Sharon and I took off yesterday for a night in AC. We found Harrahs had rooms for a beautiful weekend of 90 degree weather that has come our way very early this April. The drive was pleasant to AC, with only minor traffic. I was expecting to find the place kinda slow, due to every Harrah property had rooms available the night before this nice weekend. We booked the Harrahs marina and arrived to a full parking garage. As we descended into the casino on the escalators, it was plain to see Harrahs was not hurting this Friday night for customers!
HOWEVER...
This will be a theme for our entire stay however, that it seems that they have cut staff considerably.
We go to check in, The diamond line (preferred customers line) is longer then the regular customers. We wait!
Our turn arrives and we are given a king bed and smoking room at the counter, we get to floor 6 and find it's a non-smoking room. We trudge downstairs only to be told that floor is now a smoking room. Back up in the room there are no ash trays, this is messed up. We (sharon) smokes in the room, we tried to be nice. We asked for ash trays, they where never sent up.
Dinner at McCormick and Schmeck. I had the king crab from the "EARLY DAWN" ( a crab boat that has been featured on the discovery channels "Deadliest Catch" tv program) How they can know what crab boat caught what after going to the processor, is beyond me. Anyway, they where wonderful! Sharon had the stuffed flounder, and was very happy as well. Calamari, and some soup to round out the feast. Sharon ordered some raspberry martini concoction and I had a southern comfort perfect manhattan, neat. MMMM warm. This place has been very consistant, and it's one of our favorite places to enjoy dinner in AC.
After dinner we found a couple of machines that wanted to play. Shortly after finding a pair of VP machines in the filthy smoking section (short staffed on the cleaning crew) we started to play, after about a half hour I was delt K,2,10,Q,A of spades on a deuces machine. I held the 4 to the royal and drew the Jack of spades to fill out the set! WooHoo, a royal at Harrahs! The down side, I was only playing quarters. Sharon and I both started slow on quarters at the beginning. By the end of the night however, we both had moved up to dollars, so the royal money, while it helped, didn't make it home by Saturday afternoon! LOL But I played with thier money, and had a great time. We finally quit at 4:30am for a brief nap till 9am. Shower, then breakfast at the buffet YUCK, @ 2 people for $40., again slow service with beverages. Too many customers, not enough help!!!
We check out of the room after playing for another hour, then play a little longer, because I still have a couple of Harrahs dollars in my pocket! LOL Wouldn't want to take there money home with me! LOL
Drive home was slow, but the sun was shining, the ipod playing, and a good time was had by all.

ROTFLMAO! You've given me a new mission ... to hit a Royal at any Harrah's property in Las Vegas! I've hit at Harrah's in Tahoe, Reno and New Orleans, and I've hit at Sam's Town, Sahara, Riviera, Orleans and SouthPoint but never at a LV Harrah's.

Sorry the service wasn't up to par. I don't spend enough time at any one Harrah's in Vegas, so I haven't noticed any differences there, but hours and help at Harrah's in Reno have been mauled. However, there are much lighter crowds there, although it's not as obvious on weekends. LOL, the Diamond Lounge only opens something like Thursday through Monday and only open 4 hours on the weekdays. Buffet and bar hours/days also got cut, but at least the 24 hour coffee shop is still open<g>.

Dinner sounds great, and it must be nice to drive home with your own money intact.

Yes Daisy, having my bank roll still tucked away in my pocket on the drive home was comforting, knowing full well, I'm ready to do battle next time!
I didn't mention Sharons fate, she lost a little, but she still came home with a lot of her bank roll as well. She hit 7's on a 5 reel nickel machine early in our night in AC. So that helped her out.
Did I mention, I miss Las Vegas? Hey, AC was a good time this trip, but it still is nothing like Las Vegas. I got to find time to fly out! I can't believe it's been 6 months, already, and I still don't have solid vacation plans to LV.

Next AC trip, I'd like to stay at the Bogata!

Lee - congrats on the royal. I'm glad SOMEONE had some luck this weekend! (My UGLY trip report will be coming soon.....)

Very cool about the Royal!! Congrats! Glad you and Sharon did well. 90 degrees isn't too shabby either. Since you two have plenty of bankroll left, we NEED you in Las Vegas!! Things are slow, and jackpots seem to be few and far between these days.

so your next trip to vegas is??

Mike & Tater, thanks!
Mike, I'm looking forward to ANY trip report. Good, bad or ugly.
DAG & Tater, I want to go, I just don't know when yet. Maybe after we visit the big mouse at the end of May? Got a trip to Florida planned with my daughter and son in law. This will be Sharons first trip to Disney World, or any disney location.
Also have a wedding to go to in California in September, 9/9/09, maybe a stop in Vegas on the way back is my only sure trip other then our November thanksgiving annual trip???

