Bodies: The Exhibition - a review

Located on the Atrium Level of the Luxor Hotel and Casino, Bodies: The Exhibition was added to our November 2011 Vegas trip when Hayley and I were unable to obtain tickets to Carrot Top (too young - her, not me) and Tournament of Kings at Excalibur (sold out).


I was quite surprised by this exhibit - in a good way.  I thought it might be a bit gruesome and a little over-the-top, but each of the displays was presented in a very clinical, educational way, and it was very informative for me, personally.


According to their official website, www.bodiestheexhibition.com, over 200 bodies are on display, creating informative and thought-provoking exhibits with tons of details.  There are several rooms throughout the exhibit, and they displays cover the nine human systems: skeletal, muscular, nervous, respiratory, digestive, urinary, reproductive, endocrine and circulatory.  


I was surprised at how much time Hayley and I spent inside the exhibit.  She is currently enrolled in an Anatomy class, and I think it was much more explanatory than anything in a textbook could ever be.  For instance, you can SAY that the human gastrointestinal tract is over 30 feet long, but to actually SEE it is...surprising, to say the least.  And to SEE how many blood vessels there are in ANY part of the body? Also very surprising.


The displays are all done very tastefully, and special polymer blends have been used to preserve the bodies eternally for the exhibits.  They even have a doctor on hand at the end of the exhibit to answer any questions you may have and to let you touch (yes, TOUCH!) an actual human heart or hand that has been preserved.  That was pretty cool, but we still couldn't resist the urge to go and WASH OUR HANDS repeatedly after we were done, even though they gave us Purell to cleanse our hands after we touched things.  There's something about touching another person's dead body - even when well-preserved - that was a bit odd.


The room with the reproductive system displays is included with the digestive system, but they have a secluded, separate room containing preserved fetuses that can be bypassed if you choose to do so.  I noted that the only people who did so while we were in there was the couple with two young children.  It was not as sad as I thought it might be, and there was nothing to offend anyone. See it if you like, and bypass it if you don't.


Also be aware that there are displays in each room that show cancers, strokes, heart attacks and various other ailments and the effects these have on the physical body.  As expected, the lung cancer display was particularly eye-opening to me, and after seeing it I am certainly glad I've never picked up a cigarette in my life.


Among the big, eye-opening discoveries I personally made was the size of a man's bladder versus a woman's - it is nearly 5 times as large!  No wonder women have to pee so much!  I'm just saying that now I have a frame of reference when it comes to the urinary processes for both sexes.


Seeing a display like this "in person" definitely gives you a sense of your own humanity, and Hayley was quite impressed with it.  It could be the fact that she wants to become a doctor, but she was genuinely intrigued by some of the bodies and made a point to do a bit of Google searching to find out even more information while we were in the cab on the way back to our hotel.


I rate this exhibit a perfect 10.  It contains educational, well thought out displays that are presented in a very tasteful, informative and completely inoffensive way.  There is nothing over-the-top, there are professionals on hand to assist with any questions you may have, and it is a first-class presentation that should be required for all Anatomy students, at the very least.  Go and see it if you can, and learn a little something about yourself.


Tickets for the exhibit are $34.00+tax each, or they can be purchased at the Tix4Tonite half price booths same day.  In addition, you can also find coupons for $5-$10 off in the 24/7 Las Vegas Magazine (in your hotel room or in cabs) to cut the cost.  The exhibit is open from 10 a.m. - 10 p.m. daily, including holidays.  No photos are allowed inside the exhibit, so leave your camera behind.

Show seating advice from an expert: GREGRIO's take on 13 Vegas shows and the best seating options

I love a good Vegas show. Some of them more than others.



The thing is, I tend to see the same two or three shows over and over again when I DO add in a show because I love them so much.  


However, a fellow LV4E poster, GREGRIO, has seen lots of different Vegas shows multiple times and has tried out the different seating areas in many of them.  In fact, that's his reason for going to Vegas: to see great Vegas shows, and to see them again and again if he really enjoys them.  The gambling and food are secondary for him, so I think he has great insight for getting the most bang for your buck when it comes to shows - and avoiding the dreaded "partially obstructed" views and other problems you may find in some show venues.



Greg recently posted a list of the 13 Las Vegas shows he gets the most questions about, and he included his thoughts on the best seats in the house for each of them. Of course, I asked his permission to post the list here before I added it to my collection of great Vegas info. Thanks again, Greg!



