We have a new update on The Future of the Penny Arcade Forums.
PAX East Magical Mystery Tour 2011 [schedule posted]
punzie
Cookie PimpRegistered User regular
Cookie PimpRegistered User regular
PAX East Magical Mystery Tour 2011!!
Join us we traverse Boston Wednesday, March 9th and Thursday, March 10th!
Twitter
Get updates through Twitter: @PAX_MMT
Facebook
Facebook event page for those of you who like that sort of thing: https://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=133734206693662
The Schedule!
What To Bring?
A list of suggestions:
Good Shoes - You want shoes that are preferably comfortable and have good tread. We will be walking up and down stairs to the subway, between the T stations and our destinations, and around various sites (museums, MIT campus, etc). Boston is covered in snow right now so we may have to walk over snow, slush, ice, water, etc. Boots are suggested.
Winter Wear and Layers - Again, Boston is covered in snow. It's winter. It's cold. Coats, hats, scarves, gloves, etc might be of interest to you. However, most of our destinations are inside and heated. And many of the subway stations can be quite warm. For this reason, layers are your friend.
Cash Monies - Plastic can work, but there's always a chance it won't. Cash will work even if the machines aren't working. It's also sometimes faster. Having small bills is a good idea for tipping tour guides, waiters, and the like.
Phone - You know, in case you get lost. Or hurt. Or you miss your best friend and need to hear his voice.
My Phone # - Did you get my PM? Write down my number, put it in your phone, somehow make sure you have it.
Water and Snacks - Our time is tightly budgeted. While lunch is worked into the schedule everyday, there 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 - Bags are handy for carrying stuff. Whether you need a place to stash your snacks, store your extra layers when you get warm, cart around your favorite game, or carry souvenirs and toys you buy, a bag is a good idea.
Cards - Did you make trading cards for PAX? This is a good time to get in some early trading of said cards. If you didn't make trading cards, you can still bring business cards or some other sort of info cards to give out to those cool new people you just met and want to stay in contact with later.
Schedule - It could be handy to have a copy with you. The MMT trading cards have an abbreviated version of the schedule on the back, so if you show up to the morning meeting (either day), you'll have that one.
Charlie Card/Weekly Pass - We'll be riding the subway A LOT. It will save you some money if have either a standard Charlie Card ($1.70 per ride instead of $2) or a weekly pass ($15, unlimited rides for a week). Both are available at subway stations. (More info here: http://mbta.com/fares_and_passes/subway/) At the morning meetings, I'll be helping everyone acquire one if they haven't already.
Boston City Pass - Buying this could save you a little money if you plan on going to the Aquarium, Museum of Science, and Harvard/Peabody Museums. It's not a big savings ($52 vs $46), but money is money. You can order one online (http://www.citypass.com/boston ) or at the Harvard and Peabody Museums when we go there on Wednesday. (If you buy online, you'll save time at the ticket counter: with the pass, you can cut the lines.) If you don't go to all 3 of places, you will lose money by buying the pass.
Pens and Other Small Items - General things that can come in handy: pens, paper clips, bobby pins, floss, duct tape. Stuff can go wrong. And you can play MacGuyver and fix it.
A Good Attitude - We're spending a day or 2 together. Play nice: Don't complain about things I can't fix (the walk/cold/snow/late train). Don't start fights. Don't feed the animals. Don't be a dick.
Attendees (31)
Below is a list of people who plan to attend. If you plan on attending but your name is not listed, reply to let me know! Also, if you have people coming with you, let me know so I can add +# to your name.
Old info:
Join us we traverse Boston Wednesday, March 9th and Thursday, March 10th!
Get updates through Twitter: @PAX_MMT
Facebook event page for those of you who like that sort of thing: https://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=133734206693662
The Schedule!
