Las Vegas isn't Disney World

[IceQueen777]

Originally posted by Lynn CC
I can't stand to gamble and I don't like to overeat at the buffets. Most of all I can't stand being around a lot of smoke and sleeze.

I never understand when people complain of the smoke in Vegas. Maybe I just don't go to the places where there is plenty of smoke? I mainly stay on the strip and gamble in those hotels. I have never had a problem with smoke in any of them. Are you talking about the older hotels downtown, perhaps?

 

[Dopey Sharon]

Originally posted by IceQueen777
I never understand when people complain of the smoke in Vegas. Maybe I just don't go to the places where there is plenty of smoke? I mainly stay on the strip and gamble in those hotels. I have never had a problem with smoke in any of them. Are you talking about the older hotels downtown, perhaps?

I don't have a problem with smoke, in casinos on the strip, either. Never been to the casinos Downtown. I would think that the newer ones have better ventilation systems.

 

[Pugdog007]

We just returned from Vegas and had a great time! It was our first visit. We stayed at Aladdin and it was very nice and the customer service was excellent. I did not like being hounded by the time share people but they seemed to be in every hotel lobby.

The smoke was bad, in every casino to me. I couldn't wait to get home and wash all my clothes.

We visited almost all of the hotels on the strip. IMO the best: Venetian, Bellagio, Caesar's Palace, Paris, NYNY, Aladdin. 2nd Tier would be Luxor and Mandalay Bay. I did not like the Mirage. I think it was built in the 80's... it shows. Excalibur was awful.

I can't wait to go back!

 

[disykat]

I thought the smoke was noticable and we mostly went to the nicer places. The only place it was bad enough I had to actually leave was when we went further down the strip to the old hotels - but I could still smell it. I had actually anticipated it would be worse. I just plain don't like smoke and it bothers my asthma.

 

[Shutterbug]

Originally posted by Carl
I don't like their new anti-family attitude, but I have usually had good experiences there in the past. It is interesting and the places surrounding it are good to see, also - Red Rock Canyon, etc.

Thats why my ankles come out alot less bruised when leaving Las Vegas than they do Disney
Vegas has found out that families just dont spend the same amount of money so they have returned to the basics which started Vegas..gambling and sex. Thats why Treasure Island dropped its family theming and became the TI.

I agree there is tons of natural wonders near Las Vegas
Red Rock Canyon
Mt Charleston
Valley of Fire
Death Valley about 3 hrs
Zion National Park about 3 hours (my persoanal fav natl park)
Bryce about 4 hours
Grand Canyon 5 hours

 

[mrsstats]

There is no comparing Vegas and Disney. They are on 2 opposite sides of the spectrum. I will agree that the customer service at Mandaly BAy should have been better. I am sorry you were injured.

I love Vegas and wish I could go every year but its a long trip and a more expensive trip than our yearly trip to Kissimmee.

 

[Aimeedyan]

Obviously Vegas and Disney are not comparable. It's not quite fair to expect them to be anything alike...

We love Vegas, honeymooned there in 2002, but I will say that we were disappointed in Mandalay Bay, I'm sorry to hear you were as well. I still dont understand why people rave about that resort. We split our stay between that and Paris, and the Paris was fair superior.

Hope they make things right.

 

[Beauty]

We went in June....it was my second time and DH's first. Its NOT Disney World. I won't say we didn't enjoy it but we aren't heavy gamblers. I think we spent less than $100 in the entire week we were there gambling. We spent MORE SHOPPING, lol!

Now the buildings and the lights and the shopping is terrific. We went to one show, weren't impressed at all, thought it was to expensive and the smoke is AWFUL!

Honestly we had more fun in Adventure Dome and the Circus Circus Midway. We stayed half of our stay at Treasure Island and the other half at Excalibur. Treasure Island was more expensive and a bit nicer but Excalibur was fine too.

Neither DH nor I have any desire to go back. If we won a trip fine but it definatly isn't somewhere we would choose to go. You can't compare Disney and Vegas because there just isn't any comparison in our book!

Now San Diego and San Francisco I would love to go back to!!!!!!! San Francisco has such a special charm, I really liked it there!!

 

[Stepharoonie!]

Vegas is a pit?!?! NO WAY!! I loooove Vegas. Like someone said, some like it, some don't.

 

[sgtdisney]

I am sorry you had a bad stay, that can spoil a trip. The first time I went to Vegas was for a convention as well. The previous two years I went to that same convention it was at the Dolphin at Disney World, so needless to say I wasn't pleased to be going to Vegas but it was a free trip so I went. I found I really enjoyed myself out there. I was lucky enough to have the convention at the Bellagio and to stay there so that helped. The rooms there were so elegant. I spent a week out there and probably gambled (after the convention of course) less than 100.00 but I still had fun. My brother in law met me there after the convention and we went to two shows, etc.

I ended up taking my wife back a year later and stayed at the Monte Carlo (company wasn't paying that time ). We had a great time then as well. In fact we had so much fun we are going back in two weeks for our anniversary. I don't plan on gambling much again, but the shopping, dining etc will be fun and our first trip w/o the kids since the last time we were in Vegas 4 years ago. Personally I didn't notice much smoke except in the older casinos like the Stardust on the north end of strip. Oh well, every place isn't for every body, that's for sure. But with the deals they offer on air/hotel combos here from Chicago, you can't beat it IMHO.

 

[ricktib]

Originally posted by Shutterbug
Vegas has found out that families just dont spend the same amount of money so they have returned to the basics which started Vegas..gambling and sex.

And their current mayor who's behind this turn-around is a former mafia lawyer who wants to legalize prostitution again in Las Vegas (it is legal in some of the outlying counties).

 

[mickeymouse4953]

If you want to know anything about Vegas, check out this discussion board below. Vegas is our favorite "adult" vacation destination.

http://p076.ezboard.com/flasvegastalkfrm1

 

[Judy from Boise]

I love Vegas too ! We usually are there as a family, or just my DD and me, so no one even tries to hand us the porn stuff

We never gamble or see expensive shows, but we shop till we drop, ride all the rides, eat at the "fun" places, watch the fountains every night,and swim a couple times a day ! I think my DD and I will make a mother/daughter weekend at Vegas every year now that she is a teenager.

 

[Jockaroo]

We did a Vegas trip a couple of summers ago. I agree with Dan. It is someplace to go and experience at least once. Hubby's conference was at Caesar's Palace and the staff there was top notch. I'm not big into gambling either so I only played a few penny slots and viewed it as the same as a video arcade. We did a dinner show (nice) and Penn and Teller (great show, but I wouldn't take a child--too rough language).

I loved the shopping, food and museum experiences offered. I also loved the hustle and bustle activity at all hours. And I actually liked the neon. I did not like the porn peddlers handing out cards. I would look at them and firmly say "NO". It really bothered me that women were handing out these materials. Very sad. I didn't like the look of the glassy-eyed people who had no concept of time who were gambling non-stop. And I agree with the comments about smoking. We were fortunate and had a no-smoking room. Hubby's co-worker had a smoking room and it reeked. The casino areas on the strip had decent filtration systems, but I didn't spend much time there. The airport downright stunk with smoke.

I went not expecting much from this trip except that when it was over I could go to DisneyLand! I was very pleasantly surprised and really did enjoy my experience. But I would have no desire to return every year.