Excalibur is worth booking when it delivers one of the lowest complete prices on the Strip and you want a straightforward, family-friendly south-Strip base rather than a polished resort. Its castle exterior, four-pool complex with a water slide, Tournament of Kings, arcade-style attractions, 352-square-foot standard rooms, and pedestrian connections give it more practical substance than its budget reputation suggests.
The main trade-offs are an aging, crowded, smoking-permitted casino resort, basic service, long internal routes, and room quality that depends on the exact tower and category. Newly Renovated Resort Tower rooms are the safest standard choice. If New York-New York is only modestly more expensive, it is usually the stronger overall stay; choose Excalibur when the savings or family features are meaningful.
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What Excalibur Is Like
Excalibur is a high-volume budget mega-resort whose castle façade, medieval cues, family entertainment, accessible gaming, and frequent low rates are the point. The theme is playful rather than immersive or refined. Inside, the property feels more like a busy conventional casino hotel wearing a castle exterior than a luxury fantasy resort.
The atmosphere changes throughout the day. Families and sightseeing traffic are prominent around Tournament of Kings, Fun Dungeon, the pool, and food venues; adult entertainment and casino activity become more visible later. This mixed audience makes Excalibur broadly usable but rarely calm.
Excalibur succeeds through price, recognizable location, family features, and easy access to nearby MGM properties. It does not compete on sophisticated design, elevated dining, personalized service, or quiet. Travelers who treat it as an inexpensive functional base can find solid value; those expecting a storybook resort or modern mid-tier experience are likely to be disappointed.
Rooms
Current standard King and Two Queen rooms in both the Resort and Royal towers are listed at 352 square feet. That is adequate for the tier but not spacious for groups sharing luggage and bathroom time. The more important distinction is condition and equipment, not square footage.
Newly Renovated Resort Tower rooms are the best default choice, with a 55-inch television, personal refrigerator, and updated bathroom finishes. Royal Tower rooms retain a simpler specification with a 40-inch television and no refrigerator listed among the headline features. Superior King rooms add an in-room soaking tub and 372 square feet, while suites provide more room at prices that should be compared with better hotels.
Confirm that “newly renovated” appears in the exact category name before paying. Request a higher floor away from elevators, connecting doors, and high-traffic areas if noise matters, but requests are not guaranteed. If a premium category pushes the total close to New York-New York, Park MGM, or Mandalay Bay, the upgrade within Excalibur may not be the best use of the budget.
Pools & Amenities
Excalibur’s pool is a real strength and was materially understated by the old review. The seasonal complex has four pools, a water slide, approximately 30,000 square feet of deck space, 19 cabanas, free first-come seating for hotel guests, reservable chairs and daybeds, two bars, and Drenched Bar & Grill.
Families who will use the water slide may prefer Excalibur to Luxor even if the hotels cost the same. The complex can be crowded, shade and free seating are not guaranteed, and operating hours vary by pool and season. Confirm the water-slide and pool schedule before booking around them.
Excalibur also offers a fitness center, shops, dog-friendly rooms, and practical business services, but no spa is central to the current proposition. Fun Dungeon, Ultimate 4D Experience, and Max Flight Simulator add family activities, generally for separate charges. The castle does not mean children’s programming or childcare is included.
Location & Getting Around
Excalibur sits at the south end of the Strip opposite New York-New York and beside Luxor. Pedestrian bridges connect it toward New York-New York and Tropicana Avenue, while walkways and the free tram connect the Excalibur-Luxor-Mandalay Bay cluster. This is useful for T-Mobile Arena, MGM Grand, south-Strip shows, and Allegiant Stadium plans.
The free tram helps locally but does not serve the center Strip. Bellagio, Caesars Palace, The Venetian, and north-Strip resorts remain lengthy trips, especially after accounting for internal casino corridors. Rideshare is usually the practical choice for distant plans; pickup and drop-off are at the Royal Tower Entrance.
