I was surprised that Ticketmaster had Lion King tickets for one of the days that I will be in NYC with my family. They were the last 6 in the theater. Row L balcony, seats 6-16, $25 each. Info says there is a "thin structural pipe in your line of view for rows G-M which will not obstruct your view of the stage" or something to that effect. What should I do? Hurry and buy before they are gone, even tho I haven't even finalized my flights? I know that they are not great seats, but would it be better than not seeing it at all? Kids are 10, 13, 16, 18, and this is their first trip to NYC. I will try to get tickets to a couple of other shows also. Think I could sell them on e-bay or something if I have to change my plans?

I went to see The Lion King last April, and it was great. However, the tickets are still pretty expensive ($70-90), so I'm not sure how good those seats are. Then again, you won't regret going - the show was fantastic!

I was in NYC for the New Year and I couldn't get tickets for The LK below $185, so I say grab them and run!

They aren't good seats. In fact, they're the worse in the theater. The pipe obstruction will probably be an irritant, but you'll likely be able to see.
Having said all that, you probably should take them, since as you said, it's better than not seeing the show. Bring opera glasses or binoculars. (I'm not be sarcastic; it'll help you see things better and closer.)
One advantage to sitting up that high is that you're able to grasp the entire spectacle more easily. When we took friends to see "Ragtime" (the second time for us), the only tickets we could get were in the balcony. We enjoyed being able to grasp everything from that distance. So, there are some plusses to the balcony.

If you didn't buy them, this comment might justify waiting or not going. If you already did buy them, congrats - I am sure you are excited...and will have a great time.

The Lion King (IMHO) is not a Broadway show, but a Disney show on Broadway. Think of the performances you see in WDW, say in front of the castle, on the stage near old Tomorrowland or at the Lion King show near Small World (if it is still there). Crisp, clean, choreographed singing & dancing and a lot of music. Instead of lasting 15 minutes in WDW, it lasts 2+ hrs on Broadway. We left LK with joy, but said it just like being in Disney. And like Disney, the name tags of the ushers are similar to those at WDW; the rest rooms signs are the typical oval shape; and you (can) exit into a shop and buy more Disney loot - like the Emporium on Main Street as you leave the Kingdom. Like Disney, the music is fantastic; the costumes are some of the best and the show is a joy. But it is not (in my mind) Broadway, it is Disney. So if you can't or didn't get tickets to LK, then try another show. No matter what you see, the experience of the first-timer will be based not on the show, but the entire day you spend in/near Broadway.

Another story from our seeing LK. There were a few (3 families) 'angry' or short tempered people around our seats. They could not see or their children could not see because the people in front of them. It happens. The comment, "I waited over a year to see this an now my daughter can't becuase she can't see over your head, " (paraphrasing) was heard. The first time I ever heard this complaint so openly-loud. When people shifted in their seats during the performance, you could audibly hear "sighs" from people behind. The main problem was that people in the front row of the balcony had to lean front/back to see over the railing. This caused a chain reaction. During the intermission people actually confronted the front row! What an argument. A first to hear this for me. (we were in the 2nd row and I am usually the "blocker" so I slump down as far as I can in my seat) Had I heard this compaining at WDW I would have half-jokingly thought to myself that these must be New Yorkers the way they complain!!! - But I suspect these were not.

Becky, what did you do?

Went for it! Read your comments this am . The tickets were still there, so I purchased them. They are for 3/25 in case anyone is curious. All of the dates that I checked randomly around that time only had scattered seats, none for a group together. Appreciate the Disney comments. I know what you mean. It will be done extremely well in "the Disney Way." Glad that I don't have small children who might not be able to see. 3 of the kids have not seen Phantom, but all love the music and are begging to see it. I have seen it twice but that is not enough for me, so that is another that we will see. That is probably ho-hum to some of you but down here in Alabama we are excited! Also considering the Music Man for a 3rd selection.

Becky,
How exciting! Great job. Many people say the want tix, and you found a way. As far as Ho Hum, no, not Ho Hum to me.

You are going to be in NYC on a new moon. Great time for an observation deck at night (WTC or ESB).

You should be able to find a deal on Phantom. We've been throwing out the discounts in the mail. If I ever see anything I'll post it. (I've often asked but not lately if there is a site where people post discount codes, etc...)

GOL, that was interesting what you said about people being upset that their kids couldn't see. It's understandable that they might be unhappy about it, especially at those prices and after a long wait, but what did they expect? People can't control their height (although they can help by not wearing hats or large hairstyles to the theater)! We have taken our kids to lots of live theater from the time that they were quite small, and we anticipated the problem of difficulty for them seeing. When they were little we always had them bring a pillow along, which they would double over and sit on - and if we wore coats we would add their and our coats for them to sit on as well. It still didn't make them as tall as the adults in front of them, but it helped a lot. When we go to performances we try to be mindful of who we're sitting in front of, and if there are children or short adults behind us we put the shortest member of our party in front of that person. If everyone did that, I think it would help alleviate resentment from the folks behind them.

My husband and I went to Lion King just before Christmas in NYC.

Those of you with kids, please note that the theatre has fabulous booster cushions available. They're 6 or 8 inches high and cover the entire seat. All the small children in our vicinity were able to see just fine with these. Just ask, an usher will bring them.

Our seats were 2/3 back in the mezzanine and were just fine. I agree with the advantages noted of being able to see the entire stage from a bit of a distance.

