TIMES SQUARE VISITORS CENTER, a destination in itself!!!
Written: Sep 18 '03 (Updated Feb 02 '04)
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Product Rating:
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Pros: It's a great place to start your visit and have fun too!
Cons: Not much
The Bottom Line: It will be hard to go to this place once you are in the midst of all that is Times Square. It's worth the effort to stop in.
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| popsrocks's Full Review: Times Square Visitors Center |
I have lived and worked in NEW YORK CITY most of my life. I have written over twenty reviews of NYC destinations. I can say I know the city pretty darn well. Why would I need to go to the visitors center before getting around town.
I read a little bit about the place and last week for the first time I went to The Times Square Visitors Center. What a surprise. It was fantastic!!
The center is on the east side of seventh ave. between 46th and 47th street. This is directly across from Duffy square and the tkts booth were you can get some day of show tickets at half price.
There is a marque above the entrance with the name. I expected perhaps a small lobby with two or even three people behind a window answering questions and giving out some brochures. No, this was much different than what I envisioned.
After I was there I wanted to learn more about the theatre itself. I knew I was standing in something special. I went their web site at www.timessquarebid.org I learned that the visitors center is housed in an old and totally refurbished MGM Movie Theatre that was built in 1925 in a Louis XV style. This was a high society movie theatre.This building now holds landmark status. The center was opened in 1998.
I quote a couple of other interesting facts I learned. This was the first and only movie theatre in the US, managed and staffed solely by woman.
First newsreel theatre in America, sparking a national trend.
Last Times Square vintage theatre in Times Square to present a first run feature film.
So you walk into a long narrow hall that is all marble, crystal and ornate handiwork on the walls and ceilings You feel like you stepped back in time to glory days. This opens up to the main part of the theatre which is equally stunning. This isn't a huge theatre by any means but its a great size and quite roomy for a visitors center. Though all the booths look like they are on the same level if you look down, you'll notice that the floor is angled down toward the stage.
In the middle is a round desk with pamphlets in holders set around it. Get yourself a free Times Square map and a restaurant guide. The map is detailed with many theatres, hotels, and restaurants in color coded print.
This visitors center can answer questions about Times Square and all of NYC. I didn't talk to any of the three people who were stationed there, but I did see friendly smiles and eye to eye attention from them to the tourist who were asking questions.
Now generally what I have told you about this place is what a visitors center offers. This had MUCH more info and fun!
FREE INTERNET SERVICE
So you are away from home and just want to touch base or perhaps look something up that you plan to see while in the city. You want to get on line. Well Yahoo has given you that opportunity. They maintain six PCs that are timed for ten minutes use. There was a short line when I was there, about five minutes long. You can calculate how long you will be on line by the ten minutes time they allow and how many computers are up. Five of the six were up the day I was there.
I stepped up to one of these about an hour before the Epinion.com Meet and Greet. This was an affair given by the company to get writers of Epinions to meet the brass of the California based company. I thought I would write an Express Review from Times Square, about Times Square. And I did.
Most people seemed to be looking up places in the Times Square area. I also saw a hotels.com on the screen. I think the internet time given in the visitors center is a terrific free service.
SEND A VIDEO MESSAGE FREE
Right next to the Yahoo station was another one by Panasonic. These people had four PCs set up so you could give a video message. The screen prompts you and you can talk, sing, or do whatever into the camera. It records about ten seconds if I recall. You then send it to whoever you like.
I saw a group of young girls who were a bit sheepish at first when doing it. By the time the last girl did hers they were all laughing and shouting into the screen.
Oh, I forgot. In the short video you are superimposed on an animated Times Square back ground!
Behind the monitors is another set of monitors. These are showing some pretty cool footage of NYC from the air. It runs continuously.
TOURS TOURS and MORE TOURS
One of the things you may be asking at the Visitors Center information desk is about tours. Well a few steps from the desk and the Panosonic vids is the tour desk. They have every kind of tour you could want, city wide or just of Times Square. Check this place out. Boat tours, bus tours and walking tours can be purchased right there.
There is also a free Times Square tour given every Friday that meets and leaves from the Visitors Center. It goes to old theatres and other Times Square destinations. Yes, I did say it's free! Go to the Visitors web site for exact time. I believe it was at noon.
METRO CARDS SOLD HERE
Right at the tour booth is where you can get Metro cards for bus and subway travel. I don't think they have just one way cards. I believe the have the all day or other length of time metro passes.
TIMES SQUARE POST OFFICE
The next booth over from the tours desk is the Times Square Post Office or at least where you can place your mail to be posted with a Times Square post. This is a small booth that had souvenirs that stamp collectors will love. They also have many other little gifts to send home. The woman there was extremely friendly. It was like she wanted you to come over so she could help you.
SEE A SHOW ON the STAGE
The front of the theatre still has a small stage area. I read that from time to time they have live entertainment come in. I checked the web site and they listed a ton of acts that have been there.
There are two or maybe three rows of the original orchestra seats still holding the position of front rows center. You can just sit there and relax a bit after some hard touring.
BE ON A HUGE SCREENS HIGH ABOVE BROADWAY
FOR FREE
Continuing around the vintage theatre you get to the HSBC booth. This bank gives you the coolest of the coolest thing to do. You can have your picture up on the top screen above the Cadillac sign in the middle of Times Square on 47th street. You go on line, there wasn't one when I was there, and you fill out a very brief form. They then take each person in front of a blue screen actually this one is green and digitally take your picture.
It will then be put onto an animated body and then into an animated scene. You may be a race car driver zooming through the streets of the city. I was a bull fighter. You have no choice. It's all a surprise. Five minutes after your picture is taken, you walk outside, look up at the giant screen and THERE YOU ARE!! Be sure to have a camera to take a picture of yourself towering above Broadway.
They also give you a sheet of paper with a code. When you get home you can find this on your PC. It comes up about twenty four hours after the picture is done and is available to download for thirty days.
SOUVENIR
One more small booth is now occupied. There is one empty one. The booth occupied one sells all the usual NYC souvenirs and post cards.
AND A BATHROOM TO BOOT!!
If you have ever been around the city, sometimes a rest room can be hard to find without having to use one in a restaurant. Well right in the entrance area of the theatre is an accessible pair of rest rooms. They were clean and well stocked.
They also have an ATM Station by HSBC. This being inside with people around is a better place to get cash.
AND THE CURTAIN COMES DOWN
Well that's about it. I was floored by what was in the theatre, how empty it was at the time, and what the offered for FREE!!
More NYC eats
Stardust DinerA great place for before a show in Times Square. Aspiring actors are here.
The Manhattan Chili Company good quick eats before a show.
ESPN Zone A sports bar, arcade, and MORE!
TGI Friday's Times Square Location.
Ollies, Broadway
Pig N Whistle a fine pub
Tavern On The Green, A romantic dining room on Central Park
Sylvia's, a southern soul restaurant in Harlem
Fraunce's Tavern Lower Manhattan. GW ate here.
NYC reviews by Popsrocks
Times Square
The Empire State Building
Radio City Music Hall A Spectacular place to see a show!
Madame Tussaud's Wax Museum
The INTREPID Sea-Air-Space MUSEUM It's a good one!
Museum of Natural History
Manhattan 9/11 Memorials
TKTS half price tickets to Broadway
Aida, the Broadway Play Great show at half price
Thoroughly Modern Millie A 6 Tony award winner Broadway Play
Central Park
Recommended:
Yes
Best Suited For: Families
Best Time to Travel Here: Anytime
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