2018/2019 Grand Prix Final will be in Vancouver

[Bunny Hop]

I let Mr Bunny Hop choose the seats. He's more likely than me to be fussy about their location. As long as they're close enough for me to see what's going on I'm fine. He went with one of the corner sections, so we should get a good view of jumps.

We're booking airline tickets now, as we want to make sure we don't have to transit through the US (always a nightmare). Hotel next.

ETA: Actually husband is looking at hire cars and muttering darkly about only being able to get American cars.

 

[AJ Skatefan]

Does anybody have an idea where the official hotel will be?

 

[manhn]

The Sheraton Wall Centre was the official hotel for the last two Canadians in Vancouver. Hyatt Regency was the official hotel for 4CC in 2009.

 

[AJ Skatefan]

Thanks Manhn!

 

[JasperBoy]

It is the Sheraton Wall Centre.

 

[JasperBoy]

ETA: Actually husband is looking at hire cars and muttering darkly about only being able to get American cars.

I suspect you will be given a Japanese car, though. Any time I have booked with Avis they have given an American car as an example of the size, but delivered a Japanese car (which was often smaller). I will never forget the Toyota Prius we were given a couple of years ago, supposedly to fit 4 people and their luggage. We had to travel in shifts!

Anyway, it should be fairly simple to specify the type of car you want from a major rental company.

 

[nguyhm]

It is the Sheraton Wall Centre.

Thanks! Prices are quite high a bit out of my range.

 

[kwanfan1818]

I don't remember seeing all that many empty seats in the arena on Friday and Saturday, aside from the skaters/skater families sections, which had signs scattered among them.

 

[chantilly]

Well I saw quite a few and was there all day Friday and Saturday.
There was huge section close to the ice, left of the judges practically empty.
Assumed it was for press/families.
Some of the coaches and skaters came up to my section which was 106. Kirsten MT, Christy Krall and a couple of others I didn’t recognize.

 

[Alilou]

Sometimes empty places are unused seats that have been given to sponsors eg Canadian Tire

 

[Sylvia]

Does anyone know the answer or can provide a guesstimate to @Meoima's question?

Hello I am asking if anyone knows if GPF tickets in Vancouver will release individual tickets? Thanks

 

[victorskid]

Does anyone know the answer or can provide a guesstimate to @Meoima's question?

I understand that the demand for all-event tickets has been very high. I suspect that any individual tickets released later, much closer to the event, would be related to any seats that have been held back for federations/sponsors or with the potential of blocked view. They might also have held back the "bleacher benches" at one end of the arena, literally benches and not seats.

 

[Sylvia]

Bumping this back up... here's the event page: https://skatecanada.ca/2018-isu-grand-prix-of-figure-skating-final/

GPF is almost sold out. Only seats are up in the corners. It remains to be seen if they will offer individual event tickets.

 

[Vash01]

Bumping this back up... here's the event page: https://skatecanada.ca/2018-isu-grand-prix-of-figure-skating-final/

I bought my all events ticket today. It was a struggle and the seat is not that great (row 18 in a corner), but at least I will have a ticket, when they send it to me to print at home.

 

[kalamalka]

Glad you got a seat. I really wish they'd used one of the bigger arenas in Vancouver. It was pretty predictable that they'd sell out.
I avoided GPFs for quite a while because there are so few skaters/teams. But I went to both Barcelona events (and will be in Vancouver), and particularly enjoyed seeing the junior events. And the quality of the skating was great - especially in the men both years.

 

[Vash01]

What kind of schedule does a GPF have? Is the last day fir exhibitions only ir do they have a competition and then exhib?

Are the first two days for juniors and next twovdays fir seniors? I am trying to remember but I can't.

I wish they had used the hockey arena near downtown, where the 2001 worlds took place. I had attended that. There were many hotels within walking distance.

 

[Sylvia]

What kind of schedule does a GPF have?

Last year's GPF/JGPF colored schedule: http://www.isuresults.com/schedules/gpf2017_ColouredTimeSchedule.pdf

@Vash01, some hotel options and public transit info are discussed back on page 2 of this thread.

