For those of you who have been going to Vegas for years

[katiemack Super Moderator Find all posts View Profile Close katiemack]

We took our first trip to Vegas in 1975....and have visited it many times over the years, but our last trip there was in 2007, and we really didn't enjoy what we saw.

Things are so crowded, not just the streets, it is the air....towering buildings crammed on one another, smaller buildings in between giants, odder and odder configurations...and then once inside a place, there are plenty of disappointments.

The shows are hugely expensive now, deals are hard to find that are of any real interest to us (getting $50 to spend on some "hip" bar or spa doesn't really add up to a deal for us), and the casinos are looking more and more alike. We are not much into gambling so their allure is minimal.

We have been talking about going back sometime in this year, but really whenever we do, we cannot truly think of one reason in favor of it.

How about you long time visitors...do you find Vegas still "interesting" as a vacation spot?

[Larry Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close Larry]

I liked the old vegas better for the same reasons. I'm not a big gambler but loved the Vegas vibe with decent resorts and great shows all for some great prices. We used to stay at the Flamingo or Tropicana ( I used to get deals at Tropicana through the poker room Manager for $29 per night including weekends if they were not booked including VIP check in) and although not fancy had decent rooms for anywhere from $29-$79 per night and we would see three or four really nice shows for $25-$50 PP and some for less with coupons, as well as a couple of afternoon shows for free. We liked the location of both Flamingo and Tropicana ( although liked Flamingo better) and enjoyed the pools at both resorts.

Today most shows that we want to see go for $150 PP or more and although there now are some deals on rooms due to the poor economy once economy turns around it will be hard to find a room in a decent place for $150 per night and up and then we will only go to one show at today's prices.

[Dori Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close Dori]

we have only been going to LV since 2002, and we see a huge difference. With all these mega buildings going up, and the old casinos gone, it has certainly lost its character. I don't feel the excitement that the strip used to generate. I loved the themes approach to each casino/hotel, and they seem to be veering away from that.

I really feel that they are forgetting all the "little guys", who go and don't spend huge amounts on gambling, but contribute none-the-less due to sheer numbers of visitors. It seems like they are only interested in the big gamblers, or whales.

LV just doesn't have the same feel that it used to.

Dori

[dougp26364 Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close dougp26364]

We got hooked on Vegas in 1998. By 2008, Vegas had let us off that hook.

For awhile, we went 2 to 4 times per year. The gambling odds were decent, the meals could be as inexpensive as you wanted or as high end as you wanted, there was a good range of prices for shows and the casino's were unique and interesting. Now, it's all expensive and the new hotels look like any other hotel in any other city only bigger. There's just nothing special about Vegas anymore.

This year is our first Vegas free year since 1998. Next year we've exchange all our Vegas weeks. Maybe we'll go back in 2011 to see how things are going and it's still of some interest to us. There are still things we enjoy about Vegas but, I'm not enjoying the new Mega Resorts that, IMHO, have no personality. I liked the old cheesy and affordable Vegas better. The Vegas where service was king, drinks were cheap, for was reasonable and the gambling was good. It's unfortunate that those days seem to be gone.

[GrayFal Silver Contributor and supermoderator Find all posts View Profile Close GrayFal]

Ohhhhhh, I am sorry to hear all the negatives - I am staying at the Jockey Club over New Years.....something I think will be fun to do.
I know the resort is squeezed between to mega resorts....is there anything fun and reasonabley priced I should not miss?
As I am arriving on NY Eve, I was thinking I would NOT rent a car that first night - would it be worth it to get one for the rest of the week?
TIA

[suskey Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close suskey]

I've been to Vegas over 20 times in the last 4 years. In fact, I am heading there tonight.

Know lots of good places to eat off the Strip.

Would be happy to answer any specific questions.

Susan

[taffy19 Gold Contributor Find all posts View Profile Close taffy19]

Ohhhhhh, I am sorry to hear all the negatives - I am staying at the Jockey Club over New Years.....something I think will be fun to do.
I know the resort is squeezed between to mega resorts....is there anything fun and reasonabley priced I should not miss?
As I am arriving on NY Eve, I was thinking I would NOT rent a car that first night - would it be worth it to get one for the rest of the week?
TIA

I would if I were you. You may like to drive to Valley of Fire or Red Rock Canyon or Lake Mead for instance.
Posted via Mobile Device

[Dori Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close Dori]

Make sure you go to Fremont Street, but go in the evening so you can see the laser light shows. Rent a car and do the Valley of Fire and visit Lake Mead. Red Rock Canyon is a must-see as well

Dori

[dougp26364 Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close dougp26364]

I've been to Vegas over 20 times in the last 4 years. In fact, I am heading there tonight.