Wednesday:
08:30a-09:15a meetup at Boston Common (corner of Park St & Tremont St.) (Park St)
09:15a-10:00a travel time
10:00a-11:00a Sam Adams Brewery (Stony Brook)
11:00a-11:45a travel time
11:45a-02:00p MIT (Kendall)
02:00p-02:45p lunch: Clover Food Truck (Kendall)
02:45p-03:00p travel time
03:00p-05:00p Harvard Museum of Natural History/Peabody Museum of Archaeology and Ethnology (Harvard Square)
05:00p-06:55p dinner break
06:55p-07:00p meetup at Boston Common (Park St)
07:00p-07:30p travel time
07:30p-08:30p Boston University Astronomy Night (weather permitting) (BU Central Station)
Thursday:
07:30a-08:30a Pre-PAX Breakfast: Thornton's Restaurant and Cafe (Prudential)
08:30a-08:45a meetup at Boston Common (Park St)
08:45a-09:00a travel time
09:00a-11:30a New England Aquarium (Aquarium)
11:30a-12:00p travel time
12:00p-01:00p Pre-PAX Lunchtime Fried Food Extravaganza: Fanueil Hall Marketplace (Government Center/State St [we'll be walking])
01:00p-02:00p Mike's Pastry (Government Center)
02:00p-02:30p travel time
02:30p-05:00p Museum of Science (Science Park)
05:00p-05:30p travel time
05:30p-07:30p Pre-PAX Dinner: Dick's Last Resort (Government Center)
07:30p-??:??a PokeCrawl (Government Center)
08:30a-09:15a meetup at Boston Common (corner of Park St & Tremont St.) (Park St)
09:15a-10:00a travel time
10:00a-11:00a Sam Adams Brewery (Stony Brook)
11:00a-11:45a travel time
11:45a-02:00p MIT (Kendall)
02:00p-02:45p lunch: Clover Food Truck (Kendall)
02:45p-03:00p travel time
03:00p-05:00p Harvard Museum of Natural History/Peabody Museum of Archaeology and Ethnology (Harvard Square)
05:00p-06:55p dinner break
06:55p-07:00p meetup at Boston Common (Park St)
07:00p-07:30p travel time
07:30p-08:30p Boston University Astronomy Night (weather permitting) (BU Central Station)
Thursday:
07:30a-08:30a Pre-PAX Breakfast: Thornton's Restaurant and Cafe (Prudential)
08:30a-08:45a meetup at Boston Common (Park St)
08:45a-09:00a travel time
09:00a-11:30a New England Aquarium (Aquarium)
11:30a-12:00p travel time
12:00p-01:00p Pre-PAX Lunchtime Fried Food Extravaganza: Fanueil Hall Marketplace (Government Center/State St [we'll be walking])
01:00p-02:00p Mike's Pastry (Government Center)
02:00p-02:30p travel time
02:30p-05:00p Museum of Science (Science Park)
05:00p-05:30p travel time
05:30p-07:30p Pre-PAX Dinner: Dick's Last Resort (Government Center)
07:30p-??:??a PokeCrawl (Government Center)
What To Bring?
A list of suggestions:
Good Shoes - You want shoes that are preferably comfortable and have good tread. We will be walking up and down stairs to the subway, between the T stations and our destinations, and around various sites (museums, MIT campus, etc). Boston is covered in snow right now so we may have to walk over snow, slush, ice, water, etc. Boots are suggested.
Winter Wear and Layers - Again, Boston is covered in snow. It's winter. It's cold. Coats, hats, scarves, gloves, etc might be of interest to you. However, most of our destinations are inside and heated. And many of the subway stations can be quite warm. For this reason, layers are your friend.
Cash Monies - Plastic can work, but there's always a chance it won't. Cash will work even if the machines aren't working. It's also sometimes faster. Having small bills is a good idea for tipping tour guides, waiters, and the like.
Phone - You know, in case you get lost. Or hurt. Or you miss your best friend and need to hear his voice.
My Phone # - Did you get my PM? Write down my number, put it in your phone, somehow make sure you have it.
Water and Snacks - Our time is tightly budgeted. While lunch is worked into the schedule everyday, there 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 - Bags are handy for carrying stuff. Whether you need a place to stash your snacks, store your extra layers when you get warm, cart around your favorite game, or carry souvenirs and toys you buy, a bag is a good idea.
Cards - Did you make trading cards for PAX? This is a good time to get in some early trading of said cards. If you didn't make trading cards, you can still bring business cards or some other sort of info cards to give out to those cool new people you just met and want to stay in contact with later.
Schedule - It could be handy to have a copy with you. The MMT trading cards have an abbreviated version of the schedule on the back, so if you show up to the morning meeting (either day), you'll have that one.
Charlie Card/Weekly Pass - We'll be riding the subway A LOT. It will save you some money if have either a standard Charlie Card ($1.70 per ride instead of $2) or a weekly pass ($15, unlimited rides for a week). Both are available at subway stations. (More info here: http://mbta.com/fares_and_passes/subway/) At the morning meetings, I'll be helping everyone acquire one if they haven't already.
Boston City Pass - Buying this could save you a little money if you plan on going to the Aquarium, Museum of Science, and Harvard/Peabody Museums. It's not a big savings ($52 vs $46), but money is money. You can order one online (http://www.citypass.com/boston ) or at the Harvard and Peabody Museums when we go there on Wednesday. (If you buy online, you'll save time at the ticket counter: with the pass, you can cut the lines.) If you don't go to all 3 of places, you will lose money by buying the pass.
Pens and Other Small Items - General things that can come in handy: pens, paper clips, bobby pins, floss, duct tape. Stuff can go wrong. And you can play MacGuyver and fix it.
A Good Attitude - We're spending a day or 2 together. Play nice: Don't complain about things I can't fix (the walk/cold/snow/late train). Don't start fights. Don't feed the animals. Don't be a dick.
Attendees (31)
Below is a list of people who plan to attend. If you plan on attending but your name is not listed, reply to let me know! Also, if you have people coming with you, let me know so I can add +# to your name.
