Living the Dream Oct 24 Part II Bellagio

Read Part I here 

Day 3

We typically sit around and do nothing on checkout day, when we switch hotels. We just camp out until the 11AM check out time, and then head over to the new hotel. This usually increases the likelihood of the next room being ready. But to be honest, its usually a 1 in 10 tries that actually happens. With so much to do on the agenda, for our long awaited return to the center Strip. We say Fuck It, and head over at 9AM so we can eat breakfast for free at the new place. 

Bellagio, here we come! 

Even if we get no fancy water fountain show, since you have stupid F1 grandstands set up already. Boo!

Like I said in Part I of this October trip report, the room here is the show stealer for sure! Would I pay $6,000 a couple of nights? No, I am far too cheap for that. But comped? Hell yeah! How did I qualify for it? Let's not ask too many questions. 

Our baseline this trip, is 68,031 points. While technically 75,000 tier credits are needed to be Gold. I guess I had some leftover from Cosmo, that snuck in when they merged the programs. So I am Gold, but just kinda. Still, being Gold and booking a suite gets you access to the Platinum/Noir VIP Lounge!

How did I know that? They sent me an email about a month before arrival, to remind me I have use of the room throughout my trip. Free snacks and drinks for all! Here is an insider pro tip. Never once did anyone card me or the crew, when we popped in for cold drinks. I am sure, as long as you show confidence, you can steal some stuff even if you aren't coded VIP. Hell, even if you aren't staying there!

The VIP room isnt marked at all. You just have to know. Its across from the shop called Tutto, next to the gelato store. Down the wing where the Fine Art Museum is. 

Chips, fruit, drinks and pastries all for the taking! Being before 10AM, the suite wasn't ready. In fact, it wasn't close to ready. The checkin lady, who did not immediately judge me for my scruffy street punk look (I am looking at you Mandalay Bay VIP Room people). Told me the folks in my room haven't even checked out yet. And that a manager has to be on duty to turn over the room, due to the collection of fine art in there. I cant wait!

We drop our bags, and I head over to pull my card here. I need it to be able to use up some of my MGM rewards points I built up on my last trip. Since VIP didn't tell me my room number, I cant charge against it. But that is what these points are for anyway. I cant just have a card and not play while the family waits on me. They have a cushy lounge to hang out in for Christ sake.

I drop a hundo into the above MGM branded game, and at $9 a push, I wasn't expecting too much. But I got the bonus, and a $145 win! Good, because I only had $13 left. Still, up $58 and I just got here? Winning!

I find them shopping at Tutto, which is overpriced but has some cool things. Honestly, I don't think anything is cheap at Bellagio. They had an assortment of candies from around the world. Bubblegum flavored Kit-Kat? You can find some here. 

Breakfast at Snacks, which should be a quick order counter service place. The counter service was true, but the quick? Not so much. It took 30 mins to get our breakfast sandwiches. Snacks became an Abbott and Costello bit throughout the trip. You hungry? You want Snacks? No, I want a real meal. That's why I asked if you wanted Snacks. 

I woof down my food, so I can play while they eat. I don't go far, and turn my $158 TITO into $233, after a line hit on Cleo. I was holding my own on Davinci next to it, betting $5.00 per spin. I got a tumble pay for $132. So I upped my bet to $10, and fucked myself. I lost that ticket, and $200 more behind it. Still, that was Resorts World's $300 I lost. There is plenty more where that came from!

I am not sure if this is new. Or I just never knew about it. But the showroom entrance for their Cirque show has an art museum and store in it. Free to go into. So we did. If it's free, its for me!

The man working the store was very nice. Even though we obviously are not the type to spend $7,500 on a tiny marble statue. He was Hawaiian and his wife is Japanese. He was chatting my stuff up, and talking about his Hoppa kids. Hoppa is Japanese for Half. He told us all about the art, and personally showed us around. Very cool. 

