Ever spent New Year's Eve in Times Square?

[KayMichigan]

Just curious if anybody here has ever done the ball drop in Times Square on New Year's Eve.

 

[Kathryn Merteuil]

I have never, but I know somebody who did if that counts.

 

[luvnwdwgal]

No and I have no desire to do so.

 

[Kathryn Merteuil]

I heard it involves "Depends"

 

[KayMichigan]

I have never, but I know somebody who did if that counts.

Sure, why not!!! Did they ever say what they thought of the experience?

Every time I see it on TV it looks exciting, but also super crowded and sometimes super cold.

 

[tasha99]

Nope, though I ate at the Times Square Gyu Kaku on NYE once. Watching the ball drop looks terrible to me-- cold, crowded, and bathroom breaks seem problematic.

 

[JLTraveling]

Nope. My cousins did once, and they said it was a cool experience but never again. Too cold, too crowded. I've done the Peach Drop in Atlanta and I always do the Fleur de Lis Drop in NOLA. Highly recommend both. Same type of experience with warmer temps, somewhat smaller crowds, and the ability to access bathrooms as needed.

 

[LSUmiss]

I have never, but I know somebody who did if that counts.

Same here.

 

[LSUmiss]

No and I have no desire to do so.

Same here!

 

[CdnCarrie]

No. You are put in a pen mid-afternoon and not allowed out. People wear adult diapers.
No thank you.

 

[MIGrandma]

Nope, love watching it on TV but have no desire to be there in person for it, nor to even visit the city.

 

[Kathryn Merteuil]

Sure, why not!!! Did they ever say what they thought of the experience?

Every time I see it on TV it looks exciting, but also super crowded and sometimes super cold.

I think they had a good time, but very stressful

 

[john7994]

I did it in my early 20s - some time ago - glad for the experience but wouldn't repeat it.

 

[amcnj]

Yea, but not for a very, very long time now.

 

[HopperFan]

Just curious if anybody here has ever done the ball drop in Times Square on New Year's Eve.

YES! In bitter cold. We had unusual situation so can't judge by mine. Also 13 years ago.

I'm from NJ, lived outside NYC both in my childhood and ten years as adult. After moving south and adding a third kid we opted to take out kids there for NYE ~ something we had never done while living there. We booked Doubletree Suites right in there in the middle of Times Square and made a week of our trip. SO SO COLD!

DH had a friend in high level security who got us a couple "treats" and one was a laminated card from the Chief of Police to help us NYE. The whole area was set up with heavy metal fencing set up as corrals. They started filling them in the morning and as each filled they moved to the next. Once in you could not leave ~ the horror of that to me. At noon all the popular corrals were full. At 5 pm DH took DS#2 and DD out to the main corral by the stage and showed his card. The police let the kids in the corral. 20 & 16 years old. They got to see all the acts practice over and over. They stayed put until after midnight.

At 10 pm we took DS#1 (disabled) out and headed uptown to a corral that still had a view of the ball. Those police weren't as wowed by the ID (I mean they had to be just over it by then) but saw our DS so let us in the corral. The plus of that was everyone pushes south to see all so the northern end of the corral was spacious and we kept him there.

The most awesome part was not so much the ball dropping but all the confetti coming off the buildings. It was like the Macy's T Day parade balloons, you can't imagine how cool until you see it in person. We still have a big ziploc bag full of it. (I had been to a ticker tape parade in NYC before, this was so much bigger)

Afterwards was terrifying. The crush of humanity trying to get anywhere. Luckily other kids were close to hotel and got back in hotel quickly and texted (we had to wear special bands to enter lobby as the key card was not enough to be let in). We could literally see our hotel front door and I think it took us 30+ minutes to make it through the crowd holding on to DS for dear life.

Overall it was so cool and am so glad to say I finally did it. Kids loved the whole experience but don't think either will repeat it. We were cold, it started snowing, it was so crowded and I loved every minute of it.

