Vancouver, BC, Canada

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Eltonjohn
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Re: Vancouver, BC, Canada

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Since a Billybunch probably appears to be like any other group of school kids visiting a cultural attraction, chances are they would go largely unnoticed. It's not as if they would be wearing anything distinguishing. I suppose it's like forgetting, losing who they are. :roll:

It's not a big city and hollywood shoots many films here so celebs and pro sports types are often spotted and left to their own devices. The latter drop off and pick up their kids from school like other parents, when they're not playing out of town that is.
BETM: "the most expensive school play ever."
Lee Hall
in Playbill October 2008
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Eltonjohn
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Re: Vancouver, BC, Canada

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A couple of tour logistics questions...

Flying from Calgary to Vancouver takes just under 1 1/2 hours (so shorthaul) and with the time zone change, one hour is gained. Would the cast fly out of Calgary throughout Monday morning? (The first scheduled commercial departures ex Calgary are as early as 7 am, so they could be checked into their hotel rooms by as early as noon, Pacific DSTime.) Would all of Monday be designated as a travel day, or do they try to schedule, say, a dance or other class for Monday p.m. at their newly arrived-at tour stop?

Would the trucks depart Calgary soon after loading out on late Sunday evening / wee hours of Monday, travelling non-stop all night (around 15 hours I think through the Canadian Rocky Mountains range) to arrive at the theatre in downtown Vancouver for sometime on Monday afternoon, followed by unloading on Monday evening?
BETM: "the most expensive school play ever."
Lee Hall
in Playbill October 2008
kport
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Re: Vancouver, BC, Canada

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Eltonjohn wrote:A couple of tour logistics questions...

Flying from Calgary to Vancouver takes just under 1 1/2 hours (so shorthaul) and with the time zone change, one hour is gained. Would the cast fly out of Calgary throughout Monday morning? (The first scheduled commercial departures ex Calgary are as early as 7 am, so they could be checked into their hotel rooms by as early as noon, Pacific DSTime.) Would all of Monday be designated as a travel day, or do they try to schedule, say, a dance or other class for Monday p.m. at their newly arrived-at tour stop?

Would the trucks depart Calgary soon after loading out on late Sunday evening / wee hours of Monday, travelling non-stop all night (around 15 hours I think through the Canadian Rocky Mountains range) to arrive at the theatre in downtown Vancouver for sometime on Monday afternoon, followed by unloading on Monday evening?
All those are possible. I have deduced that some cast traveled from Edmonton to Calgary (not far) by train (due to a photo on a cast member's Instagram). I believe, according to SETA, that trips by road less than nine hours are fine, but over nine hours the cast must be flown. Remember that air adds transport to an from the airport (usually two buses) and time waiting to fly. Without any question a bus is the quickest (and cheapest) way of traveling from points A to B, provided the trip is under nine hours by road. They will literally go from hotel to hotel.

The 14-15 hour drive for trucks containing set/sound is quite reasonable, provided they do not encounter a blizzard, as happened between Sioux Falls and Edmonton.
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porschesrule
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Re: Vancouver, BC, Canada

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Eltonjohn wrote:Would the trucks depart Calgary soon after loading out on late Sunday evening / wee hours of Monday, travelling non-stop all night (around 15 hours I think through the Canadian Rocky Mountains range) to arrive at the theatre in downtown Vancouver for sometime on Monday afternoon, followed by unloading on Monday evening?
Typically, the Tour trucks leave shortly after the last show in a city and drive continuously to the next destination. However, usually the load-in takes place on the morning of the first show (usually Tuesday).
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Re: Vancouver, BC, Canada

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porschesrule wrote:
Eltonjohn wrote:Would the trucks depart Calgary soon after loading out on late Sunday evening / wee hours of Monday, travelling non-stop all night (around 15 hours I think through the Canadian Rocky Mountains range) to arrive at the theatre in downtown Vancouver for sometime on Monday afternoon, followed by unloading on Monday evening?
Typically, the Tour trucks leave shortly after the last show in a city and drive continuously to the next destination. However, usually the load-in takes place on the morning of the first show (usually Tuesday).
Oh, ok that makes sense... the staffer at the QE theatre told me at lunch today that they are expecting a lot of action first thing on Tuesday (6:30 a.m.). I'd like to try to get a shot of the trucks when they first arrive, so am trying to figure out whether it will be in the daylight or not.
BETM: "the most expensive school play ever."
Lee Hall
in Playbill October 2008
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Re: Vancouver, BC, Canada

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Eltonjohn wrote:I'd like to try to get a shot of the trucks when they first arrive,
That's harder to predict. They could arrive on Monday afternoon/evening, but as I mentioned, the actual load-in usually begins on Tuesday morning.
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Re: Vancouver, BC, Canada

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I imagine the load in happens when the union workers at each venue are set to do it. My guess is the trucks will wait in the loading bays, if they arrive early.
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Re: Vancouver, BC, Canada

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Hopefully one of the rigs will be parked in public view for publicity purposes early in the week (like Cirque du Soleil)
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Re: Vancouver, BC, Canada

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Eltonjohn wrote:Hopefully one of the rigs will be parked in public view for publicity purposes early in the week.
They often park the empty trailers in the theater's parking lot for the whole week.
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Re: Vancouver, BC, Canada

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kport wrote:
Eltonjohn wrote:
Flying from Calgary to Vancouver takes just under 1 1/2 hours (so shorthaul) and with the time zone change, one hour is gained. Would the cast fly out of Calgary throughout Monday morning? (The first scheduled commercial departures ex Calgary are as early as 7 am, so they could be checked into their hotel rooms by as early as noon, Pacific DSTime.) Would all of Monday be designated as a travel day, or do they try to schedule, say, a dance or other class for Monday p.m. at their newly arrived-at tour
All those are possible. I believe, according to SETA, that trips by road less than nine hours are fine, but over nine hours the cast must be flown. Remember that air adds transport to an from the airport (usually two buses) and time waiting to fly.
The nice thing about both YYC and YVR international airports is that they are easily just under 30 minutes transit time to/from the downtown theatre-hotel district, off rush hour peak (which adds maybe another 10' tops). Lots of business people travel between these two business centres same day return such is the convenience.

This intercity journey is commonly done by bus, but it is a pretty gruelling haul via Greyhound since there are mountain passes and truck stops. (Every so many years, avalanches interfere with highway travel on this route but this s rare. So I doubt Vancouver will experience a repeat of Edmonton's snow-delayed opening, as the weather has not been making the news here lately.). Mind you, a trip through the Rockies by train (with dome lookout roofs) or by coach is a tourism staple that goes along with the moose, Mounties, maple syrup and Pacific northwest coast totem poles.
BETM: "the most expensive school play ever."
Lee Hall
in Playbill October 2008
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