2013 Worlds Tickets info

[Doggygirl]

That is a great report kimkom! Makes me feel even better about the choice to do this through DASH rather than do it on my own!

[TanithandBenFan]

I was able to make a reservation at the Holiday Inn Express downtown in that small window of time where they were open, but today I received a letter in the mail stating that my reservation has been cancelled because a major figure skating company had reserved the entire hotel. There wasn't supposed to be openings online. So, if anyone else was able to make a res during that time, be prepared to be booted out!

[overedge]

I was able to make a reservation at the Holiday Inn Express downtown in that small window of time where they were open, but today I received a letter in the mail stating that my reservation has been cancelled because a major figure skating company had reserved the entire hotel. There wasn't supposed to be openings online. So, if anyone else was able to make a res during that time, be prepared to be booted out!

Did they offer to rebook you somewhere else? I would phone them and demand they do that. It's not your fault that they can't manage their booking system correctly.

[TanithandBenFan]

Did they offer to rebook you somewhere else? I would phone them and demand they do that. It's not your fault that they can't manage their booking system correctly.

They included a list of hotels and phone numbers, most of which I'm sure are already booked. I have a reservation at the Country Inn but was trying to get something within walking distance. Glad I hadn't cancelled my other reservation yet!

[overedge]

They included a list of hotels and phone numbers, most of which I'm sure are already booked. I have a reservation at the Country Inn but was trying to get something within walking distance. Glad I hadn't cancelled my other reservation yet!

If they were the ones who cancelled the reservation, why are they expecting you to do the work of finding an alternative? They didn't hold up their end of the deal. Phone them and tell them to do the rebooking.

[LadyNit]

hmmm...shades of Skate America in Reading. i remember when the hilton booted a lot of fans. but they at least had the courtesy to book them rooms at a hotel that was just across the street.

fingers crossed that I won't get the dreaded 'no room for you' message...

[TanithandBenFan]

hmmm...shades of Skate America in Reading. i remember when the hilton booted a lot of fans. but they at least had the courtesy to book them rooms at a hotel that was just across the street.

fingers crossed that I won't get the dreaded 'no room for you' message...

Where are you staying in London?

[kwanette]

hmmm...shades of Skate America in Reading. i remember when the hilton booted a lot of fans. but they at least had the courtesy to book them rooms at a hotel that was just across the street.

fingers crossed that I won't get the dreaded 'no room for you' message...

That happened to some of us in 03 in Reading. We had booked the Abraham Lincoln, later became a Wyndham, and we were booted. We ended up at the Inn in Reading.

[snobben2345]

Sorry for those who have had their hotel reservations cancelled, but I’m not at all surprised.

I thought that picking London to host 2013 Worlds was a bad idea when the decision was made. Stories like these do not inspire confidence:

http://www.lfpress.com/comment/edito.../19618516.html

http://www.lfpress.com/news/london/2...-19614121.html

To me, these stories say that there’s no real organizational plan or budget for the event yet. You’d think that all of this would be worked out when the original bid was made, not 11 months out. And how do 35,000 people (or 50,000, depending on which number you use ) get shoehorned into 4,000 (at best) hotel rooms? Even if you allow for local spectators, there’s still the athletes, media, feds, parents, officials, etc. etc. I won’t be surprised if more folks end up getting bumped from their reservations.

If the “plan” for an event requires spectators to stay on the outskirts of town because there isn’t enough hotel space downtown, then you have to offset that by having some way of efficiently moving people from hotels (whether on the city outskirts or out-of-town to the arena). One local bus route every half hour just doesn’t cut it. In Nice, the tram ran every few minutes, so no one fussed if you missed the tram, or it was too full. The next one was just minutes away.

So I was appalled to read Coyote Chris’ post that London Tourism hadn’t even turned their mind to this problem yet. I agree that shuttles are not norm for skating events, but in this case, the facts dictate otherwise. If London views this as a big “World” scale event, they need (or have to implement, if only temporarily) an infrastructure on a world class scale. If that means shuttles, so be it.

Seriously, I would have thought that Skate Canada would have required bids with an actual logistical plan and budget for an event like Worlds. It really looks like these folks are flying by the seat of their pants.

All that seems to matter is the influx of money into the city and getting London on TeeVee. So far, I don’t see any consideration for the comfort and convenience of the fans who will be spending money to support this event. Well, there’s the $600,000 Light Show. But that’s for TeeVee too.

