Official "Going to Vegas in..." Vol. II "It was time"

[PROLIFIK1]

Anyone ever did the helicopter tour on the strip or to Grand Canyon? I’ve always wanted to try but after Kobe accident I backed out

Always been wanting to try it, but I too, no longer want to do it after Kobe.

I'll be out there next week and looking for things to do. Thought I was going to get a hotel at the Vdarra, but my aunt lent me her vacation house out there. Now thinking about staying there a whole week to clear my head.

 

[dmbrhs]

Alright, just got back. First time in well over two years. Due to lack of trip reports (for good reason), I'm giving you guys a doozy. Also, I'm bored and already having withdrawal, so this is therapeutic. Went with one of my closest friends, as she lives across the country. We decided to meet halfway, basically, and have a super chill trip.

The Good:

Stayed at Encore for three nights, 57th floor panorama view. Got in Thursday morning due to some flights being moved around. It turned out to be even better because it gave us a third full pool day. Hit the pool almost immediately. Also, the hotel was EMPTY on Thursday. The pool was maybe a third full. The whole property was quiet. Decided to skip a sit-down dinner and walk the strip. Dinner was $2.50 foot-long hot dogs at Casino Royale. That was so money in that moment I can't even explain. She crashed around 11 pm, I sat at the Encore lobby bar and chatted with randos, went to bed around 1 am.

Day 2, both of us got up around 6:30 am (again, this was a different type of trip, regardless of Covid). She had a conference call at 7 am, then we did brunch at Jardin ($17 mimosas, baby!). Walked the strip down to Caesar's and back up to get some exercise in and people watch. Hit the pool around noon, dipped around 5 pm because my boy who lives in Vegas now came back in town. Went to Wynn SB to watch Game 2 of the Finals. Game sucked, so the three of us just got hammered at Charlie's (the restaurant attached to it) and talked about growing up in the Seattle area. It was such a fun evening. Ended up at one of the Encore casino bars that had a DJ, met some other people and had a blast. It was my turn to go to bed early. I was just tired. She lost her room key, I got another one made for her. I go upstairs, I'm in bed for about 10 minutes, she calls me saying she lost the new one. Had to get up and go get her lol.

Day 3. Grabbed muffins from the Wynn Cafe for breakfast. Kept it simple. Hit the pool around noon, were there until probably 5 pm. Due to limited capacity at restaurants, eating dinner at Wynn/Encore was kind of annoying, so we went to Sushi Samba at Palazzo, one of my faves from back in the day, and light bites. We were going to walk the strip that night anyway and slum it at Gilly's and whatnot at TI. Really fun. We eventually circled back and decided to get swanky at Parasol Down at the Wynn. We drank for a couple hours there. Phenomenal. Got nightcaps at the lobby bar and just went back up to the room to chill and watch TV.

Day 4 (going home). Her flight was at noon, so she dipped when we went downstairs. My buddy came over to watch the Seahawks-Dolphins game and the morning NFL games. FYI, Encore has a tiny sports book now, and it's super chill and not crowded. It was so nice. My flight was at 3 pm, and my friend had parked at Encore, so it was a quick drive. My buddy made, like, nine bets today on the NFL and lost only one, so he's in a good mood.

All in all, it was the vacation I needed. I'm sure my accountant (if I had one) would hate me, but it was totally worth it. Reconnected with two of my oldest friends, and had a blast. I would do this trip again anytime.

The Bad:

FOR THE LOVE OF CHRIST BAN THOSE MOTHER EFFING RASCAL SCOOTERS. They are a scourge on the strip. I'd heard about them, but it's a disaster. They all need to be burned.

This morning, this one dude rolls up to the ENCORE sports book betting window at around 9:45, in a goddamn Rascal. He's holding up the line because he has to pivot and reverse, and can't figure it out. Dude was perfectly able bodied. Everyone is visibly annoyed, and a lot of people missed their bets because of it. I stayed at Encore to avoid that crap. This dude was on his phone on speaker as well the entire time. Nobody cares, bro. You are not special with your rented Rascal scooter. I'm shocked the Wynn hasn't banned them from the property. It's not a medical device, it's rented. You can tell them to eff off.

Also, the strip is ratchet as hell, in general. We were constantly commenting on how this is not a standard Vegas crowd. It's a mess.

