Posted: 1/15/16 at 7:07pm
Personally I think you're better off buying from TM+ or StubHub since the line sitter may wait there for a long long time (the entire day) without the certainty that you'd get the tix. For example, for 10 hours at $20/hour, that's $200! Plus add $177 for a regular cancellation ticket, you'll be paying $377 for one ticket.
Posted: 1/16/16 at 4:37am
But you can cut the line-waiting fee in half if you have the guy buy two tickets and split it with a friend.
Posted: 1/16/16 at 9:07am
I charge $20 for the first hour and $15 each additional hour to line sit for Hamilton. Have always gotten clients tickets. Booked right now until April. Great way to make extra cash.
EDIT:
BTW, Thanks for the PM requests to hire me....but I have a private, by reference only concierge service in NYC. My client list is currently full, and have a long waiting list. Try Same Old Line Dude. He has other people to sit on line, and he is a little less expensive than I am.
Updated On: 1/24/16 at 09:07 AM
Posted: 1/16/16 at 10:32am
On average, how many hours are billed? Thanks.
Posted: 1/17/16 at 3:06am
Depends, I get THERE EARLY, usually first on line...most of my clients will show up to wait around 12 pm 1pm. So about 7 to hour 8 hours. Sometimes more.
Posted: 1/17/16 at 11:20pm
What does EARLY mean to you, to garuntee tickets for week days and weekends? Or is that giving away secrets of the trade?
thank you!
Posted: 1/18/16 at 12:20am
ZGP said: "What does EARLY mean to you, to garuntee tickets for week days and weekends? Or is that giving away secrets of the trade?
thank you!
"
If they said the client gets there 12-1 and they bill 7-8 hours, then logic says he gets there at 6ish
Posted: 1/18/16 at 10:41am
Success--yay! Many thanks to the advice on here.
I tried the lottery four times this weekend but no luck--Saturday night was especially insane with lotto lines going down Mariott alley and wrapping around several times on both 45th and 46th St--must have been at least 1000 people there! Decided to try cancellation line on Sunday morning. Got there around 7:45 and there were 4 people in front of me including a line-sitter who had been there since 6.Several people had camp chairs and one sleeping bag. Took turns with person behind me to enter noon lottery. First two peeps got called in to get tickets around 12:30. A few people stopped by offering tickets for $300 but noone took them. Finally around 1:50 they starting calling in more people into the box office and at about 1:55 they called me in for a single ticket for the 2 pm show. They also ended up offering a single ticket to the person behind me so 8 tickets total (the day before they had only offered 4 to Sat matinee and 2 to Sat evening). Great seats in row F--think we were all sitting together. So happy that it worked for me so thanks again!
Posted: 1/18/16 at 12:44pm
I was successful on Friday! Arrived at around 8:15 and was first in line. When the box office opened there were already two cancellation tickets available. $177 each for Row H in the Orchestra (amazing seats- worth every penny).
Posted: 1/18/16 at 3:06pm
Were the seats in F and H in the center? If so those are premium seats but it sounds like they still sold them regular full price ($177) instead of premium full price (over $400). Is that true?
Congrats to you both!
Posted: 1/18/16 at 3:23pm
I'm thinking of doing the cancellation line for my wife''s 40th birthday. Thinking about taking a Wednesday matinee or evening show in February. Do I have a better chance for the Wednesday two show days in getting a ticket? It seems like people get there very early on the weekends but not so much during the week. Wondering if I got there around 8 or 8:30 in the morning that would be sufficient. Any thoughts on a Wednesday two show day? Thanks in advance for the help!
Posted: 1/18/16 at 3:35pm
ChiTheaterFan said: "Were the seats in F and H in the center? If so those are premium seats but it sounds like they still sold them regular full price ($177) instead of premium full price (over $400). Is that true?"
I believe those are house seats, since I was also seated there for If/Then, and I purchased the seats through a cast member.
Posted: 1/18/16 at 3:40pm
ChiTheaterFan said: "Were the seats in F and H in the center? If so those are premium seats but it sounds like they still sold them regular full price ($177) instead of premium full price (over $400). Is that true? Congrats to you both!
"
Definitely center. Thanks for making me feel better about spending so much money--$177 is still a stretch for me!
Posted: 1/18/16 at 4:00pm
Hey Emmalou... congrats! Did the box office open at 10 on Fri., meaning you didn't need to stay in line too long?
