Hi fellow Fodorites! My daughter & I are traveling to New York tonight with the intent of watching the ball drop for New Year's Eve. Looks like it'll be in the 30s that night. I'm reading that people usually start lining up about 6 or 7 hours ahead. How is it possible to stay warm for that amount of time? We do plan to layer up and to bring thermoses of hot cocoa (courtesy of Les Halles) but I'm afraid we'll still freeze our buns off! Does the square get warmer as it fills up due to body heat?

Who has done this recently and what advice can you give us?

>>

Most people would advise you to stay indoors and watch it on TV

Are you aware that once an area fills, you're "fenced in" (barricades) and if you leave that area, you cannot return? That that means no trips to the bathroom, either? And once an area fills, they just keep filling up farther away from the ball itself?

If you're aware of all that, and still want to go, then I'd just advise you to dress very very warmly!

I've never understoon the lure of Times Square for New Year's Eve, but I guess that's because I live here and walk through the area all the time.

That said, New Year's Eve is crowded, (sardines have it better), loud and oh did I mention crowded?

The area begins to fill up in the afternoon and by dark it is already getting FULL. You will be standing for hours with 500,000 of your closest friends, and you can't leave the area. You can't bring in bags, and I'm guessing thermos bottles will not be allowed, bring paper cups. Also remember that there are (or were last year anyway) bathrooms along the avenue, with long lines but they are not very convenient.

All that said, go and make the best of it, you have to do it once and then watch it on TV and remember.

Yep, I'm aware. I guess you missed the part where I said we'd be dressing in layers? We're still going to be outdoors for 6-7 hours. I'd still like to know from folks who've done this recently what their experiences were. Does the square get warmer as it fills up with bodies?

Hi Beatchick, a friend who still has family in Brooklyn went back home a couple of years ago over the holidays and decided to spend NYE at Times Square for the first time. She is one healthy and strong woman but she said her experience was a nightmare. And as sf7307 posted, when she finally had to go to the bathroom she thought she would have an accident before she was able to make her way through the crowds. And of course she missed being there at midnight. The next day an older cousin told her that many people wear Depends when spending NYE at Time Square. I don't know if that is true or not but my friend said her cousin insisted it was. Happy New Year!

"you have to do it once"
Exactly.

LOL, LoveItaly, Depends! That might just be an option!!

Does anyone remember David Sedaris' story on the Stadium Pal? I'm tempted to buy one of those.

Have you considered going to a restaurant in the area, many offer their regular menus. They give you a pass to get into the "frozen zone" and than before midnight position yourself on a corner with a view of the ball.

It takes some planning but it works.

Luckily this New Year is supposed to be relatively warm and dry - it's no fun when it's 15 and snowing.

To get a good view you need to be in Times Square by about 4 pm (that's when the buses and subways stop running there). After that all transit is on foot. There is standing room only - packed like sardines, no placs to get warm (except a few VERY expensive restauants - as in an Applebees dinner for abuot $300) and no toilets. You will be penned in by police barricades and can leave (with a lot of diffculty) but CANNO return.

You wear lots of layers of clothing, make sure you have a hat that covers your whole head, a warm scarf, mittens and boots with soles that will keep out the cold. You can also jump up and down a lot.

This is NOT something I reco - although I did do it one year - when I was in college. Older than that is TOO old - and it's not good for kids either.

I thnk a much better idea is a nice dinner on the upper east or west side and then go to Central Park for the fireworks - where there are crowds - but also a lot more room.

Thanks, Frank! I had considered that but it was more along the lines of something we'd do if we couldn't handle the cold. We're lunching at Les Halles and then heading to Times Square around 5pm. I think I could handle almost anything but I worry about my daughter. Promised her that if it got too cold we'd go to one of the nearby restaurants. Is it better/easier to just head to the restaurants first? And do you know of a list of such places?

