Excalibur or Tropicana with 13-yr old

Old May 18th, 2007, 06:10 AM
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Excalibur or Tropicana with 13-yr old

I've decided to make a last minute change to our Arizona travel plans next month by flying into Las Vegas instead of Phoenix. Our flight will arrive at 10:15 pm on a Sat night and we would leave by noon the next day (I know, not much time). We'll have our 13-yr old daughter with us and I was thinking it would be fun to get checked in and then take the monorail up to the Bellagio Fountains and then the next morning we would spend just a few hours walking around the south/mid end of the strip before picking up our rental car to head to Sedona (with a stop at Hoover Dam).

I ruled out Stratosphere and Circus Circus even though they're cheaper so I have it narrowed down to Excalibur or Tropicana, any input on either of these? This will be our first time to LV so I'm pretty clueless. I know there are much nicer hotels but I'm trying to stick to a budget. I'd also thought about saving some money and staying at the BW McCarran Inn next to the airport but I figured by the time we took a couple of taxi rides back and forth to the strip that night and the next morning we might be better off staying right on the strip, plus we wouldn't be wasting what little time we have on taxi rides.

It seems as if I've read a lot more negative things about Xcalibur compared to Tropicana, both are priced about the same, Xcalibur slightly cheaper and I see Xcalibur recommended more for families. It sounds like Tropicana has the better pool area but with an 11:00 checkout we probably wouldn't have time to use the pool anyway (I'm assuming they're strict about checkout times).

It's only 1 night so I'm probably overly obsessing but any advice would be appreciated.
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Old May 18th, 2007, 06:46 AM
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For one night, either will do. Both are older hotels and have seen better days, thus the lower prices. (But you knew that ). Excalibur is more kid-friendly. It has some carnival midway games that are pretty easy to win, and the dinner and jousting show. Excalibur is also connected to the small tram that connects it with the Mandalay Bay and the Luxor.

The Tropicana is closer to the monorail station at MGM Grand. However, that monorail runs behind the hotels and does not give you a good view of the strip. To get to the Bellagio, you would have to get off at the Bally's/Paris complex and hike it through there and then across the street. I think it would be easier to walk to the Bellagio from the Excalibur.

Did you check the rates at the Flamingo? It is more centrally located than all of the hotels you mention. Monte Carlo usually has good rates, also.

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Old May 18th, 2007, 07:08 AM
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Thanks for the quick reply, I already checked both Flamingo and Monte Carlo and they're $300. I guess a Saturday night in June isn't the best time to be looking for a cheap hotel room.

Timewise how long should it take us to walk from Tropicana or Excalibur to Bellagio? Having never been to LV I imagined hopping on the monorail to Bally's and then a short walk across the street to the fountains, in 15 minutes time we'd be there, but maybe not. I'm sure the strip is much bigger than I can imagine.
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Old May 18th, 2007, 07:17 AM
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It takes 15 minutes just to find your way out of those hotels.

The monorail is in the back of the hotels (MGM & Ballys) and takes 10-15 minutes just to walk to and from it when you are on the strip.

Walking straight up the strip to the Bellagio is probably 30-45 minutes.

Those blocks are huge although they are very deceiving when you on the street.
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Old May 18th, 2007, 07:39 AM
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" I imagined hopping on the monorail to Bally's and then a short walk across the street to the fountains, in 15 minutes time we'd be there, but maybe not. I'm sure the strip is much bigger than I can imagine."

The scale of these hotels and city blocks is hard to imagine, until you have seen it. (My German MIL assumed that it was a little bigger than the Munich Oktoberfest. Imagine her surprise ) The strip itself is at least 8 lanes across. It will take you at least 15 minutes to get from your room at the Trop to the MGM Monorail station. Waiting for the MR, ride one stop, another 10 minutes. Twenty more to make your way thru the Bally's complex and across the street to the Bellagio. So, we are up to 45 minutes and you don't see anything but the back of hotels.

If you walk from either the Excalibur or Tropicana, you will pass by the fronts of the NYNY, Monte Carlo, MGM, Aladdin, Paris & Bally's. (If you stay at the Excalibur, you won't have to cross the strip.) Still about a 35-45 minute walk, but at least you see a little more.

You might want to check how late the Bellagio fountain shows run. If your flight gets in at 10:15, you might not be getting down there until well past 11 pm.
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Old May 18th, 2007, 07:44 AM
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These hotels are really really really big. A short walk across the street from door to door would be something like a half mile (or more).

But your plan sounds good, just allow enough time. There is also an on-street shuttle that can get you from place to place.
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Old May 18th, 2007, 07:54 AM
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Thanks everyone. Your descriptions definitely helped me get a better image of just how big the strip and the hotels are, I sure wasn't picturing 8 lanes!!

I read in my travel guide that the fountains run until midnight so I'm hoping we'll be able to get checked in and to Bellagio by 11:30 assuming no flight delays. We'll be on our way to Sedona before they start back up on Sunday which is why I'm trying to work out seeing them the night before (and I'm sure they're much more impressive at night).

Thanks again, you've all be very helpful.
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Old May 18th, 2007, 08:03 AM
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Why don't you get your rental car when you arrive? It will save you the taxis to/from the airport and you could drive to where you want to in the morning. Traffic shouldn't be much of an issue early in the day.