 

[Vash01]

Ended up with 107, row 13. Excited!

oh and I reserved Radission Park Inn and Suites a long time ago. So I should be all set.

Is this hotel close to the arena? By now most hotels close to the rink must be booked. I am so late! Just bought my ticket yesterday.

 

[Vash01]

Thank you all for the information. I'm thinking of going but would prefer to stay as close to the arena as possible. It looks like the university suites hotel is booked up already. Is there anything else? I'm not used to such cold weather and would prefer not to be on a 45 minute bus ride each way, being alone at night.

That is my issue too, so I may look for other fans to ride the bus with. Or, as Japanfan suggested, the Broadway W. Area sounds good, with a shorter bus ride.

Do any of these hotels offer airport transportation? May be only the downtown hotels?

ETA- I did a search on hotels.com to see the prices. The downtown area offers many choices, with free cancellation.

The Radisson park inn on Broadway W. is sold out. The only other hotel i found in that area is the Holifay Inn and it us a bit expensive. For that rate i could get a better hotel in downtown. I am wondering if I may be better off staying in downtown. If there us a direct bus to the area from there, it may be ok. I dont mind getting up one hour earlier if it is convenient. However, the Broadway W. Hotel seems much closer to the arena. Soi have not reserved a room yet. My choice usually is to find something within a half mile of the arena. I am not used to using publuc transportation at all.

For now i may just make a tentative reservation with free cancellation, and wait for a better option to becine available.

The Westin grand, Marriott and Hyatt Regency in downtown have good rates but when you pay for 5 nights it quickly adds up. A best western plus has a great rate (73) but I a, ot sure if the area is safe. I will also look up the timeshare option.

 

[Vash01]

The Park Inn is between Granville and Cambie. Within 0-3 blocks of Broadway and Cambie are two Starbucks, La Taqueria -- my favorite food in Vancouver -- the Canada Line light rail station for the train to and from the airport -- a Vancity credit union branch with ATM's, Lululemon design your own shop, a Michael's, Whole Foods, London Drugs, Canadian Tire, another huge supermarket, liquor store, and a bunch more restaurants that keep changing.

Around Broadway and Granville there are also a bunch of restaurants and coffee shops. Both Cambie and Granville are also stops on the 99 bus. The closest stop to the Park Inn is Heather/Willow (depending on the direction) because Vancouver General Hospital is close by.

There is a Holiday Inn on Broadway W. That i am considering. It is in the 700 block. The Radisson is in the 800 block, i think. Any idea if there may be a bus stop near the HI?

I am also considering staying in downtown, as an alternative because I may get a better hotel deal. I am not into restsurants/food/other activities, but if the transportation is easy, it may be worth it. I am not into driving, particularly in bad weather.

I think the ISU or SC may announce a list of hotels for the event?

Why did they have to choose a location that is so hard to get to? No hotels in the vicinity. May be i should just sell my tickets and not go there. I am afraid of public transportation, unless there is a direct bus, arranged by the event organizers. Not used to trains at all.

Right now i am seriously considering selling my all events ticket.

 

[Sylvia]

I think the ISU or SC may announce a list of hotels for the event?

This is not Worlds, so probably not.

No hotels in the vicinity. May be i should just sell my tickets and not go there. I am afraid of public transportation, unless there is a direct bus, arranged by the event organizers. Not used to trains at all.

Right now i am seriously considering selling my all events ticket.

If you are willing to splurge: http://www.ctmstravel.com/grandprixvancouver/

 

[Vash01]

This is not Worlds, so probably not.

If you are willing to splurge: http://www.ctmstravel.com/grandprixvancouver/

Thank you Sylvia. This doesn't look bad at all. I have already called them and they are looking into the possibility of selling me the package without the events ticket. My only concern is how mych extra they will charge me as a single person. Usually these packages are based on double occupancy.

If I go this route, I may consider skipping SA, to save some money.

I still have the option to get a Good hotel room through other means (not 100 percent sure yet) for a lot less, but my biggest concern is the transportation and this package will certainly solve that problem.

 

[kwanfan1818]

There is a Holiday Inn on Broadway W. That i am considering. It is in the 700 block. The Radisson is in the 800 block, i think. Any idea if there may be a bus stop near the HI?

