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SPAMALOT - Going to see Clay on the cheap


Couch Tomato

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Hee, this is my kind of thread!

I noticed that you can buy seats in the first few rows by clicking on Best Available rather than Premium Seating, and they are only half the price. I guess it depends on the show, but we managed to get seats in the 2nd row for $111 each, on a weeknight. I've seen others post that the same seats cost double that for other performances. I think it's also true of the matinee shows on Saturdays and Sundays.

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I noticed that you can buy seats in the first few rows by clicking on Best Available rather than Premium Seating, and they are only half the price. I guess it depends on the show, but we managed to get seats in the 2nd row for $111 each, on a weeknight. I've seen others post that the same seats cost double that for other performances. I think it's also true of the matinee shows on Saturdays and Sundays.

Just for a lark, I tried the best available for the week of my spring break and got Row A for the $111 price, also. It was for a lark because I can't afford it even at those prices. Now, if I lived in NY..........that's a whole other story.

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If it's allowed, I'll bring a partial post over from RVzLady from Clackhouse, who knows NY very well:

"For those flying in - I highly recommend this Queens hotel for price, cleanliness, location/travel convenience, etc.

Pan American Hotel

7900 Queens Blvd, Flushing, NY - (718) 446-7676

http://www.panamhotelnewyork.com/

ALSO, there are PLENTY of nice hotels at the airports.

In other words, forget Manhattan unless you got a wad of cash and are itching to spend it ;)

ETA: Pan Am Hotel is 15 - 20 minutes to the theater by subway, which is right next door to the hotel."

I went online and there is a current online promotion for 2 people, queen bed fro $121/night. That sounds like a good deal to me!

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Hey, I read somewhere someone talking about half price ticket line? Is this the booth in Times square that I have seen on TV for last minute tickets? I am from Australia but may be in NY towards the end of April/early May. Also, can anyone recommend a decent budget hotel/apartment etc for 2 adults & 2 kids in a convenient location?

Might I just add...... EEEEEEEEEEEE!

Waves to Zena!! Thanks for the warm welcome!

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I have made this suggestion before, I will try it again. There is a minimall with office buildings and hotels and free parking in Secuacus NJ.

There is a $3 bus to NYC at worst every 30 minutes, but mostly every 15 minutes. Except for the commuter hours on Thrusday and Friday, it is a quick ride to the bus terminal at 8th avenue between 40th and 41st sts.

The hotels are not cheap, but are reasonable. If you have a car, you can stay 10 minutes further away at the red roof inn for about $72

other wise here is the page with the hotels.

The following hotels are in the mall with restaurants and quick bus access

Amerisuites - Meadowlands

Courtyard By Marriott

Embassy Suites Hotel

Holiday Inn - Harmon Meadow

Homestead Studio Suites - Meadowlands

They are nice hotels, we used to house clients in these hotels.

Other cities to look at are Jersey City and Hoboken near the PATH trains.

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Many thanks Playbiller !

It helps to get the opinion of the locals. The travel agent often doesn't know or only will recomend hotels that are affiliated with the travel company, at a much higher price. Of course, every little saved on this sort of thing allows a longer trip. .........Or more cds , theatre tickets, binoculars......

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I've only been to New York on a side sight seeing trip when I traveled to New Jersey for work quite a few years ago, so I don't know much about accomodations there. I did just have really good luck on hotel rates in Chicago using hotwire.com. When i first started looking for rooms for the date I needed, I was getting quotes in the $300 to $400 a night range, and this was at hotels I had stayed at before for $100 to $150.

The thing with hotwire is that you tell them the number of stars you want and in the location. For example I was looking for a 4 star in the Michigan Ave area. Hotwire will come back with hotels in the area you want and show you everything from 1 and a half to 4 stars. They do not tell you the name of the hotel until you book. I was reluctant to try this at first but after a few weeks of trying to find a good rate at a decent hotel I thought I'd give it a try. They will give you basic descriptions of the hotel, tell you the general location & star rating. They also give you the names of some of the hotels that contract with them to fill empty rooms. In the case of the one I used, they had also noted in red, "customer favorite".

The other thing they give you is the rate of course. In my case the rate I got was $133 a night for a 4 star hotel right on Michigan Ave. After I found out the name of the hotel, I went through the regular booking sites to check the rates they were quoting for the same hotel and the rate was $426 a night. I found the rates were going down on hotwire as it got closer to the date I needed. Anyway, I just thought I throw this out there for some of you to consider.

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You know how I recommended staying at that mall area in Secaucus. I used to work there and there was always plenty to do at lunchtime, but it has grown in the number of stores, hotels and restaurants since I was there 5 years ago. In addition, there are discount malls a bus ride away (or a car ride if you call a friend who lives there locally).

Here is a map of the area - you canb see I left a few hotels off the list that have been built since I worked there - so there are more choices, if you have any discounts availab le from them. Here is a map of what is in this mall.

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Question, as I've never been to NYC let alone a Broadway show....what is the dress code, and/or normal dress?

Pants OK? (I HATE dresses whine whine, but for Clay anything)

Glittery? or reserved?

Anything goes...its New York. To be sure, just go with best casuals. Dressy pants and nice top.

