Trip booked Tomorrow, Have a "hypothetical question"

Wife and I have a trip booked over this weekend and early next week. OK, we all heard the news, bars closed, masks required. Cocktail waitresses will still serve alchohal. We can live with both of these and have a great time.

My only concern (and I doubt it would happen), is if they decide to shut down during our trip.

My thought is, if they were going to shut down, they would give a week or so notice since so many people travel and have pre existing flight arrangements. It would be pretty bad if they shut down 1 day into your trip and you are stuck trying to find a quick flight out.

Looking for others feedback.

Thanks!

John

 

I think that's exactly how they shut down...24-48 hours notice. Yes you have to move your flight but I think the airlines work with you to get you out.

 

I’m not sure where you are flying from but I booked a rental car that I ended up cancelling just in case this possibility came to pass. Normally it is quite expensive to book a rental car in one location and take it far and drop at another location but I was able to book a Chevy Tahoe for pickup at LAS and drop off in OKC 2 days later for about $300 all in. Would have been much cheaper with a smaller car. Like I said I ended up cancelling but if you’re within a 1 or 2 day drive it may be worth doing so for the added feeling of security. We figured if there was a sudden closure that the flights may become overloaded and overwhelmed.

 

Depending on how much off strip or off property roaming you want to do and what time you want to do it, you May want to consider renting a car for your trip. We’ve done it a couple times when we wanted to go do stuff like Red Rock. On this past trip we didn’t generally have difficulty getting cabs but they were far less plentiful than previous trips and there are a LOT less Uber drivers moving around right now. Also, I think most all the strip properties have free parking right now so if your normal visit involved lots of vehicular transportation this would be a good trip to have a car. As I mentioned in my TR, one cab driver told us that out of 500 drivers recalled by his company, only 40 came back to work.

 

In general, casino shut down 12 hour notice, hotel 24 hour notice. Public officials don't care at all about your travel inconveniences or costs only about public health.

I was in Biloxi during the 1st shut down. In the afternoon it was announced the casino would closed at midnight and the hotel would close at noon the next day.

 

Here in Bossier area I saw on a news break that all casinos would shut down at midnight the same day. It was about 2 pm when I saw so I dashed over to Horseshoe to play until closing. I walked in the door and got as far as security and she said sorry we are closed. I said I thought you were closing at midnight and she said we closed at 2 PM. I had played there they day before and there was no indication there would be a shutdown. It happened quickly. I felt sorry for the people who were in the hotel.

 

That's why they're public health officials. Health. Public (as opposed to me me me).

The warning signs are all over. It's fine if we want to risk it, still, we do have that choice. We also have to be fine with sudden changes for the common good and the longer term.

 

Thanks for all the replies and suggestions.

We are traveling from the east coast, so rental / drive option is not really feasible.

If shit hits the fan, we could get a rental and go to the grand canyon I suppose.

Hope Vegas holds on for at least one more week!!!!

 

I'd have a car reserved for your entire planned stay. It's a no-risker and does open up the doors. Many good day trips out and about the desert each direction, and if it does all but lock down in Vegas in addition to the canyon you have Bryce and Zion in closer. But check on all the parks BEFORE thinking you can get in because aside from usually limited housing that books up far in advance -- any possible closure affects from the novel virus not in the mix -- access to some of our more popular parks are restricted to those who buy a pass in advance. Are you taking your clubs?

 

I can fully appreciate where you're coming from. I was in this position in March. We were supposed to go on a cruise departing March 16th and it ended up being the first cancelled sailing on that ship. We cancelled on the 14th and immediately booked Vegas as a consolation trip, then I reconsidered the next day and cancelled Vegas as well because of this concern, which was a little more inevitable back then. Ended up going to Biloxi instead because I could drive home from there. And it ended up being a good move because like others mentioned, their closure happened in less than 24 hours. I guess the announcement was made while I was driving there. I found out while checking in at 6pm and was told I needed to be off property by noon the next day even though my reservation was longer. Nobody told us about the casino closures at midnight until security approached us in the casino around 11:30pm and told us we needed to wrap it up and cash out be cause everyone needed to be physically out by midnight.

So all that said, I wont speculate of course on what will or wont happen in Vegas, but dont expect a lot of notice if it should happen to shut down, and if you do go, plan ahead for a 'backup plan' of what you're going to do each day if you find yourself suddenly getting the boot

Edit - I think the suggestions for a rental car are great advice too. If you followed my trip report, you saw we were stranded at Sahara almost an hour trying to get a ride, and when we did get one, it was a combination of luck and being a little pushy. Wouldnt want to drive home from Vegas to the east coast, but a rental car could get you to Arizona or SoCal to an airport that doesn't have an entire city of people trying to leave at once, so keep that in mind.

 

If you have a rental, you can drive to somewhere else it might be easier to fly out of.

Don't expect to be able to book one an hour after a closure is announced though. If it's a serious concern, book it for the length of your stay and make sure you pick it up. You can always cancel it at the last minute if it doesn't look like you'll need it.

 

Some non casino hotels will be open if there is a shut down. If it happens during my trip, I will just move to one of those. I've been inside my apartment for four months now. A Travelodge stay with zero amenities sounds insanely exciting to me right now. I am sick of the view of my living room for ten straight hours of working in my dining room. Followed by an evening in said living room. I need out of here.

 

No clubs this trip. In Vegas gambling takes precedence!

 

That and at the home office, food isn't made on its own!

 

My company served us catered lunch every day when we were in the office. I miss that.

 

Geeze, I would miss that, too!!

 

If the casino closes it doesn't mean the hotel would close, would it? I mean if one is booked for 4 nights and they close the gaming floor on night 2 would they make you leave?