Check in 24h before in the AA app for mobile boarding passes. Sunday: Pearson Terminal 3, US preclearance, be there by 2:15pm. Passports for all four.
🏨
Marriott Downtown at CF Toronto Eaton Centre
88218998
Tue Oct 13 (4pm) → Thu Oct 15 (noon). 2 double beds, city view. 2 adults + 2 kids. CA$1,454 total, due at checkout, Amex on file.
525 Bay St. Attached to the Eaton Centre mall.
🏨
Niagara Falls Marriott Fallsview Hotel & Spa
88107640
Thu Oct 15 (4pm) → Sat Oct 17 (11am). Executive Fallsview Suite, 2 queens + sofa bed, falls view. CA$1,275 total incl. resort fee, due at checkout.
6740 Fallsview Blvd. Parking: off-site CA$50/day or valet CA$70/day; Tesla destination charger at 6080 Fallsview next door.
🏨
Fairmont Royal York
550536636
Sat Oct 17 (4pm) → Sun Oct 18 (noon). 1 night, 2 adults + 2 kids. CA$1,065.48, pay at hotel. Fixed Oct 11.
100 Front St W, across from Union Station. Pre-check-in link is in the Fairmont email. Hotel holds bags Sunday until the 1:45 Tesla return.
🚗
Turo · Gavin's Tesla Model Y Performance
62218139
Pick up Thu Oct 15 10:00am at the Marriott Eaton Centre (Gavin delivers). Return Sun Oct 18 ~1:45pm at Pearson (+CA$60). 900 km included. Paid CA$662.82 + extension.
Gavin (416) 723-0326. He adds you as a driver in the Tesla app an hour before pickup, so install the Tesla app now. Return at the same charge level. Backup location if plans change: 75 Portland St garage, P1, spot #4 or #62.
🗼
360 Restaurant · CN Tower
not confirmed
Wed Oct 14, 8:15pm, table for 4. Dinner includes Observation Deck access (go up at 7:15).
290 Bremner Blvd, (416) 362-5411. Smart casual. 3-min walk from Ripley's.
🌊
Table Rock House Restaurant
booked · details in your personal email
Thu Oct 15, 6pm. Right on the brink of the Horseshoe Falls. Illumination starts 6:15pm, so ask for a window.
6650 Niagara Pkwy, inside Table Rock Centre. Forward the confirmation to justin@oklahomashirtcompany.com and it gets added here.
🎟️
Ripley's Aquarium of Canada
ticket in your personal email
Wed Oct 14, arrive any time 2–3pm. 2 adult + 2 youth. Paid CA$171.76.
288 Bremner Blvd. Show the barcode from the Ripley's email at Guest Services. Forward it to the OSCO address and the barcode goes here.
🚤
Niagara City Cruises · Voyage to the Falls
87107174
Fri Oct 16, 9:30–10:30am slot. 2 adult + 2 child. Paid CA$188.69. This QR IS the ticket.
Main Ticket Plaza, 5920 Niagara Pkwy (big white sails by the zipline tower), elevators down to the Lower Landing. Arrive by 9:20. Ponchos provided.
🎢
Canada's Wonderland
ticket in your personal email / Six Flags app
Sat Oct 17, 11am–11pm. 4 tickets, paid ~CA$500 (US$367.81).
1 Canada's Wonderland Dr, Vaughan. Tickets scan from the Six Flags app or the email barcode. Forward it and it gets added here.
🌮
El Catrin · Distillery District
2110978799
Sun Oct 18, 12:00pm brunch, table for 4. OpenTable.
18 Tank House Lane, (416) 203-2121. 10-min cab from Ripley's. Wander the Distillery after.
🍔
JOEY Eaton Centre
184790
Tue Oct 13, 8:00pm, table for 4. OpenTable.
1 Dundas St W, inside the Eaton Centre, (647) 352-5639. 2 minutes from the room.
🦍
Rainforest Cafe Niagara
77325
Fri Oct 16, 6:30pm, table for 4. OpenTable.
