New Year's Eve New York

[Mr and Mrs C]

Our group of 18 have booked courtyard Marriott in Secaucus Ny. We will be there Dec. 31, and Jan. 1, and sailing out on Jan. 2.

 

Some of our group was wondering about going to see the ball drop on New Year's Eve. Wondering if anyone has some advice on how to get there and if we are crazy to even attempt it! We will have some children with us ranging from 11-18.

[flowers44]

Never been there myself, but I have heard that people start arriving very early in the day into order to get into Times Square for the ball drop. They spend the entire day holding their spots. Getting in, since 9/11, is through a security check point, no backpacks or parcels are allowed inside. It is a long day and can be very cold waiting for the ball drop. As I said, I have never been there but this is what I have heard about the festivities.

[Nitemare]

If you want to see the ball drop for free, you need to get there early in the day and not expect to leave for anything, not even the bathroom. Comfortable shoes are a must.

 

If you're willing to pay (at least $600, but probably more), there are restaurants and hotels and bars that will sell you access and food and drink. Some have lotteries to allow you to spend nearly $1K/head to do this. If you just want to be near the fun you can do that, but you won't see the ball drop or the bands play.

 

TripAdvisor has some great discussions about these options on their NYC discussion forum.

[Langoustine]

If you want to see the ball drop for free, you need to get there early in the day and not expect to leave for anything, not even the bathroom.

 

Very true. People start arriving very early and by 3PM the main Times Square area is packed. There are no bathroom facilities in the viewing areas, no food or drink, or any place to sit, you are surrounded by barricades, and once you are in one of the official viewing areas, if you leave you will not be readmitted. If you don't arrive early, you could very likely be confined to a viewing position 10 or 15 blocks away, at which point you might as well be watching it on TV in Secaucus (not a bad idea, actually). I live two blocks to the west of Times Square in a very calm residential neighborhood, and frankly I wouldn't dream of doing this. It's perfectly safe and very well organized, but it's a very long day. Here's the schedule from last year: http://www.timessquarenyc.org/events/new-years-eve/nye-schedule/index.aspx#.Ve87S87-PdA

Edited September 8, 2015 by Langoustine

[Turtles06]

Our group of 18 have booked courtyard Marriott in Secaucus Ny. We will be there Dec. 31, and Jan. 1, and sailing out on Jan. 2.

 

Some of our group was wondering about going to see the ball drop on New Year's Eve. Wondering if anyone has some advice on how to get there and if we are crazy to even attempt it! We will have some children with us ranging from 11-18.

 

For all the reasons people have noted above, I wouldn't do it. And I especially wouldn't give up that much of a day waiting around if I were visiting from elsewhere and just had a couple of days in NY. I'd want to see more of the city, not be crushed into a mass of humanity for 9 or 10 hours, even if there were bathrooms!

[Mr and Mrs C]

Thanks everyone for your replies. That is exactly what I was thinking it would be like. I'd much rather hang out at the hotel that night with a few drinks and watch it on tv!

[flowers44]

Excellent choice. I am sure you will enjoy your view even more than being there in Times Square.

[Got2Cruise]

If you really really want to be crazy book a room in Times Square with a view but the price will be outrageously high if there are any rooms available.

[Langoustine]

If you really really want to be crazy book a room in Times Square with a view but the price will be outrageously high if there are any rooms available.

 

A new/old place to look is the Hotel Knickerbocker, built in 1906, which just reopened as a hotel this year after being converted to offices in 1921. It's on the SE corner of 42nd Street and Broadway. And the Marriott Marquis on 7th Avenue between 45th & 46th overlooks the entire bow-tie area of Times Square. I suspect both are already sold out for this year's NYE celebrations, but there's always next year...

[Brighton Line]

It is an experience very unique and very New York.

Yes you have to get there early, note the Times Square subway stops (anything on 42nd street except Grand Central) will CLOSE early, subway trains will bypass the stops once NYPD deems the area is crowded and not just 42nd St, stops up and downtown from there will close as well all depending on crowd and whims of NYPD.

 

Recently bags were banned. Everything is subject to search. You are put into coral's and as each fill up NYPD will close them off. As stated if you leave you can not come back.

 

Sponsors do hand out swag or gifts like hats and stuff. You can hear the various competing entertainment, might even be close to a stage to see it.

 

Unless walking, it takes awhile to get back on the subway after midnight too.

 

It totally up to you if you decide to go. I personally done it once but only once in a lifetime, thank you.

Edited September 9, 2015 by Brighton Line

[Langoustine]

I personally done it once but only once in a lifetime, thank you.

 

I did it once in 1973, when I moved to NYC after getting out of the army, and I've never been tempted to do it again. There were no barricaded viewing areas then, you just pushed your way into the crowd, and it was pretty much a drunken scrum (but so was much of Times Square then; see "Taxi Driver" and "Midnight Cowboy" for reference). A friend of mine had his clothes torn off, and I realized that if anything happened to panic the crowd I could easily be trampled to death in the rush if I lost my footing. The cops have eliminated all those dangers since then, and it's now perfectly safe and sober; if you decide to do it you will have a great---but long---experience. But I won't be there with you...

Edited September 9, 2015 by Langoustine

[Mr and Mrs C]

Looks like we will arrive at the hotel and spend our evening with friends hanging out and watch the ball drop on TV.

We will tour around on Jan. 1, things should be a little quieter then right?

[Langoustine]

Jan. 1 will be very quiet (except inside some revelers' heads).