Wednesday. This trip began with a direct flight on America West out of Columbus at 9:35 AM. Flight was overbooked and we offered to get bumped, until we found out it would be 13 hours before we could get another flight. Sorry, I don't want to give up that much time. Arrived at Treasure Island and was given a room on one of the higher floors with a view facing south, as requested. Beautiful view of the strip, especially at night. The rooms here have been completely remodeled and now include hair dryers, room safes, floor to ceiling mirrors and a few other features not previously available. Began the first video poker session on a fifty cent bar top machine located near the coffee shop. Had a great session. Invested $40 and played for nearly two hours, cashing out for $800. Had a lot of 4-of-a-kinds on this double bonus machine. I know, I know. Double bonus may not be the best version to play, but I still like to go for the big four-of-a-kinds. Time for a break so we decided to have lunch at the Lookout Cafe (TI's coffee shop). Since food and sleep are not priorites with me while in Las Vegas, I eat a lot of my meals here. Next we went to Harrah's and tried the Triple Play machines with no luck. Then over to the Venetian where we played on the Reel Deal machines. These particular machines were larger than a normal machine and the "play maximum credits" button was located on the left side of the machine instead of the right. The display was also too large to be comfortable. I did not like playing these machines and didn't play very long. Back to TI for more video poker and dinner at the Black Spot Grill. Have had a great first day and actually won some money.

Thursday. This day begins with me playing the same fifty cent video poker machine that I played yesterday. Hard to believe, but I have another great session. I play a couple hours and have enough credits to make this a hand pay when I cash out. A guy sitting next to me wanted to play my machine when I finished. As soon as I was paid, I told him that he could have the machine. I start to walk away when this guy hits a royal flush on his third hand!!! He asks me if I'm sorry I left the machine and I told him I honestly was not. I've had two very good sessions on this machine and cannot complain. Of course the royal would have been great. Over to Caesars to try the Triple Play and Five Play machines. These machines can take your money pretty quick! Next we went to Bellagio to try the lunch buffet. I do not care for buffets, in general, but did try this one since I had enough points to have it comped. I will have to say the quality and variety of food was very good. I would not hesitate to eat here again. Price for lunch is $12.50. Then we went to the new Paris. This place was very busy, especially since it is so new. Joined the slot club and played for just a few minutes, will probably not want to play there again. The card readers in the machines simply say "accepted". You have no idea of how many points you've earned or where you stand with comps. I like to know exactly where I stand with my points when playing. This is a beautiful property and I may go back just to look around when it is less crowded. Some friends met us at the Mirage for dinner. A quick meal at the California Pizza Kitchen was just fine. We finished this day at the Rio. My slot card would not work and I went to get a replacement. Then I noticed a sign in the casino stating that all cards must be replaced. While getting my replacement card, I picked up a brochure that explains exactly what it takes to earn a point and how many points it takes for a comped room, casino rate, etc. This will be a big help for video poker and slot players needing to know what it takes to earn comps here now. I did not keep the brochure so I can't remember all the particulars. Played several sessions of video poker, no wins here tonight.

Friday. You guessed it. For the third straight day, I go to the same video poker machine I started with on the last two days. As expected, it would not give me anything. I really didn't expect it to at this point. So I move around and play different machines, finally having a winning session on a dollar machine. Went to Stratosphere by riding the bus. The fare is now $2 instead of $1.50 and exact change is still required. Played for a while here, but no wins. Had lunch at Roxy's Diner, a 50's style place, good hamburger and fry place. Back to the Venetian to go through Madam Tussauds wax museum. The figures in this museum are so life like! You can spend as much or as little time as you wish looking at the displays and cameras are allowed. After viewing the wax figures, you have the option of going into a small theater and watching a short film about Las Vegas and seeing an Elvis impersonator do one song. This is included in the cost of $12. When leaving, you are exited into a gift shop, of course. I enjoyed this and will probably go back again. Back to TI for dinner and then more video poker sessions at Caesars and Harrah's.

Saturday. Played video poker with mixed results. No, I did not go back to the fifty cent machine that was so good to me. Don't want to press my luck. Rode the bus down to Mandalay Bay for what was supposed to be a quick visit of an hour or so. Boy, was I wrong. My friend puts $20 in a quarter video poker machine located near the sports book. Five hours later he is still playing on this $20 and has built the credits up to almost $300. An incredible session on a twenty dollar bill. He finally cashed out, only because he was tired, for $200. One thing I really like about Mandaly Bay is the way you can get your cashback from the slot machines. There is no need to go to the booth or get a voucher. Cashback can be obtained right at your machine, using your slot card and PIN. If you do not have a PIN, you will need to go to the booth and get a new card and choose your pin. Cashback is then given in the form of credits on your machine. You may play the credits or cash them out. The casino probably expects most people will play the credits. This systems seems to work very well. Back to TI for dinner and start packing for the trip home. Arrived home Sunday morning.

This was a great trip. Although I did not come home a winner, it was very close to breaking even. And that's not bad, especially when you get to play as much as we did. Someone on the gambling topic had mentioned that Bellagio will be honoring quarter play in the future. I found out that Bellagio, Mirage and Treasure Island are all going to honor quarter play starting around the first of the year. Currently, only fifty cent play and higher counts for comps. I'm looking forward to the next trip!

