I might be able to go, but only if someone can provide transportation. I’m on City Line, close to St. Joseph’s University. I’m also right across the street from the Overbrook Train Station, so I could use that if someone helped me with schedules and stuff (all I know is how to get to… that big main station. I can’t remember its name.)
30th street station? suburban station? market east?
from 30th street or suburban station getting to the franklin institute is a snap.
I can make Sunday 2/23 afternoon.
Rocking chair: Suburban Station is the better station (IMnshO) for getting to the Franklin Institute. It’s a straight shot up the parkway, maybe 10 - 15 minutes. I know; I’ve walked that quite a few times. (SEPTA is my friend… sometimes.)
Sir Dirx: Overbrook station on the R5 has inbound trains on Sunday every hour on the :05, arrive Suburban on the :20. Outbound from Suburban (to Malvern, track 4 section A) on the :45, arrive Overbrook on the :58. Zone 2, Sunday (off-peak), $3 each way. (Yes, I am reading right off the schedule.)
If we have enough people coming in by train & subway, maybe we could meet at Suburban station and walk to the museum as a group.
Might we want to think about getting Imax tickets in advance? If it’s a big crowd that might be a good idea.
Provided we have an accurate head count early enough (like that would happen), I’d be willing to order IMAX tickets online.
I found a link that talks about the coral reef film http://www.coralfilm.com/
I can offer a ride to anyone NE of Philly.
What time would be be meeting? Depending on where we’re coming from (if we come from the house first or what), meeting at Suburban Station shouldn’t be a problem for us.
suburban station is undergoing a MAJOR overhaul. you would have to pick a very, very, clear meeting point.
if there is an accurate count and someone has a credit card to cover, advance tickets would be easier. would it be just for the imax? or institute and imax? the imax alone is 8 dollars.
www.fi.edu
rocking chair, thanks for the reminder – I had forgotten about the rail power project.
Anybody coming in by rail from the west side of town, please note that the trains will not be running between 30th Street and Suburban Station – there will be shuttle busses instead, from 30th Street to 16th & Market.
Semi-surface route: From 30th Street (or points west), take the trolleys (green line) east to 19th & Market. Then walk up 19th to the parkway.
We could send Frank the money via paypals so he wouldn’t have to go out on a financial limb – ditherers could just take their chances on getting tickets. (No school groups on a weekend, but I’m guessing lots and lots of family and divorced dad type action.)
For me, movie only, not museum – I was just there about two years ago and I’m pretty sure there’s not enough new stuff to make it worth it for me.
for those getting off at 30th street, y’all could take the straight shot down jfk to 20th. no lights, just a straight walk. turn left on 20th and walk 2 blocks and bob’s your uncle.
good point twickster. are the times listed yet?
Ok, I think I understood what Scuba_Ben posted about the schedules. Does that renovation affect me at all, or can I take that R5 right to Suburban with no problem?
I don’t know about Paypal, but I can definitely bring cash for reimbursement.
No times yet on the movie. They may be up next week since it debuts next Friday.
No sweat about buying the tickets. Even if we had 20 people want to go that’s only $180 (they tack on a service charge for online ordering, hopefully it’s different by phone) and $180 isn’t going to break me. My only worry is people canceling at the last minute and then being stuck with unused tickets.
Maybe we should try for a later showing, say around 2-3pm. This way those that want to see the museum can arrive early and spend some time checking out the exhibits while those that only want to see the film can just show up later.
Sir Dirx, it does affect you. Your train would stop at 30th Street, and you’d have to switch to the shuttle bus. Or hike the ten blocks across JFK.
Maybe there’s a subway-surface route from Overbrook? Check www.septa.org.
I know that we aren’t dealing with the same crowd, but the last time I was involved with Dopers doing something like this (when we went to see Spiderman in NY), those that said they were coming came, and if they didn’t, they either made arrangements for their tickets to go to someone else, or they paid for it anyway. I don’t remember Pixellent being stuck with any extra tickets.
Also, if anyone wanted to meet at 30th Street and have a group walk up together, we could do that. We’re in University City/West Philly, so anywhere east of us is going in the right direction. 
So, lets start a count here, just so we have some ideas.
Tentative Plans
Sunday, February 23rd, 2-3 pm
Coral Reef IMAX movie at the [url=“http://sln.fi.edu/tfi/info/omninow.html”>Franklin Institute - Time dependent on when the show starts, Frank #2 checking into this.
Dinner to follow.
Interested in Attending
TruePisces
Verrain
rocking chair
twickster47
GingerOfTheNorth
Weirddave
buglet
Morgyn
Frank #2
Scuba_Ben
Wonko the Sane
Philster
Tranquillis
Intaglio
Ms. Robyn
Booga
Zappo
DocCathode
Sir Dirx
Catching them the next time
Enola Straight
danceswithcats
Frank #2, when do you want to get a hard, fast number by? These numbers are just from going through the thread and seeing who’s mentioned interest in coming, even before things were set.
Also, anyone want to settle anything for where to eat? I don’t know the restaurants there very well (West Philly, University City, I’m ok, anywhere else, forget it! :))
I’m looking forward to this!
And one of these days, I’ll learn that preview is my friend.
smacks head
I would say by the 17th or 18th. Hopefully the schedule will be out later next week so then people can start to make definite plans.
We still have plenty of time to worry about details.
Bump
I was at the museum a month ago. Their then-current special exhibit was on risk & risk preferences, tolerance, awareness, etc. Quite interesting, and well worth the time.
don’t forget the river runs between 30th and 20th. you jump from 29-30th street to 23rd. that’s why i seem to think that it is shorter from 30th street. the river cuts quite a few blocks.
i think i could get there by 2 or 3.
Show times for the IMAX Theater, from The Franklin Institute:
Coral Reef Adventure is at 12 noon, 1PM, 2PM, and 5PM.
So, how much total are we talking? I’m kinda lost here.
Robin