Connecticut Casinos: Foxwoods VS Mohegan Sun
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Foxwoods and Mohegan Sun are casinos in Connecticut located about 11 miles (17.7km) apart. Both Connecticut casinos are attached to high-end resorts that include hotel, dining, nightlife, shopping, and entertainment options. Our Foxwoods vs Mohegan Sun guide will help you decide which of these playgrounds is right for you.
Foxwoods is located in Ledyard CT on the Mashantucket Pequot Nation Reservation. Mohegan Sun is located in Uncasville CT on the Mohegan Tribe Reservation. The resort-casino complexes are about 15 minutes apart by car.
There are many similar things to do at Foxwoods and Mohegan Sun and first-time visitors may find choosing the right resort confusing. Our article will look at ten resort areas: size, atmosphere, casinos, hotels, restaurants, nightlife, shopping, events, things to do, and family friendliness. Use the information to decide if Foxwoods or Mohegan Sun will work best for you.
For more details about each resort read our Foxwoods Resort and Casino, Mohegan Sun Casino CT, and Mohegan Sun Restaurants and Shops articles.
Connecticut Casinos: Foxwoods VS Mogehan Sun At-A-Glance
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COMPARE FOXWOODS VS MOHEGAN SUN
SIZE OF PHYSICAL STRUCTURE
Foxwoods Resort Casino is the biggest resort casino in North America. The complex contains four main hotels, five distinct casinos, an outlet mall, two theaters, and over 175,000-square feet of convention space. There is free parking in garages and outside lots. To navigate the resort, there are free shuttle services to whisk guests from the parking lot to the casinos and around the interior of the resort.
The Mohegan Sun CT complex contains two hotels, two distinct casinos, three theaters, and 100,000-square foot convention/meeting space. Mohegan Sun also offers ample free parking and shuttles from the parking lot to the casinos.
Upshot: Foxwoods wins as the resort with the bigger physical structure.
ATMOSPHERE / FLOW
Foxwoods Casino has the clean modern lines of an upscale American mall or convention center. The complex is decorated in lots of marble, patterned rugs, and colorful lights. If you have been to Vegas, Foxwoods feels more akin to Mandalay Bay than the Bellagio. Foxwoods sheer size can make it feel confusing to navigate.
The Mohegan Sun CT complex is decorated in keeping with earth elements and the four seasons. Tribal relics, sculpted trees, and pools of water positioned around the complex reinforce the nature-based vibe. Guests will eat, drink, and game in a kaleidoscope of soothing and esthetically pleasing color. The unique and surreal interiors of Mohegan Sun do not compare to any other casinos we have visited. Areas of the resort flow naturally into one another making the complex easy to navigate.
Upshot: Mohegan Sun CT wins in the area of atmosphere / flow.
CASINOS
Foxwoods Casino: The Foxwoods Resort Casino offers guests 340,000-square feet of gaming space arranged in five casinos. Foxwoods has around 4,100 slots machines and 247 gaming tables.
Mohegan Sun Casino: The Mohegan Sun Casino offers guests 364,000-square feet of gaming space arranged in two casinos. Mohegan Sun has 6,500 slot machines and 377 gaming tables.
Commonalities of each casinos include: Table games (Baccarat, Blackjack, Poker variations, Pai Gow Tiles, Roulette, Sic Bo, Money Wheel, Craps); Poker; Bingo; Keno; and Sportsbook betting. Each casino offers free drinks on the gaming floor.
Upshot: Even
HOTELS
Foxwoods Hotel: The Foxwoods hotel has a total of 2,228 rooms distributed in several hotels and smaller inns. The main hotels are the Grand Pequot Tower with 23 floors, the Fox Tower with 23 floors, and Great Cedar Hotel with 317 rooms.
Mohegan Sun Hotel: The Mohegan Sun Hotel has a total of 1,563 rooms divided into two high-rises. The Mohegan Sun Sky Tower has 34 floors and the Mohegan Sun Earth Tower has 13 floors.
Upshot: Even
RESTAURANTS
Foxwoods Restaurants: Foxwoods Resort Casino is teeming with places to eat. Foxwoods restaurants include gourmet, casual, and quick service options. From the exclusive Vue 24 on the 24th floor of the Grand Pequot Tower to Gordan Ramsey’s Hell’s Kitchen, Foxwoods restaurants will infuse fun into your trip. Other favorite Foxwoods restaurants include Guy Fieri’s Kitchen, the Hard Rock Café, the Caputo Trattoria, Junior’s, and David Burke Prime.
Mohegan Sun Restaurants: The Mohegan Sun restaurants also offer a wide array of quality eateries from take-out to fine dining. Resort restaurants are famous for having imaginative décor, lighting, personality, and ambiance. For many visitors sharing a meal is one of the best things to do at Mohegan Sun. Some of the most inventive Mohegan Sun restaurants include Hash House a Go Go, Tao Mohegan Sun, Todd English’s Tuscany, Frank Pepe Pizzeria, Lansdowne Irish Pub, Michael Jordan Steak House, Ballo’s, and Sol Toro Mohegan Sun.
Upshot: Both resorts have fantastic dining options. However, Mohegan Sun restaurants offers the best overall dining experience. Foxwoods restaurants near public areas tend to have a chain-like feeling. At Mohegan Sun, with its golden lighting and natural-world feel, even when you are eating at a quick service restaurant near a casino floor it feels like an exciting eating destination.
