Skate America 2018 goes back to Everett, Washington

There are other options for getting from SeaTac to Everett. You can take light rail from the airport to downtown Seattle, then take Amtrak to Everett. The light rail station in Seattle is pretty close to the Amtrak station. This is a big event and some of the Everett hotels probably provide shuttle buses to/from the airport. There are probably also airporter buses that go from SeaTac to Everett, though I don't know anything specific about them. The Greyhound bus station is in downtown Seattle, near the convention center, and you can get a Greyhound bus to the transit center in Everett (Amtrak, buses, etc.). There are also the Sounder commuter trains, but I am not familiar with where they go. As noted above, it is a direct drive on I-5 from SeaTac to downtown Everett, and the arena and hotels are all close together. It's really easy to get from the airport to I-5, then a straight shot to Everett.
 
Lanie said:
Hmm. It's not a long flight for me. I'd have to fly into Seattle then drive? That sounds a bit irritating...
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I went in 2008 and took a super shuttle from SeaTac to Everett. I stayed at the Best Western which was only a few blocks from the arena, so I could walk back and forth. I think there's a Holiday Inn across from the Best Western as well.
 
ETA: according to this website, you can get an accessible shuttles or private cars, and according to the Super Shuttle website, you have to make reservations going to all airports, and they recommend them going from all airports (except a couple, which aren't Seatac.) Unfortunately, Paine Field in Everett isn't one of them, although this might change with new commercial flights going in.

According to the Seatac website, there is a service that must be arranged in advance, where you take Light Rail to the airport -- you have to pay attention, because it's not the last stop anymore -- go down the elevator, and then they'll meet you there to get you to the ticketing counter:

https://www.portseattle.org/Sea-Tac/Passenger-Services/Pages/Accessibility.aspx

It says nothing about how to get to light rail, but I'd hope the service is round trip, or it would be meaningless.

I don't know how old this site is, but according to it, Shuttle Express has a couple of wheelchair accessible vans:
http://wheelchairjimmy.com/seattle/transportation/

I don't see anything on their site, but it might be worth a call:
https://shuttleexpress.com/faq-information/

And to have a backup plan:

According to the Amtrak site, at least as of today, there are three trains that go from Seattle to Everett Station daily, at 7:45am, 4:40pm, and 6:50pm, and there are two Amtrak buses that stop in Everett, at 8:50am (not accessible) and 12:25pm (accessible). (They used to not stop before the Canadian border.) There's a city bus that goes from Everett Station, which is a major bus station, to the arena, with a .2mi/4 minute walk according to Google Maps. The 5-6 blocks between the Light Rail stop in the International District station are accessible: elevator from the platform, a few blocks including a ramp with pretty wide sidewalks to a major arterial, then across it and a covered overpass to an elevator down, and then a block to the train station.

According to the Amtrak site, there are two stations in Seattle: one is by the Amtrak station, same directions as the train. The second station is by the stadiums, and according to Google Maps, is 125 from the Stadium Station on Light Rail and "mostly flat." Currently, only the first train (8:50am) stops at the Amtrak station, while four/day leave from the one by the stadiums (9:15am, 2:45pm, 5:10pm, and 9:50pm)

According to the Greyhound site, "All of our buses are equipped with a wheelchair lift to help you get on board. Each Greyhound bus can fit two passengers sitting in a wheelchair or mobility scooter (we actually remove seats to give you plenty of space). So we suggest you book your ticket as far in advance as possible to get one of the two spots on your preferred journey."

The Greyhound bus station in Everett is .5mi away from the arena.

The Best Western Cascadia is listed as .5mi from the arena, and "mostly flat."
Courtyard by Marriott is listed as .3mi from the arena, also "mostly flat."

Delta Hotels is .8mi. The Holiday Inn site lists their closest at an address that is over a two-hour walk. Perhaps the property across from the Best Western has new ownership.

@skatesindreams , if there's any chance you might make it, it might be worth making a reservation with free cancellation, because there aren't going to be many accessible rooms available within a short walk to the arena.
 