After farting around, not buying art. They hopped into the Cirque shop next door, and I said "Watch this"! And I put a hundo into the above. It took 10 spins. But I hit for $100 with all the bells and whistles this game shits out. Once again, my 8 year old was impressed. But she was the only one. "That's just $100 Dad".

We walk through our new home, checking everything out. With the exception of hopping into the casino every now and then. It has been a long time since we meandered around in here. Lots to explore! 

This mornings plan is to take the tram over to New York New York (via Park MGM) and hit up the World of Hersey. Bellagio having its own free monorail is certainly a plus for getting around. 

Man, I love NY NY! Even though its been awhile since I won anything in here. It's so 90's still. 

Potions and lotions... 

I donked off $400 in a blink. Seriously, next to no play. And I bounced around too. $5.00 Top Dollar, 10 spins and zero hits. Stupid Sea Monkeys that fucked me last time? Fucked me again. The Hobbit? More like the NoBbit. Still, that is only -$600 so far. I cant lose all the time, right? Something has to give sooner or later.

Well, I did lose $20 on a tiny bag of candy at Hershey's. But I guess you pay for the experience. Which was taking 30 minutes to fill said bag, as both kids fought over who put more of "their" candy in it. 

If you look at the above, the kid that gets to fill is all excited during their turn. While the other watches with fret. Back and forth the emotions went!

From the World of Hershey, this fun family trip took us to the World of Coca-Cola. So many "Worlds of" in Vegas. We skipped M&M World. Only so much time in the day to World everything.

It was on the must do list, since we are staying in the middle of the Strip. To grab a fan favorite Float Tray. I mean, it is $16.99 for 8 small floats. But the kids go nuts for them. It is a series of business negotiations on who gets what. It turns into a whole NFL Draft thing. I'll give you first pick, but I get to pick the next two...

After getting Coked, I get the Room Ready text. Which is great, as it is now only about 1PM. Good on them!

In through Eataly, over to the tram. And out back through the Bellagio gardens. 

You can't tell from my above. As I am good with bending and leaning to not show the crowds in there. But the conservatory was nut to butt packed full of folks. Hell, the entire resort was. And on a Monday afternoon in October no less. 

It will take some getting used to, after leaving a rather subdued Resorts World. The only crowds over there, were the club kids going to and from the pool party all weekend. Outside of that, plenty of room to dick around there.

Back to VIP, steal some more drinks and grab the room keys.

The suite is in the Spa Tower, down near the tram entrance. Close to the conservatory. But kinda far from the casino. Seeing the double doors, you know it is going to be good!

Remodeled Executive Hospitality Suite

An Entertainer’s Delight

With over 2,500 sq. ft., get an abundance of space perfect for meetings and entertainment. Built-in technology features such as state-of-the-art media rooms, lounges and surround sound help you customize your experience. Sophisticated patterns and color schemes inspired by the mountains and lakes of Italy’s Lake Como, present a strong and streamlined depiction, yet calming and reflective effect. With an expansive living room, wet bar and separate primary bedroom, there is plenty of room for both meetings and entertainment. Luxury Reservations: 844.479.4626

Room Amenities

• Spacious Living Room and Separate Dining Area

• Billiard table with bar top and seating area

• Dual vanity sink, glass enclosed shower, spa soaking tub

• 55" flat screen Samsung HDTVs & modern entertainment system with surround sound

• Multi-use activity table/workstation

• Convenient charging outlets throughout the room

• Bedside iHome docking station

• Wireless high-speed Internet access

• TOTO NEOREST® Smart Toilet

• Automatic drapery and sheer controls

• Lighted makeup mirror, hair dryer. Scale available upon request.

• Built-In closet with personal safe

• 24-hour in-room dining

• Generously stocked mini bar with personal courtesy shelf

• Luxurious linens and robes

• Handmade Sterns & Foster Mattress Crafted Exclusively for Bellagio

• Large dining room table

• Billiard table with bar top and seating area

• Wet bar with seating

• Upgraded bathroom vanity with dual sinks

• Separate water closet

• Couples' soaking bath, glass-enclosed shower, and powder room

• Dedicated vanity area

Oh Yeah! Pictures speak louder than words. So here you go! With over 2,500 SQFT of space, plenty of room for activities! 

