# I pit the Sears (Willis) Tower **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [July 27, 2009, 8:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-pit-the-sears-willis-tower/504480 "2009-07-27T20:49:43Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 15\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Tim\_T-Bonham.net](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/46a35a/32.png) [@Tim\_T-Bonham.net](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tim_T-Bonham.net)\ **Post date:** [July 28, 2009, 2:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-pit-the-sears-willis-tower/504480/21 "2009-07-28T02:51:31Z")
About 10 years ago, I went by the Sears Tower while visiting Chicago on business. What astounded me was how dirty & littered the Plaza in front of the building was. Trash & litter blowing all over the place – and nobody seeming to care, or even notice. I couldn’t understand how they could allow a showplace building, with the company name on it, to be so messy & juncky looking. But that was my impression of Chicago in general. There were actually junked cars in the median ditch between lanes of highways – cars that had been there for weeks! The taxi driver actually told us that they always found some junked cars in the median when the snow melted, and they would probably be removed by the city – in a few weeks! ---
**Author:** ![interface2x](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/c0e974/32.png) [@interface2x](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/interface2x)\ **Post date:** [July 28, 2009, 3:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-pit-the-sears-willis-tower/504480/22 "2009-07-28T03:12:44Z")
> [@Harmonious\_Discord](#): > > I had about a five minute wait at the a Sears Tower years ago. It seems weird that the tours picked up that much. It must be when you go. I was there on a weekday. It’s because of the new skydecks on the 103rd floor. My girlfriend and I went up to the 99th floor (the 103rd was closed to install the skydecks) in mid-June on a Monday afternoon. No wait at all, no huge crowds to speak of. At that time, it cost $14 each to go to the top, which seems pretty reasonable to me (cheaper than the Rockefellar Center in NYC in March). Ever since they installed the skydecks (which do look awesome, but terrifying), the crowds have gotten really heavy. ---
**Author:** ![pulykamell](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pulykamell/32/3166_2.png) [@pulykamell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pulykamell)\ **Post date:** [July 28, 2009, 3:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-pit-the-sears-willis-tower/504480/23 "2009-07-28T03:23:07Z")
> [@Idle\_Thoughts](#): > > You had to wait in line outside the building? Weird. When I went (a year and a half ago) with someone, we didn’t have to wait in any lines until after we entered, for one. Then, we never got in an elevator to go downstairs to anywhere. It was basically: Walk in, start standing in line…the line went through about five rooms (one of them with metal detectors and high security)…then a huge room where the line went back and forth for about three rows, then the short film room, then the elevator up to the top. Yeah, the last time I remember being at the Sears Tower a few years ago there was no line to speak of. However, when I tried going there two weeks ago, in the middle of the week around lunchtime, the line was enormous, at least a hundred deep _outside_ the entrance. And who knows how many more inside. Clearly, [the new ledge they just built](http://thisisbandit.com/?p=4324&cpage=1) must have a lot to do with it – that was the only reason I was heading up to the Sears (but of course turned back after seeing that line.) ---
**Author:** ![Rhythmdvl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/85f322/32.png) [@Rhythmdvl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rhythmdvl)\ **Post date:** [July 28, 2009, 3:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-pit-the-sears-willis-tower/504480/24 "2009-07-28T03:44:18Z")
> [@ianzin](#): > > If my own experience is anything to go by, it _can_ be a lot harder than this to get a ticket to go up the Monument. Yes ,they are free, but they are also in short supply and the allocation disappears fast. I had to make three attempts, getting there earlier and earlier, before I finally got a ticket. On my third attempt I was down at the Monument, waiting in line, at roughly 6.30 am! By 7.30 the number of people waiting in line was equal to that day’s allocation. It may be easier at weekends, I don’t know. > > Also, when I was there (April 2008) , we didn’t get the option of walking back down. The elevator was the only option. Pretty cool, though, because the ‘magic’ wall in the elevator turns transparent and you get to see lots of interesting engravings on the inside of the tower. > > Definitely worth the effort though, IMHO. Sounds like the regular trip through the monument (which is a blast nonetheless). I’m talking about something completely different (and since I’m asking if they still do it, this may be a moot description). The regular tour is elevator up/elevator down. This was elevator up – _walk_ down. The walk down was the whole point of the special ticket. This was back in, oh, maybe 1999 - 2004 or so when I lived there, the last time I did it was probably closer to the turn of the century. ETA: Wow, looks like they’re still doing it. Google _Washington Monument walk down tour_ and you’ll get lots of hits. ---
