1. Welcome to VegasMessageBoard
    It appears you are visiting our community as a guest.
    In order to view full-size images, participate in discussions, vote in polls, etc, you will need to Log in or Register.

I've created a monster!

Discussion in 'Vegas Trip Reports' started by Scott R, Mar 7, 2005.

Thread Status:
Not open for further replies.
  1. Scott R

    Scott R Low-Roller

    Joined:
    May 13, 2003
    Messages:
    281
    Trips to Las Vegas:
    24

    My Trip Report

    Here is the promised trip report. Hope you like it.

    3-2-05 to 3-5-05 Las Vegas Trip Report.

    This trip was taken with my wife Anita. It was her 1st and my 9th trip to Las Vegas.
    We have been married for almost 15 years and this was our first vacation without children in over 12 years.

    Flights
    We had direct flights between Columbus, Ohio and Las Vegas, Nevada on Southwest Airlines. I had a free flight through the rapid rewards program, so we only had to buy 1 round trip ticket. No problems with either flight. I really like the cattle call boarding procedure with Southwest. You don’t get stuck next to anyone that obviously has a cold or any screaming kids if you have an A or B pass.

    Hotels
    Fitzgeralds and Imperial Palace.
    Got an offer from the Fitz for two free nights in March and an offer from IP at a good rate plus a bunch of free-bee coupons. They both required a 2-night stay. Wife only wanted to be away from home for 3 days so I double booked on the 3rd and we checked out 1 day early at the Fitz.

    Day 1
    Drive to Port Columbus was not a problem, I was worried about it because we had snow and high winds the night before we left. We live out in the country and it’s about an hour and 15 minutes to the airport under good driving conditions.

    Ok, we arrived at McCarran at 3pm and I went to get the luggage while wife called her mother to let her know we were there. We used the ODS shuttle to Fitz. They have vans, not the larger shuttle buses. So it didn’t take too long to get a full load of passengers and we didn’t have to make a lot of stops before we got down town. The driver was a nice fellow to visit with. He told me that Ellis Island has been bought and that it is to be torn down so that Michael Jordan can build a high-rise condominium. Don’t know if that true or not but if it is I’ll sure miss the steak special down there.

    Checked in and got a corner king room on the 16th floor with a Jacuzzi tub, nothing to get too excited about just a clean, nice size room.

    We went straight to the Golden Gate and both had a big shrimp cocktail, they cost a little more than the regular, but I like them better. We got something to drink and walked around under the canopy for a while before going back to Fitz to gamble.

    Anita wanted to play VP so we played that together for a while and then I went and played Black Jack. I came back in about half an hour and she was really into it, she was playing faster than I can. I was ready for dinner and I finally persuaded her leave the machine to go eat.

    We had the prime rib special in the coffee shop at California. Wife ordered hers medium well, (I told her not to) they gave her the end piece and it was tough and dried out. Mine was medium rare and excellent, so I shared some with her and we both had plenty to eat with the salad and other fixings that came with it.

    We saw a couple of light shows, walked through most of the casinos and played some VP at Main Street Station, then headed back to Fitz. Wife played machines while I played craps and black jack. Went to the coffee shop at the Gate for the late night breakfast specials and afterwards we gambled there for a while. I played craps while she played VP and we finally made it back to the room at 2am.

    Day 2
    I went to pick up the rental car at Dollar in the Golden Nugget while wife showered.
    We got a full size Taurus at the intermediate rate plus $15 off using the CTI code, and avoided all the BS airport taxes and facility charges by picking it up off airport.

    Went back to get wife for breakfast. We went to the coffee shop at the GN. Anita had pancakes and I had eggs benedict, the food was very good here and they leave the coffee pot on your table.

    After breakfast we went for a quick sight seeing drive down the strip, then walked around in Mandalay Bay and Luxor. Wife said that seeing other hotels is OK, but she wants to gamble. So we go back to Fitz and she goes back to her favorite machine. I’m wondering how the he!! she can have a favorite after one day?

    I checked us out around 3pm and loaded the luggage into the car while my bride went souvenir shopping for her and our daughters. She bought some charms for their bracelets and some big rubber dice. I checked our comp $ at Fitz and told her she could spend them in the gift shop there. So she got a bracelet for herself there.

    We checked in at IP, got a clean king room on the 7th floor that met our needs just fine.

    Went down to the bar, played VP and got a couple of drinks. We then went and played the $100 in free slot play on special machines that was included with our package. We each played $50 and didn’t win anything, no big surprise there.

    Ok, we ate at the Emperors Buffet for dinner cause it was free. You can eat here and find something that’s acceptable. Just don’t pay for it, there are better food choices close by.

    Got cleaned up and walked down to Barbary Coast, Paris and Bellagio and played machines a little in each place. Wife thought Paris was nice and said when she comes back the next time she would like to stay there and downtown at Fitzgeralds.

    Went back to IP and my bride discovered the Wheel of Fortune Machines. That’s where she set up camp, so I played Black Jack and bar top VP until about 1:30am, then I finally drug her up to the room.

    Day 3
    Got some coffee and walked through Venetian and the canal shops. We got half dozen donuts at the Krispy Kreem and ate them in the food court. Then you know what my wife wants to do, yeah that’s right, Wheel-Of-Fortune. Good grief I’ve created a monster.

    Ok I want her to be happy so we do that together for a while and then I leave her and go play some more BJ. I noticed the Champaign Pit has some single deck games that only pay 6-5 now, but most of the tables in that pit are still 2 decks 3-2. I guess 6-5 is not going to go away.