My kids have never played pool before. They seemed way into it. My wife used to play all the time back in college. So she became the family instructor for the trip. 

Notice my older one below trying to pick up the balls using the cues like chop sticks. Not all Asians are smart. 

Yes, even she is happy with the room! And she is never happy about anything! I love Vegas. My kids love Vegas. The wife? Well, not so much. Except right now it seems. 

The weird toilet took some getting used to. It would open its mouth when you approached. And if you stood in front of it, with your dick out. It would open the seat too. And not just its lid. It had an ass warmer, and flushed by itself. It is supposedly self cleaning. But we shall see about that. 

The room takes up the entire end of the building. So you have views on all 3 sides. The Strip, the mountains. And the monorail platform. Which is kinda weird. But also fun to people watch. 

Not only did they give me this suite, but they also gave me $600 in free play. And $350 in resort credit. Fuck you again Resorts World! Someone loves me more!

Dinner was an easy call. As none of them wanted to leave the room. It had a gaming area, their own spaces and room service to boot. I am 99% sure room service comes from Sadelle's. Which is a nice enough place. And not much of an up charge over the normal menu price. Well, after you pay the $9.50 service fee. Which again, ain't that bad. 

After eating my big plate of nachos (dry as fuck to be honest). And the rest of the wife's prime rib sandwich. I put that fancy toilet to the test. Self cleaning my asshole. No, really, it self cleaned my asshole. Which was weird. But it couldn't seem to self clean itself, after I exploded into it. Japanese toilets aren't built for American animals like me I guess. 

I head out to win back my $600. And since I still have my $600 in free play, I am feeling good about things. I try out the new (to me) connector bridge over to Cosmo from here. They were still building the damn thing when I stayed at Vdara late last year with my brother. Which is also connected to the B now. 

I flip my free play on video poker, per usual. And I fuck up again. I am now 0-2 on my conversion rate this trip. I turned $600 into only $450. I might have to start rethinking my methods. Still, that puts me down only -$150 with MGM. Which means I am still up +$850 for the trip. 

This would be the first time I have actually hunkered down and played at my once beloved Cosmopolitan, since the MGM takeover. A lot of the older games I used to play, seem to be gone now. To no ones surprise. Still, plenty of stuff I like left. 

I lost a little dicking around. But had some success on the above Wheel of Fortune. $118 line hit. A shitty $106 bonus. And an OK $95 line hit. All of which would have been solid. If not considering my $10 bets. Still, it got me back to my $450. Well, close enough. Cut a guy some slack! 

Ah, Cosmo. It seems like only yesterday I used to stay with you every damn trip. But its been about 4 years now. Still, it is a good feeling being back. 

I was almost belly up on that $434 TITO, when Fu Dao Le saved my big ass. $320 line hit. And soon after, a $107 one. Up to $521 here now. I am inching back to good!

It took way too long to get the bonus on Wold Run 2. Which I am glad to see they still have. $250 bonus was solid, considering my $10 bet. I was up and down on Lobstermania, before finally getting a $180 line hit. Which was my excuse to cash out, as it got me close to even on the game. And I don't think I have ever played this Cash Flurry game before. But I have played other clones of it. $315 bonus later, and I am now up $40 on the trip!

And then, the shit hit the fan. I donked off that $640, plus more. With the above game giving me a nice deep fist up the asshole. I had done well on it in the past, and it seems like an easy game to beat. But she just wasn't having it today. 

Some smaller wins on the above. But I set my losses at $1,000 here. And to be sure, I met that mark. Still, $450 of that was my converted free play. But I still lost that money, and more, and my $1,000 up on the trip is now a net $0.00 up.

