From Niagara This Week:
Canada’s great waterfall and the Great Wall of China have come together.
Niagara Parks Commission (NPC) chairman Jim Williams and Weidon Wang, deputy director of Badaling Great Wall Development Zone Administration in China, met Thursday at the Historic Oak Hall to commemorate a partnership between the administration behind the two world icons.
In 2004, the NPC and representatives of the Great Wall signed the World Famous Locations Alliance Agreement to promote the exchange of ideas for park administration and to raise public awareness of the presentation and preservation of the two famous locations.
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Hello everyone,
I just got back from about a week in the falls. The weather was awful, kept raining and it was very, very cold. I arrived the 11th in the afternoon and left very early the 16th. I was originally supposed to stay till the 17th but I decided to go home early. I guess Im getting older, because all of a sudden during this trip I found myself thinking many times “gosh this place is just way too expensive anymore”. Ive decided that Im not going to go back for at least 12-24 months. I just came to realize during my trip that with the money I was spending I could easily visit Vegas, or a wide number of other locations…and get much more for the money. The exchange dipped from .13% the day I got there to .11% two days later. When you factor in the exchange rate being so low, and prices still being as high as they ever were, its almost senseless to visit more than once every few years. I ended up paying 50.00 at Niagara Square mall for a phone charger, because I forgot mine at home. The same charger through my phone service is 15.00. but since I needed it then, I had to buy it.
The cab drivers and casino employees I spoke with kept telling me the Seneca is really hurting business at both Fallsview and Casino Niagara. They said this is because you can smoke at Seneca and if you are gambling there, you are served free drinks. On Saturday night Fallsview was PACKED, and Casino Niagara was completely dead. I believe a show was taking place at Fallsview, so this may have contributed to the crowd. I had three different cab drivers take me for rides, and they completely screwed me by taking me half way around the city. I was quick to point out to them it hurt what they were getting in form of tip greatly, and that I knew the area very well. They didnt like that very much. Comfort Inn was nice enough to refund one night of my stay since I left early, and as always…the staff and service at the hotel were great. I cant say enough good things about them. I noticed the old Circus World red awning sign between what was formerly Big Anthony’s restaurant and the building it is next too. I took a pic but you cant see it well, wonder what that is about? I was very upset to see Big Anthony’s changed its name, decor and menu to “Charo’s”. It claims it offers food from around the world. Dissapointed with that change. The owner of Taco N Tequila said business was way down last summer and he hopes it isnt like that again this summer. Quite a few places I visited echoed that concern. I had a good trip overall, but like I said I guess Im getting old because the overall expense of the visiting the city (keep in mind this isnt even summer) was very hard to get over for some reason this time. 28.65 for a large pizza at Boston’s sticks out in my mind for some reason. Hate to be negative, love the city like crazy…just gonna hope not coming for a while makes me like it more when I eventually come back.
Niagara that is too bad about your trip. But, I think your feelings is echoed by many. Low US dollar Exchange, Double taxing (GST rebate no more) high canadian prices - Too much to spend on a trip. But, as for hotel - Quality Inn - Clifton Hill I reserved same room same week and the rate from last year to this year is almost $100 lower so at least they are trying. And even though they tore down the falls tower their combo pass price stayed the same and they replaced the tower ride with tokens. So I am happy with how HOCO is making an attempt to help with their guests pocketbook. THat seems so high for a pizza what was the toppings. Any other prices you paid to give us and idea? Any other changes out there. THis is the first year no new attractions that I can think of.
Too bad you didn’t have some of those skylon tower coupons where you got the pizza, 4 drinks and tokens for 24.99 plus free parking, sounds like that could have saved you some money even if you didn’t want the tokens.
The weak US dollar is whats killing it for many of us plus the taxes in Canada are around 15% last time I checked, so for people with US dollars it pretty much costs the same price for stuff over in Canada as it does here, except Canada’s prices are just inflated next to ours. Several years ago the exchange rate made Canadian prices very cheap even with the high taxes but that is just not the case anymore. Many people are realizing what clifton hill and Niagara Falls is just an overpriced tourist destination and that you could get a better and more exiting trip by going elsewhere for around the same price. Thats why I was so shocked to see that skylon tower coupon, I was assuming there were no good deals left in the falls.
Add in the fact that the passport law will go into effect in 2008, combined with the weak US dollar and its starting to look like a disaster waiting to happen.
The Seneca casino not only offers smoking and free drinks while you are playing but also offers a fairly generous players club where you can get points for free hotel stays and free food and merchandise, plus their buffet used to be really good and very reasonably priced, not sure how good it is now as we have not been there in several years.
The Boston Pizza price is the one that really sticks out to me, it was just w/extra pep (take out btw). I know my cab rides really added up as well. I believe I paid around 11 or 12 dollars at Wendy’s for a triple meal, normal sized. I could be off by a few bucks however. I was actually at Skylon on Friday and NONE of the places in the food court were open at all. The place was dead. I got my room at Comfort Inn for under 500 Canadian because I booked so early. In the summer Im sure its much, much more. Drinks at the casino were also WAY too expensive. Im thiking a beer in Niagara is averaging around 4-6 dollars depending on where you go. I didnt notice much of anything new, it seems like any new attractions are on hold until the passport issue is resolved (my opinion) because I cant remember another year where virtually nothing was built/added over winter. I just cant let myself pay the prices they are asking when the exchange is so low, its not worth it. I understand they dont control the economy, but its going to be hard to keep things priced the way they are if day trips etc… fall off in the coming years. The trip was just kind of a wake up call for myself the cost was nuts. Getting rid of the GST rebate isnt going to help either.
Niagara sorry to hear about your not so great experience. I think there are many out there who are thinking the same thing.
It’s now up to the owners in the area to implement a new pricing strategy. With such inflated prices, they leave little value for visitors and what is the result - less return trips if any.
Niagara I can’t think of any new attractions this year - not even a new restaurant besides maybe two opening soon at Fallsview Casino.
Thanks Dan, the trip was a bit of a bummer. Hopefully if I stay away a year or two things will change for the better. Absence makes the heart grow fonder, and the wallet bigger.
I think the restaurants in the Skylon are only open on the weekends, if that, maybe only weekends during peak tourist season, redemption counter is the same. Its usually dead in there, so thats no suprise. Sometimes there are a lot of people running around in there but no one actually playing any of the games, but I have seen that in the Great Canadian Midway too, a lot of people in there but no one spending any money or putting tokens into the games.
I think we have had a change in pricing/marketing over the last 5 years. Package plans are everywhere and usually include rooms, food, and attractions. I think you pay significantly less now than you did before 9/11.
Hi, Niagara!
Had the same experience as you only last month…came home a day early!
The rate exchange was a little better…got .14! But it is a little hard to swallow when I remember .56, then again, I remember when gas was 21 cents a gallon here in Pittsburgh!!!
A few years back, our 4 to 6 trips a year to the Falls used to also be shopping expeditions for me …90% of my wardrobe for many years came from Canada!!! Sorry to say, I can no longer do that because of the taxes and exchange rate.
Stopped at the Duty Free for the last time last month….cashed in our receipts…the money turned back into a purchase of a couple bottles of Bailey’s Irish Cream, but we will not be doing that any longer due to the loss of the GST rebate.
Now we’ve got the passport issue staring at us…..
On a brighter note, the “mom & pop” motel that we stay at still treat us very fairly as we have been staying with them for roughly 20 years.
It is all so sad in a way……..but, we still LOVE Niagara Falls!!!
Love it, always will. However, my dollars wil go way further @ other destinations. So Im going to stay away for a while.