    Went to The Top of the World at Stratosphere for lunch. We didn’t have reservations cause I’ve never had any problem getting in there for lunch. Well now they expect you to have a reservation, I had to do some talking to get us in. We both had the 10-ounce burger and fries and enjoyed the view. Went down to the casino in The STRAT and played a few slots then went back to IP.

    Told wife we had dinner reservations at Voo Doo Café at 8:00pm and that I’d meet her at the room at 6:30. We did our own thing until then.

    The view from the glass elevators to Voo Doo was fantastic. Voo Doo is a cool dining event. Our drink waiter was a hoot, cracking jokes every time he came by the table. We both had the Three Little Pigs; it was a nice pork chop with some kind of creamy sauce on top, spicy barbequed pork, spicy sausage, spicy rice and beans, and asparagus. I had a Witch Doctor to drink and it was good too.

    We went to the lounge after dinner, but it was starting to get packed in there after half an hour so we went back to our casino. Voo Doo was expensive, but a nice finish to our last night in Vegas.

    We both played WOF at IP until about midnight and then turned in cause we had an am flight home.

    Notes:
    Check out of IP, we had enough comp$ to pay for our stay and then some.
    Return of the car to Dollar at McCarran was quick and didn’t have to wait long for the shuttle to take us to the airport.
    Anita lost $240, that really surprised me, I thought it would be more considering how much time she put in on the machines.
    I lost $220, which was at the machines and BJ, my craps sessions were small wins.
    Weather was beautiful mid to high 60’s during the day, it did rain a little the evening of the 4th.
    Anita said she liked downtown better than the strip, cause it was like it’s own little town and you could get to the different casinos so easy.
    [​IMG]
     
  2. doctor_al

    doctor_al VIP Whale

    Joined:
    Nov 25, 2002
    Messages:
    11,670
    Location:
    Twin Cities
    Trips to Las Vegas:
    18
    Nice! Another convert. Sounds like it was a fun trip, thanks for writing it up.
     
  3. rje

    rje High-Roller

    Joined:
    Jan 14, 2003
    Messages:
    855
    Location:
    Chicago
    Sounds like you both had a great time...

    Those WOF machines can be addictive.

    How much was the big shrimp cocktail at the Gate?
     
  4. RossW

    RossW North of the 49th

    Joined:
    Nov 1, 2003
    Messages:
    2,602
    Location:
    Ontario, Canada
    Trips to Las Vegas:
    29
    Well done, it's nice to split your days isn't it, a few downtown and a few on the strip.

    Good read

    RossW
     
  5. HurricaneMikey

    HurricaneMikey A-List Buffoon

    Joined:
    Jan 25, 2002
    Messages:
    5,923
    Location:
    One foot in Music City, one foot in Sin City
    Trips to Las Vegas:
    25
    I believe the Big Shrimp cocktail is $2.99. Same size glass, just bigger critters.

    Hey Scott, thanks for the write-up. Sounds like you guys had a great time!

    Mikey
     
    Mikey's Ali-Like Return to the Ring for March Madness
  6. Scott R

    Scott R Low-Roller

    Joined:
    May 13, 2003
    Messages:
    281
    Trips to Las Vegas:
    24
    rje,

    Mikey is right, the big shrimp is 2.99 try one sometime they are great.

    Doc,
    I knew you would be pleased that there is another fan of downtown.

    RossW,
    Yeah, I like almost everything about Vegas. Downtown or Strip, it's all good.

    I forgot to mention we had the late night breakfast special in the coffee shop at BC one night. It was pretty good for a few bucks.

    A few things I wanted to do but we just ran out of time.

    Wanted to see Big Elvis at BC.
    I wanted to play some poker.
    I wanted to get the wife to play craps with me, but couldn't get her away from the machines.

    Sounds like the beginning of a list for the next trip. Hmmmmmm.

    [ March 07, 2005, 09:13 PM: Message edited by: Scott R ]
     
  7. Red Sox

    Red Sox Tourist

    Joined:
    Apr 6, 2004
    Messages:
    480
    Location:
    Boston
    Trips to Las Vegas:
    26
    Scott I did the same thing with creating a monster.

    I just got married this past May and my wife knew that I've been to Vegas 17 times(I'm only 31) and that it is all I ever talk about. Well one night before the wedding I was talking about Vegas because thats where we went for our honeymoon and a statement came out of her mouth that said: "You know Jay, I just don't want you to think that every vacation is going to be to Vegas you know. I want to go to other places at some point. I just don't want to go there every year."

    Well to make a long story short we we're back to Vegas again in August and SHE'S (thats right she's) already planning a Vegas trip for June.

    Moral of the story is THERE IS NO OTHER PLACE TO GO!! ONCE YOU GO YOUR STUCK!

    You'll compare every other trip you go on to Vegas and come home and tell yourself: "Shit I should've just went to Vegas"
     
  8. IllMarty

    IllMarty Orangutan

    Joined:
    Dec 7, 2004
    Messages:
    1,630
    Location:
    Will Co., IL
    Trips to Las Vegas:
    12
    Nice TR Scott. I agree with your wife about DT. Glad you got her addicted. Marty
     
  9. vegasdrea

    vegasdrea Buckle Bunny

    Joined:
    Nov 29, 2004
    Messages:
    1,207
    Location:
    UK
    Trips to Las Vegas:
    365
    Scott,

    sounds like you guys had a great time, you and your wife deserve some time alone. I love VooDoo too, it's my favorite place. The Witch Doctor is a must.
    ~Andrea
     
  10. jenaphir

    jenaphir Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    Mar 24, 2004
    Messages:
    217
    i love that your wife loved downtown! just wait until she finds out you can get rooms for under $30/night. then you'll really have an addict on your hands!

    thanks for sharing your report!
     
Thread Status:
Not open for further replies.