First off, congratulations on being selected to host the 2010 Winter Games. I live in nearby Seattle, and I am going.
I went to the Utah board and thankfully, there are still messages from the Salt Lake City Games. So I got some good ideas but specifically:

1. Getting tickets-it seems like you go to the Olympics web site about 18 months before the Games and request tickets. So, is it like a crap shoot on what you'll get? What if your a die hard hockey fan, you don't want ice dancing and bobsled tickets. Plus I want to go to Opening ceremonies soooo bad. Is it the rich and famous who get those tickets or can Joe Average get into Opening ceremonies? If I could get Opening ceremonies, some ski qualies and a hockey early round match, that would be more than fine with me.

2. Getting to the venues-the ice events will be in Vancouver and the ski/bobsled, snowboard events will be in Whistler. Do they have shuttles to get to the venues or is it best to know the local transit system?

If any Olympic veterans have any more info or insight they could offer I would be very thankful.

Ooops forgot something.

Cost-I live nearby, I can take Greyhound to Vancouver. So taking into account tickets, hotel, food, "mad money", how much do these things cost, ball-park figure? I plan on 2 maybe 3 nights.

tavel-, your enthusiasm is noted but you're a teensy bit premature. I'm sure that in about five years the various ways of getting to Vancouver, Whistler and the games venues will be much clearer and as you noted tickets won't go on sdale till 2008 and hotels won't take reservations untill then either. Stay on top of it though. 2010 will be here before you know it!

We went to the 2002 in Salt Lake City. It is a long planning process!! We requested a package for the dates we were going to be there--like 18 mon before the games. You know what you got in about 6 mon. You can request more tx then,and I think I recall there were alot of hockey tx--cuz there's alot of games. We also requested individual event tx, but didn't get those. All the packages had 1 hockey,1 nordic and 1 metal ceremony,then 2 other events. They really had the transportation/shuttles worked out well. The hotel was the hardest part. All the rooms were booked with the olympic committee and they released only limited amounts at a time. Lots are filled with press,etc and not for the public. The prices are 2-3 times more than the normal. It was a great experience and all went better than expected for us.

As a Calgarian I fondly remember the 1988 games, both as a volunteer and spectator. I'm don't how the ticketing will work for 2010 but in 1988 it was really a lottery. You sent in a request form for all the tickets you wanted and if your form got picked - then you got the tickets. As a previous poster suggested there will also be tour packages offered by various companies but you might not get the particular event that you really want to see. Even if you don't get any tickets I strongly suggest you spend a few days in Vancouver during the Games as its a whole lot of fun just hanging around an Olympic city.

Ok, so I request my ticket package 18 months before, then when the confirmation comes and I know what dates I got, I book a hotel. Got it.

I plan on taking several "exploratory" trips to Vancouver/Whistler in the meantime, get to know the area, get ideas on where to stay.

I know Vancouver/Whistler will put on a great show. Congrats, Vancouver 2010!

I'm not sure I'd wait until 18 months ahead to book accommodation. I'd be more inclined to book something and then cancel if needed.

Ahhh, ok.
Well, I know I want to go to Opening Ceremonies soooo bad. That and some hockey/ski qualies and I'd be happy. I don't have to see a medal round.

So I should book for the early days, the whole week even, then cancel when i found out what tickets I got?

I guess if I had to come back home to Seattle for a couple nights then go back up it wouldn't be that bad. I could deal with that. It's a three hour trip.

Do you have thousands of dollars to spend a ticket on the opening ceremonies? I think tickets for Athens were going for something like 3000-5000 dollars US. Who knows what they are going to be for 2010?

I am sure you can get a ticket if you try hard enough but you may have to mortgage your home.

All this to see some kids jump around in Snowflake costumes, have Bryan Adams lip sync some cornball song that David Foster wrote about spirit and competition, then watch the athletes walk around in the latest fashions from Roots.

Its a made for TV event and they arent even having them outdoors! Well what would be the difference its not like Vancouver has a winter.

Have fun.