4915 Clifton Hill, (905) 374-5210. 5-min walk from the SkyWheel.
🥩
Harbour Sixty
2110281593
Sat Oct 17, 7:00pm, table for 4, Dining Room. OpenTable.
60 Harbour St, (416) 777-2111. 7-min walk from the Fairmont. Leafs home game that night, leave by 6:40.
Also in your pocket
Passports, all fourKids don't need a consent letter when both parents travel
Driver's license + the credit card Turo has on fileGavin checks ID at handoff
Tesla app installed, logged inGavin invites you as a driver Thursday morning
Mobile Passport Control (MPC) app, all four of youFree CBP app, skips the US preclearance line at Pearson on Sunday
AA app with boarding passesCheck in Monday 11:08am
Six Flags app with the Wonderland ticketsLog in with the email you bought them on
Green = confirmed, code is here. Yellow = booked but the ticket lives in your personal email (forward it to the OSCO address and it gets added). Red = needs fixing.
$7,510spent so far, USD · 9 charges
✈️ Flights$3,551
🏨 Lodging$2,770
🎟️ Attractions$645
🚗 Car$484
💳 Other$60
Sun Oct 18$777.72
🏨 Fairmont Royal York, Sat Oct 17 (booking 550536636), pay at hotelpay at hotel
$777.72CA$1,065.48
Sat Oct 17$930.66
🏨 Marriott Fallsview, Executive Fallsview suite, 2 nights (88107640), due at checkoutAmex (guarantee)
$930.66CA$1,275.00
Thu Oct 15$1,061.31
🏨 Marriott Eaton Centre, 2 nights (conf 88218998), due at checkoutAmex (guarantee)
$1,061.31CA$1,454.00
Sun Oct 11$60.00
💳 ANEDOTAmex …7003
$60.00
Sat Oct 10$1,128.53
🚗 Turo: Gavin's Tesla Model Y (3 days, 900 km)Turo (card on file)
Fed by your Amex, Citi and Capital One alert emails every hour during the trip. Citi only sends the amount, so those show as "Citi charge" until you text Claude what it was (e.g. "the $42 was lunch"). Cash: text "spent 20 cash on ice cream" and it gets added. CAD converted at ~1.37.
Tue · Oct 13
🚪
Out the doorCar loaded by 9:40, leave at 9:45, airport by 10:00
✈️
Fly to TorontoBoarding 10:38, wheels up 11:08, stop in Dallas, land in Canada 5:30pm
🏨
Check in: Marriott at Eaton CentreOur hotel is attached to a giant mall
🍔
Easy dinner at the mallBurgers downstairs, then bed. Big day tomorrow.
Wed · Oct 14
🕹️
The Rec Room arcade40,000 square feet of games, VR, and lunch
🦈
Ripley's AquariumWalk through a glass tunnel under the sharks
🗼
Dinner IN the CN Tower at sunsetThe restaurant spins all the way around, 1,151 ft up, with the whole city lit up below
Thu · Oct 15
🚗
Road trip in the TeslaModel Y Performance. 90 minutes to Niagara Falls
🍁
Niagara-on-the-LakeCute little town for lunch, then the river road to the Falls
🌊
NIAGARA FALLSDinner at Table Rock, right on the edge of the falls, then they light up at night
Fri · Oct 16
🚤
Boat into the fallsYou WILL get soaked. That's the point.
🕳️
Journey Behind the FallsTunnels that come out BEHIND the water
🚁
Helicopter over the fallsMaybe! Depends on weather
🚡
Whirlpool Aero CarA 100-year-old cable car over a giant whirlpool
🎡
Clifton Hill + SkyWheelArcades, the big wheel, and Rainforest Cafe for dinner
Sat · Oct 17
🎢
Canada's WonderlandBiggest roller coasters in Canada, Halloween edition
🏨
Fairmont Royal YorkFanciest hotel of the trip, then steak dinner at Harbour Sixty by the arena
Sun · Oct 18
🌮
Distillery District brunchTacos and churros on a patio in old brick streets
✈️
Fly homeFree morning downtown, Tesla to the airport, fly at 5:15, home by 10pm
Scroll down = later in the trip. The glowing one is what's happening now; the orange badge is what's next.
