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Too Many Friends ruin the trip? Solo Trip Next Time!

Discussion in 'Misc. Vegas Chat' started by EastCoastVegasFan!, Jun 1, 2017.

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  1. EastCoastVegasFan!

    EastCoastVegasFan! VIP Whale

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    I just got back from Vegas. This was one of the "less fun" trips, and I chalk it up to 8 friends coming with me.

    Seriously, here is the count:
    1 - From South Carolina
    2 - From New Jersey
    1 - From Houston
    1 - From Boston
    1 - From Virginia with his girlfriend
    1 - From San Diego
    1 - From Canada

    It was overwhelming, the meetings, the events, friends giving me shit when I miss an "event". I felt like I was being pulled, and everything was on a schedule. My next trip, I am going SOLO!!! The best time I had (this last trip) was at the Mirage pool for two hours, and got to meet new people w/no schedule.
     
    July 19th - July 24th
  2. duffer1991

    duffer1991 Whale

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    I have done group trips, couple trips and solo trips. As you found out, group trips are most likely to end in disaster. Better luck next time and remember that at least you had a few good memories. Besides, you got off easy if no one was arrested, robbed, puked on and/or broke and begging you for a "loan".
     
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  3. woodsie

    woodsie VIP Whale

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    The only way group trips ever work is:

    1) Everyone is on the same page. (Odds of this happening goes down as your numbers go up).

    2) Everyone is cool with NOT being on the same page.
     
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  4. bjpcyclone

    bjpcyclone High-Roller

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    I went with a group of 26 on a 30th birthday party trip a few years ago. NEVER AGAIN.

    I find that groups of 6 or smaller are ideal - assuming everyone is on the same page.
     
  5. EastCoastVegasFan!

    EastCoastVegasFan! VIP Whale

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    I am going to do one solo, completely & 100% solo. Not even going to contact the folks I know in Vegas, and see how it goes.
     
    July 19th - July 24th
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  6. VegasGroove

    VegasGroove VIP Whale

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    Good for you, ECVF! I cherish my travel time, especially Vegas. I am NOT interested in:

    "where are we meeting up"
    "who is going to grab the table"
    "I don't like that restaurant"
    "it's too far"
    "why are we going to that place again"
    "that show is not worth the money"
    "can I camp out in your room tonight"
    "aren't you done gambling yet"

    Arrrrgggh!

    My time - My money - My trip - ALL MINE!
     
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  7. ken2v

    ken2v This Space For Rent

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    Vegas or elsewhere, it requires rules.

    We've done a number of LARGE Vegas group events, and upfront we arranged A, B and C, and let folks know that beyond that it was catch as catch can ... and NO whining. We've done lots of mid/small Vegas group events, with the same understanding.

    I also have a standing travel group (small, 4-6 of us) where we are all on the same page and it is quite orchestrated -- it has to be, it involves lots of tee times. (We used to head to Vegas with some regularity now it is all over the West.) But even then we still leave open time. For our upcoming adventure we can't agree on an alt-activity on an open afternoon. So two of us are going downhill mountain biking and two are going fishing. No one feels put out or put upon. No one is whining. That's key.

    It's like with our group Hawaii trips. X couples means X rental cars means X bedrooms/bathrooms in our rental(s). And no whining. The car rule is GREAT. Plan an activity or three, split cooking duties a few nights, luckily most all of our traveling companions aren't food-whiners or with limited tastes, so it is easy choosing dine out options, and it's A-OK to go off separately and do stuff.

    Despite what Vegas addicts thing, Vegas is not for everyone. It's actually one of the hardest places to build consensus because feelings are so divided.
     
  8. kevin853

    kevin853 High-Roller

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    Yeah we did a big family group in a Villa in Spain in the summer. No problems whatsover, some of us went to visit the Nou Camp whilst others wanted to chill that day around our pool. We all ate together whether at a restaurant or a BBQ at the villa in the evening but we basically did our own thing during the day unless we had arranged something specifically for that day.

    Now I would never go Vegas with the same set of family as it wouldn't suit them what we do there. We are pretty selfish when it comes to Vegas and me and the wife like to just do our own thing. We would end up showing them attractions all week which we have seen and have no intention of seeing again.
     
  9. Ladeda

    Ladeda Tourist

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    I do an annual group trip. There is only 1 rule, and that is we all meet up for dinner one night. Other than that, it's every man/woman for themselves. It works out great to be honest.
     
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  10. The Rumor

    The Rumor VIP Whale

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    Exactly, this is what we do with a big group. You gotta be willing to break off.
     
  11. Gino

    Gino "The King of Inappropriate."

