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Things you learned after your first trip

Discussion in 'Misc. Vegas Chat' started by ref59405, Jan 30, 2013.

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  1. ref59405

    ref59405 Creepy Vegas Friend

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    I didn’t know that if you sat at the bar and played poker machines that they would give you drinks for free. I can’t tell you how long I sat at a machine just hoping for a waitress to come by and ask if I wanted a drink. I even think there were a few times that I got so tired of waiting that I went to the bar, paid for my drinks, then walked back to the same machine I was playing, sat down and played some more. Duh.

    I learned that if there are two of you, taking the shuttle doesn’t save you much money, and to me, it isn’t worth the extra time you may end up sitting on the bus. On my first trip, we took the shuttle because I didn’t know any better. We had to sit on the shuttle, in the middle of July, waiting for it to fill up, and when it did, as luck would have it, we were the last to be dropped off. We must have spent 90 minutes on the shuttle. The next time I went to Vegas I took a cab and was surprised to learn that it was just a few dollars more than the shuttle and it got us there in about 15 minutes.

    After my third or fourth trip, I actually got brave and decided to take my drink with me in the pool. I know, crazy, right? I used to leave my drink next to my chair in the sun while I jumped in the water for a few minutes. But after the first time I went into the water holding my cocktail and no one kicked me out, I knew this was the place for me. :beer:
     
  2. booker

    booker VIP Whale

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    1. Bring more money next trip.
    2. Pack two pairs of comfortable shoes.
    3. Lather on the sunscreen in the summer while at the pool.
    4. Realize that I can't do and see everything in only a few days.
    5. Walking from one end of the strip to the other is much longer than it would seem.
     
  3. Doughy

    Doughy Tourist

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    1. Research shows before going to them.
    2. Buffets are evil.
    3. You don't get unless you ask. (for the most part)
    4. People watching between 7-8am is hilarious!
    5. Sit at the bar if you are dining solo. (Bartenders have the best stories)
     
    Have a victorious day!
  4. Joe Strummer

    Joe Strummer VIP Whale

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    #1,,,,,,Don't get so sloppy drunk, next trip !:evillaugh
     
  5. Jerseyguy

    Jerseyguy MIA

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    Around 84 0r 85

    Truly Disneyland for adults. The slot machines paid off,you had dollar tables and 99 cents bought you all kinds of food and drink. Places gave you stuff like t shirts ,carry-on bags just for getting a card and most of the house shows were great and cheap.
    O'Sheas,Barbary Coast ,Downtown and ton of other places were fantastic.
    Hoover Dam was incredible to see and the ride thru the desert to Laughlin for us Jerseyites was like we were in a wagon train.
    You felt safe walking down the strip and nobody really bothered you except to hand you a free coupon.
    Meeting Redd Foxx was something to tell the folks back home about along with paying for the air and hotel the first day.
     
  6. thedukeofdublin

    thedukeofdublin Low-Roller

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    hahaha

    Totally agree Booker:thumbsup:

    You usually only ever learn number 2 from having done number 3:evillaugh

    Sure you would walk the strip in 15 minutes:rolleyes2:

    I would have to add:

    • You learn that having an awkward moment in vegas while gambling is the norm........
    • Never take how someone is dressed as a marker of financial success
    • and most importantly I learned that what you thought was going to be a once in a lifetime trip has suddenly become 10 trips in 4 years all the way from Ireland
     
  7. Natural21

    Natural21 Low-Roller

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    I don't NEED to stay up all night EVERY night!
    Good luck. :beer::beer:
     
  8. djcoach

    djcoach Low-Roller

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    I learned clubbing is no longer for me or at least the bottle service part of clubbing.

    I agree with previous posters about shoes, learned that the hard way with some sandals
     
  9. thecarve

    thecarve Misanthrope

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    1. I am a degenerate gambler
    2. Being a degenerate gambler and a broke college kid is not a good combo
    3. Blackjack and Spanish 21 cannot be played using the same strategy
    4. Big “hits” on nickel slots in the days before TITO kinda sucked
    5. Your body can sustain itself on nothing but beer for at least 4 days...at least at age 21
     
  10. mike_m235

    mike_m235 Tourist

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    If you're standing at NYNY in July and looking north up the strip and see Caesars, and thinking that's not far, we can walk that instead of waiting in a cab line...you're wrong.
     
