TRIP REPORT 22-26 MAY PLAZA

This trip was planned back in January, after we had just returned from Vegas in December. I never did a trip report before and wanted to share our trip with everyone. I always like to plan a return trip after we return so we have something to look forward to. After looking on Southwest, I saw they had an internet special for $168 each out of New Orleans leaving Saturday the 22nd of May and coming back Thursday night the 26th. Living in New Orleans, this is the only airline that flies to Vegas non-stop. It also helped knowing our income tax check was on it’s way. We always save every dollar bill and put in a large plastic Corona bottle along with our change. A week before we left, we had $300 in change, and $150 dollar bills. They are great for tips, as we would each bring about $15 daily in ones in our pockets. If you don’t like details, don’t read. This is long and deals with gambling only.

Saturday – Woke up at 4am to print out the boarding passes. We received the coveted “A” boarding pass. I had to call the airline a few days prior and have them break out the confirmation number into two, as each confirmation has one name. Flight left at 1010am, and the cattle calling was in full force by 930. Flight was uneventful to Vegas. The return flight was a ride from hell.

Got in Vegas at 1200 and the bags were out pretty quick. We got in the cab line, which looked very long, however it took about 10 minutes and off we go to the Plaza. We received 4 nights free from our stay in December. We received a letter in January for the Spring VIP offer. This included a $20 food voucher for the Center Stage, two $10 gift certificates for the Las Vegas Outlet center and two $25 matchplay’s for Blackjack. Included in the letter was a business card that stated we had a slot host.

Our cab driver was crazy. Didn’t say a word to us and took the tunnel. Once we got on I-15, he was all over the place, left lane, right lane, middle lane, constantly riding the tail lights of the other cars, and braking so much, they were squeaking. I tried to put the seat belt on, and it wouldn’t work. I just held my husband’s hand. Well we made it there, cab ride was $25.00. Gave him $30.00, and then he finally said thank you.

Here we are, our home away from home. Tried to check in at 1245, but due to the WSOP, they couldn’t get us in the room until 3pm. While we were waiting in line, a young guy was checking out and gave us a bottle of champagne. His wedding was Friday night, and he couldn’t bring 8 bottles of champagne home with him. I thanked him and checked the bubbly with the bellman.

We had 2 hours to spare, so I dropped off our travelers checks at the cashier cage. It costs $25 and they give you a key. The $25 is returned when you check out. Off we go to start playing slots. I was playing nickel Wheel of Fortune (9 x 3) with hubby, and in the 2 hours, I had $225 in tickets to cash in. Hubby didn’t do well, but that’s how it goes. One of us does well, the other just gives their winnings to the other.

At 3pm, we received our keys. We stayed in the North Tower, room 502. (Petite Suite) As soon as we got off the elevator, the room was there. The room looked different from our stay in December. We had a queen size bed, fridge, and everything looked new except the carpet. The room overlooked Freemont, and we could look down and see the Center Stage. The sliding doors, actually opened, and we could stand on the balcony and watch the light show.

After unpacking and setting up the coffee pot we brought with us, (Plaza doesn’t have coffee pots or blow dryers in the room) we went to the Las Vegas Club to play our favorite nickel Hollywood squares (Hubby had won $1000 on this machine back in December). Well, both machines were snoozing hard. We each put in $40 and didn’t get much.
We found some more nickel Wheel’s and each put in $40. We both cashed out at $100 each after about an hour. So far, we couldn’t get a drink here at all. I walked up to the bar and bought two beers. I had to go back two more times, as the waitress never came by in the 2 hours we were there. This is not the norm at the Las Vegas Club.

Off we went to the Golden Gate for Shrimp Cocktails and sandwiches. A man was playing the piano while we ate. After we ate, I sat down at the Let it Ride table, and bought in for $100. Hubby went to play Caribbean and bought in for $100. We stayed there for a couple of hours. I left the table up $60, and hubby was up $50. We like to play table games and take a break from the slots. Let it ride is the only game beside 3 Card Poker I understand.

Went back to the Plaza to our favorite nickel Wheel of Fortune machines. Each in $40 and I cashed out with $250. I was betting the max bet, won 5000 nickels. It was now almost 1230am, I had been up for about 22 hours, so off to bed we go.

Sunday – Woke up at 730, and had our coffee and watched the news. I didn’t take good notes today. We went down to Binions and they were setting up for the WSOP. It didn’t look the same, and I didn’t want to play any slots there. The only highlight was the Let it Ride table at the Plaza. Me and hubby each bought in for $100 around 2pm, and we were doing pretty good getting pairs and a few three of a kinds. Our stack’s of red were growing and the beer’s were coming quick. We were having a blast. One hand I had my three $5 dollar bets up, and the $1 bonus and got dealt a pair of Jacks and a Ace. I set my cards down, and the dealer turns over another Ace. So I say to hubby, I need a Jack or a Ace. She turns over another Ace. I had a full house. Full house pays 11 to 1, and also an additional $75 for the bonus. I won $240 total. After we colored up, we had $450. Not bad for 3 hours. Of course after that, we decided to play 3 card poker over at the Las Vegas Club. Bad move on our part. We each bought in for $100, and within 5 minutes it was gone. We didn’t win one hand between us. Off to the nickel slots back at the Plaza. We each put $40 in the nickel Tabasco machines and played a long time 12 lines x 2. We each cashed out at $50. That’s all I remember for the day as we went to bed at 2am.

