Vegasworm LIVE With Kids @ MB (5/7-5/11) - An Utterly Exhausted TR!

Hi VMB! I'm back!!! It's been a year and a half since I was last in Sin City, almost two years since my kids were, and a tad over a year since my fingers touched a slot machine at my local casino (Blackhwak, CO). It's...time...to...be...back!!!

As a reminder, the cast of characters is as follows:

Me: Vegasworm aka (E) - 43.
Hubby: (V) - 46
Daughter 1: (G) - 11
Daughter 2: (H) - 10
Daughter 3: (S) - 9 (at least she will be on 5/15!)

We are on an 18 day road trip! We left Colorado on 4/26 for San Diego and our first Disney cruise. We had an overnight at South Point that I briefly posted about (great late night specials) and sucky slots (I quickly donated about $75). We have spent the past weekend in La Jolla, CA enjoying the beach and the local flair including the kajillion nice vehicles that kick our 10 year old mini van, Olive's, ass. Olive by the way has lost her power steering since my last TR, so parking her is interesting to say the least. I didn't want to give up my bankroll before the trip to fix her, so I'm doing what all gambling degenerates do...I will fix her with my giant winnings once I'm back.

Actually, I'm not that degen. I cancelled our Vegas trip last year to save for the crazy amount the almighty Mouse requires to cruise on his line. More on the cruise later, it was fabulous...and tiring, just know I'm so happy I'll be on the road tomorrow headed to my favorite City!

Hope to bring some food porn, slot pics, and fun info about traveling with kids. I'm still chasing a hand pay...23 years and counting!!!

Here's my brood on the last TR 2 years ago.



Here's us on our Disney cruise last week.




Here's us in Cabo San Lucas, Mexico doing a dolphin swim. I really have mixed feelings about human interactions like this with animals. We did it though and it was amazing to see these beautiful creatures up close.



Bear with me VMBers, my TR skills are a bit rusty, and I'm dealing with a different phone this time which is a bit persnickety with photo uploads.

Tomorrow, I will fill you in on our plans for the week. Right now, I'm in the hotel basement finishing up 11 days worth of laundry before we leave tomorrow for Vegas.

Night night,
Vegasworm

 

Good morning! Trying to get the kids up and at em', so we can get out of here for the drive from La Jolla to Las Vegas.

Here's the girls at La Jolla Cove the other day. They were fascinated by all of the seals.



Just did a bankroll count and I'm currently at $1,649 (after I go withdraw $800 before we leave). I didn't want to carry the full amount of cash on our cruise/trip. We originally took $1,100 and I'm adding $800 today for a total cash amount of $1,900 and a remaining amount of $1,649. The cash is serving as both our tip stash, minor purchases, and my gambling bankroll. Meals, hotels, big purchases, etc. have been on a credit card or debit card.

Going to grab some coffee and then I'll give some stats on my current MLife status. Discovered a nice surprise (or I think it is) while redeeming some MyVegas rewards yesterday.

Would like to be out of here by 11am. No major plans today except we have reservations tonight at Border Grill at Mandalay Bay.

Later - Vegasworm

 

Why do you say that? Flipper there seems to be very friendly, and dolphins have a good reputation. Perhaps it depends on the species. I never sat up front at the Siegfried and Roy show, and I love cats, but those were tigers and remember what happened. Did you think the dolphin might have done something? Have a good trip.

 

No, I didn't fear for our safety. I felt bad seeing our dolphin do all of these tricks in a confined space and then having everyone in our group hold onto his fin to "swim" around the tank with him.

I had a friend become unemployed because of the Siegfried and Roy incident. She was a dancer in the show. I don't think any wild animal can ever be fully trusted, no matter the species.

I do support animal conservation and preservation that today's zoos are promoting. I just am on the fence about wild animals being made to "perform" for human enjoyment. Kahal (our dolphin) did appear healthy and happy and I didn't get a bad vibe from his training facility.

Not trying to get on a soapbox , just a feeling of personal guilt I was expressing.

Vegasworm

 

I see your point. I don't know enough about all this, but hope the dolphin is happier than in the sea with all those dangerous creatures around there, and that the trainer is good and sensible. No soap box, was just curious. Sorry about your friend the dancer. I remember the first time I got tickets to Siegfried and Roy the lady at the booth asked me if I was taking children along, I was not, but asked why she asked that, and she said that children were impressionable and might scare the tigers, so they did not seat children up front. My reaction was, "don't seat me and my party up front either".

 

That would have been my reaction too!!