Packing — pick your name, check things off
Loading forecast…
List builds itself from the week's forecast and what's marked Yes/Maybe on each day. Checkmarks save per person on this phone.
Tue Oct 13 · Fly in, land 5:30, easy night
Loading weather…
Pre-trip: getting out of the house
Open
🕒 Leave 604 NW 18th at 9:45am🚪 9:45 leave · 10:00 at OKC (PreCheck) · 10:38 boarding · 11:08 wheels up
Flight AA 1902 is 11:08. Boarding opens 30 min before: 10:38. Rule: at the airport 30 minutes before boarding, so 10:00. Fifteen minutes from the house: out the door at 9:45, car loaded by 9:40. Monday night: passports in Justin's bag, AA app checked in (opens Mon 11:08am), everyone's packing tab at 100%, phones charged, Tesla app installed. Seats 9D, 8C, 8B, 8A.
Bags then Canadian customs (no preclearance on the way in, ~30–45 min). UP Express from Terminal 1 to Union: every 15 min, 25-min ride, CA$12.35 per adult, kids 12 and under free, tap a credit card. Union → Marriott (525 Bay St) is a 10-min walk or 5-min cab. Check-in from 4pm, conf 88218998. Realistic hotel arrival: 7:15pm.
Inside the mall, 2 minutes from the room, no coats needed. Burgers, sushi, kids menu. Everyone in bed by 9:30 so Wednesday starts strong. Backup: Urban Eatery food court, lower level, open till 9.
Sleep in. 255 Bremner Blvd, right between Ripley's and the CN Tower: 40,000 sq ft of arcade, VR, axe-throwing-style games, ping pong, plus a real restaurant for lunch. Load one game card for the kids (CA$40–60 does a lot). Opens 11am weekdays. Reddit calls it 'Dave & Buster's done right.' Casa Loma's out: you said rides and arcades, not castles.
Shoot on a virtual goalie, play goalie against virtual shooters; 90 minutes, then subway 2 stops to Ripley's
Ripley's Aquarium of Canada — BOOKED
Booked
🕒 Arrive 2:00–3:00pm window (any time in that hour), stay as long as you like💵 Paid CA$171.76 (US$125.96 on the Citi card): 2 adult + 2 youth timed tickets
288 Bremner Blvd, at the base of the CN Tower, 3-min walk from the Rec Room. Tickets are on the Ripley's confirmation email (not in the OSCO inbox, check personal mail); show the barcode on your phone at Guest Services. Tip from Ripley's: don't show up right at 2:00, come 2:15–2:30 to skip the top-of-hour crowd. Open until 9pm. Dangerous Lagoon moving walkway + shark tunnel is the must-see; touch tanks for Char.
Break before dinner
Open
🕒 4:30–7:00pm
Ripley's is done by 4:30 and dinner's not till 8:15. Three options; pick on the day.
Options — tap 👍 or 👎
Back to the hotel: pool, shower, change for dinner
The grown-up move; Marriott Eaton Centre has a rooftop indoor pool
10 min south of Ripley's, lake view, kids' menu, patio heaters
360 Restaurant at the CN Tower — BOOKED
Booked
🕒 8:15pm (6:30 was gone) · table for 4🚪 OpenTable #2110984736
Go up to the Observation Deck at 7:15 (included with dinner, the night view is the better one anyway), sit down at 8:15, 70-minute rotation, done by 9:45, 20-min walk or 5-min cab back to the hotel. Window seat was on the original booking, ask for it again. Jackson on the inside of the table. Smart casual.
