canada's wonderland and passports

dont know if this has been stated here or not or who out there know this but i have found out that starting next year you will now need passports to have entry into canada. for folks like me that makes cedarfairs maxx pass not as good of a value now. I am not gonna spend the money on passorts and a maxxpass. cedarpoint, geauga lake and canada's wonderland would be the parks i use it at, it aint worth it for maxxpass for cp and gueaga lake. so many just a heads up to you all we need passports for canada now. this is gonna hurt niagra falls tourism.

Sorry that you don't want to spend $100 for 10 years worth of passport goodness, and that your Maxx pass is now only good [to you] at 11 parks and not 12.

Do people complain just to complain?

KosterKiwi...

It's NOT next year, it's January 1st, 2008...

Let's all get that straight before freakin' out... because it already is starting to affect business on the Niagara Ontario side of the border because people are freakin' out about the passports not knowing what's needed. Tourism is down due to that.

There are still bills trying to be introduced and delays from congressmen (Hillary Clinton is one of the backers) to at LEAST delay it until June of 2009, but so far that hasn't happened.

But you are safe for the 2007 season with just a drivers license to get back into the United States.

So to inform all of you buzzers heading into Canada.

THE PASSPORT SYSTEM DOES NOT TAKE PLACE UNTIL AT LEAST JANUARY 2008!!!

Last time I went to Canada, I needed my birth certificate. It is a pain to go back and forth by air, and a pain by car.

The guy at the airport in Calgary quizzed me on my birth date and other items on the birth certificate. In the car, the U.S. Customs guy at Niagara Falls basically treated us like we were trying to sneak into the U.S. I, for one, think passports may make life easier.

Well, if you go by air, it may be a little different. I refer to crossing by foot or by car.

All you need to keep in mind is to answer the questions in a way that THEY want to hear...

Passports are a pain in the rear for one because of the cost (especially if you goto canada rarely and was free in the past)... and if you have a passpost and want to bring a friend to a park... you can't unless they got one! It just completely hampers something that's totally not needed on a country that's our biggest friend & allie. There are better methods, and if the passport thing goes through... border cities will suffer big time both on the USA side as well as the Canada side.

I'll be happy to go ahead and get a passport...gonna need one for Europe (eventually!) anyway...

PCW is *so* worth it! Even if just for those FLATS... :)

edit: DawgByte, check your PMs.

*** Edited 10/3/2006 12:53:15 AM UTC by rollergator***

As of 2005, a survey suggests about 1/3 of all Americans own passports. I find that number surprisingly high.

http://www.gyford.com/phil/writing/2003/01/31/how_many_america.php

---

Gemini said:
In the car, the U.S. Customs guy at Niagara Falls basically treated us like we were trying to sneak into the U.S.

---

I used to live in the area, so I crossed there quite often. I swear the hire people based on who is the biggest jerk among candidates.

---

I, for one, think passports may make life easier.

---

Yea. Plus it doesn't need to be used JUST for a border crossing. I actually got mine for a cruise :)

---

DawgByte II said:
Well, if you go by air, it may be a little different

---

Air travellers need a passport between the two nations this January.

---

..border cities will suffer big time both on the USA side as well as the Canada side.

---

I would think a struggling USD vs CAD exchange rate would hurt American busninesses luring Canadian shoppers more than a passport would.

---

...something that's totally not needed on a country that's our biggest friend & allie.

---

And a country that will let just about anybody in but I guess its best not to go into a political discussion.

---

(especially if you goto canada rarely and was free in the past)

---

But, the real source of complaint did eventually come out - Americans spoiled in the past, and I'm sure Europeans would laugh at our objection to needing a passport to cross into another nation. *** Edited 10/3/2006 2:20:04 AM UTC by Jophish***

Maybe Europe may laugh... but Aussie's certainly wouldn't... they don't require passports, New Zealand, and a handful of other countries.

