Soulriders, THE GATHERING!

[Dracos]

Damn straight!

[Music-chan]

Hotels are expensive and we have a hotel room in Chicago to pay for later in the year.  (my cousin is getting married in July and I'm determined to go)

Hard to say about free days this far in advance. If nothing changes in the next few months, Cymage always gets Tues and Wed off though.

[Dracos]

Don't worry about super advanced notice.  We're just bugging you because we want you guys to manage to get there somehow, someway and continue toward that path :P  You could let us know when we're there practically as we'll probably be playing day by day somewhat.

[Music-chan]

Well, we're planning on driving over at least once. So we'll see you guys in some way. :D

[Iron Dragoon]

Anyone want an Afghani souvenir? I can get stuff like small prayer rugs, scarves (which are fairly nice, just need a color and if you want regular or Kashmir), and a few other odds and ends.

[Corwin]

Are those the buzzing prayer rugs?

So I'm thinking of going as well. I've been considering it for a couple of months, and I think it'll work out on my side. Here's the official post, as well as the obligatory notice asking if anyone's looking for a roommate while in Toronto.

[Corwin]

I don't suppose someone more experienced in ordering hotel rooms and the like could help me out? I've only ever gone through travel agencies before, and I'm not actually sure on the procedure here. Does the hotel even have rooms left for the dates in question? If so, how would I order them? Etc. It might well be pretty basic stuff but I'm not really making headway on my own and would appreciate some help.

[Dracos]

Sure, I'm glad to help you.

If you can ping me on gtalk, I can walk you through the process, or I can write you a general step by step.

[Dracos]

I'll catch you tomorrow morning (today prolly for you), if not I'll detail out here.

[Dracos]

This post, From here out, will be used to formally organize critical information to getting us all there and having a good time.

The Facts
Location: Toronto, ON
Dates: 4/29/2011 - 5/05/2011
Hotel: Noveau Toronto Center, 45 The Esplanade, Toronto, ON M5E1W2 - currently 136 a night for 2 people, 2 beds.
Expected Temp: 60-75 F
Exchange Rate:  Canadian Dollar seems pretty strong right now.  For americans its 1 to .9
Clothing: Bring light cold weather gear (Heavy if you're cold sensitive).  Probably too cold to swim but the hotel has an indoor pool.  Dunno about umbrellas but they never hurt.
How to get to the hotel: If you arrive as a group, you can share a cab, but there are also buses that can get you out there.  There are no free shuttles from the airport to the location.  There is also the train to Union Station which is apparently nearby.
Why stay at the hotel: It is far more fun if everyone hangs out together and far easier to coordinate.  In the past we've had a couple stay at a distance, and usually it ends up poorly.  I strongly encourage even locals to book in for the week.

Attending
Dracos - Rooming with ginrai and Corwin, Arriving at hotel around 4:30 pm.  Return Flight departs at 5pm.
Corwin - Roomied.  Arriving:  7pm?  , Departing:
Odin - Currently planning to room with Shawna, possibly also Onigiri and Grey.
Iddy - Ragnar'd.
Ginrai - roomied.
Ragnar - Roomied.
Music and Cymage
Not kwok, because he's lame and doesn't join us.

Count of Attendees:  12.

Things being brought:
Iddy - Laptop full of movies.
Dracos - Poker set, a DS and some games, possibly a psp too.  Probably one or two anime OAVs too.
Ginrai - Some anime?
odin - laptop

Phone list:
786-338-1439 - Philip/Dracos
905-401-9984 - Cymage/Music

Transport and other 'expected costs'
Subway/bus - Don't get a pass says the Odin.  We'll get tokens when we get there.
Lion King - likely to run 50-80 a person.  Just heads up.
Pirates Opera - 52 a seat, Recommend Pre-buying here - http://www.stlc.com/index.php?id=930
Museums/Towers - Each of these should be about a 30 dollar budget.
Expect a lot of eating a good places :3

We'll get the city pass at the first stop, no worries about advance getting.

=========

The Day by Day Plan

Note: This is where the group generally will go, but there will be reasonable opportunity to break off at times if you want.  We're all adults, so yeah :P  Anyhow, the goal of this is that there's clearly a few fun things to do each day.

Friday the 29th:
Everyone should arrive at the hotel.  Your primary goal for this day is to get in contact with Dracos.  We'll hopefully all group in the evening at the hotel lobby and make tracks to grab some dinner (likely by no later than 7:00 pm), likely followed by some anime or poker and bed for everyone to adjust to the new timezone.  We'll try and keep this a light night since a lot of us are flying in from halfway across the globe.

At 6:40 we'll meet in the lobby and make our way to the Friar (English pub).  This shouldn't be a very late night.

For those getting there even later in the evening, you can check your bags with the hotel and come join us for dinner, or give us a call and see what's going on.

I suggest we also use this day to compare departure times/plans and set up any convenient shared travel on thursday.

Saturday the 30th:

Today is going to be a subway and bus and walking day.  That's how we'll be getting around.  Our general theme today is to enjoy the city, relax, and get acclimated.  A lot of folks are coming from far off, so today is fairly flexible.

Morning:
Make a reservation in the morning for Copachabana.  Looks like it'll be a pain to get in otherwise.

09:00:00 AM   Breakfast at Petit Dejeuner
Odin will be doing some light tourguide duties here, below is his plan.  Odds are this will just be light city touring while folks adjust to the time-zone or being human.  It's up for 'where we want to go' time.

10:30:00 AM   Walk Queen St and find some clothes for Iddy
        Stop at Truefitt & Hill for a shave
        Stop in at the Silver Snail (Comic/D&D shop)

Afternoon:

Basically touring the chinatown district now.