And, now, The Ugly:

We're at the Encore pool on Saturday, and we see these three girls who are clearly underage. Not under 18, although they looked like it, but certainly under 21. They're with their pimp. They were in the water near us, so we were eavesdropping on their convo, and they were talking biz, about how much money they're gonna make and whatnot. These girls were tiny and immature. One was definitely the "den mother" (so to speak) who had recruited them. We just watched it all go down. I'm friends with women who are in that line of work, but control their own ish. It was just kinda sad to see it go down like that.

On top of that, we got stuck in a Trump truck rally convoy on the strip on Thursday night that intentionally blasted exhaust on the sidewalks to mess with pedestrians and choke them out. Our 10-minute ride to Encore from Cosmo turned into 45 minutes because of these a-holes. They blocked the strip, and planned it at the same time on the three-year anniversary of the Mandalay Bay massacre. It was ALL planned. These are Trump supporters, who literally planned their rally on the same day as the massacre, and at the same time (the rally started at the same time as the massacre did). Because, you know, gun rights and all.

 

[tay1]

Complaining about the strip being ratchet is a wild complaint.

 

[dmbrhs]

Complaining about the strip being ratchet is a wild complaint.

It's WAY worse than it's ever been. Trust me.

 

[PROLIFIK1]

Seems like I won't be visiting the strip too much on my trip. I've had other friends tell me about the bad crowds right now. I have continually read about it too from other Vegas related forums.

 

[ICE CITY CF]

Complaining about the strip being ratchet is a wild complaint.

Maybe it's because I'm from Oakland but historically the strip is like a world removed from what I consider ratchet.

 

[dmbrhs]

Maybe it's because I'm from Oakland but historically the strip is like a world removed from what I consider ratchet.

This. The strip is usually pretty chill. It's a disaster right now. The county needs to do something about it.

 

[UsualSuspects]

So there's been sideshows in my neighborhood past couple of weeks now, it goes on for an hour until someone yells police and dip out.

I live in the quiet southwest side of Las Vegas

Here's the news article: https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.fo...2f96e30c-f09f-11ea-ab0c-bbe9f97bbc0b.amp.html

Pretty sure Oakland just moved to Vegas lol

 

[tay1]

The strip has always been “ratchet” to me and I been going to Vegas for damn near 20 years ‍♂

 

[MrClean510]

So there's been sideshows in my neighborhood past couple of weeks now, it goes on for an hour until someone yells police and dip out.

I live in the quiet southwest side of Las Vegas

Here's the news article: https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.fo...2f96e30c-f09f-11ea-ab0c-bbe9f97bbc0b.amp.html

Pretty sure Oakland just moved to Vegas lol

It's getting real hot in the bay and LA from the shows. Alot of shootings robberys and fights the past 3 montha. They been trying to take meets out to oregan and LV so nothing happen

 

[frink85]

The strip has always been “ratchet” to me and I been going to Vegas for damn near 20 years

it can be ratchet/trashy but now its straight up dangerous, plus the lames with scooters

 

[tay1]

it can be ratchet/trashy but now its straight up dangerous, plus the lames with scooters

I was just out there barely a month ago. Wasn’t much different from what I always noticed. Since I was kid, people were out there selling weed openly, people walking around drunk, etc.

I didn’t see many scooters. The two that I remember was annoying.

 

[ICE CITY CF]

The strip has always been “ratchet” to me and I been going to Vegas for damn near 20 years

It's not about how long you've been going but what you're comparing it to.

It +20 trips I've never seen the kind funk on the strip that I know is always possible or even likely to pop off in certain areas in major US cities.

The strip is disneyland in comparison. And that's not to say **** doesn't happen, but it's all relative.

I'm doing a quick 24 hours in Vegas on Saturday, I'm a little annoyed at the possibility of this new strip yall reporting about but I'm also kind of curious.

I don't go to Vegas for ratchet behavior. Now sinning and debauchery, that's a different story.

 

[frink85]

I was just out there barely a month ago. Wasn’t much different from what I always noticed. Since I was kid, people were out there selling weed openly, people walking around drunk, etc.

I didn’t see many scooters. The two that I remember was annoying.

In all the years I haven't seen a lot of stories of brawls breaking out in casinos or shootings/stabbings on 1the strip and I have a minor gambling habit and been going for years too

where were you on the strip? mid?

 

[nikekid6]

It's WAY worse than it's ever been. Trust me.