Parking is free in most places- although tipping the valet ususally saves a long walk to the garage.
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Old May 18th, 2007, 08:34 AM
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The Deuce is a doubledecker bus operated by the local transit authority mainly for tourists. It runs up and down the strip to Fremont street (the original downtown area) for $ 2 (the deuce) Great way to see the lights and sights. Go to http://www.rtcsouthernnevada.com/cat...euce/index.cfm
for mor info.
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Old May 18th, 2007, 08:36 AM
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Don't mean to burst your bubble - but Las Vegas isn't really a kid place. I call it adult Disneyland. If you don't mind your daughter being handed advertisements for hookers every minute, go for it. There are what appear to be Latino street people on the sidewalks handing out business cards for "escorts" all over Vegas.

Regarding getting around - the monorail costs $4.50 per person per one way ride, regardless of the number of stops. 2 people $9.00 to go from say the MGM to say Harrah's. You could walk it 30/45 minutes or you could take a cab for $10. My point being that almost anywhere you want to go in Vegas in a cab magically costs $10+tip. Airport to the strip $10, MGM to the Wynn - $10......

For the best room rate, stay there any night except Friday or Saturday. Fri/Sat is when the weekend warriors are there. Same room that was $300/night on Friday will be $90 on Monday.

If you really want to go, adjust the day that your going to a weekday and stay at the Wynn or MGM Signature Suites - (hint - book a non-smoking room at the MGM, they "might" upgrade you to the Signature for $0.

If you want to see a show get the tickets at one of the many discount outlets on the strip. Don't be fooled into paying top $ in advance. Be aware of dark nights though, the nights with the cheapest rooms also tend to be the nights that the top shows are dark.

And eat at Mesa Grill, it's amazing.
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Old May 18th, 2007, 08:55 AM
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humin, if you would have read the OP's post, she is only going to be there for less than 24 hours, and on a Saturday night as the start to a larger trip to Hoover Dam and Arizona.

I've never seen those ads being handed to children, and my kids have seen more nudity on European broadcast TV ads, than on those silly cards. They hold out some cards - if you want one, take one, if not, keep walking. "appear to be Latino street people" ??? Give me a break. I'm not sure what their ethnic background has to do with anything.

Interesting first post, though.




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Old May 18th, 2007, 08:59 AM
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I must be missing something. You said your flight arrives at 10:15PM. Even if it arrives on time, which becomes less likely later in the day, you'll need to collect your bags, take the shuttle to the rental car facility, rent your car, drive to the hotel and check in. By the time you get to your room it would be at least 11:30 if everything goes perfectly. More likely it will be closer to 12:30.

Assuming you sleep 8 hours, and it takes an hour for everyone to clean up and pack in the morning, and another hour to get some breakfast, you'll have exactly 90 minutes of free time in Las Vegas before you depart.

I don't think it matters much where you stay.

What am I missing? You do plan to sleep, correct?
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Old May 18th, 2007, 10:10 AM
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I understand that we're not going to have much time in Vegas but I thought flying into Vegas rather than PHX might add something interesting to our vacation since we've never been there before and it would also allow us to see Hoover Dam on the way to AZ. We'll only have carry-on luggage so we'll be heading right to the hotel, we're early risers who typically do a quick breakfast while on vacation and we're not picking up our rental car until after 11:00 the next day. If we only have a couple hours to spend walking around the strip it doesn't really matter, it's not costing us much more to fly into LAS vs PHX since we would have also been paying for a hotel in PHX due to a late arrival.

I know some people are against kids in Vegas but I've ready plenty of posts by people who have made Vegas a family vacation and have had a great time and as lvk said, it's only a stopping point for us on our way to Sedona.
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Old May 18th, 2007, 11:03 AM
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Take the Deuce and enjoy the sights to the Bellagio. If it happens you don't make it in time, at least you will get to see the Vegas lights at night. It's certainly fun to see!
I think it's fine that you are taking your 13 year old to see the fountain and the sights. She will be amazed, as will you, at what she sees. It's just one night. Have fun!
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Old May 18th, 2007, 11:08 AM
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Sorry, I meant to add that you should probably stay at the Excalibur. The rooms are nothing fancy, but for one night it will be fine. It's very kid friendly. Just spend what little time you have the next morning exploring other parts of the strip, not the Excalibur. The night you arrive you might select one Hotel to visit the next day, and just do that (Ceasar's Palace is a fun one to look around).
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Old May 18th, 2007, 12:36 PM
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What a coincidence -
I just received an email promoting "Excalibur's All-new Widescreen Rooms....floor to ceiling makeover on 1,000 Spa Tower hotel rooms."
The rooms look a LOT nicer than their older ones. I checked and their rate for an updated room on June 16th was $141. Check it out here:

https://reservations.mgmmirage.com/b...romo&code=EM80

Hope this helps.
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Old May 18th, 2007, 12:46 PM
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Good gosh, I promise to quit posting eventually -
The link did not go through correctly. The "https://" did not get added as part of the link, so make sure you copy and paste the entire link to get it to open. Hopefully that's it!
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Old May 18th, 2007, 01:07 PM
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No need to apologize MrsJenn, I appreciate your replies. I found the promotion rates this morning although the following Sat, which is when we'll be there, is $171 but still a pretty good rate compared to the other hotels I checked. Plus I have to add another $20 since our daughter is 13, not 11 (I suppose I could put her down as 11).

I'll probably go with Excalibur and do as you said and explore another hotel or two the next morning. Being a 13 yr old girl, I don't think Excalibur would interest my daughter that much anyway (or me ).

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Old May 19th, 2007, 05:41 PM
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The Excalibur is well located for exploring. My son at the same age liked it there, and we took the tram to the Luxor and Mandalay Bay. Very quick and fun. I also liked the easy walkways to NYNY and MGM.
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Old May 20th, 2007, 09:41 AM
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One tip- with 3 people, it will be cheaper to take a cab to the hotel from the airport than to take the shuttle, and it will save you a lot of time.
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