Guests with mobility concerns should review routes from the chosen tower to registration, parking, pool, tram, rideshare, and Strip bridges. Excalibur looks compact beside Luxor on a map, but resort corridors and bridge access add daily walking.
Casino, Dining & Entertainment
The casino is large, casual, noisy, and smoking-permitted, with slots, table games, and sportsbook access. It feels approachable for casual players but lacks the polish and air quality of higher-tier or smoke-free alternatives. Families should expect to pass through or around casino areas while navigating the resort.
Dining prioritizes convenience and broad appeal. TAP Sports Bar, The Buffet at Excalibur, Buca di Beppo, Dick’s Last Resort, quick-service venues, and bars cover casual meals and groups. This is workable for a budget stay, but New York-New York offers stronger casual atmosphere and Mandalay Bay provides greater depth and refinement.
Entertainment is one of Excalibur’s clearest differentiators. Tournament of Kings is a family-oriented dinner show, while Thunder From Down Under, The Australian Bee Gees Show, and Mac King serve different adult and family audiences. Tickets, meals, age restrictions, and schedules vary and are not included with a standard room.
Who Excalibur Is Best For
- Budget travelers who find one of the lowest complete Strip prices
- Families who value the castle theme, four pools, and water slide
- Guests attending Tournament of Kings or south-Strip events
- Short stays where the room is mainly for sleep and storage
- Visitors comfortable trading polish and calm for location and savings
Who Should Stay Elsewhere
- Travelers wanting quiet, refined service, or a consistently modern resort
- Guests sensitive to casino smoke, crowds, or noise
- Visitors prioritizing upscale dining, nightlife, or room quality
- Travelers expecting convenient repeated access to the center Strip
- Anyone paying nearly the same total as New York-New York or Park MGM
How Excalibur Compares
Luxor is usually better for adults, larger standard room categories, resident shows, exhibits, and a less child-focused identity. Excalibur is better for the lowest price, family theming, four pools, and the water slide. Our Luxor vs Excalibur comparison handles that direct choice.
New York-New York provides the stronger overall stay when rates are close, with refreshed rooms, livelier dining and bars, better T-Mobile Arena convenience, and more satisfying resort energy. Excalibur makes sense when the savings, castle theme, water slide, or Tournament of Kings are decision-critical. See our three-hotel comparison.
Park MGM is calmer, smoke-free, more current, and better for guests who want an easier adult stay near T-Mobile Arena. Excalibur is cheaper more often and stronger for overt family features.
Pricing, Fees & Booking Tips
Excalibur frequently posts among the lowest Strip base rates, but the bargain must survive mandatory charges. Eligible bookings normally add a daily resort fee plus tax, and self-parking or valet charges may apply under current MGM policies and rewards status. Compare the complete total with the same cancellation flexibility and room requirements.
The hotel lists check-in at 3:00 p.m. and checkout at 11:00 a.m. Designated dog-friendly rooms are available under current rules, added fees, and restrictions. Advance-purchase, extended-stay, package, and food-credit offers can produce different cancellation and value outcomes; read the exact terms before payment.
Prioritize a Newly Renovated Resort Tower room unless another category offers a compelling price or specific feature. If the upgraded Excalibur room approaches New York-New York or Park MGM, compare the hotels rather than assuming the room upgrade fixes the broader resort trade-offs. Use our Las Vegas Hotel Deals guide for event and weekday pricing context.
Final Take
Excalibur is a limited but legitimate value choice. Four pools, a water slide, family entertainment, 352-square-foot standard rooms, direct south-Strip connections, and frequent low pricing give it more utility than a dismissive “dated castle” label captures.
Book it when price is the priority and the family features fit. Select a renovated room deliberately and accept the crowds, smoke, basic service, and aging environment. Choose Luxor for a somewhat more adult entertainment base or New York-New York when the price gap is small and overall experience matters more than securing the lowest recognizable Strip rate.