We never did get to see S&R before the accident. Wish we had. We chose to see Danny Gans when he was still at The Mirage over Siegfried and Roy. Wish we had just sprung for both shows that trip.

Sad they both had tragic endings.

Vegasworm

 

Looks like the kids had a blast at seal beach in La Jolla! We have some good beaches out here, glad you got to enjoy them!

Hope you guys have a blast in Vegas! Looking forward to following along!

 

It's beautiful in La Jolla/San Diego and we've thoroughly enjoyed our time here. Love how walkable things are from our hotel.

Thanks for following along!

Vegasworm

 

Now for a few stats and plans for our trip.

We're staying at Mandalay Bay in a Resort Queen Strip View room on a 4 night comp that includes I believe some small amount of FreePlay and a $50 RC. We have to cover the resort fee each night. We're still MLife Gold, so we'll have valet parking covered. Hoping between this trip and our upcoming Bellagio trip to hit Gold again.

The last time we were in Vegas was October of 2016, but we have the MLife credit card which apparently kept our gold status even though our points reset. We currently have 5,014 Tier Credits (from credit card use) and $16.75 in Express Comps. I have 3,072 Points which I think can be turned into FreePlay. The surprise I mentioned earlier was logging into V's MLife account which is linked with mine and discovering that he has 24,372 Points. If you've read my previous trip reports, you'll know that I'm the gambler in the family, so these points have to be from being tied to the credit card. I can't remember the conversion value, but I hope it means some extra FreePlay for me!

I'm mostly a slots player with a little VP thrown in for good measure. I've never played the table games. I use my "Finger Clicker" method where I count the number of spins on a machine before cashing out. I brought my finger clickers with me, but not sure if I'll use that method the whole time or not. I'm trying to break my 23 year hand pay dry spell. Hoping it happens this time!

Things we have planned for the week:

• Mandalay Bay Cabana
• Shark Tank Aquarium at MB (We have 5 comped tickets from MyVegas)
• High Tea at Mandarin Oriental
• Dinner at Border Grill
• Dinner at Rx Boiler Room
• Dinner at Camelot Steakhouse (Using $100 credit from MyVegas)
• Possibly going to the Las Vegas Children's Museum
• Slot play for E

We're doing a lot of playing it by ear this time. We decided against a show (even though my girls loved seeing Beatles LOVE) because we saw several performances on our Disney cruise, so I figured that was one way we could save some money this time.

We're all pretty tired from being into the 12th day of our road trip, and I figured we would be, so I'm trying not to over plan things. Guess we'll see what happens!

Vegasworm

 

Good grief, we packed way too much for this trip even if it is 18 days long. We're trying to rearrange, so we can leave a lot in the van in Vegas.

We look like two movie references: The royal luggage in "Spaceballs" and when Gilbert and Louis are carrying all of their luggage to their dorm room in "Revenge of the Nerds". I'm not savvy enough to add GIFS of those or I would. LOL.

Hoping to be pulling out by 12:30pm now. We have a 7pm reservation at Border Grill. I'm going to need a margarita by then!!!

Be on the lookout for a tired 40-something wearing this beauty!



Vegasworm

 

Yay!
My favorite finger clicker slot player in the world!
So glad you're sharing with us again!

My, how fast the girls have grown and so photogenic! Looks to be another awesome trip for them.

Geogran

 

I'm so glad to have you following along again @Geogran! Time does fly! My oldest will be in junior high this coming school year. Far cry from her first Vegas visit at 11 weeks old.

Vegasworm

 

Kids in Vegas? What tha???

Great report! Thanks for sharing the trip and the super photos with us... glad a great time was had!!!

 

Looking forward to following along - your family is adorable - I'm always intrigued with all that you plan.

I had shared one of your previous trip reports with my husband - next thing you know it - I have finger clickers too - I think it was a stocking stuffer if I remember correctly. Always pack them to Vegas but never use them - next trip will try for sure.

 

GPS shows 330 miles to my favorite paradise!

Out of here if I can get Olive's steering to cooperate. Valet parked us in a tight parallel spot on the street. There's a Porsche in front of me that has more to lose than I do. LOL.

Onward bound!

Vegasworm

 

Good luck ...and have a wonderful family time! How I miss my kids when they were much younger,,,now they are late teenage years with an attitude Lol... I know you will get handpay matter fact big one!!!! Sending you good vibe and all the best of lucks to your lovely family!!!

 

Have a safe trip and i'm looking forward to following along.

Mark

 

Thanks for the report so far. You have much planned and I am curious about how the kids will like the pool time.

 

Stopped so S can use the bathroom. 201 miles to go.

Vegasworm