Punzie
VThornHeart
Rdr
Decius
peetsnack
contre
Territoires
Ophelya
ZeroHourHero
Snarky
Electric Pi
macrogeek +1
cherin +1
DMmagic
The Smartest Man?
JamesKeenan
chaosisorder +1
Emod
MxWood
Knoland
Parmaynu
Kevralyn
Vanishing Point
MagnusCarter
bar room hero
JobiwanKenobi +1
Smackdo
cabsy
VThornHeart
Rdr
Decius
peetsnack
contre
Territoires
Ophelya
ZeroHourHero
Snarky
Electric Pi
macrogeek +1
cherin +1
DMmagic
The Smartest Man?
JamesKeenan
chaosisorder +1
Emod
MxWood
Knoland
Parmaynu
Kevralyn
Vanishing Point
MagnusCarter
bar room hero
JobiwanKenobi +1
Smackdo
cabsy
Old info:
I'll be taking over the majority of the planning and operation of the MMT this year. I'm new at it, so please be nice!
What is the Magical Mystery Tour?
The Magical Mystery Tour (MMT) takes place in the 2 days leading up to PAX (Wednesday 3/9 and Thursday 3/10). It's your chance to visit Boston and see some sights with fellow gamers. It's also a great way to meet people before PAX starts.
What are we going to see?
I don't know yet. Help me out by answering these questions:
How are we getting around? How much will it cost? I want more details!
Again, it's a bit too early to know. We'll probably be using public transit to get around the city. Some may say it's not the most reliable method, but it's the cheapest, the easiest, and allows us the most freedom. Cost will vary from person to person. It will be be based on admission prices for places that make the final itinerary, how many of those things you participate it, and how much you spend on food and drink.
Voting is now live!
You can now vote on where we're going on the tour. Go to this site, make an account and get voting. When you sign up, please check which days you plan on attending. It will be a huge help when I make the schedule! Also, if you have any physical handicaps, food allergies, or anything else I may need to take into account, please use the box at the bottom of the sign-up page to let me know. This info (as well as your contact info) will be viewable by me, but not the general public. This is not the final official sign-up for the MMT but if you enter all pertinent info now, it will save you a step later.
Potential Destinations
All this info is included on the voting site, but if you want a refresher before you go there, our potential destinations are:
Forum Badges
Kropotkin is going to send me some of the Forum Badges to distribute during the MMT. If you want your name on the back (all the cool kids do!), make sure to tell me you plan on attending. I will be sending him a list of names when voting closes on Feb. 8th.
What is the Magical Mystery Tour?
The Magical Mystery Tour (MMT) takes place in the 2 days leading up to PAX (Wednesday 3/9 and Thursday 3/10). It's your chance to visit Boston and see some sights with fellow gamers. It's also a great way to meet people before PAX starts.
What are we going to see?
I don't know yet. Help me out by answering these questions:
1. Are you interested? I don't want to lead a tour of 1 (lonely little me 
)
2. Where do you want to go? What do you want to see?
3. If you went last year, is there anything in particular you did or didn't like?
)2. Where do you want to go? What do you want to see?
3. If you went last year, is there anything in particular you did or didn't like?
How are we getting around? How much will it cost? I want more details!
Again, it's a bit too early to know. We'll probably be using public transit to get around the city. Some may say it's not the most reliable method, but it's the cheapest, the easiest, and allows us the most freedom. Cost will vary from person to person. It will be be based on admission prices for places that make the final itinerary, how many of those things you participate it, and how much you spend on food and drink.
Voting is now live!
You can now vote on where we're going on the tour. Go to this site, make an account and get voting. When you sign up, please check which days you plan on attending. It will be a huge help when I make the schedule! Also, if you have any physical handicaps, food allergies, or anything else I may need to take into account, please use the box at the bottom of the sign-up page to let me know. This info (as well as your contact info) will be viewable by me, but not the general public. This is not the final official sign-up for the MMT but if you enter all pertinent info now, it will save you a step later.
Potential Destinations
All this info is included on the voting site, but if you want a refresher before you go there, our potential destinations are:
Potential Stops/Activities
(Prices listed are per each adult. Discounts are often given for children, seniors, students, and sometimes military.)
You probably noticed the asterisks on some of those items. Those are things that are included in the Boston City Pass. The city pass costs $46 and will get you into 5 attractions in the city (Museum of Science, Museum of Fine Arts, New England Aquarium, Skywalk Observatory, and the JFK Library OR Harvard Museum of Natural History. (I don't know why you have to choose between those last 2, but you do.) We'll probably go to 2 or 3 of those places, so the pass will likely be worth it. We'll discuss it more in a couple months after we've voted on our destinations.
MMT After Hours
Most of the attractions/sites on our list shut down between 5 and 6pm. So what then? There's plenty to do on Thursday: pre-PAX dinner, pubcrawl, and boardgame night. But Wednesday evening is open. Do you want to do something then? How about:
Blue Man Group
(Prices listed are per each adult. Discounts are often given for children, seniors, students, and sometimes military.)
