I have traveled to LV approximately 6 times a year, for the last 10+ years. Each time I stayed at a downtown hotel. In fact, I have stayed at nearly EVERY hotel downtown. I decided it was time to see where most of the locals play and, after consulting privately with some friends on the board, I decided to try the 2 Fiestas. The following are my very subjective impressions of this trip.
One month prior to leaving for LV, I contacted the two Fiestas, to see what they would do for me, as a .25 single line player, (occasionally .50 & 1.00 for short periods) usually playing a daily average of $7000 to $9000. I received 2 totally different responses.
At Fiesta Henderson, I spoke to a slot host who told me that NO ONE at FH is comped in advance of their playing there and establishing a profile, but that she would give me a casino rate and then review my play. That sounded OK to me. Though it was the first time that I've been denied an advance room comp, I was confident, based on past playing experience, that it would be comped at check-out.
At Fiesta Rancho, I was told that there were no slot hosts but that I should speak to the manager of the Amigo Slot Club. This gentleman offered a comp for the first 2 nights, with a play review for the 2nd two nights. That also sounded fine. I did think that it was a little odd that the 2 casinos, utilizing the same slot club, had different procedures.
First night - I arrived at McCarran, from OHare, two hours late, courtesy of the new on-time leader, United Airlines. It is raining. By the time I checked in at Fiesta Henderson, it was past midnight. My Amigo slot club card was waiting for me, in my mailbox, thoughtfully requested, I guess, by my host.
The casino was DEAD. So was I. It was now past 2:00am in real midwest time. I dragged my wheelie towards the guest elevator, prepared for immediate bedrest, when what should appear, but a row of 10/6DDB machines, winking at me seductively. DDB is one of my absolute favorite plays. 10/6 is icing on the cake! No harm in just playing one twenty, and than to bed. Within 2 minutes the $20 miraculously became $120, as I hit quad 3's. With my eyes at half staff, I wisely, though reluctantly, cashed out the ticket and went upstairs.
I was moderately disappointed in the very plain room, furnished in basic 1950's Howard Johnson motel decor. The view through the window, which had been broken, and was patched with a piece of plastic, was dismal, looking out on a dirty concrete wall. However, the bed was fine, the room was non-smoking, and the bathroom was fairly large and modern. I flopped into bed and slept until 5:00am, cursing at my inability to sleep normal hours in a casino town.
First Full Day: It is raining HARD. I hit the casino running, and was slightly disappointed not to find a single FPKBJW machine at .25 denom. Though I could be mistaken, I didn't see any at higher denominations either. They did have many FPDW, which I played, as well as the great 10/6DDB and 10/7DB. These "100%" machines are located in banks clearly marked "Optimum Play". The OP vp all have permanent plaques on the front stating that $2.00 must be played to be be credited for one point, rather than the $1.00 required on the non OP machines. Most of the non OP machines had garbage pay tables. The non FP JW pay table paid 18 for quads with a 4700 RF, and was one of the better non-OP plays. I even saw very low progs. with 7/5BP and 8/5DDB ! I didn't notice too many of the great unknowledgeable public playing these dogs. But than, the casino was very empty early in the morning.
I was quite surprized that a "locals" casino even gave floor space to this kind of game. They must be profitable or I suppose that they would be removed, but I can't imagine that very many local players are so clueless, as to play them (except, perhaps, on 5X points day). Even then, there are NSUD to play instead and still get full point value.
I was very pleased that every machine at the Fiesta was TITO. No heavy buckets to carry or gross looking black hands. I LOVE TITO! I hope that every casino eventually goes coinless.
I spent about an hour surveying the vp inventory just to establish that the data base was current and correct. With the exception of FPKBJW, I found everything to be as advertised. The current database still shows FPJW to be available in .05, .25 and .50 denom. If it is, I sure couldn't find any, after what I thought, was a diligent search. Just to satisfy my curiosty, If anyone reading this, can verify that I'm mistaken, I would dearly love to know where the FPJokers are located at FH.
I had a satisfactory breakfast in the Baja Coffee Shop. ($1.49 for bacon/eggs/toast and $1.49
for coffee with an Amigo card). It would have been better than satisfactory, had it arrived hot. The service was friendly and prompt, so I didn't complain. This was the only meal "I paid for" for the rest of the trip! I had only been playing for an hour when I took my breakfast break, and didn't have enough points to pay for breakfast.
Their point system is rather straight forward. $2.00 = 1 point on Optimum VP, and $1.00 = 1 point on the other VP. I figured out, through the point deduction to my account for meals etc., that every dollar redeemed required approximately 1000 points deducted from the account. According to what little information I was able to ferret out from the friendly, but unknowledgable boothlings, they had no system of bestowing descretionary comps. I'm sure this was not true for a high roller, who might wander in, but for us ordinary folks, I guess it was the way they did things. If I wanted a comp, I paid in earned points.
