Butchart Gardens for Fireworks on Own

Just wondering how practical it is to plan on doing Butchart Gardens on our own on a fireworks night on Saturday. The fireworks are scheduled for 8:45 on the night we will be there. Is it worth staying for the Organ concert afterwards or will that make our return be too tight?

Any tips? Where should we sit? Will there be taxis waiting at the end of the evening? Or should I arrange with the taxi that drops us off to pick us up afterwards?

Maggie

What is the scheduled departure time if your ship? The gadens are a good ways away from the port somhow do you intend to get back and forth.

Our ship leaves at 11:59 pm.

I was planning on using taxis.

Maggie

Taxi will cost you around $60 each way and you will have to arrange for one to come back to pick you up as they don't hang around out there. Be aware that the fireworks are very popular and therefore very busy, there is only one road down into the gardens and after the fireworks hundreds of cars are all trying to get out.

I would take the ship's tour as you know they will get back to the ship in time. Certainly if you go on your own, do not stay for the concert afterwards.

Taxi will cost you around $60 each way and you will have to arrange for one to come back to pick you up as they don't hang around out there. Be aware that the fireworks are very popular and therefore very busy, there is only one road down into the gardens and after the fireworks hundreds of cars are all trying to get out.

 

I would take the ship's tour as you know they will get back to the ship in time. Certainly if you go on your own, do not stay for the concert afterwards.

I have done 2 tours at night to the gardens, and neither stayed for the fireworks. As much as I wanted to see them, I found it best to go through the ship for the tours to make sure I made it back to the ship.

As you stated - if the OP wants to stay, they need to arrange for a taxi as they are not outside waiting.

I think this is an ill advised trip. With the fireworks starting at 8:45 and probably taking about 45 minutes you are now at 9:30. Finding your cab, how long is drive, and getting back to the ship means nothing must go wrong. One accident or one delay and you missed the ship. Sorry but this would be too risky for many people. But as usual it is your decision.

You also need to be very conservative with your departure time, and frankly have your arranged pick up BEFORE the end of the fireworks.

I have driven to this twice, and frankly, I just sat in the car, in gridlock for a long time. I was NOT on a cruise ship, so don't want to give the impression- it's possible. :)

Another on the bandwagon for 'do not even think about doing this it's a really, really bad idea'

If you're flush with cash and very risk tolerant then by all means BOOK a cab to pick you up - but expect the return fare to be significantly-higher than the theoretical $50-60 outbound fare as traffic at Butchart is a living nightmare on fireworks nights. There was at least one poster last year who did this, but basically was prepped and ready to go as soon as the last firework burnt out - Butchart does disproportionately attract the fogey crowd so if you're fit you can easily outpace the average visitor back to the entrance!

If doing it independently was to save money rather than just have freedom to schedule, think again. Even if you pack four of you into a cab, I wager you'll end up spending as much as you would doing it through the cruiseline because of sitting-in-traffic-with-the-meter-running. If you're a couple, then ships tour is almost certainly cheaper even if you leave early enough to avoid the rush (although now I think about it, I haven't seen what ships are charging this season so depending how accurately they reflect the exchange rate ships tours might actually still be pricier as they're always in USD...)

Gardens are beautiful, firework show ( its fireworks ) seen one they all are the same fun / beautiful.

The gardens were packed when we went. The other posters are right traffic leaving can be terrible.

We took the ship tour, our bus had crazy people who decided to linger. We were very late, the ship waited because we were on a "ship tour" I had the opportunity to be the second to last person on the ship, my son the "last."

I was envious of the planners who schedule a Limo, came in style, had the limo waiting out front and they were whisked back to the ship in front of every bus.

If you are a larger group, more than 4 the limo is cost effective and will be at the front of the long line of cars/bus back to port, you likely won't miss the boat. Just need to walk fast and be out of Buchart before the hordes on the single road back to port and you'll have a great time, save money and be traveling in style :D

I was envious of the planners who schedule a Limo, came in style, had the limo waiting out front and they were whisked back to the ship in front of every bus.

Ooo, that sounds like a wonderful idea. I think this or a ship's excursion is the only way I would attempt this. The timing is too tight otherwise, in my opinion. Do you really want to be stressing about it the entire time?

As others have stated, traffic will be a nightmare, so if your heart is set on seeing the fireworks, play it safe and book the ships excursion.

OR, another possibility ....disembark the ship and overnight in Victoria. Then you can stay at the Park as late as you like! The next day take the Victoria Clipper back to Seattle.

OR, another possibility ....disembark the ship and overnight in Victoria. Then you can stay at the Park as late as you like! The next day take the Victoria Clipper back to Seattle.

A very good idea. On our Alaska cruise with the obligatory port stop in Victoria, we saw several hundred passengers disembark in Victoria. Obviously it was arranged ahead of time with the cruise line, but it absolutely can be done.

OP you can make your way back to Seattle, or fly out of Victoria or Vancouver if you want. :)

As others have stated, traffic will be a nightmare, so if your heart is set on seeing the fireworks, play it safe and book the ships excursion.

