Hello New York ! - any non-lottery viewing area ?

wongck

WDW here we come!!
Joined
Oct 22, 2016
The stage is outdoors.
Is there any viewing spot that one can see the show if we don't win the lottery ?
 
Are you going during Christmastime? Hello New York usually doesn't have a lottery for the non-seasonal version.
You can stand from the area behind the fence which is OK viewing although there may be like 2 rows of people who won the lottery but will stand in front of the fence. Much better viewing than outside the theater for Let's Party Gras.
 
it's in December.
Seeing that Christmas program seems to have started in Nov, and Nov does have lottery on the schedule, it seems plausible that Dec will also be under lottery.
So just in case, I don't win it, I will still be behind some fence ( fence ??). I have no idea what's the separation is ( fence) , as it's my 1st time in DS. :o
 
As you can see in the pic below when they were building the stage for Hello New York, the white fence isn't that tall. That space in front of the fence is filled with benches. I actually never watched the show when it had lottery so someone who is more familiar can fill in: Are people who win the lottery (or get in on standby) allowed to stand in the back or are they all assigned seating?

On non-lottery days, people stand in front of the fence which blocks a bit for people who are trying to watch from outside of the fence. But if everyone has to sit during lottery days, then outside viewing is actually really good.

1573299175918.png
 


Thanks for the picture.
Looks like even if we are to stand outside the fence, there isn't really a lot of room.
 
I just checked on the app and confirmed the first showing has no lottery like most other shows.
 
Ah... ok, Thanks for the hint about the app.
I really have to look at it more often now.... so I see today on the app that 1st two sessions are 1st two sessions are non-lottery.
My guess is that the yellow characters means lottery.
 


Ah... ok, Thanks for the hint about the app.
I really have to look at it more often now.... so I see today on the app that 1st two sessions are 1st two sessions are non-lottery.
My guess is that the yellow characters means lottery.
Not sure what you're looking at but I'm seeing only the first show as non-lottery. I wouldn't count on show 2 being non-lottery.
 
The stage is outdoors.
Is there any viewing spot that one can see the show if we don't win the lottery ?
it's in December.
Seeing that Christmas program seems to have started in Nov, and Nov does have lottery on the schedule, it seems plausible that Dec will also be under lottery.
So just in case, I don't win it, I will still be behind some fence ( fence ??). I have no idea what's the separation is ( fence) , as it's my 1st time in DS. :o
The show is a lottery system, but yes you can see without it.

Red-lottery viewing
Orange-standby standing viewing
Green-non-standby viewing with good view (this area is on a ramp, which means people standing along this railing can be a couple feet above the people standing below)
Blue-meh non-standby viewing. You are going to be the same height as people standing in front of you.

451890

I ended up seeing it from the green section on the first soft-opening day last week, so I was able to arrive only about 1 hr beforehand and get a good view. But, that was due to people being willing to wait longer and get one of the actual seats. For show lotteries, it unfortunately gets crazy and the good views are taken hours beforehand (this goes for every show at TDS).
 
@Lesley, Thanks for the detailed location. 👍

For show lotteries, it unfortunately gets crazy and the good views are taken hours beforehand (this goes for every show at TDS).
What do you mean?
Isn't every there enough room for all the lotteries winners?
So standing in the green area may be better?
 
I ended up seeing it from the green section on the first soft-opening day last week, so I was able to arrive only about 1 hr beforehand and get a good view. But, that was due to people being willing to wait longer and get one of the actual seats. For show lotteries, it unfortunately gets crazy and the good views are taken hours beforehand (this goes for every show at TDS).

Is that map accurate for the Christmas version of the show (just checking in case that map was from 35th anniversary version of the show and changed)? I thought TDR doesn't usually do lotteries for soft opening.

Isn't every there enough room for all the lotteries winners?

I'm not sure how Hello New York works but some lotteries are unordered so you line up and choose spots based on who is in line first. So the best spots are taken by lottery winners who wait a long time. But Hello New York seems to be capable of doing assigned seating so what I think is more likely is the seat awarding system. The best seats are won first and if you do the lottery right before the show starts, you'll likely get a worse seat. Doing a show lottery first thing when you enter the park doesn't guarantee that you'll win but it'll mean better seats if you do win.
 
