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Flamingo 7-22/7-27

Discussion in 'Vegas Trip Reports' started by Lona, Jul 31, 2002.

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  1. There have been several Flamingo stayers posting lately although at different times than my visit.
    Heres my report. Our first visit in about seven years.

    Flew ATA out of Chicago Midway. Thought I had booked three seats together. My good a middle seat and two aisles in the same row. No window seat for daughter. She did a mild sulk I hoped the elderly man would notice and offer to switch. No go. He slept the whole time and never looked out. Oh well. Smooth flight. Depart and arrive on time. One reason I booked Flamingo was due to airport checkin. We were in wrong terminal for that. Didn't know airport that well so decided to wait to check in at hotel. Should have walked the block to other terminal. Check in wait at hotel was about thirty minutes. Did get a strip view room.

    Had tickets for Blue Man group that night. Walked to Bally's to hop on Monorail. Make sure you take comfortable shoes and bandaids. My first blisters appeared because I insisted on dressing cute in a sundress and strappy sandals. Were going to hit Bally's buffet. Huge line. Decided to try Luxor buffet. Huge line. Afraid we would be late for show so ended up eating at a food court in the Luxor which cost more than most buffets. Good thing we didn't get to show late though. A couple came in after show started. They stopped show. Shined light on them put pic up on video screen. And everyone began chanting you're late, you're late. Loved the show. Have to let go and let yourself have fun. Grumpy couple next to us, wouldn't decorate themselves or pass the tp down or anything. Their loss. Afterwards got several pics and kisses from the Blue Men.

    Their was an allstar basketball tourney in town that week with lots of tall jocks so daughter had a great time with all the boys talking to her. It was on the news that Bobby Knight and several other college coaches were in town. We knew something was up when we saw hundreds of seven foot tall kids walking around.

    Woke up the next morning early, for a vacation. Nine am. Had heard the pool chair saver stories so headed right down for a chair. Couldn't find three together. Managed two over by the hot tub.
    One hundred seven out. Wasn't really interested in the hot tub but it was also close to the grill
    for lunch. Great hamburgers. The time share place past the pool had a little shop that we bought our sodas at. A 1.29 compared to the three bucks the pool bar charged. Hubby also bought beer there although he kind of hid it since we saw security remove a twelve pack from someone. Pool was beautiful but really crowded. Wait for water slide was about fifteen minutes. People were terrible about saving chairs that they never sat in and even tried saving spots on the edge of the pool platforms with towels. I tried to ignore them and just swam out to the little islands with benches in the middle of the pool and sat there.
    Much cooler in the water anyway.

    After swimming all day got ready to go out, another sundress and strappy sandals, all I brought, more blisters. Three bucks for ten bandaids in the gift shop. Make sure you bring your own. Hubby and I went to casino while daughter got ready. I lost a hundred dollars on the dollar slots in about fifteen minutes. Didn't hit a single payout. Put a bit of a damper on my mood. Never did see anyone hit it big all week at the Flamingo slots. Had dinner at the Range at Harrahs. Excellent. Returned to Flamingo for Second City show. Very funny. Were seated next to a great group and we all talked before show and had a great time.

    Woke up next morning at 8:00. Managed two chairs together right near pool. We stayed. Hundreds of chairs saved with towels. People didn't show up for several hours. Heard lots of complaints about the saving and the towel window actually had a sign about not saving. Too hot and we were done by noon. Headed across to Caesars forum shops. Of course daughters fave Bebe was closed due to moving. Hit the patio outside Harrahs and watched a seventies band with huge afros perform while sipping a ghiardelli chocolate shake.
    Gambled a bit at Imperial Palace playing black jack. Lots of idiots gambling in the middle of the day. Hitting fifteen while dealer shows a six. Not hitting twelve when dealer shows a face card. Lost another hundred very quickly. Move tables three times. Couldn't change my luck. Returned to hotel to change. Was tempted to wear my beach flipflops. Had shin splints and so many blisters. Headed to Harrahs and caught shuttle at rear to Rio. Played a few slots, broke even, caught the sky parade and then went to Tony and Tina's wedding. Had a great time. Had VIP tix and they really made our table part of the show.
    Making us dance, and talking with us etc. I had read the a return bus would be difficult and there was a huge line, but three came right away.
    Returned to Flamingo. Played some video poker.
    Still couldn't win.

    Next morning hit the pool again. Eight oclock. Few chairs even at that time. Had to sit next to someone who talked on her cell phone for hours.
    Swam out to the benches again for a little peace. Grilled hamburgers again. Afternoon went back to Caesars so daughter could shop Bebe. She also discovered Guess. At least there I got something for my money. That evening caught the CAT bus to the Riveria and walked from there to the Greek Isles for a show. Ba Da Bing. It was ok. Probably wouldn't go back although the food was pretty good. The hotel atmosphere seemed to be that it was slowly dying. Few visitors or gamblers. All the stores around it closed. Show was a bit amateur compared to Tony and Tinas but was trying to be like it. Crowd participation in a birthday party for a Mafia King. There were some excellent singers and dancers in it. Left there and caught the CAT bus down to Fremont Street. The laser light show was excellent and there was a really good band playing before it. Catching a CAT bus back was hard. He kept stopping and people were crammed so tight it was unbelievable. Walked to Paris and had french pastries from the shop there. Dropped daughter at Flamingo for an inroom movie and we headed to Imperial Palace. Had noticed lots of three dollar tables. Got there and the five dollar tables were packed. No lesser tables available. Went up to our old favorite, the horse race game on the 3rd floor. It actually ended being my biggest win of the week. Had two quarters on a 200 to 1. The waitress was really good there about bringing the free drinks too.

