yuel

I am looking to fly into jfk or lga on New Year’s Eve arriving about 3-4pm with two adults and 2 kids, 4 and 2, for just the night at the crowne plaza Times Square.
Will it be easy to get transportation to the hotel by car or bus due to the crowds? Trying to figure out if it’s worth going for the night? Then flight leaving 9am Jan 1.

xooz

I think it is premature to even register a guess, other than travel time by car might be less than normal. The thought of planning a NYE trip to Times Square at the current time boggles my mind a little, though I would guess you might find better than normal pricing. Good luck!

themicah

Assuming social distancing is over by then and putting aside the question of whether a trip like this is worth it.....

You do not want to drive into Midtown then. They usually shut down all the streets from 38th to 59th between 6th and 8th Aves starting early in the morning on 12/31, which causes traffic problems and will make it so you can't actually drive up to the hotel. In theory a car could probably drop you at the corner of 8th and 49th about 600 feet from the hotel, but getting to the west side of Manhattan from either LGA or JFK with all those street closures likely won't be fun. Be sure and bring a copy of your hotel reservation to show the police so they'll let you through as the streets around the hotel will probably be closed even to pedestrians by the time you arrive.

Your best bet is probably to take the Airtrain from JFK to Jamaica, or the Q70 bus from LGA to Jackson Heights, and transfer to the E subway to 50th Street. You can exit that station at 49th and 8th Ave, which is the same place a car would likely drop you in a best-case scenario. And I think that particular subway station usually stays open all evening. The 49th Street NQRW and 50th Street 1 train stations are slightly closer to the hotel, but the 49th Street station usually gets shut down on NYE, and the 1 train doesn't offer a good connection from LGA or JFK.

Blumie

Almost certainly not worth it with kids that young. I could see getting a hotel elsewhere in Manhattan — not Times Square — and having an early NYE celebration at a nice restaurant (expect to pay a premium for a fixed price NYE menu at many places) before going to bed early. With a 9am flight and young children, you’ll probably want to be in a taxi around 6:30 the next morning.

yuel

I just saw a great deal come up where I could get the flt and hotel free, so just wondering on the idea, just didn’t know if arriving in lga at 3Pm and how much longer would take to the hotel then normal. So we would not go on the street, just hang out in the room and look out at times sq, I have no inkling on spending nye on the street, but the experience of being there in the room is more than enough for us

themicah

Does your room reservation guarantee a view of the square? My guess is that they charge a premium on NYE for rooms facing the right direction, and any restaurants or other common areas of the hotel that have a view are likely to have expensive ticketed parties.

It's hard for me to imagine going out of my way to spend NYE in a bland corporate hotel room that could be anywhere in the world, even if it's physically close to the party you're watching on TV.

AMflier

There were over 1 million people at the 2020 ball drop. If you've never been to events with extremely large crowds, you should know that thing do not run "normally" around the affected area. The NYPD does an amazing job, but there are some very strict rules in place. It'll be a challenge navigating with a stroller, luggage, and a 4 y.o.

Given the location of the hotel, I would also look into flying into EWR. It makes access to the west side much easier. (Not an issue with public transportation)

+1 on this.
The area around Times Square becomes a parking lot. Most of midtown is jammed that afternoon and evening.
Take public transportation. THE NYPD closes cross streets and train stations as the crowd builds. The Airtrain / LGA Bus to the E to the 50th street Station would be my recommendation as well. It should still be open when you arrive.

This is important.
They close the cross streets from south to north as Times Square fills. Once closed, the NYPD will only let people with proof of legitimate business onto the cross streets. Call the hotel in advance to find out what paperwork would work.

For the return, a car should be fine but you may need to go to 8th Avenue for the pickup.

Brighton Line

I had a friend stay at the Marriott Marquee they give you some documentation I believe so you can go to and from the hotel thru the frozen zone.
NYC hasn't even said what they will do with the Macy's Fourth of July Fireworks let alone New Year's Eve.
Even if you stay outside that zone, NYPD will at times direct the subway not to stop at subway stop stations in the area when they feel it is too crowded.
Agree with the others, don't do it.

Out of my Element

8th could be closed by that time. We were in NYC on NYE 3 years ago and by 1:30PM you couldn't go west from 6th or east from 9th except at certain intersections and with theater tix (for our 2PM matinee) or a hotel room key or paperwork showing a reservation (at 4PM returning to our hotel).

Hotels like the Marquis or the big Sheraton or Hilton will have one door furthest from Broadway and 7th accessible, but not necessarily easily.

Yoshi212

Sitting in a hotel room, rooms aren't that spacious, with a 2 and 4 yo for that amount of time would be a deal breaker for me. Combine that with the added issues of a NYE Times Square stay and then adding in an early morning departure to get to the airport with 2 young kids it's too much and asking for issues.

Some of the downtown Brooklyn hotels would be more appealing to this situation where you can see somethings and have a meal before an early evening and morning flight.

themicah

A bit OT, but the city has said that the fireworks will go on. It's not clear how they'll do crowd control, though. https://www.nydailynews.com/coronavi...xm4-story.html

dstan

I have to say, having two kids myself who are slightly older and excellent travelers, I can't fathom doing this.

yuel

it sounds inconceivable, but we did it last year in nyc for July 4th and in Hong Kong, no issues

Blumie

This is different. As I posted up thread, I don’t think the idea of going to NYC is insane. It’s just that staying in the Times Square area adds a lot of complication. It’s doable — you have to plan on walking more than you otherwise might, and you’ll have to have evidence of your hotel reservation to talk your way past the police barricades — and at the end of the day you’ll probably end up in a generic hotel room with a view (if you’re lucky) of crowded streets but not of the festivities themselves.

There is, however, one factor I’ll add in your favor: once past the police barricades, which shouldn’t be that complicated with evidence of your hotel reservation, you may find that you have some relative flexibility to move around the Times Square area unhindered by the police barricades. (It’ll be like being in a zoo, with tens of thousands of people behind the barricades getting drunk, throwing up, and desperately needing bathrooms for your viewing pleasure.) You may thus be able to get a good view of some of the entertainment. Maybe. Still not worth it, IMHO, but still a factor to consider.

Repooc17

You arrive 3 to 4pm on Dec 31, it would take you around 1 hour to get to TS. The area will be highly restricted. Kids might be tired, and everyone has to catch a 9am flight next morning. I would recommend extending a day or two on both ends.