Posted: 1/18/16 at 5:43pm
I think you'll be fine. A friend went this past Wednesday and arrived at the line at 8am but was 5th in line. Again, most universities start the semester after this weekend so a few of those folks were college students doing the cancellation line since they never won the rush lottery. Perhaps if it's winter break that week, you might have to go early but I doubt it. I'd check this thread again as the time gets closer.
Posted: 1/19/16 at 6:43am
Just walked past the theater at 5:00 am (Tues.) and there was already someone in a sleeping blanket at the cancellation line. And it is freezing outside!
Posted: 1/19/16 at 8:22am
Yes bdboston! It opened at 10 so I didn't have to wait very long in the cold (I was very lucky!!)
My seat was H 9, so it wasn't in the center section of the orchestra- just a little off house left. Perfect views, didn't miss anything.
Posted: 1/19/16 at 2:11pm
For a 8pm show on a Friday, what time do people suggest showing up? Seems like there are a wide range of answers on the forum
Posted: 1/19/16 at 3:12pm
jbraun1494 said: "For a 8pm show on a Friday, what time do people suggest showing up? Seems like there are a wide range of answers on the forum
"
Aww the million dollar question. I have been in the cancellation line on days with 2 shows or Sunday matinee, and the best time to start lining up is around 6:30am. Around 8am, it seems you are about 4th in line with still a great chance of getting tickets.
For days with only 1 night show, it is anyone's guess. Theoretically, 12 noon or 1pm seems to be fine, but I think people are showing up much earlier now. For Friday, I would show up 9am or 10am if you want to be safe. Certainly before the box office opens up, as there is always a chance tickets will be available when the box office opens.
Updated On: 1/19/16 at 03:12 PM
Posted: 1/19/16 at 5:44pm
The cancellation line used to be a hidden gem for the most part.... and then people started talking about it like this! Looks like I will never get to see Ham! AND THEN BWW WITH THE LOTTERY ARTICLES!!!! Tbt to when the Ham lotto had 100 ppl tops
Posted: 1/19/16 at 6:30pm
^^^ I've been going since the first week and I don't ever recall the lotto line having only 100 people. It's been insane the last month, but I've never seen it with fewer than at least 2 or 3 hundred.
Posted: 1/19/16 at 7:02pm
Will be heading down from Boston this weekend. Haven't yet purchased tickets for a Saturday matinee, so I may have to swing by to see how the line looks in the morning. Sort of hoping this snow comes and decreases the crowd a little bit!
Posted: 1/23/16 at 5:48pm
yanks02 said: "Thanks everyone for your stories! I'm coming to NYC Feb 6-10 and plan on heading to the cancellation line Saturday morning as soon as I land at Newark. I do have one question, does the theatre have a coat check or anything? I'm planning on bringing a blanket so I don't freeze to death but don't think I'll have time to check it at the luggage storage place if I end up getting a ticket right as the show is starting. Has anyone had experience with this? I'm so hoping because it'll be freezing outside that no one will be in line by the time I get there around 8 am.
"
Bumping this because it's been a few weeks and no one responded. Has anyone had a similar situation where they have a blanket or something like this and get tickets right as the show is starting? Is there any place inside to store it? I guess i could just sit on it inside the theatre but that might piss off the people behind me...
Posted: 1/25/16 at 1:10am
I and two friends are planning on trying the cancellation line Friday or Saturday the 6th. Are you alone? Our hotel is directly across the street and if you're alone we could team up. Our issue is that there is an odd number of us and my understanding is that each person can only buy two tickets. We can get there early or another possibility is to hire a line sitter but again - the odd number of us requires two line sitters. Let me know if you may want to team up. We are determined to gwt there early though we don't know what that means yet. I'll do whatever it takes.
Posted: 1/25/16 at 10:54am
Are there (almost) always tickets on the cancellation line? If I go at 6AM and/or hire a line-sitter to go at 6AM and we're first on the line for a Saturday matinee, am I virtually guaranteed a pair of tickets? I'd rather pay $400 each on StubHub than wait outside for eight hours or pay a line sitter $200 and get no tickets.
How are line sitters viewed? Would I get grief from others on line or the theatre for showing up to take my line-sitter's place (1 for 1, no cutting)?
Have lost the lottery about 20 times and I'm throwing in the towel.