It's between Willow and Heather. The 99 bus that goes to UBC stops at Heather in one direction and Willow in the other.

If you stay downtown (West End), on weekdays there is a direct bus, the 44, to the arena, but the last bus back is currently 7:49pm from the UBC Exchange, which is a ten-minute straight-shot walk from the arena. The rest of the time, you'd need to take a connecting bus to any one of the many buses that go to UBC.

 

[Vash01]

It's between Willow and Heather. The 99 bus that goes to UBC stops at Heather in one direction and Willow in the other.

If you stay downtown (West End), on weekdays there is a direct bus, the 44, to the arena, but the last bus back is currently 7:49pm from the UBC Exchange, which is a ten-minute straight-shot walk from the arena. The rest of the time, you'd need to take a connecting bus to any one of the many buses that go to UBC.

Thank you. This doesn't sound encouraging for a downtown hotel, so i may make a tentative reservation at the Holiday inn on Broadway W. And see if the option proposed by Sylvia works out.

ETA- They/she didn't respond to my email, so I finally called. They have already left for the weekend. They get Good Friday off. I wish we did too. So I have to wait until Monday to find out. I think it is a very reasonable pricing unless they punish me for being single. . Their rates are based on double occupancy, so I may be out of luck.

In the meantime i reserved the Holiday Inn on Broadway W. But i am very very uncomfortable about public transportation, particularly at night. It is not cheap either. The hotel alone is just $100 less than the entire package (the least expensive one of the three packages). So package is definitely the way to go. They even provide transportation from/to the airport. I really hope this works out.

 

[made_in_canada]

Thank you. This doesn't sound encouraging for a downtown hotel, so i may make a tentative reservation at the Holiday inn on Broadway W. And see if the option proposed by Sylvia works out.

ETA- They/she didn't respond to my email, so finally called. They have already left for the weekend. They get Good Friday off. I wish we did too. So I have to wait until Monday to find out. I think it is a very reasonable pricing unless they punish me for being single. . Their rates are based on double occupancy, so I may be out of luck,

In the meantime i reserved the Holiday Inn on Broadway W. But i am very very uncomfortable about public transportation, particularly at night. It is not cheap either. The hotel alone is just $100 less than the entire package (the least expensive one of the three packages). So package is definitely the way to go. They even provide transportation from/to the airport. I really hope this works out.

I stayed at the Holiday Inn for Canadians this year. It'll be easy to do public transportation to and from the rink from there. It's also reasonably close to the skytrain which you can use to get to and from the airport. It's a really easy system. I had a friend go to Canadians this year and she has some developmental delays, and though she's high functioning, things like transit are generally difficult for her and she doesn't live somewhere where transit is a normal part of everyday life. She had zero problems making her way to the rink from the Sheraton downtown and found that especially on the way back at night the bus was mostly skating fans anyway. I've always found Vancouver transit people (bus drivers, transit police, etc...) to be very helpful if I get myself turned around. But it really is very easy.

 

[ximianKernel]

I live in Vancouver, and as mentioned by Made_in_canada, Holiday Inn (and also the nearby Park Inn by Radisson) is just a block or two from the Canada Line LRT which goes/comes to/from the Airport. And there is an express bus that goes to UBC , the bus stop just half a block from the hotel. That bus pretty much runs every 6-10 minutes pretty much all day and run as late 2am in the morning. The trip time is about 25 minutes. And even if you end up getting a hotel in Downtown Vancouver, there are a lot of buses that goes to UBC with less than 10 minutes frequency. Another option are AirBNB

 

[manhn]

This summer, transit users can use their credit cards to use transit. No need to get an actual pass. That will be easier for tourists even though you miss out on some savings that regular transit users should obtain. But it will need to be a credit card with a chip that you can tap on and off. Not sure how many Americans have those types of cards yet.

A lot of posters complained about the arena, see the Canadians thread. I personally have no idea why a tourist would rather the event be at the Coliseum. As a local, I would prefer it at the Coliseum, but I am fine with UBC. In the summer, I will list all the eateries near the arena. I know there are mobility issues for some people so I do not want to downplay it. But there are A LOT. I still cannot imagine why the 44 and or the 99 bus is so bad by people who actually took it.