First, some of GREGRIO's "Rules of Thumb":

*Upper rear seats are the best for Cirque shows.

*Down front and center is best for comedians.

*Mid-room locations are best for music - around the 'sound booth' (it's there for a good reason). Sound needs room to open up. Up close, the vocals will sound 'muddy' and 'muffled'.

*The far LEFT and RIGHT sections in 'most' theaters are pretty poor seats.



Maitre'D Tipping:

*They need at least 10 bucks per person in your party to re-seat you to a better location.
*Tipping and discount ticket brokers - On-line services like www.goldstar.com and www.travelzoo.com have great ticket prices, but they're not always the better seats...even at VIP levels. Be prepared to tip your Maitre'D when you use these services.



Greg buys 99% of his tickets "rack rate" from the Box Offices (calling or arriving to see what seats are available for purchase). His biggest piece of advice? Do your homework and look at the seating chart. You need to have an idea of where you want to sit at the price you want to pay and CALL THE BOX OFFICE. Don't use the websites to book your seats and there won't be any disappointments.

Now, on to the top 13!



1) Mystere at ti (formerly Treasure Island) - 1.800.944.7444 or www.treasureislandlasvegas.com . Click on the Mystere photo to see the seating chart. Section 202, Rows AA-GG.



2) LOVE at The Mirage - 1.800.963.9634 or www.mirage.com and click on the LOVE photo. Sections 209 or 200 anywhere. Greg prefers the upper/mid area. (I sat in Section 209 for my last visit and it was by far my favorite! Sorry - back to the list.)



3) KA at MGM - 1.866.774.7117 or www.mgmmirage.com. Click "Entertainment". Section 202, Rows AA-GG.



4) O at Bellagio - 1.888.987.7111 or www.bellagio.com. Click "Cirque du Soleil". Section 203, Upper Orchestra



5) Viva Elvis at Aria - 1.877.253.5847 or www.arialasvegas.com. Click "Viva Elvis". Probably the most complicated seating chart in town, according to Greg. He suggests the middle seating choices, and Section 202 is center. If you prefer the front section with the 'comfy seats' and more leg room, sit in themid-section or back section. Right up front is too close to the action.



6) Zumanity at New York, New York - 1.866.606.7111 or www.newyorklasvegas.com. Click "Zumanity". Sections 102 or 103, Rows A-D. Zumanity also has lots of seating choices: there are love seats up front, a balcony which is good, and sections on the sides of the stage. Because of the configuration of the stage, the side sections limit your view while performers are working the 'front' of the stage. You'll view their profile or backsides for some of the routines.



7) Jersey Boys at Venetian - 1.877.583.6423 or www.venetian.com. Place your pointer on "Entertainment" and select Jersey Boys. "Golden Circle" seating, Rows F-K or Section 2 center, Rows L-R.



8) Blue Man Group at Venetian - 1.877.583.6423 or www.venetian.com. Place your pointer on "Entertainment" and select Blue Man Group. Front Orchestra, Rows F-M.



9) The Phantom of the Opera at Venetian - 1.877-583.6423 or www.venetian.com. Place your pointer on "Entertainment" and select Phantom of the Opera. Golden Circle seating, Rows G-M. There's been a rumor that Phantom might be ending it's run. It's just a rumor at this point, but if you want to see it, NOW'S THE TIME. Probably some of the best costumes and stage sets in town. (I agree! Sorry, had to add that in there...)



10) Jubilee at Bally's - 1.800.634.3434 or www.ballyslv.com. Click "Events/Entertainment". Section C center, Rows A-F.



11) Carrot Top at Luxor - 1.800.288.1000 or www.luxor.com. Click "Entertainment". Mezzanine, Section 1, Row D. You want the theater seats...there are some folding chairs.

*Bonus show: Fantasy at Luxor (same info as above) - This is an adult topless show, and they use the same theater as Carrot Top.



12) Le Reve at Wynn - 1.888.320.9966 or www.wynnlasvegas.com. Click "Entertainment". Section A or B, Rows G-K. Greg prefers the top row, which is Row K. The showroom is 'in-the-round' and the views are good throughout. IF there was a 'front of the stage', it's Sections A and B that the artists face. Section L is the VIP area. Great view, champagne and chocolate-covered strawberries, lots of leg room but a bit pricey. You even have your own video screen to watch the underwater action.



