Arizona Travel Agent
by Tim and Anne Larison, travel consultants
with contributions from Josh Larison
December 2024
We had a fun Christmas week trip to Las Vegas with our son Josh. In this report we’ll tell you about some of the activities we enjoyed, hopefully to give you some ideas for your next Las Vegas trip.
by Tim Larison, CLIA Certified Master Cruise Counselor
with comments by Anne Larison, Family Travel Gurus Travel Consultant
by Tim Larison, CLIA Certified Master Cruise Counselor
with comments by Anne Larison, Family Travel Gurus Travel Consultant
We enjoyed a wonderful weekend stay at the Gainey Suites Hotel in Scottsdale, Arizona earlier this month. We liked this boutique hotel’s smaller size, beautiful surroundings, and excellent service during our three days here.
by Tim Larison, CLIA Certified Master Cruise Counselor
with comments by Anne Larison, Family Travel Gurus Travel Consultant
Monterey Bay Aquarium Review
by Tim Larison, co-owner Family Travel Gurus
with contributions from travel consultants Anne and Josh Larison
by Tim Larison, CLIA Certified Master Cruise Counselor
with comments by Anne Larison, Family Travel Gurus Travel Consultant
More Buffet Bargains in Las Vegas (May 2017)
by Tim and Anne Larison, co-owners FamilyTravelGurus.com
Good Value Buffets in Las Vegas
by Tim Larison
with contributions from Anne and Josh Larison
On a recent trip to Las Vegas we discovered a value dining option. For $35.99 per person on a weekday ($39.99 on the weekend) you can eat all you want, all day, in the Excalibur and Luxor buffets! The price of a breakfast, lunch, and dinner buffet purchased separately is over $60 for the same buffets. The all day pass is a good deal!
We had dined at the Excalibur buffet (simply called “The Buffet”) several years ago and it was average at best. On this trip we found the buffet has been renovated, with a very nice seating area and plenty of options, like the ethnic food areas shown above (Asian, Latin, and not shown are Italian, Mexican, and others with a large dessert section)
We thought the food quality was greatly improved, too.
Breakfast was a good option at the Excalibur buffet. I liked the made to order omelet station here.
For variety we dined at the More Buffet next door at the Luxor for lunch. We have found the Luxor buffet not to be crowded in the times we have eaten there. It is on the lower level below the casino floor. I particularly liked the large salad bar here, and the food quality was again very good.
The More Buffet at the Luxor, like that at the Excalibur, had several ethnic food sections and a wide variety to choose from.
For dinner we were back to the Excalibur buffet with lots of delicious choices and a good dessert selection. We had a late night snack, shortly before the Excalibur buffet closed at 10 pm, to round out our all day feasting at these two buffets.
Are the Excalibur and Luxor buffets of the same quality as the mega buffets at the Bellagio or Caesars? No, but those buffets cost almost twice as much. If you are looking for a good value, and plenty of tasty food to eat, try the all day pass at the Excalibur and Luxor buffets.
Anne says:
Las Vegas has become a foodie heaven. There are many new restaurants and all the celebrity chefs offer a different dining experience. The all-day buffet is an alternative to the expensive restaurants. This dining option serves its purpose to provide good food at a reasonable cost.
Josh says:
The all day buffet pass is definitely a great value if you plan to stay near the luxor/excalibur hotels for a whole day. There was a variety of different ethnic foods at both buffets, including a pretty simple taco bar with ground beef, carving station, asian cuisine, and seafood. On the weekend the cafes had more of a seafood selection with crab legs and shellfish while on a weekday it looked like they only served unpeeled shrimp. Both buffets are not the most luxurious in the world but they are a bargain when compared to other food options in Las Vegas.
Are you planning a trip to Las Vegas? We can help! We can recommend a place to stay that fits your budget and activity suggestions.
Contact us for more information and a no obligation price quote.
