There are hundreds upon hundreds of places to eat in Las Vegas. It would be impossible to scratch the surface in terms of recommendations on this Post. however we have started to put together a list of threads in which we give opinions on MSE members fav places to eat ..please see post 4
    Las Vegas provides pretty much every price range of food , from practically every type of world cuisine. from headline super pricey Celebrity chefs to cheap pile em high buffets ( and everything in between ) , you will find it in Vegas. so where do you choose to eat ??
    Your casino will almost certainly have more than a few places to eat at. But bare in mind the casino has a captive market so in house restaurants are often more expensive than independent/ off site restaurants . a good resource for dining options is a well researched guide book . i recommend "The Unofficial Guide To Las Vegas " it gives great tips on dining. or you can also find info and deals on this site www.restaurant.com.
    Tip: to register for this site and it's coupons just use your own address, Nevada for the state and 89109 for the zip code. It doesn't have to match your credit card.
    There are still great deals to be had on food if your prepared to search them out. although some deals come and go , a few have been running for many years and should be around when you visit.
    $9.99 steak dinner at Ellis Island
    It's long been a table topper in Las Vegas Advisor's top 10 Vegas Values. a 10 oz Steak with salad , beans and choice of Potato and a pint from their own brewery or a soft drink, it isn't actually on the menu though , you have to ask for it.available 24/7 . Ellis Island also does a highly rated BBQ for a mere $8.99. and thats not all, you can get a voucher for 2 for 1 meals @ Ellis island from either of the coupon books listed in the coupon section below.
    Shrimp Cocktail 99c at Golden Gate
    served from 11am till 2am
    Pasta at California Casino
    at the Pasta Pirate Restaurant
    Breakfast Specials $1.49
    served at Wild Wild West , Wildfire , Gold rush and Magic star. 12 am till 11 am
    Steak and Eggs $3.29
    at Arizona Charlie's Decatur . 24/7
    This Forum Tip was included in MoneySavingExpert's weekly email
    Don't miss out on new deals, loopholes, and vouchers
  • The most famous of dining options in Las Vegas are the Buffets . for a set price you can eat and drink as much as you want from the food selection available . Again you can choose from the Bargain to the expensive. don,t expect to find a small selection of food , Most buffets offer a huge choice of dishes. The Cravings Buffet in the Mirage for Example has many different stations from around the world , where food can also be cooked to order. Nearly all the Strip casinos have a buffet and it is unlikely you are either going to feel short changed or not find something you enjoy at nearly all of them. From the many many reviews i have read ( and of course the ones i have been too ) a few buffets come up time and time again with top marks. they are (click for info)
    Bellagio Buffet
    Paris Le Village Buffet
    Mirage Cravings Buffet
    Rio Carnival world Buffet
    Wynn Buffet
    Dishes @ T.I
    You will probably be pleased with the quality of most of the other Buffets on the Strip , however like the above certain Buffets Constantly get Bad reviews . there isn't enough time to get around the one's that get good reviews , let alone wasting time with ones that get regularly moaned about IMO. The buffets that most get moaned about are.
    Circus Circus
    Excalibur
    Sahara
    Drinking and Nightlife
    Alcohol is easy to get hold of in Vegas. whats more free Alcohol is given out if you meet 2 simple requirements within a Casino.
    Rule 1 you playing any casino game
    Rule 2 are not in a state where they cannot serve you
    meet these and obtaining a free drink is a simple as saying " one large whiskey please". the definition of playing is simply participating in any gambling at the Casino. Cocktail waitress's make regular rounds asking anyone playing if they would like a drink. as long as your not asking for super expensive bubbly the Casino will happily give you a drink to keep you playing. Free is a little misleading though , the waitress relies on tips , so she is unlikely to be in a rush to ask or serve you again if you don't tip her . $1 a drink is acceptable , but you should tip a bit more if you have a group order or will be using her services regular. . here is a good site that gives information on the subject
    https://www.cocktaildoll.com/
    given that the minimum age for gambling and drinking are the same ( 21) , ordering drinks from bars etc can be a little more hassle. Most establishments ask for ID of anyone not coming up for their bus pass. so if you plan on ordering any Alcohol , always have some photo ID with you NO MATTER WHAT YOUR AGE . Your passport will be fine , but a photo driving license is better , as it is easier to carry and not a disaster if you lose it , while tipsy.
