WJC: So who’s coming/going to Vancouver/Victoria?

[MeHateHe]

Curious, given the claims by Hockey Canada and others that packages are selling quickly. Friends and I bought a package for Victoria, and the available seats weren’t plentiful. I would guess there are tour packages offered which might have skewed that. Anyone else here bought tickets? Anyone planning to make the trip, either from Canada or from the US or abroad?

Closer to the date, if anyone is coming to Victoria and needs suggestions for places to stay/things to do or best things to avoid, I have many thoughts!

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[palsoft]

We are coming to Victoria to see 3 Slovak games (against Finland, Sweden and Kazakhstan), but only hopefully - we can't get single game tickets There's Vancouver tickets literally everywhere, but despite overpriced Victoria packages, no singles. Any ideas how to get them? Is there any chance to buy them in front of the stadium?

 

[MeHateHe]

We are coming to Victoria to see 3 Slovak games (against Finland, Sweden and Kazakhstan), but only hopefully - we can't get single game tickets There's Vancouver tickets literally everywhere, but despite overpriced Victoria packages, no singles. Any ideas how to get them? Is there any chance to buy them in front of the stadium?

I know lots of people who bought the full packages in Victoria and not everyone will be able to go to all their games, so I would expect singles will be available. Hockey Canada has been telling package-holders that single-game tickets for Victoria will be released in early December.

 

[Amazing Kreiderman]

I have a trip planned to Vancouver for the Russia-Denmark game and to hopefully meet Kravtsov post-game to quickly catch up. Does anyone know what the possibilities are to meet players before or after the game? And where to go?

 

[JackSlater]

I was strongly considering going as I enjoyed my previous two tournaments (2003 and 2011) and had some options to stay with, but I decided against it. I don't think that there are options for random people to meet players before or after the games, but if you go to multiple games you will likely see players around the arena. I saw Ovechkin downing a hotdog and sitting on a radiator during a Slovakia game in 2003, for instance.

 

[tank44]

I am going to the Russia-Czech republic game in Vancouver. I also plan to take in the US training camp in Everett WA before Christmas.

I have lots of friends in Seattle area that want US tickets but the lack of tickets on sale have them frustrated thus far to the point of apathy and likely missing out.

 

[MeHateHe]

I am going to the Russia-Czech republic game in Vancouver. I also plan to take in the US training camp in Everett WA before Christmas.

I have lots of friends in Seattle area that want US tickets but the lack of tickets on sale have them frustrated thus far to the point of apathy and likely missing out.

Did USA Hockey not secure tickets for its fans? I kind of thought that was part of the reason the packages sold so quickly, (I have a hard time believing there are 7,000 people in Victoria willing to shell out that much money to watch teams other than Canada) and I would have guessed that USA Hockey would have wanted to find ways to get their fans in the rink, given the proximity to a reasonably strong hockey market in Seattle.

 

[tank44]

I have not seen anything through US Hockey or hockey channels in Seattle/Washington State about tickets or the tournament aside from the training camp in Everett WA. Maybe they are just holding Victoria tickets until closer to to ensure they just arent bought up and they will actually be used on demand.

 

[Sheppy]

I won't be, unfortunately. Going to save some coin and head to Czech next year for the Juniors.

 

[the4thlinegrinder]

We are coming to Victoria to see 3 Slovak games (against Finland, Sweden and Kazakhstan), but only hopefully - we can't get single game tickets There's Vancouver tickets literally everywhere, but despite overpriced Victoria packages, no singles. Any ideas how to get them? Is there any chance to buy them in front of the stadium?

Singles will be on sale tomorrow but there’s a pre sale going on today. Not much available unfortunately.

https://ev10.evenue.net/cgi-bin/nco...19VICFAN&caller=PR&linkID=m-rgp&fromDesktop=1

 

[Dr Awesome]

Canada vs Denmark on Boxing Day

 

[MeHateHe]

Singles will be on sale tomorrow but there’s a pre sale going on today. Not much available unfortunately.

https://ev10.evenue.net/cgi-bin/nco...19VICFAN&caller=PR&linkID=m-rgp&fromDesktop=1

Looks like all the US games are sold out and most of the others have low availability.

Assuming we'll have some US fans coming to Victoria for the group stage games. A few things about Victoria you'll want to know:
- Don't pay retailers in US funds. You will get bad exchange rates. Pay with your card and ask to pay in US currency or do your exchange at one of the banks or credit unions.
- Hi, we don't have Uber or Lyft, which is amusing since Lyft is a major corporate sponsor of the tournament. It's a long story, with lots of politics, so let's just not talk about it. The taxi service in Victoria is fine, or if you are staying downtown, you can walk literally anywhere. The rink is a comfortable 25-minute walk from the inner harbour, where many of the hotels are. Even if you have a vehicle, parking around the arena is not convenient, so it might be better to walk or taxi. Transit? It's okay, as long as you're not planning to be out too late. BC Transit - Welcome to Victoria
- Want to play while you're here? There is drop-in lunchtime hockey in Esquimalt and in Oak Bay - each a 10-minute drive from downtown. In both cases it's drop-in, but in Oak Bay they want you to pre-register the night before.
Skating & Hockey
Skating & Hockey Drop-In
- Another fun quirk about Victoria? No plastic bags. Stores have mostly stopped giving them away. Some will sell you them, but in grocery stores, if you want a bag, it's paper and it's 15 cents. That's just in the City of Victoria. (Victoria is only 1 of 13 municipalities in what we know as "Victoria," and not the largest one. More politics.)
- Any runners coming to town who need suggestions for running routes? Lots of good options - you can go 45-50 km out-and-back without ever having to cross a significant intersection. Hit me up if you want some suggestions.
- It's not that wet here! We get half the annual rainfall of Vancouver or Seattle. But it will rain because it's December. Plan accordingly.