  11. VegasGroove

    VegasGroove VIP Whale

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    You can't walk the strip in heels.
    You can't walk the strip in heels looking cute.
    You can't walk the strip in heels looking cute after several Long Islands.

    I found this out on my very first trip to Vegas - October 1997.

    Oh, how I have changed since then :peace:
     
  12. Drambler

    Drambler High-Roller

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    I'm with everyone who said the casinos are waaaaayyy apart even though they seem right up the street.

    My number one thing I learned though is you can take your beer with you when you leave the casino or catch a cab. I was chugging them down before someone pointed that out. Now it's let's catch a BFTC (beer for the cab).

    I also learned was don't take that dumb trolley that runs between properties even though they are far away. It took like an hour to go two over.

    Does that thing even run anymore? I'm not sure I've seen in in the last decade.
     
  13. MikeOPensacola

    MikeOPensacola El Jefe

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    1. Not to play roulette.
    2. Learn how to properly play blackjack.
    3. Keno is boring.......
    4. Don't play with scared money.
     
    Annual CCA (Casino Collectibles Association) Show at South Point
    Long Overdue Stay At The Golden Nugget
  14. NickyDim

    NickyDim Hockey is life

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    Drinking in Vegas is better than anywhere else.
    Food is cheaper in Vegas
    Eating is better in Vegas
    Sex is better in Vegas
    Gaming is far better in Vegas
    Sightseeing is better in Vegas
    Weather is better in Vegas
    Airport is better in Vegas
    Shows are better in Vegas
    Coupons are better in Vegas (especially the ones that give you free play)
    Freebies are better in Vegas

    Life is better in Vegas


    And finally Ticket Redemption machines are WAY better than ATMs
     
  15. mike_m235

    mike_m235 Tourist

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    You had me until you said 'Airport is better in Vegas'
     
  16. gotavegasjones

    gotavegasjones VIP Whale

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    After our first trip I learned that constant planning for the next Vegas trip was necessary in order to maintain some semblancce of sanity. Thank you members of T2V Message Board for helping with the symptoms related to my "vegas jones".

    later. GVJ
     
  17. BlueSkadoo

    BlueSkadoo VMB Sweetheart

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    I MISS the trolley! There was a lady who drove it and would say these goofy things like "Turning left...Sliding Right!" and make a sharp turn. Or "Hold On tight, we're making a right!" I only ever saw it on my first trip to Vegas, and never again. An elderly couple got on the trolley at the Stratosphere and asked her would she be going downtown....and her answer was "Oh....I don't go DOWNTOWN honey!" with very overt sexual undertones in her phrasing.

    I think it left once the Deuce came into play. My best friend and I still quote that lady to this day when we're being goofy.
     
  18. Drambler

    Drambler High-Roller

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    I don't remember the driver, it was my first time. (!)

    The thing I really remember about that trolley was when it hit the speed bumps going into a hotel property the whole thing would hit really hard and shake like crazy despite going 3 mph. Boom!! It seemed as if it were going to fall apart.

    I honestly went from something like the Monte Carlo to where Planet Hollywood is now and it took nearly an hour.
     
  19. gpenguins67

    gpenguins67 High-Roller

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    1. don't spend 90% of your gambling budget for a 6 day trip by day 3.
    2. Don't put a hundred dollar bill in a nickel machine at Mermaids downtown... play 3 spins then cash out (learned this from my buddy who had the amazing $96 hand pay ... waited 5 minutes and made a big scene like he just hit a $5000 jackpot).
    3. Didn't learn this till my second trip downtown..... I had to ask my friend..... "was downtown really this dirty and grimey when we came last 8year"--- his answer "yup, but we were just really really drunk... so we didn't care"
    Downtown is really a lot different now than it was even 8 years ago... i wish i decided to stay in a hotel downtown years ago instead of just this past year.
     
  20. Mitkraft

    Mitkraft VIP Whale

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    #1 Thing I learned: The Deuce is SO FREAKING SLOW! It's just not worth it. Take the monorail, rent a car, get a cab, but for goodness sake unless you are in Vegas for a Month and don't mind being on the bus for 3 hours at a time avoid it the Deuce!

    Oh, and as others have said, I learned not to walk far outside in summer and assume any walk down the strip will be FAR and plan accordingly or see #1.
     
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