Boston Symphony Orchestra
Commonwealth Museum
*Boston City PassWhat it is: A Museum!
Price: Free!
Hours: 9am – 5pm
Website: http://www.sec.state.ma.us/mus/museum/index.htm
F1 Boston
Price: Free!
Hours: 9am – 5pm
Website: http://www.sec.state.ma.us/mus/museum/index.htm
What it is: Kart Racing
Price: $10 for an F1 license and $28 to actually drive on the track
Hours: 12pm - 10pm
Website: http://www.f1boston.com/
Additional Notes: must be 18+ with valid driver's license. It's a bit out of the way since it's in Braintree, not Boston, and using public transit will take us about an our to get there by bus.
Fenway Park
Price: $10 for an F1 license and $28 to actually drive on the track
Hours: 12pm - 10pm
Website: http://www.f1boston.com/
Additional Notes: must be 18+ with valid driver's license. It's a bit out of the way since it's in Braintree, not Boston, and using public transit will take us about an our to get there by bus.
What it is: The Green Monstah! 50 minute tour of Red Sox home field (I don't know sports, so if my terminology is wrong, write a post to call me out on it and flog me).
Price: $12
Hours: 9am – 4pm at each hour
Website: http://mlb.mlb.com/bos/ballpark/tour.jsp
Freedom Trail
Price: $12
Hours: 9am – 4pm at each hour
Website: http://mlb.mlb.com/bos/ballpark/tour.jsp
What it is: A walking tour of historic Boston sites. Roughly 2.5 miles in 90 minutes
Price: $12 for guided tour (plus admission to some sites)
Hours: 11am - 4:30pm (specific start times depending on where we start)
Website: http://www.thefreedomtrail.org/
Additional Notes: We can do a self-guided tour to avoid the $12 ticket price, but it's less fun.
Spots on the Trail:
Gibson House Museum
Price: $12 for guided tour (plus admission to some sites)
Hours: 11am - 4:30pm (specific start times depending on where we start)
Website: http://www.thefreedomtrail.org/
Additional Notes: We can do a self-guided tour to avoid the $12 ticket price, but it's less fun.
Spots on the Trail:
Boston Common
State House
Park Street Church
Granary Burying Ground
King’s Chapel
King’s Chapel Burying Ground
Benjamin Franklin Statue/Boston Latin School (Oldest Public School)
Old Corner Book Store
Old South Meeting House ($6)
Old State House ($7.50)
Site of Boston Massacre
Faneuil Hall
Paul Revere House ($3.50)
Old North Church
Copp’s Hill Burying Ground
Bunker Hill Monument
USS Constitution
State House
Park Street Church
Granary Burying Ground
King’s Chapel
King’s Chapel Burying Ground
Benjamin Franklin Statue/Boston Latin School (Oldest Public School)
Old Corner Book Store
Old South Meeting House ($6)
Old State House ($7.50)
Site of Boston Massacre
Faneuil Hall
Paul Revere House ($3.50)
Old North Church
Copp’s Hill Burying Ground
Bunker Hill Monument
USS Constitution
What it is: Museum of a late 1800’s row house
Price: $9 guided tour
Hours: 1pm, 2pm, 3pm
Website: http://www.thegibsonhouse.org/
Additional Notes: Museum is 4 floors and has no elevator. Cash or check ONLY, no cards accepted!
Harpoon Brewery
Price: $9 guided tour
Hours: 1pm, 2pm, 3pm
Website: http://www.thegibsonhouse.org/
Additional Notes: Museum is 4 floors and has no elevator. Cash or check ONLY, no cards accepted!
What it is: “Narrated tasting” (proper brewery tours are only on weekends)
Price: Free!
Hours: 2pm and 4pm
Website: www.harpoonbrewery.com/
Additional Notes: Since it's a tasting, it may be only 21+. The website doesn't say.
Harvard Museum of Natural History*
Price: Free!
Hours: 2pm and 4pm
Website: www.harpoonbrewery.com/
Additional Notes: Since it's a tasting, it may be only 21+. The website doesn't say.
What it is: Another Museum (actually 2 museums). At Harvard. Including the glass flowers exhibit
Price: $9 (includes admission to Peabody Museum of Archaeology and Ethnology)
Hours: 9am – 5pm
Website: www.hmnh.harvard.edu/
Additional Notes: Included in the Boston City Pass. The Peabody Museum of Archaeology and Ethnology is home of the Masked Festival of Canton Bo which some people were interested in seeing last year.
Institute of Contemporary Art
Price: $9 (includes admission to Peabody Museum of Archaeology and Ethnology)
Hours: 9am – 5pm
Website: www.hmnh.harvard.edu/
Additional Notes: Included in the Boston City Pass. The Peabody Museum of Archaeology and Ethnology is home of the Masked Festival of Canton Bo which some people were interested in seeing last year.
