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Bellagio Birthday Bonanza Blowout - Oct 26 - 30

Discussion in 'Vegas Trip Reports' started by 1stoppop, Oct 27, 2021.

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  1. 1stoppop

    1stoppop Degenerate

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    My Trip Report

    I meant to start this report yesterday but it was rather rushed.

    We woke up at 3:15 am to catch the 5:15 am flight from our local airport. Of course it was a last minute hustle to get everything lined out for the kids and pets.

    Our layover in Charlotte was supposed to be about 50 minutes but after our flight landed we were sidelined on the tarmac for about 20 minutes. On top of that we landed in Concourse E and had to get to Concourse B. End result: I got some early morning cardio in the Charlotte airport and had to skip the breakfast sandwich I had my mind set on.

    Flight to Vegas was fine. A little turbulence over the Rockies and a windy landing but we arrived almost 45 minutes ahead of schedule. As a result we checked into the Bellagio about 9 am. We are staying in a fully comped room at Bellagio with free play and food credit. Originally we were going to have to pay resort fees but when my new offer came in October, I realized it comped resort fees. I called and they were more than happy to switch our offer and waive the fees.

    I decided at check-in to try the $20 sandwich trick. She was clearly appreciative and asked what kind of upgrade we would like. I requested a fountain view. She said they were fully booked the night before so it may be a while before the room was ready but she would see what she could do. It worked! Within 45 minutes I had a text that the room was ready and we have a fountain view room on the 10th floor.
     

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  2. queentata

    queentata VIP Whale

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    Awesome! Keep it going!
     
  3. Ezzy711

    Ezzy711 VIP Whale

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    So happy to hear you made the connection. I can’t fly anywhere without a layover. Stories like yours always scare me. I try to book with 90 minutes to be safe but sometimes it’s just not possible. On my next trip I had to choose 60 minutes or 2.5 hours in Houston. Knowing that airport and neither flight was early AM so likely to be delayed, I took the long one just to make sure I made it home.

    Bellagio is my former home base. The redo looks lovely but I’m so sad they removed the tubs and now have the typical bowling alley shower. That view never gets old. Did they ever put the fountain music back on the tv?

    Looking forward to hearing more about your adventures.
     
  4. 1stoppop

    1stoppop Degenerate

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    The remodel was very nice. It has been several years since we stayed there, but I liked the refreshed look. And, yes, the fountain music is back on the tv - channel 22. In fact, I returned to the room the first day to find my wife had moved the couch, facing the window, with the fountain music on the tv, relaxed in her robe, reading a book and watching the fountains. We facetimed the kids so they could also watch the fountain show.

    Gambling did not go well. Although, I managed to convert $225 in free play to $220 on VP in Bellagio, so that was okay. I played a lot of Roll To Win Craps, but never got a streak past 20 going. I came upon one lady at CP who was on roll 36. I figured what the heck and dropped in and placed a few numbers. She had a 55 roll streak!! By far, the most I've ever seen on that game. There were a few good shooters after her, but we all knew it had peaked. With the gambling not going my way, I took some spa breaks throughout the day. Went to both Mandalay Bay and Qua spa at Caesars. The spa crowds are definitely not back to where they once were. Some of the new policies are interfering with my usual routine (overpriced day passes, 3 hour time limit, less or no food/juice options). I will say the spa attendants at both were extraordinary and very friendly.

    We had a great breakfast at Wicked Spoon. I'm not a fan of buffets, but this is one buffet that is worthy of an exception. @EastCoastVegasFan! first introduced me to Wicked Spook a couple of years ago, and I've been anxious to go back. It never disappoints. Since we both have October birthdays, we were both able to use our Wynn Birthday dinner credits at Sinatra. Terrific meal! After our meal, they served us each with a complimentary birthday dessert - delish! We also were able to try out the new Sugar Factory location in the Miracle Mile shops. I really like that place - fun atmosphere, good food, nice portion size, amazing drinks.

    On the entertainment front, we went to see Tape Face. I'm sure he is not everyone's brand of comedy, but I think he is really funny. Lots of audience participation and prop comedy, but we laughed throughout the entire show. After the show, he did a photo op with everyone as they left the theater. It was impressive how quickly they shuttled everyone through. When it was our turn, my wife told him that it was my birthday, so he hummed "Happy Birthday" as we were getting our picture taken. The next night, we went to the hockey game - Vegas Golden Knights v. Anaheim Ducks. We are huge VGK fans. We have seen them on the road, but never at T-Mobile. It was an awesome experience. We had fourth row seats, near the goal. The preshow is a true Vegas spectacle. This has to be the only hockey team with cheerleaders and its own showgirl squad. With about 15 minutes to go in the game, Vegas blew its 4-1 lead. The Ducks tied it up and no one scored in overtime, so it went to a shootout. Vegas won by one! We definitely got our money's worth with this game! Can't wait to go back!

    My observation on the mask policy: most places were about 90 - 95%. I noticed the Bellagio was pretty lax about enforcing it during the week, but as the crowd picked up for the weekend, they were much tougher about it. It was surprising to me, but of all the casinos that we were in, I think Bellagio and Wynn had the lowest levels of compliance. At T-Mobile Arena during the hockey game, I would estimate compliance around 15%. By far, it was the most unmasked people that I saw at any point in time. The arena announced reminders very frequently and even had people in the front holding up signs to wear your mask, but there was absolutely zero enforcement. Granted, this was as I expected it would be just from seeing the crowds on tv.

    A word of warning for anyone planning a trip: prepare for the taxi/uber situation. In years past, we always took Ubers. In August, we knew there was a shortage of Uber drivers and learned that it was usually cheaper and/or faster to take a taxi. That is still true, however, during this trip, we learned that cabs are not always readily available. On two separate nights, we waiting in rather long lines for a taxi at the Wynn. Instead of having a string of cabs waiting for the next pick up, the only cabs that came were ones dropping customers off. We checked Uber, but it was going to be over 1/2 hour and more than twice as much. I saw another huge line at Mandalay Bay around 5 p.m. one afternoon. Instead I took the tram to Excalibur. I was prepared to walk, when I noticed there were several cabs waiting at Excalibur so I went to their cab line and caught one there. Give yourself extra time to catch a ride because there may not always be a taxi on standby.
     
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  5. EastCoastVegasFan!

    EastCoastVegasFan! VIP Whale

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    Did you walk out of there with a champagne bottle in your hand? If not, I didn’t teach you a damn thing! :)
     
    July 19th - July 24th
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  6. 1stoppop

    1stoppop Degenerate

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    If you are “walking” out, you aren’t doing it right.
     
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