Only the Deep Prince Fans/Fams still come on here so I was wondering how many of you all have been to Paisley Park?

I was there the day it opened to the public, first thing in the morning. I wasn't on the very first tour, but maybe in the fifth or sixth group to go through. As I recall, Al Roker was there covering the openning for The Today Show.

After I'd bought my tour ticket, plane tick and booked the hotel, the Chanhassen City Council started threatening to not authorize a permit for them to operate tours. Thankfully pressure from the mayor and the public changed their mind. The compromise was that guests couldn't park at the building -- we had to meet up at a strip mall down the street and be bused there.

[Edited 12/6/22 9:10am]

lurker316 said:

LoveGalore said:

I have. I live nearby.

So cool! I hope to Finally visit in 2023 after being a fam since 1979.

lurker316 said:

I was there the day it opened to the public, first thing in the morning. I wasn't on the very first tour, but maybe in the fifth or sixth group to go through. As I recall, Al Roker was there covering the openning for The Today Show.

After I'd bought my tour ticket, plane tick and booked the hotel, the Chanhassen City Council started threatening to not authorize a permit for them to operate tours. Thankfully pressure from the mayor and the public changed their mind. The compromise was that guests couldn't park at the building -- we had to meet up at a strip mall down the street and be bused there.

[Edited 12/6/22 9:10am]

The first day after his passing? What day was it?

Astasheiks said:

Astasheiks said:

lurker316 said:

I was there the day it opened to the public, first thing in the morning. I wasn't on the very first tour, but maybe in the fifth or sixth group to go through. As I recall, Al Roker was there covering the openning for The Today Show.

After I'd bought my tour ticket, plane tick and booked the hotel, the Chanhassen City Council started threatening to not authorize a permit for them to operate tours. Thankfully pressure from the mayor and the public changed their mind. The compromise was that guests couldn't park at the building -- we had to meet up at a strip mall down the street and be bused there.

[Edited 12/6/22 9:10am]

The first day after his passing? What day was it?

No, it didn't open to the public until October 6th, 2016, about 6 months after he passed.

Prior to his passing, there were no public tours, so they had to get everything set up: rope off certain sections, hire and train tour guides, create a gift shop, and as previously stated, get permits. They needed to find an experienced company to handle all of that, so they hired the people who provide tours of Graceland. I believe that contract eventually expired and now the Estate manages the tours directly.

LoveGalore said:

Astasheiks said:

So cool! I hope to Finally visit in 2023 after being a fam since 1979.

My first time after Prince passed made me cry. They did a great job with the tours. It's sad but also incredible. It's everything you dream it to be.

When I came up to MPLS for the PP tour, I also got a private tour of First Avenue. Are they still offering tours?

5 - Nights during the June 2000 Celebtraion

7 - Nights during the 2002 Celebration

1 - Drive by to put my drawing on the fence and pay respect a week after his passing

1 - PP tour in 2017.

13 times inside. A handful of other times just driving by, stopping to look/take pics.

lurker316 said:

LoveGalore said:

lurker316 said:

When I came up to MPLS for the PP tour, I also got a private tour of First Avenue. Are they still offering tours?

Yes! FA still does group tours (you have to have a group, can't go as individuals obv). First Avenue is incredible too, it's like the movie but... Not? There is something very surreal about being IN the thing you view on a screen. It's a completely different but familiar feeling!

When I did the First Avenue tour, it was supposed to be a group tour, but literally no one signed up for that particular time slot except me and my friend, so it was just the two of us on the tour. Might have well have been a private tour.

LovesexyIsThe1 said:

5 - Nights during the June 2000 Celebtraion

7 - Nights during the 2002 Celebration

1 - Drive by to put my drawing on the fence and pay respect a week after his passing

1 - PP tour in 2017.

13 times inside. A handful of other times just driving by, stopping to look/take pics.

Stalker!

Seriously, i wish i could have seen all that up close...

lurker316 said:

I was there the day it opened to the public, first thing in the morning. I wasn't on the very first tour, but maybe in the fifth or sixth group to go through. As I recall, Al Roker was there covering the openning for The Today Show.

After I'd bought my tour ticket, plane tick and booked the hotel, the Chanhassen City Council started threatening to not authorize a permit for them to operate tours. Thankfully pressure from the mayor and the public changed their mind. The compromise was that guests couldn't park at the building -- we had to meet up at a strip mall down the street and be bused there.