Know lots of good places to eat off the Strip.

Would be happy to answer any specific questions.

Susan

And that's one of my biggest complaints. Now, if we want a good place to eat that's reasonably priced, we need to go OFF the strip. Heck, even a tall Cafe Americano at Starbucks is close to $4 on the strip(could be over $4 by now) while it's $1.90 one or two blocks off the strip. It use to be nothing to find coffee house specials at EVERY casino for around $10. Breakfast specials were abundant. In 1998 we were eating a good quality ribeye steak with two eggs for $2.99 at the old Silver City Casino (now a Worths Dress for Less store the last time we were in town) and, if you wanted hash browns, they were a dollar more but, it was more hash browns than two average people could eat. Down at the San Remo (was Hooters Casino last time we were there. I'm not sure what it is now) you could get a full prime rib dinner for $5.95 and, it wasn't half bad. None of those deals existed last time we were in town.

You use to be able to catch a decent show for around $49. Now it's almost all Cirque Du Soliel or Cirque type shows and tickets are well over $100. There is the half price ticket outlets and they can get you discounts to a lot of shows but, you have to take what they have for that particular day.

Gambling use to be reasonable, even on the strip. We use to be able to find full pay video poker at the quarter level. Black Jack rules were such that, with perfect play the house odds were a little over 0.5% and, they use to be hand dealt games where the maximum number of hands per hour was around sixty. The last time we were there the Video Poker odds were horrible and the black jack house edge was somewhere near 1% plus, they were using machines and had increased the number of hands dealt to closer to 100 per hour. Essentially, they almost double the speed in which you could lose you money. What's fun about that.

Can Vegas still be a fun place to visit? Sure it can but, rather than a place we'll return to several times per year, it's slowed down to maybe once every two or three years. We use to love to go back mult. times per year because of the diversity of the casino's and the relative affodablity of Vegas as a vacation destination. With the advent of ultra lounges, high end dining, high end shows and the increasing house edge on the casino floor, Vegas priced us out of town as far as making it out main vacation spot.

[JoAnn Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close JoAnn]

We bought @ The Jockey Club in '83 and with 2 weeks we went a couple of times a year. Our son had moved to Henderson, so the trips made that even more enjoyable. But our last visit (he moved back home to OH in about '90) and we didn't go as much. Last trip was in Nov. of '01. And I agree with the rest who don't enjoy it as much. Our oldest DD & BF went out a couple of years ago and they were somewhat disappointed too.

We have friends out there who we would like to see again, but I don't care to drive from the JC to where each of them live, or drive to get DH to dialysis and back. I don't really want to go back again. Nor do I care to go back to Key West since our daughter Pat moved in with us. Both are way too commercial any more. JMHO.

[JWC Super Moderator Find all posts View Profile Close JWC]

We have been frequent visitors to Las Vegas for over 30 years. Now we only go once a year so. In fact we will be there next week for 5 nights at the Paris. We prefer to go to our local Harrah's casino/resort which is only 40 minutes from our home. We visit every month or so and stay 3 nights each visit.

Las Vegas is definitely not like it was several years ago when it was truly an adult playground. We far preferred it in the 70's and 80's. The main thing we miss is the atmosphere. People dressed up to go the shows and dinner. There weren't any kids around and the people were better behaved. You could get free and inexpensive meals, shows, hotel rooms, etc. without having to gamble. It was assumed that people went to Las Vegas to gamble so the casino subsidized the hotel, restaurants, etc. What they lost on meals etc. they would make up in the casino. My wife and I were in Las Vegas for 10 days in March, 1978 and didn't have to pay for any meals or shows and we didn't spend very much playing. I was there for a computer conference.

This all changed starting in the 90's. When the recession of the early 90's hit Southern California so hard, Las Vegas lost a lot of their weekly visitors. They decided that they would go after the family business by encouraging families with children to visit. They built all kinds of kid's attractions. The result was that hotel occupancy went up and they were happy for the time being. What they didn't take into account is that the families were taking advantage of a cheap vacation and did not spend money gambling. The casino could no longer subsidize the hotel, restaurants, etc. so they separated the casino, hotel, restaurants, shows, into separate profit/loss centers so each operation had to pay its own way. As a result they had to raise the prices of everything to pay for the family trade. One of my best friends was a VP at the Flamingo. We used to talk about this and I told him it was a big mistake. A few years ago, Steve Wynn said that catering to the families was the stupidest thing they ever did in Las Vegas.