Toronto Islands ferry (OPTIONAL, recommend skipping Thursday)
Open
🕒 first Ward's Island ferry 6:30am; practical 8:15am or 9:00am departure🚪 WINTER SCHEDULE starts Oct 14: ONLY the Ward's Island route runs (Centre Island & Hanlan's Point ferries ended Oct 13). Ward's departures: 6:30, 7:00, 7:30, 8:15, 9:00, 9:30, 10:30, 11:30am… returns from Ward's 6:45, 7:15, 7:45, 8:30, 9:15, 9:45, 10:45, 11:45am…💵 Adult round-trip $9.57; official online ticket page lists Older Adult/Youth 15–19/Child 2–14 at $0.00 as of Oct 10 (verify at purchase) (≈~US$13)
Winter schedule started Oct 14: only the Ward's Island ferry runs, Centreville is closed, and it's a 45° morning on the water. You'd need to be on the 8am boat and back by 9:30 to meet Gavin at 10. Honest call: sleep in after the 9:30pm dinner, hit the Islands Sunday morning instead when you have 4 free hours. Buy online: https://secure.toronto.ca/FerryTicketOnline/tickets2/index.jsp (express line). Jack Layton Ferry Terminal, 9 Queens Quay W (behind Westin Harbour Castle), ~1.5 km from hotel. Ward's → Centre Island is a 35-min walk (or rent bikes). CENTREVILLE AMUSEMENT PARK IS CLOSED (season is May–Sept per centreisland.ca; City lists Centre Island services 'closed for the season'). Go for skyline views and the boardwalk only; budget 2 h total and be back by ~10:30am to get the car. Weather: mid-Oct highs ~12–14°C, windy on the water – layers.
If kids were mainly excited for Centreville, the Islands lose some appeal in cold wind; an earlier Niagara arrival lets you add Niagara City Cruises (last sailing 4:30pm) on Thursday instead of Friday.
Tesla Model Y Performance (Turo – Gavin's) — BOOKED
Booked
🕒 Pick up Thu Oct 15 10:00am · Return Sun Oct 18 6:30am🚪 Turo trip #62218139 · 900 km included (CA$0.48/km over)💵 Paid CA$662.82 (~US$485) total
2020 Model Y Performance with Full Self Driving. Host Gavin, (416) 723-0326, message via the Turo link. Gavin adds you as a driver in the Tesla app about an hour before pickup: download the Tesla app now. Trip location on the booking is the Marriott Eaton Centre, but Gavin's standard instructions say the car lives at 75 Portland St parking garage, P1, spot #4 or #62 (street-level elevator to P1, left, left, straight; honk from the app to find it; garage Wi-Fi 'MetroEV Guests'). CONFIRM WITH GAVIN which it is. RETURN: booking says return to the Marriott Eaton Centre 'as arranged with Gavin' — NOT Pearson. Confirm the Sunday 6:30am return spot with Gavin; if it has to be downtown, drop it and take the 7:00am UP Express from Union. Charging: Supercharger on Morrison St in Niagara Falls, Tesla destination charger at 6080 Fallsview Blvd by the hotel. Check Gavin's return-charge rule in the listing. Non-refundable; 24-hr cancel window closed Oct 11 ~8:40pm CDT.
👽 r/turo: hosts bill you for Supercharging after the trip unless you return at the same level, so top up before Pearson. Take photos of the car and the charge screen at pickup and return.
25 min past the Falls on the QEW. Postcard-pretty main street (Queen St), fudge shops, the Olde Angel Inn for lunch, Niagara Pkwy drive back along the river is the prettiest 25 minutes of the trip. Fills the gap before 4pm check-in without wasting the afternoon.
Gets one Friday item done early and frees Friday afternoon for the helicopter
Check in Marriott Fallsview, Executive Fallsview Suite
Booked
🕒 4:00pm (early check-in: ask, suites often ready by 2)🚪 Conf 88107640 · CA$1,275 for 2 nights due at checkout
6740 Fallsview Blvd. Parking is off-site CA$50/day or valet CA$70; or leave the Tesla on the destination charger at 6080 Fallsview next door. Table Rock is a 15-min walk downhill from the hotel (or the WEGO bus).