Anyway, let this not get into a political debotical (is that a word?), the point is that living on a border city as I am & following this passport thing very closely... I know how bad of an effect it's going to have for a lot of the border cities... especially tourism around Niagara Falls, Ontario.

From what I heard... a lot of big-time projects have been put on hold indefinately until this thing gets straightened out, such as the world's largest aquarium by Ripley's, some mega hotels, and especially... the HOCO amusement park Phase II & III of which was to bring in two new coasters (one wooden) as well as over 20 rides in the Clifton Hill downtown Niagara Falls district.

This is all thanks to homeland security, for not caring enough about what effects border cities that DEPEND on tourism back-n-forth between nations will have on local economies. A national ID card I would accept... something cheaper such as $25.00 would be acceptable.

Oh, and to anyone who's pissin-and-moaning about being quizzed at the border... been there & done that! I was pulled over for a secondar inspection TWICE in one year... no reason... they just thought I looked too much of a bum to afford my car, and didn't like my "attitude".

About 2yrs ago, they had an international incident where one Niagara Falls border agent attacked this Japanese lady, tackled her to the ground & beat her up. It caused a major uproar all over the place... after the guy was fired... it was shortly afterwards they said they were going to try to be "more friendly and welcoming" when you crossed back & forth.

It seemed to help... at first... then they forgot about it, and they're back to their ol' grumpy selves. Usually if you get a lady, you're better off. The guys all have attitude like they're above-the-law.

-A US passport is $97, valid for 10 years and lets you see the world.

-A Cedar Fair Maxx Pass is $125, valid for 1 year and gives you admission to 12 amusement parks.

2 1/2 cents a day for access to the world or 34 cents a day for access to some rides?

Just an observation. :)

We don't need your logic here, Gonch. Move along.

^^ For those of us who don't care to visit the world, but just want to get to Canada for a little Canadian Ballet or some Canadian Beer....

...it's a major major inconvience.

---

Jophish said:

---

...something that's totally not needed on a country that's our biggest friend & allie.

---

And a country that will let just about anybody in but I guess its best not to go into a political discussion.

---

Ring, ring... (picks up the phone)

"Hello?"

"Hi, Pot? This is Kettle. You're black."

I love the American idea that Canada is the one letting everyone into North America. Guess it is easier to blame someone else than to actually address the issue.

A passport is easy to get, and being good for 10 years, isn't that expensive. I really fail to see what the problem is.

People have been calling for a national id card. Guess what, we HAVE one, and it works just fine.

Now, the RFID chips in new passports is another story, but a good shielded wallet at least partially solves that problem... *** Edited 10/3/2006 1:58:29 PM UTC by GregLeg***

---

A passport is easy to get, and being good for 10 years, isn't that expensive. I really fail to see what the problem is.

---

Problem isn't YOU or ME getting the passport... the problem is if you want to bring along somebody who rarely visits Canada and doesn't have a passport... you're goin' solo!

I goto the annual Toronto Autoshow... usually take somebody different each year that rarely goes into Canada. Soon, won't happen if this passport is required because they're likely not to be paying some $100 for something they use rarely... and the same "analogy" (using that term loosely) could be used on anyone who brings along a casual traveller, amusement park or otherwise.

Does seem weird to me at least, that we have two borders to secure, and we seem to have no *unified policy* to deal with EITHER of them...

Is that JUST me? :)

---

DawgByte II said:
For those of us who don't care to visit the world, but just want to get to Canada...

---

Well, if you're from the U.S. then Canada is part of 'the world', isn't it?

molehill = mountain

It's the US that is driving the passport rules mostly because of their focus on the "War on Terror". If it makes the world a safer place, I say suck it up and get a passport.

I'm Canandian, and I've had a passport for a long time. I don't know anyone here that doesn't have one.

^and it will add more income to the Federal Gov't.
If 2 million people get the passports, that's 200 millions to the gov't. Not bad.

200 million. That buys the federal government what? Three toilet seats and a Snickers? ;)