I cant bitch too much. 2.5 days into a Vegas vacation, and I am still even. 

I meet the girls at the gelato shop next to VIP, where they snuck down again for more drinks and snacks. They are so going to regret opening that room up to my motley crew. And we used some more resort credits on that. 

It is a cute space, and very Bellagioish. Gamer-Girl wants to go back up to the room, and post some Roblox videos on her YouTube channel. She has almost 2,000 subscribers. Which is now more hits then I get on my stoopid blog. The little one wants to play pool with Mom. And I want to go gambol. So we all have our own agendas. 

And.... I fuck it up again. Not only did I drop that grand at Cosmo. But I am just hemorrhaging money here. Stupid MGM casinos! I just have to stay out of the High Limit Rooms. Between here and Resorts World, I dropped thousands in their HL rooms. 

Outside of the above $100 hit on Top Dollar, which I still lost hundreds in trying for the fucking bonus. I am now -$2500 lighter than when I checked in this afternoon. Fuck My Life!

Hold Up! Did I say I was down $2500? Not any more! I am now up $5,000! A new high watermark on the trip! $7,500 on triple triples. Plus $30 for triple mixed 7's to boot! $7,530 handy! I could now go buy that $7500 marble statue from my buddy at the art store! 

My 2nd best slot hit of my life! My best hit, $10,365, was over a decade ago at what was once the Monte Carlo (now Park MGM) next door. I hit that $10 Grand betting just $3. And this $7500 betting just $5. I have to rethink these $9-$20 bets I have been making.

 Where is my fugly bum lady from Resorts World ? Why isn't she here with me to see this one!? 

To be honest, I have played games like this before where doubles and triples pop up all the time, but on non-winning lines. And I just assumed I whiffed it, like I have done 100 times before. It only dawned on me, once I couldn't spin again when I hit the button. That I did something good. Outside of triple Monopoly's. This was the best hit you could get!

I text the wife, who just says Haha Okay. And yes, she spells out OK. She is very proper, and grew up in the fancy Northshore of Chicagoland. I tell her to look at how much, as I think she just saw the blue jackpot box and assumed another small handpay. And then it dawned on here. 

I run my big ass back up to the room, as that was just too much money for me to lug around in my wallet. 

The kids stand around me, as I fan out the cash. Before plopping the $5,000 wrapped wad on top of the pile. They all were impressed this time.

A handpay a day? Ive gotten back to back handys on consecutive days before. I think I have pulled the triple once in the past. But never in Vegas. And never for a combined $11,322! Bell-agi-fucking-o! We hide that $7500 in the room, since I am too dumb to figure out how safes work. I will go home with all that no matter what, to ensure a winning trip. Which are few and far between lately. But it would also be my second winning Vegas trip this year, after I took a $5K handy off Resorts World in late Spring. 

I hand my wife some of the cash, and sucker her into coming down to play with me.  

The conservatory is much less crowded. And a completely different mood in the dark. 

Her and I slot around for a bit. No major wins for me, beyond a hundred bucks or so on the above. She is stretching her money pretty far, but she doesn't bet big at all. I think I dropped about a grand by now. 

But I slowly started to build that back up. And I am getting very decent play. I have never seen the above, but I won $200 on it. 

$134 on Cleo I, with a $5.00 bet, was shit. But it kept me up a little this buy-in. I killed Wheel of Fortune, for a $306 bonus. I ended up cashing out a $700 ticket after that. Before I put a hundo in the above, and hit a fast bonus for $260. Gambling with the wife went well enough. She lost the money I gave her, but none of hers. A win for her at least. And I ended up even, outside of the money she lost. In other words, I held my own!

12,841 Tier Credits earned today. Well, 7,841 + 5,000 as a bonus for doing at least 5,000 TC's. It is still so hard to level up with MGM these days, after they fucked up their players club. At least the bonus credit idea, that they stole from CET, helps a little. 

