u/TrainingQuestion8813

Hello! My mom and I are traveling to NYC from out of state specifically to see Masquerade in November and looking for recommendations for a pre-show dinner nearby! We’re doing the 8:15pm pulse and would love somewhere that feels a little on-theme- preferably French, dark, moody, elegant, etc. We’re also going all out with full-length gowns/formal attire, so we want somewhere where we won’t feel ridiculously overdressed (or dark enough we won’t care!).

Not looking for a $220/person prix-fixe situation, but totally comfortable spending around $100/person for a really nice dinner since we’re making a whole fancy night out of it. We’d prefer to be nearby and to walk to the show. Any recommendations? Thanks in advance!

EDIT: Thank you all so much! I really appreciate everyone’s feedback and advice. i went ahead and just bought the dang tickets! 🎭 I’ve decided not to do any more research so I don’t accidentally spoil anything for us. I’m just going to embrace the experience! My mom and I have both found beautiful black and silver gowns to lean into the requested attire, and we’ve reserved a nice dinner beforehand to make a whole evening of it. We can’t wait! Thanks again!!

Hi everyone! I stumbled across Masquerade completely by accident thanks to a targeted Instagram ad, and after falling down the rabbit hole on this subreddit, I’ve realized there’s a whole lot more to this experience than I ever imagined.

I’m planning to bring my mom to NYC from Michigan in November to celebrate her birthday. Phantom of the Opera has been her favorite musical for as long as I can remember, so as soon as I discovered this existed, it immediately became a must-do.

Then I started reading here… and now I’m seeing everyone talking about pulses, choosing performances based on certain actors, and planning their entire experience around it- I’m feeling a little overwhelmed and wondering if I’m missing something. 😅

My plan is to go on Friday, November 13 (the added date lore seemed fun), and I was thinking of booking the 8:15 PM pulse so we can have a nice dinner beforehand, get all dressed up for the occasion, experience the show, and then finish the night with cocktails afterward.

I don’t think I’m trying to optimize for a particular actor or chase a specific experience?? I know my mom is going to be absolutely blown away no matter what, but I’d love to hear from you seasoned pros!

Is the 8:15 PM pulse a good choice for first-timers? Are there any pulses that are generally considered “better,” or is it mostly personal preference? Am I overthinking this, and should I just go ahead and book the tickets?

I’d also love any other advice or tips for first-time visitors. Thanks so much!

Hello! Michigan resident here- I’ve never been to Holland, but it’s always been on my list. I’m thinking it could be a fun place to spend my upcoming birthday weekend and finally give us a reason to check out the west side of the state. I know it’s not tulip season, but it still looks like there are a lot of fun things to do!

We’re thinking about staying at the Tulyp Hotel in downtown Holland since we’ll be bringing our dog. Saugatuck looked amazing too, but it didn’t seem like there were many places left to stay, and Holland looked like it had a little more going on downtown.

What would you recommend we do while we’re there? We’re looking for fun birthday weekend ideas- great restaurants and cocktail bars, live music, pretty waterfront spots, or anything that’s a must-do.

I’m gluten-free (not celiac, so cross-contact isn’t an issue), so if you have any restaurant recommendations that are good with gluten-free options, I’d love to hear them.

Since we’ll have our dog with us, we’re especially interested in dog-friendly activities. We’re thinking about doing a day trip to Saugatuck to hike the dunes and spend some time at the beach. Is that worth it? Any other dog-friendly restaurants, patios, parks, beaches, or activities you’d recommend?

We’ll be arriving Friday afternoon, have all day Saturday, and head home Sunday morning. If you were planning the perfect birthday weekend with Holland as a home base, what would your itinerary look like?

Thank you! 🎉

Trying to decide between Wynn vs Encore for a mother/daughter girls’ weekend in beginning of June and would appreciate opinions on which side to choose with consideration specifically for the pools, as I understand you cannot use the Encore pools if you stay at Wynn, but can use both Wynn and Encore pools if you stay at Encore.

We want relaxing and luxurious, but still somewhat lively- good music, cocktails, fun atmosphere, etc. We plan to spend most of our 5-day trip by the pool during the day and venture out of the property at night. We especially love the idea of a swim-up bar and heard one of the Encore pools has one that’s only accessible if you stay at Encore (not Encore Beach Club).

My mom also has some difficulty getting around, so walking/convenience is definitely a factor… but she’d gladly sacrifice it for a swim-up bar 😂

We don’t want to pay extra for Tower Suites, so this would just be standard double queen at Wynn vs standard double queen at Encore. I was, however, told that if we stay at Encore to request the “quiet side”, as it can get loud on the club side.

Can anyone confirm whether one of the Encore pools has a swim-up bar and whether Encore is worth it over Wynn for the pool experience? Is the walking between the properties really that bad? Or do you prefer Wynn overall for a relaxing, convenient, luxury stay?

Thank you!