TKTS Times Square
 

Headed to Manhattan next week for a couple of nights and haven't been for about 5 years. Can someone remind me how the TKTS booth works? Cash only or do they take credit cards? How early should you be in line on a Friday for evening tix? Does anyone know what shows are currently typically available? Thanks!

TKTS booths now take credit cards.

Here's a page that shows what tickets they sold the previous week:

http://www.tdf.org/TDF_SupportPage.aspx?id=68&do=v

The less crowded TKTS down at South Street Seaport also sells maitnees the day BEFORE, which I think helps so much for planning the days. Hardly a line down there either.

How early you need to go really depends on whether or not you want to see a specific show. If you don't care which show you see, I've always had better luck going after 5, when the lines are shorter. If you go when the booth opens, then you'll be in line an hour or more. If you go after 5, then you may be in line for 15 or 20 minutes---but you will have fewer choices of shows. Friday is always a busy day at the TKTS booth, and you tend to get a better deal on a weekday, but the South Street Seaport booth is a very good option.

Thanks everyone. Unfortunately, we don't be there for a matinee day (Wed or Sat). We may be downtown on Thursday so the alternate booth may work. I just looked on the website and saw that they don't open till 3 for evening shows. I thought I remembered being in line more like noon, but then again, the mind is the second thing to go with old age!

You can buy discounted tickets NOW online or by phone using discount codes on the left column of broadwaybox.com Save yourselves time and aggravation. You pay a bit more than at the TKTS booth but it's worth it for avoiding lines and inconvenience.

Mclaurie is absolutely right about good discounts, by the way. You can sometimes get prices that are almost as good as TKTS (you save the most money by using the discount to buy tickets at the box office, saving the huge ticket fee on Telecharge).

Again, I agree with Doug. Assuming that you have NOT narrowed down your selections to one must-see show, but rather would consider several, I think the best option would be to go on line with playbill.com and/or broadwaybox.com, print out the discount offers you are interested in and then go to the appropriate box office(s) when you arrive. While this method is a little more expensive than TKTS, it'll save to waiting-in-line time and offer you the opportunity to get tickets for any day of your visit. (Note that if you choose to phone or go online for a discount offer, you'll end up paying an additional $7.50 per ticket and a small handling fee. So, I'd avoid that option unless there is show that a "must see.")

I always do exactly as Doug and HowardR suggested to you and have seen many shows with very good seats. Last summer I had about 6th row center orchestra for Gypsy and paid half price at the box office window the afternoon of the performance.

Life is too short to spend time standing in line at TKTS.

Thanks everyone. I didn't know about broadwaybox.com. I will definitely do that; print the tix and then go to the box office.

I should tell you I've not had great luck getting those discounts at the box office on the same day of performance. If you're here for a while and can go when you arrive for a night later in the stay, fine. Otherwise, phone or buy online with the added fees or go to TKTS.

mclaurie gives good advice if there is a specific show you want to see, like Wicked, that is what I would do too. But the last three years I have bought same day tickets for Gypsy, November, Spamalot, and Phantom (all good seats).

Obviously, if it's a sold-out/hit show, you get tickets in advance rather than trying to luck out on the day of the performance you want.
As for tickets available on discount, ou win some/lose some if you wait till the last minute. Like bfrac, I've had luck with same-day discount purchases....and I've also lost out on other times. Again, as I previously stated, the best thing to do is go to the box office(s) at the earliest opportunity.