👽 r/niagarafallsontario: self-park at the hotel ($39–50) and 'come and go as you please'; the $5–10 lots nearby aren't great for overnight. With the Tesla just use the destination charger next door.
🕒 6:00pm🚪 Oct 15: 11:30am–9:00pm (Niagara Parks hours calendar)
Ask for a window table – the Horseshoe Falls is lit from 6:15pm on Oct 15, so you'll see the illumination begin during dinner. Illumination kicks on at 6:15pm, so you'll see the Falls go from daylight to lit from the table. Ask for a window when you arrive.
🕒 6:15pm, from your table at Table Rock🚪 Nightly, year-round; schedule table on Niagara Parks site💵 Free
⚠ FIREWORKS ARE OVER: the 2026 Falls Fireworks Series ran May 15 – Mon Oct 12 (10pm nightly) – no fireworks Oct 15–17 (Niagara Parks: https://www.niagaraparks.com/events/event/niagara-falls-fireworks-series). Next fireworks are the Winter Festival of Lights (mid-Nov onward). Best free viewing: Queen Victoria Park parapet wall and Table Rock plaza. Paid night options: Journey Behind the Falls 'Journey at Night' (open to 7pm Oct 15 – i.e., only ~45 min of darkness) or Power Station at Night (closed Oct 15; open Fri Oct 16 5–8pm).
10-min walk from Table Rock. SkyWheel is better at night (the Falls lit below you), 12 minutes, CA$15/adult CA$8/kid. Arcades, Dinosaur mini golf. Walk back up to the hotel or grab the WEGO.
Niagara City Cruises: Voyage to the Falls — BOOKED
Booked
🕒 Fri Oct 16, 9:30–10:30am slot (arrive just before 9:30)🚪 Confirmation #87107174 (order hnccoB87107174)💵 Paid CA$188.69 (US$150.95): 2 adult $95.90 + 2 child $55.90 + insurance $15.18 + HST
20-minute boat into the Horseshoe Falls, rain or shine; mist ponchos provided. Boarding: Main Ticket Plaza at 5920 Niagara Pkwy (look for the big white sails next to the Zipline tower), then elevators down to the Lower Landing. QR code is in the City Experiences email in the OSCO inbox, show it at arrival. No cruise parking: use the Niagara Parks lots on the Parkway or walk from the hotel (about 20 min downhill). Leave the Marriott by 8:50. You WILL get wet, phones in ziplocks, and it's a 45° morning, so hoodies under the ponchos.
Journey Behind the Falls (cut if anyone is cold or done)
Open
🕒 11:15am timed slot🚪 Oct 16: 9:00am–7:00pm💵 Adult $33, Child 3–12 $21.50, +HST (or included in all Niagara Falls Passes) (≈~US$23)
r/niagara: the boat is the one that matters, this is the one to drop. If everyone's still fired up after the cruise, do it, it's 30 minutes and the tunnels are cool. Enter at Table Rock Centre (next to last night's restaurant). 45–60 min. Elevator 125 ft down; lower deck gets very wet. Bags over 56×36×23 cm not allowed. Redevelopment work ongoing but attraction stays open. Buy the 11:30 timed slot online the night before so the four of you aren't stuck behind a tour bus.
👽 r/niagara, loud consensus: the BOAT is significantly better than Journey, but they're different (above vs behind). Do both; Journey is the one to drop if you're short on time.
Rain-day backup for the afternoon: Niagara Parks Power Station + Tunnel (indoor, 10–5) or the Fallsview Indoor Waterpark. Niagara Parks pass: skip it; Journey + Aero Car à la carte is cheaper unless you add the Power Station.
If you'd rather eat near the SkyWheel and do Clifton Hill mid-day; big kid menus.
