How long does it take for TKTS?

How long are you usually in line for discount tickets at TKTS in Times Square? I would be trying for a Friday night if that makes a difference? I've never tried it before as we are only in NY for a short time and don't want to spend that time in line, but we already spent $$$ for a family of 4 to see a show when we come so if we were to see another one, I would want it to be half price.

Also, do you know before you stand in line if the show would be 50% or 20%?

Thx. Trying to decide if it's worth it.

It depends which time you get there. The earlier the better. I think they open at like 3 for Friday shows. If you go at 6 or 7 for an 8 o'clock show, it will be packed. You can also get the app which tells you which shows are up, and for how much discount.

I went at about 1:30 on a Saturday and got 6th row Something Rotten for $72!

What show were u looking at? Mamma Mia? You can try rushing the show you wanna see when the box office opens at 10. Also, the amount of discount you get at tkts changes from day to day.

"What show were u looking at? Mamma Mia? You can try rushing the show you wanna see when the box office opens at 10. Also, the amount of discount you get at tkts changes from day to day. "

Yes, for Mamma Mia. When I looked at this site about Rush tickets on this site, it said only on Wed and Thurs and only to students. My only available night would be Friday night, and I'm not a student. But, I just saw on the Tkts site that said not just for students and 'selected performances'...but didn't specify the day. So not sure. Rush tickets are ideal.

Larry, it actually makes sense that the seats would vary as you would think they would hold onto the good seats trying to sell at full price and then close to the show, would let them go at discount?

PS - Now on another site, I am seeing Rush tickets for Mamma Mia for 'General Public' so maybe BroadwayWorld isn't updated with most recent into.

Updated On: 7/6/15 at 08:14 PM

The percentages for the discounts change from show to show..it depends on the availability of the tickets on that particular day. As a rule, weekends MIGHT have lower percentages than weekdays but that is no guarantee. I have seen 50% one day and then 20 % the next for no apparent reason. The TKTS window opens at 3 pm for a night show.

I don't think I have ever stood on a Friday night line...but usually the crowds/lines start forming about an hour before the time TKTS opens...and then moves quickly even if it's long. *** If anyone in your family has a veterans ID card, you can go on a much shorter line and go right up to the window.

There is also another TKTS booth downtown at the South Street seaport..they sell their tickets earlier than the Times Square booth. YOu can get them in the morning for an evening show and the line is usually a whole lot shorter (% are the same - not sure about the seats)

"I usually go to the booth about 30 to 45 minutes before the start of the show. almost never a wait. and almost always end up with a great seat.

I also do not reccommend going early. They usually sell from the front of the theater to the back of the theater. so unless you want to be really close and off to the sides, I would go later. "

What kind of seats do you get at this time? I actually do like sitting as close as possible (and would rather be close and on the side than centre and far back). Having said that, if it's 20% off of $227 for prime seats, then that's more than I want to pay.

I'm a big fan of heading to the TKTS booth a half hour before showtime-- there's never more than 1 or 2 folks in front of most windows, and I've gotten great house seats that way (for THE VISIT or ON THE TOWN) as often as pretty good mezz seats (for SOMETHING ROTTEN and CURIOUS INCIDENT). I pity the tourists who waste half their days standing in those endless Saturday morning 10am lines.

I think the most I spent for a TKTS ticket was around $93.

"I once bought tickets for Matilda at 7:20-ish for and 8pm show and got great seats. Third row mezz, right off the right aisle."

Those are nice seats. Not great seats.

Don't forget that you can go to the TKTS in Brooklyn and get matinee tickets the day before. Or, same day at 11am when they open, whereas TKTS in Times Square opens at 3pm for evening shows. It never crowded there.

It's very easy to get to from midtown and the subway stops right above TKTS. When you walk up the stairs to street level from the subway, TKTS is right there.

To clarify: You won't be charged 1/2 of a premium ticket. I had premium seats for THE VISIT, matinee, purchased at 1:20, 6th row center Orchestra. $79 each.

Sometimes tkts adds great seats right before curtain so you never know what you might get, early or late in line.