Updates on Vancouver this weekend?

[Disneyteachers]

I'm curious to hear how ppl made out this wknd in Vancouver with the fireworks last night/parade today. (I think it's this wknd.) I'm especially interested in experiences today with transportation around downtown. We will be arriving by train on this day next year and are trying to get a sense of what we might be able to do!

 

[Mrs Green]

You might get more response sometime next week when everyone returns from their cruise that embarks tomorrow.

 

[xlxo]

You can get some live updates at these links....

• Google Maps offer live traffic in the area
  https://www.google.ca/maps/@49.2852742,-123.1322416,15z/data=!5m1!1e1
• you can monitor bordering crossings here if you are looking at driving up
  http://www.th.gov.bc.ca/ATIS/
  http://www.wsdot.com/traffic/border/
• Here's some twitter chatter.
  https://mobile.twitter.com/news1130traffic
  https://mobile.twitter.com/am730traffic

Best to plan a mid-week arrival to enjoy your time in Vancouver at attractions instead of being stuck in congestion. If hotel costs are an issue, look at rooms a few blocks away from the cruise terminal for significant savings. There's lots to do in Vancouver for a multi-day stay as it's bigger than all the Alaskan ports combined.

@Disneyteachers: if you clarify your arrival plan, we can provide some targetted responses.

 

[xlxo]

Here's some media reports...

• http://bc.ctvnews.ca/video?clipId=670406

 

[Disneyteachers]

Thanks for the link. I am fully aware of the benefits of staying longer (I had dual citizenship as a child so I'm not new to what Canada and Vancouver have to offer.). Unfortunately, this is part of a large trip with things on either end of the trip which is happening with other families. It is what it is, I just wanted a sense of what I'm up against. As for our plans, we are taking the train from Seattle on Sunday morning (the alternative being Sat evening but I don't suspect that will be better.). Planning on staying at Pan Pacific and have low expectations for the day before the cruise. Happy to take any fork of public transport to get from train station to hotel. We will have time in Vancouver when we return and plenty of opportunities to take our kids back as my cousin is about to move to Vancouver from Montreal. I don't expect or need to see and do everything on this trip.

 

[bumbershoot]

Looking at this I wouldn't have worried at all about a train and cruise-based stay. The official website wouldn't have caused me any concerns, either, because apart from the west part of Robson during the parade and maybe a run at Stanley Park, I wouldn't be effected.

 

[xlxo]

we are taking the train from Seattle on Sunday morning

A little update.... had some time this morning so I did some investigation....

• 11:45am..... outside of Amtrak station. I see two cabs and looks like people are just getting off the train. Cab drivers are board... I need business.
• 11:55am... the two cabs are gone and I see about a dozen people. Hmm... if I was stuck in that congestion. I would either take the Skytrain or call the cab to pick me up at the business next door (Party Bazaar). Could not tell how busy the Skytrain is at this time.
  https://www.thepartybazaar.com/
• 12pm... looking at Google traffic, no congestion on the Dunsmiur viaducts (congestion West of Burrard)..... so I decided to drive my car into the core to see what it was like for a taxi.
• 12:07pm.... Dunsmuir viaduct was busy, but I maintained 45kph. Those going to Four Seasons or Hotel Georgia would have made the trip in 7 minutes instead of the Google 5min with no traffic.
• 12:09pm... outside Pan Pacific.... had some more time to kill..... so I went to Capilano and Grouse
• drove along shoreline/Coal Harbour (Cordova, Hastings, Bayshore, and finally Denman). This avoided the congestion on Pender and Georgia. Lions gate was OK leaving the city, but heavy coming into the city. Stanley Park was busy with cars lining up to get in for those parking spaces.
• 12:30pm.... first hint of heavy congestion was on Capilano road outside the suspension bridge where the car parking was full and vehicles were circling. Onwards to Grouse.
• Grouse was not bad and found around a dozen parking spots around 12:45pm??? Let's double-back to the Capilano bridge
• 1pm at Capilano....
  • 20 minute wait to purchase tickets for the attraction
  • 30 to 40 minute wait to cross the main bridge
  • 20 to 30 minute wait to get on to Cliffwalk
  • as Disneyland veterans.... we should be used to these wait times!
  • talking with the staff.... this weekend is the busiest weekend of the year. Additional staff are hired to manage the congestion.
  • they expect congestion to be heavy until 4:30pm when most tour buses will leave and tourists will be looking for dinner.
• 1:30pm... left Capilano and headed back to the city via Iron workers.... radio was constant warning of parade congestion

Other thoughts...