What is it: An art museum
Price: $15 (admission price includes optional 45 min guided tour)
Hours: Wed 10am – 5pm, Thu 10am – 9pm
Website: http://www.icaboston.org/
Isabella Sewart Gardner Museum
Price: $15 (admission price includes optional 45 min guided tour)
Hours: Wed 10am – 5pm, Thu 10am – 9pm
Website: http://www.icaboston.org/
What it is: Art in a 3 story “Venetian-style palace” with courtyard
Price: $12 (children under 18 and people named Isabella are free)
Hours: 11am – 5pm
Website: www.gardnermuseum.org/
Additional Notes: No really, the website says if your name is Isabella, you get for free :P
JFK Presidential Library & Museum*
Mary Baker Eddy Library
Price: $12 (children under 18 and people named Isabella are free)
Hours: 11am – 5pm
Website: www.gardnermuseum.org/
Additional Notes: No really, the website says if your name is Isabella, you get for free :P
What it is: Library/museum centered around a female writer in the late 1800’s
Price: $6 each
Hours: 10am – 4pm
Website: www.marybakereddylibrary.org/
Additional Notes: Home to the Mapparium! A 3 story painted glass globe.
MIT
Price: $6 each
Hours: 10am – 4pm
Website: www.marybakereddylibrary.org/
Additional Notes: Home to the Mapparium! A 3 story painted glass globe.
What it is: Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Campus tours, public art collection, museum (with exhibits on robots, stop-motion photography, and other cool stuff), and more
Price: many things are free. $7.50 for the museum
Times: varies depending on what we do. Campus tours are 11am and 3pm. Museum hours are 10am - 5pm
Website: http://web.mit.edu/visit/
Additional Notes: They periodically have some very cool-sounding events. Check out what will be happening when we're in town. Origami exhibit!)
Museum of African American History
Price: many things are free. $7.50 for the museum
Times: varies depending on what we do. Campus tours are 11am and 3pm. Museum hours are 10am - 5pm
Website: http://web.mit.edu/visit/
Additional Notes: They periodically have some very cool-sounding events. Check out what will be happening when we're in town. Origami exhibit!)
What it is: Abiel Smith School, African Meeting House, and an optional 1.6 mile walking tour
Price: $5
Hours: 10am – 4pm
Website: www.afroammuseum.org/
Museum of Fine Arts*
Price: $5
Hours: 10am – 4pm
Website: www.afroammuseum.org/
What it is: Museum of Fine Arts. Can't say it any plainer than that.
Price: $20
Hours: 10am – 9:45 pm
Website: www.mfa.org/
Museum of Science*
Price: $20
Hours: 10am – 9:45 pm
Website: www.mfa.org/
What it is: It's the Museum of frakking Science!
Price: $21
Hours: 9am – 5pm
Website: www.mos.org/
Additional Notes: The temporary exhibit when we'll be there is Race: Are We So Different?
New England Aquarium*
Price: $21
Hours: 9am – 5pm
Website: www.mos.org/
Additional Notes: The temporary exhibit when we'll be there is Race: Are We So Different?
What it is: An aquarium. Look at the fish, turtles, penguins, octopi, etc.
Price: $21.95
Hours: 9am – 5pm
Website: www.neaq.org/
Sam Adams Brewery
Price: $21.95
Hours: 9am – 5pm
Website: www.neaq.org/
What it is: 1 hour brewery tour with samplings
Price: Free! (suggested donation: $2)
Hours: 10am – 3pm
Website: www.samueladams.com/
Additional Notes: All ages allowed, but if you want to sample the beers, you must be 21+ and have a valid ID. International people, have your passport with you!
Skywalk Observatory*
Price: Free! (suggested donation: $2)
Hours: 10am – 3pm
Website: www.samueladams.com/
Additional Notes: All ages allowed, but if you want to sample the beers, you must be 21+ and have a valid ID. International people, have your passport with you!
What it is: In the Prudential building, 50 stories up, 360 view of city
Price: $12
Hours: 10am – 8pm
Website: http://www.prudentialcenter.com/shop/shop_detail.php?id=64
Sports Museum (TD Bank Garden)
Price: $12
Hours: 10am – 8pm
Website: http://www.prudentialcenter.com/shop/shop_detail.php?id=64
What it is: It's right there in the title: a sports museum
Price: $10
Hours: 10am – 4pm
Website: http://www.tdbanknorthgarden.com/sportsmuseum/
Price: $10
Hours: 10am – 4pm
Website: http://www.tdbanknorthgarden.com/sportsmuseum/
You probably noticed the asterisks on some of those items. Those are things that are included in the Boston City Pass. The city pass costs $46 and will get you into 5 attractions in the city (Museum of Science, Museum of Fine Arts, New England Aquarium, Skywalk Observatory, and the JFK Library OR Harvard Museum of Natural History. (I don't know why you have to choose between those last 2, but you do.) We'll probably go to 2 or 3 of those places, so the pass will likely be worth it. We'll discuss it more in a couple months after we've voted on our destinations.