Other than the atmosphere, it has not really affected the serious players. I am a serious slot/Video Poker player and get all my hotel, meals, shows, etc. fully comped so the higher prices are of no consequence as we don't pay for anything. They also offer us transportation to Las Vegas and their other casino localities. It is the casual player that is having to pay more.

Las Vegas is really hurting now with some casinos in bankruptcy or close to it. Our local Harrah's is doing much better than their many Las Vegas localities.

[katiemack Super Moderator Find all posts View Profile Close katiemack]

I liked the old vegas better for the same reasons. I'm not a big gambler but loved the Vegas vibe with decent resorts and great shows all for some great prices........

Yes, we aren't big gamblers, and in the recent trips have found the vibe is just not there.

we have only been going to LV since 2002, and we see a huge difference. With all these mega buildings going up, and the old casinos gone, it has certainly lost its character. I don't feel the excitement that the strip used to generate. I loved the themes approach to each casino/hotel, and they seem to be veering away from that.

I really feel that they are forgetting all the "little guys", who go and don't spend huge amounts on gambling, but contribute none-the-less due to sheer numbers of visitors. It seems like they are only interested in the big gamblers, or whales.

LV just doesn't have the same feel that it used to.

Dori

I agree, Dori, the feel of doing something slightly fun, slightly naughty...and not feeling like you have to lose your shirt to be there....all gone...now the rates are expensive, the food is expensive, the shows are expensive.... they definitely lost the Vegas "character."

And that's one of my biggest complaints. Now, if we want a good place to eat that's reasonably priced, we need to go OFF the strip. Heck, even a tall Cafe Americano at Starbucks is close to $4 on the strip(could be over $4 by now) while it's $1.90 one or two blocks off the strip. It use to be nothing to find coffee house specials at EVERY casino for around $10. Breakfast specials were abundant. In 1998 we were eating a good quality ribeye steak with two eggs for $2.99 at the old Silver City Casino (now a Worths Dress for Less store the last time we were in town) and, if you wanted hash browns, they were a dollar more but, it was more hash browns than two average people could eat. Down at the San Remo (was Hooters Casino last time we were there. I'm not sure what it is now) you could get a full prime rib dinner for $5.95 and, it wasn't half bad. None of those deals existed last time we were in town.

You use to be able to catch a decent show for around $49. Now it's almost all Cirque Du Soliel or Cirque type shows and tickets are well over $100. There is the half price ticket outlets and they can get you discounts to a lot of shows but, you have to take what they have for that particular day.

Gambling use to be reasonable, even on the strip. We use to be able to find full pay video poker at the quarter level. Black Jack rules were such that, with perfect play the house odds were a little over 0.5% and, they use to be hand dealt games where the maximum number of hands per hour was around sixty. The last time we were there the Video Poker odds were horrible and the black jack house edge was somewhere near 1% plus, they were using machines and had increased the number of hands dealt to closer to 100 per hour. Essentially, they almost double the speed in which you could lose you money. What's fun about that.

Can Vegas still be a fun place to visit? Sure it can but, rather than a place we'll return to several times per year, it's slowed down to maybe once every two or three years. We use to love to go back mult. times per year because of the diversity of the casino's and the relative affodablity of Vegas as a vacation destination. With the advent of ultra lounges, high end dining, high end shows and the increasing house edge on the casino floor, Vegas priced us out of town as far as making it out main vacation spot.

Well said, but I am not sure about the fun part of Vegas....that is what I am trying to figure out....of course, we don't have a lot of money, but that is what made Vegas appealing....you didn't need a lot of money! Now, just to walk in a door, you better be prepared to drop more dough.

We had noticed that about the play also...that they speeded it up....and essentially you aren't allowed to "give a little" and "get a little" as you once did....we wouldn't even be upset if we lost more than we won if we had spent some time losing it....but the speed in which they take and don't give you much back....it is almost ridiculously near to pick pocketing that it can get to....I mean, you sit, and spin and "whoosh" it is gone!

As for the Cirque pricing....I nearly fell over when our friends and we had agreed to see O a few years ago, and we let him get the tickets...when we were told that the seats we were sitting in (in the nosebleed section) were costing us $125, EACH....we nearly fell off the tier, and into the arena. It is geared for giving the whales a great time, and dipping into the average guy's pocket big time.

We use the 1/2 price when we go now, but even that can add up, and you don't get the wide choice.

We bought @ The Jockey Club in '83 and with 2 weeks we went a couple of times a year. Our son had moved to Henderson, so the trips made that even more enjoyable. But our last visit (he moved back home to OH in about '90) and we didn't go as much. Last trip was in Nov. of '01. And I agree with the rest who don't enjoy it as much. Our oldest DD & BF went out a couple of years ago and they were somewhat disappointed too.