• While the Hop On service was shutdown for the day... the Capilano and Grouse shuttles were running in the congestion. Public transit (Seabus) would also avoid congestion to the North Shore attractions
• sunset is around 9pm... why not plan for later visit when congestion is less and have a late dinner. Most restaurants are open until 9pm and a select number are open later than that.
• while pre-parade congestion was light, I expect post parade congestion will be heavier.
• the city does have webcams.... but they don't always work....
  http://vanmapp1.vancouver.ca/gmaps/citymap.htm?map=traffic_cameras
• As bumpershoot mentions.. congestion is focused in the blocks immediate to the parade. Pity those staying at the following hotels who are not there for the parade... https://twitter.com/JamesRha/status/627961076206833665/photo/1
  • Blue Horizon
  • Empire Landmark
  • Hotel Vancouver
  • Sutton
  • Wall Center
  • Best Western Plus Sands
  • Coast Plaza Hotel & Suites

 

[Disneyteachers]

Wow! Thank you. So, I'm toying with another potentially brilliant revelation (may not work with traffic.). We have the day we return from cruise for Capilano, so I don't need to deal with the busiest wknd of the year there. DH and DD want to see orcas on a whale watch which we were going to do in Juneau (we can do whale watches at anytime where we spend the summer for less $, but they want the orcas.). In doing some research it seems like a whale watch out of vancouver may be better than waiting until Alaska. So, viator has one with transportation from your hotel to steveston. I'm not sure we could make it in time for that on Sunday, but if we took the night train from Seattle on Sat (I'm thinking we will still see quite a bit of the countryside on our way before it gets dark) we could do an am whale watch on Sunday then just hang out at/near the hotel after that. Am I nuts? Is my thinking flawed?

 

[Disneyteachers]

Ugh, DH vetoed the plan of the night train, so now I'm thinking:

Fly to Seattle on Friday and see our two must do items.

Train to vancouver on Sat morning

Whale watch on Sun morning

Cruise on Monday then Capilano when we return the following Mon. We could potentially fly to lax on Monday evening. (Not sure on how long one could expect it to take to do a round trip Capilano from canada place??)

This actually provides a more relaxed beginning as we only had two must-do items for seattle with the kids. (My kids are disney kids at heart - tramping through museums is not a strong suit!)

 

[Disneyteachers]

Or (I have too much time on my hands) we could save the whale watch for the Monday we return and stay at the airport overnight for our tue flight. That moves Capilano to the busy wknd though...

 

[sdjen]

We are in Vancouver right now to embark tomorrow. We did Stanley park and the aquarium yesterday (and the horse drawn carriage tour there). The park was quite busy but not too horrible. We left the Taylor swift concert a little early and took the sky train back to the Hyatt without any problems. There were some streets blocked off for the fireworks but didn't cause us any issues.

Today we left our hotel about 11:15 and took the sky train part of the way to Steveston (and then caught a ride with some friends). It was quite busy downtown for the parade but we were going against most of the train traffic. Steveston was also pretty busy due to a farmers market. It's a neat town to visit though. We have found the public transportation system very easy to use and Vancouverites are also very willing to help with any questions or directions.

I know this doesn't directly help you but I think you will be fine!

 

[Disneyteachers]

We are in Vancouver right now to embark tomorrow. We did Stanley park and the aquarium yesterday (and the horse drawn carriage tour there). The park was quite busy but not too horrible. We left the Taylor swift concert a little early and took the sky train back to the Hyatt without any problems. There were some streets blocked off for the fireworks but didn't cause us any issues.

