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NEW YEARS IN NEW YORK???

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  • 06-11-2014 7:05pm
    #1
    SineadV
    Registered Users Posts: 34 ✭


    Hello,

    I'm going to NY this year and will be celebrating new years there. The plan is to go to Times Square and watch the ball drop etc.
    Has anyone any experience or advice for this?
    Also I want to find out what to do after...it will be around 12.30 to 1am when its over so what to do then. Should I but tickets to something after??

    Thanks,

    Sinead
    Tagged:


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    #2
    coylemj
    Registered Users Posts: 25,345 ✭✭✭✭coylemj


    Other posters will probably give you first-hand accounts of what happens in Times Sq. on NYE but I understand that it involves being corralled in for several hours with no access to basic facilities or food or drink.


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    #3
    Dave1442397
    Registered Users Posts: 303 ✭✭Dave1442397


    If you go, don't wear or carry anything valuable. I have friends who have had jewelry ripped off them in the crowd, wallets stolen, and in one case, were held up at knife point.

    They also said it was pretty crazy, with the crowd packed in so tightly at times they could barely move.

    I have other friends who have plenty of money to spend, and they went to the party at Two Times Square, and they said it was the absolute best way to see the ball drop - http://rloungetimessquare.com/newyearseve/reservations.html


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    #4
    iusedtoknow
    Closed Accounts Posts: 1,698 ✭✭✭iusedtoknow


    coylemj wrote: »
    Other posters will probably give you first-hand accounts of what happens in Times Sq. on NYE but I understand that it involves being corralled in for several hours with no access to basic facilities or food or drink.

    We had the great idea of going for it, then a friend in NY talked us out of it (from experience)

    You cannot leave
    No matter how hard you try, you can't get warm
    You can't see anything except for people trying to see something
    It takes hours to get home, and by then there is little open to get dinner @ 4am

    Long story short...he said to us to avoid it. That year we ended up in a bar in brooklyn where the clock stopped working about 2 hours before midnight


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    #5
    Ponster
    Moderators, Recreation & Hobbies Moderators Posts: 10,911 Mod ✭✭✭✭Ponster


    SineadV wrote: »
    Has anyone any experience or advice for this?

    99% of the people here will tell you not to go. It's generally a horrible experience, where as the others have described, you are packed shoulder to shoulder for hours on end.

    There are no toilet facilities. Don't drink any liquids before or during unless you have miracle bladder control!

    If you leave your spot you won't be able to go back.

    You'll really need to be there from about 12/1pm in order to get a spot where you can see anything at all.

    In saying that people who ask about it on forums usually end up going anyhow (Tripadvisor is FULL of such posts). So while at first it may disgust you I'd suggest getting some adult nappies to wear for the day :)


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    #6
    ProudDUB
    Registered Users Posts: 11,569 ✭✭✭✭ProudDUB


    My sister went a few years ago with some hardy NY natives. They do it every year and have a routine down, so that eased the pain somewhat.

    1. Get there around breakfast time if you want to get a good spot, lunch time if you want to be within shouting distance of Times Square.

    2. Bring chairs - the fold up type that you can sling over your shoulder- & roll up sleeping bags or blankets. (You can give them away later to homeless people, if you don't want to be lugging them around all night.)

    3. Bring loads of sambos, chocolate, thick veg soup & brandy that will keep you full, warm & hammered for 12-16 hrs, without needing to leave to eat or pee. You don't get to leave, if you want to keep your spot.

    4. Beg/borrow/steal some ski gear. The wind chill factor in New York in December can be brutal. It can lead to temps that the average Irish person has zero experience of dealing with, for long periods of time. Your jeans & Dunnes anorak will just not cut the mustard.

    So even though she had all that covered (thanks to her friends) she was still utterly miserable standing/sitting around in the same spot for 16 hrs, in the freezing cold. It's something that looks great on the telly, but I think its hard to really enjoy it, unless you are able or willing to plan it with a level of military precision, that would put Monty to shame.

    I hate to sound so negative OP, but a million people go to this shindig every year. It's not something that you can just rock up to at 11.45 & expect to have a front row seat.


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    #7
    biddywiddy
    Registered Users Posts: 440 ✭✭biddywiddy


    I was in NYC for NYE several years ago. We had thought about going to Times Square and then found out what it would entail and changed our plans. :D

    We saw people in ski gear with camping chairs getting off the subway at 10am on NYE. The wind was bitingly cold, and we were so glad we had decided against it.

    Instead we had dinner and drinks and at 11:30, we legged it up to Central Park to watch the fireworks. Then back to the pub. It was great fun, and beat standing outside for hours on end (we were cold just watching the fireworks!).


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    #8
    SHOVELLER
    Registered Users Posts: 1,638 ✭✭✭SHOVELLER


    Did it Millennium New Years Eve. We arrived lunchtime and were just across from McDonald's. The weather was very mild and we were able to sneak over and back to the said establishment!

    Overall glad I did it but wouldnt do it again as its a lot of lost drinking time! It was a great night overall as we ended up closing the old Irish Pub up the road.

    Might be in the city for New Years and if so will be getting to one of my favourite bars early.

    You could try here:

    http://www.marriott.com/hotel-info/nycmq-new-york-marriott-marquis/new-years-eve/bioliye/home-page.mi


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    #9
    Bummer1234
    Registered Users Posts: 1,829 ✭✭✭Bummer1234


    I was in NY for NYE two years ago, We had a choice between Times Sq or head to a concert down at pier 94...After reading the stories online about Times Sq and NYE i said Feck that...And got the tickets for the pier and it was one of the best nights out and great way to bring in the new year.


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    #10
    SineadV
    Registered Users Posts: 34 ✭SineadV


    Thanks for all your replies guys! :-) It's a hard one to decide! Think we're gonna skip the ball drop and buy tickets to an event! Least we'll be warmer inside if last years weather is anything to go by!! :-)


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    #11
    Dave1442397
    Registered Users Posts: 303 ✭✭Dave1442397


    SineadV wrote: »
    Thanks for all your replies guys! :-) It's a hard one to decide! Think we're gonna skip the ball drop and buy tickets to an event! Least we'll be warmer inside if last years weather is anything to go by!! :-)

    Good idea! If you haven't experienced a 15F evening in NYC with a wind chill below zero, it can really hit you hard, especially if you're used to balmy temps in the 40s and 50s in Ireland. Here's the worst from last January - http://cityroom.blogs.nytimes.com/2014/01/07/new-york-today-life-threatening-wind-chill/?_r=0


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