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

[Ginamarie]

Hi,

I understand your dilemma. We too are from NY. To avoid having to fly home on the red eye, we are actually taking Air Cananda out of Newark. JFK is 15 mins. from us and LGA is about 30 minutes away from us but Newark had the best flight time. We are travelling with young children and several elderly people so the red eye could not be an option for us. Good luck with your flights!

Thanks! We live on Long Island and I see that Air Canada has two options into La Guardia which are around noon. I think we'll be doing that!

 

[mellers]

We're wondering about return flights too and what to do with luggage.

Most flights are first thing in the morning, and we want to avoid staying an extra night(since we're coming in a few days early). We found a good price for a 6:30 PM flight, but what do we do with our luggage if we want to spend time in Vancouver between disembarkation and getting to the aiport?

I don't know the exact details, but I know that Canada Place terminal does short-term luggage storage. Canada Place publishes that they have it, but they don't give details. I found this online, which has more details, but I can't verify its accuracy:

http://www.luggageguides.com/articles/1528/luggage-storage-area-in-canada.html

 

[wdhinn89]

How many hours ahead of your flight can you check in your luggage at the airport.

We are taking DCL transportation back to the airport and planning on checking our luggage and renting a car for the day. Our flight is at 10:00pm.


OR

we will cancel the return transfers to the airport and rent a car for the day, store the luggage in the trunk and return the car to the airport. Have to check the cost difference and if we could check our luggage at the airport 12 hours before our flight

 

[jilljill]

How many hours ahead of your flight can you check in your luggage at the airport.

We are taking DCL transportation back to the airport and planning on checking our luggage and renting a car for the day. Our flight is a 10:00pm.

It's usually no longer than 3 hours before flight time, but check with your airline to be sure. Looks like you will be taking your luggage with you for the day.

 

[mouseclick1]

How many hours ahead of your flight can you check in your luggage at the airport.

We are taking DCL transportation back to the airport and planning on checking our luggage and renting a car for the day. Our flight is at 10:00pm.


OR

we will cancel the return transfers to the airport and rent a car for the day, store the luggage in the trunk and return the car to the airport. Have to check the cost difference and if we could check our luggage at the airport 12 hours before our flight

Hmmm...I hadn't thought of doing this. We are taking a 5:45 pm train to Seattle, and planned to have the luggage stored for the afternoon at Canada Place. I wonder if we would be better off renting a car for the afternoon and carting our luggage around ourselves. Something to think about!

 

[mellers]

How many hours ahead of your flight can you check in your luggage at the airport.

We are taking DCL transportation back to the airport and planning on checking our luggage and renting a car for the day. Our flight is at 10:00pm.


OR

we will cancel the return transfers to the airport and rent a car for the day, store the luggage in the trunk and return the car to the airport. Have to check the cost difference and if we could check our luggage at the airport 12 hours before our flight

Depending upon how far afield you plan to go, you might be better off storing your luggage and taking taxis to the places you plan to visit and back to the airport. If it's only $33 to take a taxi from Canada Place to the airport, that's not bad. If you took a taxi over to Stanley Park, went through the park and the aquarium, and came back, got your luggage and went to the airport, I would think that would be your whole day.

Remember, the cost of gas in Canada is a lot higher than in the United States.

 

[DisneyCruisin]

I don't know the exact details, but I know that Canada Place terminal does short-term luggage storage. Canada Place publishes that they have it, but they don't give details. I found this online, which has more details, but I can't verify its accuracy:

http://www.luggageguides.com/articles/1528/luggage-storage-area-in-canada.html

Thanks so much!

 

[DisneyCruiser2008]

What do you all think is the easiest way to get from the Amtrak station to the Pan Pacific hotel? We are taking the Amtrak Cascades from Seattle.... Are cabs readily available? And around how much will the fare be? There will be 4 of us ... myself, DH, DS(8) and DD(5). Thanks!

 

[pixie08]

Thanks! We live on Long Island and I see that Air Canada has two options into La Guardia which are around noon. I think we'll be doing that!

We are also from LI, most likely doing Air Canada and taking an 11 am on debarkation day.

 

[mellers]

What do you all think is the easiest way to get from the Amtrak station to the Pan Pacific hotel? We are taking the Amtrak Cascades from Seattle.... Are cabs readily available? And around how much will the fare be? There will be 4 of us ... myself, DH, DS(8) and DD(5). Thanks!

I can't say what the fare would be exactly, and I can't speak to the availability of taxis, but the station is only about 1.5 miles away from Canada Place, so I can't think it would be very expensive at all.

 

[Ginamarie]

We are also from LI, most likely doing Air Canada and taking an 11 am on debarkation day.

I heard that the Vancouver security line can be lengthy and slow, so I booked the 12:00 pm flight through Toronto. We have a group of 12 with two infants, a toddler, and three kids, so it's a lot to keep track of! At least this way, we can take our time from the ship to the airport and getting onto the plane.

 

[mellers]

I heard that the Vancouver security line can be lengthy and slow, so I booked the 12:00 pm flight through Toronto. We have a group of 12 with two infants, a toddler, and three kids, so it's a lot to keep track of! At least this way, we can take our time from the ship to the airport and getting onto the plane.

