Canada's Wonderland and crossing the Border

Now that the new law has taken effect that requires all US citizens to have a passport or passport card to enter/return from Canada. Do you think this is going to hurt Canada's Wonderland?

We want to do a weekend trip up here, but now will have to push it back so we can get the kids passports.

It may hold me back a year because I never went to get a passport. :(

Are a lot of non-enthusiast citizens crossing just to visit Wonderland?

No, but it may hurt canadas tourisum(sp) in general, and that includes canadas wonderland.

Think of Niagara Falls. The US side is pretty nasty by comparison. I just looked up the prices for getting the kids passports. $85 for a 5 year passport or $35 for a 5 year passport card that will let them get over & back by land or sea, but not air.

Maybe it'll cure some of that traffic across the bridge.

I realize this is subject to interpretation, but Toronto is the largest metro area in Canada with a population of 4,263,000 people, and 2,500,000 live in the city proper. (2001) I was surprised to see Canada's Wonderland ranked as the most attended seasonal theme park in North America, but looking at those numbers, and considering their amusement park offerings are limited, I reckon they'll get along fine.

DaveStroem are those the prices for just kids or are they different for adults?

My son and I went to Wonderland last summer and it is a fantastic park. I would rank it in my favorites right behind cedar point and tied with Hershey and 6 flags great Adventure. Behemoth is one of my favorite coasters and the reason why I am planning a trip to Kings Island this summer. I want to compare Diamondback to Behemoth.

I suspect most of their attendance is from "up north". And, just as many US citizens won't be able to travel to Canada, vice versa as well.

But, this reminds me--my wife's passport has expired. We need to get that renewed.

Those are the under 16 prices. The adult prices are a little more but the adult passports are good for 10 years.

Here's the details, and in typical US government fashion, they never come out and say, "Do this, it'll take this long, here you go."

http://www.consular.canada.usembassy.gov/passport_requirement.asp

OMG you are so right Jeff. I had 6 pages open before I found anything useful (sorta).

Coasterfreakfromeriepa said:
I want to compare Diamondback to Behemoth.

Best done by not riding Diamondback if you've been on Behemoth.

^ that makes no sense.

I am planning my first trip up there in the next few weeks. Going to spend time in Toronto and at the park. So I guess my opinion is no. :)

So they finally implemented this passport thing? I figured they'd push it back again like they've done so many times before. Guess I'll never go to Canada again. Which is a shame, because I did have a desire to check out Wonderland some day.

No offense, but what's with Americans not having, or wanting to get a passport? Scared to travel?

The problem wasn't so much the Canadian goverment (although they were always much more pleasant if you had a passport) as it is the US. You need a US passport to get back in to the country. Frankly it's long overdue.

A passport is like gold here. I do not know anyone who does not have one. I just figured it is something everyone considered an essential item to have.

I'm not scared to travel, I just do it by car, always have. I'm 41 and I've only flown 3 times ever and the last time was a good 15 years ago. Many of us have never left the country other than Canada, and really have no plans to do so ever, at least me. For my family of four it looks like it would cost $370.00 just to get all of us passports which might be used once before needing to be renewed. Not the best investment for your average Joe who goes to Canada once every 10 years. As for being like gold and everyone has one, I've never actually even seen one much less knowing someone who has one. I'm sure I do know people who have them, it's just never been a topic of conversation for me I guess.

Tom

We live in a huge country with many great travel destinations. European countries are the size of many of our states, of course they would have passports--they practically need one to cross the street!

I have a passport that expired unused. I could also see going to Canada but like above would now find the cost too high for the 1-2 times that I MIGHT use it.