Whirlpool Aero Car
Open
🕒 1:30pm (open 10–5)🚪 Oct 16: 10:00am–5:00pm. Season check: still open Nov 1 (10–5), CLOSED by Nov 8 on the Niagara Parks calendar – so last operating day is ~Nov 1, 2026. Weather-dependent (wind).💵 Adult $25, Child 3–12 $16.50, +HST (included in Plus & Premium passes) (≈~US$18)
3850 Niagara Parkway; on-site parking. 10-min round trip over the whirlpool; fall colour peak is usually mid-Oct – good timing. Allow 40 min. Optional add-on on the way back: White Water Walk (10–5, Adult $21/Child $13.50; in all passes).
🕒 2:15pm, walk-in, 5 min from the Aero Car🚪 Open 364 days from 9:00am; closes at dusk (~6:15pm mid-Oct); weather permitting – cannot fly in low cloud💵 Official site does not publish prices online. Third-party 2026 listings: Adult ≈$209, Child 2–11 ≈$127 CAD + tax (niagarafallslive.com) – UNVERIFIED; call 905-357-5672. Family ≈ $670 (≈US$470).
3731 Victoria Ave, ~8 min drive north of the Falls (free parking). Walk-in attraction with a no-fly/no-pay policy; reservations not required. Minimum 2 passengers; seating assigned by weight. Allow 60 min total. Pairs geographically with Whirlpool Aero Car (5 min further north). Niagara Helicopters (3731 Victoria Ave) is a 5-min drive from the Aero Car, so do Aero Car then helicopter back-to-back. Walk-in, weather permitting; if Friday's socked in, Saturday morning before Wonderland is the backup.
👽 r/niagara, split: 'pretty awesome, great views' vs 'not worth it, 9 minutes for $200.' Locals say only on a clear day. Decide at 1:45 by looking up.
You did Clifton Hill Thursday night. Fallsview Marriott has an indoor pool and whirlpool; the kids will rank it next to the Falls. Dry hair, Rainforest Cafe at 6:30 is a 10-min walk.
4915 Clifton Hill (Falls Ave by the Hard Rock), (905) 374-5210. Thunderstorm every 20 minutes, animatronic gorillas, Char will lose it. 5-min walk from the SkyWheel.
Checkout by 11 but leave by 9:30. Supercharger at 7190 Morrison St (5 min from the hotel), 20 minutes gets you to Wonderland and downtown with margin. Grab breakfast at the hotel or Tim's by the charger.
🕒 Arrive 11:00am (gates), leave 4:30pm🚪 Sat Oct 17, 2026: Park 11:00am–11:00pm (confirmed on official calendar). Tricks and Treats (family Halloween) 11am–5pm; Halloween Haunt 6pm–11pm. Kids' areas open Sat/Sun only until 8pm. Splash Works closed.💵 Paid ~CA$500 (US$367.81 on the Citi card)
1 Canada's Wonderland Dr, Vaughan. About 80 min from Niagara via the QEW/407 (407 is a toll road, worth it on a Saturday). Tickets are on the Six Flags confirmation email (not in the OSCO inbox, check personal mail or the Six Flags app). Daytime Tricks and Treats (family Halloween) runs 11–5; Halloween Haunt mazes start at 6pm and are legit scary, skip them with Char. Leviathan and Yukon Striker for Jackson, Planet Snoopy for Char. Supercharge the Tesla before you leave Niagara (Morrison St). Leave by ~4:30 to make Fairmont check-in and Harbour Sixty at 7. Reddit: bring snacks and a cooler in the car, park food is $57 for a pizza combo.
👽 r/CanadasWonderland: a whole thread titled 'STOP BRINGING KIDS TO HAUNT,' park itself says not for under-13. Daytime is fine. Also: food inside has nearly doubled ($57 for a pizza combo), bring snacks and a cooler in the Tesla.
Decide Friday night. If Saturday's under ~48° or raining, coasters close for wind and it's a miserable day; ROM opens 10 (dinosaurs, 20 min from the Fairmont), HHOF after. Eat the ~$370 in tickets rather than a frozen day.
