2012 Magical Mystery Tour of Seattle!
Twitter:
@PAX_MMTWho: You! And me. And other PAX peeps. AKA your future friends. (Attendees list below.)
What: Visit interesting places in and around Seattle.
Where: Full schedule below.
When: The two days before PAX: Wed 8/29 and Thurs 8/30. Traditionally runs from 9am to 5pm but
you don't have to do the whole thing.
Why: See something of Seattle other than the convention center and your hotel. And do it with cool people!
How: Seattle's public transit.
Schedule
Wednesday:
9:00-10:15 Pike Place Market (meet at golden pig: walk straight down Pike St until you run into the fish throwers)
10:15-10:30 travel to Westlake Center
10:30-12:30
Duck Tour $30* (departing Westlake Center @ 11am)
12:30-1:15 lunch time (Westlake Center food court)
1:15-1:45 travel time
1:45-3:30
Theo Chocolate factory tour $6* (2pm tour)
3:30-4:00 travel time
4:00-5:00 Full-Tilt Ice Cream (5453 Leary Ave NW)
Thursday:
8:30-9:30 Pike Place Market (meet at golden pig: walk straight down Pike St until you run into the fish throwers)
9:30-10:00 travel time
10:00-11:30
Pacific Science Center $16-$32*
11:30-1:00 lunch time (Seattle Center House)/explore Seattle Center
1:00-2:00 EMP/Sci-Fi $20
2:00-2:30 travel time
2:30-4:30 Underground Tour $16
*
Prepaying Duck Tour and
Theo Chocolate: Everyone who prepaid through the [now defunct] Eventbrite page has their tickets for the Wednesday tours. If you still want to get on the tours, click them in the schedule above to purchase your ticket.
If you do not purchase your ticket in advance, there's no guarantee you'll be able to attend. Both tours warn that they sell out in advance.
Pacific Science Center: If you want to see the King Tut exhibit, click Pacific Science Center in the schedule above to purchase your ticket.. Buy a ticket for Thursday, August 30th, at 10:15 or 10:30. If you aren't interested in the King Tut exhibit, you can purchase tickets at the door.
What to Bring
A list of suggestions:
Good Shoes - Something comfortable for walking around all day. Also, if you're going on the Theo chocolate tour, you must be wearing closed-toe shoes.
Weather Appropriate Clothing - The weather can fluctuate. Try to plan accordingly.
Cash Monies - Especially small bills. Small bills are useful for tipping tour guides and waiters, bus fares, paying Solelron for your donut, etc.
Phone - You know, in case you get lost. Or hurt. (Neither is suggested.) Or you miss your best friend and need to hear his voice.
Water and Snacks - Our time is tightly budgeted. While lunch is worked into the schedule everyday, there likely won't be time to stop at convenience stores/coffee shops/what-have-you. If you think you may want a snack or drink, bring it with you.
Bag - Don't expect anyone else to schlep your stuff around for you.
Buttons - Did you make buttons for PAX? This is a good time to get in some early trading of said buttons.
Schedule - It could be handy to have a copy with you.
Pens and Other Small Items - General things that can come in handy: pens, paper clips, bobby pins, floss, duct tape, asprin. Always prepared and all that.
A Good Attitude - We're spending a day or 2 together. Play nice: Don't complain about things I can't fix (the walk/weather/late bus). Don't start fights. Don't feed the animals. Don't be a dick.
Attendees:
Currently interested parties. (45) (If you've paid through Eventbrite, make sure your name is in bold.)
Voting
...is done. Schedule posted above.
Potential stops:
Here is the current list of places we may visit.
Read them over, visit the websites, form an opinion, discuss their merits in this thread. PLEASE FEEL FREE TO SUGGEST NEW DESTINATIONS! Voting is done but you can still scan the list if you want.
(Items in bold are places we went last year.)
Posts
- I need to schedule lunch better. More time, better places, etc.
- Be prepared for a lot of people. I was actually surprised (and therefore thrown off) when 50+ people showed up on Thursday last year. That was silly of me.
- We put strain on the bus system. I'll try to make that experience better this year.
What else? I'm not as familiar with Seattle as I am with Boston. Seattle is a different experience with different issues for us to tackle.
Localites: what suggestions do you have? A must-see spot? Advice for getting around the city?
Veteran tourists: what did I do right and what needs improvement?
Anyone else: your thoughts and feelings are also valid. Share them!
<+Ravenger> you are talking to me
<@heels> oh god, what am i doing
For paintings in progress, check out canvas and paints
"The power of the weirdness compels me."
Last year it was primarily using public transit to get around. A couple people had cars, but most of it was getting from place to place with the light rail or the bus.
