Half Price Ticket booth question ( New York)
 

Is it necessary to stand in line for hours? We will only have 4 precious days in NY and want to see and do so much. We really would like to get tickets for a show, but don't want to spend a lot of time lining up. What time would be have to be there?

The Friday afternoon when we got in the line, it *looked* like it would be hours and when all was said and it was just one hour total!! We got $100 seats for $50 for "Into the Woods" w/Vanessa Williams. We could have had many other choices, as well. When we got to the theater that evening, they were prime seats!! I would definitely do it again. I am not sure how early the line starts forming but as I said, our total waiting time was 1 hour....I think they have a website...TKTS?? Others will certainly have more precise info...:)

I have had very good luck going to a show i want to see, stand in cancellation line..i have always been lucky and gotten phenomenal seasts..last saw Odd Couple that way, 8th row center..course if time doesn't allow TKTS may be your best bet..as you can wait an hour or so in a canc line w/no guarantees...but i have never not gotten seats that way..

First, there is a second TKTS booth at the Seaport which usually has much shorter lines - if you're in the area.

An even better option is to look for advance discounts tickets on broadwaybox.com or playbill.com. Their discounts usually go into effect 60 to 90 days in advance.

Thank you for all the information I didn't know about. DO you mean to go to the particular theatre you want and wait for canc that night? And do you still get canc tickets if the show isn't sold out?

Where is Seaport?

I'll check out the websites for playbill and broadwaybox.

I knew you guys would come through with great ideas!

My freind and her daughter as so excited,and as I'll be acting as the 'oh so experienced one' of the group, it is great to be better informed.
Thank You...

A few clarifications:
1. If you are lucky enough to get tickets via the cancellation route, keep in mind these are at full price, while most tickets at TKTS are half price plus $3.
2. If saving time is your goal, then waiting in line for possible cancellations would eliminate that situation. It's not a case of just walking up to the box office and getting the tickets. You'll have to wait.
3. I'd say that the best of both worlds in your case is to take advantage of the discount offers on the aforementioned playbill and broadwaybox websites. You can order them in advance or just take them to the box office when you get to the city. The latter will save you the $5-7 per-ticket service charge.
4. There usually is not a line at TKTS 1-2 hours before curtain time. Of course, at the same time, there will be fewer shows available at that time.

Thank You Howard for making it all clear to me. I agree the best plan would be to buy tickets on these sites before going to NY. Thank you.

I agree w/Kinosocal. One afternoon, last year while staying at the Milford Plaza (no comments, please), the rain prevented us from doing our tourist thing - so, at 12:00 Noon, on a fluk I went around the corner to the theater showing "Dirty Rotten Scoundrels", with John Lithgow. I got 2 tickets for the matinee that afternoon for a total of $80. It can be done.

To save time and avoid the line do go to the South location of TKTS - I have never seen more than a few people in line there, and they have matinee tickets the day prior to the booth at Times Square. It is in Lower Manhattan - see address and public transport directions at www.tdf.org/tkts/# - so may take a few minutes to get there, but if you will be in or near that part of town (say, around Ground Zero or Century 21) it's fairly close by.

oh my, someone else also once stayed at the Mildew, oh I mean Milford Plaza...yea, that was an experience. :)

also, look at (southstreetseaport.org) in general, South Street Seaport area and see if something interesting is at the musuem and attractions in that area and maybe you'll spend an hour or so in that area so it is not just a trip down to buy tix, - the site has a map and I think it shows you where the tix booth is .

Theatermania.com is another you can compare prices for shows that might interest you.

Oops, one correction on my previous post. In item #2, it should read "If saving time is your goal, then waiting in line for possible cancellations would NOT eliminate that situation."
Sorry.

Use www.maps.google.com The address for South Street Seaport is 1 Fulton Street NY, NY. It's close to Wall Street, City Hall, The Brooklyn Bridge (a great walk), and other things to do (including exploring the Seaport area itself) so you won't be going downtown only to get tickets.

Thank you very much for all the great information.
I think the young lady might want to see RENT, so I don't know if we should take a chance on the ticket booth.
I woulnd't want her to be disappointed. DO they usually have tickets for shows that have been around for awhile?

When I am planning a trip to NYC, I always buy tickets online as early as possible (full price) and then take a peek at what's being offered for 1/2 price at TKTS.

Sometimes, if it's a show I'm really interested in, I stop by the box office to see what's available. I bought GREAT tickets the day of show (front row center once). I think they must have been VIP tickets released when they weren't going to be used.

Great deals can be had at the TKTS booth, but my hours in NYC are few and far between so I consider the wait time as $$$. If the line is really long, I don't do it.

My favorite TKTS booth was the the World Trade Center. Now that it's gone, I'd try Seaport...but factor in travel time there and back if you weren't planning to visit the area anyway.

Kodi: if she will be disappointed if she can't see Rent, personally I would buy those ahead of time to know you have them. You just don't know what you can or can't get in tix lines, and even if there are many, who knows hoe many others wanting it will be in line before you. Then, should you choose another show, there will be other options - tix line either place (although seaport is usually little to no line) or ahead of time on one of the sites.

Many of the sites, like theatermania.com, also have link to read reviews on all shows, even off and off off broadway, which has many wonderful options depending on her interest - from shakespeare to modern - many many shows start there and are big hits a year or so later and she would have seen if first, or she might like to see something different, she could read the story line/reviews and maybe find another play vs. Rent/musical that she would also enjoy.

ooh, my typing: I meant "and even if there are many tix available, who knows HOW many others wanting it will be in line before you. " :)

Don't assume that there are always long lines at the Times Square TKTS booth. I walked by it today at 3:30 and there was no lines....and there were plenty of shows available. Of course, this is the slow season for Broadway. But still....

I agree, time is $$$ for us. We want to see as much as possible. And I want this trip to be really special.
I will talk to the young lady and see if her heart is set on RENT or if there are other shows she'd like to see.
I'd be happy with the ticket both, but I'll leave it up to my friend and her daughter.

Whatever we dedide, I know we'll have a great time.

If you haven't already, check out www.playbill.com. Great place to start when picking out shows to see.

If you are interested in some interesting shopping, head to Century 21 -- it's not far from the Seaport Tix Booth.

http://www.c21stores.com/