We did not particularly enjoy the show however. The costumes and sets were amazing. The story was difficult to follow and moved very slowly. After a while, everything seemed bleak and monotonous.

The family of four directly behind us rustled cellophane wrappers during the entire first half (in spite of the no food in the theater rule) and Junior kicked our seats throughout. We did not return after the intermission.

I thought the hightlights and behind the scenes pieces we've seen on TV were enough. It reminded me of going to a movie only to realize afterward that you'd already seen all the best parts in the ads on TV.

Per Donna's post ("The family of four directly behind us rustled cellophane wrappers during the entire first half (in spite of the no food in the theater rule) and Junior kicked our seats throughout")... I have had the exact same experience on more than one occasion and it's one reason I won't choose a "kid-friendly" show while visiting New York. There are just too many people who talk throughout and can't seem to exhibit the simple manners I would expect in my local movie palace. Sigh...

First of all..there are in all theatres booster seats for children..and second for those in high seats I recommend gettting the ear phones for the hearing impaired..there is no charge, but you leave your drivers license or a credit card (you don't nee4d to be hearing impaired).. As a muscial theatre buff, even going to far as going to London to see theatre I must admit..that Lion King is a spectacular show.the music is not memorable..but if your sitting in the balcony you will be privy to the flying birds (can't tell you about that).. I can't remember when I was so impressed with staging.. RagTime on the other hand left you emotionally drained..and impressed.. but we are talking about Lion King. I understand if the play goes on the road it will not have the same type of cast, too expensive to stage and after you see it you'll know why there is alot of wear and tear on the actors..physically demanding.. Wish I were seeing it again..I envy you the theatre experience..surrounded by all of this..joy

Definately get the tickets. I saw the Lion King and cried during the first scene. It was that amazing.

I haven't seen LK but have experienced Phantom twice and would do it again in a heartbeat. I've worn out my tape and am now working on wearing out the CD.

Hope it's not too late to jump in here with a follow-up question. We are thinking of taking two kids to see their first Broadway show this summer. They will be 7 and 9 by then, and have cut their teeth on high school plays and local community productions.

Is LK our only realistic choice? The kids have enjoyed more traditional musical theatre (The Fantastiks, etc.), so they might be ready for something non-Disney. Any thoughts?

Hi Becky -

No, there are other good choices besides LK, including the wonderful revival of The Music Man and, although you express some concerns about another Disney show for them, Beauty and the Beast was delightful, and probably a much easier ticket. However, if you can get tickets to Lion King, grab them, because the show is truly a wonder. I was struck by the previous comments of Leslie , because I, too, found the first scene unexpectedly moving me to tears. Another fun show is Kiss Me Kate. I haven't seen Annie Get Your Gun, but I'm sure that would also be a good choice. Hope this helps a little - good luck!

OOPS - I meant to address the previous comments to Cindy! Sorry about that!

We saw Lion King last spring in London, we had orchestra (called Stalls in the UK) front row center seats so we didn't have to content with anyone in front of us on booster seats or otherwise! While we thought the costumes were marvelous the show lacked something we felt and we were not terribly enthused about it after it was over. It was probably too "Disney" for us, and in some places just plain boring. (I think some one futher up this post said something about it moving slow - that's an understatement--we didn't think it moved at all at times!). We go to the theater frequently, in the U.S. and in London, so we have lots to compare LK to - unfortunately for is it did not measure up to other shows we've seen. There were plenty of kids in the audience when we went and the real young ones were not enjoying it that much, probably couldn't follow the dialog, and not having long attention spans didn't help matters. I realize this is just my oppinion and others have adored it, but we all can't like the same thing I guess.

Becky, glad to hear you got the tickets. Yes they will be up high but I think your family will enjoy. Last June I took my 12 year old and though, yes, it was Disneyesque, it was magical. For the other poster who asked about taking kids to shows, my daughter is also a "community theatre kid". While in NYC, in addition to LK, we saw "Les Mis" (incredible, and not as complicated as it looks to understand), "Annie Get Your Gun" (my daughter's favorite) and "Cats" (some good, some not-so). I bought 3 of my four shows through Ebay. They have rules about not scalping. Lion King was at cost. Cats and Les Mis were below cost (people wanted to get rid of them.) I would do it again in a heartbeat. Check with the chamber of commerce for coupons. After paying full price for "Annie" I found out 1/2 price coupons were available there. Have a wonderful trip!

As a senior..I was sceptical about seeing Beauty and the Beast in London (talk about name dropping), but we were completely charmed..and there were many people our age there too without children/grandchildren... What we saw last night in Boston was "The Abridged History of the United States"... hilarious..I think it's playing in New York..great for ALL AGES AND I'M SURE IT'S AN "off Broadway".. or try to see Forbidden Broadway..satire on current musicals.. Did see Phantom, but we are definetely not a fan of Webber.. Miss Saigon is good and of course Les Miserables..Annie Get Your Gun..It's great to introduce your children to these old classics..

Cindy,
LK is not only kid show choice. If your 7 & 9 yr olds can sit through a 2hr performance (some can/some can't), I'd also suggest:

Beauty and the Beast (lighter than LK)
Suessical (will see tomorrow)
Kiss Me Kate (friend in our group took her 4 yr old and he was 'ok')
Riverdance (no drama; dancing and music. all seats are great; can get at tkts)
Annie Get Your Gun (a really good show in a comfortable theatre)

Stomp
Blue Man Tubes

Re other posts, I never knew booster seats existed. Will keep on the lookout in the future.