- I'm absolutely up for helping out again if you need a guide/planning assistance/logistics/etc!
- And I REALLY want to go on Ride the Ducks (preferably on Thursday, when I can go!) if we can get an entire boat full of PAXers!
- If the UW tour ends up getting on the schedule, I'll be happy to give you the official tour
- Other suggestions: Seattle Waterfront (Curiosity shop and the Waterfront Arcade), Columbia tower (good views from the observation deck), International District, Seattle Pinball Museum
Seattle is a very walking-oriented town (you can spot a local by their calves), so buses and feet are the main thing. But like any city you have things like Zip Car or shuttle rentals, and for very small groups you have things like Horse Carriages and Bike Taxis if you can find them.
For paintings in progress, check out canvas and paints
"The power of the weirdness compels me."
We are in for this year at the very least meeting everyone for a meal. I know we plan on (finally) getting up in the needle. EMP will depend on the exhibit this year. The Ducks are so worth it esp if you have never done them (I was pleasantly surprised last time around)
But for you newbs to it. Put your Trust in Punzie! As much as she says she doesn't know Seattle she does an awesome job every year (and she gives good hugs!
Of course, anyone who wants to drive themselves is more than welcome to do so. I try to make sure people can easily see where we are/should be at all times, so you'd be able to meet up with us at any and all stops.
Thank you for organising this!
For paintings in progress, check out canvas and paints
"The power of the weirdness compels me."
Is that the same King Tut exhibit that passed through Chicago in February? The wife and I missed it there (it was already sold out when we went to the Field Museum) and so a second bite at the apple may be worth it!
I assume so, yes. It doesn't have the sarcophagus, but it should have pretty much everything else. The main info page is here and considering it's the special exhibit AND general admission, I'd say the $28 is more than worth it. (Brian and I did the main exhibits at the PSC when we were there in 2010 and while a lot of the areas were kind of more kid-friendly, sometimes that's worth it in itself. ^_^)
There is one thing I dont like about the MMT. It is too far away. There needs to be a third MMT in addition to MMT Prime and MMT East. Mebbe one near my hometown? That would be super great.
Hotel Booked: check!
Sitter for the kids: check!
Excitement level rising: check, check and triple check!
I could still do the buttons for it, though, if you'd like, since people seemed to enjoy those.
Violets are blue
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that sucks that you didnt get in. now i am really regretting not getting 5 badges.
Find me on Steam.
P.S. Mobility issue peeps: I am gimpy and cab just about everywhere. Feel free to hitch a ride.
I mean unless the cool people come.
Then I'll stick around.
I never finish anyth
Oh, if we're looking at using buses again, might it be an idea for people to look at grabbing one of the travel cards the travel authority dies? I think they're Orca cards (although I'm probably mistaken)
Because as 'fun' as it was to get a Bus driver almost cursing 40 odd people on the Thursday morning, I don't think it's wise or fair to make a habit of it on the tour
to check out the info: www.pier57ferriswheel.com/
"Brilliant! Oh wait, if we were meant to fly, we would have been born with little bags of nuts."
twitter.com/Menolly07
The zoo isn't that big really. You can see everyting in 2-3 hours unless you want to have long conversations with all the animals. Of course, that's mostly because they shut down the best exhibit they ever had due to budget cuts: the Nocturnal House is no longer there
twitter.com/Menolly07
"Pictochat? No. Dicktochat!"
No, that was a crazy walk. I try to keep our walks to under 5 minutes. (and thanks for the props
That's sad. You were a great help the past couple MMTs.
I feel as though you're implying I'm NOT one of the cool people. But I know that can't be right... Must be a translation issue.
People were unimpressed with the Woodland Park Zoo when they went in 2010. I skipped the MMT that day, so I don't have firsthand info for you. If we do do a bubs rental (I'm checking it out now), longer distance things like that become more feasible.
I also added a couple new spots. New spots include:
Beohms Candies, Theo Chocolates, and and the Chocolate Indulgence Tour
Pier 57 Ferris Wheel
Port Defiance Zoo and Aquarium
Safeco Field
Asian Art Museum
More to come.
Thanks again Punzie for organizing this, you always do a great job.
Not sure where planning is at but:
- suggestion if we're taking public bus: see about getting a group pass so we're not holding up the bus for 10 minutes again (though it was kind of 'entertaining', it wasn't very fair to make everyone on the bus wait for us to all pay)
- +1 for including the Aquarium
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That's a little off-topic for this thread (and probably this forum). People sometimes make "I'm visiting X, what should I see" threads in H/A though http://forums.penny-arcade.com/categories/help-advice-forum with good responses.