October 25-November 1, 2017: Las Vegas Halloween Trip Report
It seems like a Halloween trip to Las Vegas is becoming an annual event, since I've been planning trips around the end of October for the past few years now. The weather is usually nicer in the Fall with cooler temps which makes walking around the LV strip and spending time outdoors more pleasant, than in the summer. I'm also a member of a Las Vegas travel forum (LasVegas4ever) which has been having their Fall meet and greet during the week of Halloween which I also like to attend.I usually start planning my trips a few months in advance, so I can monitor airfares and the comp offers that I received from the various casinos. I've been using Southwest for most of my air travel whenever possible, since they often have the lowest rates, no checkin baggage fees, and they don't charge fees if you need to change or cancel your reservations.
For this trip, I had several comp offers, but decided to use the ones from the Green Valley Ranch in Henderson (3 comped nights) and the Orleans (4 comped nights) which covered lodging for my entire week long trip. My Orleans offer also included $100 freeplay and $100 in food credit.
With all the freebies that I've received for this trip, I decided to splurge and rented a Mustang GT from Hertz instead of a standard Mustang which would have been less expensive.
Wednesday October 25, Day 1:
It was cloudy and cool (37*F) when I left for Midway airport via Echo Limosine service. Traffic was heavy, but I had plenty of time before my flight which was scheduled for 11:15am. Although, this would turn out to be the worse experience that I've had with SWA. We had one delay after another which was due to mechanical problems with a brand new Boeing 737 that has only been in service for about a week!
We weren't given a lot of details about the problem, but we were told that it had something to due with a de-icing valve in the engine that they said locked up. After the first fix, they let us board the plane, but whatever they did prevented the engines from starting. So after a few more "fixes" and close to 4 hrs later, we were finally on our way to Vegas. Since a number of passengers had connecting flights, SWA also had to rebook all of them on later flights. Needless to say, everyone was pretty ticked-off with SWA at this point. They didn't offer to rebook us on later flights or offer other options. My guess is that they thought the fix was going to be rather quick and easy which turned out just the opposite.
Although a day later, I received an email from SWA apologizing for the long delay and the inconvenience that it may have caused. SWA also followed up with an e-voucher for $100 which was a big surprise! This is the first time I've had any airline do something like this because of a delay. Several years ago, American Eagle had us siting on the tarmac in White Plaines, NY for 6 hrs and offered no apologies. So, I have to give kudos to SWA for doing this.
Anywho, after arriving at McCarran and picking up my luggage, I was off to the rent a car facility. Yikes! Now another delay at Hertz! I reserved a Mustang GT and even received a confirmation notice via a text message that my car was ready, but when I arrived my name and car location was not listed on the Hertz Gold Members display. So the attendant contacted her manager who tried to located another Mustang GT, but couldn't find one so they offered a Chevy Camero SS which they had available. I said that was okay, however to my surprise when the attendant drove the car to the pickup area, she pulled up in a Mustang GT. Apparently, they found the car that I originally reserved!
Before checking into the Green Valley Ranch, I stopped at Albertson's to pick up some supplies for my room: Water, Gatorade, and a few snacks.
Green Valley Ranch
This was my first stay at the GVR and I ended up making the wrong turn and ended up at the valet entrance to the casino instead of the hotel entrance. So, the attendant directed me to other entrance which is located on the other side of the building. It was dark out when I arrived, so if you're not familiar with the layout of the property, it might be a bit difficult figuring out which entrance to use. They really need to put up more signage on the roads for directing hotel guests to the right entrance.
I've visited their property several times in the past and have always liked their casino and restaurants. They also have a Pizza Rock inside their casino which is one of my favorites. In fact, that's where I dined after I checked in. Unfortunately, I forgot to take some food porn pics. I always seem to remember, after I finish eating which is too late! LOL That happened quite often during this trip, so my food porn is rather limited for this report.
Here are a few photos of the Deluxe King room located on the 2nd floor (casino level). The room was very nice, but I had a view overlooking the parking garage. Considering that the room is comped, as well as the resort fee, and free WiFi, I really have no complaints. I enjoyed my 3 nights at the GVR and as long as they keep sending out comp offers, I'll probably stay there again on a future trip.
Before turning in for the night, I played some Deuces Wild VP. Overall, I had pretty good luck in their casino. I didn't take photos of all the good hits, but here are a few. I also found some 9/6 JOB machines the following day.
Thursday October 26, Day 2:
Since my biological clock was still on Chicago time, I woke up way to early which isn't too surprising. It often takes a 2-3 days to adjust to Vegas time, even though there is only a 2 hr time difference. Breakfast was at the Grand Cafe at the GVR. I ordered the French Toast with a side of sausage patties, and coffee. I did remember to take pics, but only after I was half way through eating. LOL The food and service was very good at the cafe.
After breakfast, I went for a short walk over to the District which is located across from the GVR. It was still early, so there weren't many people around. They also had the street decorated for some Halloween events.