My homegirl who works out there for MGM said this exact thing

 

[tay1]

In all the years I haven't seen a lot of stories of brawls breaking out in casinos or shootings/stabbings on 1the strip and I have a minor gambling habit and been going for years too

where were you on the strip? mid?

I haven’t heard of many fights in casinos but I wouldn’t be surprised at all .

I stayed at the flamingo.

 

[frink85]

I haven’t heard of many fights in casinos but I wouldn’t be surprised at all .

I stayed at the flamingo.

not surprised either but like I posted a video of a giant brawl outside of a club/inside the actual casino a week or two back, never heard of that before. random drunk 1 on 1 fights, sure.

it probably gets more ratchet around MGM or up by TI

In Asia the casinos got guards for bag check and metal detectors. I know some Vegas casinos have that going on now but wouldn't be surprised if they keep that permanently.

 

[beacon ave south]

Homegirl just got back. Said the same thing in regards to the ratchets.

Cheap airfare + cheap lodging = cheap behavior

 

[PROLIFIK1]

The strip has always been “ratchet” to me and I been going to Vegas for damn near 20 years

I've been going 30 plus years and it had it's moments, but if my own family out there is telling me it's on a whole different level; I believe them. For them along with friends to tell me that it goes on daily means it's bad. Out of my lifetime going there, I'd probably experienced ratchetness on particular nights and wasn't something that I'd see on the daily on my stays there.

The cheap rates is really causing all this. Resorts should take the L and raise it back up. Can potentially hinder the reputation that Vegas has left.

 

[アミーゴ]

The Vegas “brand” is in shambles

 

[tay1]

I've been going 30 plus years and it had it's moments, but if my own family out there is telling me it's on a whole different level; I believe them. For them along with friends to tell me that it goes on daily means it's bad. Out of my lifetime going there, I'd probably experienced ratchetness on particular nights and wasn't something that I'd see on the daily on my stays there.

The cheap rates is really causing all this. Resorts should take the L and raise it back up. Can potentially hinder the reputation that Vegas has left.

Yeah I imagine the prices bring a certain crowd. **** I wanna go back when it’s not as hot when I went. It was 115 one day.

 

[dmbrhs]

I really don't want to get into a debate about strip ratchetness, but I've been to Vegas enough times over a decade, between weekends and weekdays, different times of year, etc. to know what the strip is like. Yes, there are drunk people. It's Vegas. You can drink 24/7. This isn't about drunk people, this is a bunch of ratchet-*** clowns ruining the strip experience for everyone. It's a mess right now. The Wynn has metal detectors and bag checks now just to get on the properties. The nightclubs have been doing that for awhile, but now it's the entire casinos. The fact they are doing that means something is wrong. There's so much security in there. They have K-9 units walking around inside. Casino managers are on the floor walking with LVPD as well. They are NOT messing around.

Also, even if you're walking around drinking, you have to have your mask on between sips. Wynn security is on top of Covid like crazy. They protect their brand like nobody else.

 

[PROLIFIK1]

^ Exactly. The metal detectors alone should be enough to show and prove how bad it's gotten. Between what is normally expected from drunken people in the past, is definitely different now. To have Vegas locals actually concerned about their safety speaks volumes.

Some of the times, can't even blame alcohol and fools have road rage. Even in the Fools Wildin Out thread, you had this fight that happened by the Palace Station. Wasn't even on the strip and you have this type of stuff happening and being filmed.

 

[daruma]

Homegirl just got back. Said the same thing in regards to the ratchets.

Cheap airfare + cheap lodging = cheap behavior

+EDD

 

[ICE CITY CF]

Hi sir, welcome, CC and license please
Hey! How are you, we are SO happy to be here! It’s my (gfs bday, friends bday, bachelor party!).
Oh wow we are glad to host you
Here you go (have 20 between CC and license) - is there any chance of an upgrade this weekend?
They put the 20 on the desk and say let us see what we can do
Keep up the banter and be nice

I’ve gotten: better views, bigger rooms, extra beds, champagne in room and have had them take off resort fees.

I ran this play for the first time this weekend.

Pretty much went exactly like this script.

Dude said, "Sir, you really don't have to do that, but I'm going to take care of you."

Upgrade was pretty dope. Put me way up in the Palazzo Tower with a view of the strip and the suite was 3x as big as a normal suite, and just nice as hell.

Can't believe I never knew about this before.