    you won't be surprises to learn ,that Nigh life in Vegas is very diverse. most Casino will have at least one Nightclub and several bars as well as lounges. off site there are hundreds upon hundreds of bars , nightclubs, Strip clubs etc. if you can think of it , chances are it is here somewhere. Nightclubs are most defiantly not my area of expertise so i only know what others have written . a lot of the more trendy places will have door and dress policy's so you should research ahead if you planing on visiting a particular club. entrance fees are also quite varied.
    if you are planning on a lot of club hoping a good investment is supposed to be the front of line passes offered by www.vegas.com. not all clubs are included but , one of these could save you hours of queuing.
    Shows
    On any given night in Las Vegas you will have at least a dozen top quality shows to choose from , not to mention many other less well known or high profile shows all around town. The bad news is they are not as cheap as they once were. The Good news is that you will probably pay less than most other places and the hike in ticket prices has produced a big jump in the quality of shows.
    If your very keen to see a certain show and want best available seats then you can book ahead from either the Shows/Casinos own website or Through a agent like Ticketmaster. you pick the tickets up from the Theater Box office on the day. be warned though you pay a premium for this . Ticketmaster prices need to have Tax and fees added before you have your total.
    If you are prepared to wait until you get there big savings can be made.
    there are Half price ticket outlets on the strip called Tix4tonite . (https://www.tix4tonight.com/) which offer tickets for the same night upto half price. there was a rival company but it stopped trading in summer 2008.
    TIP: if you have a car and want a nice reasonably priced breakfast before or after you get your tickets , then use the booth located outside MSE fav The Peppermill . you can then use the Peppermill's car park . this booth isn't quite as busy as the centre strip booths
    after making a purchase , you get your voucher at shows that have assigned seating , you can proceed directly to the shows Box office to get your tickets and seats booked.
    your likely to find more choice of shows on weekdays rather then weekends , and some shows never seem to appear at these outlets. also popular shows will sell out , so you may need to get there and queue before opening time to secure the tickets you want. the staff at these place are quite helpful and should be able to tell you if a certain show will require you get there early to buy tickets the next day.
    there are 2 lines at the Tix4tonight booths . one regular and one VIP. You can get a VIP Pass by bringing previously purchased ticket stubs with you . VIP customers are served before Regular customers .
    also check out these links to see if they have any good offers on
    https://www.goldstar.com/
    https://shows.travelzoo.com/las-vegas-shows/
    You can find reviews of all shows and Vegas Attractions here
    upcoming and non resident shows are listed HERE
    Top value shows
    Mac King Comedy Magic show @ Harrahs : from $10
    This is a great show that is better than a lot of shows many times the price. The emphasis is defiantly more on Comedy than Magic , and is suitable for everyone. you can often get free tickets for signing up for Harrahs group ( soon to be renamed Caesars group) casinos or vouchers are often handed out if you purchase other items in Harrahs. the catch is you pay $10 for a drink Voucher , but even so, it is considered one of the best value shows on the strip. it does not play ( in Vegas it is called Dark) Sundays and Mondays
    Bobby Slayton Stand up Comedian @ Hooters : Free with Casino sign up
    Adults only this time , but a free show is pretty good in anyones book. i have not seen it but the general reviews of the show are good. simply sign up for Hooters Players club and each sign up gets a free show ticket. this show is Dark Mondays and
    Tuesdays
    Worlds Greatest Magic show @ Greek Isles: Free - $19.95
    Okay first be warned , The Greek Isles is not a that a classy a place. It's a perfectly safe and Friendly place ,but it is showing it's age a bit. but for Free Tickets to a Magic show it's probably worth the visit. To get free tickets all you need to do is be one of the first people to ring and reserve the first 100 tickets of the day ( you are limted to 4 seats per booking ) . Okay there is a $2 ticket printing charge but your still seeing a show that was priced at $56 a ticket in early 2008. The Number for the box office is on the picture above or try this number 1-800-901-9843
    please note , these offers are subject to change without notice
    Coupons
    there is a lot of money to be saved by taking advantage of coupons. you will often find coupons in your check in welcome pack from your hotel. You can also get coupons for things like buffets and rides , by signing up for a players club card. also Casino often hand out coupons around the casino areas.
