Information Requests

Hi Folks,

Just found this forum yesterday and hoping that the Vegas omnipresents can help us out. I have, and will continue to, look through the fora to seek answers to my questions but if anyone fancies chipping in little bits of info it would be very much appreciated. Apologies now that this might go on for a bit!!

We were in Vegas a couple of years back and between being somewhat starry eyed and grren, we appear to have missed a fair amount of what is on offer. As such, we have a few quesions surrounding what we have heard and been advisd.

Hotel

We seem to be completely out of the ordinary in that we are going to Vegas for 3 weeks 18/7-8/8. We booked the Excalibur as it was a very good rate but have since heard about the ever present smokey smell throughout the hotel. Is there any way we can a) request any area which may not be quite so smoky and/or b) request any kind of upgrade in that we are there for what seems a bizarre length of time for the city.

Shows

We%26#39;d like to see a few shows at all times of the day. We really want to see Penn %26amp; Teller, Dierks Bentley (Nashville rubbed off on us too!!) and probably O and Mystere. The rest we will see what offers are available and whether we fancy the show at that time. Are things likely to be sold out / cheaper in July %26amp; August as it is apparently quieter and, more importantly what is the deal with the 2pm Coca Cola Bottle shop selling tickets. Is it as good as it is made out to be and does it ever have any Mystere/O tickets? Are there any particular strategies people employ at this ticket office?

Discount Books / Shopping

We%26#39;ve seen and printed a few discount coupons which apparently entitle us to discount books at the Alladin, Caesars, Belz and the Premium Shopping Mall. It may well be the British sceptic in me that isn%26#39;t quite sure if these are worth bothering about. What kind of offers are generally included?

Gambling

I%26#39;ve seen and heard a lot about signing up for players cards. My assumption again is that people sign up for these and get some kind of gift for free which sounds great but the card is akin to a credit card which will automatically deduct the amounts gambled on it from your bank account/credit card. Is this the case and, if so, which are the best cards to get with regard complimentary things (another mystery to us) and sign up gifts.

I think that may well be it for the present. The buffet sections on this forum are excellent so I doubt I need to query those to any great extent. Again, some of the queries may well seem naive but we are the people who marvel at the fact that McDonalds does free refunds in America. It all seems a little bit too good to be true.

Thank you everyone for your help. If there is anything I can do to make our trip more enjoyable, I plan to and, as such, appreciate your advice.

Information Requests

I respond to the section of your query regarding players club cards.

What they are is simply a credit card type card that you place into slots when playing or give to the dealer. This allows them to track your play and thus provide you with incentives to return to there hotel. such as free rooms, meals which are commenly referred to as comps. I hope this helped.

Information Requests

You did not mention what hotel you are staying at...for three weeks, I%26#39;d have asked for a great discount or upgrade if staying the entire trip at the same place.....or, would have chosen three different hotels to try.

Players cards, are not attached to your bank account, they simply track the amount of money you are playing, so the hotel can %26#39;comp%26#39; you accordingly....they also put you on a mailing list for future junk mail back at home.

Shows...there are several afternoon shows reasonably priced to include around those you have mentioned. Mac King, Ron Lucas, and I recall some kind of legends show at Imperial Palace.

Don%26#39;t forget the free shows! The talking statues at Ceasars forum shops, the parade in the sky at the Rio, the Bellagio Fountains, The sirens of TI, The Freemont Street Experience...

Cynda he mentioned the Excalibur. We are going to stay there for 2 weeks in July/August. I was hoping to split the trip between the Orleans and Excalibur. In your reply to billybhoys post you mention about asking for an upgrade or great discount seeing as he is going to be there for so long. I am going to email the Excalibur and see if they can offer us anything for staying the 2 weeks there! Will let you know how I get on.

Thanks guys. As I%26#39;ve said, we%26#39;ve been before but managed to miss the statues at Caesars and also Fremont Street. I%26#39;ll check in with Excalibur also to see what they can offer us.

Still amazed that people manage to go for only a few days at a time. My girlfriend would quite happily spend the rest of her life parked outside the fountains at Bellagio.

As a lot of people have mentioned, the hotel isn%26#39;t all that important when it comes down to it. I%26#39;d still rather not inhale smoke all the time we are at the Excalibur. Hope it%26#39;s not as bad as people say. I remember people saying howe much Venice smells in the summer but I didn%26#39;t smell anything.

I%26#39;ve seen a bit about the lessons offered at the tables as well. We%26#39;ll try our hand at the tables this time. Looking forward to it now!!!!

I got a mail back from the Excalibur and they do not offer discounts for longer stays.

The discount ticket places offer good deals -- half price, plus a small service charge -- but the half-off is from the full priced tickets. You have to watch out that there are not discounts being offered by the box office itself. You will be in Vegas long enough to go through the What%26#39;s On and other tourist guide magazines, to see what coupon are available.

The discount ticket places open at noon, not 2 p.m. Although in mid-summer, they probably won%26#39;t be too mobbed, and you don%26#39;t have to be waiting for them to open their doors.

Every time I%26#39;ve bought tickets, they ask me if I am going to be in town the next day, because they have a special offer -- if you buy tickets two days in a row, for the second day, you get a line pass and they will waive part of the service fee.

I have posted in another thread a partial list of the shows that were being sold here. They do not get O or Mystere. Or if they do, it is a once in a blue moon type of event. For the top shows, you should book them in advance. Although I%26#39;m not sure how early you need to book for August.

I hope you enjoy the heat!

Thanks Mike,

We were interested in the half price tickets and will deinitely check it out. I%26#39;ll make sure I have a look to see what shows are on offer.

We did think that when it came to O, Mystere, Penn %26amp; Teller etc that we%26#39;d book them as we really want to see those. To be honest, if it came to either wasting time queuing to save some money on tickets and buying them hassle free from the box office I know which one I%26#39;d go for anyway!

With regard to the heat, Vegas has nothing on Abu Simbel in mid-August!!!

Cheers,

Billy

Billybhoy, if you have three weeks in Vegas, don%26#39;t worry about spending ten minutes in a queue. You%26#39;ll have lots of time, so go ahead and save a few quid!

Actually, there is more of a hassle than that. You have to buy the tickets at the discount place, and then (usually) exchange the vouchers they give you for the actual tickets at the box office. But I have always done this while otherwise engaged in strolling along the Strip, enjoying the sights and the weather. So I simply had some purpose and direction to my strolling, other than simply enjoying the delightful sights and burning a few calories.

If the choice was between doing some other planned activity and going through this process, forget the discount ticket store and use the box office. But if you find walking along the Strip enjoyable, then simply put that walk to good purpose!

I%26#39;d suggest splitting your time between Excalibur and another hotel in the midstrip area just for the logistics of getting around and seeing all you can.

From your base at Excalibur, you can visit all the sights, shows, and restaurants in the south strip area quite easily by foot or tram. Then likewise you%26#39;d be able to do the same midstrip. Otherwise you%26#39;ll spend a fortune on cabs, or hours on end waiting for and sitting on buses or trains, getting to and from Excalibur and the places you want to visit midstrip.

Inexpensive mid-strip hotels you might consider include Imperial Palace and maybe Flamingo or Bally%26#39;s if you catch them on a good week. Summer rates are lower, and usually drop even lower by May-June, so you might be surprised at what%26#39;s available in your price range.

If you would consider a three-hotel visit, I would suggest spending a long weekend at the Golden Nugget downtown as well. Terrific party scene on Fremont, lots of fun.