New year in NYC?
Oct 6th, 2006 | 10:43 AM
#4
Original Poster
Joined: Oct 2006
Posts: 13
Likes: 0
Will probably stay for 3 nights- 30, 31, and 1st. Would like to keep the hotel under $1000 for all 3 nights and budget for $1000 for meals etc. Is this reasonable? Would love to stay in Times Square area. Should we go to Times Sqaure for the ball drop, or are there better places to celebrate?
Oct 6th, 2006 | 11:26 AM
#5
Guest
Posts: n/a
Are you 18-23 years old? If so stay in Times Square and watch the ball drop.
If not, find a warm cozy bar way outside Times Square to ring in the New Year.
Avoid nice restaurants and name restaurants NYE because prices will be at least three times as expensive.
Save your splurge meal for another night.
If not, find a warm cozy bar way outside Times Square to ring in the New Year.
Avoid nice restaurants and name restaurants NYE because prices will be at least three times as expensive.
Save your splurge meal for another night.
Oct 6th, 2006 | 12:01 PM
#6
Joined: Jun 2003
Posts: 4,181
Likes: 0
Do not go to Times Square on New Year's Eve (NYE) unless you want to stand outside with a zillion other cold people with nothing to do and no "facilities," if you know what I mean.
On NYE, most all Manhattan bars & restaurants either close for private parties OR offer prix fixe meals (some include alcohol, some don't). Bars offer all-you-can-drink for one big cover charge.
On NYE, most all Manhattan bars & restaurants either close for private parties OR offer prix fixe meals (some include alcohol, some don't). Bars offer all-you-can-drink for one big cover charge.
Oct 6th, 2006 | 12:54 PM
#7
Joined: Jul 2005
Posts: 2,439
Likes: 0
Hello bjcarr!
I think its a great idea to plan a birthday trip-how fun!! Perhaps a description of my NYC New Years Eve trip can help you decide if its what youre looking for! And, please, the following was my experience only and is in no way intended to take away from the perhaps more positive experiences others may have had! NYC on NYE is without a doubt magical and Im thankful I had the opportunity to share in it!
Below describes my night in Times Square 1995 (I think)-I was 18 at the time (we were close enough to Dick Clark that I could have easily tossed a ball up to him on his platform). Also keep in mind that this was a long time ago and that things may have changed since then? Ok, here we go:
Youve got to pick your spot by around 4:00 pm if you want to be close to the ball and youve then got to be prepared to stand there until midnight. So…the other posters are quite correct about having to “hold it” for a looong time. And there was hardly anywhere available to go to the bathroom anyway! Aaaahhh!
At first, everyone around you is smiling, drinking, smoking (and sharing), and having a great time! But by around 10:00 pm, after six hours of standing in the same spot, the alcohol and the high wear off a bit and people start getting mean. We did see several fights break out and it was actually kind of scary sometimes.
What we noticed a lot were people trying to push through the crowd at around 11:00pm to get a better view of the ball (they were the late-comers). Of course, those folks who had been standing there since 4:00pm didnt like this and that, also, caused many physical fights.
Thankfully we werent involved in anything ugly and we didnt let others ruin our night b/c, frankly, we were just so excited and grateful to have such a cool experience!
I will say, though, that once the ball dropped my husband (then boyfriend) and I quick kissed and booked it towards our ride home. We were ready to go at that point.
I remember thinking: Im really glad I did this but I wont need to do it again…One of those once in a lifetime things I guess!
As an alternative, it would be cool to stay in a hotel in Times Square and view the goings on from there!?
So, New Years Eve in NYC was absolutely an experience and its something Id always wanted to do! There was definitely a buzz about the city that day which was beautiful and indescribable!!! So, if NYC on NYE is a dream you or your boyfriend have always had then do it for sure! On the other hand, if its more like just something your considering and dont really have your heart set on, maybe its not worth it, Im not sure??
Good luck planning-Im sure whatever you choose will be wonderful!!
I think its a great idea to plan a birthday trip-how fun!! Perhaps a description of my NYC New Years Eve trip can help you decide if its what youre looking for! And, please, the following was my experience only and is in no way intended to take away from the perhaps more positive experiences others may have had! NYC on NYE is without a doubt magical and Im thankful I had the opportunity to share in it!
