Just for your information.....
We had a afternoon to spend in Manhattan (waiting for out cruise) WE walked by the ESB, I asked the uniformed door man about the wait time....30 minutes top he replyed.
We waited 40 min to purchase tickets, $34 and thought we would be ready for the elevators.....next room, 30 more minutes and still a huge line ahead, some said 2 hours.
We had to leave to meet friends for dinner...WE felt RIPPED

I thought maybe they had lied about the giant ape and the biplanes thing.

I think they learned that from Disney. One line leading to another.

My first trip to NYC I couldn't wait to go to the ESB. My Daddy had gone there in this 20's and took the stairs to the top. And both days we went there to try and get in the time was around the block. Seems like the groups has the the right of way. I was so disappointed.

I can see how you could stand in line for hours trying to get inside.

Can the public go to the top (or somewhere near) of the Chrysler building?

Are there any other alternatives to the ESB?

Top of the Rock where you can get timed entry tickets

. . and agreat view of the ESB as well

The ESB wait is so long because there are at least four lines:
-the security line
-the ticket line
-the line for the first set of elevators that take you to a mid-level
-the line for the second set of elevators that take you from the mid-level to the top.

You can pre-purchase your ESB ticket online and jump the ticket line, but you have to do all the others. (Personally, I would not have believed that the doorman had any knowledge of the current wait conditions.)

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For Top of the Rock, there are fewer people and fewer lines:
-the ticket line
-the direct elevator line

You can pre-purchase your TOTR ticket online and jump the ticket line. Your ticket is for a timed entry. so crowds are controlled. You can also purchase your ticket at kiosks in Rockefeller Plaza, where there are usually no lines. You take one elevator all the way to the top, so there are no connections to make.

The best thing about TOTR: you have a magnificent view of the Empire State Building.

Perhaps they will give you a refund if you explain the problem. The office can be reached here: http://www.esbnyc.com/index2.cfm

Even though you receive a timed ticket, there's one line after another at Top of the Rock as well.

That is standard - not lying, but that time frame - at the ESB. It's why so many people here reco Top of the Rock instead - since you can get timed advance tickets - with a wait for perhaps 5 minutes - if any.

Sorry - have been to TOTR 4 times - with various visitors. And while there is a line to ggo upstairs - it's not aline wihtin the meaning of the word in NYC. In NYC a line is when you allstand there for an hour or more waiting to move ahead.

At TOTR you join a group of people who move ahead very quickly to get elevators upstairs. There is no waiting line - just a few minutes to get on the elevator.

(NYC without lines isn;t possible - just way too many people trying to do the same thing at the same time. Sometimes the line for movie tickets is 30 minutes or more).

I used to work in the Empire State Building. I had a pass that allowed me to bypass everyone and go straight to security and right up to the private elevators.

I used to love the looks on people's faces when I would breeze on by whilst they waited hours.

Hardy, har, har!

Thingorjus

I expect that had you asked the doorman how long it would take to eat every bit of the building his answere would have been . . . " 30 minutes"

is there any chance the doorman was telling you how long it would take to get tickets?? In that case, he was about right.

I had the same experience at Top of the Rock. Told next tour was in 10 minutes. Ended up spending all of 5 minutes before getting back in line to get the el down for dinner reservations.

I prefer ESB but will only go VIP or non peak hours