ESB Wait Time

I have a question about the wait at the Empire State Building.

We arrive next wednesday at 2:00PM. I figure by the time we get our luggage and catch a cab to the hotel at 51st and 7th, it will be 4:00 or 4:30 once we are checked in and ready to hit the street.

Wait do you think the wait time will be at the ESB around 5:00 or 5:30 on a Wednesday evening?

We have a 7:30 dinner reservation at Les Halles which is at 28th and Park Ave. Will 2 hours be enough time to get through the lines at ESB and still have 45 - 60 minutes to spend up there?

The alternative is we could go to the top of Rockefeller which is near the hotel and than head down to the restaurant.

Any suggestions would be appreciated.

JT

ESB Wait Time

open to correction here but i think on the rockerfeller centre website you can book tickets in advance to TOTR and specify your entrance time to the nearest 5 minutes, thereby resulting in no wait time. not sure if this option exists for ESB. i havent done either yet, its my first trip in december but i have decided to do TOTR instead of ESB based on advice on reviews on here which same to favour TOTR for better views and shorter lines. you also have the advantage of being able to see the ESB from here!

alternatively, in case you are delayed in any way on your journey could you make a slightly earlier dinner reservation and go up ESB after dinner instead. last lift is at 11pm and you will have spectacular night time views

ESB Wait Time

We went up the ESB on a Wednesday eve at about 22.00 after our meal.

It took us 20 mins to get from front door to observation deck inc the que for the %26#39;photo%26#39;.

It took us longer to get back down.

Great views but would also recommend the TOTR as this only took us 8 mins inc %26#39;photo%26#39; (at 16.00 next day).

Steve.

There is one question I have about the ESB.

You can buy tickets in advance online for the 86th floor but you can only get them for the 102?nd floor actually in the ESB.

Does this mean you have to queue up normally to be able to go in and buy a ticket to the 102nd floor? Or is it an extra you can get once you%26#39;ve gone through on the other line?

I am wondering if it%26#39;s worth going to the ESB when I visit in April (just 2 and a bit days) due to the amount of time it could take. I think I might do all the other things I want to do first and then give it a try.

NY is the most likely place I%26#39;d be revisiting in the future (out of anywhere in the US) So would have other chances.

i%26#39;m curious about the wait times as well... esb site states i can buy 2 types of tickets online - the first is just your regular pass, the second is an express pass which allows you to by-pass the line up AFTER security. Regular pass $18, Express pass $45...

how long is the line-up? needing to justify the $27 difference...

Thanks!!! :)

I guess I should add that i will be travelling to NYC the first week in November...

I think that it%26#39;s generally accepted round here that the wait for the ESB is too long to gamble with. My advice is to plan to go either first thing in the morning or at sunset but only if you don%26#39;t have reservations for anything later in the day. TOTR doesn%26#39;y require pre-booking as I have yet to hear of anyone having to wait in line.

The 102nd Floor is not seen as having any advantages over the outside observation deck.

Hi

I%26#39;ve done both - ESB took more than one hour in queue, TOTR took 0 minutes in queue - twice! TOTR is much much better and you get a great view of the ESB!

T