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Two older hotels which are convenient are the Wellington (55th & 7th) and the Pennsylvania (34th & 7th) (you know Pennsylvania 6-5000) They were both very glamorous in their day but are really basic now, but clean and fairly well kept. Rooms range from $150 - $250.

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The hotels are not cheap, but are reasonable. If you have a car, you can stay 10 minutes further away at the red roof inn for about $72

Hey play, since we are now thinking about driving in, this might be a really good option for us. I checked it out and we can get a room for 3 adults, 1 child for $99.99 a night. Questions - to access the bus to NYC, could we still drive and park for free in that Plaza complex? Once we bus in, how far is it to get to the Shubert? What would be our best options for sight seeing the next day, without having to drive in NYC? My son is anxious to see the Statue of Liberty, and I'd like to perhaps go to Central Park.

Thanks for all your help!

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Great tips in this thread! I'm especially going to check out that CNN link Claygasm posted because I'd really like to stay in the city.

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Bringing this over from CH for those interested in cut rate tickets.

I get part of my NY Times delivered on Saturdays. There is a Playbill "Season of Savings" booklet inserted in this issue. It looks just like a Playbill. It is pages of coupons for Broadway shows including Spamalot. Each coupon is in the form of a dollar bill, and for Spamalot's coupon you can get Orchestra and Mezz. seats for $70 and Balcony seats for $45. The offer is valid for Sunday, Jan 6 through Sunday March 14. It is for shows on Tue, Wed. Thur and Sun. evenings, and Sat and Sun matinees.

You can get this savings by using the coupon, or by going to the website, broadwayoffers.com and using the code, SAVE13.

On the back of the coupon, it says, "Clay Aiken Joins the cast of the funniest show in the world January 18!" Also, there's kind of a "newsy" section in the booklet. It mentions that Eric Idle penned the book "and now Idle meet Idol as Clay Aiken joins the cast."

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The hotels are not cheap, but are reasonable. If you have a car, you can stay 10 minutes further away at the red roof inn for about $72

Hey play, since we are now thinking about driving in, this might be a really good option for us. I checked it out and we can get a room for 3 adults, 1 child for $99.99 a night. Questions - to access the bus to NYC, could we still drive and park for free in that Plaza complex? Once we bus in, how far is it to get to the Shubert? What would be our best options for sight seeing the next day, without having to drive in NYC? My son is anxious to see the Statue of Liberty, and I'd like to perhaps go to Central Park.

Thanks for all your help!

There is a Novotel a few minutes further down the road in Lyndhearst that my neighbors used to stay at when they came back to visit their old friends.

I drive from my house and park at the Plaza, you can see the bus stops and they all have schedules printed, or you can go a little further and go to the park and ride - same bus, pretty much the same schedule. Busses run until 1 am. The theater is within wallking distance at between 40th and 42nd streets and 8th and 9th avenues. If the weather is bad, go the taxi route.

If you want to drive into the city, since there are so many of you (figure @3.50 each way for a bus ticket vs $7 tunnel and parking), here is a place where you can compare parking by neighborhood and make a reservation if you want, pluys they have a 10 dollar off theater parking coupon good through March.

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I just reserved (without actually having to have my credit card charged!) a room with a queen bed at the Pan American Hotel in Elmhurst....$110 per night +taxes; free airport shuttle; 15 mins to Midtown Manhattan by bus or subway. Sounds like a plan! :clap:

But DAYUM! Airfares are really NOT looking good. :cry4:

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I booked a room at the Pan American, too. Can't beat the price, and I'll have more moolah to spend on having fun since I'm not spending as much on lodging! The reviews were quite good, especially compared to the reviews of some of the Manhattan lower-priced hotels.

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Found this info on the CH. Since the bus is $3.50 each way per person from Secaucus NJ, this sounds like it might not be a bad idea, with a full car.

FYI-Parking in Manhattan-If you are funneling out of the Lincoln Tunnel please consider parking at the Port Authority. Make sure you are in the most right lane of the tunnel toll booths and tunnel entrance. The Port Authority parking ramp is literally right after you get out of the tunnel (watch for signs). It is very convenient, well patroled, fairly cheap at $28 a day (open 6am to 1am) and you don't really have to drive in Manahattan at all to get there. It is a fairly light walk to 44th Street (just 4 blocks North on 8th Avenue and one block East on 44th). Cabs are easily secured right at the Port Authority if necessary.

http://www.panynj.gov/CommutingTravel/bus/html/parking.html

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Is anyone familiar with Stewart International Airport near Newburgh, NY? It looks like it's about an hour north of NYC. Also does anyone know anything about transportation from that area into the city and back?

Skybus just started service this past fall out of Columbus, OH and while it appears I missed the $10 flights for our trip in April, I can still get two round-trip tickets for about half the price of one from the usual airlines. Just wondering about the transportation $$ and hassle in getting to/from the city.

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I asked this question on main, but had no response. Does anyone have information about taxis from JFK airport to either the main bus station, or to Secaucus NJ? If we are flying in, we need to figure out how we are getting to our destination! :)

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Stewart airport: I know my sister plans to go there and I have to drive up and get her, about 1.5 hours from my house. SOmeone said you can get a cab to the train station and get to grand central thought that, but check the amtrak train schedules. If you go to the airport site, you might find bus information.\

Luckiest, I still don't know the answer. Did I tell you I have wireless in my house and two computers?

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