And now Skate Canada wants federal and provincial money to help pay for Worlds? That doesn’t sit well with me when CBC’s budget is being cut, possibly affecting TV coverage.

I feel really sorry for Virtue & Moir having to cheerlead this. They’ve seen enough of the world to know better, but they don’t have much of a choice.

[WildRose]

To me, these stories say that there’s no real organizational plan or budget for the event yet. You’d think that all of this would be worked out when the original bid was made, not 11 months out. And how do 35,000 people (or 50,000, depending on which number you use ) get shoehorned into 4,000 (at best) hotel rooms?

Those numbers are attendance for the whole week long event - the arena only holds 9000 people. They aren't going to need to put 50,000 people in hotels all at the same time.
As for transportation, If people can manage to get to the John Labatt Arena for hockey games and other events on a regular basis then I see no reason why Skate Canada needs to waste money providing shuttle buses for figure skating fans when there are plenty of other options for them to get there.

[CoyoteChris]

Sorry for those who have had their hotel reservations cancelled, but I’m not at all surprised.

I thought that picking London to host 2013 Worlds was a bad idea when the decision was made. Stories like these do not inspire confidence:

http://www.lfpress.com/comment/edito.../19618516.html

http://www.lfpress.com/news/london/2...-19614121.html

To me, these stories say that there’s no real organizational plan or budget for the event yet. You’d think that all of this would be worked out when the original bid was made, not 11 months out. And how do 35,000 people (or 50,000, depending on which number you use ) get shoehorned into 4,000 (at best) hotel rooms? Even if you allow for local spectators, there’s still the athletes, media, feds, parents, officials, etc. etc. I won’t be surprised if more folks end up getting bumped from their reservations.

If the “plan” for an event requires spectators to stay on the outskirts of town because there isn’t enough hotel space downtown, then you have to offset that by having some way of efficiently moving people from hotels (whether on the city outskirts or out-of-town to the arena). One local bus route every half hour just doesn’t cut it. In Nice, the tram ran every few minutes, so no one fussed if you missed the tram, or it was too full. The next one was just minutes away.

So I was appalled to read Coyote Chris’ post that London Tourism hadn’t even turned their mind to this problem yet. I agree that shuttles are not norm for skating events, but in this case, the facts dictate otherwise. If London views this as a big “World” scale event, they need (or have to implement, if only temporarily) an infrastructure on a world class scale. If that means shuttles, so be it.

Seriously, I would have thought that Skate Canada would have required bids with an actual logistical plan and budget for an event like Worlds. It really looks like these folks are flying by the seat of their pants.

All that seems to matter is the influx of money into the city and getting London on TeeVee. So far, I don’t see any consideration for the comfort and convenience of the fans who will be spending money to support this event. Well, there’s the $600,000 Light Show. But that’s for TeeVee too.

And now Skate Canada wants federal and provincial money to help pay for Worlds? That doesn’t sit well with me when CBC’s budget is being cut, possibly affecting TV coverage.

I feel really sorry for Virtue & Moir having to cheerlead this. They’ve seen enough of the world to know better, but they don’t have much of a choice.

Thanks for posting this info. It IS odd that they dont understand what one "attendance" actually is. If there are in fact 8 competitions at any event, then usually if the arena holds 9,000 folks, you could argue that the biggest attendence one could expect was 72,000 for the week. Some events use "seat days"...still others use tickets sold per day and add them up.
At nats, you might get the novice ladies short and the novice pairs short for one ticket....

I think they are gettting the idea that a bit of planning is necessary due to all those of us down near the Mall. Its not rocket science. What is your bus system capacity over normal needs? Can you add extra buses? What is the cab system capacity over and above normal needs? Will the bus driver's union allow all the extra hours of O/T? A competent event planner could handle these issues in a few meetings. If there isnt enough capacity, you bring in rent-a-shuttle buses like Greensboro did.

As one can see in the stories, the mall is seeing dollar signs. It is in THEIR best interest to not have potential customers waiting at bus stops and spending an hour every day riding the city bus, when they could be shopping instead (and dont tell me figure skating fans dont shop, I am comming with two ladies that do just that at every event we go to) It is also in the best interests of the restaurants to have a shuttle service. Greensboro also found this out.

Wise planners DO think about customer service. But even if they are just thinking about our / and their/ pocket books, it makes sense to plan ahead and keep our butts out of long lines and long rides and in the stores and restaurants....