**Author:** ![Ferret\_Herder](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/e47774/32.png) [@Ferret\_Herder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ferret_Herder)\ **Post date:** [July 28, 2009, 3:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-pit-the-sears-willis-tower/504480/25 "2009-07-28T03:48:26Z")
> [@t-bonham@scc.net](#): > > About 10 years ago, I went by the Sears Tower while visiting Chicago on business. What astounded me was how dirty & littered the Plaza in front of the building was. Trash & litter blowing all over the place – and nobody seeming to care, or even notice. I couldn’t understand how they could allow a showplace building, with the company name on it, to be so messy & juncky looking. > > But that was my impression of Chicago in general. There were actually junked cars in the median ditch between lanes of highways – cars that had been there for weeks! The taxi driver actually told us that they always found some junked cars in the median when the snow melted, and they would probably be removed by the city – in a few weeks! The city’s cleaned up a lot since then. (In fact, that’s been a criticism of some against Daley, that he’s too interested in the superficial looks.) Most visitors that I show around are impressed with the cleanliness and friendliness. It’s not Minneapolis-level clean but close, in the better areas of town. ---
**Author:** ![kaylasdad99](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kaylasdad99/32/3398_2.png) [@kaylasdad99](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kaylasdad99)\ **Post date:** [July 28, 2009, 4:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-pit-the-sears-willis-tower/504480/26 "2009-07-28T04:01:01Z")
> [@crazyjoe](#): > > Visited Chicago last week with the kids, and took them to se the Sears Tower. Holy shit. IF you have not been to the Sears Tower, let me explain to you how it works. > > First, you wat in a line outside the building to get in. Once inside, you wait in a line to get to an elevator. The elevator does not take you to the top. Nope, it takes you downstairs. Where you wait in another line to go through a pair of double doors. Yeesh. What if you work there? ---
**Author:** ![gaffa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/e68b1a/32.png) [@gaffa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gaffa)\ **Post date:** [July 28, 2009, 4:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-pit-the-sears-willis-tower/504480/27 "2009-07-28T04:45:29Z")
> [@mhendo](#): > > I still think, even without the wait, that the Hancock Center is better. For the price of admission to Sears Tower, you can actually sit and have a drink at the Hancock building. Not only that, but i think that its proximity to the lake, and its view over the rest of downtown, actually makes the view from the Hancock building more interesting, despite Sears Tower’s greater height. > > For me, it’s no contest. Thirded. I’ve been in both, and the view from the Hancock is so much better that the idea that people would wait in line for the Sears Tower is laughable. The view over the lake to the east, the view over the Gold Coast to the north, the view of the Loop to the south and the view of the Water Tower and everything else to the west. No comparison. ---
**Author:** ![crazyjoe](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/f14d63/32.png) [@crazyjoe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/crazyjoe)\ **Post date:** [July 28, 2009, 12:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-pit-the-sears-willis-tower/504480/28 "2009-07-28T12:51:25Z")
> [@kaylasdad99](#): > > Yeesh. > > What if you work there? Well, the entrance to view the skydeck is much different than the regular entrance. Also, for double the price (roughly 34 dollars per person) you can buy an express pass that allows you to bypass all of those folks waiting in line. ---
**Author:** ![buttonjockey308](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/bcef8e/32.png) [@buttonjockey308](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/buttonjockey308)\ **Post date:** [July 28, 2009, 4:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-pit-the-sears-willis-tower/504480/29 "2009-07-28T16:26:39Z")
> [@Ferret\_Herder](#): > > It’s probably the publicity from the new glass overlook that you can stand on and look down. DING! Winner. A LOT of hype about the glass box of death. It’ll be back to normal by winter time. ---
**Author:** ![tdn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/94ad74/32.png) [@tdn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tdn)\ **Post date:** [July 28, 2009, 5:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-pit-the-sears-willis-tower/504480/30 "2009-07-28T17:25:56Z")
> [@Proudest\_Monkey](#): > > I have a moderate fear of heights. That scene from **Ferris Bueller** where they lean their heads on the glass makes me have to look away. I went to the top of the Eiffel Tower and felt shitty the whole time. There are pictures of me and my husband, with the whole of lovely Paris laid out behind us, and my face is contorted with fear in every one. I’m getting vertigo just reading this thread. ---