Monday – My note taking is not that good again. I seem to remember all the wins, but not the losses. We went over to the Las Vegas Club to say hello to our old friend Whoopi and the Hollywood Squares machine, she seemed to be occupied elsewhere and wouldn’t give us any bonus rounds. I went to the nickel Wheel of Fortune’s and donated. Hubby was on the next row playing Kenny Rogers Gambler which he played 15 lines x 2. He was doing well, so I left him alone and started feeding money into many machines. After about $140, I walked over to hubby and see that he has 4000 credits on that machine. He was now betting 15 lines x 5 and gets this box car bonus. It gives him 6 free spins x 5. Inside of the free bonus, he gets the gambler bonus. He finally cashes out for $500. Lets get out of here. We then walked over to the Main Street Station and found the nickel I Dream of Jeannie machines. We each put in $40 and were betting 9 lines x 3. Today is hubby’s lucky day. He’s getting all the bonus, and has over 4000 credits, so he decides to bet 9 lines x 5. Well the second spin, I looked over and his machines says, Jackpot 6000 coins, please wait for attendant. ( No tickets here). My money is gone, so I went to get beers from the bar while he waited for his handpay. I ordered a Blackchip and the High Roller from the Microbrewery. They were only $3.75 for both. I had never tried that beer before, and we both liked them very much. The attendant comes over with the handpay for the 6000 coins. I put another $40 in the other Jeannie machine and we stayed there and played until his machine really started snoozing. Off to the nickel Tabasco’s, we each put in $40 and cashed out for $100. I was getting hungry as it now 5pm. Off to the buffet at Main Street Station. Cost for both of us was $22.50. It was good, they had a good variety of food Chinese, Mexican, Italian, and even had steaks made to order. I didn’t eat any dessert, but they had everything you could want. The rest of the night was not documented. Off to bed that night at 1230.

Tuesday – Started off at the Plaza, playing the Wheel of Fortune, Tabasco, and I Dream of Jeannie. We had some luck on the Tabasco slots and cashed out for $200 each. Walked over to the Las Vegas Club and gave it all back. We decided to go back to Main Street Station. Well I must of drank too many High Rollers because when we got to the buffet, I got lost. I had loaded up my plate with food, and couldn’t remember where our table was. I started walking around in a circle, looking for my husband. He was laughing at me and said I looked really lost. All the tables looked the same and when the hostess seated us, we just walked straight to the buffet without sitting. Oh well. No more High Roller’s for me for awhile. We were so full when we left, that we left and went to the room to freshen up for the night. I stopped and got a coffee from Seattle Best and felt much better. Since this was our last night, hubby wanted to go play Caribbean at the Golden Gate. I decided to play some quarter Wheel of Fortune. I put in $20 and the wheel was spinning for me. It spun for 25, 25, 20 and then 400. I cashed out (no tickets) for $140. Time to play some Let it Ride at Golden Gate. Hubby came over with me and we each bought in for $100. Stayed awhile and left even. Went back to the Plaza and played some nickel Wheel of Fortune. We each put $40 in and after mine was gone, I just sat and watched hubby. He cashed out for $150. We went over to the Tabasco machines and each put in $40. We were having good bonus rounds on these machines. I remember something weird happened that night. Hubby left his machine to go to the restroom, I was sitting there and there was a fight behind me. It seems 2 girls were leaving with an man, and the other man who was really drunk, didn’t like that one bit, and started calling him racial names. They started throwing punches at each over right behind me. I got up and just stood there looking around for a Security Guard that never came. Finally the drunk guy turns his back, and the other pushes him head into the glass door. He fell on his face and the man and the 2 girls ran out. The drunk guy gets up, and looks around and walks out. Only at the Plaza, between the Sun-Spots and the lady who was trying to sing like Patsy Cline, I had enough entertainment for the night.

But wait, there’s more. We sat down at the Let it Ride table, and it’s me, hubby and another lady playing. This guy walks up and puts a $5 dollar chip on the betting circle and wants to play, the dealer tells him, that he must play all three circles. He says “Well I don’t want to” I just want a drink. The pit boss comes over and tells him he must leave or put up $10. The cocktail waitress comes over and he orders his drink, and he is digging through his wallet for $10. He puts up his money and they deal the cards, well he wants to scoop all his money back and the dealer says, I do that, not you. He didn’t like being told what to do. The pit boss is watching him and tells to leave, he says, you want me to leave, but these people here said I can stay. He finally left but I saw him a few more times that night and just rolled my eyes at him. He saw me do it, and started walking over to me like he was going to hit me. Come to find out, he just moved to Vegas from Miami and was looking for a job. Hubby went over to the Blackjack table to use the 2 $25 match plays. He wins on the first hand and they give the $50 bucks and his match play ticket back. He tries to us it on the next hand and was told he can only use it once per time at the table. He gave it to the guy next to him and he lost. Not sure what the rules are on these things and it did not seem that the dealers did either. Only at the Plaza. Up to bed at 130am.

