Originally Posted by
Dan Druff
Here are my Jewish Vegas tips for you:
- Did you say you were staying at Flamingo? That place is old and dumpy. I hope you're not paying very much for it (you said you had a suite). If you are going to stay at a Caesar's owned property, I would suggest Caesar's as the first choice and Paris as the second.
- Regarding shows, I have a trick that works to get EXCELLENT SEATS (like nearly the best in the house) to any show, but it also requires being willing to spend some money. It also requires being willing to occasionally fail and not see the show at all. Here is the trick:
Wait until about 60 minutes before showtime. Go to the show's box office IN PERSON (do NOT call or go online). If there is a "cancellation line" (O has this), get in that line. Otherwise, just get in the regular line. When you get to the front, tell them that you know that the casino releases some good seats close to showtime, and you want to buy one of those. Ask what time those seats are released. Do NOT take "no" for an answer -- at least not until you argue back for awhile. Do not accept bullshit like, "There are no casino seats released", "The computer just gets them and spits them out into the general tickets sold", "We don't know when or how this happens", etc. EVERY MAJOR SHOW is like this. Anyway, once you find this out, ask what you need to do to buy the seats. You might have to come back about 15 minutes before showtime. Make sure they show you EXACTLY where you will be sitting. Don't just take their word for it that the seats are good. Do not ever commit to buy anything without seeing the actual seats, unless they promise to give you a refund if the seats suck. At Bellagio (O), you can reject the seats if you don't like them, but you have to get back in the cancellation line if you want to try again. Do that repeatedly until the good seats come up. They usually will. You will still usually have to pay for the top-tier level of seats, which is usually $100-$250 each, but you will be sitting in the very best seats in the house. Occasionally you will fail and have to try again later. I have been successful with this about 90% of the time. Most times they actually show respect for my knowledge of the situation and just give me the best seats right away. Sometimes you need to ask for a supervisor if the ticket agent is clueless.
- Regarding Cirque shows, Mystere is very good and is also surprisingly cheap compared to the others. O is also good, but it has less acrobatics than Mystere and is more visual. I haven't seen LOVE but have heard mixed things about it. Apparently it lacks acrobatics, and is more of a showcase of Beatles songs. Some like it, some don't. I found Ka to be just okay. It had some really cool parts, but was also mediocre in other parts. I didn't find the "story" around it to be very interesting, so I didn't feel that added much. The VIVA ELVIS show has a terrible reputation and should be avoided. I haven't seen Zumanity, but for the most part, people think it sucks and it gets by on its sexual reputation. Do NOT see the Criss Angel show, no matter how cheap your tickets are. It is known as the worst major Vegas show ever. Absinthe, which is not a Cirque show, seems to be pretty well liked. I saw Jersey Boys last year at Palazzo and liked it. However, you have to be old enough to enjoy '60s and '70s music. I'm not sure if you're into that. If you don't really like that music, you won't like Jersey Boys.
- I'm not sure where I'll be in February, but if I'm around, I might be able to get you some free tickets to Jersey Boys with excellent seats. PM me when the time comes. You have always been cool, so I'm happy to do it for you if you want.
- If you take a cab from the airport, tell them NOT to take you on the freeway. That is a common trick to rip off tourists.
- I would suggest getting a car during your time in Vegas. It's not expensive, and it's a lot easier to get around. Parking is free at all casinos, so it's not like having a car in a place like New York, where you would get hammered for high parking fees.
- Do NOT valet on Saturday night or Sunday morning. It will take an eternity to get your car.
- Not sure if you're into this, but find out the various freeroll promotions that exist for signing up for various casino clubs. Sign up both yourself and your wife, even if you have to guide your wife how to play. You can often make some easy money doing this, with very little (or no) risk. It's a bit of a pain in the ass, though.
- I know you count cards. If your wife is willing to sit with you, that is a big factor in not getting caught. White guys in their early 30s doing it alone are a HUGE red flag to casinos.
- If you have a car and want something different, take a drive out to Red Rock (the park, not the casino) or Mount Charleston. Some nice scenery in both places, though Mt. Charleston will be a bit cold at this time of year. I love going there in the summer when it's 70 degrees while the rest of Vegas is 110.
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