Last year I arrived around 5:45 and ended up being in the front row. At first I was behind 43rd about 10 people deep in the middle (awful view) and when they let some of us who were there very early I ran up front. I'm planning on getting there before 6 am this year.
There's a line immediately when you get there that stays stagnant until maybe an hour/hour and a half before the event starts, wherein they start herding people into barricaded "audience" sections
This year isn't supposed to be as warm as it was last year. So it'll be more comfortable
"All our dreams can come true -- if we have the courage to pursue them." -- Walt Disney
We must have different Gods. My God said "do to others what you would have them do to you". Your God seems to have said "My Way or the Highway".