Times Square Ball — Attraction in New York

Mom wanted to do the ball drop for about 30 years and we finally did it. Being squished and pushed was expected. We saw the ball drop for FREE from 42nd st. We just stood in the street. I WOULD NOT recommend spending money on tickets to see it. We saw it for FREE. I saw tickets as high as $800 and more to see the ball drop but our FREE VIEW WAS FINE. We didn't need passes or tickets to stand in the street. We left our hotel at about 9:30pm. I know people leave much earlier than that but I didn't want my mom standing outside too long. Plus it was raining. We stayed at a hotel that was about a 15 minute walk away. There are police blocking off and lines everywhere. We waited in one line on 52nd or 53rd st for 45 minutes only to be told by nypd that line was not to get into times square. You would think there would be more signs and better instruction on that day. So we walked to 42nd st and just stood there with people. We found a good spot to see the ball and we were surrounded by friendly people. I was expecting fireworks when the ball dropped but it was just a dark ball so that was a bummer. It actually wasn't too bad getting back to the hotel because after the ball dropped the police didn't block things off as much. Uber and the bicycle taxis were way over priced that night so don't depend on that for that day. We were a 15 minute walk away from the hotel and the bicycle taxi wanted $9 per minute! And uber wanted $100! So we walked but the...

My experience with the Times Square Ball Drop was incredibly disappointing. The event, often portrayed as one of the world's most spectacular, actually lacked all the excitement and thrill I was anticipating. First, the crowd was so dense that it was hard to move or see anything clearly. Standing for hours, squeezed among so many people, with no easy way to use the restroom or grab some food, was extremely uncomfortable.

Furthermore, the overall atmosphere was surprisingly dull. I was expecting a vibrant, energetic celebration, but the event felt dragged out and lifeless. The moment of the ball drop, which should have been the highlight, passed almost unnoticed, lacking the grandeur it’s shown with on TV.

In conclusion, the experience of being in Times Square for the Ball Drop was more stressful and frustrating than joyful and festive. For those looking for an exciting New Year's celebration, I would recommend looking for alternatives to the Times...

The Times Square ball is a historical landmark that resides on the roof of One Times Square roughly 25 stories up. The base of the pole that holds the ball is on the roof, the pole extends another 5-6 stories behind a LED billboard. I operate the camera that shows the world the ball dropping the final minute of every year. The Times Square Alliance usually brings VIPs to the rooftop the days before New Year's Eve to see the ball up close. They bring the ball down to add new Waterford crystals to the ball each year.The Ball is covered with a total of 2,688 Waterford Crystal triangles that vary in size, and range in length from 4 ¾ inches to 5 ¾ inches per side.The Ball is capable of displaying a palette of more than 16 million vibrant colors and billions of patterns that creates a spectacular kaleidoscope effect atop...