Fairmont Royal York — BOOKED
Booked
🕒 Check-in from 4pm Sat Oct 17 · out noon Sun Oct 18🚪 Booking ID 550536636 (was QKRPHCBB) · CA$1,065.48 pay at hotel
100 Front St W, across from Union Station. Valet is pricey (~CA$75); you only need the Tesla overnight, so use the Green P garage at Union/Bay. Harbour Sixty is a 7-min walk.
🕒 7:00pm · table for 4, Dining Room🚪 OpenTable confirmation #2110281593💵 Steakhouse, $$$$ (~CA$80–120/adult). Kids menu on request.
60 Harbour St, (416) 777-2111. 7-minute walk south from the Fairmont Royal York (Bay St to Harbour St, next to Scotiabank Arena). Historic Harbour Commission building; smart casual, this is the "one nicer outfit" night. Leafs play at home at 7pm that night, so Bay/Front will be packed, leave the hotel by 6:40.
🕒 12:00pm (11 was gone) · table for 4🚪 OpenTable #2110978799
Checkout by 11:30, everything in the Tesla. 10-min drive to the Distillery (Green P lot on Parliament). Cobblestones, LOVE sign, SOMA chocolate, brunch at noon on the heated patio. Leave by 1:10; Pearson is 30–40 min Sunday; Gavin at 1:45. If you're up early: St. Lawrence Market is 5 min from the hotel, Carousel Bakery peameal sandwich, opens 10.
Sunday: return the Tesla at Pearson ~1:45pm (Gavin, +CA$60), then AA
Open
🕒 1:45pm at Pearson (leave the Distillery by 1:10)
Gavin agreed to a Pearson drop for CA$60 extra. Supercharge to the same level you got it at before the airport. Morning is free: St. Lawrence Market (5 min from the Fairmont, Carousel Bakery peameal sandwich), Hockey Hall of Fame (next to Union), or the Islands ferry you skipped Thursday.
Afternoon flight, so Sunday morning is yours. Be at Pearson Terminal 3 by 2:15pm (US preclearance, allow 3 hrs). Home by 10pm.
👽 r/askTO on Pearson US preclearance: 'could take 30 min, could take 2.5 hrs, all a crapshoot'; arrive 3 hrs out. Download the Mobile Passport Control (MPC) app for all four, it's the fast lane.
FIX: 360 dinner at 6pm Tue can't work — you land 5:30pm. Rebook for 8pm+ (OpenTable had 7:30 open) or move it to Wed.
Flights: land YYZ 5:30pm Tue; fly home Sun 5:15pm (not morning). Sunday morning is free; Tesla back at Pearson ~1:45pm.
FIREWORKS OVER: Niagara Falls fireworks series ended Mon Oct 12, 2026 – none on Oct 15–17. Illumination still runs nightly (6:15pm Oct 15; 6:00pm Oct 16–17).
TORONTO ISLANDS: Winter ferry schedule began Oct 14 – only the Ward's Island ferry runs on Oct 15 (Centre Island/Hanlan's ferries ended Oct 13). Centreville Amusement Park is CLOSED for the season (May–Sept). Ward's→Centre Island is a 35-min walk.
NO TORONTO PRO GAME on Wed Oct 14: Raptors preseason home game is Tue Oct 13 (7pm, during your 360 dinner); Leafs home games are Thu Oct 15 and Sat Oct 17 (7pm). Blue Jays are not in the 2026 postseason.
Niagara Parks Power Station at Night is CLOSED Thu Oct 15 (open Fri Oct 16 5–8pm). Niagara Falls guided walking tours closed both days.
Whirlpool Aero Car season ends ~Nov 1, 2026 (open Oct 16, 10am–5pm) – fine for your date, but wind closures happen; have Power Station/Tunnel as the swap.
Niagara Falls Passes expire Nov 1, 2026 – valid for Oct 16, but Niagara City Cruises is never included.
Canada's Wonderland Halloween Haunt (6–11pm) is intense; the daytime 'Tricks and Treats' (11am–5pm) is the family programme. Kids' areas close 8pm.
