Celebrating and Cocooning at Wynncore While Winning Mega More (6/30 to 7/5)

Happy Summer Everyone!

This turned out to be a treatise LOL, but at least it will be easy just to add some pictures to this report.

After some work from home and then an external meeting, I am heading to the airport this afternoon for what will be, for me, a relatively short trip over the holiday weekend but one during which I hope to relax, win a lot, and have a blast! It’s 5 nights and 4 full days, with plans to depart Vegas in the early afternoon of Tuesday, July 5th. I often have – and do now – that “I can’t believe I am heading on vacation” feeling, even after typically many months of planning.

Preparing for Travel Challenges

In light of the many horror stories from VMB (thank you for sharing your experiences) and on the national news, I double booked an inexpensive return flight on Jet Blue for Tuesday, July 5th and am prepared to move my existing flight on Delta from the mid-afternoon to the early morning on Tuesday if it looks like Tuesday may be crazed on the cancellation front as I really need to get back to NYC by the evening of the 5th while still enjoying July 4th and the fireworks in Las Vegas. If I don’t need the Jet Blue flight, I am fine with a credit and will cancel early enough in case someone else can use the seat.

The Cocooning Begins

I’ve been very blessed the past couple of months, including with my new job, but for various reasons it has been an extremely stressful period personally, coupled with so much craziness in the world that is breaking my heart (though I’m trying to do my part to make things better). So, as my trip title says, I plan to cocoon at Wynncore, including enjoying the pool, getting some serious spa treatments (a combo 2 1/2 hour treatment from Nicole and another awesome facial from Traci, both at Encore), having some wonderful meals (while trying to not go overboard) and getting my serious gamble and winning on.

And when I say “cocoon”, I mean it. Once I’m picked up at Harry Reid International Airport by one of the awesome Wynncore drivers, I don’t plan to leave the property except once to check out the Bellagio conservatory and maybe the Mirage for a last look early one morning. I love flowers, hence my VMB name, and the summer exhibit looks to be just spectacular.

If the weather isn’t too hot, I may stroll in the other direction on the strip for exercise on another morning (which would mean leaving the property twice ) but I’m leaning towards getting leisurely exercise by exploring all of the nooks and crannies at Wynncore each morning that I somehow may have missed over the years.

It's a solo trip but I’ll be enjoying a number of meals with @dbueler and on July 2nd we’ll see (for the third time in less than a year for me) Lionel Richie at the Encore Theatre, with plans to see him for the fourth time on my birthday in August during another short trip. Yep, the show IS THAT AWESOME. I thought about checking out another show this trip but Lionel Richie is about as much of a show or entertainment commitment as I want to have during this trip, in contrast to my birthday trip, which I hope will include both Lionel Richie at Encore (again LOL) and The Weekend at Allegiant.

I also hope to see some VMBers as that is always a fun part of the trip. I will make the member meet if I can though that will be going against my “cocooning” plan LOL, but no matter what I do hope to see at some point, even if at Wynncore, other members of the VMB family. I enjoyed very much the April member meet that @Chuck2009x planned. Here’s a pic from that meet.




I want to see soon in person the paver I purchased at the Neon Museum. Here’s a pic of it that the Neon Museum sent me that I have also shared with my mom. It was completed and placed the day after we had departed Vegas in April.



But depending on how things are going on the gambling front, i.e., if I am on FIYAH, I may just check that out on my actual birthday in August. If the winnings are not coming, however, I may take a break and visit the Neon Museum and Brilliant show (and see my paver ) this trip, which would be an exception to my “cocooning”/being stationary plan, but for a great purpose. That place is just fantastic and I am proud to be a member there, as well as of some other Vegas institutions, like Springs Preserve. The Neon Museum aka “Boneyard” is on my Must Do list for anyone visiting Vegas and it is appropriate, whether you are 10 or 110. Check out this short clip (it’s in the middle of the page) of the Brilliant Show. https://www.neonmuseum.org/visit/brilliant.

Recap of Mega Trip with My Mom

My last couple of trips have been losing ones and the April trip with my mother was brutal on that front though it was also one of my top three trips of all time in my more than 30 years of visiting Vegas. My mother and I had a fantastic trip with lots of mother/daughter time and morning and even talks under the covers while having a snack or room service, great fine dining and casual meals – she is a grilled cheese and tomato soup fan as well – two Master Classes that were just extraordinary, Lionel Richie, Lada Gaga, net winning for her, spa treatments and enjoying the Encore Spa, Wynncore slot tournament, member meet, spending time one-on-one with some VMBers, the Butterfly Exhibit at Springs Preserve, the Bellagio Conservatory and an awesome exhibit at the Bellagio Art Museum, and wrapping up the trip at Bryce Canyon and then Zion National Park on Easter morning. And she felt good physically as well. It was just wonderful. My heart is so warmed by the memories as my mother approaches her 90th birthday, with our April trip having been the “kick off” to her four-month birthday celebration.