13) Penn & Teller at RIO - 1.888.746.7482 or www.playrio.com. Click "Events/Entertainment". Greg prefers the down front center VIP area for this show. (Note to everyone: Penn & Teller sign autographs and take photos after the show, so you can certainly get up close to them afterwards. Sounds like fun!)



So, there you go! A few ideas to get you started in your quest for the best seating at your next show. Thanks again to Greg for putting together such a great list.



Have fun making plans!

Titanic Exhibit - review

The Titanic Exhibit was something I'd wanted to see for quite a while, and I'm glad I finally had the opportunity. Moved from The Tropicana Hotel across the Strip, the exhibit has been housed in the Luxor Hotel (on the Atrium Level) for almost a year now.

I loved the way everything in this exhibit is laid out; you receive a "boarding pass" with a real Titanic passenger's name and information when you enter the exhibit, and you find out if your passenger survived or perished at the end. It made the tour a little more personal for me.

You enter the exhibit and first see how and where the ship was built. There are photos, actual recovered pieces from the ship sitting two miles down on the ocean floor, and recorded sound and video playing all around you.

Next, you feel as if you're boarding the ship; ship artifacts - as well as some of the passengers' personal effects - are displayed in temperature-controlled display cases throughout the exhibit. The walls are adorned with quotes from passengers and photos and videos of the ship leaving England on its maiden voyage.

One of my favorite parts of the exhibit was next: a scale model of part of the Grand Staircase from the first class dining area. Here's where I wished photography was allowed! I would've loved to have a photo of it, but not with me on the staircase. They do have a photographer available to take your photo on the staircase, and I declined. I don't know how much the photos are since I didn't purchase one, but I'd guess you're probably paying $15-$20 each for them. No, thanks.

You get to see how the staterooms and cabins for first and second class were decorated, and just how small the third class cabins were for four people to share. There is definitely a sense of class separation throughout, but it also makes you understand exactly how separated the passengers themselves were, and why so many third class passengers perished in the sinking.

Next comes the ice warnings and the somberness of April 14, 1912. You see when the ice warnings came through to the ship, and what the crew experienced along the ranks. I started to feel a little sad, and when I opened the next door, I certainly felt alone; I was standing "on" the Promenade Deck, looking out at a moonless, black sky lit only by the stars. The air was cold and still, but the mood had definitely changed.

A huge piece of ice is also on display that you are allowed to touch and get a sense of exactly how cold the water was on the night of the Titanic's sinking. The water is colder because of the salt content (think of how rock salt makes ice cream freeze faster when you make it at home), and I can't imagine how anyone survived for even a few minutes in near-freezing water.

After that, there were more displays of pieces of the wreckage, as well as some of the passengers' personal effects, all of which were recovered from the ship during some of the recovery missions. I was amazed at how well preserved things were after spending more than 70 years at the bottom of the ocean before their recovery in the 80's and 90's. Still, they almost made me feel as though I were intruding in a way.

There is a 22-foot long section of the Titanic's hull also preserved and on display, and the sketch of the Titanic's starboard side shows exactly how small that huge piece of metal and broken windows was when it was still a part of the huge ship.

After that, you see the wall of names: there's a separate listing for first class, second class, third class, and even the crew members who survived or perished in the sinking. I found that my second-class passenger, 7-year-old Eva Miriam Hart, survived along with her mother. Her father, though, perished in the sinking.

There is a small gift shop attached to the exhibit where you can purchase souvenirs and view your Grand Staircase photos, but I left with just my boarding pass and memories.

The cost of the exhibit was $30, but I purchased a half price ticket from one of the Tix4Tonite outlets on the Strip before heading to the Luxor. In addition, a friend of mine advised me of another $2 off coupon that was being offered for a limited time, so my total cost was $13.75 for the experience. The hours of operation are 11:00 a.m. - 10:00 p.m. daily.

As a Titanic buff, I thoroughly enjoyed the exhibit. While I was originally put out that I could not take photos throughout the exhibit, I can understand the reasons for not allowing them to be taken. The items need to be preserved, AND I would feel as though I were invading someone's private history if I took photos of things that they were unable to enjoy because they never made it off the ship.

On a scale of 1 to 10, I give this exhibit a 9 because of the discount available for all visitors. Without a discount, I'd have to say it would be a 8. Either way, if you're a history buff or have an interesting in the Titanic and all its secrets, you should definitely check it out.