Everything & Anything New York City

northwest1965

guineapig wrote: »

We are going to NY in October,we have a Virgin package which includes transfers, does anyone know the name of the company that Virgin use?

(I was thinking of getting a taxi if it is the bad company that is slated on TA.)

If we do get the Taxi, I am assuming that you just go to the Yellow cabs outside and tell 'em where you want to go?

When you get there do you ask them how much you owe them? ( as you would in the UK) or do you give them the (is it $45?) plus toll ( is there more than one? we are going to Beacon on UWS) plus tip?

By the time we get there we will be very tired so want to know what I am doing!

It's 9 years since we were in USA so we will be fingerprinted and the rest. Does this mean we will be ages getting through alll the security?

Someone on this thread implied that you go through security before getting your luggage, is this true? and does it cause any problems?

Finally, are all airlines the same on arrival? what I mean is does everyone just pile into the one big customs/security que?

(I wondered if anyone could/would be kind enough to talk me through the routine upon landing, as I said I have not been to US since 2001 and a lot has changed since then)

Thank you all in advance:D

I think I would email or phone Virgin and ask them who they use, just to satisfy yourself. I doubt they would use a bad company.

napmum

guineapig wrote: »

If we do get the Taxi, I am assuming that you just go to the Yellow cabs outside and tell 'em where you want to go?

When you get there do you ask them how much you owe them? ( as you would in the UK) or do you give them the (is it $45?) plus toll ( is there more than one? we are going to Beacon on UWS) plus tip?

By the time we get there we will be very tired so want to know what I am doing!

It's 9 years since we were in USA so we will be fingerprinted and the rest. Does this mean we will be ages getting through alll the security?

Someone on this thread implied that you go through security before getting your luggage, is this true? and does it cause any problems?

Finally, are all airlines the same on arrival? what I mean is does everyone just pile into the one big customs/security que?

(I wondered if anyone could/would be kind enough to talk me through the routine upon landing, as I said I have not been to US since 2001 and a lot has changed since then)

Thank you all in advance:D

Just got back from NY yesterday. Had a fantastic time but our only bad time was on arrival at the airport! We queued for 2+ hours on arrival at 5pm as everyone was being fingerprinted and eyes scanned etc! Really felt for those with young children who were waiting alongside us. We missed getting the forms we should have on the airplane as we thought it wouldnt apply to us, apparently everyone needs to fill in a form, one per family at least. On it is all the same info you have already had to give; why you are here, where you are staying etc! Thankfully they gave us one and didnt put us to the back of the line when we reached the frount which was mentioned initially!
You do get your baggage after the security checks. By the time we got out our bags had stopped going around and were being laid out in lines! We collected our bags, passed someone who asked if we had brought in any food and then he nodded us through. We were out!
Thankyou to all who suggested going for yellow cabs only. We were approached by as many as 5 different people offering to take us to our hotel with prices varying from $80-$50 dollars but we shunned them all and went to the frount of a big line of yellow cabs where someone orgainsed who went where and confirmed the price with us. Reading the receipt on the back it says to hotels in Manhattan it's $45 plus tip & toll, i think we paid about $55. Good value as it's quite a way.

Our highlights and recommendations

- The big apple greeter, ours Nora took us a to a local square where she lives. Oasis of calm amid the noise and bustle of NY. Yet there is always something going on there with live music, chess playing aswell as the locals picnicing, walking dogs etc. Lovely. She also advised us to go to the financial centre opposite ground zero as it's a better view that the shop side. There's not a great deal to see as it is now a building site but it was a good tip and interesting to talk to the people at the info point in the centre who described what it had been like. Our greeter also got us used to the metro and bus system which helped loads.

- Ellens stardust diner. A diner which does cost maybe a bit more but once the waiters and waitresses have taken your order they take it in tunrs to burst into song! They are all musical theatre performers looking for work with some great voices and they involve you all as you eat which is great. More than just a meal so in our view worth the extra cost :j

-Ellis island where the immigrants went as they arrived. Some apparently got through in hours others stayed days, reminded us of our long winded arrival and queues at the airport1 The boat that took us there was also dropping off at the statue of liberty which meant we got great photos of that too. (We've done that before so gave it a miss this time) Be warned that we queued 20mins for ticket for the boat then 1hr 20 to get on the boat so it was a long wait! Thank goodness for the buskers etc!