I Hope I Do Have a Wynncore Winning FRENZY

Though there is no such thing as being “owed” a winning trip, I’m nevertheless ready to win and win BIG! Related to this, as noted in another thread, I have a large amount of Wynncore Free Credit (aka free play) tied to my April play and losses and a separate amount as part of the “Free Credit Frenzy” offer that Wynncore is running in the first half of July. I’ll get 4k in Free Credit tied to that promo and an additional 4k if I earn 175,000 slot points before I depart on July 5th.

That’s a crazy amount of slot points. I do like to play for long stretches and on lots of lines but my base denomination is still primarily quarters on VP and pennies/nickels/dimes on slots. It’s highly unlikely to happen but 175,000 in slot points is theoretically possible for me to do if the odds in are my favor, which would earn me the additional 4k in free credit and another $1750 in free credit by converting the slot points to “point play”. And, on top of that, I’d earned an additional and large amount of comp dollars aka Wynn Rewards. While I try to avoid chasing comps, if I am close to 175,000 I may give it a shot, knowing that the extra 4k in free play will be there. I’d then do a quick play through to convert and head to the airport as I believe you need to use any additional free play during the trip.

I’ll keep you posted as to how things are going on that front. I am not counting on it but it’s a possibility so we shall see.

But, the bottom line is with the free credit I am receiving at the beginning of my trip, I am bringing just a small amount of cash with which to play, with the goal of having a good conversion rate on my free play and playing and WINNING solely on the winnings from my free play. The small amount is in this pretty envelope that I hope to never open until after I return home to NYC.




I have another envelope with $500 that is a cushion for various expenses in case I do something unexpected and super special, e.g., a helicopter ride at sunset over the strip, though I may save that for my birthday weekend.

This is also the first time in many years where I will not be double or triple booking or stopping some place where a stay is not required to pick up free play. I used to think it was like “burning money” if I didn’t pick up my free play around town but if you don’t want to “burn” the casino when picking up free play (and I don’t), you can wind up “donating” more to the casino than the free play in any event, so I’m not heading to CET, Palace Station, Cosmo or to The D/Circa at any point during this trip, but instead will be doing 100% of my play at Wynncore. That actually might be a first since I’ve been staying at Wynncore, but my return on investment in terms of what Wynncore can offer for my play is also, for me, greater than anywhere else in Vegas.

The Room

I’ll be in a Wynn Salon Suite for the duration. Yes, that’s a lot of space, but my host offered it and I said “what the heck” so that’s where I will be. He also offered a salon suite for my birthday trip and we agreed it might be neat to experience both renovated suites, so I’ll be in an Encore Salon Suite for my birthday trip in August. (The Encore renovations are still ongoing but it sounds like some of the suites may be renovated by mid-August.) If some girlfriends join me it will be party central, but I also love solitude and quiet – even in Las Vegas – so I’d enjoy it solo as well.

The Meals

Breakfast/brunch meals include Tableau, Jardin, the RFB Lounge for something light, and either the Terrace Point Café or the Buffet one day. With the holidays, lines will be insane at the latter two but staying in the Tower Suites and with my Chairman’s card should cut the wait down to about 2 minutes.

Dinners include Lakeside, Sinatra, Wing Lei, and Allegro though my last two dinners will be solo so a formal meal might be replaced by the Wynn Café’s grilled cheese and tomato soup, my favorite dishes at Wazuzu or a late light lunch while enjoying the pool in the shade. I’ve got reservations made, which is a must, but I’m also keeping my options open.

The Cocktails

I hope as well, if possible, to grab a new and interesting cocktail or two or three at Aft, Bar Parasol, the Overlook Bar, Delilah’s Bubble Bar and/or the Eastside Lounge (live music is back!), crafted by Wynn’s extraordinary Master Mixologist, who previously created the cocktail program at Cosmo. It’s going to be a busy weekend though and most of these places don’t take formal reservations.

NBC Nightly News reported last week that Las Vegas is the “MOST POPULAR DESTINATION IN THE COUNTRY” for this holiday weekend and I’m sure Wynncore in particular will be packed. But, I plan to take it in stride as I love the energy of a crowded casino floor and restaurants and Wynncore never gets, in my experience, uncomfortably crowded. I am still worried about Covid though, so I will be wearing a mask most places, including elevators, even though I am double vaccinated and double boosted and masking is no longer required. I am now in the minority of Americans who hasn’t had Covid and though the odds may not be in my favor I am going to try and keep it that way while still living my life.

I also plan to enjoy the pool for an hour or two a couple of mornings.

So, that’s the plan. Eat, spa or pool, play, sleep and repeat for four days, with Lionel Richie and the fireworks for extra magic.

A Personal Triumph -- Packing Ultra Light (or very close to it)!

Oh, and I am doing something else this trip I have never done before. I am packing ULTRA LIGHT!

A few years ago, @vegas superfan shared a packing list from www.herpackinglist.com. If you are an over packer, I encourage you to check it out!

