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Live and Unexpectedly Solo at MGMs Grand and Park

Discussion in 'Vegas Trip Reports' started by diplomatic, Aug 1, 2021.

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  1. diplomatic

    diplomatic Always seeking drink tickets

    Joined:
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    Okay, some random thoughts, typed on the flight home, to wrap up:

    You will likely have noticed that I did not set foot in a Caesars property. It’s been rehashed a lot here on VMB, so I won’t belabor the point, except to say that MGM treated me well, so I gave them all my spend and gamble. Caesars cut my offers almost completely, so I did the same. It’s a shame, because Caesars Sportsbook and the Paris casino floor are two of my favorite places in Vegas, but it’s just not worth it to me right now, and I found perfectly good alternatives.

    Park MGM is a really great property and may become my new home base. From service to restaurants to non-smoking to location, it’s miles better than similar-range places I’ve seen and stayed. (Poor Mirage, you’ve got competition). The rooms are nice and plenty big enough for one person. The bathrooms are great, especially the big shower and good water pressure. I think that MGM really shot themselves in the foot by staying open during the remodel. I had an impression that Park MGM really was not good, and I bet lots of other people got that same impression from walking through an unfinished resort.

    Table limits were generally up, but not shockingly so. I agree that $5 craps is probably gone from the strip and most of downtown, and it’s unlikely to come back. And I’m fine with that. There are craps machines everywhere that have $3 or $5 mins. Sorry if it’s not what you prefer, but you can’t always have everything you want when and where you want it. There was never a problem finding $10 craps within a short walk from anywhere I went.

    This trip really solidified for me that I should alter the way I do Vegas, and vacations in general, a bit. I have always wanted to do as much new stuff as possible, and repeat experiences as little as possible. But as I get older, and I know what I like more and more, there’s nothing wrong with doing what I want over and over. That’ll likely mean fewer off-strip day trips and maybe no more downtown. My time in Vegas is limited enough as it is.

    I am also willing to pay more for convenience and less willing to go out of my way for a bargain as my bankroll gets bigger. That doesn’t mean I don’t love a good deal and I won’t still try to maximize my comps, but I’m not gonna wait around when $10 will get me what I want NOW. The American Casino Guide was more trouble than it was worth, did not actually provide much value for me, and I felt a little silly/cheap carrying around coupons. Lots of the deals are two-for-ones, so if you travel in pairs and you like the sorts of establishments in the book, the of course by all means. But never again for me.

    All the new casinos I saw (Circa, Resorts) are stupendous. The re-named ones (OYO, Virgin, Sahara) are a mixed bag. But it’s nice that Vegas is expanding its offerings.

    Transportation on the ground remains a bit of a challenge, but not maddeningly so. I’d recommend to everyone to maximize your options by having Lyft and Uber, but also using taxis. It’s not worth saving $3 to waste 15minutes of a vacation. At least not to me.

    Betting on baseball is stupid and betting on the Olympics is stupider. But I already knew that.

    I don’t think I had a successful blackjack session this whole trip. 3-2 vs 6-5 vs even money doesn’t matter if you never won a hand. I always think I’m going to have fun playing bj, and I rarely do.

    I was really honored to see so many of the names that I recognize from TRs on here following along. I’ve learned so much from so many of you, and you’re almost like celebrities to me after following your exploits. Thanks for the support and encouragement, and thanks for taking the time to write your reports. I do this selfishly, because I like to have a record of my trips to revisit in the future, but I hope you all got some enjoyment out of it, too.

    Mask use was widespread and pretty consistently enforced. I thought that it would be a hindrance to enjoying Vegas, but it really wasn’t at all. I’ll tread carefully here because I don’t want to run afoul of the VMB rules, but I want to say that if you are so offended by talk of vaccines and masks in someone’s report on their trip to Las Vegas, a reasonable reaction would be to unfollow that person’s TR, rather than reporting it to the moderators. You also might want to reevaluate what you’re actually mad about and have some serious self-reflection about what your priorities are in life. I also want to thank the mods for their reasonable and fair handling of everything.

    With my job and life these days, it’s hard to get to Vegas more than once every few years. I may try to get out for a holiday weekend sometime in this next year, but that’d likely be all until 2024 or later. I’ll be in the DC area for the next year. Maybe we can do a MGM National Harbor meet up for those in the area.

    Thanks again, and good luck to all.
     
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  2. FormallyTD

    FormallyTD Big Time

    Joined:
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    Great stuff @diplomatic

    Glad you had a fantastic trip and I enjoyed following along when I could log in here.

