Put me in the camp that prefers to stay on EST (relatively). My trips are usually 3-5 days, and I'm usually putting in a little work on weekdays when I'm out there. In addition, I don't see the point in adjusting for a 3 hour time difference, just to turn around and try to adjust back when you return. Quite frankly I kind of like the fact that I can grab dinner easily, and can even hit some happy hours for dinner. Unless you are a club person, why would you want to adjust to PST?

 

Here's my routine, and it works. (This is true degenerate mode though).

Stay up late as I can night before I leave (already packed and in the truck, no playing around with shit in the morning).

Leave local airport 6am, connect in ATL getting into LAS around 10-11am. Get to hotel, go to cage, sign for wire, eat, purge and get to the tables. Chew up some time, then take a nap once the room is ready. Get back up 10 minutes later because I'm wired as hell on Red Bull....Go back down and work as long as I can until around 12am. Around 9PM start hitting the cocktails hard as hell. This lets me sleep through the night and not wake up at 2:30am ready to go.

Next day its like I never moved from the west coast. I get up around 5am, run a few miles on the strip and eat some chow. Relax, shower, clean up, then either go do whatever conference I am in town for or go do stuff/degeneracy at the tables.

I've done the east coast times and I've found a hell of lot more fun stuff happens while I'm sleeping.

However I do end up needing an afternoon nap on day three. Always catches me. When I get home holy shit I sleep a ton. But I don't go to vegas to sleep, I go there to have fun. Cant have fun asleep.

 

The first night is usually a struggle for me. There's usually only one direct flight from CT to Vegas a day so I try to hop on that. Up until a couple of months ago, that flight left at 7:50 in the morning. Pretty nice as you get into Vegas around 10:30 am, but holy fuck the first night is a huge struggle. Now the direct flight is at 12:50 pm which is pretty nice.

 

Getting in before the check in rush is part of my plan. Even the invited guests/vip check in gets crazy if you don't get in the right time. Worst check in I've ever seen was Bellagio followed by Aria during the prime time on a Friday.

 

This is true. I haven't been turned down yet for an early check-in. It's nice being able to check-in right after a 5+ hour flight and not play the waiting game. I can chill in the room in a few or get right out there.

I find that the invited guest/vip check-in at Mandalay Bay is always wicked slow. I don't believe Delano has a separate line for gold and above, but I don't think I've ever waited more than 5 minutes for a rep.

 

I found 4 hours of sleep in Vegas is perfect. If I stay 5 nights I sleep 5am-9am everyday. I found keeping consistent helps. Some say 4 hours isn't enough but I am one of those people that love Vegas so much and try and squeeze 20 hours in if I can.