High Roller Las Vegas Review
by Tim Larison
with contributions from Anne and Josh Larison
The High Roller is a 550-foot tall giant Ferris wheel on the Las Vegas Strip. It is currently the world’s tallest Ferris wheel. Open since March 2014, we had our first chance to try a ride in December 2016. We were impressed!
We rode the High Roller on a Monday afternoon. The daytime price is less than a nighttime ride.
We purchased our tickets online from the Linq site.
Exploring the Wizarding World of Harry Potter at Universal Orlando
by Phyllis Larison
With the recent opening of the film Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them, there is renewed interest in all things related to J.K. Rowling’s Harry Potter series. For Potter fans there is no place better than the Wizarding World of Harry Potter at Universal Orlando in Florida to experience the excitement and wonder of entering the world of the popular novels. Universal Orlando is located just a few miles from Walt Disney World and includes two theme parks—Universal Studios Florida and Islands of Adventure.
Both of these theme parks at Universal include unique Harry Potter entertainment. The newest addition to the Wizarding World of Harry Potter at Universal is Diagon Alley, located at the Universal Studios theme park. I visited Diagon Alley recently and was amazed at the incredible detail that went into the design of the shops. The fantasy and magic of the books was actually brought to life! The entrance to Diagon Alley is just a narrow break in a brick wall and is easy to miss; I walked right past it on my first visit. After walking through the plain entranceway you are suddenly confronted with the colorful shops and bustling activities of Diagon Alley.
Perched above Gringotts Bank is a large dragon that breathes out fire every twenty minutes. It is mesmerizing to watch this very realistic dragon!
Among the many shops in the Alley perhaps the most famous (and crowded) is Ollivanders where you can test out and purchase wands that are associated with various characters in the Harry Potter novels. There are interactive wands, for $45, that allow you to wave the wand at fourteen spots throughout Diagon Alley and wonderful magical things occur; golden medallions on the ground indicate where to stand and how to wave the wand to experience the magic. This is a very fun activity for children and even for adults! Knockturn Alley, the darkest part of Diagon Alley, has several spots for testing an interactive wand; at one stop you can lead a choir of shrunken heads.
Weasley’s Wizard Wheezes, one of my favorite places in the Alley, is a three story shop chock full of magic tricks to buy, games, toys and Harry Potter related candy such as Chocolate Frogs or Puking Pastilles.
The biggest attraction in Diagon Alley is the Escape from Gringotts ride which is an indoor coaster with ingenious 3D projections. When you enter the Gringotts bank to get on the ride you see a highly decorated interior with rows of goblins working on their financial records. An elevator takes you deep into the bank where you enter a 12-person car that careens through 3D story sets. A fire breathing dragon is just one of the intense effects that are quite spectacular!
The Hogwarts Express will take you from Diagon Alley to Hogsmeade at Universal’s Islands of Adventure (or vice versa). Note that you must have a two-park pass to go back and forth from Diagon Alley to Hogsmeade. When the train is moving, through the windows you will see scenes of London and the English countryside as well as Hagrid, other characters from the novels, and the looming Hogwarts castle; Dementor hands claw on the doors to your train compartment to add to the many special effects. Hogsmeade is a quaint village with shops and the impressively large Hogwarts Castle. Within the castle is Hogsmeade’s main attraction—the thrilling ride, Harry Potter and the Forbidden Journey. This ride is more intense than the Escape from Gringotts ride at Diagon Alley and if you prefer to see the castle and its magical interior without going on the ride you can go to a second waiting line for non-riders.
There are amazing things to see inside the Hogwarts Castle! Perhaps the most incredible are the paintings that have 3D figures which move and speak. The ride itself will have you flying through the air and confronting Dementors, the Whomping Willow, Aragog the Spider, a dragon and Harry and Ron on their broomsticks. Dragon Challenge, a huge inverted steel roller coaster, and Flight of the Hippogriff, a roller coaster for kids, are two additional attractions at Hogsmeade.
The Wizarding World of Harry Potter at Universal Orlando is an experience not to be missed! – Phyllis
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Contact us for information or a no obligation price quote for your visit to Universal Orlando.