Bally's May 9-14!

I have been going to Vegas since 1977. I usually go solo and don't eat any fancy meals or see shows (except this time which i'll explain later).
The last few years i have booked only CET hotels comped for 5 nights.

In Nov. i also stayed at Bally's room #2007 deluxe. I wanted a room close to that room # and i got #2001 deluxe just for asking. It in the North Tower and the room is real close to the elevator (no noise whatsoever) and the ice machine. The view overlooks the Linq wheel as well as the Cromwell, Caesars, and points north as well as LVH and points west.

The ability to take the shuttle just out the door from my room is a plus. I would take the Bally's/Rio shuttle and then walk across the street to Gold Coast.

Also, and this is a major factor for me because i have some mobility issues (i can walk wherever i want but my calf tightens up and i have to take a quick break (only for a minute or two) and then continue on.
I have no problem at home, in the mall, in a casino, etc, just that my calf tightens up when trying to walk long distances at a time.

I mostly ate my main meals at the Gold Coast buffet and the Fashion Show Mall and Bally's food court.

As i mentioned before, i don't normally see shows because i live in LA, but i did see Jane's Addiction and Fishbone at the Brooklyn Bowl on Friday night. I love seeing major concerts (i consider JA as major) in intimate surroundings.
The crowd went crazy as well as me (normally i see concerts with friends, g/f's etc., but felt very comfortable at BB.

I was thrilled to see the Linq and the Cromwell. The Cromwell won't have hotel guests till next week, but the casino has become my favorite. It's smaller than most casinos but the attention you get is impeccable.
Everyone (except for one security guard) always welcomed you to their establishment.
The CW's (as i mentioned in another thread) were unbelievable. And they were as fine as fine can be. When you sit at a machine they will introduce themselves by giving their name and will return in less than 5 minutes. They put in the number of the machine you are at, and upon returning, sometimes there will be 2 lovely young ladies at your service.

What i like to do, and have done this for the last few years, is spend one afternoon south from MGM-NYNY-Luxor-MB. Usually however, i spend most of my time from Planet Hollywood up to Wynn.

During the evening, from about 6 pm to midnight, i will hit the casinos (CET only for gambling). Even though i rarely gamble at Bally's, i do like to stay there. I mostly gamble at PH, Paris, The Cromwell, Margaritaville, Caesars.

I play only slots and only certain machines. I like to play quarter and penny slots. I like machines that give you more for your money, my goal is not to win (although that would be nice), but to make my money last longer.
This is why i continually get comped rooms for 5 nights.

Last year i stayed at Rio, Caesars, and Bally's comped..........this year Bally's, Planet Hollywood, and Planet Hollywood comped again.
I am only a Gold card holder but free rooms for 15 nights a year is fine with me.

The Linq area is awesome. It's a great place to eat, drink, and be merry. You can shop, see a concert, bowl, or ride the Wheel..........or just hang out for awhile if you want to take a breather from the casinos.

The access from Bally's or points south to points north couldn't be any easier.
I exited Bally's from the shuttle pick up area, walked a few yards to the red light (the main entrance into Bally's), and walked right in to Cromwell (it's the back entrance where the taxi's, valet is). Even if you have no plans on spending time at Cromwell, it's the fastest way to get to Flamingo and points north as well as crossing over to Caesars/Mirage.

And from Bally's what i did if i wanted to go south, is walking through to Paris/Planet Hollywood and then using the red light from PH to Bellagio.
When i wanted to see MGM/Luxor/MB and didn't want to walk through Bellagio, i would just use the overhead walkways to Harley and then cross the street to Monte Carlo, NYNY, and Luxor/MB.

The weather was fine except for Saturday night..........hurricane force winds (OK, it wasn't that bad), but it was funny to see these young ladies heading out to the clubs with their hair all messed up, their heels next to impossible in walking in, and their makeup all smeared because of the wind.

I hardly saw any porn handlers on the Strip but did see many more young Rap wannabees touting their CD's. They are cool though, most of the guys are from LA.

I go again in August and will be at Planet Hollywood, i have stayed there many times going back to Aladdin, so i know the pool will be a letdown compared to Caesars where i stayed last August. But i will spend most of my morning/afternoons at the PH pool cooling off in the water regardless.
August is too hot walking the Strip during the day. I will also spend some time at the Mall during the day at PH.
This trip will be more of a casual thing for me as opposed to Bally's this last week and Planet Hollywood again just before Thanksgiving.

I once again took the Lux Bus from Anaheim-Vegas like i've done the past few years. I always used to drive from LA-Vegas but i just got sick of it. I love the LUX bus (Anaheim-Vegas). Have a waitress to serve you, free Wi-Fi, DVD movies, reclining leather seats, etc. I would never take Greyhound........the Lux bus is usually packed with tourists seeing LA and Vegas. Most of the tourists book round trip from SoCal-Vegas and then head back home from LA.
The Vegas bus from Anaheim-Vegas uses a shuttle to transport from LA-Anaheim. It's all part of the price.