Gregg
Great trip report, I always enjoy reading about others experences in Vegas. Always nice to come home with money. Any thing I have left is winner. Were else can you go on vacation and have no way of recouping any thing.

We stayed at TI once right after it opened and loved it. Had a room over looking the sea battle. We always visit the casino several times each trip, have had a lot of good luck there.

The look out is one of the best coffee shops in Vegas. Like to eat there chicken soup the bowl is a large round piece of bread hollowed out really great

Gregg,

Thanks for the report. I'm suprised it was going to be so long to get you out of Columbus. America West has a couple flights thru Phoenix before the evening direct flight they obviously wanted to put you on.

Good job on the Vidoe Poker. The bar tops rarely have the best payouts but seem to be a little hotter some times.



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Jeff, Gambling Moderator
senatorjm@talkvegas.com

Gregg,
Thanks for taking the time and writing a great trip report! A near break even trip, I count as a win in my book! I don't play much half dollar machines. Most of my play is bartop machines and they always jump from a quarter to dollar machines. I'm guessing your lucky half machines where not located at the bar?
Glad you had a great time and some long sessions on the VP! So....are you already planning your next trip to Las Vegas?


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Lee-PA
Moderator, What's New Forum
lee@talkvegas.com

Lee,
The fifty cent video poker machines I played at Treasure Island were bartop machines. There are only 3 or 4 of them, located at The Gold Bar, next to the Lookout Cafe. Usually, I don't care for fifty cent machines but, for now at least, that's the minimum denomination for comp credit at TI. I'm always planning the next trip, hopefully I'll go back in April.

Gregg,
Thanks for the heads up on the 50's at the bar!
Let me know what your dates are when you make plans for the April trip. I try to meet as many members from the board as possible. I expect to be out in April too! [img]http://www.talkvegas.com/ubb/smile.gif[/img]



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Lee-PA
Moderator, What's New Forum
lee@talkvegas.com

Greg: Thanks for a great report. I agree: I wish the Paris slot club card reading system would let you know how many points you have accumulated. Good to see you enjoyed Madame Tussaud

Lee,
Thanks. I'll let you know when I have my date set for April.

Veronica,
Thanks for reading the report. My friend that had the incredible session at Mandalay Bay was playing bonus poker on a Game King machine located right across from the sports book. These machines also let you pick from a few other versions, including dueces wild, double double bonus,etc. Since I don't play at the Golden Nugget, I'm not familiar with their slot club but would guess they would make changes similar to the other Mirage Resort properties. I specifically asked at both Bellagio and Treasure Island to verify that they will be honoring quarter play. At Bellagio I was told it would be implemented at Mirage first, and then Bellagio and Treasure Island, sometime around the first of the year. The slot booth at Bellagio did tell me that they were slightly different from Mirage and TI in the fact that all comps must be used on your present trip. The comp I got for the buffet was based on previous play where I had let some points build up. I made a point of cashing out all my points everywhere on this last trip. It wasn't a lot at most places, but why lose it?

Hi Gregg-
When I was at the Bellagio in Oct- they told me that if I didn't want to use my buffet comp now that I had 12 months to use it. As we were checking out and didn't have time for the buffet we said that's ok we'll be back within 12 months......now I'm wondering if your guy or my guy was right.

Gregg,

Enjoyed reading your trip report. We will be at T.I. in December for several days and it was nice to learn that I no longer will have to pack the hairdryer when staying there.


As for the bump, we have refused one in the past that required an 8-hour wait. That's much too long when heading for "Fun City".

Now down to counting days until our trip. Thanks again for helping that time go much quicker.

Beth

Carrie,
I don't think you'll have any problem using your points for the buffet at Bellagio. This change is something that may not even be in effect yet, I'm not sure. My information could have been wrong, but that's what I was told at the slot club. I can't imagine them doing things different from the other Mirage properties. You'll like this buffet, though.

Beth,
Thanks for reading. Enjoy your December trip.

Great report, Gregg....I knew I was going to enjoy it when I got to the line "food and sleep are not priorities while in Las Vegas" [img]http://www.talkvegas.com/ubb/smile.gif[/img] Sorry you didn't go home a winner, but it sounds like you had a heck of a lot of fun!

About bumps,

I travel way too much to give up an on-time flight with a connection without MAJOR compensation. Last week I was flying from West Palm Beach to LAS through DFW on Delta. Delta had oversold the PBI-DFW leg and was trying to get people to volunteer. I was 1st in line at the counter and the agent asked me if I'd like to be bumped for $300 in flight credit and I would arrive 1.5 hours later in LAS. I guess most people would jump at that opportunity but it still didn't appeal to me. I still saw it as changing to the last connection of the day and a potential of not getting home at all. I asked if they would put me up front and he laughed at me. I asked if I could get the $300 in cash. He laughed even harder. So I turned him down. Well you would have thought I turned down a million dollars. He couldn't believe I wasn't going to take it and KEPT asking me if I was sure. Finally he grudgingly let me go. First time I every got heavy pressure to take a bump!!!!