Infamous Las Vegas Strip

Best Things Nearby:
In Aladdin, there is an ABC store where you'll find everything less expensive than other nearby retailers. For example, I bought a bottle of water for $3.25, only to come across the ABC store selling a larger bottle of water for only .99 cents. They have a wide selection of of all types of souvenirs priced just right!

Best Things About the Resort:


Resort Experience:
In addition to my previous description, since I wasn't categorizing it right, the hotel also has a small convenience store called The Desert Market. Like any convenience store, food items are more expensive. The market also sells Las Vegas souvenirs, which are in the same price range as other retailers. Within the market is a café, which offers fresh salads, sandwiches, pizzas, etc. The food is fresh and tastes delicious!

Within the pool gates is a fresh barbecue. Thus, if you get hungry and don't feel like walking 20 steps to the café, hamburgers with a side of potato chips are about $5 and smell tempting. I ordered a hamburger, only to find that it really wasn't as delicious as it smelled. It's great if you like your burgers plain because it only comes with mayo, mustard, and ketchup. I certainly would have paid a couple dollars more for lettuce and tomatoes.

• Unit Type: 1 Bedroom
• Activities: Excellent
• Amenities: Excellent
• Unit Satisfaction: Excellent
• Family Friendliness: Excellent
• Service: Excellent

The buffet opens at 4:00pm, however, I recommend arriving early or be prepared to wait about an hour. The price is $30 a person, but well worth it even if you don't care for seafood. My husband loves seafood so I thought I'd bare through it. However, I thought the food selection was wonderful, as I didn't have an ounce of seafood. The food was delicious and the desserts were to die for!

The price is $20 an adult and worth every cent. We went for dinner, which opens at 4:30pm. We arrived at 4:30pm and waited in line about 35 minutes. The food selection was outstanding (Spanish, Italian, American, to name a few). All the dishes we tried were very good to excellent. I was especially impressed with the variety of meats (prime rib, roasted pork, steak, chicken, turkey, and lamb chops).

Then of course the seafood (crab legs) for my husband. There's also TONS of desserts. The only complaint would be that the plates are located in one area by the salad bar, thus, we had to back track to get a new plate before heading to our next desired food.

We also went to the Mandalay Bay Shark Reef. You'll walk along a path with a jungle atmosphere. They have exotic fish, sea turtles, golden crocodiles & of course, sharks, to name a few. They also have a "touch pool" where you can pet the sting rays. My son & husband remained in the touch pool area for what I thought was the longest time...that is, until we entered the HUGE shark reef. We could see them all around us, as well as below & above us. It was fascinating! There are also two oval tunnels that you walk through that encapsulate you as you are surrounded by 360 degrees of the aquarium.

We enjoyed it, but it was kind of a "saw that, done that" sort of activity. Thus, with everything to do in Vegas, I'd spend my next visit doing or seeing something else. However, I certainly don't regret going & would recommend this activity to my friends.

For an enjoyable evening out with the family, I recommend seeing The Lance Burton Master Magician show at the Monte Carlo. We did, however, have to pay full price for our 3-year-old son & we were a little concerned whether or not he'd enjoy it. We sat on the fourth row & our son was completely captivated from beginning to end. It's more than just a magic show; it is Lance's style & sense of humor that are the most entertaining. He also performs tricks with children in the audience: pet birds, rabbits, & ducks, which really keep the interest of young children....& adults, as we all enjoyed the performance!

The Excalibur is an exciting place for children. They have free children's shows daily: from what I saw, every hour on the hour. The shows include puppetry, jugglers & musicians. They include musicals, which really attract the attention of young children. Our kids, 3 years old & 9 months were both captivated by the shows! It also was enjoyable for my husband & I, however, most of all, it was a wonderful break to sit down & relax.

On the lower level, Excalibur has Fantasy Faire Midway, which are carnival games for all ages of children. They have an assortment of prizes, which are relatively easy to win. We were probably there for an hour & walked out with 10 stuffed animals for our 3 year old.

You'll also find the Wizard's Arcade down there with all kinds of video games, virtual reality video games & air hockey. They also have a motion machine film ride, which is very entertaining! So for family fun & entertainment, try the Excalibur!

Here's a few options of transportation on the strip. First, you can rent a car; free parking structures are available behind the hotels. However, getting from your car to the hotel can still be a distance away, like a 100 yards. Another option, which I found the best, especially with small children, was using the hotel's valet. You don't have to be a hotel guest to use their free valet service. The convenience of being right there at the main entrance plus having your car brought back to you is well worth the small tip. It also saves time so you'll be on your way to the next hotel's valet. Vegas also has a trolley. Maps indicating the trolley stops are available anywhere. The trolley stops approximately every 15 minutes at designated locations on the strip. The charge is $1.65 per person & exact change is required. There are also a few free trams; however, they pick-up & drop you off at the other end of the hotel. For instance, we took the tram to Mandalay Bay to see the Shark's Reef & ended up walking all the way to the other end of the hotel, & if you know the strip, the hotels are HUGE. That particular day, I regreted taking the tram verses driving our car.