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Id love to see skate america.. purely for my convenience of driving there fast.. haha..in Grand Forks,ND.. beautiful arena there too.
 
and its less than a 2 hour drive from my house hahaha. Amtrack wont do anything cause im north of the border:p
 
jersey1302 said:
Yeah GPF in Vancouver isnt exactly close to me but I'd be willing to treck there. At least Vancouver is worth going to. Regina was....well.. I'll just leave it at that lol.
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LOL, was it gross? Or? When I watched it on tv 3 weeks ago it looked like the least attended SC I have ever seen......
 
meggonzo said:
I went in 2008 and took a super shuttle from SeaTac to Everett. I stayed at the Best Western which was only a few blocks from the arena, so I could walk back and forth.
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Hey! Was that you taking the shower at 3 am??
(j/k)
 
jersey1302 said:
Yeah GPF in Vancouver isnt exactly close to me but I'd be willing to treck there. At least Vancouver is worth going to. Regina was....well.. I'll just leave it at that lol.
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I'm not sure whether the 'well' refers to Regina the city or the actual competition?

When I've attended GP events I've never expected the programs I see to be at their best, because the skaters are still putting miles on them with a ways to go until hopefully peaking at the World Championships. Even so, I've really enjoyed those events, especially given that I don't attend many competitions live.

But I'm super pumped about my first GPF in Vancouver 2018, given that I'll get to see the top six in all disciplines, junior and senior (I think?). I think that the GPF is second from Worlds in terms of importance as an event. One might arguably say that 4CCs and Europeans are more important than the GFP, but I wouldn't agree. Although I might ultimately enjoy 4CCs more than GPF because i has so much more skating - albeit much of it painful, given that struggles of skaters from countries without a figure skating tradition.
 
I have been to Everett and it was a great city. But for me it's going to be "pass". SA often feels like "not ready for prime time" and the year after the Olympics when you traditionally have a lot of retirements is probably worse. I am debating between 4CC and the Grand Prix in France for my 2018-2019 skating event, based on current locations
 
I can go to SA and visit relatives in the Seattle area, so there is a good chance I will be there. Better make hotel reservations soon. The Courtyard M will fill up fast. It's been a long time since I went to a GP.
 
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The dates are listed as October 19-21. I am wondering if it's better to check into the hotel on the 18th instead of 19th? Most probably the SP will start fairly early on the 19th, I think.
 
Vash01 said:
The dates are listed as October 19-21. I am wondering if it's better to check into the hotel on the 18th instead of 19th? Most probably the SP will start fairly early on the 19th, I think.
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Not necessarily. If they do the usual SA schedule of competition events stretching into Sunday, then the SP doesn't usually start until Friday evening.
 
Japanfan said:
I'm not sure whether the 'well' refers to Regina the city or the actual competition?

When I've attended GP events I've never expected the programs I see to be at their best, because the skaters are still putting miles on them with a ways to go until hopefully peaking at the World Championships. Even so, I've really enjoyed those events, especially given that I don't attend many competitions live.

But I'm super pumped about my first GPF in Vancouver 2018, given that I'll get to see the top six in all disciplines, junior and senior (I think?). I think that the GPF is second from Worlds in terms of importance as an event. One might arguably say that 4CCs and Europeans are more important than the GFP, but I wouldn't agree. Although I might ultimately enjoy 4CCs more than GPF because i has so much more skating - albeit much of it painful, given that struggles of skaters from countries without a figure skating tradition.
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The city hahaha. :wall:
 
Carolla5501 said:
SA often feels like "not ready for prime time" and the year after the Olympics when you traditionally have a lot of retirements is probably worse.
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Don't know. One of the most memorable events I ever attended was the Skate America immediately after the 2002 Olympics. We saw the first two triple axels landed since Midori & Tonya there. Saw Yagudin's last amateur skate. Brian Joubert's first GP win. Belbin & Agosto's Elvis program. Navka & Kostomarov on the way up. Pang & Tong. Totmianina & Marinin. Zhang & Zhang. And a young lady skating in pairs for Japan by the name of Yuka Kawaguchi;). One of Abt's last performances. Plus Michelle. And crossed paths with Tarasova on the way to & from the hotel.

Not too shabby:).
 
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Friends who were up in Everett today told me they found a great vegan restaurant, Cafe Wylde, on Hoyt Ave, 8 minutes away from the arena on foot.

They don't have a website yet, just a marginally helpful Facebook page, but they are part of GrubHub, which hosted this menu:
https://www.grubhub.com/restaurant/cafe-wylde-2918-hoyt-ave-everett/556271

I'm not sure if it's the full menu or a partial for delivery, but it looks good to me.
 
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