Silverton Hotel/Casino
Later that day, I drove out to the Silverton Hotel/Casino on Hwy 160. I've passed by the Silverton on numerous occasions over the years, but I never stopped by for a visit. They also have Bass Pro Shop on their property. While I was there, I signed up for their players card and received a 4-leaf clover keychain as a signup gift. I was playing VP in their casino, but I pretty much broke even. Although, I accumulated enough points for a free buffet, but I didn't feel like driving all the way back there later that day for the buffet.
Back at the GVR, I spent the rest of the evening playing VP and just relaxing. I didn't feel like eating anything fancy, so I ended up at Fatburgers in their food court for dinner. Their burgers are okay, but I still like In N' Out Burger better.
Friday October 27, Day 3:
A friend was in town for the SEMA show which starts the day after Halloween. So, he had a couple of extra days to play tourist before attending the trade show. He was staying at the Linq, but he wanted to check out the GVR, since he rarely visits any of the off-strip properties when he visits Vegas and hasn't seen much of Vegas outside of the strip. Most of his Vegas visits are work related and he's more or less a LV strip person. LOL Anywho, we met up for breakfast at the Cafe and I gave him the nickel tour of the GVR and showed him my room before we headed out to Red Rock and a few other off-strip properties.
We stopped by the Red Rock Resort for awhile and played slots/VP, but when we were ready to leave we found out that all of the redemption machines were down which caused long lines at the cashiers.
After leaving Red Rock, we drove over to the M Resort and eventually ended up at Southpoint were we had dinner at their Coranado Cafe and played more slots/VP. I remembered that Tag (a member of the LV4E board) recommended the Prime Rib special, so we both gave that a try. For $14.95 you receive a 10 oz slice of prime rib, salad or soup, and baked potato or fries. The size of the prime rib was huge and I was only able to finish about 2/3, but it was really good.
This was my last night at the GVR before I moved to the Orleans for the remainder of my trip.
Saturday October 28, Day 4:
Orleans Hotel/Casino
After checking out of the GVR, I stopped at McDonalds for breakfast before heading over to the Orleans. It was still too early to check in, so I spend some time playing VP at the Orleans. I was getting lots of 5OAKs and hit one Royal with Deuces.
I was in a Premium Deluxe King room on the 14th floor which is basically the same as the ones I've stayed in before, so I didn't take any new photos. I had a mountain view overlooking the pool.
You have to look through the grating in order to see the pool area...
When checking in, they included a copy of this letter to inform guests about their revised policy regarding the "Do Not Disturb" sign for your room which was sparked by the recent mass shooting incident. The Orleans is now doing security checks, if the Do Not Disturb sign is left on your door for 2 consecutive days.
Later that evening, I had reservations for the Neon Museum Bus Tour which I prepaid about a week before my trip. Unfortunately, I got stuck in a traffic jam on I-15 heading downtown and missed the tour. Apparently, there was a bad accident and a couple of lanes were blocked. I was stuck in the middle lane so I couldn't even get to an off ramp.
Oh well, it was already after 8pm when traffic started moving again, and I had to be at the Neon Museum by 7:30pm. Anyways, I headed back to the Orleans and had dinner at Ondori where I ordered some sushi (Tuna Roll, Eel roll, and California roll) and miso soup. I've dined at Ondori's last year which was when they first opened and their food was pretty good and it was just as good this time too.
This trip turned out to be a bit different than some of my past trips, since I didn't see any shows and I spent way more time than usual gambling. LOL I think that's because I was winning more than I was losing.
Sunday October 29, Day 5:
I didn't have anything special planned, so I decided to take a drive out to the Ash Meadows Wildlife Refuge which is located about 90 miles NW of Las Vegas. You can get to the visitors center by taking I-15 to Hwy 160 which passes through the town of Pahrump, then heading east on Belle Vista Road for about 20 miles to the Ash Meadows turnoff. The visitors center is a few miles down a gravel road.
I wish that I had know earlier that the road leading to Ash Meadows was unpaved and mostly gravel. I didn't want to damage the Mustang GT that I rented, so I never made to the Wildlife Refuge. Anywho, it was a nice drive heading out that way, since the weather was nice and it gave me the opportunity to put the Mustang GT through it's paces. LOL Lots of open winding roads in area with no traffic which makes for a fun drive.
Later that evening, I decided to try the Medley Buffet at the Orleans which had recently opened. The line was rather long, but it moved right along. You have to be Emerald in order to get preferential treatment and not have to wait in line. Their prices increased from the former French Market Buffet, but the variety and the quality of the food seemed to have improved. I started out with the Prime Rib which was very good. Usually when I have prime rib at a buffet, the quality isn't quite as good as in a high-end restaurant, but this time the quality was excellent. I went back for other items, but I forgot to take more pics. LOL
Their selection of desserts was also very good with a large variety to choose from. I started out with a slice of chocolate cake and strawberry sorbet.
Needless to say, I ate way more than I should have and could barely move afterwards. LOL So, I spent some time in the casino playing Buffalo Stampede which ate up a good portion of my previous winnings. I should have stuck to playing VP, since when I switch over to VP before turning in for the night, I hit this...
