Holiday Gift Shoppe 2020 dates

Booked Park MGM for Nov 20-21 for $118 a night (including $50/night food credit)... that was the best deal I could find, as apparently what I booked for the other HGS weekend was my “offer”... oh well, considering what the other properties wanted it was still a relatively good deal, and at least I have my nights booked if I don’t get any better offers

 

It has been two months since I originally started this post, and yet still no "official" HGS dates from MGM. I thought perhaps they'd get back around to it once hotels started reopening. I booked my rooms for the first and third weekends in November a long time ago, however, I have not yet booked flights. Does everyone here think the aforementioned dates are pretty solid? MGM Member Services wouldn't confirm when I asked last week.

 

I forgot where I got confirmation that the dates that I was working with were accurate. Let me search my emails.

I didn't find anything in my emails except for one saying that I should call mLife Services in APril or May. The person that I spoke to on the phone (bless her heart) didn't have any idea what I was talking about but tried her "darnedest" to find out, but was unsuccessful, and suggested that I call back in August.

I will send another email to mLife Member Services and report back on their reply. I will also check in person when I stay at Bellagio on July 5th.

 

I wonder if you'll get the same response from Member Services that I did, which was they have "no update at this time." Great idea - checking at Bellagio sounds like a good bet since they'll be hosting the second event. Have fun, it'll be here before you know it.

 

I am also going to as my host at Playstudios if they have any clarity.

Well, mLife came back with this answer:

"Please be advised that we don’t have that information at this time, please keep checking our site for update information at https://www.mgmresorts.com/en/mlife-rewards-program/holiday-gift-shoppe.html. Please let us know if we can be of any further assistance."

This ALMOST gets me to the point where I put together an email about how mLife puts on a great show at the Bellagio ballroom exhibit, but everything else surrounding the event is piss-poor. From outdated catalogs, to the fact that they don't even have dates that they can announce (I'm sure that they know what the dates are, they just haven't given them to the "po' folk" or even worse, the customers.

I guess they don't understand that there are travel arrangements that need to be made to attend the event, rooms that need to be booked . . . etc.

I'm venting and ranting, now that the second date ISN'T confirmed, and now I've had to make travel plans for a THIRD weekend (I am booking the second weekend of CETs GGWU just in case), and I'm lucky that I could get a comp room at Bellagio and a cheap rental car. Still, more balls that I have to juggle.

I know . . . first world problems . . . .

 

Exactly where I'm coming from, because we're talking 5 months from today. It would be less complicated if I wasn't bringing other people for the 2nd event. I thought to ask my PlayStudios host, but I know they're limited on what MGM offers up so I don't even bother. I'm just going to roll with it as is.

 

Well, not only that, but I also hate to say it, but there's no guarantee that Playstudios will be teaming up with mLife for the HGS. There was a year that they didn't because mLife felt that they weren't getting enough business out of the partnership.

 

I've got hotels booked with MLife for the dates that are up on the HGS website for the 2020 shows, but haven't looked at flights yet, as there is no point.

Worst comes to worst, I have to cancel the hotels, and lose 25% of the gems I spent on 3 nights at Wynn in the middle.

Host said she'd let me know when they knew something, when I asked her a month or so back. Fingers crossed it is on, or I won't be getting to Vegas for my 40th

 

True, and there is no telling this year. If HGS falls through, I'll focus on a custom comp for that trip.

 

I'm going to do the whole of December if it's not on, and might do the same as I'll prob have about 20m LPs by then.

 

What sort of custom comp are you able to get with playstudios if you reach top tier? I’m probably a few hundred dollars from reaching it and have around 8mil LPs currently. Was hoping to trade in for HGS as I’m planning to be there at the start of November but I guess a custom comp could be the only solution to cover that many LPs if HGS doesn’t become an option? Free play is probably the only thing I’m interested in. Or perhaps a sports event.

 

@Scott Morton, event tickets may be an option for you, if and when there are events back on the schedule this year. I've turned mine in for concert and show tickets several times. I'm not sure about freeplay, but you could look into gift cards. Custom comp flexibility is relative to your spend in the games. There are several great threads about this topic in the MyVegas area of Casino Game Apps section of VMB.