    however beware not everyone handing out coupons ( even inside the Casinos) is trying to save you some money.Las Vegas has pushy timeshare people , like lots of other places where there are a lot of tourists. If someone is offering free show tickets or trips to the Grand Canyon ...beware they are probably trying to sell you something. The worst place for Timeshare sales people is around the Excalibur in my experience .
    It is also a good idea to pick up all free magazines you see. you can often find these in Taxis , Monorail stations , and hotel lobby's. the show deals coupons in these magazines are usually beaten by going to the half price ticket outlets mentioned earlier though.
    If you really want to save some serious money it's a good idea to invest in one of the following .
    The Las Vegas Advisor Member rewards booklet will pay for itself very quickly just by making use of one or two of best coupons . By joining LVA for a years online membership of $37 you get one book of values. you can have the book delivered for a charge or pick it up free from the LVA offices in Las Vegas . here is a list of what coupons it has in it
    https://www.lasvegasadvisor.com/whyjoin-mrbdetails.cfm
  • Attractions
    you will find something unique in most of the Strip hotels to try and lure you in. some are free , others are worthy of visit in their own right.
    tip: keep your eye out for Groupon deals around the Las Vegas Area
    Top free attractions :
    The Bellagio Fountains are easily the best free attraction on the strip. every half hour from 3pm weekdays and 12pm weekends and then every 15 mins after 8pm , you will get to see the fountains perform to various different tracks. it is still one of those shows that can make you stop and watch , even if you have seen them a lot of times. a good place to see them is from the top of Eiffel tower experience @ Paris .
    The Sirens of TI ( formally known as the pirate ship battle @ Treasure Island) is a pretty (Read as :VERY) cheesy attraction. It was updated when Treasure Island became the swisher ( and a lot less family friendly ) TI . The old British Navy of the first show always lost anyway , now the cast lose to a bunch of busty females. to get a good view get to viewing area a good 30 mins ( 45 mins on busy weekends ) before the show starts . In Summer the show times are 7pm, 8:30pm, 10pm and 11:30pm. In Winter 5:30pm, 7pm, 8:30pm and 10pm
    The Volcano at The Mirage "erupts" every 15 mins after 6pm ( it is expected to change to once a hour late 2008)
    here is a You Tube clip of the new Attraction https://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=axrNC0yJsk8
    The Lion Habitat inside the MGM Grand is always popular . it's Basically just a perspex area slap bang in the Middle of the Casino where the lions hang out from 11am to 10pm.
    LION HABITAT CLOSED FROM JAN 2012
    when there are lion cubs , you can have your photo taken with them , check this site for when available
    https://www.lionpics.us/
    The Masquerade Show in the sky plays daily at every hour from 3 p.m., 4 p.m., 5 p.m., 6:30 p.m., 7:30 p.m., 8:30 p.m. and 9:30 p.m inside the Rio casino
    The Rio is a little ways off the strip so has to offer something a bit special to lure visitors over . it basically involves a lot of brightly lit floats weaving their way around the roof of the Casino , with plenty of Performers and dancers doing their thing on the floor.
    It is a high energy performance , that never seems to leave onlookers disappointed.
    The Fremont street experience is Downtowns attempt to compete with the strip. it is a huge roof canopy that cover all of Fremont street and at night transforms into a spectacular light and sound show.
    It was a joint venture by all the casino's it covers and they all turn off their own lights when it is on. shows are every hour from 8pm till midnight and is a different show in each slot. it generally stops 90% of pedestrians on the street ,.with everyones eyes skyward , you can weave around them if your in a hurry.
