(I searched and didnt see any other threads for this.)

Is it all its cracked up to be? I am going this year and am not sure what to expect.

12/3/2009 11:12:37 AM

expect to be cold and feel like cattle (at least if you're going down to watch the ball drop)

12/3/2009 11:18:23 AM

I'm sure there are a lot of fun things to do in the city on new years eve, but I don't think standing in times square is one of them.

12/3/2009 11:25:30 AM

probably wont be outside and i think the view from where i will be overlooks times square. warnings?

12/3/2009 11:29:36 AM

LunaK is correct about the ball drop. You are treated like cattle. And if you leave your stall to go to the bathroom, get something to eat, whatever, expect to start all over again in the herding process.

If you go out to a bar/club whatever, expect to pay a lot more than you would any other night in the city for the exact same service or experience.

12/3/2009 11:34:35 AM

why on earth would you want to do this

12/3/2009 11:43:43 AM

^^if you're going to a party inside somewhere that is near Times Square think about how you're gonna get there. People are going to start congregating in TS very early in the day to get a good spot and it will be hard to move around. TS is a bitch to walk around in on any random day to begin with.

A lot of places have new years parties and charge like $150 to get in and drink which isn't horrible. It's pretty easy to drop $150 getting hammered in NYC any ole night.

12/3/2009 11:45:06 AM

Quote :

"why on earth would you want to do this"

I was like you at one time OP...bright eyed and bushy tailed about experiencing New Years Eve in Times Square. Well it pretty much sucked....crowded, expensive, and not worth the hassle.

12/3/2009 12:10:29 PM

My wife and I did New Years in NYC a few years ago but wanted nothing to do with Times Square. We went to a bar in Greenwich Village and really enjoyed it. Crowds were not excessive.

12/3/2009 12:17:42 PM

i was in manhattan for new years two years ago and had a great time, but that's because i was mostly on the UES and down in East Village most of the night. stayed way the fuck away from times square.

12/3/2009 12:32:30 PM

I can tell you for sure that if you don't get there at like 4PM and just stand around at the building, you'll never see the ball drop. I went in 05 and even people that got there at 6PM had nothing to see. The building is on a very small street that kinks after about 2 blocks. If you're not within the 2 blocks before the kink, you literally see nothing. No ball, no building.

I went with someone who was handicapped so we were allowed to be relatively close, but unless you're willing to stand on the street ALL DAY don't bother. I am not exaggerating. If you leave your spot in the block to go get food (there is no open food near that building where the ball drops) you'll never get it back. I went like 6 hours with no food or water and was never happier to find Subway when it was over.

If you can get close and go with friends, it's awesome to do once in your life.

12/3/2009 12:47:30 PM

i have never even been to times square and i've been to nyc

if i was doing new years in the city i don't think i'd give a crap about times square

but that is just me. i would take advice of other people and go, but find something else to do!

12/3/2009 12:53:01 PM

I went a few years ago and stayed at the Marriot Marque in time square...it was fun but over rated...probably wouldn't do it again.

Definitely wouldn't do it if I actually had to pay for it.

However, going to NYC with friends is a blast! just not on new years

[Edited on December 3, 2009 at 1:02 PM. Reason : .]

12/3/2009 1:01:17 PM

yeah i am going with a few folks that live/work in times square so i am not worried about the crowds. hopefully we can see the ball

12/3/2009 1:52:46 PM

Quote :

"I'm sure there are a lot of fun things to do in the city on new years eve, but I don't think standing in times square is one of them."

THIS

The Disco Biscuits are playing at Nokia Theater, and I believe The New Deal is playing late night nearby at B.B. King's. If I can magically come up with some extra money, this is what I want to do.

12/3/2009 3:59:55 PM

Realistically if you haven't started planning NYE now you're probably mostly out of luck in NYC. It gets so bad here during NYE that I stay home or go out of town.

The vast majority of bars sell entrance with exorbitant covers - the ones you might actually *want* to go to probably sold out of advance tickets weeks ago.

Times Sq is such an unbelievable clusterfuck even in the quietest of times. I can't imagine even going anywhere near Times Sq during NYE. I worked at 50th/7th for a couple years...it was all I could do to not blow out my brains having to deal with Times Sq. I don't know anybody that lives in NYC that voluntarily goes to Times Sq for anything other than a Broadway show

12/3/2009 4:53:03 PM

I did the time square NYE thing when I was 18.

eh

12/6/2009 9:40:56 PM

hmmm. i am going already so that isnt in question

12/7/2009 11:48:39 AM

as far as statistics go for time and places to be nuked, new york on new years is pretty high up there

of course, it's probably not as high as tel aviv, any time of the year

12/7/2009 8:07:01 PM

i'll be at the Beacon for Gov't Mule on NYE. i have no desire to step foot in TS that night.

12/7/2009 9:34:34 PM

The ball drop is only worth it if you have a buddy with a condo that overlooks Times Square. I remember doing that one year when I was a kid and it was badass.

12/7/2009 9:38:51 PM