@Lesley, Thanks for the detailed location. 👍


What do you mean?
Isn't every there enough room for all the lotteries winners?
So standing in the green area may be better?
Oh, I think Lottery views are better. If you win the lottery then you will get into the theatre.

I meant if there is a show that has a lottery, there will be so many people who aren't able to get in, so their only option will be Standby or standing outside the theatre. The day I did it was a soft opening with no lottery, so people who really wanted to see the show could get a spot in the theatre just by waiting for hours, so they went there, leaving the "green" area open until closer to showtime. I would expect on a regular show day that area would be grabbed up after the previous performance ended. Unfortunately that is a common occurrence at TDR with hard core fans willing to wait hours and hours for a spot (not necessarily a good spot). I had an iffy spot for the first It's Christmas show one morning (I wasn't able to get into the park early enough to get one of the seated plaza spots), and as I was trying to leave after the show I was shoved to the side by people trying to take that spot even though the next show wasn't for over 2 hrs. Same with parade spots in TDL. I was really overwhelmed by everything and the fans, so my best recommendation is: you cannot prepare yourself in advance for some of this craziness, but just take a deep breath and be willing to adjust on the fly!

Is that map accurate for the Christmas version of the show (just checking in case that map was from 35th anniversary version of the show and changed)? I thought TDR doesn't usually do lotteries for soft opening.



I'm not sure how Hello New York works but some lotteries are unordered so you line up and choose spots based on who is in line first. So the best spots are taken by lottery winners who wait a long time. But Hello New York seems to be capable of doing assigned seating so what I think is more likely is the seat awarding system. The best seats are won first and if you do the lottery right before the show starts, you'll likely get a worse seat. Doing a show lottery first thing when you enter the park doesn't guarantee that you'll win but it'll mean better seats if you do win.
I think I could see markings on the back of the benches so the seating is ordered? I think similar to Let's Party Gras, where if there are actual benches/seats, then it's ordered. It's only the general Harbor shows/parades which are unordered, though I did hear anecdotal stories that they called forth people based on ticket order (I never won those lotteries).

That map was for the Christmas one (I saw it last week).
 
Unfortunately that is a common occurrence at TDR with hard core fans willing to wait hours and hours for a spot (not necessarily a good spot).

LOL... I bet they cannot bet this:
When I went to DL (Anaheim) we were lucky enough to go on the day of Candlelight processional. We RD the park and there were people already with their blankets reserving the benches around the center of the square. Yeah this is for a performance that happens twice a year... I was like "are you kidding me?"
It would be very difficult for visitors like me that goes to DL once every decade to spend a day just reserving blankets. I guess AP are different.

Same with parade spots in TDL. I was really overwhelmed by everything and the fans, so my best recommendation is: you cannot prepare yourself in advance for some of this craziness, but just take a deep breath and be willing to adjust on the fly!
Yes, if it gets to ridiculous, I would miss it rather than seeing tiny characters dancing. In any case, if my kids is not tall enough, they cannot see it so it will be best not to waste time see other head/backs.
 
LOL... I bet they cannot bet this:
When I went to DL (Anaheim) we were lucky enough to go on the day of Candlelight processional. We RD the park and there were people already with their blankets reserving the benches around the center of the square. Yeah this is for a performance that happens twice a year... I was like "are you kidding me?"
It would be very difficult for visitors like me that goes to DL once every decade to spend a day just reserving blankets. I guess AP are different.


Yes, if it gets to ridiculous, I would miss it rather than seeing tiny characters dancing. In any case, if my kids is not tall enough, they cannot see it so it will be best not to waste time see other head/backs.
Oh I totally know! I've done the CP wait at Disneyland before (once is enough for me). The people that do that every year are on another level. That was the only thing I could compare Tokyo to, except its so many more people in Tokyo and happens almost every day!

I had better luck waiting for the Christmas parade, as I'd typically wait until the 1-hour mark, put down my new parade mat and backpack, then go and pick up food.
 

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