MMT After Hours
Most of the attractions/sites on our list shut down between 5 and 6pm. So what then? There's plenty to do on Thursday: pre-PAX dinner, pubcrawl, and boardgame night. But Wednesday evening is open. Do you want to do something then? How about:
Blue Man Group
What it is: A show involving music, comedy, airborn Jello-O molds, strobe lights, tons of crepe paper, and even some art (immediately after the show, maybe you can be the one to buy the painting made on stage that night).
Price: $45-$69 (see additional notes)
Hours: Wed 8pm
Website: www.blueman.com/
Additional Notes: I know it's expensive and I know you won't all be able to go. If you CAN get the money together, I promise you'll have a great time! If we can get 15 people who definitely want to go, we can get the group rate so that it's $45 per person instead of the $69 you'd pay on your own. The catch is that you would have to be able to get the money to me about a month in advance so that I can order the group's tickets. It would be fantastic if we could get a group to go. If you would seriously consider going, let me know. I'll start a list and see if we can get at least 15 people in on it.
Price: $45-$69 (see additional notes)
Hours: Wed 8pm
Website: www.blueman.com/
Additional Notes: I know it's expensive and I know you won't all be able to go. If you CAN get the money together, I promise you'll have a great time! If we can get 15 people who definitely want to go, we can get the group rate so that it's $45 per person instead of the $69 you'd pay on your own. The catch is that you would have to be able to get the money to me about a month in advance so that I can order the group's tickets. It would be fantastic if we could get a group to go. If you would seriously consider going, let me know. I'll start a list and see if we can get at least 15 people in on it.
Forum Badges
Kropotkin is going to send me some of the Forum Badges to distribute during the MMT. If you want your name on the back (all the cool kids do!), make sure to tell me you plan on attending. I will be sending him a list of names when voting closes on Feb. 8th.
punzie on
0
Posts
Punzie has graciously volunteered to lead the Magical Mystery Tour 2011 East effort! Thank you Punzie for volunteering to jump in on this!
I'll do my best to help in the coming months! We'll have more information coming soon!
2. I am interested in doing anything and seeing everything, so I don't think you'll get much help from me there.
3. I did not go last year.
2.) Any. Last year there was a site setup and a voting process.
3.) Didn't go but will we have a bus again this year? It was like $40 a person.
We're going to avoid the bus this year if at all possible: not only was it ~30-40$ per person last year, but on top of that I paid for half of the bus out of my own pocket because not enough people came. I absolutely can't afford that this year, and I don't think anyone wants that 30-40$ to suddenly become 60-80$. =( We'll most likely be riding the T this year. We're going to try and find creative alternatives for people who have trouble with the T if at all possible (for example, wheelchairs for those who can't walk far?)
There will be voting again this year. Just trying to get some ideas and suggestions first.
That's one of the issues to discuss, but:
That's my exact feelings right now ;D
Just remember, no personal bus means we may be trekking through some snow. So if you're vocal about not wanting the bus, no complaining about the snow/rain/other weather when we're out there! If you do, I'll have to pull out my killer eyeroll/glare combo
PSN - AngryCremepuff
2. I want to see the ocean/ bay, cool historical stuff like the USS, the science museum and other interactive museums . . . I'm a tourist but not interested in rubbing any statue's thumb or anything.
3. First time to PAX!
- Duck Tour
- Chinatown
- The North End - pick any restaurant its all great italian food + Mike's Pastry
- Top of the Hub restaurant (expensive though but you get to overlook the city at night, it's pretty sweet)
- Freedom Trail will take you through alot of historical Boston sites
- Newbury street - famous shopping street
- Harvard square - definitely try to eat at Mr. Bartley's burgers across the street from Harvard next to Harvard's bookstore. BEST. BURGERS. IN. BOSTON.
So the T it is! And fear not, people out of town: the T is really a very good public transportation system. Extremely good area coverage, good schedule... very good compared to Seattle's public transportation system in my opinion.
There's also less well known bus and shuttle routes we can take too if needed: for example, every day when I get into town I take the EZRide: it's a mostly unpublicized shuttle that runs from North Station to Cambridge and back for 1$ per ride (and free if your company sponsors it). Supposedly there's many more shuttles of similar price around town, so I'll be helping to do some research on the existence of these secret shuttles: they may help a lot to fill in the gaps where the T isn't as direct of a route, and if the EZRide is any indicator it's cheaper too.
Passes: ☑ ▬ Hotel: ☑ ▬ Flight: [color=red]☑[/color]
Yep, that's fine. Especially since we're going to be using the T.
Also heres my protip:
REMEMBER TO SCHEDULE MEALS INTO THE PLAN
Also I think the science museum should be mandatory every year.
Hooray. Then my vote is for Sam Adams on Thursday.
Passes: ☑ ▬ Hotel: ☑ ▬ Flight: [color=red]☑[/color]
Thanks! I love assistance. And assistants!