    ADDED attraction at Fremont street is a Zipwire where you can fly high above the heads of people on the street for a fee
    https://fremontstreetflightline.com/
    Top pay Attractions
    Shark Reef @ Mandalay Bay is a huge Aquarium filled with a large variety of sea life ( and more than a few sharks ).
    You get Audio wands that will fill you in on each tank ect. It reasonably priced at $15.95 and is open 10am -11pm
    The Stratosphere counts as a attraction in it's own right ( especially if you want a stunning high up view of Las Vegas and the surrounding area) . it also has four rides on the top of it .Standing at 1149 feet it is twice the size ( currently) of the next largest building in Nevada. The Observation deck costs $10.95 to enter and the rides $9 a piece ( although there are discounts to be had for buying all at once) . X-SCREAM (below) is the only one i have been on ( my nerves could not have dealt with anymore after being on it ). here is a good you tube video of it https://ie.youtube.com/watch?v=YtU716sQoRI
    if you want to thrills these rides are certainly where you want to be heading
    The tower also has a restaurant inside it.The tower is Open from 10am till 1am (2am weekends) daily .Despite being at the far north end of the strip, it is a popular attraction so you may find a queue to get in
    Other Roller coasters on the Strip are The Manhattan Express @New York New York , Speed @ Sahara , and the Canyon Blaster @ Circus Circus. all good rides but the Canyon Blaster is the only ride worth mentioning inside The Adventure-dome @ Circus Circus , unless you have kids in tow .just buy a ticket for the Canyon Blaster and skip the rest of the park. Circus Circus also has free circus performers inside the casino but they don't really warrant a specific visit , but are diverting enough IMO if you happen to be around. (tip: you can often find upto half price discounts on the above coasters in the many of the free magazines)
    Siegfried & Roy's Secret Garden @ The Mirage is my Favorite attraction. here you find the worlds largest collection of white Lions and Tigers , as well as a Dolphin Habitat .
    Seigfried & Roy were The Mirage's headliners until Roy was severely injured onstage by one of the White Tigers. it is Unknown if they will ever perform again , but the Big Cats you can see here are their's and are magnificent creatures to see up close.
    The Dolphins perform Tricks and interact with the keepers . you can also view the Dolphins from underwater observation room. open 10am to 7pm Daily priced $15
    The Eiffel Tower experience provides great views of the strip . The not to scale replica sits half in and out of the Paris Casino. it too has a restaurant inside it .
    The Tower can only hold a limited number of people so you have to wait for others to come down before being allowed up. A good way to Bypass the queues is apparently to eat at the tower restaurant and then visit the tower while up there .open 9.30 am till 12.30am daily for a pretty reasonable $10 entry .
    The Grand Canyon
    last but by no means least you can see one of the greatest sights on the planet while in Las Vegas , The Grand Canyon.
    There are many different ways to get to the Grand Canyon, as well as being different parts of the Grand Canyon that can be traveled too.
    Travel Options include:
  • Car (self-drive)
  • Bus Trip
  • Helicopter
  • Plane
  • The main locations of the Grand Canyon that are visited from Vegas are:
    The West Rim (Link to Directions / Approx. Driving Time)
    The South Rim (Link to Directions / Approx. Driving Time)
    Although the West Rim is a much shorter distance, it is often cited as not being the 'Real' Canyon due to it being nowhere near as 'impressive' as the South Rim… (although to some, "a hole in the ground" is "a hole in the ground"!)
    West Rim v. South Rim
    West:
    South:

    WEST RIM:
    The West Rim is 'private' and therefore it is very much like a 'theme park' with rules such as "you aren't allowed to bring your own food and drink". This can bring the price of visiting the West Rim up a bit. They do have the SkyWalk however which recently opened and you have probably seen on the news:
    HOWEVER, it is reported you can not take shoes, bags or cameras onto the SkyWalk, and there is a further charge to actually go on it. Again, like a Theme Park, it seems you pay to get in, pay to eat and drink their foods and also pay to go on some of the good stuff!
