MinnesotaMouse

If all goes well (& after great advice on this board) I have decided to go to Chicago with my college daughter the week she gets out of college. That is if we are able to get inexpensive flights (missed $59 flights from MSP by one day) and hotel. We have changed from Spring Break to Mother's Day weekend.

I am looking at tickets for Wicked on Mother's day. (Wishing I had American Express for their preferred seating) They have $87 seats for Orchestra M or $67 seats for Balc F or $35 for Balc T. Any thoughts on these seats would be appreciated.

Also, if for some reason we don't go is there a way to sell these to someone else? I want to buy now as I know seats will go fast but we don't have flights yet. Thanks for any help!

bugswife1

Take a look at the seating chart for the venue on line. In fact, print it out before you buy tickets. Typically, I would enjoy front mezz over rear orch, but that is just me. The show is big enough that you don't have to be on top of it. I would focus more on being in the center.

MinnesotaMouse

Thanks... I'm not sure if I can get front mezzanine (I'm assuming that is balcony). Also, we will be there through Wednesday so we could go Tuesday night and could get better seats but I am concerned about being out after dark in a city I've never been to. We would stay somewhere on the magnificant mile.

bugswife1

Mouse, don't worry about being out after dark in Chicago. Restaurants, parking garages, all of these things are open late, especially in the spring and summer. There will be plenty of people out and about--hardly deserted.

JJ5

Any of those seats are ok. I'm not kidding. The theatre really has great viewlines. You could always sell them on ebay or stubhub without a problem. Do not wait to buy the Wicked tickets, as after even a day or two of waiting, sometimes they are nada. Especially for a holiday.

Do you like to sit in the middle or the back at the regular movie theatre? Honestly, it is really personal preference, except for the very back of the balcony, IMHO.

I always prefer the balcony at this venue (Ford Theatre of the Per.Arts) to the Orchestra level because I like to see the entire (sides etc.) and in this show I saw it once from the balcony and once from the Orchestra.

And you can see the special effects from the balcony better, IMHO. But the always have to be close up people would disagree with me. Take the $67 if you feel the same.

I would consider the Hotel Burnhum, Hotel Allegro or one of the boutique type hotels in the theatre district, as well.

You can walk anywhere- even to River North from that area. For what you are going to do, there or near the River is better than farther North up Michigan Ave., IMHO. For females, love the boutique hotels.

MinnesotaMouse

Thanks everyone for your help. Would you go for the Sunday matinee (Mother's Day) or Tuesday p.m.?

Also, I just thought a hotel on the Magnificent Mile would put us close to shopping, etc. I also may bid on Priceline.... which I've never done but thought I might give it a try.

swalter518

The hotels JJ mentioned are all close enough to shop on the Mag Mile if you don't mind a walk. The weather should be nice by then. Don't worry about walking around, the theater is very close to Michigan Avenue and there will be lots of people around.

JJ5

Do the Priceline and do it NOW. You will probably do very well for May. I got the Hotel Allegro once through Priceline. If you try for 4 star Michigan Ave. you often get the Hyatt or the Swissotel. Swissotel is a much farther walk to theatres, IMHO than the other Michigan Ave or River hotels. I got that once too.

www.betterbidding.com for a list of what you may get for 4 star or 3 star on Priceline. LOOP locations are good too.

patg

If you want good seats, you'll have a better choice on a weekday than on Mother's Day. However, if you need to sell the seats, it will be much easier to sell the Mother's Day ones!

As others have said, that theater has great sightlines. The front rows of the balcony are my favorite.

MinnesotaMouse

Is there anyway I can speak to a person when getting tickets to Wicked. I called their number but it's just a Ticketmaster recording.

MinnesotaMouse

One other thing... should I get the tickets by email or have them sent to me?

jent103

If it were me, I'd do email - that way you can print off multiple copies and keep the email in your inbox. No worries about losing the actual tickets.

As far as hotel location, my personal preference would be for somewhere near the river or just south - not necessarily right on the Mag Mile. That way you're closer to the theater, within reasonable walking distance of the Art Institute and Millennium Park, and closer to State Street shopping, while still really close to the Mag Mile. But that's just me. I recently got over my fear of Priceline/Hotwire and booked the Hyatt on the river for $69/night (via Hotwire), so I'm a convert - try it!