Monday October 30, Day 6:
With all of the changes that the Orleans has done with their restaurants, the Courtyard Cafe has also been replaced by the Copper Whisk Cafe. It's located in the same area as the former Courtyard Cafe and the menu is very similar. I decided to check out the new cafe and had breakfast there. I ordered scrambled eggs, bacon, hash browns, toast, and coffee. Overall, it's not much different than it's predecessor. The food was good, as well as the service.
After breakfast, I decided to drive over to Sam's Town for awhile before heading downtown for the LV4E Halloween Meet at the Plaza. I played some VP, but didn't have much luck, so I headed downtown early and roamed around Fremont St. and played more VP at the California.
Demolition of the Las Vegas Club
LV4E Halloween Meet at the Plaza
I arrived at the Plaza at around 4pm, but it took awhile to locate the Simpatico room where the meet was being held. I ran into another couple who was also there for the meet and we were looking all over for the room. It turned out the Simpatico room is located inside of Oscars. It's a private room that was ideal for the meet. It was quiet, so you could actually carry on a conversation without having to shout. LOL
It was nice seeing some board member who I've met before at previous meets including our host (Bonnie), Otto, Wolfgang, Eva, as well as some new folks including Gary, Michelle, Kim, Ian, just to name a few. I didn't take any photos, since Bonnie and a few other were taking lots of photos which I'm sure they will be posting on LV4E and Facebook.
After the meet, a few of us (Otto, Ian, Bonnie, Eva, Wolfgang, Gary, Michelle, Kim, and myself) decided to head over to Pizza Rock for dinner. The wait time was rather long, but their pizzas are very good. We ordered 4 pizzas and Bonnie order their Macaroni and Cheese.
Later, Eva and Wolfgang treated those of us who were still around to ice cream over at the California before we all returned to our hotels.
A few pics on Fremont St. on our way back to the Plaza and Mainstreet Station...
Tuesday October 31, Day 7:
This was my last full day in town, so I decided to spend part of the day on Fremont St. I also spent some time playing VP at the California and Mainstreet Station with mixed results.
Back at the Orleans, I was heading down to meet a friend for dinner when I ran into Michelle from the LV4E meet. She was dressed as a Smurf and was headed downtown for another get together. She asked me take a photo of her in her Smuf's costume and she also invited me to come along, but I already had plans. At first, I almost didn't recognize her. LOL
I was meeting my friend for dinner who wanted to try the new buffet. I still had some food credit that I didn't want to waste, so I treated him to dinner. We thought about trying the Prime Rib Loft, but it looked like the place was too crowded, so we opted for the Medley Buffet as originally planned. Their dinner buffet was pretty much the same as before, but I tried a few new things that I missed the first time around. They still have a station with New Orleans style cuisine including boiled crawfish, jambalya, red beans and rice, etc. (I forgot to take of pic of that plate) which was pretty good. I also had more of their prime rib and ham which I did remembered to photograph. Although, I did forget to take a pic of the desserts.
Wednesday November 1, Day 8:
My flight back to Chicago was at 2pm, so I had breakfast in the food court at the Orleans and spent the remainder of the time playing VP before returning my rental car and heading back to McCarran.
The breakfast sandwiches at Fudruckers are pretty good and I still had a coupon that I didn't use earlier in the week. One nice perk about the Orleans is that they still give out a sheet of discount coupons when you check in for various businesses on their property.
When I arrived at McCarran, the TSA lines were fairly long. Even though the TSA PreCheck line was short, once they check your ID, you're basically put through the same screening process as non-PreCheck which sucks! The only advantage of PreCheck at McCarran is that you don't have to remove your shoes and you only have to go through the metal detector and not the body scanner.
All electronic devices that are larger than a cell phone has to be placed in a bin including iPads, tablets, digital cameras, GPS/Nav devices for your car, etc. A lady had a small coffee maker in her carryon that she had to remove for scanning too.
I read about the new TSA screening/scanning set up that was suppose to be at McCarran, but they must have that in a different section of the airport. They were still using the same process as before in the screening area that I went through.
The flight home was rather interesting. I was sitting next to a guy who pretty much ignored the flight attendants announcements about turning off electronic devices and storing your bags under the seat. His phone started ringing as soon as we took off and the lady sitting behind him yelled at him and said, "you're busted". I'm sure everyone in the back of the plane heard her. LOL She called the flight attendant, but there wasn't much she could do, other than to tell him to turn off his phone or put it in airplane mode. There was an empty seat between us and when we were getting ready to land, he kept his briefcase on the seat after he was told to store it under the seat. It was a rather hard land and his briefcase went flying off the seat onto the floor along everything he had inside. So, he had a mess to clean up, along with trying to find everything that spilled out of his case. I should have taken a pic and submitted it to that passenger shaming site on Facebook! LOL
Oh well, another Vegas trip is history! As I mentioned earlier, this trip turned out a bit different than my past trips, since I didn't see any shows and spent a lot time playing slots/VP. Other than driving down LV Blvd a few times, I didn't spend any time going casino hopping on the strip which is a first for me.
Overall, I came home with an extra $300, after adding up all of my wins/losses. If I didn't donate a good chunk of my winnings to the Buffalos that one night, I would have come home with a lot more. This was a fun trip, even though it started out with that big flight delay.
