Come early.
No. 11 am is NOT early.
You figure since this is Vegas, everybody would be hungover and sleeping in until 1pm. But nooo. Given that it was also labor day weekend, I should've prepared myself for the crowd. Everybody and their mama (and papa) was here!
The brochure for the Manadaly Beach/pool area boasts of 2,200 beach chairs. Believe me when I say that every single one was occupied. (or being held hostage by other people for their hungover friends) We had to go around a good 15 minutes before I plopped myself down on a lounge chair. Ouch. It wasn't the most comfortable either. I needed to get some tan so I had to do it.
Flagging a cocktail waitress was also a challenge. Our spot was around the lazy river and they don't seem to circle around that area much. There's also a wave pool here and a beachside casino.
Don't forget your sunscreen (at least SPF 30) and reapply every 2 hours. With the constant sweating in this 90+ degree weather, you'll need it.
Now I know how a roasted pig feels like.