OT - Casino Rama

[Yzma and Kronk]

Has anyone been up to Rama for just a day. I'm in the mood to throw away some cash this weekend for a girls night out and have never been up there. Is it worth the drive from west of Toronto?

We were planning to go up overnight as we heard the hotel is really nice, but it is full for this Saturday (I booked too late)
Is it worth going up just for the day? We like to play slots and people watch but not big gamblers.

Any thoughts?

Thanks!

 

[pxlbarrel]

Well...I'd rather go to Niagara Falls myself.

I've been to Rama a few times but haven't been there for a while. I just find the place a tad depressing. I find a lot of the people there walk around like their next paycheque is on the line ... and they walk like zombies. I also find the lighting a bit too dark for my liking.

I enjoy Niagara Falls or even the smaller Brantford charity casino better. The atmosphere was just a bit more cheerful.

Just my take on things.

(I'd go if there was a concert I wanted to go to...and the gambling was a bonus side effect.)

 

[wee-haggis]

I would not go for the day. The hotel is lovely and an overnight would be great. We stayed last year after a concert and really enjoyed it.

 

[usetheforceluke]

The food is overpriced unless you get comped for it. There's a snack bar down by the poker room that's reasonable. Their buffet is pretty good and it's reasonably priced, but if there is a concert there (and it sounds like there is if the hotel is full) you may have trouble getting fed during 'dinner hours', but well worth the effort. If I remember correctly, there is an 'oriental restaurant', a noodle bar, a pasta/Italian restaurant in the casino. The hotel has a lunch-type restaurant (which I think is grossly overpriced) and I think you can get snack type food in an open-air bar. Their steak house is expensive.

If you go during the day, then it should be crowded and lots of opportunity to watch people. The urge to blow off all of their money never ceases to amaze me, especially with the slots because some of them never move other than to hit the buttons.

They'll get really excited if you walk through the tables and stand and watch; eventually one of the suits will come and suggest that you may have a better time somewhere else if you stay too long. (Maybe on second thoughts it was just me.)

 

[hockey mom]

I like to go up for the day with friends and play some cards. You could come a little closer to home and visit me in Port Perry- Great Blue heron Casino

 

[MaryannF]

I like to go up for the day with friends and play some cards. You could come a little closer to home and visit me in Port Perry- Great Blue heron Casino

We went to the Great Blue Heron in July. We arrived in time for the breakfast buffet and it was fabulous. I did find that it was extremely smoky in the casino though.
We went to Rama in August to see ZZ Top. We left after work on a Thursday at 5:30pm for an 8pm concert. We gambled a bit after the show and landed home at 12:45am. There is a hotel right across the street from Rama and we saw lots of people walking back to it when we were leaving. I can't remember the name of it but it was one of the big chains, maybe Days Inn. We noticed that there were shuttle buses running from other hotels in the area, The Highwayman comes to mind, so you may want to investigate these.

Found it...
DAYS INN ORILLIA
5850 Rama Road Orillia, ON L3V 6H6 CA
Phone : (705) 326 8288, Fax : (705) 323 9999, Toll Free : 1 877 326 8288
Across the street from Casino Rama, the newly constructed Days Inn -Orillia

 

[mom_rules]

We went to Rama on a Whim in August-got tickets for a concert that night at the door, wanted to stay in the hotel but was booked-the Days Inn across the street was also full.

We ended up at the Best Western (10 km down the road) and let me tell you it was the nicest room ever. Got a CAA rate at the desk. Our room had a king bed, fireplace in one corner and a jacuzzi in the other corner beside the bed as well as jacuzzi jets in the tub in the bathroom.

There was a microwave, fridge and coffee maker in the room-the hotel had a spa in it, a really nice Italian restaurant-continental breakfast was included in the price and they had free casino shuttles running evry 15 minutes.

This beautiful room was $70 a night less than a std room at the Casino.
We'd definitely book there again.

 

[Canadave]

hey hockey mom....I was wondering if you'd reply to this thread You might have to pass your "working hours" to everyone, so we know when you'll be there. I've never been to the Great Blue Heron (not much of a gambler), but I think about dropping in to see you everytime we drive near it

 

[CharlesTD]

Ramna seems to have the looses slots around Ontario for the casinos my mother and her sisters drive there often and always come home with winnings and they only ever play teh slots.

 

[Yzma and Kronk]

Thanks everyone! I'll let you know where we ended up.

 

[hockey mom]

We had a 2 million dollar winner on the slots the other night. I don't work in the slots section so can't comment on how often people are winning.

Canadave- you can find me there during the day- down where the cards are played. I am the one with a tray supporting my Disney habit.

 

[laurietg]

I would have to agree with pxlbarrel. If you're coming from TO, why not go to Niagara? (We will be there Saturday) Rama is so dark and dingy. It feels like a big warehouse. They have the new one in Niagara, but I think the old one is still open. Brantford would be my 2nd choice also.

If you do go to Niagara, there are some really good deals on hotels. My favourite is the Radisson. It's reasonably priced, very clean, nice rooms and on Fallsview-close to the casino.

Have fun and good luck no matter where you go!!!!

 

[Canadave]

hey hockey mom...I'll try to stop in some time...assuming it's one of your "non-WDW" days