While this system is very different from the other casinos that I've played/stayed at (including the El Cortez, Plaza, LVClub, Golden Nugget & 4Queens downtown, and the Silver Legacy, Peppermill & Atlantis, in Reno) w/o point deduction for comps, I did find that it was acceptable (due to the high quality of the vp inventory).
At about 2:00pm, in the afternoon of the first day, I stopped by the the Amigo Club Booth, and asked to have my host review my play, so far. I found out that she was not working that day, but that they would call another host to talk to me. Her comments to me, when I asked her if I was on track to get the 2 nights of room charges comped, follow. Host: "What do you want to know?" Babe: "Have I played enough for a room comp?" Host, looking at me with disdain : "She was being VERY generous to give you a casino rate!" Babe: "What did you say?? I've already racked up over 2000 points (at one point for every TWO dollars played) and it's still afternoon !! How much more play do you want to cover a $39.00 casino rate?" Host: "I'm not going to tell you how much to play. That's up to you. Why don't you come back later tonight, and I'll see if I can do better for you. "Babe: "Thank you for your courtesy". To say the least, I was annoyed by her attitude, but decided to try
to forget about it, lest it cause me to steam, while playing.
I spent the rest of the afternoon playing the Optimum VP exclusively. When I needed a change of pace, I Switched only from DB to DDB at any one session, so as not to confuse myself too much. I was sitting on the good side of the Bell Curve, for the most part (not to mention wearing my lucky crystal pendant) and scored the Aces (w/o kicker) 4 $100 quads, and several 5-King quads, for some very pleasant winning sessions.
After a tasty hamburger/fries/salad late lunch/earlydinner in the Baja Coffee Shop, I decided to try the deuces for my evening sessions. Again playing on the Optimum vp banks, I played FPDW for the rest of the evening. While playing there, I struck up a conversation with a nice local gal, who was also playing deuces. When I mentioned my unpleasant conversation with the host, she insisted on giving me her host's name.as well as her own name for a reference. Because she was so nice, I invoked the Great VP God to favor her with a good hand. Strangely, when she pulled in a royal on the next draw, she didn't give me full credit for it. She did admit, however, as we exchanged high-fives, that I was "lucky for her". I'll take what I can get!
On the way to an early bedtime (somehow I function better on more than 4 hours of sleep) I stopped once again at the Amigo Club booth. They called my new friend's host, who reviewed my day's play, shook her head in disbelief at what the other host had said, and promptly comped both nights stay. As I've always said, It's not what you know, but who you know!
I had some not nice losing sessions in the evening, not once scoring the lovely deuces, but still wound up the day with a profit, and the accrual of 4000+ points (meaning, I believe, a coin-in of approximately $8000.
Second Day: It's still raining! No matter if you're at Fiesta Henderson w/o transportation. There is absolutely NOTHING to walk to ! I have a friend picking me up at 11:30 am to drive me the 25 miles from Fiesta Henderson to Fiesta Rancho.
After another decent though luke-warm breakfast, I headed for the deuces again. No use. They're not there for me, Switching back to DDB, I hit a couple of quads, cash out the ticket a modest winner for the morning.
I check out of FH. My comp having come through, I owe nothing. All my meals were taken care of with points. My bankroll is a few hundred to the good, and all is right with my world.
It's still raining hard ! I catch my ride and we drive to the Fiesta Rancho.
At check-in. I'm told that all 4 nights have been comped in advance. Hmmmm........a decided difference between the 2 Fiestas......or perhaps, the difference is in the hosts. Anyway, I'm pleased and drop the wheelie in my room. This room is smaller, and not as modern as the one at the FH, but perfectly adequate, and with a much nicer patio view.
I'm in the casino quickly, doing a fast survey of the vp inventory. This casino looks larger to me than FH. I quickly locate the FPJW (with a permanent "prog". if $1175) and get busy. My initial $20.00 bill grows into a $200.00+ ticket. I am really enjoying myself !
At lunchtime, I survey the restaurant situation. They have the same restaurants as FH, though the menu items and specials are a little different. The choices are Baja Coffee Shop, Fiesta Buffet, Gardunos Mexican restaurant, McDonalds, or Subway. Not exactly gourmet fare, but I'm there for the VP, not the food. I settle on the hamburger/fries special for $3.99.
It is a generous portion of tasty beef, with good hot fries.The service is fast and pleasant. I can hardly wait to get back to my "Optimum Play" machines with the JW Prog.