 

OR, another possibility ....disembark the ship and overnight in Victoria. Then you can stay at the Park as late as you like! The next day take the Victoria Clipper back to Seattle.

This needs to be arranged in advance with the cruise line.

Many people do do this (especially those who live in Victoria). Victoria has a lot to offer so it is worth spending an extra day or two here.

This needs to be arranged in advance with the cruise line.

 

Many people do do this (especially those who live in Victoria). Victoria has a lot to offer so it is worth spending an extra day or two here.

Victoria sure does have a lot to offer, my last few trips haven't been less than 4 days.

Victoria sure does have a lot to offer, my last few trips haven't been less than 4 days.

I could definitely do a long vacation and vacation in Victoria and Whistler (and I am sure other beautiful areas I have not seen in BC). Love BC!

Echoing the other posters - don't take cabs, just do the ship's tour; it's too far out of town for the risk of missing the ship leaving. I haven't been to see the fireworks in years but I'm actually surprised they even start at 8:45 - it's not really dark enough then...just checked the website and may have missed your visit date - Sept 3 is the only date where the fireworks are listed that early so it makes sense then.

The trip back to the cruise ship is somewhat long (by Victoria standards!) and the traffic can be heavy (again - by Victoria standards!).

I'm not really a "garden" person (there are lots of free gardens in town) - but we did the fireworks last August and they may have been the best ones we've ever experienced. We've been to some of the big fireworks competitions in the past - but the Butchart show was VERY good.

We live about half ways to the cruise ships from Butchart and we left about as quick as we could (and took some backroads shortcuts home) and I recall it was after 11 PM by the time we got home.

I'd recommend the fireworks, but would likely consider the safety of a ship excursion (and I HATE paying extra for booking through the ship)...

Hi everyone! Thanks for your comments. I may have to rethink the excursion. I really didn't think there would be an issue with doing this excursion on our own, but maybe I was wrong.

To answer a few questions, DH & I are mid-40s and the kids are early 20s. So we could keep up a good pace. Although my MIL and AuntIL are on the cruise with us, but not sure what their plans are for Victoria. We haven't talked excursions yet.

We are going to be there on Sept. 3 - the last fireworks Saturday. So according to the website they go off at 8:45. I know it is later on other Saturdays.

I live in Chicago, so am used to traffic and congestion, so I know all about leaving extra time for "what ifs". I have an hour commute to work and usually allow myself 2 hours for my commute if there is anything I absolutely must be on time for. I really was thinking it would still be plenty of time, but maybe not.

My thoughts were:

8:45 - 9:15 fireworks (I watched a few youtube videos of these and they seemed to be 30 minutes. But I don't know for sure about the real fireworks.)

9:15 - 9:45 time to get to taxi, etc.

9:45 - 11:45 allows 2 hours for trip back to ship.

Maybe the fireworks aren't worth it? I don't know. I will have to think about it. I really wanted to go to the Gardens because we have been to Disney World alot and the Canada pavilion in EPCOT has a miniature replica of the Butchart Gardens and I thought it would be fun to see the real thing and not just the Disney version!! We've seen a lot of fireworks (remember ... Disney!) so it is not a make or break decision. It is just that since we will be there on a Saturday it seemed like we might as well stay for the fireworks. Maybe we should just plan on standing in the back and leaving before the very end? Therefore we would get the feel of the fireworks but miss the throng at the end?

I did also think about staying in Victoria and making our way back to Seattle. We actually don't have our return flights booked yet, so it is a possibility. Although we have other family on the trip, so probably not the best idea.

Maybe I will plan something else entirely. But I would be sad to miss seeing the Gardens. And I think my MIL and AuntIL (and probably my husband's cousins too) would like to see the flowers, etc. Although my MIL sometimes walks with a cane if her ankle bothers her. So maybe some kind of bus trip for them would be better. And I know my one cousin mentioned going to some local breweries on some of the stops. So that is another possibiiity.

Thanks for all your thoughts.

Maggie

 

Maybe I will plan something else entirely. But I would be sad to miss seeing the Gardens. And I think my MIL and AuntIL (and probably my husband's cousins too) would like to see the flowers, etc. Although my MIL sometimes walks with a cane if her ankle bothers her. So maybe some kind of bus trip for them would be better. And I know my one cousin mentioned going to some local breweries on some of the stops. So that is another possibiiity.

 

Thanks for all your thoughts.

 

Maggie

The gardens are worth it, regardless of fireworks!

The gardens are really beautiful and the scope I'd kind of amazing compared to Epcot. The real crux of the issue is that everyone leaves at pretty much the same time from the furthest part of the garden itself, though the garden then from a large parking lot out a narrow one lane road onto another one lane road until you get onto the bigger part of Keating to the highway. And it is a few hundred people at least.

Because it's the last night for the year, I expect there will be even more people there than the usually incredibly busy Saturday nights. Take the ships tour, you won't be sorry.

Because it's the last night for the year, I expect there will be even more people there than the usually incredibly busy Saturday nights. Take the ships tour, you won't be sorry.

I don't think the ships tour stays for the fireworks.

Maggie