Why are you getting married in CA?

What fun for Sharon to make her first trip to the Mouse Mecca!!! Oh, I wish I were going with you, it would be great to be with an adult on her first exposure to Mouse land. I hope you get a picture of her wearing mouse ears!!! I know you guys will have a great time. To stay on (sort of) topic.........wouldn't it be great to have a D. inspired. themed, adults only casino resort in Las Vegas? The engineering and special effects could be fantastic.

Jmt
Going to a wedding, not in a wedding! Lol

Vegas would be my choice ... If I was getting married, and I would have my way.
And if it was to happen in vegas, over wendells thanksgiving meet would be my suggested time to do it. Daughter might have to be there and sister too though. Don't know about mothers, would need some planning. Probably have trouble getting a place to marry us in vegas? LOL

That brings up another point Lee. Not to push things, but....

If you could have your way and everyone was in total agreement, what kind of Las Vegas wedding would you have? An Elvis, Star Trek, drive through, quaint and pretty, Thomas and Mack, something else, any combination of the above? For some reason, I think you have a unique theme in the back of your head and can't quite work out the logistics.

Tater,
I see your a big fan of "the mouse", I'm not. I'm trying to keep from being the wet blanket on this trip. When I was younger, and had my daughter in tow, this was the place she wanted to go. There where years when she spent almost a whole month at the resort. A friends family had a daughter and our daughter, we would stagger our trips and we'd take thier daughter down with us, then they would fly down a few weeks later and we'd leave our daughter with them and we would fly home. So both girls had close to a month of vacation time in Mouse land. Talk about spoiled! LOL
I just see the place as a big money grind. Lines for everything. Cranky kids and parents all around me. Oh....I'd much rather be in VEGAS!

As for a Disney themed Casino, maybe then I could find my love for the mouse! LOL

Joe,
WOW, I don't normally think of such things!
Maybe in one of those little parks down by FSE, no that won't work, the bums have those all sewn-up. Although it would make for some interesting wedding photos! LOL

Maybe on the edge of town at sun rise. You know, the time for hanging outlaws! Or is that sunset? Hmmm this would require more thought and research!

Seriously...
Downtown would probably get my vote, but where? MSS mens room, right by the chunk of Berlin wall, how romantic! I can see the signs now, mens room closed for wedding. Urinal cake party favors, (no they are not gigantic breath mints Senator!) Talk about the poor girl flushing her future away! Yikes!
Or maybe by one of the buffets, it's always been one of my favorite places to be! Reception to follow immediately after! LOL
The dome of the Plaza, now I'm on to something. I wonder if it would cost extra for them to clean the windows first, and maybe work on getting rid of that "PLAZA SMELL"?

Are you thinking what I'm thinking?.... Honey Moon suite at the Golden Gate! First Class all the way with me doll. And 99cent shrimp cocktails for everyone in the wedding party! WooHoo.

Oh JMT, I got my creative juices flowing now.

Maybe just a quickie wedding out by MSS valet, they could get the car while we get hitched in the little valet booth, then make our speedy get away to wedded bliss in the car they just delivered!

I need my medication now.....Thank you nurse.....ahhhh

Sounds like the kids had fun anyway! I am a loyal Mouse-er as the Mouse fed us for the years that my Dad was a mouse worker during the time of the Disneyland opener.

tater,
M kinda an odd duck that way, I like Disneyland bettter then Florida's mouse kingdom.

I like Disneyland better, too, but will go anywhere that grandkids want to go!!
Lee, have you been to the new casino that has opened south of Pittsburgh?

Doggone it, Lee ... if I'd caught this post just one day earlier, the Senator and I could have checked out all those venues for you when we had dinner downtown last night.

Tater,
No, I just can't seem to make any special trip to any of these single casinos, unless, I happen to be in the area anyway. They are never the reason for a trip.
Heck I have enough trouble getting my butt to Las vegas or even AC lately! LOL

Don't be silly, Lee. Marriage is a serious, sacred thing.










you need to get married next to one of your treasure chest machines. We'll all throw scratch-off cards as you kiss the bride.

After all, she is your Treasure, right?

<<<Don't be silly, Lee. Marriage is a serious, sacred thing.>>>

LOL... Not in Vegas!

Well there is a fine reason to get married quickly, before all those Treasure chest machines are gone for good!
BTW, my daughter is talking about coming out for our November trip. That would be nice, you just never know with us, it could happen.