Lion Habitat at the MGM Grand
- Kerry
- First Reviewer
- 4 out of 5
- Avg. Member Rating
- 9
- Reviews
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37
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Patience Pays Off If you Want to See Lions
- May 1, 2009
- Rated 3 of 5 by
artslover from Calgary, Alberta
One of our daughters was extremely keen to see lions so we booked the MGM hotel so she could make frequent visits to the Lion Habitat.
The Lion Habitat displays 1 – 3 lions in a two story plexiglass enclosure in a corner of the casino (the southwest corner, I think, if I have my directions straight). They are brought in from a site outside of Las Vegas where they have 37 lions. Of course, the Signature suites tower 3 where we booked is about as far as you can get in the MGM resort from the Lion Habitat. Nevertheless, our lion loving daughter visited at least once a day and since it was free, her persistence paid off. Most of the times, she went when the lions were sleeping. Still, she liked looking at the lions when they were sleeping on a clear plexiglass archway where you could get a close view and appreciate how big they are. But one time she visited, the trainers had them up and moving about. Many photos were taken and she was happy.
From journal Slow Motion Vacation in Las Vegas
Editor Pick
Lion Habitat at the MGM Grand
- February 22, 2008
- Rated 5 of 5 by
notso62 from Boston, Massachusetts
With the slots and game tables hindering my financial stability over the course of our Vegas weekend, my fiancé and I decided to find less-expensive ventures to fill our Saturday afternoon. Lucky for us a free attraction was right in the middle of our gambling debacle to divert our attention- the Lion’s Habitat at the MGM Grand.
To be fair I will disclose that I am a huge fan of cats (both big and small) to begin with, so perhaps this journal might be a bit biased. But I was legitimately impressed with the display at the MGM Grand. A natural-looking cliff habitat is encased in Plexiglas to allow on-lookers to get up-close and personal with the cats inside. A fun feature is the tunnel (also made of Plexiglas) that runs through the middle that viewers stand in as the lions play above and around. It might sound silly, but it’s pretty amazing to look up and see just how huge the lion’s foot is as he steps above you.
Trainers attend to the two lion cubs as they entertain the crowd. They also give general factual presentations about the cubs in general to educate visitors. The lions are encouraged to play and interact- they have various toys with huge claw marks in them to remind visitors that these are no ordinary kitty cats but ferocious beasts (though they may seem like ordinary house cats when they are just batting a ball around).
Interesting lion facts include that these lions are related to the original MGM mascot lion. There are many "fact" panels that line the exhibit with all sorts of information about these specific lion cubs and lions in general. There is also a nearby gift-shop with tons of lion-themed merchandise (perfect if you’re like me and could never have enough cat-paraphernalia).
The Lion’s Habitat is open during all casino hours, but the Lions are only there during specified times. They are actually bought in daily from a larger habitat outside of town. I’m not sure if they are on some sort of a schedule, but they seemed to be there all afternoon the day I was there.
Something fun and free in Vegas? Yes, the Lion’s Habitat fits that bill.
From journal Viva Las Vegas
The Lion Habitat at the MGM Grand
- November 25, 2007
- Rated 4 of 5 by
Rockyhorror1978 from St Catharines, Ontario
This was one of my favorite casino exhibits. I could have stood and watched the lions interact all day. The MGM Grand is currently housing two young lions in their habitat. These lions were fun to watch as they played together. We were not able to see the Lions from the front of the exhibit, so we went into the underground passage that went below them. From there, the lions were directly on top of us! It was awesome to see the lions so close up. We stood for about 15 minutes and watched them play fight and chew on the largest rawhide bones we had ever seen (approximately the size of house cats). This is an animal-lover's dream!
From journal Sin City 2007
The Lions at MGM
- February 24, 2007
- Rated 3 of 5 by
toytwin78 from escondido, California
The Lion Habitat at MGM is a cool place to visit. Just past the entrance stairs, right after Studio 54 on the right. They usually have at least 2 lions in the enclosure, sometimes more. From cubs to full grown at different times. It's free to watch, and the only downside is the taped lion sounds.
From journal Only in Vegas... Baby...
Lion Habitat at the MGM Grand Hotel Casino
- September 26, 2006
- Rated 5 of 5 by
pkolev from San Diego, California
The MGM has an amazing lion habitat, which is free and is right by one of the casino entrances. The animals are kept in this glass cage-like area. It's absolutely safe and so much fun to watch those beautiful creatures. Kids love it. They rotate their lions twice a day so we got to see two big ones, and later in the day two cubs that were so playful and fun. They kept chasing each other around and playing. Sometimes the lions will be very close to the glass so you can take pictures next to them that come out decent. I could have stayed there watching them for hours and I'm 25! It's a lovely way to catch a break from the heat outside, walking and shopping, and the kids won't get bored and restless.
From journal The Tropicana, Las Vegas