You mean Vancouver, not Toronto, right????

 

[mellers]

You mean Vancouver, not Toronto, right????

Sorry, I misread--it looks like you mean that you'll be connecting through Toronto.

 

[Ginamarie]

Sorry, I misread--it looks like you mean that you'll be connecting through Toronto.

Yes, Vancouver to Toronto and then Toronto to La Guardia

 

[mellers]

Yes, Vancouver to Toronto and then Toronto to La Guardia

That's a very good plan--customs is a real pain.

 

[pixie08]

I heard that the Vancouver security line can be lengthy and slow, so I booked the 12:00 pm flight through Toronto. We have a group of 12 with two infants, a toddler, and three kids, so it's a lot to keep track of! At least this way, we can take our time from the ship to the airport and getting onto the plane.

I am going to look at that flight. The problem is DH and I both have to get to work the next day so I need a flight that gets in before midnight.

I checked- that does look like a better flight. It gives us time, and still gets us home at a reasonable hour. Thanks!

 

[MinnieDiva]

I am going to look at that flight. The problem is DH and I both have to get to work the next day so I need a flight that gets in before midnight.

I checked- that does look like a better flight. It gives us time, and still gets us home at a reasonable hour. Thanks!

Have you booked the cruise officially???

 

[Ginamarie]

I am going to look at that flight. The problem is DH and I both have to get to work the next day so I need a flight that gets in before midnight.

I checked- that does look like a better flight. It gives us time, and still gets us home at a reasonable hour. Thanks!

Same here! If the flights run on time, we should be home around midnight, so it won't be too bad getting to work on Wednesday.

 

[OrcaPotter]

Forgive me if these questions have been asked countless times already; I've gone back and read several pages but am trying to get an idea of the cheapest route to the port in Vancouver. My friends and family are hoping an Alaska Disney cruise is something we can pull off!

It's mad-expensive to fly direct from Orlando to Vancouver. However, much cheaper to fly to Seattle. I understand there are a few options. It'd be cool to take the train and seems relatively inexpensive. How far is the train station from the airport? Would we require a cab to get there?

Would folks recommend flying into Seattle the day before the cruise, then taking the train first thing in the morning? I gather that the train station in Vancouver is very close to the port. Do you think it'd be cheaper to stay overnight in Seattle than in Vancouver?

 

[mellers]

Forgive me if these questions have been asked countless times already; I've gone back and read several pages but am trying to get an idea of the cheapest route to the port in Vancouver. My friends and family are hoping an Alaska Disney cruise is something we can pull off!

It's mad-expensive to fly direct from Orlando to Vancouver. However, much cheaper to fly to Seattle. I understand there are a few options. It'd be cool to take the train and seems relatively inexpensive. How far is the train station from the airport? Would we require a cab to get there?

Would folks recommend flying into Seattle the day before the cruise, then taking the train first thing in the morning? I gather that the train station in Vancouver is very close to the port. Do you think it'd be cheaper to stay overnight in Seattle than in Vancouver?

I live outside Seattle, and I'd recommend taking the Quick Shuttle (http://www.quickcoach.com ), because, unlike Amtrak, it will take you directly from Sea-Tac to Vancouver (but send someone ahead to pick up the luggage, and one of you get take-out food before you leave the secure area--the QuickShuttle doesn't stop for meals, and it's a LONG ride). While it would probably be cheaper to stay at a Seattle airport hotel, and then get on the Quick Shuttle and go directly to Canada Place, I would not recommend it. There's just too many things that can go wrong during a border crossing.

You'd have a more expensive cab ride to the terminal, but there is a very pleasant, inexpensive, good hotel for families in Richmond, BC, near the Vancouver airport--The Vancouver Airport La Quinta. If you take the QuickShuttle from Sea-Tac to the Vancouver Airport, the hotel has a free shuttle from YVR. It also has a nice breakfast, and a small (but DEEP!) indoor pool that can be fun for kids. Another good hotel in this area is the Four Points Vancouver Airport--we got it free for points, so we'll be staying there. They also have a free airport shuttle.

http://www.lq.com/lq/respath/checkA...&searchState=&searchRadius=40&searchCategory=

http://www.starwoodhotels.com/fourpoints/property/overview/index.html?propertyID=213

There's also a Zellers nearby (like a Target) if you need anything last minute. You can then take a cab to the cruise terminal, or hire a car to the cruise terminal. If you get a good deal closer to the cruise terminal, call the Quick Shuttle and it may drop you off directly at your hotel, which might save you that last taxi ride--that should definitely figure into your financial calculations as to where would be best to stay. It will cost you between $33-$89, depending upon how you travel and how crazy the traffic is, to go from the La Quinta or Four Points to the cruise terminal, by taxi or by hired car.

If you can get a good deal at the Pan Pacific, the Canada Place website says that it's right at the Cruise Terminal, but from what I've heard from others on this site, it's kind of scary expensive. Worth a call to check, however.

Hope you get a chance to go, and enjoy your cruise!