It's a sad day in Vegas. Charging for parking is spreading

[dougp26364]

Ceaser's will begin charging at it's resorts in 2017. It will change the dynamics for us as we've always rented a car to get around. Renting a car will be more of a liability if we have to pay $10 to park everywhere we go. It may make us take a look at going somewhere other than Vegas.
https://www.washingtonpost.com/nati...1749443c5e5_story.html?utm_term=.cdbbd30d5fb0

 

[clifffaith]

We don't go often, but do have a three day stay booked in June on our way home from Yellowstone. I've been semi-following news reports that some of the casinos are starting to charge for parking. Will certainly make us more inclined to just take the Worldmark shuttle to the strip and then to limit ourselves to casinos within an easy walk of where they dump us off.

 

[DaveNV]

The only way LV will take notice is if enough people tell them why what they're doing is wrong. Make it an "I cancelled my vacation in Las Vegas because..." kind of thing.

Dave

 

[VacationForever]

We hardly ever venture out to Las Vegas strip and we will do that even less so now. The only places we go to with somewhat regularity are Smith Center and Southpoint, and these 2 places have free parking.

 

[SmithOp]

I'm leaving tomorrow for a weekend trip, driving. I plan on leaving the car parked and buying monorail passes, only visiting locations on the line. I have a bogo coupon for 48 hr passes, I'm staying at HGVC Karen Ave.

 

[tompalm]

Ceaser's will begin charging at it's resorts in 2017. It will change the dynamics for us as we've always rented a car to get around. Renting a car will be more of a liability if we have to pay $10 to park everywhere we go. It may make us take a look at going somewhere other than Vegas.
https://www.washingtonpost.com/nati...1749443c5e5_story.html?utm_term=.cdbbd30d5fb0

I always rent a car and drive everywhere. Time to start staying at Elara or the Flamingo timeshare and walk or take uber. I think the car rental companies will take a hit.

 

[pedro47]

Have the monorail route improved since 2012, the route was very limited as I re

I'm leaving tomorrow for a weekend trip, driving. I plan on leaving the car parked and buying monorail passes, only visiting locations on the line. I have a bogo coupon for 48 hr passes, I'm staying at HGVC Karen Ave.

call?

Have the monorail route improved since 2012? The route was very limited in my opinion as I can remember.

 

[Ty1on]

We hardly ever venture out to Las Vegas strip and we will do that even less so now. The only places we go to with somewhat regularity are Smith Center and Southpoint, and these 2 places have free parking.

AFAIK, the MGM properties are still offering free parking for locals. Just scan your DL at the kiosk.

 

[rboesl]

Been to Vegas many times. Never rent a car. Resorts have shuttles to at least 2 locations along the strip. From there taking the bus is the easiest and least expensive way to travel the strip. Day pass (24 hrs) is, I believe, $8 a person. Passes can be purchased for multiple days. All passes cover as many rides as you need during that time. No limit. Just need to return to shuttle drop points to get back to the resort.

 

[Dori]

We have been going to LV for about 15 years. Our first several trips, we would spend lots of time on the strip, but now we pretty much do our gambling at the South Point, which is right next door to our favourite Lv timeshare, The Grandview.

Barging for parking at the strip casinos is very greedy and bad for business, IMHO.

Dori

 

[VacationForever]

AFAIK, the MGM properties are still offering free parking for locals. Just scan your DL at the kiosk.

Good to know. Thanks! What about Caesar Palace?

 

[Ty1on]

Good to know. Thanks! What about Caesar Palace?

I haven't actually read anything on Caesars....I am interested in the MGM properties for when I go to events at T-Mobile. I have no interest in visiting Caesars properties.

 

[Sandy VDH]

I've usually got the vehicle, as it allows us some freedom to do some other things. Last visit we went hiking and horseback riding. Vehicle rental in vegas was usually cheap.