EVENTS / CONCERTS
Foxwoods Events and Concerts: Foxwoods Resort Casino is home to the 4,000 seat Premier Theater and the 1,400 seat Great Cedar Showroom. Foxwoods keeps a full calendar of concerts, comedy acts, fairs, expos, boxing, and food festivals at these venues.
Mohegan Sun Events and Concerts: Mohegan Sun Concerts are a big east coast draw. The resort is home to the 10,000 seat Mohegan Sun Arena, the 400 Seat Cabaret Theater, the 260 seat Comix Road House, and the 300 seat Wolf Den free theater. The Mohegan Sun calendar of concerts, comedy performances, and events is full of headline big-name acts. The Mohegan Sun Arena is also home court to the WNBA team, the Connecticut Sun.
Upshot: Mohegan Sun CT wins in the concerts/events category with more seats and things to do.
NIGHTLIFE
Foxwoods Nightlife: The nightlife at Foxwoods includes dance clubs with deejays, acoustic performances in taverns, and bars with huge video screens. A sampling of the Foxwoods nightlife includes High Rollers Luxury Lanes & Lounge, Live@Atrium Bar, Centrale Fox Tower, The Champagne Lounge, the Hard Rock Café, the Scorpion Bar, and Stony Creek Brewery.
Mohegan Sun Nightlife: The nightlife at Mohegan Sun is vibrant and varied. Guests can dance the night away at the 10,000-square foot Avalon Mohegan Sun, relax at the Clay Pipe Cigar Bar, enjoy some Celtic music at the Lansdowne Irish Pub & Music House, or be treated to some killer tunes at the Vista Lounge at Wombi Rock.
Upshot: Even
SHOPPING
Tanger Outlets Foxwoods: The 300,000-square foot Tanger Outlet mall at Foxwoods is located prominently between the Fox Tower and Grand Pequot Tower. The luxury retail space offers around 70 premium brand-name stores such as Coach, Calvin Kline, and Nike. In addition, there are shops and stores arranged throughout the Foxwoods Resort Casino complex.
Mohegan Sun Outlets: Shoppers will find the Mohegan Sun Outlets arranged between the restaurants and businesses of the complex. Mohegan Sun advertises some 130,000 square feet of retail shopping with stores such as Tommy Bahama, Chocolux, and Lux Bond & Green.
Upshot: Foxwoods wins the best shopping with its Tanger Outlets mall.
THINGS TO DO
Things to do at Foxwoods:
Golf at the Lake of Isles Golf Course or at TopGolf Swing Suites.
Bowl, eat, drink, and play games at the High Rollers Luxury Lanes & Lounge.
Play classic pinball and the latest interactive video games at the Tree House Arcade.
Try go-karting at Monza World for a high-speed rush.
Spend the day at one of two spas: the Norwich Spa at Foxwoods or the G Spa & Salon.
Reach speeds of 60mph on the 33-story HighFlyer Zipline.
Visit the Mashantucket Pequot Museum and Research Center.
Workout at the Fitness Center, then relax at one of Foxwoods pools (indoor or outdoor).
Try axe throwing at Axcitment Axe Games at Monzo.
Experience the XD Dark Ride Immersion experience and thrill ride.
Play a virtual reality game at Hologate Virtural Reality.
Have an escape room adventure at Spellbound Escapes.
Things to do at Mohegan Sun:
Golf at the resort’s 18-hole championship golf course, Mohegan Sun Golf.
Bowl and play games at the Game On restaurant and bar.
Tour the resort’s interior. Find Dale Chilhuly’s crystal tree, a 55-foot waterfall called Taughannick Falls, and the world’s largest indoor planetarium in the Casino of the Sky.
Enjoy one of two award winning Mandara Spas.
Work out at the Fitness Center, then splash around in a Mohegan Sun pool (indoor or outdoor).
Hang out in the Cyber Quest arcade with novelty and video games.
Let your kids have fun at the Kids Quest child care area.
Spend an evening relaxing by the firepits on an expansive terrace.
Visit the Native American Tantaquidgeon Museum.
Upshot: Foxwoods wins the things to do category with its thrill rides and adventure activities.
FAMILY FRIENDLINESS:
Family friendly things to do at Foxwoods Resort Casino include enjoying the Foxwood pools, bowling, golfing, thrill rides, adventure activities, and the Mashantucket Tribe Pequot Museum. Note: there is no child care center at Foxwoods.
Family friendly things to do at Mohegan Sun CT include enjoying the pools, bowling, golfing, Cyber Quest, Kid’s Quest, the fire pits, and Native American Tantaquidgeon Museum.
Upshot: Foxwoods wins for children old enough to enjoy the thrill rides. Younger children will likely enjoy the tribal themes, soothing lights, and smaller size of Mohegan Sun as well as the Cyber Quest and Kids Quest areas.
BOTTOM LINE FOXWOODS VS MOHEGAN SUN
Foxwoods Resort Casino wins in the size, best shopping, and most things to do categories. It also wins in the area of family friendliness for older children (possibly 10-12 years old and up).
Mohegan Sun CT wins in the atmosphere / flow, best restaurants, and best concerts / events categories. It also wins in the area of family friendliness for children under 8-10 years old.
Foxwoods and Mohegan Sun were even in the areas of casinos, hotels, and nightlife.
We hope you find this fact-filled, subjective assessment helpful. Laura and Randy
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