There is only ONE bank of 8 machines that contains the JW prog. It is ALWAYS busy. I'm lucky that there is one open machine. These machines, across from the gift shop, are set up behind a railing. The railing makes it very difficult to get past the other players, coming or going. I noticed lots of unpleasant looks and cranky muttering, when players came and went, causing the still sitting players to have to turn sideways. on their seats.
I am now sitting between a husband and wife who are chain smoking and talking to each other. Neither one is inhaling. They are of the "waver" variety of smoker. i.e. they keep the cigarette in the same hand that they use to hit the buttons, thereby,I dispensing large puffs of smoke to anyone in the vicinity. I find it too unpleasant to stay there (which, I have a feeling was their aim) and leave those very nice machines.
Coincidentally, the next day, I inadverently sat down next to the wife half of the waving couple. The very moment that I sat down, she lit a cigarette, and quite delibrately blew smoke in my direction. This time, I wasn't having any, and told her to save whatever was left of her lungs, because I wasn't moving until I was ready to go. As it turned out, my stubborness cost me $100.00. It was especially distressing that she smirked at me as I left. Served me right for being a bigger idiot than she was. I made up my mind then, that in the future, anything that made me the least uncomfortable, was a good reason to leave quickly.
The Optimum Play machines that have the Joker prog., also have FPDW, 10/7DB and 10/6DDB. The denominations are .05/.10/.25. The other OP banks (and there are several spread around the casino) have FPDW, LDW, 10/7DB & 10/6DDB. To my mind, the best vp in the universe! Of course, these are .25 denom. At the $1.00 level, all that I saw that looked playable, was one bank of OP machines with denominations of .25/.50/1.00, that contained 10/7DB & 10/6DDB plus a seperate bank of 9/6JOB prog.
I played long hours, all day, and into the evening. Nothing really good or bad. I'm pretty much even for the day due to several 250 coin quads, and nothing any larger. Another early night, since I'm way behind on sleep. I still have not parted with any additional money from my bankroll, and am still playing on my original $20.00 investment. The ticket is now worth $175.00.
Third Day; I peek out of my window, at the patio. It's still pouring rain. Never have I encountered this much rain in LV! It's good that there is plenty of good stuff to do w/o leaving the casino!
I start out in the casino about 6:00am. Even though it's 5X points day, the casino is empty at that hour. I tackle the bank of OP JW. I'm the only one playing, and manage to try all 8 machines over the next 3 hours. None of them would produce 5/KInd for me. I did have 2 straight flushes, which kept my losing down to $150.00. My ticket is now a sorry $25.00.
After breakfast, I played DDB for several hours, alternately hitting and missing. I'm now into a new $100.00 ticket which is rapidily shrinking.
On my way up to my room for a few minutes of R&R, I pass a "Blazing 7's" slot machine, which I think is winking at me. I NEVER play slot machines, and am about to pass this one by, when the strange little voice which occasionally whispers to me, insists that I put a $20.00 in that slot machine. Deciding not to argue with my voice, I do and immediately hit mixed 7's for $200.00. Taking this as an "omen", I walk over to the "Wheel of Fortune", put in the $245.00 ticket, hit the "Spin the Wheel" on the first pull, and land on the 400 coin spot! I have now won $300.00, in 5 minutes, playing slots!! Who needs FP vp? Deciding that I had already been lucky beyond belief, I abandoned my slot playing for the duration of the trip.
The rest of the day passed uneventfully. Up a little, down a little, nothing major one way or the other. I was never able to grab a seat at the JW bank the rest of the day. It was taken over by local players, many of whom knew each other, and had rear ends firmly ensconced in all 8 seats, for the remainder of the 5X points period. I satisfied myself with playing FPDW and LDW, when I required a "wild thing" play. I also played the "Bob Dancer" machines which did give a point for each $1.00 played, and also contained 10/6DDB & 10/7DB as well as NSUD and 9/6JOB. The graphics on these machines were not great, and there was an extremely cold air conditioning vent positioned right over this bank, so I didn't stay there long.
Moving over to a bank of OP machines, near the front entrance, I settled in to playing FPDW, switching off ocasionally to LDW. After about 5 minutes of LDW, I was DEALT the 4 ducks. Oh joy! A few minutes later, I drew to 3 dealt deuces and hit the 4th deuce on FPDW. My ticket was now worth over $1,100. Ain't vp grand (sometimes) !
