Visiting New York advice

[Vickie46]

Can anyone tell me about visiting New York. I would like to do a mom amd daughter trip. We would love to go with a tour group.

 

[scottmel]

Can't believe no one answered this? I have been making myself NUTS trying to determine a NY Visit for this summer. Adventures By Disney has one and I am really wrestling with the price. I have looked at other tour companies and can find nothing for NY that is either as nice as ABD or JUST NYC. I have found some that combine DC, Boston, et. with that. I want to take DD17 to see Fordham College in Manhatten this summer and thinking of doing the ABD.....UGH the cost is a killer

 

[ceecee]

Maybe check with AAA. NY is expensive, you can just book a room and do it on your own. We stayed fairly close to the square and walked everywhere. You can go to Ellis Island, do a Broadway show and other "touristy" things without a tour group and it will be a lot less. We took a taxi once. Got the shuttle at the airport and back.

 

[njpyro]

You really don't need a tour. Just make a list of what you want to see and do some research. The city is very easy to navigate (the streets are in number order!) and the subway is convenient. It can also be affordable on your own, it's just the hotels that seem really expensive.
Almost all broadway shows offer rush tickets, which means you walk up to the box office 2 hours before show time and they are selling any unsold seats for a discounted rate. If you aren't set on a specific play (or one of the most popular), you can get seats for $30 a person (we do this a lot on weekends when we don't have plans and have seen dozens of plays for $30 or less). Popular plays sometimes have a lottery, where you can enter to win tickets (win the chance to buy them for cheap). I've seen wicked and book of mormon through the lotteries, and both times the seats were in the orchestra.
The Met (art museum) and the Museum of Natural History both have a suggested donation to enter, so you can donate whatever you feel is fair.
The best and most affordable food is in chinatown, which is also a great place to shop for cheap souvenirs, but as long as you get out of times square/rockefeller center, restaurants are reasonable.
There is also a hop on/hop off bus that takes you to all the major tourist attractions. I'm not sure how much it is (I think around $30?) but you can use it for the entire day.
If I think of anything else, I'll add it, or feel free to ask and I will answer if I can.

 

[gregokdisney]

We went to NYC last year in March - just me and my daughter and we're going again this March. I didn't go with a group, I just booked everything individually and planned it myself. I used Hotwire and asked for a hotel near Times Square/Theatre District and both times I got a major deal - we got $112 per night for the Paramount right next door to Richard Rogers Theatre, which is where Hamilton is playing. I bought air tickets through US Air the first time and SW Airlines most recently. If you watch carefully, you can get a good deal. I booked a car service to bring us from the airport to the hotel, and booked a water taxi tour myself online. We used the subway to get around, but since our main focus last time was to go to Broadway shows, we didn't venture too far. We went on the water taxi tour to see the Statue of Liberty, and took the subway to Central Park and then walked from there to 5th Avenue to shop at Tiffany's. This time we're seeing 5 Broadway shows, and then our only other plans are to visit the Met, the NY Public Library and to go up to the top of the Rock, all of which are in walking distance or easily accessible by Subway. NYC is really easy to get around.

 

[Ann Marie McDonald]

I would personally skip an organized tour. The city is very easy to navigate and so much to see and do. We took a shuttle to our hotel and then walked and took the subway everywhere.

 

[BadPinkTink]

I agree with PP I took my mum and aunt to New York for 4 days. I had previously been there with friends but the trip with my mum was purely a tourist visit.

The main centre of everything is Times Square. I would look for a hotel around this area. Go see a Broadway show, but to get the best value tickets , go to the TKTS ticket booth at Times Square. You will need to be in line around the time they open to get tickets for a show later that day.

Take the subway down to Ground Zero and see the 9 /11 Memorial. From that area take the ferry across to The Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island

Go shopping, go to museums, go to The Empire State Building, see Rockerfella Plaza , Central Park. You can also do tours of the city based on Gossip Girl / Sex In The City and other shows filming locations.

 

[ceecee]

Ground Zero and the Memorial was really great to see!

 

[wilkeliza]

As a New Yorker there is no reason to come with a tour group. ABD does things like back stage at the morning ABC shows and at Broadway shows but to me those things are over the top for first time trips.

If you are coming to look at Fordham then you'll want easy access to the collehe bu train. Also you could do a Broadway show or two and then spend the rest of your time just exploring the city. With a tour group you are not going to have a ton of time to go look at a college.

