**** Vancouver FAQ Thread **** A few updates in main post!

[poohj80]

We are looking to make reservations at Pan Pacific and remember reading folks here were able to book a AAA rate, but according to their web site these are only available until Dec 2010 right now. Did you have to call to book the discounted rate for next year?

 

[Mineu]

I called the hotel to get the 2011 AAA rate.

 

[smeecanada]

So have they officially come out and stated it will be Canada Place for the cruise terminal? I made ressies for Pan Pacific awhile ago but wanted to make sure we are as close to the terminal as possible.

I don't think so. They usually release Port schedules around early February.

 

[Anjelica]

I don't think so. They usually release Port schedules around early February.

Thanks!!! With two small children and my brother who sometimes uses a wheelchair its important for us to be near the actual cruise terminal as much possible.

 

[smeecanada]

Thanks!!! With two small children and my brother who sometimes uses a wheelchair its important for us to be near the actual cruise terminal as much possible.

The other terminal is in an industrial area about 5-10 minutes to the right of Canada Place. I would book near Canada Place and then get a taxi to the other terminal if need be. Don't think there are any hotels near Ballantyne Pier.

You should be able to get a taxi to accomodate the wheelchair with no problem. Rick Hansen lives there - so Vancouver is a very wheelchair accessible city.

 

[mmmears]

We are looking to make reservations at Pan Pacific and remember reading folks here were able to book a AAA rate, but according to their web site these are only available until Dec 2010 right now. Did you have to call to book the discounted rate for next year?

I called them too and got a AAA rate for next June.

 

[jilljill]

Tell me what you think of these hotels please:

Days Inn Hotel Downtown - 921 West Pender Street

Park Inn & Suites on Broadway - 898 West Broadway

Four Seasons Hotel - 791 West Georgia Street


I realize the second hotel is a couple miles from the port and that's fine with us. Just looking for a nice, clean place to stay that's in a good area of the city.

 

[lenzs4]

OK, I am looking to book for two night prior to our June cruise. I want the PAn PAcific based on this threads recommendations. It is currently listed at 195.00 per night. Is that a deal or is that typically what it runs per night. I tried to priceline the area and no deals are coming up at this time and I do not want to miss out if this is a good deal for the hotel.

 

["Got Disney"]

OK, I am looking to book for two night prior to our June cruise. I want the PAn PAcific based on this threads recommendations. It is currently listed at 195.00 per night. Is that a deal or is that typically what it runs per night. I tried to priceline the area and no deals are coming up at this time and I do not want to miss out if this is a good deal for the hotel.

We paid total per night with AAA taxs and fees $240 per night......for 4 of us. This is with a Delux city view.

The taxes and fees are 15.74% ....also be sure to ask for US rates.

my price I mentioned is Canada pricing and will be ajusted when we pay. but the rate is not that much less at this point.

It is worth staying there for many reasons. We are staying there one night and heading up to Whistler for 3 than back to the PP for 2 more nights....they will hold our luggage for us so we dont half to bring it all with us.

also your room porter will bring your luggage to the ship....all you have to do is walk from your room down to the elevator to the ship.

In addition the hotel is in a great place.....and you can also get a free bike rental at the hotel to use at the park.

also if you have kids they have 5 rooms only that have 2 double beds, 1 queen pull out sofa and 1 rollaway....my boys need there own beds they are to tall. And DH and I are use to a Ca. King bed so sleeping in a double bed together is way to small.

what is it with Canada having almost all there rooms in all the hotels with just double beds...not queens

 

[disneymath]

[QUOTE="Got Disney";38636680]what is it with Canada having almost all there rooms in all the hotels with just double beds...not queens[/QUOTE]


To be honest ... I don't think it is so much a "Canada" thing as it is a "big city" thing. (We were trying to book rooms in NYC and the thought of paying $300+ per night for double beds was a bit shocking. There did not seem to be many options with 2 queen beds. Some rooms offered 1 queen instead of 1 king.)

A lot of hotels in and around Toronto, on the other hand, seem to be 2 queens or 1 king.

 

[mmmears]

To be honest ... I don't think it is so much a "Canada" thing as it is a "big city" thing. (We were trying to book rooms in NYC and the thought of paying $300+ per night for double beds was a bit shocking. There did not seem to be many options with 2 queen beds. Some rooms offered 1 queen instead of 1 king.)

After reading what you wrote I had to go back and look at what we have booked -- and you are right. We have 2 doubles at the PP in Vancouver, plus for another trip, 2 doubles again (wish they were queens) in Midtown, NYC. And yes, that one is more than $300 per night. Not scientific, but my personal reservations are in line with your observations. Definitely not what we are used to, but we normally vacation in more resort-type areas and not in large cities.

 

[geoffrey]

Ugly news for Amtrak Cascades users. The Canadian government wants to charge additional fees for the daily train which arrives in the evening, and Amtrak may cancel the train. I don't know the details about how the on-board inspections occur or why the train arriving in the evening is being charged fees while the morning arrival does not. All I know is that all the discussion is very political, with a lot of local and provincial politicians sniping at the federal government that charges the fee. It's just sad.

News link 1
News link 2
News link 3

Not to worry, this has been cleared up
http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/localnews/2013164722_bctrain15m.html

 

["Got Disney"]

After reading what you wrote I had to go back and look at what we have booked -- and you are right. We have 2 doubles at the PP in Vancouver, plus for another trip, 2 doubles again (wish they were queens) in Midtown, NYC. And yes, that one is more than $300 per night. Not scientific, but my personal reservations are in line with your observations. Definitely not what we are used to, but we normally vacation in more resort-type areas and not in large cities.

Same here....maybe that is why we always have queens. Although everywhere in Ca. we have stayed in any of the hotels...even the cheeper ones have always had 2 queens in the room, also in Vegas...hmmmmmm ....interesting.

 

[my three girls]

What's the earliest flight out after the cruise we can comfortably book? Is an 11:00 am flight makeable?

We're flying out of the Vancouver airport. What time do you think they will let you off the ship? Does it take a lot of time going through customs?

Thanks!

 

[smeecanada]

What's the earliest flight out after the cruise we can comfortably book? Is an 11:00 am flight makeable?

We're flying out of the Vancouver airport. What time do you think they will let you off the ship? Does it take a lot of time going through customs?

Thanks!

I would aim for a 1pm flight or later. You have to drive at least 30 minutes to the airport from Port. Check in, go thru security and then customs. That can take awhile.

 

[gduvall]

DCL is saying noon or later

 

[bonzie1]

Lollipop's Mom Thanks for putting together all of this information for us! We are over on the REPO thread, and so appreciate your efforts!

 

[jilljill]

I would aim for a 1pm flight or later. You have to drive at least 30 minutes to the airport from Port. Check in, go thru security and then customs. That can take awhile.

I've seen it mentioned a couple of times going thru customs at the airport, is this Canadian or US Customs? I'm only asking because when we were at the Shannon airport in Ireland we went thru US Customs there and didn't need to when our flight arrived into the US.

thanks

 

[EastYorkDisneyFan]

I've seen it mentioned a couple of times going thru customs at the airport, is this Canadian or US Customs? I'm only asking because when we were at the Shannon airport in Ireland we went thru US Customs there and didn't need to when our flight arrived into the US.

thanks

If you are flying to a US destination then you will clear US customs in the Vancouver airport. If you are connecting through another Canadian city then you won't go through customs. Also when you fly into the US you will land at a domestic gate and not an international one.

 

[jilljill]

Thanks for that info, that's helpful with picking a flight time. Later the better then so not to stress out if you will make a flight or not.