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    We'll be joined in November by my best friend and his wife (like family) his sister and her husband (again like family) and a couple I've only met one half of, but that my best friend and his wife are very fond of so, I'm pretty excited. They know we're kind of "good" at Las Vegas and they have an attitude of "you lead we'll follow" and are easy going. I really see no problems other than the usual shit my habits (boozing and drugging) may cause..Went one time with a guy that didn't gamble - Fuck that, and never again.
     
  12. Sonya

    Sonya Queen of VMB

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    I love a group trip, but there can be a lot of herding of cats involved. There is no shame in opting out in our group. I'm just always afraid I'll miss the good stuff if I'm a no-show. ;)
     
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  13. tmoney25

    tmoney25 High-Roller

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    I mostly just go with my wife. If I'm going to a conference then I'll be solo during the conference or a co-worker comes with me (but we part ways after supper) and my wife joins me on the last day of the conference. Usually my wife and I will meet up with my friend and his wife when we go to Vegas and we've met up with them at other vacation destinations too. We hang out with them almost on a somewhat limited basis. We'll meet up for at least one meal per day, maybe more if either us or them are up for it. It's great that way. You get the best of both worlds, you see your friends and you get to do your own thing.

    We have other friends who do a lot of couples trips to any and every destination they can think of, there is anywhere from 3 to 10 couples who go. I don't know how they do it. Just the thought of that many people makes me want to hide.
     
  14. carolineno

    carolineno VIP Whale

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    I love seeing old friends, but Vegas is not the place for a large group, at least not for me. When I went with my brother and his heavy gambling buddies, it worked out great, because bro & I just tagged along wherever they wanted to go. They played blackjack, we played whatever, eat, move on to the next place, repeat. It was great because we got to see lots of casinos we'd never been to before. We were pretty mellow about it all, so it worked.

    Other times in groups I'll tend to be the dominate voice and I wonder if I'm brow beating others into doing what I want. I've warned some of my more docile friends that I tend to "Vegas listen" and pledged to myself to be a better listener on my next trip :ssst: (at least for the first few rounds, after that I promise nothing :drunk:).
     
    Ladies getaway, somewhere on the strip with a pool :)
  15. romeocasido

    romeocasido High-Roller

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    Wow, this! Such a simple elegant solution! Yoda... I'll be checking out your older posts for sure to see any other knowledge drops you posted.

    Anyway, I went to my brother's 30th bday in Vegas last year. It had about 20 or so people. They all stayed at the Palazzo, I got my own room across the street at the Mirage. It worked out perfectly... for me at least. I'm sure there were people upset that I didn't participate 100% in some of the group activities
     
  16. bobby jones

    bobby jones VIP Whale

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    KISS - 3 nights, 3 dinner reservations. Everyone is old enough to pick their flights and hotels and extracurricular inbetween. My group stuff has also been mainly golf so there is an obvious scheduling issue there - the bus leaves at....

    I am in the early process of hopefully doing a large Scottish golf trip next year. It includes playing a tournament so certain dates are set. It will probably end up being : here is your hotel option for the tournament days, the plane leaves Glasgow for the course at 10AM - see you at the airport on this date. What you do before or after is up to you or your smaller sub groups.
     
  17. The Stig

    The Stig VIP Whale

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    I do mostly solo trips but a couple of times I have been to Vegas with guys from work. Both times were good, there were 5 of us and we did our own thing some days. Other days we were out together and even did a road trip to LA last time.
     
  18. EastCoastVegasFan!

    EastCoastVegasFan! VIP Whale

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    Yeah, that was a big thing, people were pissed that I was tired from the other events, and just wanted to sleep, or lay at the pool, or not wanting to keep their pace (or vice versa). In July, I am not telling anyone I am going, or they somehow "magically" show.
     
    July 19th - July 24th
  19. Camp Rusty

    Camp Rusty VIP Whale

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    Did two birthday trips with the same two couples, both times it was a disaster............the second trip was supposed to "make up" for the disaster that was the first trip.

    Same thing year two.....drunken arguments between the couples, luggage thrown out in the hall, whining, one of the women was pee in her pants drunk by six at night.......it was awful, actually ended a friendship.

    I enjoy solo, but I like traveling with Mrs. Rusty also. I am generally solo past midnight with her as she generally is in bed earlier than I am, and my days are my own as she plays pai gow poker four or five hours a day while I sit in the Book or explore.

    We do have one couple we travel a lot with, but they are such old friends, thirty plus years, that it is pretty fluid. They also spend a lot of weekends with us so it's old hat. We have only done Vegas with them once though for a concert...they are not gamblers so we did a lot of hiking and they hung out at the pool when we gambled. Doubt we will do Vegas again with them, but we are planning a trip to New Orleans with them this Fall.
     
  20. flyguyfl

    flyguyfl MIA

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    My last group trip was doing weapons training at Nellis with 18 squadron mates. One weekend, we all got smashed, gambled, shot pool and annoyed women and had a bit of time of missing memories. Would do it again if younger and single.
     
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