    Certainly the highlight was the sushi, scrambled eggs and ice cold cola at the Excalibur buffet. Just looking at that imagery really had me doubting myself on why I bother to eat anywhere else in the Las Vegas region....and I ain't kiddin'.

    All that said, I am still reporting you about your comments about downtown.

    Be good.
     
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  3. VegasBhoy67

    VegasBhoy67 Low-Roller

    Joined:
    Sep 8, 2016
    Messages:
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    Location:
    Bournemouth UK
    Trips to Las Vegas:
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    What a fantastic trip report - magnificent photos and a great commentary.

    especially loved all the details about the various sportsbooks

    The Las Vegas Tourist Board should snap up this report :D
     
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  4. Mario's Backroom

    Mario's Backroom Low-Roller

    Joined:
    Dec 8, 2013
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    Florida
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    Thanks for taking us along! I appreciated your humor and your honesty. I feel enlightened and more informed for my trip at the end of the month. Thank you, sir!
     
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  5. karpov

    karpov Tourist

    Joined:
    Jun 8, 2021
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    Location:
    Maryland
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    thanks for the awesome trip report, especially all the off strip casinos you visited. great to see some new options to harvest chips for the homegame and drop a couple bucks at the tables.
     
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  6. VPDeuces

    VPDeuces Dishwasher safe

    Joined:
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    Great TR, and it was fun following along. Thanks for posting, and I find myself agreeing with almost everything in your wrap-up. Cheers!
     
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  7. DanVegas

    DanVegas Tourist

    Joined:
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    Amazing TR @diplomatic

    I almost never get through these in their entirety, but you did a great job with observations, variety of experiences, and great pictures. Bravo!
     
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  8. rourou

    rourou subterranean roller

    Joined:
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    Agree. I usually stay at Mirage but my last trip (pre-pandemic), I stayed at NoMad, and I really liked the Park casino. Now that it is non-smoking, it is going to be tough to pick between Mirage and Park/NoMad. May come down to offers and location…if I am in Vegas for a specific concert, I prefer to stay nearest to the venue.

    Thank you for an enjoyable trip report!
     
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  9. Mike G

    Mike G Tourist

    Joined:
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    Philadelphia
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    Excellent TR. Thanks for taking us with you on your adventures!!!
     
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  10. hail2skins

    hail2skins VIP Whale

    Joined:
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    This was a fun TR to read! Sounds like you packed a lot of places in for the week.
     
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  11. 625LORI

    625LORI Tourist

    Joined:
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    Thanks for a great report and glad you had such a great time. This was very informative to me as you covered some spots I was thinking of visiting when I get there this week.
     
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  12. apezmonkeyz

    apezmonkeyz Tourist

    Joined:
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    UK
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    Fantastic trip report. you literally cover so much, the full spectrum that vegas has to offer, loved every paragraph.
     
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  13. Tutontow

    Tutontow Low-Roller

    Joined:
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    Location:
    brandon
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    Thanks so much for this report. I really enjoyed it.
     
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  14. ynwa4life

    ynwa4life Tourist

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    Great report! Thanks for taking us along. The detail was awesome!
     
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  15. Moe

    Moe Tourist

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    Great report! Thank you for such in depth analysis! Good to see your point of view on Park MGM. Wife and I will be staying there next Summer. I love sitting in a sports book betting horses too. I just have no idea what i'm doing most of the time! Thanks again for sharing!
     
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  16. mr.vegas

    mr.vegas Peace sells, but who's buying?

    Joined:
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    enjoyed the TR diplomatic.
     
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  17. pebbles

    pebbles Micro Roller.

    Joined:
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    Thanks so much for your report. I enjoyed it very much.
    Was a bit late to the final wrap because we have been travelling this past weekend.

    I'm sorry that some readers felt the need to report your report. (see what I did there?)

    I enjoyed it all, and am now better informed for a future trip, whenever that may be. Loved the food pics and the variety of places you visited. A great read. Thanks :nworthy::nworthy:
     
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  18. thess

    thess Tourist

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    So, I’ve made a few posts in the “I don’t like live TRs” thread.

    If all live TRs were like this one, that would not have happened.

    Thank you for going above and beyond with photo and commentary quality.
     
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  19. Jejas

    Jejas VIP Whale

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    See, these are the wise words from a wise man!
    BTW, great trip report! Really enjoyed your casino hopping reports and pics.
     
  20. Tutontow

    Tutontow Low-Roller

    Joined:
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    brandon
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    Thanks for the report. I agree, I love a good bargain but when I'm on vacation my time is valuable. I used to say Las Vegas, where you will put $500.00 in a slot machine and then walk two miles to get a 99 cent shrimp cocktail. Of course they are long gone. I must admit I will be walking to find $10.00 blackjack.
     
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