 

[dougp26364]

We use to go to Vegas at least 4 times per year. Then they started tightening up the gambling odds, doing away with "gamblers specials" at their coffee shops and making it more difficult to earn comps. They've even been talking about introducing drink comp tickets on the slot machines that kick out a free drink ticket once earned instead of the having waitresses walking the floors. All the changes they've made got us to cut our Vegas trips down from 4 weeks per year to 4 nights per year with those being over our anniversary.

We've discussed the new changes and looked at alternative destinations. What we will "probably" do is change from what's been our favorite resort these past three years, Elera, and move back to our home resort HGVC LV Strip. We can still rent a car and park at the resort for free, which will allow us the ability to reach Southpoint, which has some of our favorite restaurants, and the Stratosphere, which has better pay tables on their video poker. At this point neither of those casino's charges for parking. If we want to go someplace on the strip we'll use the bus to get us there.

Vegas has a large number of guests who drive in plus, with MGM, anyone achieving their first tier recognition level of Pearl receives free parking. I doubt parking charges will hurt their bottom line. The businesses that might feel the pain are the restaurants and shops but, that will depend on how many people actually drive from resort to resort. We use to take the car out daily and go to a different resort where we would shop and dine. Now, if I have to pay to park the car, there's less chance I'm going to any restaurant or shop at any store where I'll have to pay a parking fee, just to walk in. I'm not getting dressed up to ride the bus to go out to dinner and, I'm not a big fan of standing in a cab line. However, I'm VERY certain we're in a very small minority when it comes to Vegas tourists. Most of those we know who go to Vegas don't rent a car, take limo's or shuttles to/from the airport and either walk or take cabs when they go out. I just don't see this hurting Vegas to the point the casino's will change course. I believe they've spent time looking at their typical clients and know exactly what they're doing.

 

[SmithOp]

Have the monorail route improved since 2012, the route was very limited as I re

call?

Have the monorail route improved since 2012? The route was very limited in my opinion as I can remember.

It goes from the convention center where we are staying down the east side of the strip to MGM. We mainly want to go to the new Linq area, there is a stop at Flamingo.

 

[Ty1on]

Believe it or not, there are leeches that sit at a machine with a dollar bill in their hand, or with 1 credit sitting on a machine, waiting until a server rounds the corner to their slot bank before inserting the bill or hitting the Play button so they can give the appearance they are gambling and get free drinks. The slot ticket idea is a good one from the perspective of my experience, because it would allow servers to focus on real players, resulting in faster service. They can tweak the points requirement for a drink to make sure real players who are reasonable drinkers are well taken care of. As to many of your other complaints, I agree. Thank corporate financiers and investors.

 

[davidvel]

We use to go to Vegas at least 4 times per year. Then they started tightening up the gambling odds, doing away with "gamblers specials" at their coffee shops and making it more difficult to earn comps. They've even been talking about introducing drink comp tickets on the slot machines that kick out a free drink ticket once earned instead of the having waitresses walking the floors. All the changes they've made got us to cut our Vegas trips down from 4 weeks per year to 4 nights per year with those being over our anniversary.

I agree. 15 years ago, we'd go to Vegas 4-5 weekends a year. Back then, $10-15 blackjack tables were a lot, and there were plenty of $3-$5 tables to have fun at. 21 paid 3/2, and you could double any two cards. You didn't mind "newbies" at the tables when you were betting at these tables.

Now most of the strip casinos pay 6/5 on 21, hit on soft 17, restrict your doubling, use auto-shufflers, and have $15 limits at the lowest tables. You have to walk around in search of a $10 table and decent rules. Unfortunately, people at the lowest limit tables often have zero understanding of how to play, and blow up the table. (Gotta love the people who cash in for $40 at a $10 limit table.)

We've seen dozens of empty $15-$25 tables at many casinos with no lower limits, even mid-week. Its a strange business model, although everyone claims that they know what they are doing. I'm no so sure with all the bankruptcies, etc.