    Last full day. Awoke for a kayak trip down the Colorado River. Down River outfitters picked us up right at our hotel. Put kayak in just below Hoover Dam and had a guided trip down the river. We had worried about the heat but the water was only 56 degrees so it ended up being very refreshing as the breeze blew across it. The guide led us on hikes through parts of the canyon and we sat in natural hot tubs and waterfalls. We saw elkhorn sheep, lizards, eagles, hawks and frogs. Had lunch on a private beach on the Arizona side. A nice peaceful relaxing day. I should have scheduled it in the middle of the week as a rest up. Got back to the hotel and was in a hurry to go gamble. Daughter opted for room service and another movie. She was pooped as she had actually paddled her single kayak while I cruised in a double with my hubby paddling. We were starving from all the exercise and hit the buffet at the Imperial. We used to stay there and are more comfortable where everything is at. I ate way more than my moneys worth. Fresh shrimp and prime rib. Four desserts. Returned to Flamingo to gamble. Thought I had actually done something playing a Stampede slot. Three bulls lined up. Lots of noise, lights and whole machine shook. My big winning, three free spins.

    Checked out the next morning on the tv. Walked out the back of the Flamingo just as a shuttle was departing. Had a great driver that played Vegas trivia. There are 8 oz of gold in the Mandalay windows and the light shooting up from the Luxor costs $30000 in electricity. Had planned a cab if a shuttle wasn't available but it worked out well at $4.25 a person.

    ATA flight departed on time. Seats together. Arrived in Chicago depressed that it was over.
    Hit the I55 tollway right after a fatal accident. Road closed in a standstill for sixty minutes.

    Got home and began checking our calendars to see when we can go back. Never did win, but had a great time anyway.
     
  2. pjrox

    pjrox Tourist

    Joined:
    Jul 15, 2002
    Messages:
    18
    Thanks for the report.
    I'm glad you had a great time.
    We leave next Monday and we also fly out of Midway and are staying at the Flamingo.

    I have a couple of ?'s -
    1 - Could you bring your drinks to the pool if they were in a cup?
    2 - Do they do anything about people saving seats? That's such a drag about people saving seats, but I'm not planning doing anything but laying in the pool with a cold cocktail.

    Thanks for the info.
     
  3. rugbysteve

    rugbysteve Low-Roller

    Joined:
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    Messages:
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    Location:
    ma
    Trips to Las Vegas:
    54
    I was just there, and you can bring whatever kind of drink you want to the pool. You can actually bring a six pack.. but it gets warm fast. The towel saving deal is a total pain in the ass. The system seems to be, put a towel, with a book or article of clothing across the chairs. This means that most of the chairs sit empty(cause they are reserved), which is why no one can find a chair. You either have to go before 8am and do the save thing, or hope for the best. we did get chairs each day without the resrve system.
     
  4. Lona

    Lona Guest

    I saw lots of people with those insulated sports cups. Hubby drank beer out of cans that he brought but he kept it in a backback hidden in a garbage bag of ice. They did take the guys twelve pack and hold it at the security desk until he left but I think its because they were a rowdy group and were sitting with it wide open on the edge of the pool. Have a great trip.
     
  5. punkypete

    punkypete Tourist

    Joined:
    Jun 17, 2002
    Messages:
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    Location:
    MD
    Very nice trip report. It sounds like you really entertained your daughter. How nice!!! [​IMG]
     
  6. JasmineJo

    JasmineJo Tourist

    Joined:
    Jul 16, 2002
    Messages:
    43
    Location:
    Washington state
    Trips to Las Vegas:
    26
    Lona,
    Nice trip report! How old is your daughter? We're going in a couple of weeks with 22 yr old daughter, her friend, and our 2 teens (11 and 13). We're looking for fun activities for a mixed age group. We plan on seeing Blue Man group and Excalibur's Tournament of Kings. The Kyak trip you took sounds like another possibility. Was the price reasonable?
    Also would Tony & Tina's be appropriate for the teens? Thanks!
     
  7. Lona

    Lona Guest

    My daughter is 15 and said it was one of the best trips we ever took. Your kids will love Blue Man Group and the tournament of kings, we've done both in the past. There were quite a few younger kids at Tony and Tina's. I do remember a couple of swear words and the cast members do pretend to get drunk so it just depends on your standards. The kayak trip was $149 which included the hotel pickup and lunch and guided trip. You can take double kayaks so they don't have to paddle themselves. There is a Wet and Wild in Vegas too, which they might enjoy. Your hotel pool is good cheap daily way to entertain them. We stayed at the Flamingo which had a waterfall to swim under and water slides. I know some of the others have good pools too. I think Mandalay Bay has a wave pool.
     
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