seeking advice for a vegas virgin going on MDW

[Richard Doughty]

so I booked a 5 day trip with a group of 20 or so guys (20 have already bought airfare could end up being more) going to vegas on MDW although people will be doing their own things and i only expect about 8 to do the pool party and nightclub thing
most of us are staying at the MGM grand
i picked MDW because for the past 5 years the ufc has done a major ppv that weekend in vegas and i am a big fan
after booking the trip ive put in a lot of time reading on here and ive learned a lot but its opened up some questions
and any general advice would be great also

my rough plan
arrive thursday evening -get drunk and explore the strip
friday - is all up to my best man as this is actually my bachelor party although the "morning" will likely be spent at the mgm pool complex because that looks pretty sick
saturday - pool party during the day , ufc during the evening assuming there is a mdw card , club at night
sunday - pool party and then club
monday - we dont leave till monday at 10 pm so likely lay by the pool and nurse epic hangover

skip till here if you dont care about my back story
so far my big questions are
due to budget issues bottle service is only likely twice during the trip it seems like we would be better off doing that at the day clubs since at the night clubs we will be going to go dance anyways
so for the clubs are we going to get screwed with presale tickets if we go see a major dj like tiesto on mdw
i read in a thread some one saying that anyone who didnt get bottle service for major events could end up getting pushed pretty much out of the dance area
so what should we do if we want to go to a big edm show but dont want to pay for bottle service ? should i just focus on catching my favorite djs at the day clubs ?

during such a big weekend is the mgm pool complex crazy enough that it might be worth skipping wet republic and just partying at the regular pool , or are the pool parties generally that much more fun they are worth it ?

favorite cheap places to eat ?

whats the mininum amount of money youd bring per day to have a good time in vegas on a huge weekend , im just curious about this one as i am planning on bringing 3k in spending/drinking/gambling money eitherway


sorry for how long this was and thanks for anyone who takes the time to help me out

[ccc]

You've got a good plan, although if you can change the dates you might want to go during the May invasion from the 16th-20th. Yeah, you'd miss the UFC, but you'd save a ton of money. MDW is one of the most expensive weekends of the year, and bottle service minimums are at premium levels. The invasion wristband will get you 5 garaunteed dayclubs and nightclub entries for $60.00. You can go to whatever events you want, but as long as you show up on time you are getting in.

If you can't change the dates you've got the right plan. Pick two dayclubs for cabanas, and do presales for the clubs. The dancefloor situation can't really be helped, get there early, or at least be on the dancefloor well before the headliner goes on, and stake your spot. Nightswim at XS on Sundays makes the patio much more attractive.

Around here we'd do pool parties over the regular pools, but on that weekend you could probably make it work in a pinch. Your money looks good, but if everyone isn't matching your bankroll on MDW your probably not going to be doing more than one table honestly.

Check the threads from last year for MDW weekend pricing.

[Chali2Na]

Your money looks good, but if everyone isn't matching your bankroll on MDW your probably not going to be doing more than one table honestly.

I'll add to the previous comment (in terms of everyone's budgets):

Know everyone's budget heading in, and don't get caught up "covering" other people because they aren't rolling with as much cash. I've had trips where I wanted to have fun and dropped more than I really should have to ensure that (thanks a lot, XS). That's not to say I didn't have fun though. Some of the most fun nights of my life (again, thanks XS) have come based on such ill-advised decisions. But for a newbie, I can only say: be careful. It's very easy to get caught up in the moment. Next thing you know, you've blown through half your total trip budget on a few bottles, and you still have 3 full days left...and your boys ain't covering for you, because you've already covered for them.