Well, fast forward to today, where I am in the middle of a six-week online course on packing ultra light called the “Handbag Packing Master Class”. https://herpackinglist.com/handbag-packing-masterclass/ Indeed, I just finished participating in a virtual group “office hours” session with our coach. No, I am not kidding and I actually paid for the class. This “Master Class” was not comped. LOL

The goal of the class is to be able to travel for up to 3 weeks carrying nothing but a ”handbag”, ideally a large purse or backpack no bigger than 12L, so about the third of the size volume wise of a SMALL wheeled carry on.

I will never achieve what our coach achieves but I am pleasantly shocked how, with some planning and being super disciplined, that I figured out how to pack everything I NEED (not want to have) with me for this five-day trip, while still having what I NEED to look good and “stylish” enough for the concert and dinners.

Here's the smallish backpack that I am carrying. That, with a small purse, is all that I am taking with me, other than what I am wearing as my travel outfit, which includes lots of thin layers, so multiple tops I can wear individually once I get to Vegas. It’s a miracle.



I don’t know if I could pack this light for a three-week trip, but I have to tell you, it feels so powerful, chic and liberating to be departing with all I need plus a bit more but in such a small bag. I think it’s especially helpful with the craziness of airline travel now.

The class has also been helpful to me as I look to downside dramatically so many belongings in my apartment that are in good to new/never worn condition that can go to someone who can use the items. The downsizing feels like it is exercising the same part of the brain and soul as learning to pack ultralight.

"See" You In Vegas

So that’s my story, um, beginning of my trip report. LOL. I plan to have a blast and am prayerful for a safe and healthy journey to and from Vegas though the one up above has a full plate dealing with so many more important things with so much going on in the world today.

My trip is planned to a T but now I can really relax once I arrive and not have to make any decisions except what to order at breakfast and dinner, when to go to the pool, what and when to play and to what songs I want to boogie while Lionel Richie and band rock it out.

With this long prelude, I’ll be writing very little once I land, but look for pics. Don’t be disappointed, however, as my pics won’t be as good as those by @MikeOPensacola.

Wishing everyone a healthy and happy 4th in advance!

 

Have fun

 

I am so excited to see this! Have a wonderful trip I’ll be following along!

 

Have a great trip- and many BIG handpays!!!

 

Pretty savvy travel strategy @Flowers. I like the idea of backup flights coupled with no checked baggage.

Cheers to a wonderful trip!! I’ll be following along and be rooting for you every step of the way.

 

Have a wonderful trip and a happy 4th! I am in awe of you bringing only that little backpack for 5 nights!

 

Have a great trip. Say if you're up a bit take a stab on some $25 VP. A 100k royal is in the cards!!

We plan on cocooning at Wynn too this coming trip. Not too many side excursions planned outside of downtown for Freeplay.

 

Hope you have a great holiday vacation. I admire your packing strategy. Sending you many good luck and safe, hassle free travel wishes.

 

@Flowers Have a wonderful trip and handsome wins!

 

Great prelude… Best of luck on the trip, hoping the meals are incredible, gambling plentiful, pool/spa relaxing and Lionel Richie is always awesome! Enjoy it

 

Have a wonderful winning trip. Sounds like you are on track for some good R&R.

 

Welcome back Flowers! Looking forward to following along and maybe our paths will cross!

 

@Flowers - have fun and win some money! In fact, looking forward to hearing you say “….and then a miracle happened!”

 

You are going to LOVE when you get back to NY - getting off the plane with your bag and just going home. Not taking heavy luggage down, not stopping at baggage claim, not anything. Just waltz off the plane and go home. It is the best.

 

Following along.
I am terrible at overpacking and look forward to your thoughts on packing light.
Win BIG!!

 

Can't wait to follow along! Thanks for the update on your trip with your mom; glad you had such a good time with her, and bless her for being so active at almost 90! My mom made it to 88 and was very active right up until the end, it is a blessing for sure. And I have a cousin that is 91 and still going. Good luck with the lighter packing, I hope you find it freeing. I hate taking a lot of stuff and bags with me, so I am cheering you on here! And I will hope for one more break from your Wynncore cocoon - a trip to your bank with some big winnings! Safe travels!

 

It is impressive how little you were able to pack! Your trip sounds awesome and I have a similar trip planned (on a much smaller scale) since my last 2 trips were kind of rough. I got a call that my stepfather had to be taken to the hospital and I had to leave Vegas early and then on the next trip my purse was stolen at the 4Q. So I'm trying to get some Vegas mojo back with a nice relaxing trip. I'm looking forward to following your trip report so I can copy you when I head out later this month! I have a spa treatment scheduled for the Encore spa and reservations at Wing Lei and the buffet at Wynn. Thanks for taking us along and good luck!

 

Wow that preamble kicks ass...this report will surely DOMINATE!

 

Have a wonderful trip and some big wins. Impressed with your packing strategy. Except for international travel, I’m a carryon kinda gal, but still can’t imagine a 4-day Vegas trip with only a backpack. Good luck with everything.

 

If you are in the Mirage tomorrow night, there's a decent chance JR and I might be at the Sports Bar machines around 9 pm if you are in the area. In the meantime, why don't you get us all started with a dealt multi play royal.