Time to e-mail the mall manager.....
(My mistake. The article said they were lowering the seating to 6,500 due to cameras and altered floor plan....that would be a max of 52,000 event seats.....)

[CoyoteChris]

I was able to make a reservation at the Holiday Inn Express downtown in that small window of time where they were open, but today I received a letter in the mail stating that my reservation has been cancelled because a major figure skating company had reserved the entire hotel. There wasn't supposed to be openings online. So, if anyone else was able to make a res during that time, be prepared to be booted out!

I really am sorry this happened to you. Thirty years ago, they would apologize, taken responsibility for their error, and found you another great room at their expense. Unfortunately, we seem to now live in a "screw you" society where a contract is meaningless.
Smart move on the Country Inn!

[nylynnr]

With all due respect, the lack of respect for "contracts" works both ways. Some seem to be double- or triple-booking rooms while they decide which hotel is best for them, thus taking rooms off the reservation market until eventually cancelling at least one of the reservations. That cuts down the supply of rooms, too.

[allezfred]

As for transportation, If people can manage to get to the John Labatt Arena for hockey games and other events on a regular basis then I see no reason why Skate Canada needs to waste money providing shuttle buses for figure skating fans when there are plenty of other options for them to get there.

Don't really have an opinion on whether local organising committees need to provide shuttle buses for fans, but the logistics of a World Championships with spectators coming from all over the globe for a week long event is a bit different to that of a local hockey game.

[TanithandBenFan]

With all due respect, the lack of respect for "contracts" works both ways. Some seem to be double- or triple-booking rooms while they decide which hotel is best for them, thus taking rooms off the reservation market until eventually cancelling at least one of the reservations. That cuts down the supply of rooms, too.

I don't think that's the overriding problem with this event. The downtown hotels I've called have been booked up because they've been fully blocked by Skate Canada or some other entity (tour companies, etc). I made a reservation at the Country Inn a long time when someone mentioned it on here but jumped at the chance to get into a hotel where I wouldn't have to rent a car or rely on public transportation (which doesn't sound very convenient from what I've read here).

[nubka]

Don't really have an opinion on whether local organising committees need to provide shuttle buses for fans, but the logistics of a World Championships with spectators coming from all over the globe for a week long event is a bit different to that of a local hockey game.

ITA!

[marion853]

Having been at many World & Canadian Championships I can tell you that it is not the norm to be within walking dstance of the arena. Many Canadian and International arenas are far outside the main part of a city and often there are no easy access hotels. We deal with it. Rent a car, ride the bus or use taxis. London has a lot more hotels within easy access to the arena than many, many other locations.

[CoyoteChris]

Having been at many World & Canadian Championships I can tell you that it is not the norm to be within walking dstance of the arena. Many Canadian and International arenas are far outside the main part of a city and often there are no easy access hotels. We deal with it. Rent a car, ride the bus or use taxis. London has a lot more hotels within easy access to the arena than many, many other locations.

That is interesting. I am trying to remember an event in America I have been to in the last five years that wasnt within walking distance from an obtainable hotel. Certainly all nats, 4 Conts and Skate Americas were...(I am not sure about Portland as I drove there from Spokane and chose a far out hotel). Even Greensboro and Worlds LA were only a mile walk....are there no hotels around the arena in Vancouver BC where the worlds and 4 Conts were held?

[CoyoteChris]

With all due respect, the lack of respect for "contracts" works both ways. Some seem to be double- or triple-booking rooms while they decide which hotel is best for them, thus taking rooms off the reservation market until eventually cancelling at least one of the reservations. That cuts down the supply of rooms, too.

The difference in contract law is that the hotels post a cancellation policy, meaning you are within your rights as a booker to cancel your reservation using their rules. Morally, you have a case, of course. Personally, I have no moral problem making a reservation and then if there is an opening, by some miracle, at a good hotel, dropping the first reservation once I am assured of the better place. Holding on to multiple reservations for ever till the last minute may be legal but not moral, IMHO.

[kimkom]

I haven't seen many Canadian arenas within (reasonable) walking distance to hotels either. Not that they don't exist, but 5 Skate Canadas, a Nationals, a GPF and the Olympics, and I've had to bus/cab it to a hotel every time.

For some reason, many Canadian cities like to build their arenas in industrial-type areas.