Harrahs cutting my comps in NOLA

Just got my offers for June in NOLA and the are the same as usual - free play, food voucher, travel reimbursement, etc. The only difference is that they are not valid on the dates that I have a reservation booked. That's a first for me. I guess I will have to start waiting until the last minute to book free rooms.

Question for NOLA regulars. I will be in NOLA for 9 days May 25 thru Jun 2. I will be in a condo for 7 days (while my wife and son cruise) and a hotel for two days. I will be within 3 blocks of Harrahs. I intend to park in Harrah's garage and to play at least 30 minutes (probably a lot more) each day I am there. In regard to parking do I need to move my car in and out of the garage each day using the free parking coupon or can I leave it in the garage for a number of days, collect a parking decal each day, and turn all the decals in when I leave. NOLA regulars know that parking is $25 but if you gamble at least 30 minutes in 24 hours you can get a parking decal from a machine that allows free parking. I am assuming the parking deal is still in effect.

That sounds like a smart plan fingerstim. lol Workin the system!

I am not sure I am working the system. Harrahs NOLA gives you free 24 hour parking if you play for at least 30 minutes. Trust me I will play at lot everyday while my wife is cruising. I just need to know from a NOLA regular what the requirements are for a multi-day stay. This is a good tip for NOLA visitors who intend to gamble since all the hotels charge big bucks to park. Why pay the hotels for parking if you intend to play at Harrahs? Most of the good hotels are close enough to the casino to make this work without undo inconvenience. If you are alone park in the garage and wheel your bag to the hotel. If you are accompanied drop your partner off with the bags at the hotel, park the car, and walk back to the hotel. Most of the hotels charge AT LEAST $25 per day and usually more. The condo we are staying at is the Wyndham La Belle Maison on Magazine Street (about 3 blocks from the casino) and it charges $26 per day for valet parking. That is a lot of dough if you multiply it by 7 (plus 2 times whatever the hotel charges). I would rather put that money in a video poker machine at Harrahs or buy breakfast at Mothers each day.

I just got back from NOLA last Friday & stayed at Harrah's. I used the parking garage each day for free but took the car out of the garage each day.

When you swipe your players card at the kiosk by the TR desk you get a slip acknowledging your free parking and the time of the card swipe. It did not have any details about using more than one slip. A boothling at the TR desk may be able to confirm. Worst case is that you have to pull out of the garage each day giving your parking ticket and validation slip to the cashier and pull back in to the garage.

You can only get parking validated once every 24 hours. You have to wait for the 24 period to expire from the time of the swipe before you can swipe your card for another 24 hours of free parking.

~Allen

fingerstim, this was posted recently on tripadvisor. "You must play in casino for a total of 30 minutes to avoid the $30/day self parking fee and you an only go in/out once for free parking. They only validate once every 24 hours no matter how much you play."

Thanks friends. I did figure on leaving the garage each day, driving around, and then reentering although I would consider avoiding doing that everyday for nine days. I was aware of the 24 hour swipe rule so I guess I will need to stagger my swipe each day accordingly. I am thinking of valeting at the condo Friday night until Sunday morning ($52 total) when I take my wife and son to the cruise port and then doing the Harrah's garage thing the next seven days. I guess I will need to swipe something like this: Noon on Sunday, 1pm on Monday, 2pm on Tuesday, etc. leaving the garage each day in the a.m. Anyone see any flaws in my logic? If so please advise. Thanks again for the info all. Lisa I did see that Tripadvisor comment alerting me that the charge is now $30. As I recall that person was complaining about not having in and our access during the 24 hour period. I do not blame someone who is actually a guest at the Harrah's hotel for complaining about not being able to go in and out without paying again.

It sounds like moving the car once a day will work. Are you driving to NOLA or renting a car for the time you are there?

If I understand correctly, most everywhere in NOLA charges for parking. Are there any garages that offer a discounted weekly rate with unlimited in and out access? Playing 30 minutes a day is easy. It's also easy to lose more than $30 in 30 minutes. I'm looking at the big picture - gambling losses to benefits.

My final question, can one use reward credits to pay for parking?

We are driving from Indy. We are staying in Tunica the first night and then moving on to NOLA day two. On the way back we are stopping at Harrah's Metropolis for the night and then on to Indy the next day. Sure it is easy to lose but I do not plan on losing (do we ever?). I will be alone most of the seven days (friends are coming over from bowling in the USBC national tournament in Baton Rouge for two of the days for drinking and acting crazy on Bourbon Street) and between playing the ponies on my computer and playing video poker at Harrahs I will have nothing else to do. I would play the same whether I paid $26 per day at the Wyndham or parked free at Harrahs. I do not know about a weekly rate but I am sure that is probably available somewhere and I do not know about using credits but I would think you could do that.

Enjoy your trip.