I already have about 3 places in mind for food (as well as suggestions for dinner after the tour breaks off Wednesday evening), so I think I have the meal thing covered.
I love the Museum of Science! Hopefully there will be a cool special exhibit going on then.
contrefait, If you can only hang out with us one day, no problem. Hell, if you can only make half a day, that's fine too! One huge advantage to using the public transit is that people can drop in and out whenever they want.
I suggest at least 2 hours per meal, optimum place for lunch is Fanuel Hall, since theres such a big variety of eateries. 2 Hours because that includes being seated, ordering, waiting for food, etc. we tried to rush lunch the one day, and it didnt quite work out.
I thought the Tour was JUST Thursday. Is it both Wednesday and Thursday all day?
Isn't the Sam Adams Brewery far away from everything? Not that I'm against it, I'm all for it, but how does that work logistically? Note: I come from a medium sized Mid western city where public transportation is basically non existent.
Suggestions:
I also vote for the Museum of Science.
I've heard good things about the Museum of African American History, too.
Yes the tour is Wed/Thurs. I don't know the start/end times but I think something like 9-5 roughly. Especially on Thursday since there is the Pre-PAX Dinner and Pokecrawl.
The Sam Adams Brewery is only 5 miles from BCEC and its a basically a straight shot on the Orange Line and then a quick Yellow Line ride.
Don't worry if you can only come one of the days: we're not renting a bus, so there's no real logistical problem with having people only come one day... but if you can, you should try to get to both days! It really is a blast.
What's the yellow line? the Cab? :P
It's on the Orange line near the Stony Brook station. Then it's a very quick 5-10 minute walk to the brewery.
(Take a LEFT coming out of the station. Walk to the 1st intersection and take a Right onto Amory St. Then walk a couple of blocks until you see it on your left.) Shouldn't be inconvenient since the subway station is so near.
The tour is free but they highly encourage you to donate atleast a buck. They teach you how they make beer, some history of Sam Adams, then the BEST PART: They serve you free beer! 3 kinds: 1) Their usual Sam Adams. 2) The Seasonal beer, which in march is probably the White Ale (the least favorite). 3) A beer not being sold in the market - usually an experimental beer. All of their employees experiment beers all the time so you'll probably try some of them)
I think the tour is usually around 45mins-1hr and then you take as long as you like in the bar drinking beer!
YMMV!
Also, who wants to go to Blue Man Group?? (bottom of the OP) I know it won't be for everyone (because of the cost per ticket), but it'd be really awesome if we could get a group of people to go. It's in no way a mandatory part of the MMT (really, everything on the itinerary will be optional), but if you can come, it'll be tons of fun!!
http://www.trolleytours.com/boston/
i dont know if it is the kind of tour people are looking for but it takes you to a lot of the tourist sites.
tickets for 1 day are normally $38. clearly not a huge discount but anyone who wants to pre-pay i get a discount through my employer and can get tickets for $31-ish. it says they deliver by email and the tickets are good for 6 months from date of purchase.
or again..on site tickets would be $38. i'm sure if there was a big enough group, they would give a discount to the group.
Last year a group did a Duck Tour (I believe) separate from the MMT, and it could definitely happen again this year as a trolley tour or duck tour or what not... but the MMT will always be self-guided, unless some kind of deal could be arranged with these guys to have them take us on a custom tour where we set the schedule or something. At that point though, it might end up with the same problems that we had with getting the chartered bus last year (i.e. we'd have to ask for big $ upfront, which no one seemed to like at all). (Reading the site, it looks like the Trolley tour itself is actually just a drive-by tour, which won't do for the kind of extended visits that the MMT tends to do... although it does let you get on and off at will, so I suppose you could treat it like a more expensive bus or extension of the T at that point, but probably not worth the extra money if it's just for getting to locations).
Another benefit of self-guided, speaking of money, is that especially without chartering something we can keep the cost down to just what you want to actually go into for entrance fees and the cost of riding the T. We tend to hit up some good spots over the two days of the tour, and without a chartered bus it won't hit anyone's wallet too hard.
In the end, I think there'll always be two kinds of tourists (or at least two different and somewhat opposing interests): those who want to see as many sites as possible, and those who want to go into them and explore even if they can't hit as many as a result.
The Trolley is ideal for the former: for that kind of tourist, having a single day, single cost guided tour is perfect. The two day Magical Mystery Tour is more for the latter: those who want to hit a smaller subset of sites more intimately.
As such, there's definitely room and plenty of people who would likely want to do either of them. I do ask at least for you to please start a separate thread for it if you want to pursue it. Discussions go pretty in depth here about schedule and locations, and it'll get extremely confusing for everyone if the discussions in here are split between two very different types of tours.
