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Expectations for a Christmas Trip - 12/25 - 12/29

Discussion in 'Misc. Vegas Chat' started by EastCoastVegasFan!, May 6, 2015.

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  1. EastCoastVegasFan!

    EastCoastVegasFan! VIP Whale

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    I normally wouldn't go during Christmas, but my schedule is wide open, so I decided to bring my father.

    With that said, has anyone actually been to LV during Christmas? What should we expect in terms of the following:

    1) Amount of people/energy in the town
    2) Amount of shows/events happening (many of the MyVegas offers are blacked out).
    3) Table minimums (particularly craps)

    So you know, we're staying at Paris.

    Thanks.
     
    July 19th - July 24th
  2. dmr

    dmr Registered Abuser

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    (This one oughta be a sticky. I know I've answered this several times over the years.)

    Since we're not of the persuasion that celebrates Christmas as a high holy day, we're usually doing Las Vegas over the Christmas holiday, and often departing (flying back out) on Christmas day.

    In previous years, crowds were always down and lines were short. However, in recent years, especially since the Great Recession let up, it seems like there's more of a crowd. Caesars, for example, seems to be just as crowded and zooey as it normally is. Places such as Sams Town still seem to have lower crowd levels.

    The bad news is that some (not all) shows are dark over the holidays, and rightly so. Let the performers and staff celebrate the holidays! I've also seen the occasional buffet closed on Christmas day. Some buffets will have a Special Christmas Brunch where they add low-grade champagne and jack up the price. I have never personally seen a nasty line for such a special brunch, but people here on this board have corrected me when I said lines for buffets are short on Christmas day.

    Uh, don't usually do table games, so I can't answer this one.

    A few other observations. ...

    Many (not all) shops are closed on Christmas day and some close early on Christmas eve. They are, however, open bright and early on the 26th for After-Christmas sales.

    You can sometimes, but not always, get a break on airfare if you fly back on Christmas day.

    From the 1980s to the early 2000s it was always non-stop endless-loop Jingle Bell Rock and such on casino sound systems. They've backed off on this quite a bit in recent years. Some, such as Sams Town, will do a holiday mix for a while and then a regular mix.

    Oh, the timeshare dweebs are just as aggressive as ever! :(

    One other hint. If you fly in from someplace where it's likely to snow while you're gone, covered parking is well worth the additional cost! Learned that one from experience.
     
  3. Viva Las Vegas

    Viva Las Vegas Elvis has left the building

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    Since Christmas falls on a Friday, I would expect below average weekend crowds, and it should be relatively uncrowded through your flight out. The LA crowd will be home for Christmas or gearing up for the New Years weekend. People from out of town will stay away due to Christmas and expensive and crowded flights during that week. It won't be as dead as post rodeo (mid December). Regardless, you'll still have many people visiting / on the Strip, and the less lines / lower waiting times is always a plus. Most shows will be dark at least a portion of your trip (many scale back after Thanksgiving or the Rodeo).

    Craps and other table minimums should be at or below normal weekend/weekday averages. Paris usually has a decent red chip ($10-$15) 3/2 DAS table open always (except some weekends it is bumped to $25).

    I used to love going to the Stardust in December and experiencing the juxtaposition of degenerate gambling and non stop Christmas music.

    You'll have a great trip - enjoy celebrating the end of 2015 with your father!!!
     
  4. 44inarow

    44inarow VIP Whale

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    The post-Christmas scene is very different than the pre-Christmas scene, in my experience. In the couple weeks leading up to Christmas, things are indeed slow; not only are shows dark, but early-to-mid December is when restaurants close down for a couple weeks, for a combination of vacation and having some minor renovations/refreshes done to the space. Re-doing the floors, replacing worn furniture, etc.

    However, things pick up dramatically right after Christmas. With Christmas falling on a Friday, and NYE falling on a Thursday, I have a feeling that a lot of people are going to start showing Sunday or Monday (if not Saturday) to make a week out of it. And either way, the period between Christmas and NYE is when the town starts ramping back up, so I'd be very surprised if restaurants are still closed by then.
     
  5. Krh2o

    Krh2o MIA

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    I have been to Xmas in Vegas several times in the pat few years. I like it that time of year, it is pretty dead, but not a ghost town. Venetian usually has a nice Holiday set up in front of their place. The conservatory at Bellagio is nice for the holidays. If you have a car, the Speedway has this light show that you should check out. You drive through the concourse and there are like a million total lights and they have all kinds of displays. It was a unique only in vegas moment. A lot of shows are off, some restaurants will even be closed (not the big celeb chef ones). Buffets will have Holiday Menus (code for price hike). You look to be leaving right before the new years rush will arrive so that is good. Enjoy.
     
  6. Auggie

    Auggie Dovahkiin

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    The places that are busy are always going to be busy, no matter the time of year. For where you are staying, in the area of Paris, Bally's and Planet Hollywood, there might be less people but you aren't likely to notice.

    The places that traditionally tend to be "quieter" or "slower" than the center of The Strip are going to seem extra quiet and slow... so going down Mandalay Bay or some of the places off strip they are going to have that ghost town feel to them with hardly anybody around.

    Most shows and events close before Christmas and are back to normal after Christmas. One thing to remember is that not everybody celebrates Christmas (other than it being a day off from work for most people) and even those who do don't all do it on December 25th.

    Near the end of your stay things will be picking up as the early arrivers start showing up for New Years Eve.

    Table minimums are always supply and demand. If you are somewhere and they seem a little high then you can always just try somewhere else, and again the going to places that are quieter and further away from the center of all the action will tend to have lower limits.
     
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