A whopping $14,045.25 of coin in. And without the bonus TC's, that would have only been 7841. Only Vegas pays out the Tier Accelerator Bonus credits. Those post at 9AM the following day BTW. MGM does a stupid point system based on slot holds. Unlike other clubs, which pay on Video Poker (less points) VS slots (more points). MGM gives you points based on how much the machine holds.

IE, a game that fucks you by returning only 85% (15% hold) will earn you more points. Then a game that returns 95% (5% hold). Which means I can no longer game the system. And if I am earning roughly 1/2 a point per dollar played. It would take me almost $400,000 of coin-in to move up to Platinum without the bonus TC's. And that just wont ever happen for me. Looks like I'll never be Platinum again. So long cab line cuts!

From the above loss report. Which I love that MGM provides immediately. You can see what an insult I took at New York New York. $550 in and $150 out. That is next to no play. Bellagio was $6351 coin in and $6030 net coin out. Cosmo wasn't all that bad. $7144 in and a loss of $1K. But $450 of those losses were converted free play. Which was just me losing their money. 

For my personal records. $1,000 of these losses was just the money I won from Resorts World. And accounting for $1200 in converted free play, which was only $800 won. Closing out day 3 of the trip, and I am up almost $6,000 from what I brought to Vegas. And that is with tips paid out on all those handys, plus the wife's gambling looses on top of mine. Wow!

Day 4

I could hardly sleep last night. Even in that big comfy Bellagio bed. Just too much excitement from this trip. Why am I laying in bed? How much money am I not winning, by hiding in the room? I wake up at 7AM local time, and have a couple hours to kill until our reservation at Sadelle's. The wife wakes up, with me waking up. And I tell her to just call me when they get to the conservatory around 9AM.

And.... I lose. $232 on the above was the best I could do. The wife really shouldn't leave me to my own accord so often. I end up dropping a grand. But it took almost 2 hours to do so. So there is that. 

The line to get into Sadelle's looks like the queue for Space Mountain at DIsneyland. Good thing I made that reservation. 

Speaking of which, I walked into the Platinum/Noir/Reservation line. And they didn't even ask me for a matching player club card. Or what my reservation was. They just passed us off to the person seating guests. I am pretty sure anyone could have just hopped in there, and cut in front of everyone. They seem very lapse with all this. And are more concerned with just ushering the masses through.

Breakfast was good. And very Celiac safe for my youngen. Nothing amazing, as it was just eggs and breakfast meats. But good. And a great space, with views of the pool and the gardens. 

After we ate, they want to shop around a little here. And I eventually dumped them off, since they wanted to do the pool. And I wanted to head over to Aria. 

I take the new shortcut from the B, to Vdara and out to Aria. I have always done well here. Nothing can go wrong this trip. No Jinx!

I started off strong! $380 bonus on the first game I played. I had that $452 TITO down to $179, before I pulled off a $219 bonus on whatever the fuck this game was. Pretty much getting me back to good. But I eventually lost that. And I sunk wayyyy too much into the below, trying to fill up a coin tray like a sucker. 

Remember when I said nothing could go wrong? Oh No! It all went wrong! I ended up playing through almost $3,000 at Aria. But it cost me -$760 in doing so. I was going to head back over to Bellagio via the monorail here. Since I was right next to the entrance for it by now. 

I briefly considered heading over to Park MGM. But I kept talking myself out of it. I don't really do well over there. Plus, it is nonsmoking, and I am a dirty vaper. But.... They do have a few older games I like. Fuck it, lets go!

After dropping a hundred into  $5 Top Dollar, I make my way towards Eatly where they still have a set of my old Majestic Lions. I am pretty sure these were just dumped in here from MGM Grand. Why? Whose to say. But I fucked them up good! 

$1258 progressive is pretty damn high for these, as they typically hit around a grand. Handpay a day, right? Well, not on this one.