 

[clori]

how old is your daughter? How many days are are you planning? Do you have any must do's? I don't know anything about organized tours so I can't help with that. We stay in a different hotel each time and our trips are mixed with tourism and visiting family in Manhattan. I have used the newyorkpass before and it is easy to use and can save you money depending on what you want to do. I would also recommend getting a subway pass.

 

[scottmel]

Thanks you guys are always so great!!!!my dd is 17. We are 6 hours away from nyc via car so that makes things a little easier. If we did abd I planned to arrive 2 days early to see Ellis/statue of liberty and to see wicked. Since I know this is a must do play should I order tickets ahead of time for July 2016 or is the show old enough that I coukd chance a discount ticket in person?

The adventure would be over on a Sunday to which we would have day to ourselves then visit Fordham on Monday before heading home.

I plan my wdw trips to the minute. We are going in March and June and I aman expert here but nyc feels so foreign hence abd.

Last summer we did abd in so cal and hired a local from toursbylocals.com and loved her and the day. She took us everywhere we wanted to see that abd wasn't doing. So if I wanted to go this route I could instead of abd.

To be honest I don't really see myself returning to nyc unless dd goes to college here so part of me thinks go for it!! See gma back stage etc.

Anyone know a good friendly picturesque book tour style of nyc that coukd give me options of things to do?

Abd stays at the Manhattan club and it looks nice enough so I plan to stay here with or without abd




Thanks!!!

 

[jiminy14]

Discounted "Wicked" tickets are extremely hard to come by. They do have a lottery every day for tickets 2 1/2 hours before showtime. 30 minutes later they conduct a drawing for 26 orchestra seats at $30/each (you may purchase 2). There can be upwards of 100-150 people entered in the lottery, more on the weekend. This is a good website for information on rush/lottery tickets and your chance of obtaining them: http://www.broadwayspotted.com
Keep in mind that Fordham University is not located in Manhattan but in the Bronx. MTA estimates the traveling time from Times Square to the Bronx is about 45 minutes by subway. This is a good website for info on NYC public transportation: http://www.mta.info

 

[sharona]

I agree with the previous posters - so much to do and no need for any tour. Shop, go to a museum, walk through Central Park, see whichever landmarks you're interested in, book a show, have a nice dinner afterwards.

 

[halfpintpeggy]

There is so much to see & do in NYC that you really don't need a tour group. Having a car in NYC in all honestly, will be a pain. Walking and public transportation is the way to go, and parking is very expensive. If you could plan Spring or Fall I would advise it. Summertime in NYC is actually pretty darn smelly - yuck.

 

[Endor]

I live in NYC and just googled the ABD trip, itinerary and tour. i would really hesitate to dedicate your limited time and that kind of money to that tour - I think you could have a much more enjoyable, authentic and personalized trip on your own and save a ton of money OR invest that money in amazing, worthwhile and customized experiences.

Regarding Wicked, since it's a must-do for you, I would buy the tickets in advance - if you are even remotely considering spending all this cash on that tour, don't risk saving such a relatively small amount of money on the chance of a discounted seat.

I also wouldn't just recommend going with the hotel ABD recommends either - I'd really make a list of what you want to do, look at where those places are in the city, their opening hours, and then target the most convenient area for a hotel.

I completely get that you trust Disney and ABD based on your prior experiences. I am sure they put on a good program in NYC, but Disney is definitely not the best authority on NYC and it is super easy to manage on your own. There are amazing, amazing cultural institutions, museums, parks, productions and experiences to be had here. There are fantastic art history and gallery tours, cultural museums, walking tours, tasting tours, musical venues, unique shops, restaurants, sporting events, etc. Depending on your budget and interests you can spend a fortune or next to nothing for a huge variety of activities that match your interests. What types of things do you and your daughter enjoy and what time of year are you planning to come?

 

[BadPinkTink]

@Endor I have exactly the same thoughts about the ABD tour of my country, Ireland. Its over priced, and defiantly not authentic and like you I would not recommend it as a way of seeing my country.

@scottmel
You have a group of people here who are all basically saying the same thing, ditch ABD, ditch the car and go DIY. Now I understand your reluctance when you have previously done ABD but I'm sure everyone here would be more than happy to help you plan your trip, and help you make up an itinerary. You even have someone like @Ender who LIVES in the city Especially as you say this might be your only trip to New York.

 

[scottmel]

I live in NYC and just googled the ABD trip, itinerary and tour. i would really hesitate to dedicate your limited time and that kind of money to that tour - I think you could have a much more enjoyable, authentic and personalized trip on your own and save a ton of money OR invest that money in amazing, worthwhile and customized experiences.