 

[falmouth3]

We were in Las Vegas in October. We are not big gamblers and we have gone every few years for entertainment. I was disappointed that just about all the fun free things to do have disappeared. And food prices have gotten much higher. The first night we were there we wanted something fast and ate in the Miracle Mile mall. Two burgers, two beers, a soft drink and a side order of tater tots were over $40 before tip. And we were sitting on stools in the mall, not even in a restaurant. We walk to just about every place we want to go on the strip, but if casinos start charging for parking, I would likely not stop by to make my deposits on the slot machines. Maybe they wouldn't miss my business, but there are lots of older ladies in sneakers who would do the same.

 

[VacationForever]

We were in Las Vegas in October. We are not big gamblers and we have gone every few years for entertainment. I was disappointed that just about all the fun free things to do have disappeared. And food prices have gotten much higher. The first night we were there we wanted something fast and ate in the Miracle Mile mall. Two burgers, two beers, a soft drink and a side order of tater tots were over $40 before tip. And we were sitting on stools in the mall, not even in a restaurant. We walk to just about every place we want to go on the strip, but if casinos start charging for parking, I would likely not stop by to make my deposits on the slot machines. Maybe they wouldn't miss my business, but there are lots of older ladies in sneakers who would do the same.

But prices have gone up everywhere. We eat out almost everyday and we notice that a casual lunch for 2 of us now costs about $40, before tips, compared to about $25 just two years ago.

 

[clifffaith]

I only play the slot machines and was really disheartened when they went coin-less everywhere. To me, just not as much fun as walking around with a cup full of quarters looking for a place to park my butt for awhile. Cliff learned his lesson on our last trip -- don't begrudge me the $200 I've set aside for the slots, because that self-imposed limit works. Leaving the casino because he can't stand to see me "waste money" is much more expensive. When we go to the shopping mall I have no such limits -- I do my best shopping on vacation!

 

[dougp26364]

I agree. 15 years ago, we'd go to Vegas 4-5 weekends a year. Back then, $10-15 blackjack tables were a lot, and there were plenty of $3-$5 tables to have fun at. 21 paid 3/2, and you could double any two cards. You didn't mind "newbies" at the tables when you were betting at these tables.

Now most of the strip casinos pay 6/5 on 21, hit on soft 17, restrict your doubling, use auto-shufflers, and have $15 limits at the lowest tables. You have to walk around in search of a $10 table and decent rules. Unfortunately, people at the lowest limit tables often have zero understanding of how to play, and blow up the table. (Gotta love the people who cash in for $40 at a $10 limit table.)

We've seen dozens of empty $15-$25 tables at many casinos with no lower limits, even mid-week. Its a strange business model, although everyone claims that they know what they are doing. I'm no so sure with all the bankruptcies, etc.

And don't forget they use to deal at a rate of 40 to 60 hands per hour. Now they're dealing upwards of 100 hands/hour. Not only have the casino's increased the house edge, they've increased how fast they empty your wallet. We quit going to Vegas with a gambling budget when we stopped having fun. It's no fun when you put a $100 bill in a machine and your done if 15 to 20 minutes with absolutely nothing to show for your time. No comps, no small wins, no fun.

 

[dougp26364]

I only play the slot machines and was really disheartened when they went coin-less everywhere. To me, just not as much fun as walking around with a cup full of quarters looking for a place to park my butt for awhile. Cliff learned his lesson on our last trip -- don't begrudge me the $200 I've set aside for the slots, because that self-imposed limit works. Leaving the casino because he can't stand to see me "waste money" is much more expensive. When we go to the shopping mall I have no such limits -- I do my best shopping on vacation!

While I've grown to like the TITO system (ticket in, ticket out), I wonder how much money the casino's left on the table when they went to that system? When we'd walk through a casino, any loose change we had typically went into a machine.

 

[bastroum]

Good day for UBER!

 

[presley]

I guess I am used to paying to park just about anywhere I go. $10. sound super cheap to me.

 

[SmithOp]

I guess I am used to paying to park just about anywhere I go. $10. sound super cheap to me.

Yeah, beats the $44 ticket I got recently for parking on sweeping day, I was only in the drs that long, $1 a minute...