Search is failing me. I’ve been returned to a blank search.php page several times and new, eve, and new are impossible to search for while being key KEYwords in finding the information I want.
Anyway, I just booked 4 hotels on the easy cost in preparation for my graduation road trip. The highlight of this stay is being in NY on NYE. From what I’ve read it’s a good idea to get to Times Square around 3-4pm in order to camp out and get a spot for the drop. For all of you that have experienced NYE in NY (preferably post 9/11 with added security) can you give me any hints, tips, or past stories that may help me on my journey. Whether you live there and know how to deal with NYE, or are like me and went from never experiencing NY to throwing yourself into the city on the busiest night of the year, I want to know what you did or didn’t do right and any other hindsight you might be able to offer. Thanks in advance and I apologize for that wonderful run on sentence!
I lived in NYC and never went to Times Square on NYE, and not a single person I know in NYC has ever gone either. Mind you, that was back in the days you could actually smuggle an alcoholic drink into the crowd, and could show up a couple hours early, tops, to be there.
Now, partitioned into little segments of people, no alcohol, getting there eight hours early, standing in the cold…well, I commend you on your fortitude…and from the looks of it, the people in the crowd seem to be having a great time!
I personally would rather be somewhere warm, with a cold drink, than somewhere cold, with a warm empty bladder. But that’s just me.
Have a GREAT New Year’s Eve on Times Square - and come back to this thread and report how it was to be down there in the crowd - would love to hear your story!
Sorry 'bout that samclem! Was browsing the general questions when I decided to post.
Anyway!
Somehow it doesn’t surprise me DMark that the crowd is 99.9% tourists. My last 22 New Years Eves have been stuck at home with the family in the middle of Illinois. Now I have no problem hanging out with the family but I’m young and it’s one of those things I’d like to tell my kids I did once.
As far as the cold, empty bladder, and being partitioned off I think 10 hours in line for a Wii was good practice. Although I think this i going to be more like waiting in line for a PS3!
I’m also looking forward to taking the Polar Bear Plunge with the Coney Island Polar Bear Club. I know what that’s going to be like as I did it in Lake Michigan this past year. If anyone reading this will happen to be there let me know!
I’ve rambled on long enough it seems. Thanks for posting DMark and hopefully I’ll be able to post some helpful hints when I return!
I used to live in NYC, and one year I had nothing else to do, so I did the Times Square thing in NYE.
Either leave your wallet at your hotel, or put it in your front pocket and keep your hand in that pocket at all times. Also keep a $20 bill in one of your shoes, just in case.
Be prepared for a crowd that is so dense that you can lift your feet, and still be held up by the bodies around you.
Learn how to walk on a surface that’s littered with bottles and cans and urine and other unidentifiable things.
Don’t plan on crossing the street, or moving your location at all. You won’t be able to.
Afterwards, don’t plan on taking the subway back to your hotel, at least not right away. There’ll be a ton of people waiting for trains that are already full.