**Author:** ![tdn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/94ad74/32.png) [@tdn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tdn)\ **Post date:** [July 28, 2009, 5:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-pit-the-sears-willis-tower/504480/31 "2009-07-28T17:26:56Z")
> [@Bryan\_Ekers](#): > > Well, if you want to clear the lines out in a hurry, just yell “OH MY GOD IT’S A PLANE!” > > What, too soon? Yep. That comes second, after “It’s a bird!” ---
**Author:** ![MysteryFellow63427](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/a88e4f/32.png) [@MysteryFellow63427](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MysteryFellow63427)\ **Post date:** [July 28, 2009, 9:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-pit-the-sears-willis-tower/504480/32 "2009-07-28T21:19:05Z")
> [@gotpasswords](#): > > It was before the Theatrical Securing of Everything, I hope you don’t care if I steal this, because I am definitely calling the TSA the “Theatrical Security Agency” from here on out. ---
**Author:** ![Jophiel](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jophiel/32/66_2.png) [@Jophiel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jophiel)\ **Post date:** [July 29, 2009, 5:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-pit-the-sears-willis-tower/504480/33 "2009-07-29T17:58:39Z")
> [@Ferret\_Herder](#): > > A better solution, but not kid-friendly: Go to the John Hancock Center For whatever it’s worth, every time I’ve been to the Signature Lounge at the Hancock, there’s been kids there. Also, provided you go during the day and not at night when it becomes more of a nightspot, the dress is pretty casual. I always dress up a little just because I’m out and about but there’s always people in jeans, shorts, t-shirts, etc. Agreed though with the crowd – a free view from the Hancock with a $10 turkey sandwich and a $3 Coke beats a $14 ticket up the Sears with the lines and movie and the rest of it. The restaurant itself is very pricey though. ---
**Author:** ![Robot\_Arm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/robot_arm/32/18280_2.png) [@Robot\_Arm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Robot_Arm)\ **Post date:** [July 29, 2009, 6:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-pit-the-sears-willis-tower/504480/34 "2009-07-29T18:59:45Z")
> [@Rhythmdvl](#): > > Sounds like the regular trip through the monument (which is a blast nonetheless). I’m talking about something completely different (and since I’m asking if they still do it, this may be a moot description). The regular tour is elevator up/elevator down. This was elevator up – _walk_ down. The walk down was the whole point of the special ticket. This was back in, oh, maybe 1999 - 2004 or so when I lived there, the last time I did it was probably closer to the turn of the century. I did that in the mid 90’s or so. Didn’t even need a ticket from the morning. The walk-down tours were at 10:00 and 2:00; I showed up at 1:55 and was the only one. Another family just wanted to see the top, but joined our group to skip the line. There wasn’t much time to study the stones, though. The ranger just kept walking. I’m glad they’re still doing the tours; so many things have closed. I’ve heard they recently reopened the Statue of Liberty. I went to the crown in '82, but then never again after the restoration. I’ll have to look into that. Did the Sears Tower about three years ago. No wait to speak of. Empire State Building twice. Once was about 30 minutes before midnight (when it closes), no line at all. World Trade Center twice. The first time, there were escalators with signs that said “closed due to high winds.” I figured that they couldn’t possibly let people on the roof. (But what the hell else could that sign mean?) Well, the second time, the escalators were open, and there I was, on the roof. I’ve never been scared of heights before, but something about that started doing a number on me. It was a few years before I went up in a tall building again. Got to the Eiffel Tower early. The wait wasn’t bad, but as I was coming back down, the second level was completely packed with people waiting for the elevator to the top. **Rhythmdvl** , if you’re ever in Ulm, go [here](http://www.muppetlabs.com/~eric/ulmer_munster_16.jpg). (You can’t miss it.) Almost as tall as the Washington Monument, even better stonework, and you get to take the stairs both ways. ---
**Author:** ![lieu](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/c2a13f/32.png) [@lieu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lieu)\ **Post date:** [July 29, 2009, 7:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-pit-the-sears-willis-tower/504480/35 "2009-07-29T19:24:39Z")
> [@Zsofia](#): > > All I remember is being pressed up against other people’s asses on the elevator. I can’t tell you how much I hope you did this despite the car being almost empty. We had really quick access to both the WTC and Empire State Building. I guess it help to go midday and midweek. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-pit-the-sears-willis-tower/504480.md?page=1)