When to Rush for Hello Dolly for Wednesday Matinee?

[juliank3]

Posted: 8/6/17 at 10:49am

I'm planning a trip to NYC and would love to join the rush line for Hello Dolly.  I was looking through the other Hello Dolly forums but couldn't determine a time to get there for the Wednesday 2pm matinee (and only the matinee, we have tickets for a show at 8pm). We're planning to line up at 8:30am.  Does that time give us a fair shot at getting tickets? What can we expect the line to be like given that it's the Wednesday matinee? Thanks for any help you might give! 

[chuckydisc]

Posted: 8/6/17 at 11:17am

juliank3 said: "I'm planning a trip to NYC and would love to join the rush line for Hello Dolly.  I was looking through the other Hello Dolly forums but couldn't determine a time to get there for the Wednesday 2pm matinee (and only the matinee, we have tickets for a show at 8pm). We're planning to line up at 8:30am."

What is preventing you from arriving earlier than 8:30AM?

 

[juliank3]

Posted: 8/6/17 at 11:21am

My parents are driving me and my friend (we don't have cars), and my parents refuse to leave earlier than 6am. It takes about 2.5 hours to get there, and we anticipate being there at the theater around 8:30am.

[juliank3]

Posted: 8/6/17 at 11:19pm

Any input would be greatly appreciated! :) 

[UncleCharlie]

Posted: 8/6/17 at 11:33pm

You understand you are rushing for standing room, not seats, correct? While the performance is at 2 p.m., the box office opens at 10 a.m. and starts selling SRO. My sense is it may be late but if you can't get there earlier, then get there as soon as you can and hope for the best. Have a backup plan of another show you want to see if you get there and the line is huge.

[Bettyboy72]

Posted: 8/6/17 at 11:36pm

When I was there in April people arrived as early as 4am for the matinee SRO. 

[Just_John]

Posted: 8/7/17 at 12:09am

I got in two Wednesday matinees ago by getting there at 9:15 and waiting 45 minutes.  There was at least one more SRO sold after me for the matinee and could have possibly been more sold on the other side of the theatre after that.  I don't know if the evening was sold out before that, but people started lining up at 3:30 am that morning.    

[Michael19]

Posted: 8/7/17 at 6:31am

It's a 2 performance day so it's fair to consider that half of the line will be purchasing the evening performance.  Once they sell standing room, they offer $59 balcony tix, so you almost certainly could get those if standing room is sold. 

[juliank3]

Posted: 8/7/17 at 9:13am

Thank you all! You've been really helpful. I'll have to convince my parents to do Standing Room, but I think it will be worth it to see Hello Dolly.  It was great hearing about your experiences and knowing that we have those balcony tickets as a backup.  Also, I'll be entering several virtual lotteries (last time I went to NYC, I won twice!), and hopefully we'll have plenty of options.

[juliank3]

Posted: 8/10/17 at 9:16am

Update: Yesterday, we ended up leaving my house later than we thought, and also we got caught in traffic. So, my parents got in line a few minutes before 10am, right before the box office opened; they said that there were eight people in line in front of them.  My parents waited 10 minutes and were able to get 4 standing room tickets.  It was easy, even though the show would later be sold out.  We all thought that since we were late to the line, we wouldn't get tickets, but we did and the show was wonderful. Hello Dolly is my favorite musical, and Bette Midler was amazing! I share this update, because it may be helpful for those seeking rush tickets.  I don't know what the other days are like for rushing, but Wednesday matinee is definitely the way to go.  Good luck to you all seek standing room tickets! :) 

[disneybroadwayfan22]

Posted: 8/10/17 at 11:37am

Funny story: I was a lucky one yesterday. So, the plan was to see Great Comet in the afternoon and go home yesterday. While heading to lunch at 12:00pm, I walked past Shubert Theater and decided to ask for standing room tickets for the hell of it. The answer? "2:00 or 8:00?" I was shocked that a) there were still standing room and b) Holy crap! I could see a legendary performance. Life is too short, so I bought SRO tickets for 8:00pm! 

I highly recommend SRO b/c the view is incredible (you will got blocked when Gavin and Taylor are at a balcony)! And GUYS! The show is so so so magical! I'm so blessed that I saw Bette b/c holy sh*t, Bette as Dolly is indeed a legendary and again magical performance. Same with David Hyde Pierce. Get SRO whenever you can