 

Thanks @MaxDenom - took a look through through the comments in MyVegas section and the posts from @DaiLun . Very useful indeed. Appreciate the info guys. I'll probably take the plunge and invest the extra to get a host....then hopefully can get something that's worth the additional cost off the back of it. I've spent a considerable amount on the game in the past so should be in a position where my LTD spend is sufficient to warrant a decent custom comp. Still praying for the HGS offer to be available first though! That's a great way to get some value back from the games

 

OK, I sent them one "final" email, sent to mLife resort services

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I realize that you may be several levels below the decision makers on this matter, but please pass this up the chain of command.


I am a loyal mLife customer, but I am very frustrated by your inability to provide dates for the 2020 HGS events. People travel from all over the country to attend this event because of mLifes attention to detail in providing a event worth attending.


However, there are plane flights to be made, car rental reservations, and of course reservations at mLife properties to make, and the delay is very frustrating.


Personally, I have a trip to Asia (yeah, I know Asia might not be open to US Citizens) in November/December that right now is planned around the HGS dates. There may come a time where I will abandon going to HGS and book my Asia trip. I know people from the East Coast who have already abandoned coming to HGS this year.


Please publish the dates, or at least a date that you will publish the dates, so I can make a decision.


Kind regards,

<name witheld>
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I'll give them until August 1, then I will schedule my trip based on CET's GGWU dates, and if HGS falls during the Asia trip, so be it. THEIR BAD . . . . . .

 

Very frustrating that they are withholding the information. Hopefully you get some form of response soon!

 

Well said, @DaiLun. I can understand their hesitance a few months ago, but now we're about 100 days out. Either give us dates or cancel it.

 

Well, I checked my email to make sure that the request was sent. I sent it on 7/21 and told myself that I'd let mLife have until 8/1 to post the dates, at which time I will schedule my Asia trip.

Now, I know fully well that the trip to Asia may not go off, but I need to book a semi-changeable and possibly non-refundable airline ticket, and that's what I'm gonna do. I'm gonna keep the other three reservations for HGS/GGWU and cancel as appropriate when mLife finally published the dates.

70 days out and they can't release the dates?!?! Shame on you mLife. . . . . .

 

It took them weeks to acknowledge my e-mail as well, and their reply was a throwaway one. I have comped rooms booked for both of the weekends we 'think' it will be, but I haven't booked airfare either. At this point, maybe I'll just book a flight for 1 of the 2...

 

OK, major venting here:

Well, "eff" mLife for their stupidity/lameness/whatever you want to call it.

1)Here it is, August 3rd and they can't publish dates for a MAJOR event in early November
2)On their website, they are still listing information for 2018 and 2019 HGS like it's current news
3)My email from 7/21/2020 is still unanswered, and unacknowleged.

I had plane, car, and hotel reservations for the three "possible" weekends, and thankfully, they're all cancellable. So, I'm still keeping my SWA, Enterprise, and mLife reservations for three weekends in November/December, but I've booked a three week trip to Asia from 11/28-12/19/2020. My itinerary is (subject to closure)

Jeju Island, SK (Jeju Shinhwa World Casino)
Cotai, Macao (MGM Cotai)
Angeles City, PI (There is a casino in Angeles City, but I don't want to be so bored that I have to go there)
Manila, PI (Okada, and Resorts World casino)
Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia (Resort World Genting)
Chiang Mai, Thailand (No casinos, but plenty of reclining Buddahs )
Bangkok, Thailand (No casinos, but plenty of reclining Buddahs )

I'm using Playstudios comps for 7 hotel nights, and trying to get a comp at RW Genting, but worst case, the rooms at the First World Hotel are only $20.00/night.

So. I should be able to take advantage on ONE of the HGS weekends, and maybe two if Asia remains closed to US citizens.

Yeah, I know, First World problems . . . . . .

 

The HGS catalog site has been a little off. The dates were on the front page at one point in April but they took it off. Right now if you click on the top "Experience HGS" graphic, it takes you to a page with the 11/5-11/8 and 11/19-11/22 dates with locations TBD.

Also, if you visit the main page and then click the HGS logo in the top left corner, you'll get a different main page animation that flashes "November 2020."