plan ahead, or take a risk?

[BroadwayBoy2]

Posted: 7/29/08 at 8:55am

Im going to NYC AUG 16th, and i wanna see a Mat, of GYPSY, and Xanadu at night. Do you think if i just waited till then and got tickets the day of i would have success?

[uncageg]

Posted: 7/29/08 at 8:59am

If there are specific shows I want to see, I get the tickets ahead of time.

[jaystarr]

Posted: 7/29/08 at 9:00am

If you are NOT from NYC and you will ONLY be there on this trip~ I WILL NOT TAKE a chance and BUY my ticket ahead! C'mon what can you lose? just the $10.00 extra fee for processing rather than going to NYC and end up NOT seeing the show YOU want!

Also you have an advantage of selecting your seats now!

J*




Updated On: 7/29/08 at 09:00 AM

[broadwayjim42]

Posted: 7/29/08 at 9:07am

If the show is popular and carved in stone in terms of your wanting to see it, I'll try to find a discount code and buy in advance.

This past weekend, I risked it and got screwed on "In The Heights" but was able to get a day-of ticket for "Boeing Boeing" and day before ticket for "title of show."

It all depends on how important the particular shows are to you...if you're more flexible and have second or third backup choices and won't be crushed if you don't get exactly what you want, I'd do day of.

[mormonophobic]

Posted: 7/29/08 at 9:45am

I'm a good Jewish boy, so I always say plan ahead. However, with the shows you listed I would be more specific.

Xanadu: You can get onstage seating for around $40 if price is the only reason you're debating risk or not. And also, playbill.com has discount codes that work on telecharge for it. So for this, plan ahead.

Gypsy: Though popular, if you have time I say risk it. Only for one reason: there's no lotto. With shows like Rent, Avenue Q, Wicked, ITH, etc. it's all up to luck more or less. But with student rush (assuming you're a student) it's kind of up to you. The earlier you get to the BO opens, the better the chance/seat you'll get.

I hope this helps.

[Weez]

Posted: 7/29/08 at 10:02am

If I DEFINITELY want to see certain shows, I'd plan ahead. I only leave it to the day-of if I'm flexible about what I see, or if the production has sold out and I need to queue for day seats (in which case I still plan ahead by working out how to get to the theatre in question early enough to beat most of the queue).

[sally1112]

Posted: 7/29/08 at 10:50am

I am an out-of-towner and I always have to have the tickets in my hand or waiting for me at the Box Office. It would ruin my trip if the show sold out or my seats were terrible.
I usually plan every minute of my trip around my shows, sometime I will leave a day or night open, and then I just walk around and try to buy tickets to a show that strikes my fancy at that moment. That way if it is sold out I will not be too upset or devastated.

[DefyGravity777]

Posted: 7/29/08 at 11:18am

I always plan ahead. I'm from Pa and I find that if I go to NYC and don't have a ticket well that's just a wasted 8 hr round trip bus ride. Only once have I gone to NY without a matinee ticket for Wicked and ended up winning the lottery. I had a ticket for the 8pm show though so figured what the heck why not try the lottery since I was in town that morning. So yeah I always plan ahead even if it means paying that $7.50-$12.00 service charge.

[BroadwayBoy2]

Posted: 7/29/08 at 2:55pm

thanks very much for your help.

[jordangirl]

Posted: 7/29/08 at 5:53pm

I seriously doubt you will have a problem getting day-of Gypsy tickets. It's been on tkts almost every time I've walked past. For all shows, matinee or evening.

Xanadu...now that Whoopi is in there for a month, that may be harder to do day-of.

But you can definitely wait on Gypsy.

[Bwayfan4]

Posted: 7/29/08 at 6:12pm

I typically plan ahead as well, since I don't live in NY. I haven't been brave enough to risk it, especially if there is a show I really want to see.

[jpbran]

Posted: 7/29/08 at 6:38pm

DEFINITELY plan ahead!

[pli1018]

Posted: 7/29/08 at 6:43pm

I hardly ever plan ahead. But in your specific case I'd say get Xanadu tickets ahead because of Whoopi and the ridiculous rush policy, while you can pick up your Gypsy tickets day-of.

[broadwaytourist]

Posted: 7/29/08 at 9:32pm

I definitely plan ahead for those things I have to see. One word of advice, though. I learned the hard way not to have guaranteed and paid for seats on my day of travel. Since I have to fly in, I am at the mercy of the airlines. I had tickets to p.m. Wicked, and I was to land at LaGuardia at 4:00. Thunderstorms kept plane from landing. Plane had to set down in Allentown, PA for GAS! after circling for 1 hour. Then airline decided to bus us into NYC by way of Philly where they were picking up additional passengers. Rented a car and flew across NJ, but traffic came to a halt in Newark. Did not get to theatre until 8:40. Imagine my heart break. So, on my travel days, I usually wait for TKTS that night and see what I'm in the mood for. Since I get to NYC only twice a year, there's always something I've wanted to see but haven't.