TKTS tips
 

How early should I arrive to wait on line? Any other help would be appreciated. Thanks.

They few times I've done this, we arrive by around 9:30 or 10 and have been able to find 4 tickets for one show in our top 4 list.

If I want to wait on line at Times Square for evening shows the booth opens at 3pm. Do I need to arrive at 9:30 am?

We've generally had good luck arriving about one hour before the booth opens.

The last time we were there, once it opened, there was a separate line, which moved much faster, for straight plays (as opposed to musicals).

You are SO much better off going to the TKTS booth at the South St. Seaport. It's easy to find it, and the line is usually very short. The booth opens at 10am so if you are there around 10 you should have your tickets by 10:30 or so especially during the week.

The line in Times Square you could be waiting for more than an hour.

If you still have a little time check out Broadwaybox.com. Many shows are offering advance discounts - you have a better choice of seats and don;t have to waste any time standing on line.

I have been to both locations and definitely the Seaport location is better because it has longer hours and no lines. It's near the the Twin Tower memorial site.

I always considered it a tradeoff to go down to the South Street Seaport TKTS booth. Do you want to spend the hour on the round-trip subway experience or spend the time waiting in line in Times Square?
For evening performances, I'd recommend getting in the Times Square line around 2 if you have a specific show (or shows) you want to attend. If you're not that fussy, then I'd wait until 5 or 6 when there is a short line or no line at all. This latter tactic is especially recommended for early in the week, when there is a much less demand for tickets.

Another thought about the Broadway Box, Playbill, or TheatreMania special offers. You can print off their discount codes and go to the actual theatres to get seats ahead of time at the discount prices, thereby saving the exhorbitant prebooking fees you get when you call or do them online. The time you spend doing that would be more productive in my opinion that riding the subway a couple hours or standing in line waiting at TKTS and still not know what you're going to get.

I have gone many times at 7:30pm and have gotten excellent house seats that are released late.

My preference is to always go to the box office with a Playbill or Broadway box offer and not spend hours in the TKTS line if not necessary.

Idoone - Nothing to add to the wonderful information given by others. Great question and helpful to us all.

Thanks.

Sandy