I'm booked at Ontario Place for my 1st run in 2 weeks (May 21-22), and I'm debating whether to setup reservations for the 3 remaining runs I have in June, July, and October. Should I just go back to Ontario Place 3 more times? All my runs get me into ART at 5:30pm, and I leave the next day around noon, so I'm wondering what other options I have. I don't think I have enough time to warrant a road trip to anywhere, but I'm open to suggestions.

Lots of options, including:

1. Syracuse (1 hr.)
2. Alexandria Bay (45 min.)
3. Gananoque, Ontario (1 hr.)
4. Ottawa (2.5 hrs)

my first set of 2 tickets is

May 18 SEA-ORD 11:15PM
May 19 ORD-PIT 6:00 AM
May 19 PIT-ART 9:00 AM

May 19 ART-PIT 12:50 PM
May 19 PIT-ORD 3:50 PM
May 19 ORD-SEA 7:45 PM

May 19 SEA-ORD 11:15PM
May 20 ORD-PIT 6:00 AM
May 20 PIT-ART 9:00 AM

May 20 ART-PIT 12:50 PM
May 20 PIT-ORD 3:50 PM
May 20 ORD-SEA 7:45 PM

NOT going in my books as the best use of 48 hours LOL

If we book using the websites alreday mentioned, I presume he pays them a commission. By calling the hotel direct, and asking for the $60 commercial rate, he saves the commission. It's the least we can do.

Imagine this:

I arrive at 2200. Murray is waiting for me with a sign that states the hotel name.
Picture this, Murray is mid-60's, tall, glasses, gray hair and a goatee. He's wearing a yellow cardigan. We drive the short 10 minutes in his nice car.
Looks a bit like Col. Saunders (of chicken fame). Remember to arrange pick up when you make the res.

Anyway, Murray couldn't figure out why I was arriving at 10, and going back out at 0630. I had to tell him. Everyone in town knows about us.

The lobby is more livingroom like. The bedroom has some nautical themes but; the room is still a half step up from a typical motel. Nice , renovated bathroom. It's ok for you girls. candy machine in the hallway with 50 cent items; and $1 for a 20 oz Coke. Cheap.

The town has several places to eat. It's a 2 minute walk to the lake (Lake Ontario). Small harbor with some boats.The homes are 100 year old brick; or 200 year old stone.

The following morning, Murray gave me a mini-tour of Sackets Harbor, on the way to ART. The newest contemporary homes overlooking the lake $300,000 - 100 year old mini mansions are $500k. A lot of house for the US$ or CDN$.

Not much else to do here other than eat and enjoy the lake.

Murray is looking forward to my return next month. How about you?

The details.

I made my reservation a few days after the fare sale. I called the hotel direct and was quoted $79 for two persons, Saturday night.

When I called yesterday to arrange the airport pickup for this Saturday, I considered asking about the $60 "corporate" rate, but a room for two on the weekend including airport pickup and return is fine by me, so I left it as is.

We have more trips, and if the place is all you say, I will book those reservations this weekend. Thanks for the info, Dan.

So Murray doesn't hate having to to the 10PM pickup and 6AM departure? That was the only thing that was holding me back from booking this place--didn't really seem like a nice thing to do to the guy!
Of course, I've got a lot of time to decide before I go, anyway.

Folks doing nested tickets to Watertown.... check all of your upcoming reservations.

They've had some schedule changes, and now only have two flights a day into ART on Sundays (at least in July). I had my tickets changed by the computer to put me into ART at 10:30pm on the day and leaving on the same day at 3:40pm. It isn't possible on either US or UA to get me from Milwaukee to Pittsburgh to make the earlier flight into ART. The agent, who said "I don't hear you" when I mentioned the second res, was able to move my flight out of ART to Monday afternoon.

For those flying to/from SAN via PIT, the PIT-SAN nonstop has been cancelled after Aug 21. I called and they changed my ART-PIT-SAN-PIT-ART ticket to BUF-PHL-SAN-PHL-BUF with no charges - this was more convenient for me and could be done in one connection which is what I was looking for. They actually said that I could depart from any city that I wished as long as I was willing to pay the difference in taxes if applicable!

When I went to change a second set of tickets, I got a different rep who was very difficult to deal with as she kept suggesting that I refund my ticket and rebook. She finally admitted that I had the "mistake" fares and let me change my ticket with no fee (same dates) after talking with a supervisor twice but she wasn't nearly as flexible as the first agent.

My experience with ex-SAN itineraries for September and October is HERE.

Does anyone know where I can find free wifi in PIT and PHL and is there any in ART?

In the Pittsburgh Airport... the "central core" area where all the Airmall shops and the food court are located has free Wifi. It works up in the US Airways Club as well. Depending on how much time you have.... there's a relatively quiet area out of the way where you can sit. If you go up the escalator in the central lobby area (by the big info desk) toward the US Airways Club, there are rows of seats outside the club on that second level. I've rarely seen anybody up there other than one or two airport employees eating lunch and a couple passengers on laptops.

Philly.... I don't think there is free Wifi, but T-Mobile of course in/around the Club. Others can better say. Philly is normally my final destination when I'm at the airport, so I don't spend a lot of time there (and completely avoid it when going elsewhere).

I hear there is Wifi in the lobby of the Ramada in Watertown, but that's all that I've heard of thus far.

For folks with overnight stays at the Ramada/Watertown:
Restaurant.com offers a $25 gift cert for a little over $3 @ Green Street Cafe/Ramada.


Doesn't have the usual 4person min(no min) & doesn't have a min amount on food bill.
How bout App/Salad/Steak/Dessert for $3?

1)Go to Restaurant.com

2)Search zip code: 13601

3)Add Cert(s)

4)Click Check Out/Apply Promo Code 52619/Recalculate

5)Minimize that window(don't close)

6)Click this Mastercard link

7)View cart - Check out.

Total works out to $3.20 for a $25 cert.

Hope someone can use this

Went to Watertown today, met up with seanthepilot and ryan754. We sat outside in the sun near the picnic table and it appears the staff there is definitely getting used to the FTers. A TSA agent came out and advised that we should check in now, they then came back out to let us know that they would begin their intense screening now. Never any guff about the $2 tickets this time.

Thanks seanthepilot and ryan754 for making ART bearable!

FT is great!

well, I'll be heading off to my first true MR in less than 13 hrs! Here's praying that the PIT-ART-PIT flights go smoothly. If anyone is going tomorrow, I'll have yellow FT bag tags on my overnight bag There's only one flight into ART this saturday (and probably all saturdays..)