Today we left our hotel about 11:15 and took the sky train part of the way to Steveston (and then caught a ride with some friends). It was quite busy downtown for the parade but we were going against most of the train traffic. Steveston was also pretty busy due to a farmers market. It's a neat town to visit though. We have found the public transportation system very easy to use and Vancouverites are also very willing to help with any questions or directions.

I know this doesn't directly help you but I think you will be fine!

Awesome, thank you. Have a great trip.

 

[xlxo]

DH and DD want to see orcas on a whale watch which we were going to do in Juneau

If I want to see the big and magestic humpbacks.... go to Juneau for the whale watch. If you want to see the smaller and faster Orca's..... come to Vancouver.

Some thoughts.....

• whale watches depart from downtown Vancouver, Granville Island and Steveston.
• I recommend departing from Storybrooke/Steveston. My whale watch went South to the San Juan (Tumbo Island). By departing from Steveston, you lose out on English Bay views, but you avoid the turbulent waters around UBC and the airport. Haven't used their services, but I recommend you compare this outfit. I see they have downtown shuttles ($15), or you can take public transit for about $10 for a daypass.
  http://www.vancouverwhalewatch.com/
• another outfit to consider is the Prince of Whales... if you want to explore Victoria/Butchart or connect to Seattle (w/ luggage).
  http://princeofwhales.com/vancouver/

 

[Disneyteachers]

I'm going to guess the one on viator is the same outfit...description and boats look to be the same.

 

[xlxo]

Cruise on Monday then Capilano when we return the following Mon. We could potentially fly to lax on Monday evening. (Not sure on how long one could expect it to take to do a round trip Capilano from canada place??)

Hmm...

• check the schedule.... it's about 30 minutes from Downtown to Capilano. Note if it's busy, it can take a few shuttles before you get on mid day.
  http://www.capbridge.com/visit/shuttle-service/
• Budget 90 minutes at the Capilano bridge
• budget another 30 mintues to return to Vancouver
• does the idea of Grouse Mountain interest you too at 10 minutes away from the Bridge? Capilano and Grouse and the two marquee tourist attractions. But 3 hours on Grouse to enjoy it all.

BTW... have you shortlisted some hotels or locations on where you plan to stay?

 

[Disneyteachers]

No real interest in grouse mountain...not sure why, but we have bears in our back yard, we ski in the winter so the whole mountain thing isn't a draw, and and all of the other stuff just doesn't appeal.

I think we decided not to fly out late at night on the debark day, rather we will wait until Tuesday so Monday has more flexibility.

 

[xlxo]

I'm going to guess the one on viator is the same outfit...description and boats look to be the same.

If it's this tour.... http://www.viator.com/tours/Vancouver/Whale-Watching-Tour-from-Vancouver/d616-5322WHALE

I would say yes.

 

[Disneyteachers]

I really would like to stay at the pan pacific. Debating fairmont at the hotel before we fly out, but not sold on that yet. Until flights are out, I won't know exact timing so not sure whether it'll be worth the added expense. We are headed to Disneyland after so I've got to watch my budget a bit.

 

[Disneyteachers]

If it's this tour.... http://www.viator.com/tours/Vancouver/Whale-Watching-Tour-from-Vancouver/d616-5322WHALE

I would say yes.

Yup...and viator often has discounts so if I can save I might do it that way. Not sure, but think this may be a way to hedge our bets on seeing orcas.

 

[xlxo]

I really would like to stay at the pan pacific. Debating fairmont at the hotel before we fly out, but not sold on that yet. Until flights are out, I won't know exact timing so not sure whether it'll be worth the added expense. We are headed to Disneyland after so I've got to watch my budget a bit.

If budget is an issue... consider the following hotels that are close to the terminal, but away from the Parade congestion.

• Delta Suites
• Pinnacle Harbourfront
• Marriot Pinnacle
• Hampton Inn downtown
• Day's Inn
• Auberge