If you enjoy such things, heading to a casino for your first time, or after some time away, can be an exciting thing. And, believe it or not, planning said trip doesn't mean micro-managing every single thing you're going to do every single second of the day.
For one, time in casinos moves at a weird pace. What seems like an hour can only be 15 minutes if you're getting your running cold on the gamble, or 3 hours if you're on a winning streak. Because of this my plans are more guidelines than actual rules. Kind of like the Pirate's Code if you will.
But, when planning, I do want to have a basic idea of where I want to go and what I want to see. Importantly, I want to have a fairly firm idea of where I want to eat. Current COVID era this is primarily important because many restaurants (especially in Las Vegas) are very difficult to get into even WITH reservations. So plan early, reserve early, and remember that, should your plans change, you can always cancel or re-schedule if needed. Don't get caught out having to stop by the casino gift-shop for a bag of chips and a bottle of soda for dinner when there are usually several options available to you.
Aside from dining, activities, shows, it's a good idea to plan out any additional things you want to get accomplished on your trip. A pool day, for example, during peak times, usually requires reservations of one sort or the other. Even if you don't require a reservation it's probably a good idea to plan your pool day any way because it's going to have an effect on your dinner plans, gaming plans, etc.
This concept might seem a little odd, but I also sketch out on my trips roughly when, where, and how long, my gambling sessions are going to be. This is, as you might imagine, an inexact science because they will fluctuate greatly in duration based on the status of my bank roll. But, since a not-insignificant part of playing is the generation of comps, I always want to ensure that I have budgeted enough soak-time on the video poker machines to drive my theoretical to a level that will keep the casino and (where applicable) my host happy.
Some tips for scheduling.
1. Always assume that things will take a little longer than you think they will. Especially in Vegas this is going to happen. Partially due to long wait times but also, hey, you're on vacation. If you're eating in a nice restaurant don't rush that meal. We always plan to have pre-dinner cocktails, appetizers, a salad course, the mains, and then possibly and espresso and Limoncello at nice dinners. This process can take two hours (longer if we get a bottle of wine) and that's OK. The good news is that almost all casino floors are open 24 hours.
2. Don't overschedule, keep some flexibility. You never know what is going to happen on a casino trip so don't tie yourself down. If you have planned to gamble in the morning and then go to the pool, don't be afraid to hit the pool early (if it's open) if the gambling session is bad. Don't plan dinner at 7:00 and a show at 8:00. Give yourself time.
3. Don't beat yourself up if you don't do everything you had planned to do. Maybe you find something different that you did not know about? Possibly the gambling went well and took longer than you wanted. I cannot tell you how many times we have had the High Roller on our list and just did not make it because of one thing or another. That's OK, one time we'll get there. And if we don't? The world will not end.
Trust me when I tell you that it's in your best interest to have a rough idea of what you're going to do in a casino. The ONE exception to this is if you're a degenerate gambler who knows that they're going to be spending the bulk of their time playing the game of their choice and grabbing food on the fly.
If you're that person? You do you. And good luck.
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