What's the first thing you do when you arrive?

After checking in I get to the room and put all my cash in the safe then get all giddy and excited that I'm in Vegas. Before doing anything else I go to the Chicago Brewing Co. and have an Irish car bomb in memory of my wife. I usually end up there for a couple more drinks, VP and maybe some food before hitting the tables.

 

I don't eat or drink while in the air since I do not travel well, so once I arrive after checking everything in the room, I find something to eat.. Then if I arrive during the day I head straight to the pool or if I arrive during the evening, I just head to the casino for a drink and start gambling!

 

After checking in I always grab a bite because I don't eat on the flight. When I have stayed at Wynncore then I like to get a cocktail at Parasol Down, it relaxes me and gets me in the mood for luxury. But beyond that it depends on my mood. I may gamble or I may take a nice walk along the strip. If it's a late arrival then I like to find a nice bar to play VP. If it's the afternoon then I like to play poker, probably at Bally's. For my upcoming trip at Aria I'll probably get a bite at Jean-Claude or check out the Park. Then I'll walk over to Bally's and play some poker. After that, play some VP at a bar at either Bellagio or Aria and then take a nap.

Last April for NAB I arrived late, 10-ish, and stayed at Linq. After dropping off my luggage and washing up, I went to Yard House, ate and drank, and then went to TAG bar. I loved it even though I spilled a full pint on my lap. That was my clue to go to bed! That will be my new tradition if I go to NAB this year, minus the beer on my lap.

 

Nearly everyone here has it wrong. The FIRST thing one must do before ever going to the room (or even before checking in when the itch is unbearable) is to belly up to a machine or table and plunk down a hundy or five and start the party.

Priorities, folks, priorities.

 

Our priority is getting to the video poker machines ASAP! We always arrive early, approximately 8:00 am. I let the front desk know we are there. Our room is sometimes ready, sometimes not. If ready, we have the bell desk take our luggage to the room and leave it so we can start playing. If not ready, we leave our luggage with the bell desk and start playing. Check-in will happen later. Like I said, our priority is VP!

 

I agree 100% with this post!

 

Pace back and forth in the room for an hour while my wife gets ready. We are perfectly in synch in terms of gambling, pool, food and drink preferences once we get out of the room but that wait though...

 

Usually arrive in Vegas at around lunchtime after a 10 hour flight. It's check in the hotel, shower and then unpack. Then it's time to have a walk about and start the drinking.

 

we usually arrive on empty stomach so we go find a restaurant to eat.... usually semi casual place...but one of favorite first restaurant to go Julian Serrano Tappas over at Aria....very good food...or Lemon grass is awesome too.

 

re-thinking this, after a nearly 6 hour flight and a few pivos(beers to those of you that don't speak Polish),then enduring the long de plane de plane,
i hit the first pissery i see in McCarron.

 

Hmmmm, that interpretation of "arrive" varies.
Is this arrive at the airport, hotel, after unpacking,....?

 

Check in
Unpack
Drink
Video Poker

 

After a 13 hour flight from the Far East to LAX, and then a 2 hour layover and a connecting flight to Las Vegas, I battle the baggage for the 2-3 week trip to make it to the hotel. Check in, and immediately go upstairs to unpack everything, lay it out like i've got OCD. Shower. Sit down and contemplate what I want out of this trip. Look outside and realise that I've stayed in the same hotel every year for over 20 years, no matter what the offers are from all other hotels in the MGM line up. Pretend to be in control. Go downstairs and fill up with water, and snacks (now only consisting of cheese and meats, because the Host has stopped giving out Hampers to their guests) usually at the lobby shop, but now at CVS outside the hotel which is pretty damn convenient. Load up the fridge in the room. Sit down again. Realise that after about 23 hours of travelling, I'm quite hungry again, and I usually arrive in Vegas at around 3-6pm, so I'll call it dinner. However, I never seem to make it to dinner as the Craps Table beckons. So...pretty much the same as everyone else coming to Vegas. I use the excuse that I have a convention to attend (usually at the end of the trip), but the reality is that I love this Town. I'm back, without the knowledge that it's broken me every year since I've been coming.

I have to remind myself NOT to be in a hurry to lose my money. Sitting in the room for a few minutes to reflect on what you want out of the trip can be a really good thing to do. It also costs you nothing.

 

One thing I've found that I usually do not enjoy is drinking on a flight, or at least a domestic flight. Sure it's enjoyable to get a mild buzz on the flight, but it seems like they would ALWAYS ding the "fasten seat belt" sign the very second that nature would begin to call! That urgency is far worse for me with alcohol than it is with, say Diet Coke.

The time that convinced me not to drink on a flight was when it was bumpy and there was no way the seat belt sign was going to be turned off. I finally dinged the FA and asked if there was any way I could go take a bio break. He said something like "Legally, I can't give you permission, but under these conditions I can't legally stop you either. It's at your own risk." Fortunately I was able to maneuver to the necessary room and back without smashing my head on the ceiling or something.

I also wish that airlines would give you maybe a 10 minute warning that it's your last chance to take a break before the descent begins! I've learned somewhat to sense it when they throttle back but sometimes it's not obvious.

 

Drop bags w/bell desk and go see about checking in (depending on arrival time). Then immediately off to find food - coming from the East Coast, we've either only eaten breakfast if it's a non-stop flight or lunch was 3-4 hrs ago if it's a connecting flight.

 

Check in, go to the room and make myself a drink!

 

Straight to bar for a couple White Russians with a amaretto kicker ..

 

Agree! "Last call for the loo" or "OK folks, it's now or never"

 

The first thing, once I'm actually checked in and in my room is philosophical. I try to remember the good things about my Vegas trips as well as the things I don't remember with fondness. Then, I try to put myself in a mental state that refuses to dwell on the negative memories and puts my excitement and anticipation of only good experiences on this trip as my priority. We all have fantasies about huge wins and long streaks of luck. Truth is, that is why we're in Vegas. History does repeat itself for the majority of us with those wins and streaks not becoming reality. But, we forge ahead and eat some good food, drink as much as we are prone to drink and enjoy the non-reality that is Vegas. The ride to the airport at the end of our trips is a time for reflection and hopes for the next trip. The whole "...stays in Vegas" part of that expression is true to a certain point. But, we all take the "What Happens..." part with us and file it away for the next visit.

(Actually, the real-life first thing I do is what @Blabbermike says he does "I hit the first pissery i see in McCarron.")

 

First thing I do is go down to baggage claim & step outside... I only smoke in Vegas, so that very first one is always a real treat. Then, back in to get my bag.
After arriving at the hotel, I always ask the desk if I can check-in, no matter how early I am... most of time, I can (I typically arrive on a Sun, Mon or Tue).
If not, I check the bag with the bellman & go find a two-deck game to play. First drink is always a T&T.
After getting into the room, I unpack, piss, check for room defects & then head out.
(First bets are always at the downtown property where I'm staying...I'm superstitious about that).
Then, at some point within the first few hours of arriving, I grab some food...nothing fancy or time-consuming...777, Magnolia's or Dupar's are pretty standard for this.
Then, it's UTH time... sometime within the first few hands, I play a $100 blind hand - $15-$15 & $60 on the play plus $10 on trips.
From there on, it's a marathon of gambling & drinking, with periodic meals & sleep.