Biggest concern is that to have a decent spot you must arrive early, you couldn't leave to go the bathroom, kids said yes there were folks peeing on the ground. They purposely drank nothing most the day before heading out ~ I would have needed depends. It is lots of waiting, many had waited 12 hours.

Next year we did NOLA (my favorite for overall fun), Nashville (hated it), Beach w/fireworks (relaxing) and DS#2 did the ATL Peach drop (felt unsafe, no plans to repeat). DS#2 and I did Epcot one year but other than that last 7 years it's beach with fireworks.

 

[disney4us2002]

If I ever win the lottery, I would like to book one of those hotel rooms overlooking TS and the ball drop. I don't think I'd enjoy it on the street between the cold and the no potty breaks, lol.

 

[AppleDumpling]

Nope, live in the suburbs, have never been in Times Square on New Year’s Eve, and have no desire to go (if I did, I would’ve done it when I was younger.) Most native New Yorkers avoid it like the plague.

 

[prairie_girl]

A few years ago I thought I wanted to. Then I found out you can’t leave for any reason, and my claustrophobia kicked in and said no, thank you.

 

[KayMichigan]

YES! In bitter cold. We had unusual situation so can't judge by mine. Also 13 years ago.

I'm from NJ, lived outside NYC both in my childhood and ten years as adult. After moving south and adding a kid we opted to take out kids there for NYE ~ something we had never done while living there. We booked Doubletree Suites right in there in the middle of Times Square and made a week of our trip. SO SO COLD!

DH had a friend in high level security who got us a couple "treats" and one was a laminated card from the Chief of Police to help us NYE. The whole area was set up with heavy metal fencing set up as corrals. They started filling them in the morning and as each filled they moved to the next. Once in you could not leave ~ the horror of that to me. At noon all the popular corrals were full. At 5 pm DH took DS#2 and DD out to the main corral by the stage and showed his card. The police let the kids in the corral. 20 & 16 years old. They got to see all the acts practice over and over. They stayed put until after midnight.

At 10 pm we took DS#1 (disabled) out and headed uptown to a corral that still had a view of the ball. Those police weren't as wowed by the ID (I mean they had to be just over it by then) but saw our DS so let us in the corral. The plus of that was everyone pushes south to see all so the northern end of the corral was spacious and we kept him there.

The most awesome part was not so much the ball dropping but all the confetti coming off the buildings. It was like the Macy's T Day parade balloons, you can't imagine how cool until you see it in person. We still have a big ziploc bag full of it. (I had been to a ticker tape parade in NYC before, this was so much bigger)

Afterwards was terrifying. The crush of humanity trying to get anywhere. Luckily other kids were close to hotel and got back in hotel quickly and texted (we had to wear special bands to enter lobby as the key card was not enough to be let in). We could literally see our hotel front door and I think it took us 30+ minutes to make it through the crowd holding on to DS for dear life.

Overall it was so cool and am so glad to say I finally did it. Kids loved the whole experience but don't think either will repeat it. We were cold, it started snowing, it was so crowded and I loved every minute of it.

Biggest concern is that to have a decent spot you must arrive early, you couldn't leave to go the bathroom, kids said yes there were folks peeing on the ground. They purposely drank nothing most the day before heading out ~ I would have needed depends. It is lots of waiting, many had waited 12 hours.

Next year we did NOLA (my favorite for overall fun), Nashville (hated it), Beach w/fireworks (relaxing) and DS#2 did the ATL Peach drop (felt unsafe, no plans to repeat). DS#2 and I did Epcot one year but other than that last 7 years it's beach with fireworks.

Thanks for the report! That's cool that you still have some of the confetti!!

 

[RedAngie]

They should sell tickets for about $25 and donate the proceeds to various NYC charities. Then start letting people in about 10pm, none of this jailed for 12 hours nonsense.

My mother said she and a few friends went when they were young adults in the mid 1950s. It wasn’t necessary to arrive early. People didn’t start showing up until after 11pm. Of course it wasn’t a TV spectacular back then.