To me, the trolley tours don't look interesting at all. It looks like it's just an expensive way to see a bunch of stuff that's already on our list. We'll likely be seeing many of the sights and paying less. If people didn't want to pay $35-40 for a chartered bus last year, why would they want to pay $38 for a trolley this year? And, if I'm reading correctly, that price is only for 1 day, not 2. I don't dig the idea of being stuck on a trolley anyway. We miss the colorful locals, last minute divergences into shops/Dunks, etc. And you know what? I bet the trolley won't show you the nuclear bomb shelter. But I can :P I don't see it being something our group will want to do, but if people start showing interest in the trolley, I can put it on the voting list when we get to that point (that's why we're having all this discussion time first)
Duck tours are a little different.
1: they're cheaper.
2: it's more like 1 stop on our adventure and then we still get to do other things for the rest of the day.
However, we will NOT be doing the Duck Tours because they don't start until 2 weeks after PAX.
The F1 Boston does look like something people may enjoy (anyone else read "kart racing" and instantly think "live action Mario Kart"?). Cost and distance mean it likely won't make the cut, but I'll add it onto the potentials list.
The Sam brewery is free and pretty cool. It's not a super-real brewery (they don't actually mass-produce beer there, just a lot of the smaller craft stuff they test) Bella Luna/Milky Way is right around the corner and freaking AWESOME to plan a meal around. It also is a short, short walk from the Orange Line.
PAX Prime '10-'13 Triwizard Drinking Tournament || Hufflepuff Head of House!
Twitter: @jujukoo
[E]
Last year in addition to Sam Adams we went to Harpoon, which was okay but they didn't end up giving a real tour. But they did let us drink a lot for free.
Do any Boston natives or veterans have suggestions for good locations? I like the idea of an Irish pub or jazz.
Ophelya: I believe that traditionally the MMT breaks up around 5 or 6pm and many people form smaller groups to go find dinner and other things to do for the evening. I don't think you'll have any trouble finding people to visit bars/clubs with you. I don't personally know much of anything about Boston nightlife (I'm only in the city at night if I'm at a concert), but I believe Storrow Dr is known for having a ton of clubs. I'm not sure what's made the points-of-interest map, but it's worth looking over there: http://forums.penny-arcade.com/showthread.php?p=17413840#post17413840
You might have Storrow Dr confused with another road - Storrow is that highway alongside the river.
Areas in Boston where there's a big bar/club scene ( bullets below are GENERALLY Ranked from Cheap to expensive from only my own perception)
- Fenway Park area: mostly sports bars, Jillians has bowling and billiards, Boston Beerworks brews their own beers and they are pretty good. The Lower Depths Tap Room is cash only but has cheap beer and $1 Hot Dogs: Grilled dogs, toasted bun and condiments all for $1 each. $1 for each topping though! A ton more bars.
- Boylston St (near Copley) has a ton of bars/pubs: My favorites are McGreevy's (owned by one of the Dropkick Murphys), The Pour House, Rattlesnake, Whiskey's)
- The TD BankNorth area has a ton of sports bars, including The Fours, Penalty Box, another Boston Beerworks, Greatest Bar, Grand Canal, Johnny's on the Side, Hurricane O'Reilly's and tons of others. Oh, there's a Hooters too!
These below usually have Dress Codes:
- Fanueil Hall (around State Street and Union Street) have some nice bars and clubs such as Mcfadden's, Kitty O'Shea's, Bell in Hand, Black Horse Tavern, Black Rose, Dick's Last resort, Cheers, Ned Devine's, Market, Purple Shamrock, Santuary, Sissy K's, The Place, Hennessy's, Hard Rock Cafe, Good Bar, Hong Kong (hopefully this place opens up before March)
- Boylston St (near Boston Common): The Liquor Store, Gypsey Bar, Sweetwater
PLEASE BE ADVISED! Boston is incredibly anal about checking IDs and cracking down on underaged drinking. Massachusetts licenses are the hardest to fake (showing their stance against this). Many bars have scanners to verify IDs. If you are from out of state, don't be surprised if a place asks that you provide TWO forms of ID. Oh and Boston has a curfew of 2am (yeah REAL LAME) and if you are one of the thousands trying to catch a cab at 1:30-2am, GOOD LUCK to you! Keep a cab phone number on you just in case. The T subway stops rolling at around 12:30am. Last call is 1:45am.
Not sure if Hong Kong has reopened yet, kind of hope it does. Super fun dive bar.
Also, I should add Howl at the Moon as a Faneuil Hall bar. Opened a few months ago and it's a pretty fun piano bar. Pleasantly surprised at how fun my Halloween visit was.
Also adding Intermission Tavern near Boylston St, it's just as good if not better than Sweetwater.
PAX Prime '10-'13 Triwizard Drinking Tournament || Hufflepuff Head of House!
Twitter: @jujukoo
[E]
Nuclear bomb shelter!? Awesome. I want to go on the tour, too. I'll keep an eye on this space so I know when to arrive. My sister and I planned on coming a few days early to see Boston and I can't think of a better way to do so than w/a bunch of like-minded (read = nerdly) people!
Anyone going to the Bruins/Sabres game on Thurs, or want to go? Be cool to get a PAX group together for that.
I never finish anyth