Below describes my night in Times Square 1995 (I think)-I was 18 at the time (we were close enough to Dick Clark that I could have easily tossed a ball up to him on his platform). Also keep in mind that this was a long time ago and that things may have changed since then? Ok, here we go:
Youve got to pick your spot by around 4:00 pm if you want to be close to the ball and youve then got to be prepared to stand there until midnight. So…the other posters are quite correct about having to “hold it” for a looong time. And there was hardly anywhere available to go to the bathroom anyway! Aaaahhh!
At first, everyone around you is smiling, drinking, smoking (and sharing), and having a great time! But by around 10:00 pm, after six hours of standing in the same spot, the alcohol and the high wear off a bit and people start getting mean. We did see several fights break out and it was actually kind of scary sometimes.
What we noticed a lot were people trying to push through the crowd at around 11:00pm to get a better view of the ball (they were the late-comers). Of course, those folks who had been standing there since 4:00pm didnt like this and that, also, caused many physical fights.
Thankfully we werent involved in anything ugly and we didnt let others ruin our night b/c, frankly, we were just so excited and grateful to have such a cool experience!
I will say, though, that once the ball dropped my husband (then boyfriend) and I quick kissed and booked it towards our ride home. We were ready to go at that point.
I remember thinking: Im really glad I did this but I wont need to do it again…One of those once in a lifetime things I guess!
As an alternative, it would be cool to stay in a hotel in Times Square and view the goings on from there!?
So, New Years Eve in NYC was absolutely an experience and its something Id always wanted to do! There was definitely a buzz about the city that day which was beautiful and indescribable!!! So, if NYC on NYE is a dream you or your boyfriend have always had then do it for sure! On the other hand, if its more like just something your considering and dont really have your heart set on, maybe its not worth it, Im not sure??
Good luck planning-Im sure whatever you choose will be wonderful!!
Trending Topics
Oct 6th, 2006 | 01:55 PM
#8
Joined: Feb 2003
Posts: 6,267
Likes: 0
You could do something else on New Yrs Eve in NYC, and just celebrate his birthday on 1/1.
We will be in NYC on New Years Eve but are NOT going to Times Square. I am hoping to find a quiet inexpensive place near our hotel (Affinia Manhattan) to eat a normal dinner (if that is too hopeful, maybe we will just eat in the room because we'll have a kitchen) and maybe go to an Off-Broadway show. I'm looking into that now. A friend mentioned perhaps taking in the fireworks in Central Park at midnight but I am not sure how crazy it would be to go to see those if we have to somehow get around Times Square to get up to Central Park.
You might want to book your hotel now for those 3 nights if you are sure you want to go because prices are edging up and policies are getting stiff. I kind of doubt you'll find a Times Square hotel now for that price, but the Affinia Manhattan still has rooms (all suites) in that budget. 12/30 and 12/31 are higher price but it drops so significantly on 1/1 that it comes in under budget. BUT they are now (just in last few days) requiring FULL PRE-PAYMENT WITH NO REFUNDABILITY! I'm afraid by waiting this late you are going to be running up against policies like that for New Years time...
We will be in NYC on New Years Eve but are NOT going to Times Square. I am hoping to find a quiet inexpensive place near our hotel (Affinia Manhattan) to eat a normal dinner (if that is too hopeful, maybe we will just eat in the room because we'll have a kitchen) and maybe go to an Off-Broadway show. I'm looking into that now. A friend mentioned perhaps taking in the fireworks in Central Park at midnight but I am not sure how crazy it would be to go to see those if we have to somehow get around Times Square to get up to Central Park.
You might want to book your hotel now for those 3 nights if you are sure you want to go because prices are edging up and policies are getting stiff. I kind of doubt you'll find a Times Square hotel now for that price, but the Affinia Manhattan still has rooms (all suites) in that budget. 12/30 and 12/31 are higher price but it drops so significantly on 1/1 that it comes in under budget. BUT they are now (just in last few days) requiring FULL PRE-PAYMENT WITH NO REFUNDABILITY! I'm afraid by waiting this late you are going to be running up against policies like that for New Years time...