What i'm hoping to do is get my Drivers License back and be able to rent a car in Vegas to once again visit Red Rock Canyon (where some of my Dad's ashes are scattered). I scattered his ashes in 2008, but in 2011 i had a mild stroke and since then i haven't been able to do the things i normally would do.

I took some pics of the construction at TI, Casino Royale, and the Bazaar at Bally's. I didn't take pics at the construction at NYNY, i will in August. I did take pics of the new entrance into Monte Carlo (it looks nice).
I do miss the 90's in Vegas when there wasn't a City Center, i miss the MC front entrance as well as Paris, i miss Buccaneer Bay at Treasure Island, i miss the Lions at MGM as well as Emerald Forest, i miss the buffet at the Boardwalk hosted by Butterbean.

The Rio Zip Line, which was supposed to open like, forever, is still waiting for their permits.

There is no more KFC at the Fashion Show Mall. I was there on Saturday and it was open, went back on Monday and it was boarded up.

The Showgirls at Flamingo, Bally's, Paris/PH, and Caesars still refuse to have their pic taken by non paying customers. Unless of course you want a pic of their hands covering up their faces.

I love the Rio-Bally's/Harrah's shuttle, however, once the driver asks people if they have 7 Stars/Diamond status, then it's everyone else.
They don't go far enough. How come people in front of the line, who are staying at Bellagio or MGM who don't have a card or even if they do, have priority over me who has a Gold card and staying at Bally's or another CET hotel?
I didn't have that problem buy i'm sure other people have. It just seems unfair that people who are staying at your hotels (and have their key/card ready), are not as important as someone who is not staying at your hotel.
All i'm saying is if you have a key from a CET hotel they should be let on the shuttle before non CET guests. OK, rant over.

I tried to include some pics but it says i'm missing a security token? Whatever that means. I'll try again later.

 

Nice TR. We will be there in six weeks. Can't wait!

 

Enjoyed your report....sounds like a good time! Thanks for posting!!!

 

I enjoyed your report! I hope you get your license back so you can rent a car to get around to the places you'd like but it doesn't sound like being without has slowed you down too much! Looking forward to the photos.

 

Nice report. Thanks for posting. I'd love to see the pictures.

 

Good report! Can't wait to see the full Linq and Cromwell!

 

Thanks guys.

Thanks breanna. What i do miss is Red Rock Canyon and driving out there. That's what i love about Vegas, on minute you're in the Casinos, the next minute you're in the middle of nowhere alone in deep thought along with red sandstone faces above an Agave Pit used hundreds of years ago.

And obviously my Dad's ashes are also something to keep me coming back.

My Doctor told me i'll be fine. I still have balance issues, walking across the elevated walkways sometimes still freaks me out. I have to walk as fast as i can looking down and in the middle of the pavement.

This has never happened to me before 2011.......... used to go to the top of The STRAT , top of the Eiffel Tower, etc. I used to hang out in the middle of the walkway from Caesars to Flamingo and watch the Bellagio Fountain show.

Now i try to avoid the overhead walkways as much as possible, like using the red lights at the Linq to Caesars, at PH to Bellagio, and the red light at Coca Cola-Monte Carlo.

I will try and post the pics again.

 

Just an update on why i mentioned a security guard at Cromwell.
Actually he was wearing a suit, so he's probably works for The Cromwell.

As i mentioned in another thread, i checked out at Bally's at about 11 am and walked over to the Cromwell with my carry on bag. Because of my stroke i can't walk like i used to. When walking from Bally's (or anywhere else that has red lights), i must wait for the 2nd green light (instead of the first). I have to do this as walking across the street is not what it once was before 2011.

Anyways, i walked to Cromwell with my bag in hand, and need to rest my left leg for a minute or two and then continue on to the Linq (with a quick stop at the front entrance of Flamingo).

As i was standing there and with my tote bag at my feet, an employee asked if i needed any help as he kept looking at my bag (why would i want to blow up The Cromwell with the finest looking gals that will be on my bucket list once again in August?

I told him i just checked out at Bally's (i showed him the paperwork), and i told him that i was stopping for a quick moment because i'm partially disabled (i even reached into my wallet to show my Medicare card (i'm too young to get a card but i guess strokes don't care how young you are). He said he was sorry and i didn't need to do that.

I guess this situation is warranted, but as someone who has never been arrested or even had a traffic ticket, i found it strange. I do realize it was only the bag, although walking from Harrah's to Bally's (with a quick stop at The Cromwell with bag in hand) on the way to Bally's to check in and no problem.

In a way, it's kind of frustrating. The guy was probably just doing his job and not knowing me personally was a factor.
But there were many other people walking around Cromwell with luggage in hand. Also, i don't appear to be "handicapped". I don't need a cane, walker, or wheelchair. I carry my own carry on bag over my shoulder.
But if my bag did have a bomb, i would have to be a suicide bomber because i can't even jog, let alone run..........LOL.