HAPPY NEW YEAR 2014!
This trip report is going to include a lot of information on Aria's New Year's Eve party for anyone who might be curious what it's like to go to a casino invited New Year's Eve party!
I've gone to Las Vegas a lot over the last few years since we live in California but never during New Year's Eve. My husband and I were convinced it would be too crowded for us to enjoy so we turned down numerous invites over the years from Venetian/Palazzo and other properties. However this last year after listening to my friends like SDguy tell me I had to go because I was missing too much fun, I got my husband to agree we would go sometime in the future to cross it off my bucket list. We couldn't cross it off his bucket list because it wasn't on there, LOL! Since we had a trip planned for the first time for Christmas, it wasn't going to be this year, until I received a phone call from my girlfriend Terri who lives in Vegas. Terri had received a comp offer to the Aria NYE's party, where the tickets were worth $1150.00 a piece if someone paid for them. Why so much? Might be that the party includes unlimited Cristal!
The over the top Aria invitation that Terri received in the mail was a long velvet hardcover booklet of 6 pages!
Terri knowing how much I love over the top parties asked if I wanted to go with her and I certainly did but sadly didn't think it would work out due to Christmas trip but said I would talk it over with husband and get back to her.
The last 26 New Year's Eve's have been spent with my husband so I was really surprised when Randy encouraged me to go to this party and leave him at home with our son who had just broken up with his girlfriend and so didn't have a date this NYE. Turns out that Randy's thinking was if I went this New Year's Eve to a party that shouldn't be missed because I might never get invited again, then he would never have to go to Vegas on New Year's Eve and fight the crowds. ;) Regardless of his cagey thinking I was thrilled to go!
After I told Terri the good news that I was able to attend the party with her, she passed along this email her host sent her with a itinerary of the party events.
Hello and Happy Holidays !!
Well in a blink of an eye, 2013 is ending and 2014 is days away.
So, I wanted to send you a brief email re: your upcoming trip-
According to my notes, you will be in attendance of the BIGGEST and BEST (not to mention the most expensive J) party on the strip. The Aria “Spectacular” New Years party is set to go!!
Here’s an itinerary for your convenience:
MONDAY- DECEMBER 30TH- 5PM- 7PM
GIFT & TICKET DISTRIBUTION: COPPERLEAF 2 BALLROOM (IN THE ARIA CONVENTION CENTER-LOCATED BEHIND THE ZARKANA BOX OFFICE)
TUESDAY- DECEMBER 31ST – 2PM-7PM
GIFT & TICKET DISTRIBUTION: COPPERLEAF 2 BALLROOM (IN THE ARIA CONVENTION CENTER)
BEFORE THE PARTY:
TUESDAY- DECEMBER 31ST – 8:00PM
COCKTAILS & HORS D’OEUVRES- PINYON BALLROOM (1ST LEVEL OF THE CONVENTION CENTER)
ALSO PHOTOS TAKEN TILL 11:30PM
TUESDAY- DECEMBER 31ST-
THE MAIN EVENT!! ARIA’S NEW YEARS EVE SPECTACULAR!
9:00PM- THE BRISTLECONE BALLROOM (DIRECTLY ACROSS FROM THE PINYON BALLROOM)
YOUR SPECTACULAR TICKET INCLUDES:
A 3 COURSE MENU, ENDLESS CRISTAL CHAMPAGNE , AND MANY MANY MANY (MANY) BARS/STATIONS WITH DRINKS CREATED ESPECIALLY FOR OUR PARTY!
PLUS, A NIGHT OF SURPRISES (DON’T WANT TO SPOIL THEM HERE- JUST BE PREPARED)
GENTLEMEN, DON’T FORGET, THIS IS BLACK TIE OPTIONAL
THE DAY AFTER:
I WANT TO ALSO MENTION THAT ON JANUARY 1ST IN OUR JUNIPER BALLROOM-
WE WILL HAVE DOZENS OF GIANT SCREENS SET UP JUST FOR PARTY GOERS TO WATCH THE BOWL GAMES-IN THE JUNIPER BALLROOM – DOORS OPEN AT 9AM AND GOES TILL 5PM ---- PLENTY OF FOOD AND DRINK AGAIN !!
So bring your party moods and faces, (maybe some aspirin) and get ready to usher in 2014 –correction
Get ready to EXPLODE into 2014 with ARIA !
I returned home from our Christmas trip on Friday and left again for Vegas on Tuesday! I just had time to clean the house, prepare NYE goodies for my husband and son and pack up again.
My flight out of San Jose on New Years Eve was about 70 minutes late, but my favorite driver Terri was waiting for me at the airport once I arrived and since she didn't long haul us we were there checking in our luggage at Aria in about 10 minutes.
No, I didn't have a Sky Suite darn it, though for the price of the room on New Year's Eve it should have been, LOL! Yes, I had to pay for a room on NYE, though I had the next 2 nights comped with free play and resort credit. The price of waiting until the last minute to try and get a comp on NYE!
The lines were long when we got there with the exception of the VIP area where we only had to wait behind one other person. Our rooms were not ready unless we wanted one on the 7th floor so we decided to wait for two rooms on the 33rd floor.
While we waited for our rooms we decided to eat at Javier's. We had a nice booth and great service only marred when the man bringing our water tripped and spilled mine all over the table and partly on me. Terri said I did the fastest jump up and out that Terri has ever seen me do so I didn't get completely drenched.
I can't remember what Terri ordered, guesses anyone? I know she said she enjoyed it.
Above is my shrimp, lobster and Dungeness crab enchiladas, they were delicious! I really enjoyed Javier's and will return there in the future.
It was taking a while for our rooms to be ready. I wasn't finding the casino as crowded as I expected but the hotel was full and there were still long lines at registration when we walked by.
Terri and I set down and played some $1 Top Dollar while waiting for our rooms and the bonuses while not huge were coming so quickly we were slowly working our way up to making some money!
We both walked away winners from Top Dollar after about a hour of play!