I ht 3 Lions for $300! I turned my next $100 into $379. I tell myself, I wont go below $300. I need to get some of that Aria money back, The Bellagio losses from this morning are a lost cause. Baby steps. But I hit for mixed Lions next, for $200 more. Now I am up to $555. I give myself a $500 floor now. But hit for $300 more!

I cash out that $800 ticket and ran for the monorail. 

With one final stop at this old Monte Carlo machine. These "Spin and Win" slots used to be all over Vegas. But are a dying breed now. I hit the $100 instant pay, and head for the door! That gives me back most of my Aria mistake! 

Aria losses -$758. Park MGM wins +$585. Close enough!

Have I said how much I love being center Strip? The best of Vegas is all so fucking close. This is what I miss out on, when I stay at RW. 

Back to Bellagio, and the girls are still swimming. For the record, they all much prefer the pools at Resorts World. Bellagio is a much more sedated older crowd. With no real energy at the pool. To each their own I guess.

Winning wasn't on the agenda here this go round. I thought I was killing the above game, with my $9.00 bets. But I guess hits are easy to come by on this one. So they don't pay shit. $100 for all Blue 7's? 3 top symbols, Double Bars AND Red 7's twice for only $160? Ugh. It helped a little, but I lost a few hundred more. 

I fight through the crowds, which I am still not used to. And grab the ladies to head over to the Forum Shoppes. Yet another place we haven't done in forever. 

Plenty of potion and lotion places in here for them, to my chagrin. CP is packed as well. It all just goes to show how light the crowds were at Resorts World. And we were staying there, over the weekend. No wonder they are cutting back comps. 

I remember back to when the kids were babies, and we would stay at Caesars Palace. Access to the mall was 24/7. And when those cranky little shits would wake up at 5AM Vegas time. I'd push their stroller into the Forum and we would stare at the fishes. So Mom could get some extra rest.

Shopping done, and them wanting to kill the last of the resort credit on room service once more. We head back to home base. With all there is to do in Vegas, they just want to be in the room. I kinda get it. That room is fucking awesome!

I give myself one last go on Davinci Diamonds. I have a grand in my pocket, and $7500 back up in the room. I cant fuck up anything. So I make my final stand. 

Bonus or bust! And while I got plenty of decent line pays on my $10 bets. Between 4100-$250.  No bonus. I dropped $500 and my $115ish of point play into DD above to no avail. 

Almost 102K TC's. I guess if I just play twice as much next year. Or stay with them twice as often. I could be Platinum once more. I don't understand how I could be half way to Platinum. Yet their janky dial above has me at just a quarter of the way. Fail. 

I did lose $2,000 today, Which would be my only losing day of the trip. That got me $11,856 worth of coin in. Putting me at exactly $25,901.30 worth of coin in at MGM. Add in the $22K coin from Resorts World. And that is a good $48,000 played through the slots. Oh my!

In the end, I secured a $4,000 victory on the trip. It isn't often I double up in Vegas. Take away the $7530 handy and its all a very different story. But even without that, not bad!

Day 5

I had to go to the front desk to close out my portfolio. And I am pretty sure they fucked me on some of the charges, as I went over by $80 when my math was closer to $50. But I had a plane to catch. So I didn't out up a fight. 

Cabs were few and far between at 8AM. The valet was busy conning people into paying $80 for a Cadillac Escalade. Plus tip. Fuck that, I'll wait the 30 minutes. Which we sadly did. $20 cab ride VS $100 limo. Sure, I won thousands and thousands of dollars. But I like a good value. 

We luckily breezed through security. And made it to the gate with time to spare. Now I have some thinking to do. Do I push my luck, and make one last trip for the year? After all, a winning trip doesn't count as a Vegas trip, if it was completely free in the end. Right? 

Do I take the slam dunk at Resort World and level up for the free airfare and big dining credit? Even though they are pissing in my face with their declining offers? Do I seed another place, like Venetian to replace Resorts World in my rotation? They are doing an offer match right now. I'll have to ponder this one for a bit. I have 2 months left in the year. I got time!