I decided to cash in the ticket in order to put the winnings in my safe deposit box with the rest of my bankroll. I did this after some silent debate with myself as to the probability of this action causing that little unlucky black cloud to settle over my head. Deciding that it would definetly be more unlucky to somehow lose the winnings, I opted for the SDB. It was the right choice. Not more more than an hour later, through a combination of stupidity and weariness, I managed to leave a $50.00 ticket in a machine. .I was cetainly relieved that it wasn't the much larger amount, now safely put away!
After meeting a friend for dinner, and then playing together for a few hours after dinnner w/o anything really interesting occuring, I sent myself to bed, for some badly needed sleep.
The 4th day: Up again with the roosters. Thinking I might walk across the road to Texas Station and Santa Fe Station, I noticed that it was still RAINING. I had thoughtfully packed an umbrella, but it was really raining heavily and I decided to stay at FR. It was a good decision.
I hit the FPdeuces twice and DDBAces once, plus assorted other quads. A profitable day again.
I did notice an older couple playing near me, at an OP bank, who were apparently afraid of the viruses and bacteria that lurk in casinos. They had a pack of, what I assumed to be, antiseptic wipes. Each time that they moved to a different machine, the entire machine, with particular attention to the buttons, was carefully cleaned with a wipe. At first I thought it might be some ritual incantation to the VP God, but changed my opinion to a germ phobia.
Another older woman, who looked decidely cantankerous, was beating up on her machine while playing DW. Some of her acquaintences walked over, and, in rather loud voices, began telling her about some other player that they all knew, who had just been kicked out of FH for mouthing off to a "Slot Ambassador". The jist of the conversation was debating how long the banishment would be this time. Apparently, this woman had a history of being ejected from FR. After about 10 minutes of this raucous, irritating and distracting blather, the other couple left. Whereupon, my neighbor said to me, "I guess that you're wondering what that was about. Well, I'll tell you...........". Though I didn't answer her, she took my silence as acquiesence, and proceeded to relate a long, boring story. I never once answered her, or spoke to her at all, the entire time she was verbally annoying me. Finally, as she was coming to the denouement of this tale, I came in with the AKGJ of diamonds
and drew..........the 10 of hearts! "Damnit"!! I said, UNDER my breath. To which this haridan replied, "Shut Up!, I can't concentrate on my playing!!" I was more than a little distressed to see her get a royal a few minutes later. I decided that I'm a RF magnet for my neighbor!
Day 5, my last full day in LV. Guess what, more rain. The TV is full of nothing but flooding, record breaking rainfalls etc. I don't care......I'm warm and dry in the FR. I now have a very large number of points in my account (due to playing a LOT on 2 5X points days) despite having copious amounts withdrawn for various meals at the coffee shop, Gardunos, The Steak House (in Gardunos) McD's and Subway. Not exactly gourmet fare, but filling and inexpensive.
I decide to look in the very nice gift shop for a few presents for the gals in my office. I have enough points to "buy" them all a pretty little treasure. This is fun!
I do well in the morning, but go into a definite decline in the afternoon and evening. I can't buy a win. Oh, no, I thought, this can't happen again! I get a seat next to a nice gentleman at the FPJW bank. He actually thanks me for sitting next to him, because he has noticed that I'm not smoking. He explains about his serious allergies and I sympathize with his plight. Pretty soon he snares a royal. I briefly consider charging people to sit next to them, but figure that they'll never believe that I'm causing the event. At about 8:00pm, I start to lose at the rate of $100.00, every 20 minutes or so. I decide it's bedtime for Babe.
6th day: I'll be airport bound at noontime. I'm in the casino, as usual, by 6:00am, wheelie packed and ready. After a fast breakfast, I find 2 good deuces machines, and promptly hit the deuces on both. Then, I'm off to conquer the JW. When I arrive at 8:30, there is only one guy playing at the bank. He looks like he's been there all night. I try to hold my breath when I squeeze behind him, in case he smells that way also. I promptly hit 5/kind. I now have a ticket with $900+ face amount, and decide to cash it in and visit the safe deposit box again. After that, I'm back to the JW again. Same rumpled guy still playing nickle FPJW.
I sit down at a different machine, hit a Joker Royal, then 5/kind. I cannot believe it. I don't want to leave at noon!
That was my last good win of the morning. However, I lost only very small amounts on several JW & DW machines. Nothing to make a sizeable dent in my nice bottom line.
I'm picked up at noon, and whisked to the airport, through a drizzle........the rain is finally letting up! I get to the airport too early, and try to stand by for an earlier plane. The plane is oversold. I read until boarding time. This time, United Airlines, The on-time leader, is only 45 minutes late. Picked up at OHare by my husband, who says he missed me a lot, and back to the usual office and house chores. A GOOD trip!
Let me know if you'd like me to sit next to YOU, sometime.
Cheers,
Babe
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