NYE Event
After deciding where we were going to be for Christmas, then naturally the next question was where for NYE. NYC seemed to be a major bucket item that we could tick off. We researched many different options for NYE. We quickly ruled out standing out in Times Square along with 1 million other people in the cold for 8 hours plus. We looked at some river cruises, but read some hit and miss reviews. We then thought being somewhere inside, seated warm but being able to go outside near midnight would be the best option for us. Then we had to consider did we want to be somewhere which had a view of the “Ball Drop”. While we thought that may be nice, it wasn’t an essential part, we really just wanted to be near and among the festivities.
We looked reviews and I email a number of places. Bubba Gumps, Rosie O’Gradys and some others. Bubba Gumps was only for guest 21+ so that ruled them out. Rosie O’Gradys, when we got the email had already sold out of private tables and you could only book communal tables. The one we ended up choosing was the Brooklyn Diner. This was a good for acouple of reasons. Now the prices for NYE are astronomical. Bubba Gumps from memory was around $700 per head. This did include 5 courses and a premium bar. We are not massive drinkers so an open bar wasn’t really a draw card for us. Also the price at every place was the same for Adults and kids. Brooklyn Diner included some drinks but not an open bar so the cost was less. It was $350 per head. While this sounds a lot, trust me there was not much, that got half decent reviews, much less than this. If you are going to do a NYE even in Time square, then expect to pay for it, that is my word of warning.
Arranging to buy tickets for the event was really easy. We had registered with a number of venues. When it was time we got emails. When we had decided on Brooklyn Diner, we communicated with the Manager of the Diner via email. We had to send copies of a credit card form and copies of our credit card and then we got confirmation. Nothing was charged on to our credit card until the night and we even had up until 26 December to cancel with no cost. About a month out we got an email saying that tickets were being prepared we could pick them up from the venue from the 29th December. We went to the venue the day before and got our tickets and we met Rich the manager who also gave us our “pass” to let us through the police blockages into the Time Square district, which is shut down in the afternoon.
The event started at 8pm. We left the hotel around 7pm and got a taxi to outside the blocked out area and then made our way towards the checkpoint. This was not an easy task for us. We went the way were directed and got turned back. We had to double all the way back to basically where we started and come back another way. We eventually got to a security checkpoint where the police used metal detectors on everyone and were not letting any backpacks or larger bags through. I had our camera bag so I wasn’t sure if we were going to get through. It took a while for us to get to the front but when we did we got scanned and he checked the camera bag and let us through no problem. The police presence was out of this world, something I’ve never seen. We were actually glad to see so much security, made us feel much safer.
One we were through the security check point we walked up to the next cross street. Here we showed the police officers our tickets and our pass and he said we couldn’t get through here, we had to go back to anther street and then around a different way. He then called over another officer, who I think was his superior. We explained where we were going showed him our pass, told them we were from Australia and we didn’t know the area. Not sure if he felt sorry for us or just wanted to get rid of us, but he moved a barricade and let us through with the other officer and the officer to walk us up to the next block show the next officer there the passes and tell them to escort you through to 43rd. The younger officer complied and we were walking up with him. When we got to the next checkpoint, the younger officer said I’ll just take you all the way through, so he escorted us right the way to 43rd and 6th which was where we had to go.
I must say getting us to the security checkpoint was pretty stressful. There was a time where we thought maybe we wouldn’t be able to get through. We did have Rich, the Diner managers, mobile number and he had said for us to call if we had any issues. We were almost about to, but thankfully we go our self through with some luck & goodwill from the NYPD! As we approached the final access point, there were these men in front of us who had “Access All Areas” passes they showed them to the Police and the police told them they were fake and they couldn’t go past. We stepped back a little as it looked like it may get a little out of hand when they started to argue. When it was clear the police we not backing down, the gentlemen simmered down and turned around and left. We showed our tickets and pass and he said you can’t get through here, and we just felt deflated. He called out to his college saying, “where do the go through for the Brooklyn Diner” and the other officer said something like, “here, it’s right behind us”, and then he let us through. So close the and hour and half later, we were there. We walked about 75 metres after the final access point and were soon inside with the festivities and enjoying some appetisers and drinks and reviling in a NYC NYE!
Approaching the final access point
The famous “Ball” which would drop and midnight
We were through!
We got a nice three seat table
Can't wait!