[Edited 12/6/22 9:10am]

I was in the second group that day. I think the mayor and other city leaders were in the first group. My tour started at 9:20 and the first one started at 9:00.

I want to go back.

lurker316 said:

After I'd bought my tour ticket, plane tick and booked the hotel, the Chanhassen City Council started threatening to not authorize a permit for them to operate tours. Thankfully pressure from the mayor and the public changed their mind. The compromise was that guests couldn't park at the building -- we had to meet up at a strip mall down the street and be bused there.

Ah yes, all that last-minute drama! For awhile, it seemed like all tours on all dates would be cancelled. There was even some question whether refunds would be issued if the tours didn't go ahead. But fortunately, for the little group I went with, things worked out and we were able to switch dates and get in.

I did the VIP tour on October 13. During it, I had my pic taken at the purple piano (actually an electronic keyboard in a grand piano shell) in Studio A. And also saw the urn when it was on full display on the ground floor...definitely very mixed emotions about that.

That was actually my first visit to PP. I returned for the 2017 Celebration, but haven't been back since, even though I've been in the Twin Cities to visit family!

CandaceS said:

lurker316 said:

Ah yes, all that last-minute drama! For awhile, it seemed like all tours on all dates would be cancelled. There was even some question whether refunds would be issued if the tours didn't go ahead. But fortunately, for the little group I went with, things worked out and we were able to switch dates and get in.

I did the VIP tour on October 13. During it, I had my pic taken at the purple piano (actually an electronic keyboard in a grand piano shell) in Studio A. And also saw the urn when it was on full display on the ground floor...definitely very mixed emotions about that.

That was actually my first visit to PP. I returned for the 2017 Celebration, but haven't been back since, even though I've been in the Twin Cities to visit family!

I did the VIP tour as well and got my photo taken sitting at the piano. At some point they stopped allowing people to sit on the bench and touch it. I believe you now get your photo taken standing in front of the roped off piano.

They also offered a vegetarian meal supposedly prepared by Prince's chef. Is that something they regular offer or was it a special from the grand openning? All I can remember from it was black rice.

lurker316 said:

Never.

And don't feel like visiting it either.

Cause it doesn't make Prince's music better for me.

From what i've seen, it looks awefull, full of dreamy Disney kitsch, and tasteless.

My blunt opinion.

Now bash me.

Travelled from London for the Celebrations in 2001 and 2002, so I guess that's 14 times in total.

If the Celebrations had continued, I would have endeavoured to go to every one. But London to PP is a bit of a trek, so it needed to be an extended event. I would have tried to get to the 3 nights during the Musicology Tour in 2004, but it wasn't announced in advance.

Yep, I've been there.

onlyforaminute said:

lurker316 said:

I did the VIP tour as well and got my photo taken sitting at the piano. At some point they stopped allowing people to sit on the bench and touch it. I believe you now get your photo taken standing in front of the roped off piano.

They also offered a vegetarian meal supposedly prepared by Prince's chef. Is that something they regular offer or was it a special from the grand openning? All I can remember from it was black rice.

I ordered the 1st time I went, we were the only ones on that tour who did and we felt silly. I didn't see it available the second time I went.

I don't recall a meal option during my Oct. 2016 visit, but perhaps I've forgotten about it.

At the 2017 Cele, the food was catered from the People's Organic folks (Juell and Ray Roberts, who were Prince's chefs).

Fan since '88 but only managed to fly out to MPLS for the weekend of the PP Gala in 2016. Always wanted to go back since but now it feels weird to go there knowing he is not around any longer.

SuperHero said:

CandaceS said:

Hundreds of times and it's never felt less than special.....even after his death. I've toured it a few times after death and I always sort of chuckle thinking how the VIP tour is not even half as good as the tour was at the First Celebration. Plus being inside the Sound Stage or L4OA room brings back floods of memories .

I did the tour last year. It was great! I did get a little misty eye'd a few times, but overall a very enjoyable experience. The tour guide and I got a long well as I knew more than the average tour attendee. He was happy I knew all about Madhouse. He's like oh, I need to talk to you...lol.

I also was there back in 95. I was in Minneapolis for work and a couple friends from the city took me there as there was a rumour Prince was going to have a show. He wasn't there, but we were able to hang out in the soundstage which was cool. The Love and Sex neon signs from SOTT were up above the stage as were pieces from the Gold Experience tour were on the stage.

[Edited 12/8/22 9:09am]

fielder said:

Not likely for some years, but when the money is rolling in, I'll be there in a flash!