    I believe they will also take your photo on the Skywalk and let you buy it…
    More information on the West Rim can be found here: https://www.destinationgrandcanyon.com/indexe.html
    If you are short on time, the West Rim is the easier and quicker (although not necessarily cheaper) option.
    One thing to note is that if you plan to drive to the West Rim, due to it being a private road for part of the journey (21 miles, 14 of which are unpaved), most car insurance policies for hire cars will not cover you for this part of the journey and in turn your insurance will be deemed void.
    SOUTH RIM:
    Parts of the South Rim are up to 10miles wide and is on average 1mile deep. The journey from Vegas to the South Rim is a lot further than to the West Rim but if feels you are entering a different world. Over 6000 feet high, the weather is not like the same weather you will experience whilst you are in Las Vegas and from October to March, snow is not uncommon and at it's worst can sometimes make access to the park very awkward / impossible, whilst in Summer, it can get hotter than Vegas.
    The Grand Canyon South Rim is a national state park, meaning it will cost you $25 to drive in.
    More information on the South Rim can be found here:
    https://www.nps.gov/archive/grca/grandcanyon/south-rim/index.htm
    Accommodation
    Both rims have accommodation, however I only have experience of Bright Angel Lodge at the South Rim (run by Xanterra). Note the website sometimes lists there is no availability if they are running low on rooms, so you must phone (except it doesn't tell you this so just ring and check your dates if that's easier). We stayed in a 'partial rim-view' room and have to say it was a fantastic, blocked partially by a tree. Something we will never forget… On-site restaurants don't get rave reviews be any means although we had no problems.
    www.xanterra.com
    Helicopter
    By far the most popular method is a Helicopter trip. There are several operators out of McCarren airport.
    https://www.heliusa.com/
    https://www.helicoptour.com/
    https://www.papillon.com/
    https://www.maverickhelicopter.com/company2.html
    It is not a cheap trip by any means (budget on least Ј200 per person for a standard flight).
    All flights that land in the Grand Canyon will take you to the West Rim - but this is not a bad thing as it is still an experience in itself (and unlike driving, there will be no extra charges!)
    You can sometimes find discounts and coupons for the above operators in the free magazines you can pick up around the strip. all of the above will pick you up from your hotel .
    you will also probably get to see the Hoover dam if you choose a helicopter tour
    You can also find many trips costing a lot less by choosing to fly from airports closer to the Canyon. Some of the Vegas trips will actually depart from BoulderCity (usually offering a free shuttle bus to get there first).
    Driving
    The links to 'more information' on each rim (above) detail instructions on 'how to get there'. If you are going to drive in America, then both the South or West rims are probably some of the simplest journeys you can make. Long straight roads, with not much traffic apart from driving through Vegas city itself.
    Aeroplane
    TBC (please PM any advice to Trets77)
    Bus
    TBC (please PM any advice to Trets77)
    Car Hire + Driving in America
    The following companies have both been tried and tested by MSE'ers without any complaints so far
    www.airline-network.co.uk
    https://www.rentalcars.com/ formerly Carhire3000
    Both will not allow you to drive to the West Rim as they utilise Dollar Rent-a-Car who forbid you from private road use, however other than that (at the time of writing), they cover you as standard for all additional insurances that exist for American car drivers! (LDW etc).
    Note, CarHire3000 offer a pricematch policy.
    Both also allow you to upgrade your hire package to include GPS if necessary.
    Remember. Amongst other 'driving differences', in Nevada you are allowed to turn right on a red light (however crossing pedestrians are given priority), and at none traffic-lighted 'stop' junctions, you give priority to cars that were 'stopped and waiting' there before you
    Getting married
    Las Vegas is the wedding capital of the world , hosting over 120,000 weddings each year( you can count mine in with the 2006 numbers ) .
    hell the Little white wedding chapel was good enough for Britney and erm what's his name then it was good enough for us. you won't be surprised to learn that you can have your pick of type of wedding. big or small, cheap or lavish, formal or novelty the choice is yours.
    there ain't nothing to tying the knot in Vegas , all you need is wedding certificate from Clark county wedding office and be eligible ( https://www.vegas.com/weddings/legal.html) . you can than hop down to any local chapel ect and be married there and then.Of course you can find many company's in Vegas who help you organize everything , no matter what size wedding you want.

