Today was the second day of our Las Vegas Go Pass and we had another 3 attractions planned. This time the Link Zip Line, The High Roller Wheel and the Nighttime Helicopter tour. On top of this, we planned to make use of the Open Bar Happy Hour included on the pass and a Free Mirage Dinner Buffet Acquired through MyVegas. If this is not enough, we were also going to check-out Siegfried and Roys Secret Garden and Dolphin Habitat, Again a MyVegas Freebie! Wow, that sounds a lot.
But not so much we can’t spend the morning by the pool! Another perfect day in Vegas and we start it off lay in the sun by the pool. This is pretty perfect for our first stop will be Siegfried and Roys Secret Garden and Dolphin Habitat, which is located right by the Mirage Pool area.
Secret Garden and Dolphin Habitat
After an hour by the pool, we headed into the Secret garden as it opened. It was already getting really warm and didn’t want to be here in the full heat of the day. The Habitat is fairly small but really interesting and a very pleasant place to visit. It is a real oasis and hard to remember you are slap bang in the middle of Vegas!
There are two Dolphin pens and both are quite large very deep and spotlessly clean. The dolphins look quite happy and very healthy. They eagerly interact with the trainers and seem happy to play around with themselves and the trainers. The rear pen is home to two seriously cute baby dolphins and their mothers (and Grandmothers). We arrived just as there was a show starting and then just before we left we caught the training demonstration in the baby pool. Both were great to see.
The Secret Garden is home to Siegfried and Roy’s now retired lions and Tigers. The Tigers are house quite small pens in the cool and shaded garden area. While the pens are not the largest the habitats are authentic and well designed.
The whole exhibit is a really great place to visit, right in the heart of Vegas but incredibly peaceful and filled with some really great annals, it was a lovely break away from the Vegas craziness.
Following this, we took another MyVegas Reward and hit the Carnegie Deli for BOGOF Sandwiches. These are totally epic and contain a 1/2 lb of meat per sandwich. We took the Sandwiches back to the pool and continued to relax in paradise while we devoured the beasts!
Fly Linq Zipline
After Lunch we headed down to the Linq for a couple of attractions, starting with the Fly Linq Zipline.
The Zipline is a new attraction and the only Zipline on the Strip. The photos do not really do the line justice and it really is a high platform that you launch from. The process of getting in and up to the top is really straightforward and quite quick. After grabbing tickets, included in our Go card. We headed for the top. There is a liability form to fill out and then you are fitted with your harness. then attached to the line. You have two options seated or lay flat (superman).
One thing to note was the ages of the participants. This was pretty surprising. While there were many young adults 18-40 sort of age group there was a notable number of Senior riders. In the short time we were there at least 5-6 people well over the age of 70 (and only one of those a man) all bought tickets and queued up for the ride! It really was great to see. People in the later years of their existence grabbing life by the horns and having a riot…it put our nerves about the zipline to shame somewhat.
Up on top and things were getting real. We had gone for the seated option and were now strung out on the line waiting for the go. My biggest fear was the “Go” call where I would be required to leap into the abyss. However, the Ling Zipline doesn’t work like that. You are suspended onto the zip line and then automatically released. As your weight is already in the line there are no sudden surprises as the harness takes the strain. It is a simple matter of the release clicking and then off you go.
The Ride itself is a fairly sedate cruise down the Linq Promenade. After the initial rush of the floor dropping away, it’s a very pleasant relaxed ride over the rooftops with stunning views. The ride is quite slow and you get plenty of time to take it in. The Fremont St Zip line is very fast and exciting but it’s over in seconds and you never really get to enjoy it. Landing down by the Wheel is less violent than you expect and you come to a fairly gentle stop. The ride is really suitable for anyone, apart from people with a severe fear of heights.
Attraction Cost – $30
High Roller Observation Wheel
Next up was the HighRoller, A day ticket for the Worlds Tallest Observation is included in the pass and while we were there we figured we would hop on and get the birds-eye view of Vegas. We lucked out as despite it being quite busy, and having to queue a good 15 Mins for tickets, as we got to the pod everyone seemed to vanish, most people seemed to get stuck at the pre-ride bar… But it meant we had a really quiet pod. In fact, there was just the two of us in there so a completely private High Roller experience, Wahoo!
The View from the wheel is a really good view. It is slightly better at night but the pass only allows us a daytime ticket and we will have plenty of time to enjoy night-time views later in the trip. We also much prefer the Open Bar version of the wheel, but having our own private pod and 30 mins to gaze out over the incredible Vegas Cityscape was pretty special.