Wednesday – Our flight didn’t leave until 730pm so we packed and stayed in the room until 1200. I closed out my safe deposit box and got the $25 deposit back. Checked the bags and off we went to play more slots. We were really burned out of playing and we just feeding money into the machines at the Plaza, Las Vegas Club and Main Street Station. Went back to the Plaza around 3pm and checked our points at the Slot Card booth. We each over 11,000 points and were given the choice of $20 or a collared shirt. We took the money. We also had 5 comps each for the Center Stage and the diner, but never did eat there. The Plaza slot program is not very good in our opinion. Other casinos have much better programs.

Went to get the bags at 430pm. Got to the airport and 5pm for our 720 flight. We got the “A” boarding passes at check in, which I was surprised since we didn’t have any internet access and figured everyone knew about printing them off at 1201.

Flight from Hell – Flight was supposed to leave at 720pm. They were pre-boarding at this time. We didn’t take off until 8pm. Me and hubby are on the plane, and the aisle seat is open. This was a sold-out flight, this girl comes and sits in the empty seat next to me. She couldn’t sit still. She starts off my spraying perfume all over her arms, as soon as we take off. Then she starts looking at the magazines in the seat. I reading my Casino Player that I hadn’t finished, and have a few other magazines that I saved to read on the way home. Well she’s bored, and I can feel her looking over my shoulder, she says do you have any magazines for me to read? I give her my other Casino Player magazine and a Strictly Slots magazine. She starts looking at them, flipping through them real quick and then hands they back and says “You don’t have anything else besides Casino? (She didn’t speak much English) Im thinking to myself, I didn’t know I was supposed to entertain you for 3 hours. I have a hard enough time worrying about myself. I said that’s all I got. Well then the stewardess passes out the snacks. She’s munching away, and she orders an orange juice. As soon as she gets done, she rings the bell, and asked for water. A few minutes later, she opens up her briefcase and whips out a computer. She’s trying to access the internet to find out who won American Idol. She rings the bell again and while she is waiting for the stewardess, she asks my husband if he can fix her computer to get the internet. My husband tells her, we are 37,000 feet in the air, going over 600 miles per hour, there is no way you can access it. But I have PC card she says. By now, the stewardess is mad, her mouse cord is in the aisle, and she asked the stewardess the same question and got the same answer. She was also told to get her cord out of the aisle before someone trips on it. Next thing you know, she’s pressing the button again. This time, she asks for napkins. When the stewardess brought the napkins, she is wiping herself between her legs, and then she gets up real quick, and her pants (front and back are wet) and I realize that she has peed her pants. I looked over at my husband and we are LOFAO. She takes her purse and is gone for 20 minutes, and the line for the bathroom is backed up waiting on her. I had passengers asking me where she is. I wanted to tell them, but I didn’t. I just wanted her to sit down and quit moving around so I can sleep. After she returned, she finally just sat there with her arms crossed and fell asleep until some guy two seats behind us starts yelling f—you to two guys he was sitting with. It seems he was drunk once he boarded the plane, and now he has been moved to another seat by the stewardess. He was trying to feel up the girl in the other seat and was told to move. They were going to land the plane in Dallas to get him off as he was screaming and cursing at everyone and said he didn’t care if he went to jail or not. Well when we landed, there were 7 police officers waiting for him. I hope he got his wish!!!! What a trip. Got home at 145am.

Final thoughts - We had a great time in Vegas. Im glad that I brought a light jacket with me as I was wearing shorts and my arms would get cold. Also bought a small bottle of Purell in my fanny pack. My hands get very dry and red from washing them 8 times a day. Hubby’s nose starting bleeding by the 3rd day. One time it was so bad, he was running through the casino with his head up trying to get to the bathroom. Came back with some money and bought a few things for the house. The Plaza does have a smell, but it seemed like it was only when we first walked in. Never did use the food voucher or mall gift certificate from the Plaza. Don’t know if we will stay at the Plaza during our next trip. Hopefully I will get some offers during my stay next month. I will be going back June 28 through July 1 with one of my co-workers. She just finished chemo and radiation. Her husband can’t go, and she really needs this trip for all she has been though. This will be a girl’s trip and we are staying at the Alladin. Her brother is meeting us there and we plan to drive out to Laughlin for a day trip. My husband is so sweet to let me go again. Thanks for reading my trip report.

 

Thanks for writing such a nice, detailed report! I love downtown, so it was a fun read. Glad you did so well.

 

I'm impressed! I leave for Vegas on Monday for 5 days. I hope I do as well as you.

I love people watching in the downtown area...as long as I can view them from a distance.

Great report.

 

Great report! Thanks for the write-up. I always like to hear about downtown trips.

Thanks,

Mikey