- Shows, we saw Billy Elliot, West Side Story and Memphis. We are keen on musical theatre! they were all brilliant but we all enjoyed Memphis the most as it is an American story and we were in America. The story is a bit hairspray like and the songs were great. They maybe cost a bit more than London but you get a Playbill so no need to but a program and there's the tkt booth where you can get 1/2 price tickets on the day although we wait straight to box office and got 1/2 price tickets on the day we saw West Side Story.

We stayed at hotel thirty thirty which was great, i've just submitted a review to trip advisor. The first morning we walked two blocks and the empire state was there in frount of us, so central it was perfect for us. Clean but basic, we had breakfast included which helped too.

We had a great 6 days largely helped by the many tips I had picked up from reading here so I hope I help someone too.

lisadolphin

Thanks a lot for your trip report napmum it was really informative and interesting!

Did you have to stand for all of the 2 hours you were queueing? Also, did you enter Manhattan over a bridge or under a tunnel?

Thanks.

Lisa

napmum

lisadolphin wrote: »

Thanks a lot for your trip report napmum it was really informative and interesting!

Did you have to stand for all of the 2 hours you were queueing? Also, did you enter Manhattan over a bridge or under a tunnel?

Thanks.

Lisa

Yes we had to stand for the 2 hours, though there were four of us, me, my daughters and my mum, so we took it in turns to sit and join the line again as it looped. You could slip in easily and change at points, we sussed this after the first hour. There's a water fountain and toilet though I found the airport toilets disappointing, they needed a good clean!

We went in a tunnel into Manhattan and a bridge back to the airport, is that significant?

lisadolphin

Thanks for your reply napmum.

I was just wondering because I don't like being stuck under tunnels and would prefer to go over the bridge in a taxi.

What time did you arrive at JFK? I heard if you arrive at rush hour it is much busier.

yoghurt

Hello

We (2 adults/2 kids) are staying in NY for 3 nights from 16/10/10 with another family (2 adults/3 kids) and are looking for suitable hotels-however we have come across the problem for the family of 5 that hotels only cater for upto 4 people so would need 2 rooms which does boost the cost

I was originally looking at the the Ramada Limited Jersey City which had mainly good reviews but there were a few about bedbugs! I have seen the Cosmopolitan recommended on this thread

The other family were considering just getting one room with 2 double beds and squeezing all 5 in but I am not so sure-do you think they would get away with this?

many thanks

Yoghurt

mikeopvc

It's my wife's 40th birthday on December 30th and I was thinking of doing something special for her, someone suggested a New York break but I'm a bit sceptical (not sure why)

Just thought to post on here for any advice and possibly any suggestions as to where I might get the best deal.
I want it to be special but on the other hand don't want to spend a fortune (I'm tight honest just an MSE fan):D

Do's and don'ts welcome please and if anyone has any tips on restaurants, shows etc that would be great.

Iv'e already had some sound advice off phatbear (thanks phatbear) on a different thread, but just thought to start again on here.
Wow a whole great big thread on New York, can't believe I missed it.

Savvy_Sue

Just a teensy little question, is this something your wife would LIKE to do?

Obviously if she's a huge Sex and the City fan, that's a daft question, but I think you should be sure of the answer.

I have been, with all the family, but if DH had suggested just the two of us going for a 'special' birthday I would not have been terrifically enthusiastic. Going to NY was never on my list of "things to do before I die", and going again still isn't ...

mikeopvc

Savvy_Sue wrote: »

Just a teensy little question, is this something your wife would LIKE to do?

Obviously if she's a huge Sex and the City fan, that's a daft question, but I think you should be sure of the answer.

I have been, with all the family, but if DH had suggested just the two of us going for a 'special' birthday I would not have been terrifically enthusiastic. Going to NY was never on my list of "things to do before I die", and going again still isn't ...

Oh dear now I am worried, that's about the 5th time I've been asked that.
I really appreciate you are only trying to help really I do but How can I find out if it is what she would like without spoiling the suprise?
I don't want to start asking her random questions about New York etc. or she'll just get suspicious.
Any ideas?

Savvy_Sue

Well, is she a SatC fan?