Attraction Cost – $25
Senior Frogs
Next up was Senior Frogs Happy Hour. There is a one-hour Open Bar available via the Go card and who doesn’t like a free open Bar? We certainly didn’t buy the pass because of the Open bar but as we were staying at the Mirage and Senior Frogs is just next door we thought why not.
We wandered up the strip and through the Venetian to take in the canals and then into the bar. The Open Bar is available any time the bar is open and simply gives you a refillable cup to get as many drinks from the menu that you like. You are limited to Well Spirits but that is the only restriction.
We got through 4 drinks without trying including the last one to take out. So it was OK value if we had paid full price but great value as t was on the pass. The drinks are certainly not high-end but fun and definitely have a kick. We would suggest sticking to drinks on the rocks as the frozen are pretty hard to get through in a time limit. We made that mistake in the first round and suffered plenty of Brain and Tummy Freeze!
Nicely Tipsy we headed back to our room to get ready for tonight and get out luggage together as we were leaving the Mirage tomorrow. Can’t quite believe it is time to go already. Don’t worry we are not leaving Vegas yet, Just the Mirage.
Attraction Cost – $28
Mirage Buffet
After a spot of gambling, well more like losing, we hit the Mirage Buffet. This was another My Vegas Freebie! and with unlimited wine and beer, it went down very well. The Mirage buffet is a very good offering. It is not high end but it is not priced that way and comes with unlimited booze so we really like it.
Helicopter Tour
The Highlight of the day was to be our Las Vegas Go Card Premium attraction Choice. The Night Time Helicopter tour. Maverick Helicopters are the company used by the Las Vegas Go Card and they are one of the biggest operators in Vegas. This has some good and bad effects on the offering.
Being a big operator they have a large, modern and well-maintained fleet of Ecostar Helicopters (Eurocopter EC130) These really are one of the best touring helicopters available and have great seats and fantastic large windows that give a really great view from all locations. Their operation is also pretty slick and they have most kinks ironed out…but not all, as we found out.
Their confirmation Email (despite being on the pass you need to contact them to book your flight) Stated very clearly we needed to meet at the north entrance of the Mirage to get our included shuttle. 5 mins after the allotted time the shuttle came round the bend, failed to slow down and headed straight by!
Hmmm, We jumped onto the phone to ring Maverick to tell them they had missed us only to be told, the buses don’t pick up at the north entrance bu pick up 200m up the road from there! Why state on the information it’s the north entrance then?
With time running short we jump in an Uber and instruct the Driver we are running late and can she do her best to make good time. She then proceeds to give us one of the most thrilling rides of our lives as she thunders down the strip dodging cars, buses pedestrians, and red lights. It was terrifying, but she got us there in 5-10 mins which from the mirage to the maverick terminal in damn good going. And well before the Shuttle bus!
We enter into a discussion with the check-in supervisor about the merits of printing incorrect information on their confirmations, to which they are quite unapologetic, another issue of being a big company. After getting out point across and a sort of apology, we geared up and got ready for our flight.
The seating position is a huge issue on these flights and where you are seated can make or break the flight to a point. Due to FAA requirements helicopter, tour operators can only operate on a single set flight route. This puts the strip to the left of the helicopter for the entire flight. With this configuration, this puts those in the rear right-hand seats at a bit of a disadvantage as far as the view goes.
It is not as bad as some people make out and the view from anywhere in the Eco-star chopper is still good but it leaves a feeling of being hard done by and shortchanged. We are not sure what the options are other than leaving these seats unsold. It is a real shame the FAA insists on this route as an alternative would mean both sides could get a direct view.
As things worked out on our flight it was three up front and three in the back so everyone got a great view of the strip as the right rear seat was unused. But it can work out differently.
It’s a very short flight only 12-14 mins flight time but the route runs all the way from McCarran Airport down the strip past the Stratosphere taking a turn over Downtown and then back down the other side, so really there isn’t anything more to see and the view is simply staggering. We have seen just about every high-up view of Vegas but nothing beats flying over the top of the strip at night!
We think this a great use of the premium attraction included with the past and even with the slight issues around the collection it was well worth it.
Attraction Cost – $124
The return shuttle was pretty slow in getting us back to the mirage so with an early start tomorrow we simply headed back to the room.
Las Vegas Go Card running Total
Day 1 : 3 Attractions $167
Day 2 : 4 Attractions $207
Day 3
- Total Cost: $374
- Pass Cost: $215 (Bought with a 10% discount code)
- Savings: $159
Despite spending large parts of the day doing things nothing to do with the pass we still blew pass the Pass Purchase price, showing how easy it is to get your money’s worth out of the pass.
Live Blog – Trip Report
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