Butchart Gardens Transportation

[topwater]

Hi All-

 

We will be in Victoria on Saturday, July 5th on the NCL Pearl. The firework show is scheduled that day to end at 10:45pm, and our ship leaves port at midnight.

 

The last time we did this tour a couple of years ago, our bus almost left us. We had a disabled member of our party and this caused us to take quite a bit longer to find our bus for a number of reasons. The fireworks show was spectacular, and since this is the first and probably the only time that my parents get to go, I don't want them to miss it.

 

All this is to say that I'm looking to arrange a more private form of transportation to/from the ship. Time will be tight so whatever we do will need to be reliable.

 

Do any of you have suggestions?

[Budget Queen]

Then take a cab, or arrange car service. If you take the ship excursion, then head to the return bus early. Also notify the shore excursion staff of your needs and get their advice, and confirm this ship tour is doable for your group.

[martincath]

Your timing isn't tight - it's virtually impossible if you stay to the end of the fireworks.

 

You need to be back 30 minutes before departure; it's a 30 minute drive assuming no delays from with other Butchart traffic, roadworks etc. (and it will be an absolute zoo in parking until you're onto the main road - you probably missed the worst of the rush by being so late last time around...)

 

You also need to walk from the fireworks lawn to the front gates - even for a nimble individual with the crowd all doing the same thing at the same time, this takes at least 10 minutes IMO - and then of course find your car/bus/whatever.

 

The only way I'd consider this is if an official ships tour was going to be leaving the gardens after the fireworks - too many variables that only need to go a little wrong and your folks could end up stuck in Victoria, after midnight, without accommodation or transport or their stuff. That's a big potential downside to balance against an experience that is far from unique and also very weather-dependent...

[krev]

That would be really tight, I live 5 minutes from the Gardens and it took us 45 minutes to get out of the parking lot one time. We now take the bus if going for fireworks. As others have said, if it's a ship excursion I'd do it. Keep in mind as others have said it's a mass of humanity trying to leave, we know lots of little short cuts but folks not familiar will take much longer.

 

 

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[Lulubelle45]

Im a local and unless you are willing to risk the what ifs of missing the ship., take the guarantee of a ship excursion. Murphy's law

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[Coral]

We were there the same week a few years ago and our bus left before the fireworks.

[cruiseryyc]

Sorry private transportation is not going to work,

 

10:45 fireworks end

15 to 20 minutes to get from fireworks location to taxi/limo stand (shuffling through hundreds of people all doing the same thing)

20 - 30 minutes just to get from the Gardens to the highway (wall to wall traffic from the parking lot to the highway)

30 minutes to get back to ship once on the highway

 

You are now at the dock watching your ship sail away without you - hope you have yor passports with you as you'll need them to fly home.

 

There is a reason the cruise excursions don't wait around for the end of the fireworks, they know they can't make it back in time.

 

I agree the fireworks are some of the best in the world, I suggest you bring your parents back on your own some year and really enjoy the area.

[topwater]

I really appreciate you kind folks for taking the time to reply. Very nice of you to lay it out in a timetable so I can clearly understand the risks. It's very difficult to plan from here, especially only having done it once.

 

 

We will book with the ship.

 

-Kevin