Unverified items (could not confirm on an official page): rental-car total cost, Niagara Helicopters prices, Wonderland parking fee, Fallsview Indoor Waterpark Oct 16 operation, Rainforest Cafe menu prices, Eaton Centre hours, Niagara Falls Pass child prices.
Logistics
Rental Car Return
recommendation: Return at Toronto Pearson (YYZ) on Sunday Oct 18 morning, NOT downtown Saturday. why: Hertz Model Y: pick up 161 Bay St Thu 10:30am, return Pearson Sun 6:30am. alternative: Saturday evening return at Pearson + UP Express both ways (adds ~1 h Saturday, saves hotel parking and the Sunday drive). urls: ['https://www.torontopearson.com/en/transportation-and-parking/car-rentals', 'https://www.avis.ca/en/locations/ca/on/mississauga/yyz']
Border And Documents
summary: Every traveller, including both kids, needs a valid US passport for air travel into Canada and for US preclearance on return (passport cards/birth certificates are land/sea only). Both parents travelling together: no consent letter needed; if only one parent/guardian is travelling, Canada recommends a signed consent letter from the other parent (travel.gc.ca template). CBSA may ask kids simple questions – normal. Bring any custody documents if relevant. US-bound: declare purchases; duty-free allowance for US residents after 48+ h abroad is US$800/person. urls: ['https://www.cbsa-asfc.gc.ca/travel-voyage/td-dv-eng.html', 'https://travel.gc.ca/travelling/children/consent-letter']
Presto And Transit
summary: You likely don't need PRESTO cards: TTC and UP Express accept tap-to-pay credit/debit cards (and phone wallets) at the same adult fare, with free 2-hour TTC transfers; children 12 and under ride TTC free (just walk through with a paying adult). The 13-year-old pays adult fare on UP Express ($12.35) and TTC youth/adult fare – on TTC, tap a card for each paying rider. Ontario's One Fare program gives free transfers between GO/UP and TTC within 2 h when tapping the same card. UP Express Group Pass (3 people, $25) is the best deal for your Pearson ride and is sold only on upexpress.com. urls: ['https://ttc.ca/Fares-and-passes', 'https://ttc.ca/riding-the-ttc/Updates/One-Fare-Program', 'https://www.upexpress.com/en/ways-to-pay/up-express-fares']
Tipping
summary: Restaurants 15–20% on the pre-tax amount (13% HST is itemised; terminals often suggest 18%+ – pick 'custom' to tip on subtotal). Table Rock House/360: check whether a gratuity is already added for groups. Taxis/Uber 10–15%; hotel bellhop $2–5/bag; housekeeping $3–5/night; tour/boat/helicopter staff – not expected. Cards everywhere; little cash needed (CAD). urls: ['https://wealthnorth.ca/personal-finance/consumer-guides/how-much-to-tip-canada/']
Weather
Mid-October Toronto/Niagara: highs ~12–15°C (54–59°F), lows 5–8°C, sunset ~6:35pm Oct 13 → 6:27pm Oct 18. Pack waterproof layers (boat/Journey spray + wind) and a warm layer for Wonderland evenings.
Niagara Getting Around
WEGO hop-on bus (Green line links Fallsview hotels ↔ Table Rock ↔ Clifton Hill; included in any Niagara Falls Pass, otherwise 24/48-h fares on niagaraparks.com). Falls Incline Railway (Fallsview ↔ Table Rock) 9am–9pm Oct 15–16. Falls Parking Lot A opposite Table Rock is the main paid lot; Rapidsview park-and-ride is free with a pass.
Citypass Math
Toronto CityPASS Adult $134.96 / Child 4–12 $99.
Rental Car
BOOKED: Turo, Gavin's 2020 Tesla Model Y Performance, trip 62218139, CA$662.82 paid, 900 km included. Pick up Thu Oct 15 10:00am, return Sun Oct 18 6:30am. Host (416) 723-0326. Confirm pickup spot + return spot with Gavin.
Research compiled Oct 10, 2026. Prices CAD, verify at booking. Green = booked · orange = needs booking · yellow = open, just show up · gray = closed.
