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Ouch, $90 to see the Chinese Lanterns at Ontario Place?!

Admiral Beez

Admiral Beez

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My wife and I wanted to take our 5-year old twins to Ontario Place to see the Chinese Lantern Festival. However, at $25 per adult, and $20 per kid, that's an insane cost for what will turn into a 45-60 minute walk before the kids demand to go home. Add to that the cost of parking, likely in the range of $12-$20, it's an insane cost. I wish them well, but I'll not be spending any cash on that event.

A more realistic cost would be $10-15 for adults, and kids 5 and under should be free.
 
Is that admission to Ontario Place, or a extra/supplementary/separate rate to get into the lantern walk?

If it is the former, that's reasonable - there's lots for the kids to do there. If not, it makes going to China itself look like more of a bargain.
 
I went last year. It was worth the price. There was a 4 year old with us who was totally enraptured, just like the adults. We spent between two and three hours there. Don't forget that there is also live entertainment on view as well as FOOD. The price does seem a bit steep but the experience was magical and the memories stay fresh. We plan to go again this year.
 
ShonTron said:
Is that admission to Ontario Place, or a extra/supplementary/separate rate to get into the lantern walk?
Click to expand...
No, admission to Ontario Place is an additional $17.75 for ages 6 to adult, $11.75 for 4-5 years old and seniors. The Play All Day pass is IIRC $30 for kids, and includes admission. If I took my family to Ontario Place and paid general admission and the Lantern Festival, plus parking and any food, my total outlay would be well over $200.
 
The Chinese Lantern Festival is a great night out. We took it in two years ago and I think it was around $15 off the top of my head, well worth the admission.
 
If it's $17.75 just to get in the gates, plus $25 for the lantern festival, that is pricey. How much does Rogers spend to get naming rights for this thing? And food not included?

Or can you just pay admission for the festival? Still, $25 seems high for this type of event, though admission prices seem to be very high here in Toronto. $22 to get in the ROM, $20 to get in the zoo.
 
We have family memberships at the ROM and Zoo, both are coming up for renewal. We're definitely going to renew the Zoo membership, but perhaps not for the ROM. I am still finding that much of each floor at the ROM is closed, and that which is open is set up more like a crammed gallery than a museum. The dinosaurs, for example, which were once set up in jungle-like settings are now behind glass in sterile, out of context displays.
 
The AGO is re-opening in a couple of months. Maybe take out a membership there? Perhaps some artist will deconstruct consumer capitalism and the Disneyfication of culture with a plastic, inflatable T.rex surrounded by plastic flowers and fibreglass mountains?
 
Urban Shocker said:
The AGO is re-opening in a couple of months. Maybe take out a membership there? Perhaps some artist will deconstruct consumer capitalism and the Disneyfication of culture with a plastic, inflatable T.rex surrounded by plastic flowers and fibreglass mountains?
Click to expand...
Make fun all you like, but the ROM has forgotten to appeal to its customer, the kids. My kids walked into the Dinosaurs exhibit at the ROM and were hardly fazed. Meanwhile, at the Zoo's dinosaur exhibit they were amazed, screamed and yelled and stared with fascination.
 
Ontario Place signed a 3-year contract to bring the event to Toronto. Last year, (2nd year) saw a huge financial loss on the event.

If attendance does not pick up this year, I doubt we will see its return next year. That would be too bad, as it is quite a unique event for a North American city to host.

As planning for the East and Central Waterfront comes to a close, WaterfronToronto will shift its focus to planning the "West Bayfront". Part of that plan will be a major rethink of Ontario Place and Exhibition Place. Ideally the two sites should be managed and planned as one mega site.

Stronger transport links would most certainly help. I personally would have liked to see the TTC stick to the 1990's plan of extending the LRT south to Ontario Place. In addition, I never understood why a ferry link between Ontario Place and Harbourfront Centre has not yet been talked about.

Louroz
 
The Lantern Festival was great last year. I don't remember what I paid but I don't remember being disapointed
 
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