TKTS Booths In NYC located In Times Square and Lincoln Center Are A Great Place To Get Discount Broadway Tickets, But What Are The Caveats?
The Top 10 TKTS Myths Examined:
TKTS Myth No.1 : Best Seats When it First Opens
Unfortunately, the TKTS staff people won't let you actually choose your seats once you get to the ticket window. They usually have a stack of tickets for each available Broadway show and will just give you the ones from the top. The good news, though, is that most of the tickets that the Broadway shows earmarked to be sold at the half-price booth are for the orchestra and front mezzanine, so it's likely that you'll get pretty good seats.
Also, it's a common misconception that all the best seats will be available when the booth first opens, but that isn't necessarily the case. Broadway shows continue to send tickets over to the booth throughout the day, depending upon how ticket sales are going at the theater's box office (For the full retail price) so even if you don't get in line until the evening, you still may grab some great seats and even better prices.
TKTS Myth No.2 : TKTS Has The Best Discounts
Although a lot of people do it and the TKTS discount ticket stand has some great Broadway ticket bargains, they are usually not the lowest priced Broadway Tickets. Our Discount Broadway Ticket List provides the very best ticket discounts, that are actually all available in advance - The tickets at the TKTS ticket stand can only be purchased on the day of the show and when there is enough ticket inventory left.
TKTS Myth No.3 : The Times Square TKTS Location Has The Best Ticket Inventory
Most people flock to the Times Square TKTS location for their Broadway ticket discounts, but the South Street Seaport and Downtown Brooklyn locations are open a full four-hours before the Times Square location and thus always have the best ticket inventory. All TKTS tickets are electronic and any of the tickets can be sold at any of the three TKTS locations.
Top 10 Tips for Buying Tickets at The TKTS Tickets Booth
- Arrive at the TKTS booth soon as it opens (Or earlier) if you're looking for tickets to one of the more popular shows
- Both The Times Square TKTS booth and the Lincoln Center counterpart now accept credit cards as well as cash
- There is now a $4 per ticket surcharge at the booth
- As time goes on through the day, tickets are still available. So, at 7 or 7:30PM, you will be able to buy tickets with little or no wait in line. In fact, additional tickets often go on sale shortly before the start of a performance. However, you do run the risk of having a more limited choice at that point.
- If you get tickets at the last minute from the Times Square booth you can go straight from the TKTS stand to most Broadway theaters in under 5 minutes.
- Be aware that some shows -- particularly Off-Broadway shows and some music/dance events -- can be in more far-flung Manhattan locations, so ask where the venue is before you buy.
- If you plan to get tickets for a play (rather than a musical), go to the window at the Times Square TKTS booth that is specified as "Plays Only," so you'll want to get in line there to move through faster.
- The line you'll be waiting in is outdoors in the open air, so dress accordingly, rain or shine.
- Be aware there is a lot of people smoking weed in Times Square
- Beware the scalpers and street vendors at the ticket booth, they will try to sell you pretty much anything that is not nailed down