We have friends out there who we would like to see again, but I don't care to drive from the JC to where each of them live, or drive to get DH to dialysis and back. I don't really want to go back again. Nor do I care to go back to Key West since our daughter Pat moved in with us. Both are way too commercial any more. JMHO.

Yes, as lives change, there would be adjustments that are necessary. I certainly can sympathize with being in the midst of the strip and not feeling it is very easy to drive around the area....the roads and congestion are tough to manage.

We have been frequent visitors to Las Vegas for over 30 years. Now we only go once a year so. In fact we will be there next week for 5 nights at the Paris. We prefer to go to our local Harrah's casino/resort which is only 40 minutes from our home. We visit every month or so and stay 3 nights each visit.

Las Vegas is definitely not like it was several years ago when it was truly an adult playground. We far preferred it in the 70's and 80's. The main thing we miss is the atmosphere. People dressed up to go the shows and dinner. There weren't any kids around and the people were better behaved. You could get free and inexpensive meals, shows, hotel rooms, etc. without having to gamble. It was assumed that people went to Las Vegas to gamble so the casino subsidized the hotel, restaurants, etc. What they lost on meals etc. they would make up in the casino. My wife and I were in Las Vegas for 10 days in March, 1978 and didn't have to pay for any meals or shows and we didn't spend very much playing. I was there for a computer conference.

This all changed starting in the 90's. When the recession of the early 90's hit Southern California so hard, Las Vegas lost a lot of their weekly visitors. They decided that they would go after the family business by encouraging families with children to visit. They built all kinds of kid's attractions. The result was that hotel occupancy went up and they were happy for the time being. What they didn't take into account is that the families were taking advantage of a cheap vacation and did not spend money gambling. The casino could no longer subsidize the hotel, restaurants, etc. so they separated the casino, hotel, restaurants, shows, into separate profit/loss centers so each operation had to pay its own way. As a result they had to raise the prices of everything to pay for the family trade. One of my best friends was a VP at the Flamingo. We used to talk about this and I told him it was a big mistake. A few years ago, Steve Wynn said that catering to the families was the stupidest thing they ever did in Las Vegas.

Other than the atmosphere, it has not really affected the serious players. I am a serious slot/Video Poker player and get all my hotel, meals, shows, etc. fully comped so the higher prices are of no consequence as we don't pay for anything. They also offer us transportation to Las Vegas and their other casino localities. It is the casual player that is having to pay more.

Las Vegas is really hurting now with some casinos in bankruptcy or close to it. Our local Harrah's is doing much better than their many Las Vegas localities.

JWC, I loved reading about the 70's and those earlier years...yes, it was an interesting mix of class and elegance with some raunch and good dirty fun, wasn't it.

It is exactly that loss of the "adult" in the city that was its downfall...I agree. Of course, it wasn't just to make it "family oriented"...it was also to begin grooming the next generations of gamblers. But they really blew it ... as they went thematic and mega, they have pretty much cannibalized the whole adult playground experience.

Well, thanks for sharing all your thoughts....at least we know we aren't alone in our thinking, feeling about the "new Vegas."

[katiemack Super Moderator Find all posts View Profile Close katiemack]

Ohhhhhh, I am sorry to hear all the negatives - I am staying at the Jockey Club over New Years.....something I think will be fun to do.
I know the resort is squeezed between to mega resorts....is there anything fun and reasonabley priced I should not miss?
As I am arriving on NY Eve, I was thinking I would NOT rent a car that first night - would it be worth it to get one for the rest of the week?
TIA

I am sure you will find the city fun at the holidays.

You could always rent a car from a local desk...but if this is your first trip to the city, you may find just walking and taking local transport around the strip to be busy enough...there is also that tram thingy (monorail)....as for the other sights like Mead and Fire...they will be there and wouldn't take more than 2 days to enjoy, but that is a different type of experience, and may not be the "party" feeling for a New Year's week. If it were us, we would focus on Vegas as first timers, and save the driving exploration for a later trip.

Yes, I have seen the pics of JC surrounded by the buildings....seems almost cave like...but when in Vegas, you won't be in the unit much at all.

Shuttles are easy to get to and from the airport, and a rental car might be more expense than useful, as the JC is so convenient to most of the "highlights."

Freemont is okay, but it has to be seen at night, and I do believe the local bus/trolley goes there....just be careful if you drive, as the parking is a bit difficult, and we didn't enjoy the vibe around that area.