  • Gambling
    Did you think I'd forgotten this subject ? one thing is for sure you will not forget how much gambling there is in Las Vegas when you go.At the start of the guide i said gambling wasn't the only thing to Las Vegas , but it is the thing that makes Las Vegas what it is.
    In the film "Casino" Robert de Niro's Character gives a Little speech
    "what do you think we're doing out
    here in the middle of the desert?
    It's all this money. This is the end
    result of all the bright lights and
    the comped trips, of all the champagne
    and free hotel suites, and all the
    broads and all the booze. It's all
    been arranged just for us to get
    your money. That's the truth about
    Las Vegas"
  • Mon Ami Gabi
    Grand Lux Cafe
    Spice Market Buffet
    The Peppermill
    Ideas for places to eat
    https://bestoflasvegas.com/2010/eat-drink/
    Restaurant.com vouchers feedback
    https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/...postcount=5527
    https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/...html?t=2265981
    This is a good Vegas travel forum with lots of info about Hotels, shows, casinos etc etc
    https://wizardofvegas.com/
    Facebook hotel pages
    https://www.facebook.com/MGMGrand?ref....1851159257..1
    https://www.facebook.com/parisvegas?r....2041690094..1
    Red Rock Canyon scooter trips ( thanks to Gav and Chloe for the recommendation)
    https://www.scootcitytours.com/index.html
    Helpful map with loads of info ( many thanks to Froggitt)
    https://maps.google.co.uk/maps/ms?hl=...e030c9f2196755
    YOU TUBE videos of lots of strip casinos
    https://www.gocheapvegas.com/stripcasinos.html
    Forums public Flickr photo album
    ...Please feel free to join and add your own trip photos
    https://www.flickr.com/groups/mselasvegas/
    Things to Take with youAside from the usual holiday things make sure you take A comfortable pair of walking shoes : it can be 15 minute walk from you Hotel room to the outside of the Hotel at places like the MGM Grand , it a fair bet no matter what your mode of transport around the strip , you will still be doing a fair amount of walking within the Casinos .
    The money and miles method of booking virgin flights as described in previous Las Vegas thread . you need to sign up for the virgin flyer club first and it now also requires you have account activity before purchasing.
    Quote:
  • Hi and Happy New Year to all the Vegas thread regulars when it comes!
    Many thanks to photome for taking on the 2012 thread.
  • To all regulars and any other posters, please let me know if you see anything wrong or out of date in the first 5 posts.
    Also if there is anything you feel should be included let me know
    thanks
    I have corrected some dates and added more info.
  • I just skimmed just now and there is a bit about the mobile phone which says to "PM me Trets".
    You just need to contact a Board Guide to get the thread made a sticky, but you have probably already done that.
  • Good luck with new thread guys. Contact Crabman to make this a sticky and close the old thread.
  • Good job photome.
    One possible change.......
    Quote:
  • Happy New Year when it comes! We're off to Vegas for our second trip in just over two weeks and can't wait! Has anyone hired a Dodge Charger before? We're hoping to fit four adults. I'm hoping it's big enough as we still want something that's a little bit cool!
  • Also latest on Virgin upgrading at the Airport
    Quote:
  • Also on the cars, even the additional no excess insurance doesnt cover you for things like breakdown recovery, tyres, windscreen.....anyone confirm this? They always try to upsell me at the counter.
    Also the carhire companies never seem to have the compact cars ie the really cheapo ones, in stock, so they will upgrade you to a bigger one, although not before trying to upsell you beforehand!!!
    I booked a compact
    they gave me a Ford Crown Victoria
    minus all the markings.
    But remember, they only give you the bigger car down in the garage......if you get given a smaller one, youre stuck with it.
  • 84 days to go until we go back....