20041113 - A Philadelphia DIS Meet?

[Gaspode]

Hiya,

Myself and my DBF will be stopping over in Philadelphia for two nights on our way from the UK to WDW.

I've already posted this on the Angel thread and we appear to have quite a few ppl coming which is great but wanted to open up to all DISers and see how big a gathering we can get

Unfortunately I don't know much about PA so am throwing it open to the forum as it were... what ideas are out there? Where could we meet? What could we do? Any thoughts at all....?

We will fly in on Nov 12th and leave on Nov 14th for Orlando so I'm proposing a meet on the 13th.

Any one going to join us?

I'll keep posting as more decisions are reached :0)

Gaspodé

 

[Breezy_Carol]

Hi Melissa. I would like to attend as I am only a hour south. Sorry I am not much help on a location. I would prefer afternoon because I want to go to a Band Competition at Giants Stadium outside of New York City that evening.

 

[Loubon]

Melissa,

A few ideas:

This link is to the Philadelphia Historic District. Plenty of things to see here such as the Liberty Bell etc. Also on the map you can see the South Street area which is about 6 blocks of trendy restaurants, bars etc. and also the Penn's Landing area which is also a fast developing area.

There is also the Philadelpia Zoo and Atlantic City (Casinos) is just a little over an hour drive away.

 

[Gaspode]

A DIS meet in a zoo sounds like fun!

Any other thoughts?

*inspired*
Gaspodé

 

[mickeyfan1]

If You Have 1 Day--Start at the Independence Visitor Center and the adjacent Liberty Bell Pavilion in Independence National Historical Park, then move south through Independence Hall and on to residential Society Hill, which is steeped in U.S. history. In the evening, if you've still got the history bug, stay for the multimedia "Lights of Liberty" show that uses the Park as backdrop. If not, see what's on at the Academy of Music, the Kimmel Center, the Annenberg Center at the University of Pennsylvania, or the CoreStates Spectrum for sports.

If You Have 2 Days--Follow the itinerary above for Day 1. On Day 2, starting at City Hall, walk up the Benjamin Franklin Parkway to Logan Circle and spend the afternoon at Franklin Institute or the Philadelphia Museum of Art. Try to circle back to Rittenhouse Square and the Liberty Place complex before it closes (7pm most nights, Wed to 8pm).

If You Have 3 Days--On Days 1 and 2, follow the itinerary given above. On Day 3, spend the morning in Old City viewing its Christ Church and Elfreth's Alley, then explore the expanding Delaware River waterfront attractions and the Independence Seaport Museum at Penn's Landing. Finally, either visit the New Jersey State Aquarium and the newly docked Battleship New Jersey (take the ferry to Camden for these attractions) or on shore to eclectic South Street.

If You Have 4 Days or More--Days 1 through 3, follow the itinerary given above. On Day 4, explore the Rittenhouse Square/South Broad Street area, with a visit to the Pennsylvania Academy of Fine Arts, winding up with a stroll through Reading Terminal Market (it closes at 5pm) and Chinatown. On Day 5, hit Fairmount Park's Zoo and the many restored colonial mansions. Farther out, Franklin Mills and King of Prussia Court and Plaza have become magnets for millions of tourists who want to save on clothing from America's finest stores, retail and discounted, with no state sales tax.

 

[mickeyfan1]

http://www.frommers.com/destinations/philadelphia/0023020865.html

http://travel.discovery.com/destinations/fodors/philadelphia/overview.html

http://www.philamuseum.org/main.asp

http://www.philadelphiazoo.org/

http://philadelphia.areaguides.net/google.html

That should give us a good start. BTW, I get in about 6 on Friday and leave about 6 on Sunday, I think.

 

[Breezy_Carol]

I think Penn's Landing or the zoo sounds good.

Oh Boy. I get to meet Marsha too.

 

[mickeyfan1]

Carol, too bad I am not driving, I would love to do the band competition with you, too! But I think it is a little far. Or not, maybe I will check to map!

 

[paras4ri]

Originally posted by mickeyfan1
Carol, too bad I am not driving, I would love to do the band competition with you, too! But I think it is a little far. Or not, maybe I will check to map!

Fly home out of Newark and you're right there!

 

[mickeyfan1]

Gee Gail, that's a plan....................NOT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I really don't want to be anywhere near EWR at anytime in the future. I have done my time there in the past.

Geez, nothing like hijacking a thread,eh?

 

[kpgclark]

If you are only here a few days I'd skip the zoo. Where are you staying?

 

[mickeymom923]

I would definitely be interested in a DIS meet. Are you planning on meeting at a public place like at the zoo or renting a conference room at a hotel where everyone could meet? If you are flying into Philadelphia, there's a Holiday Inn in South Philly not too far from the airport and near the stadiums that everyone could meet. Or if you are staying someplace near the airport maybe they have an area to meet. I guess it depends on where you are staying and how far you want to travel.