MinnesotaMouse

Thanks again for your help...I will book for Mother's Day as you're right - in the event we would not go they would be easier to sell.

I have checked Hotwire for 4* hotels and the cheapest price is $155 for our dates. I am holding a reservation at the Hilton Garden Inn if nothing comes through but that is $189 night so I'd love to lower that! What do they call the Chicago area you're referring to on Priceline? I'm so confused on the different bidding areas.

Still holding for cheaper airfare,too! It's amazing how much that can flucuate.

angethereader

JJ5 - you are steering her right!

We stayed at Hotel Allegro one anniversary. It was great. We had a suite for not a big price.

jent103

MM - I've never done Priceline, but looking at the map, the area I'm talking about would be included in the Millennium Park, Loop & Grant Park section. That encompasses a pretty large area; if you wound up getting something south of the Loop, it's a good walk up to the river. Not a big deal if you don't mind walking or using busses, just not as convenient.

Staying on the Magnificent Mile obviously isn't a bad location - it was just a personal preference, if you can be choosy. You'd be fine with any good hotel there or in the Loop. We stayed at the Essex on South Michigan last summer (pretty far down, across from Grant Park) and just caught the bus or took the hotel shuttle to get to the Hancock Center, etc. Probably about a ten-minute ride in traffic. So just about anything downtown is doable. Just depends on where exactly you want to go and what your tolerance for walking/public transport is.

Sorry Hotwire's so much more expensive for you - our trip is in March, so the demand probably isn't as high!

JJ5

This is something I really do know. The Priceline market is wonderful for Chicago if you hit it far enough out (now for May is good.)

You should make a reservation you can cancel now (as the one you mention) and then do LOOP Priceline. You will not regret it. You WILL get a great room or suite for just about $100, or even less a day. It's much better than hotwire for Chicago.

It is NOT complicated or puzzling or quirky. You just need to know that you can not cancel and you pay up front now on a credit card. They have your money first, then you. LOL!

One time I lost $40 in a blizzard. I've saved about $1000 minimum, and just on Chicago downtown weekends alone. If you find the list on www.betterbidding.com or www.biddingfortravel.com that details the star levels, districts "won"
hotels- you can clearly see what has been won. And if you read the recent posts, what they paid now for their winning bids.

There's nothing wrong with Michigan Ave, and some tourists prefer it. I don't any longer, as there is far more South of the River now for me, especially because of Printer's Row, Museum, A.I. and lots of other additions re Millenium Park etc. that are just better now. On Mother's Day you may even hit a concert there in the evening or after your threatre, who knows.

Also- if you are going to do a big dinner on Mother's Day itself, I sure would make a reservation.

If you do a search here for Chicago hotel or Chicago matinee dinner or somesuch you will get immense numbers of threads on this too.

Actually, for all the talk of North or South of the River, IMHO- the entire issue can be rather moot. For never beens especially, there's a whole lot you are going to see either direction. That's why I like the River BETTER than Michigan Ave. But I walk to Lakeview and all kinds of areas from there and I'm no spring chicken. You can get free trolley in May too over to Navy Pier. Walking you see the buildings- part of the BEST features of Chicago involve seeing the architecture as you go. Detail, detail, detail.

I always order theatre tickets online at Ticketmaster and email accept the ticket print outs. Do you have the Carson's chain of stores, near you? Also some record chains near us have Ticketmaster/ live person stations. google Ticketmaster stations.

MinnesotaMouse

I got brave and ordered the tickets to Wicked - Balcony Center Row G on Mother's Day... not the greatest but not bad. I was afraid to wait as I already lost two rows in one day!

Wish me luck in my next efforts with Priceline and trying to find a good airfare. I'm very excited to see Chicago for the first time. My daughter knows I'm thinking about the trip but doesn't know I've seriously made any plans... she will be thrilled. Thanks again everyone... I'll be back for more advice - love this board!

angethereader

I can't pick for you, but we had the most fantastic anniversary dinner at Topolobombo. It was pricy, but worth it. I made the reservations about 2 months ahead of time.

Rick Bayliss is a well known chef, and it lived up to his reputation.

MinnesotaMouse

I believe I read there is a Tea house next to the Ford Theater where I could make reservations for a lunch prior. Anyone ever here of this?