Ultimate Guide to Planning Las Vegas Trips for Large Groups
Planning a large group trip to Las Vegas? Reach us directly at +1 (415) 735-6716 or info@discotech.me. You can also reach us on Whatsapp at +1-323-405-8824.
Your absolute circus of a group Zoom chat has just wrapped up, and the powers-that-be have just drawn the figurative “X” on your forehead. All eyes are on you: you’ve just been delegated to plan your company’s “social agenda” (read: non-work activities) for its upcoming business conference in Vegas. It’s a pretty big group – exact number unknown as of yet, but as of right now it’s somewhere between 50 and 500 – and it’s an eclectic mix of veterans and first-timers. It’s a tall order for sure, and your bosses want it to go off without a hitch AND more importantly within the set budget. Your ears are hot and beads of sweat begin to form and run down your slightly bewildered face; if it had been a literal “X” drawn on your forehead, that magic marker would surely be smudged by now.
We’ve also prepared several case studies on events we’ve helped plan. Feel free to skip directly to the studies to see the real world application of everything mentioned below:
- Las Vegas Bachelor Party Case Study
- UC Berkeley Haas School of Business Group Trip
- VMWare Corporate Event Case Study
Planning a Vegas Trip for Large Groups With a Budget
Why is planning Vegas for large groups so difficult?
- Dinner reservations – limited number of places that can seat large groups, people have different cuisine preferences
- Hotel rooms / suites – need to decide on location, negotiate a discount deal, and make sure that it can accommodate the group within budget
- Activities – people have different preferences, not all activities can accomodate large groups
- Nightclubs / pool parties – getting 10 people into Vegas hip hop night clubs can be a huge headache – getting 50+ would be a nightmare without a host.
You know you’re not totally a lost puppy – you’ve partied in Vegas many times in the past in smaller groups, and you’ve got numerous friends in high and low places who are willing to offer sound and not-so-sound recommendations – but of course you (and your budget-conscious bosses) certainly wouldn’t mind having a true professional to guide you. You know, someone who can take all those inputs (group size, music preferences, nightclub/pool party, budget, location, food preferences, etc) and spit out your perfect itinerary – turning you into the hero of the group.
Enter Discotech – your ultimate solution for lining up your big plans. We’ve built our reputation helping THOUSANDS of satisfied clients around the world with their standard small group party needs.
- We’ve been featured on BBC Travel and we are also highly reviewed on Yelp! and in both the App Store and Google Play.
- 6+ years experience in the Vegas nightlife game, we’ve also successfully serviced dozens of corporate entities and large groups of 50 or more clients.
- What we know from our experience is this: like Sin City itself, large group planning is NOT for the lazy nor for the faint of heart.
Failure to plan ahead – even if it’s just days or hours ahead – is one of the biggest mistakes that we see countless groups make on a weekly basis, and it inevitably results in financial and logistical headaches – and embarrassing moments at the velvet ropes of entry – that could easily have been avoided.
There IS a tried-and-true method to the madness – a method which our Discotech platform and customer service team has down to a step-by-step science, along with the critically important door connections for pull off your group’s custom itinerary in line with your discerning standards. Enough talk, shepherd boy (or girl): let’s delve into what you and your flock of sheep need to know about the lay of the land.
Where do large groups stay in Vegas – get discounted hotel rates
They say a stitch in time saves nine, and the pre-arrival planning is the part of the process that requires THE MOST attention to detail.
- Remember the 100-Day Rule: to take advantage of favorable pricing for flights, hotels, shows, nightclubs, and anything else related to Vegas that requires tickets or reservations, you MUST start planning the festivities no less than 3-4 months in advance of your planned arrival date.
- The larger the group, the more advance planning is required to ensure “convenient inventory” on hand – by that, we mean things like seats on the same flight or hotel room blocks in the same resort and perhaps (fingers crossed) even in the same resort tower or on the same floor.
- If your large group is around 100 guests or so, then 100 days – 4 months – out is the latest we would recommend to lock in reservations.
- For a 200-500 person group we would recommend at least 6 months of lead time; for any group above 500 persons, we strongly advise you to make your initial reservation inquiries 12-18 months in advance.
- The earlier you start looking into things, the more options and wiggle room your suppliers in Vegas have, and thus the more willing they are to work with you to provide custom solutions and group discount rates.
Good news for you: Discotech and its local partners hold longstanding affiliate agreements with every major hotel group operating in Las Vegas and can get you access to lowest room rates available as well as other amenities. Some of the itinerary items we can help you line up are as follows:
- Discounts on individual hotel rooms & hotel suites
- Discounted hotel blocks for groups
- Exclusive suite rental
- Premium transportation for groups – party buses / limos
- Special Request Amenities (e.g. beauty packages, in-room spa/massage treatments)
If your big group does not have the means of charging all planning expenses to one central account, then have its members divvy up into smaller pods of 4-6 in order to book hotel rooms and coordinate sharing expenses. Also, if you’re booking too late in the game to get an entire block of rooms within your preferred, then pick a region of the strip – North, Center, or South – and make sure everyone coordinates to stay in a hotel in that area.