Regarding Wicked, since it's a must-do for you, I would buy the tickets in advance - if you are even remotely considering spending all this cash on that tour, don't risk saving such a relatively small amount of money on the chance of a discounted seat.

I also wouldn't just recommend going with the hotel ABD recommends either - I'd really make a list of what you want to do, look at where those places are in the city, their opening hours, and then target the most convenient area for a hotel.

I completely get that you trust Disney and ABD based on your prior experiences. I am sure they put on a good program in NYC, but Disney is definitely not the best authority on NYC and it is super easy to manage on your own. There are amazing, amazing cultural institutions, museums, parks, productions and experiences to be had here. There are fantastic art history and gallery tours, cultural museums, walking tours, tasting tours, musical venues, unique shops, restaurants, sporting events, etc. Depending on your budget and interests you can spend a fortune or next to nothing for a huge variety of activities that match your interests. What types of things do you and your daughter enjoy and what time of year are you planning to come?

THanks for such a great spin on it. Absolutely, I am not messing around with discounted tickets if there is a CHANCE it wouldn't happen for Wicked.not worth it! Due to various commitments/schedules we had planned on NYC in July -yes a million degrees I am sure. We are in WDW in June so we are familiar with HEAT!!!! Is there any book/website you can recommend for top ten don't miss experiences etc. in NYC. Here is What I wanted to see:

1. 9/11. But again what I love about ABD is no line, no waiting...ABD does this on their tour but I could certainly do it myself
2. Ellis/Statue of Liberty
3. Broadway Shows - Wicked and ??? . Another one for sure just not sure WHAT one. 17 year old girl reccommendations?
4. The Tenement Museum that ABD visits sounds really interesting to me. Where you see a play and visit various apartment styles of what life would have been like back then. That really stuck with me as something I wanted to see.
5. DD loves Natural History Museums...I will assume NYC has one .
6. I do enjoy a little shopping at very specific stores - so need to allow a little time for that but not TOO MUCH no one else in my family shares this interest!!

Would there be anything else you would MUST SEE/MUST DO based on the above list? THANK YOU!

 

[scottmel]

Discounted "Wicked" tickets are extremely hard to come by. They do have a lottery every day for tickets 2 1/2 hours before showtime. 30 minutes later they conduct a drawing for 26 orchestra seats at $30/each (you may purchase 2). There can be upwards of 100-150 people entered in the lottery, more on the weekend. This is a good website for information on rush/lottery tickets and your chance of obtaining them: http://www.broadwayspotted.com
Keep in mind that Fordham University is not located in Manhattan but in the Bronx. MTA estimates the traveling time from Times Square to the Bronx is about 45 minutes by subway. This is a good website for info on NYC public transportation: http://www.mta.info

THanks for the links!

 

[Gracie09]

Discounted "Wicked" tickets are extremely hard to come by. They do have a lottery every day for tickets 2 1/2 hours before showtime. 30 minutes later they conduct a drawing for 26 orchestra seats at $30/each (you may purchase 2). There can be upwards of 100-150 people entered in the lottery, more on the weekend. This is a good website for information on rush/lottery tickets and your chance of obtaining them: http://www.broadwayspotted.com
Keep in mind that Fordham University is not located in Manhattan but in the Bronx. MTA estimates the traveling time from Times Square to the Bronx is about 45 minutes by subway. This is a good website for info on NYC public transportation: http://www.mta.info

Fordham has a location in Lincoln center area. You can look at the tkts website and see what is available now and decide if you want to chance wicked tickets.

 

[clori]

The 9/11 museum has some time tickets you can buy in advance then the wait is minimal. One of the options includes a 60 minute tour. I didn't have tickets and went over a Labor Day weekend. The line moved fairly quickly and while it looked long we waited about 30 minute. I toured with my dd11 as well as dd15 and dh and we spent a few hours there before we had to leave to meet family.

For Statue of Liberty/Ellis Island buy tickets ahead of time and get to the ferry very early. I believe you can still buy tickets to Statue of Liberty Crown which procides priority boarding and/or timed entrance. I would do that early then go to Ellis Island.

Broadway Shows - no idea my dd15 would love any musical - we got discount tickets ahead of time at broadwaybox.com

Tenement Museum - went in April. It was really interesting. You pay by the room so we just did one two hour tour and saw a movie before the tour. My dd15 really enjoyed the apartment we saw. Its probably better to buy tickets ahead of time here too.