Thanks, NYTraveler. Well, she's 18 so college age. We do plan on a LOT of layering and have hats that cover ears plus scarves.

"VERY expensive restauants - as in an Applebees dinner for abuot $300"
OUCH! I don't think so!!

"I thnk a much better idea is a nice dinner on the upper east or west side and then go to Central Park for the fireworks - where there are crowds - but also a lot more room."
We'll certainly consider this option; it's excellent advice - but you know how people get their hearts set on something. Watching the ball drop is something I've always wanted to do. But if my daughter doesn't think she can handle it then looks like we're headed to Central Park!

Thanks, everyone, for the advice!! And Happy New Year!!

you have to do it once"

No, you don't.

I am sure by Friday night most of the snow will be cleared in Times Square. I have not been to midtown since the storm, but I have not seen the city this bad after a storm in a long time. The corners are a mess, cars snowed in, and a number of subway lines are still not running. I would see where you can stand in the Park before deciding to go there. There are limited walking areas and you must see what has been cleared.

Check out some Irish Pubs in the West 40's & 50's between 6th Avenue and 8th Avenue. Reasonably priced regular menus

Agree that this is the worst I have seen a city after a big storm. I think the problem is that the winds were os high the snow kept blowing long after it had stopped falling - and they had to keep replowing the major roads. (My street - on the upper west side - is usually fully cleared a few hours after the storm but it's amess now. It wa plowed once - yuo can tell from the piles next to the cars - but a lot more either fell or was blown onto the street - and it's now really passable only by SUV.

But - this should change a lot in a day or 2. And while there are piles on the corners in midtown there are a lot of workers on the corners throwing the snow out into the street for the traffic to liquify.

I wouldn;t worry about the snow. Just about the conditions in general.

As for restaurants - anything with a view is an arm and a leg. Anything near Times Square will have extra high prices or special dinners - most to be reserved in advance. And if you wait until 9 ot 10 at night to leave - you will have to walk the best part of a mile (much of it pushing through a crowd) to get to any public transit that is running. (Transit is closed down from Times Square outward a couple of stations as the crowd collects - to prevent people from just riding the subway in and emerging in the middle - among people that have already been waiting many hours.

Don't know if the crowd gets as far as 9th Ave in the upper 40s - that may be the closest place to find something to eat that isn;t an arm and leg - but I'm not sure.

If you are up for some music, you can do St. John the Divine which is the annual Concert for Peace. I know there will be a couple of A List performers this year like Lauren Flannigan from the Met Opera.

Or you can come to our concert at St. Psul's on Columbus and 59th St. It starts at 7pm and we are out by 9 so you could head to Times Square then. You can still see the ball from upper Broadway in the 50's and it won't be quite so crowded and you won't be as cold.

Awwww, thank you, travelbuff!! That is a really nice suggestion. Might be a good idea for us, too. I'm sure it'll be an excellent venue. I will run it by the baby girl to see what she thinks!

nytraveler - thank you for your continued great suggestions!

Frank, I believe there's a Connolly's Pub on one of those streets and we were already thinking of popping by there!

Warm socks. That cold pavement will suck the heat right out of you in a few hours. Also, if you plan to be outdoors for a length of time, lay off the alcohol, that warmth you feel is blood being diverted from your core.

I read that sometimes people take cardboard to stand on to keep feet from getting so cold. Good luck with that!

Over 250 buses mired in snow
Over 200 ambulances stuck in the snow.
Almost every subway line effected in one or another and some are still not running.

What a mess.

But there will 1,100 rookie cops who just graduated from the Academy on duty Friday night at Times Square.

Get a few "hot hands" packs, they are sold in sporting goods/hunting stores/golf shops. They are thin and once out of their plastic wrapping can be put in pockets of jackets and pants and even in boots to keep you toasty for hours. They last from 4-10 hours depending on which ones you get. I recommend the larger ones, as the small hand and toe ones don't give as much heat and not for very long.