 

[Vash01]

This summer, transit users can use their credit cards to use transit. No need to get an actual pass. That will be easier for tourists even though you miss out on some savings that regular transit users should obtain. But it will need to be a credit card with a chip that you can tap on and off. Not sure how many Americans have those types of cards yet.

A lot of posters complained about the arena, see the Canadians thread. I personally have no idea why a tourist would rather the event be at the Coliseum. As a local, I would prefer it at the Coliseum, but I am fine with UBC. In the summer, I will list all the eateries near the arena. I know there are mobility issues for some people so I do not want to downplay it. But there are A LOT. I still cannot imagine why the 44 and or the 99 bus is so bad by people who actually took it.

Speaking as a tourist, I would rather be in a well populated area with more options for a hotel room that is within walking distance from the event. This arena has Nothing.

I don't care about eating places. It's convenience and safety that matter to me. It is not easy for me to be in an unfamiliar place, because as a tourist I don't know anything to begin with. Being alone late at night in any part of an unfamiliar city (and country) is too scary.

If I have to drive on unfamiliar roads in bad weather it is not a desirable situation to me. I live in a place that has good weather most of the time, and I still hate looking for an unknown address in an unfamiliar part of the metroplex. I am not used to public transportation. When you talk about 44 or 99 bus, I have no clue what it would be like to ride them, not knowing the direction or the bus stops. Getting lost in a strange place is not my idea of fun. I could be totally stressed out.

Ok, I am whining a lot but I am really disappointed that I bought an all events ticket and I may have to just take a loss and cancel my trip.

If Vancouver had no other choice, I could understand selecting this arena. I just assumed that there would be convenient accommodation. From what I am reading here, you have to know a lot about buses and trains and be able to make connections, even walk for several minutes at night. It may seem easy to locals. It is scary to me.

 

[TanithandBenFan]

Speaking as a tourist, I would rather be in a well populated area with more options for a hotel room that is within walking distance from the event. This arena has Nothing.

I don't care about eating places. It's convenience and safety that matter to me. It is not easy for me to be in an unfamiliar place, because as a tourist I don't know anything to begin with. Being alone late at night in any part of an unfamiliar city (and country) is too scary.

If I have to drive on unfamiliar roads in bad weather it is not a desirable situation to me. I live in a place that has good weather most of the time, and I still hate looking for an unknown address in an unfamiliar part of the metroplex. I am not used to public transportation. When you talk about 44 or 99 bus, I have no clue what it would be like to ride them, not knowing the direction or the bus stops. Getting lost in a strange place is not my idea of fun. I could be totally stressed out.

Ok, I am whining a lot but I am really disappointed that I bought an all events ticket and I may have to just take a loss and cancel my trip.

If Vancouver had no other choice, I could understand selecting this arena. I just assumed that there would be convenient accommodation. From what I am reading here, you have to know a lot about buses and trains and be able to make connections, even walk for several minutes at night. It may seem easy to locals. It is scary to me.

I'd looked into the Holiday Inn before deciding on an AirBnB, and as others have posted, the bus situation from there is very easy. There are no transfers required to get to the arena, and the hotel will very likely be full of skating fans so you won't be alone when returning at night.

As a rule of thumb, I would suggest always checking out the hotel and transportation situation for an event before buying tickets.

 

[kwanfan1818]

The only issue with the 44 bus is that it only runs on weekdays, and the last bus out of UBC Exchange is currently 7:49pm. They usually adjust the schedules every quarter, but I haven't seen any notices that they are increasing service on that route.

If someone who went to Canadians knows they did during that competition, that would be great to know.

The 99 bus runs east-west from the Commercial Broadway SkyTrain station to the UBC Exchange. (The stop before the Exchange, the penultimate stop, is on the cross street to the major street on which Thunderbird Arena is located. The Exchange is on the actual street, IIRC, but a few blocks farther away.) The 99 stays on Broadway, then takes a block-long jog south, and then proceeds west. The ride to and from the Holiday Inn from the Thunderbird Arena is as easy as transit gets anywhere.