Where To Work – Company Events, Meetings, etc
If you and your big group are coming to town on business and looking to close big deals, then you might develop a need to host side meetings away from the main conference agenda and locations. These extracurricular gatherings while in Vegas can be internal team-building or team morale events, or they can be client-facing with the goal of winning new accounts or preserving standing relationships. Discotech has the tools and expertise to assist you with lining up venues that best fit your large-scale meeting needs, from hosting an exclusive invite-only company event at one of the hottest nightclubs in the world to a arranging a low-key recognition ceremony in the quiet private back room of one of the best sushi restaurants on the Strip. More specifically, we can assist with planning the following elements:
- Meeting & Event Planning
- Meeting Space Reservations
- Team Building Experiences
- Group Dining Reservations & Kitchen Tours
- Corporate Branding Events
- Training Modules / Learning Events
- Executive & Corporate Golf Packages
And one more thing: even if your large group’s business in Vegas for the weekend is not so “businesslike” – in other words, strictly of a recreational nature rather than commercial – Discotech can still be of assistance. Our customer service support team can offer expert guidance on the ways and means of uniting your group for a few hours for whatever common purpose your group holds, and before its members scatter to the wind for Vegas to chew them up and spit them out in a few days.
Large Group Events that Discotech Has Helped Facilitate:
- Fraternity/sorority Vegas Trip: Why not throw together a Friday afternoon Welcome-to-Vegas mixer? A group beer pong tournament at O’Sheas is the perfect social activity to catch up with the homies and get the ball rolling (pun intended) on a wild weekend.
- Grad school / Business school Vegas trip: C’mon, we know you went to graduate school for the “networking” and not for the academics. Have your social chair line up the group’s private networking event in a giant luxury suite overlooking the Strip. Or, if your group is too large to fit in one or two suites you can rent out deck space at one of the best resort pools on the Strip and have your open-bar soiree in the open air under the stars.
- Family reunion: This one’s an easy call. Family always revolves around food, so reserve a block of adjacent tables for your clan at one of the best-bang-for-your-buck buffets in the city. Our favorites for the more budget-conscious are the ones at Flamingo, The Orleans, and Rio. Aunt Karen and Grandma Ruth will definitely approve.
- Corporate Outings: Whether you’re looking to plan a team building Vegas trip for high achievers, an end of summer get away for your interns, or taking some clients out for a night on the town, we’ve got you covered!
- Class reunions: We’ve helped plan a reunion for over 80 people – including hotel rooms, dinners, discounted tickets, free group guest list, and a block of 6 tables at Marquee Nightclub.
- Bachelor/Bachelorette Parties: A Vegas staple, stag / hen parties are our bread and butter. We’ll help you make sure your bachelor / bachelorette is sent off in style. We can help with hotels, activities,
- Convention after party: In town for a convention and looking to impress clients or after party with your coworkers? Hit us up and we’d be happy to set things up for you!
- Wedding weekend: Yes, Discotech could assist you with reserving a last-minute wedding chapel if your nuptials are awash in spontaneity. And yes, we’ve got the hookups to some of the coolest spaces in Vegas for a post-ceremony reception. However, we’re obviously more adept at planning the wedding afterparty. Which gives us the perfect segue into the next step….
What do Large Groups Do in Vegas? – Vegas Activities + Nightclubs
Ah, now THIS is our bread-and-butter. Big groups move like a big elephant, and when you’re in a fast-paced city like Vegas with only a handful of days to make magic happen you want to make damn well sure that the elephant is at least turned in the right direction before it starts to lurch forward.
You and your crew are in luck: Discotech handles this sort of thing on a daily basis, AND we’ve got tons of hands-on experience managing large groups. You see, not only have we ridden this elephant before, we’ve taught him how to stand on the ball on one leg while shooting water out of its trunk! Grabbing the reins on the party plans for a 500-person behemoth is second nature to us – think of Discotech as the ringmaster, here for your entertainment and to guide you through the Vegas circus. Here’s how we can help:
- Free or Discounted Club Guest Lists (free or discounted admission, plus dedicated private line with no wait and expedited entry for large groups)
- Discounted Club Tickets (discounts offered for large groups, dedicated private line + host to ensure that you get in)
- Nightclub & Pool Party Club Crawls (discounts offered for large groups, party host + party bus transportation provided)
- Nightclub & Dayclub / Pool Party Bottle Service packages (preferred location, group discounts, booking multiple VIP tables together)
- Concert, Festival, or Show Tickets, Suites, and VIP Seating (discounts offered for large groups)
- Sporting Events Tickets, Suites, and VIP Seating (discounts offered for large groups)
- Unique Excursions & Activities (e.g. exotic car racing, top golf, gun shooting, helicopter tours, day trips to Grand Canyon or Hoover Dam)
Not only can we help you lock down all your plans in advance and custom tailor a party plan for your group size and budget, but we will also provide a host on the ground to make sure your experience goes smoothly – everyone gets in quickly, all your bottles arrive, you aren’t over charged, etc.
In conclusion: Discotech is your subject matter expert for planning your next group visit to Vegas. Whether you’re coming into town for business or pleasure, hunting or grazing, a large flock or a just a handful of wayward strays, we are here to “rein in the elephant” and make sure everyone in your group stays, works, and plays like world-class animals. Step right up, folks… the circus is coming to town!
Planning a large group trip to Las Vegas? Reach us directly at +1 (415) 735-6716 or info@discotech.me. You can also reach us on Whatsapp at +1-323-405-8824.
