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MDWeezer · Dec 16, 2005, 10:54 PM

My girlfriend and I are going to do the Times Square New Years Eve party thing. We're a hour or so train ride into the City. RIght now my plan (which she is a little hesitant about) is to take a early train in the 31st and camp out early and catch all the festivities and then stay up all night with the 100,000 people there and catch the earliest train back home early on the 1st. I really don't feel like dropping $200+ for a room.

Is this feasible? Any Times Square veterans here? From what I have here from people it's a blast.

I really just want to go and wing it, good idea or no?

Volks · Dec 16, 2005, 11:11 PM

yeah i went to NYC. I wouldn't do it again. Way too many cops that are looking to arrest you for anything.

starman · Dec 16, 2005, 11:27 PM

Here's a tip: stay home.

residentEvil · Dec 17, 2005, 07:50 AM

I believe officials banned booze. Doesn't mean people don't sneak it/hide it. But if you get caught, they arrest you...and you miss the events. So, why bother?

Stay home, have a party, watch it HD, and you will feel like you are right there.

fiercewill · Dec 17, 2005, 02:17 PM

I did the New Years Eve thing in December of 1999. It was an experience unlike no other, for sure. My cousin and I flew out from Minneapolis on the 31st and came back on the 1st, early in the morning. Granted, this was 6 years ago, things may have changed by now but they didn't let you leave Time's Square once you were in (and to get anywhere near you had to be in position 6+ hours prior to mdinight) until the party was over. It was freezing, no public bathrooms of any kind accessible to party-goer's, cops galore and not that great of a view at all - just tons of people everywhere talking, freezing, waiting for the ball to drop. I had just turned 21 two months prior to this so obviously I wanted to get hammered and try to have fun in Times Square, didn't really work out that way. We went to a couple bars beforehand, but by the time it was all said and done we were just freezing our asses off, wanting to leave. They don't even let you drink while you're standing in the cold so it sucked not having atleast that. Oh well, I'd prolly do it again - just with a little more preparation, more friends, more booze, and warmer clothing.

SirCastor · Dec 17, 2005, 07:54 PM

Don't go to Times Square, stay somewhere safe.

f1000 · Dec 17, 2005, 08:20 PM

QTVR: Almost as good as being there!

http://360vr.com/TimesSquare/

alligator · Dec 17, 2005, 08:30 PM

Here's a good idea. Find a girl, get married, have kids, and go to sleep at 10:00 p.m. and not care about new year's eve until they graduate.

rickey939 · Dec 17, 2005, 08:48 PM

Originally Posted by starman

Here's a tip: stay home.

starman · Dec 17, 2005, 09:04 PM

Better idea (since I'm doing this):

Black Crows - Madison Square Garden.

NYCFarmboy · Dec 17, 2005, 09:10 PM

as a New Yorker of 10 years,...

I regret to give this honest advice: stay home.

I've live 20 blocks south of times square, and when I first moved here I went, even before all the terrorism alert stuff it was not a very fun experience, as noted earlier,

1. you have to get there by noon to get a decent spot...or earlier.
2. no access to restrooms
3. no booze
4. if you go dress warm/wear long underwear/bring umbrellas...you'll be outside for at least 12 hours, maybe much more.

I don't know of any person that lives in this city that actually goes anymore, especially since 9/11....

Also... to continue my cheerful NYC thread: hotels are alot more than 200 bucks a night... a dumpy hotel is 300 bucks, a decent hotel is 450... I'd guess for New Years eve triple that...if you can even find one.

Plus...the dirty little secret of NYC right now, bed bugs.

Yes, bed bugs.... remember that phrase "don't let the bed bugs bite"?

Bed Bugs have infested most hotels in NYC, the tourists are starting to get really upset for paying so much and getting bit by the insects...do a search on google for bed bugs new york city... its a huge infestation problem...and the bites are nasty... read about it...very gross

I'll be in Brasil for New Years Eve....., I'd advise anywhere but NYC.

wdlove · Dec 18, 2005, 06:22 PM

My preference would be to stay away. Would like to visit NYC to see the christmas decorations though.

- - e r i k - - · Dec 18, 2005, 07:51 PM

Times Square looks awesome, but we're going to Sidney this year, which should probably be much the same experience sans the freezing-your-ass-of-part and the no-alcohol part

Demonhood · Dec 18, 2005, 08:18 PM

i've gone to vegas on new years (98-99). we walked out into the middle of the strip, out in front of Caeser's. you can bring booze (we had two 2-liters full of 7&7). then again, everyone else can bring booze too. and they might not know what to do with their glass bottles. DANGER DANGER! not to mention the tens of thousands of strangers boxing you in from getting to restrooms, police, or ambulances. it was a bit chaotic.

overall it was a crazy, crowded and amusing experience.
might be good once a decade though.