If I can do anything to help, please let me know.

Bev

 

[mickeyfan1]

I will be staying at the Embassy Suites Philly Center City on Ben Franklin Parkway, as will Gaspode. am not planning on renting a car, but I will probably look into it after I return from F&W Festival. I I don't know who else from out of town will be there. We still haven't decided where to meet yet, but it will probably start late am and end late afternoon as some people will be driving in for the day only and will have to leave for other commitments that evening. WHile the zoo is probably nice, I would prfer something more historically touristy, as I have never been to Philly and would rather take advantage of seeing the things that I can't see elsewhere, like the Liberty Bell. JMHO.

 

[Breezy_Carol]

Maybe we can find a place near the historic area to meet for lunch then walk the Liberty Bell, etc.

 

[tiggerwannabe]

Philly has quite a bit to offer;

for the Liberty Bell, you'll need tickets. The ticket can include the new constitution center, independance hall, Betsy Ross' house, & (St Mary's?) Church.

There are many museum's, the Art Museum, the Franklin Institute, the Academy of Natural Sciences-all individual tickets.

There's Penn's Landing-the ticket includes the navy history museum, a tour of a ship & a submarine. The Ferry can take you from the Landing to Camden where the Battleship New Jersey is.

and South Street-food, shopping, eating and people watching.

The Philly Zoo is worth a trip over there-if you like zoos-I like zoos.

 

[kpgclark]

Skip the zoo. You are too close to interesting sites to make the trek to the zoo. You can see caged animals anywhere.

 

[mickeyfan1]

Originally posted by tiggerwannabe
Philly has quite a bit to offer;

for the Liberty Bell, you'll need tickets. The ticket can include the new constitution center, independance hall, Betsy Ross' house, & (St Mary's?) Church.

There are many museum's, the Art Museum, the Franklin Institute, the Academy of Natural Sciences-all individual tickets.

There's Penn's Landing-the ticket includes the navy history museum, a tour of a ship & a submarine. The Ferry can take you from the Landing to Camden where the Battleship New Jersey is.

and South Street-food, shopping, eating and people watching.

The Philly Zoo is worth a trip over there-if you like zoos-I like zoos.

Thanks for this info. Just what I needed. I really want to do the Liberty Bell thing, and that combo ticket looks like a great group of stuff. Maybe the out of towners will do that, and meet the intowners for a lunch and chat fest between sights?

 

[tiggerwannabe]

Our girl scout troop had an escorted tour of the historic sites;

for the Liberty Bell, you'll need tickets. The ticket can include the new constitution center, independance hall, Betsy Ross' house, & (St Mary's?) Church.

We met our guide across from the first bank of philadelphia and were taken to every site mentioned above. At the end of the tour, near the constitution center, we were taken to the Bourse Building to eat.

Let me know if you would like me to ask my co-leader what company she used for the tour...

 

[The LK 4]

I'll be there with my kids while DH is working in NJ that weekend. Marsha - I agree with you. I'd rather see things like the Liberty Bell, etc.

 

[mickeyfan1]

PLAN YOUR VISIT
Operating Hours & Seasons

The Liberty Bell Center and Independence Hall are open from 9 am - 5 pm daily. For hours of operation of other park sites, visit our expanded web pages by clicking on the In Depth button on the menu bar to the right. A visit to Independence National Historical Park should start at the Independence Visitor Center located at 6th and Market Streets in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Here you can get a park brochure, park map, and your free timed tickets for guided tours of Independence Hall. Park Rangers and city tourism officials are available to answer your questions and help you plan your visit. The Liberty Bell Center and the buildings on Independence Square, including Independence Hall, Congress Hall and Old City Hall require visitors to process through a security screening facility located directly across the street from the Independence Visitor Center. On busy days lines can be long, so when you get your ticket for the Independence Hall tour allow enough time for security screening. There are no restroom facilities within the secure area of the park (Liberty Bell Center and Independence Square) so be sure to use the facilities in the Independence Visitor Center or those located on the corner of 5th and Chestnut Streets before entering the Liberty Bell Center. After leaving the security screening facility you will be directed into the Liberty Bell Center where you can enjoy exhibits explaining the history of the Liberty Bell. The Liberty Bell is on display in a glass chamber at the south end of the Center. Once you leave the Center, you will have a choice of either leaving the secure area of the park (if you do you will not be permitted to reenter without going through the security screening facility again) or crossing the street onto Independence Square. Once on the Square you can visit Independence Hall (with a timed ticket), the Great Essentials Exhibit where you can see original copies of our country's founding documents, Congress Hall, Old City Hall and Philosophical Hall


Copied from:http://www.nps.gov/inde/pphtml/planyourvisit.html

LK is SB going to come with you too?