Circus Circus
 

Is Circus Circus still worth staying in for families with kids under 10 ? I know the hotel isn't the best for gaming or location, but for $50 a night, is there anything wrong with it ?

Has anyone stayed there recently ? Any reports?

The best thing to do with children in Vegas is to leave them home. There is nothing there for them. Circus Circus is not a nice area of the strip. Allot of the "down and out" types wonder the street in that area looking for handouts and handing out escort service literature. Circus Circus rooms compare to a motel 6. Their buffet was likely the one portrayed in the Chevy Chase Vegas Vacation movie - where Cousin Eddie recommended "the yellow".

If you must take your children check out The Orleans. It has a movie theatre and supervised childrens play area. It is a mostly locals hotel and has a shuttle to the strip when you want to go there.

I would second the warnings on Circus Circus. We stayed there a couple of years ago when friends from England booked a package and stayed there. That is the ONLY reason we agreed to stay there.

You might look at the Excalibur. Better location and still has a kids activities. You can always take them to CircusCircus one day if you want.

WSJ Pursuits travel section in Sat/Sun (Oct 8/9, page P7) paper had an article on Vegas moving away from family friendly toward more adult entertainment but had a few suggestions for things one could do as a family.

From the article:

* According to LVCVA, 10% of visitors brought under 21 children. 56% of those were with children between 6 and 12.
* With the change in the TI show and MGM removing the theme park, there is a lot less family-friendly entertainment.
* Suggestions for those still traveling with children: Bellagio fountains, Paris LV Eiffel Tower, Bellagio art museum, sidewalk cafes at Paris and Caesars, Excalibur in general, Venetian gondola rides. For shows Cirque shows _except_ Zumanity and Lance Burton.
* Better option, drive to the Hoover Dam or Grand Canyon or Red Rock Canyon.

If you have a science-oriented family, and are willing to plan in advance, the tour of the Nevada [Nuclear] Test Site is a really cool day trip but you have to appreciate those types of things. It really is a day tour in a bus looking at a lot of holes in the ground, and a few other things they used for testing weapons, along with a tour guide and videos of some of the testing. We arranged an entire LAS trip around when the NTS tour was available, and we'd do it again so don't think that I'm calling it boring. It's just something you have to be scientifically inclined to appreciate. Web site: http://www.nv.doe.gov/nts/tours.htm -- we drove right next to the house that's photographed in the upper left of that site.

just to basically qualify what everyone else has said... DO NOT EVER stay at this property... It is a dump... and the lowest rate rooms are often NOT even in the tower but are these awful motel style manor rooms at the back of the property [near the on-site trailer park]....

I have never stayed there, but I have NEVER ever heard anything good about the rooms at this hotel.

and... I just walked through this past Saturday morning [around] 1am... and it is just NOT the place to go w/ kids...

Also, I 2nd the idea that Vegas is NO place to take kids... this is an adult oriented town... unless you plan on bringing your nanny/babysitter or hiring someone... as an adult, you will NOT enjoy your evenings with the kids... and if your kids are very young... and still use strollers... don't expect to be able to go into Bellagio or Wynn with a stroller to "tour" the place... as kids are discouraged, and strollers are only allowed in for hotel guests at high end properties like Wynn and Bellagio...

A real POS of a property. If you do not gamble and go to see the sights, do not expect to be welcomed with your kids in tow. Your kids will often not get a discount for being a kid.

stayed there many years ago, and truly was a dump. Your kids deserve better than that! If you must stay somewhere "kid-like", then try the Excalibur (not much better but just a tad better than circus-circus). I think that the arcade etc is just as good in Excalibur. You're just missing the circus act. How about MGM, or Monte Carlo? They both have great pools for the kids.

I must third this. As the parent of a toddler and someone who likes Vegas, I would not take my kid to the strip for a vacation.

Have you looked into one of the Resorts outside of Vegas? Maybe the Hyatt at Lake Las Vegas or JW Marriott? These show up on Priceline and are much better suited to a family vacation.

I took my three girls (12, 11, 9) to the MGM Grand for a few days.

They immensely enjoyed:

-- The pool, featuring a circular, meandering river-pool with a gentle artificial current upon which one can float round and round on inner tubes. We rented a cabana which included 2 inner tubes, otherwise they are $15 each to rent. The cabana was $100 (9a-5p) and included the inner tubes, a TV, a selection of fruits, snacks and sodas, a private lounge area, poolside food service, and lounge chairs. The pools were open until 8p.

-- The lion habitat, including getting their pictures taken with a lion cub (you could put your hand on the lion's ... while the picture was being taken). The habitat is made of plexiglass and you can walk through a tunnel under the lion.

-- The Rainforest Cafe.

-- The buffet.

-- Room service.

-- Next door, the GameWorks arcade (there is also an arcade in the hotel).

-- Also next door, M&Ms World.

Also in the immediate area (untried) there is a movie theater, Coca Cola World, the Excalibur (e.g. jousting tournaments), and the NY NY roller coaster.

Unfortunately, you cannot stay at MGM for $50 per night. If you are looking to stay close to that price per night, the best bet would be Excalibur for children. Generally you can get a room for under $100 per night and since it is across the street from MGM, most of the above benefits will still apply.

Personally, if cost is not as big a concern, Mandalay Bay is the way to go. The pool area is the best for families (wave pool, lazy river, etc), great rooms, Shark Reef attraction, tram to Luxor and Excalibur.

Circus is in a very rundown part of the Strip and it's not a bargain at any price.

The Luxor has a section above the casino floor that has 3-D movies and a large arcade; there are walkways to Mandalay Bay (kids would absolutely love Shark Reef) and the Excalibur (I think the atmosphere at the Luxor is a little better than Excalibur). The rates at the Luxor are often advertised as ~$79, and the rooms are spacious.
I stayed at Circus Circus once when a funeral required I be there when rooms were booked everywhere else--never ever again, and no way would I bring kids there (except maybe for a few hours for the entertainment).

Luxor and TI are two properties that I think consistently overdeliver.

QL

No, YOU cannot stay at MGM for $50 per night.

Not sure what you mean by "overdeliver?" But, TI is not what it once was – I stayed there a few weeks ago. The place has the worst service and front desk staff. After a one night stay - was supposed to be four nights - I checked out and went to the Aladdin. I put TI on my "dump" list now. Also, TI caters to a lower end clientele now that there are so many better options – look for Cousin Eddy from Vegas Vacation.

FWIW - you can stay at the Aladdin for $49-$79 night, midweek. It's right across the street from the Bellagio.

Just to be clear, Aladdin is down the street a bit from Bellagio. Paris/Bally's are across the street from Bellagio -- one of the best places to watch the fountains and have dinner is the Eiffel restaurant. Aladdin is across the street from Boardwalk and a little strip mall, at least until all that is torn down and built up as a new complex.