02:00:00 PM   Lunch at Java House (breakfast will have been huge) - Have a small lunch, really. :)

        Chinatown for the afternoon

Evening:
6:00 Dinner will be Copacabana up on Yonge and Eglinto.  This is gonna be big meal.  Hopefully we can spot another place for odin and shawna nearby.  There is a salad bar, but it'd probably be really expensive all together there for them.  I am told to expect dancing girls. - 50 a head though!

7:15 - we should probably head over and get our seats and things.  It's probably about 20 by subway, so that leaves 20 or so for 'oops'. :)

08:00:00 PM   Pirates of Penzance  - Is an opera odin suggests.

Probably a poker and/or anime night ;)  More likely a sleep night since we'll likely be getting back 11ish or later.

Sunday the 1st:

Today is going to be a subway and bus and walking day.  That's how we'll be getting around.  First real 'let's start seeing the cool shit' day :P.  Also laughing at Dracos managing to find a seat anywhere and everywhere. ;3

Morning:

09:00:00 AM   Breakfast – Eggspectations

Meet Cymage and Music at the hotel before we head out.  :)

10:00:00 AM   Casa Loma - this is a cool castle.   Does require tickets, though we can get them at the castle.  We'll spend a couple hours here.

Afternoon:
 12-1ish.  From casa loco, we'll head over to where CN tower is and have lunch somewhere around there.  I'll probably poke my tour book for ideas or we can grab whatever looks good.

We'll have a few hours here of 'whatever' time :3

Evening:
We'll grab Aji Sai (Sushi) for dinner.

We're going to check for lion king tickets.  If they are there, we'll head to that.

If not, we'll spend a bit at a pub and then possibly anime/poker/gaming night.  ;)

Monday the 2nd:

This is our first big museum day.  The whole crew is here and there's been lots of votes for science, so we'll go check out the science center and have a good time.

Morning:
09:00:00 AM   Breakfast – Fran's

We're gonna head over to the Ontario Science Center today.  Let's kill things with SCIENCE! :3   We'll stay there as long as we're having fun.  If we get bored, we'll have odin take us to his favorite pizza place and tour around that area :3

Evening:

We'll head for Rashnaa for some Sri Lanka cooking.

Try for Lion King tickets

Backup plan – Rep Cinema & Peel Pub or The Rex depending on whether Iddy is behaving. :-)

Tuesday the 3rd:

Morning:
 We need to go rent a car at this point so that we have one for.  We'll know how many at this point that we'll need.  Cymage and Music will be in 1 car.  Odin, Shawna and 3 others will be in their car.  This leaves us with potentially five other people to fit in.  I'll rent a vehicle split between at least those 5 (and any who want to split).  We should hopefully be able to get it and leave it at the hotel.

Niagara falls trip.  We'll head off early in the morning to the falls, and I'm expecting them to take a few hours.  Depending on how early, we'll either grab breakfast before heading off, or eat at one of the traps alongside the falls having a brunch there for some good watching.  On the way there, we'll be going 4 to a car, so nobody is just 'driving by themselves'.  On the way back it'll be 5 to a car.

Afternoon:

We'll do the maid of the mist and whatever else folks want.

We'll have lunch at the Skylon, where Cymage works.  It's gonna be a bit pricy, but not as much as the steakhouse was :3.

Evening:
We're gonna try and stay for the lights.  We'll pick somewhere for dinner and head back.  Cymage and Music will wave goodbye here and return to REAL LIFE.

Hotel party night with the entertainment folks brought.

Wednesday the 4th:

Morning:
09:00:00 AM   Breakfast – The Senator

Royal Ontario Museum - Let's see how they can entertain :)

Afternoon:

Probably continue that but if not, up to the crowd :)

Evening:

Gonna leave this one open :3

Remember to have made arrangements by this point on how you are getting back to wherever you are coming from.

Thursday the 5th:

This is departure day.  While their might be a group breakfast for folks heading off later, the assumption is everyone is heading back this day.  Group up with anyone you're heading off with and have a safe flight or drive back.  :D

[Music-chan]

I"d suggest May 3rd for a trip to NF, as that's a day CyMage and I usually have off.  We might be able to make it over for a day (possibly Sunday) to do stuff with you guys. We probably won't be able to take off the entire time which is why we wouldn't be staying at the hotel. I'll poke Cy to check this thread so he can throw in his 2 cents just in case he has different info.

If you need to call us, our home phone is 905-357-3920.  Our cell is 905-401-9984

[CyMage]

I'll might be able to get a couple vacation days around that time, but no guarantees on anything yet. 

[Dracos]

Sounds good to me.  Penciling in the 3rd for Niagara falls trip.

[Iron Dragoon]

Not that anyone probably needs it, but I have a full service Skype number I can give. Unfortunately, I also use it for business, so I'm leery of posting it. If anyone wants it, just send me a PM or hit me up for it in #SR. The number is full service, so if anyone needs to leave a voicemail for something, that number will do it.

[Music-chan]

So, The Mage and the Music will be heading to Toronto on Sunday, May 1st.  We'll drive back over on the Tuesday when you guys are planning on visiting Niagara Falls.

That brings to mind a question though.  We'll be driving over and back.  How are you guys planning on getting to the Falls?  We could take a couple of people with us but we're not going back to Toronto afterwards.

Also, what did you guys want to do in the Falls?  Early May isn't the best time of year, though it depends on how warm April is going to be.  Most of the typical attractions (boat, journey behind the falls, etc) won't be open yet. There's always the Butterfly Conservatory/ Botanical Gardens though. And Cliffton Hill. And depending on how many are coming, we might be able to get everyone to the top of the Skylon tower for free.   Also, there is always winery tours if you're into that sort of thing, though that would take some driving.

Anyone interested in some specific things? I can get details/prices of any attractions you might be interested in.