This is one of the hardest things I've ever had to organise in my life! The reviews are appalling and TBH there is just a lot of moaning about security and not much on what actually happens etc!
So here is my review which I hope is better than the ones I had!
Firstly the event we went to was Tonic Bar Times Square! Booking the event was very easy once we decided we was going Tonic, the process was a long few weeks as you truly are shooting in the dark as the lack of reviews is astounding and it's hard to see on a map where the ball drops, if you can actually see or even go on the street to watch the ball drop!
So once we chose Tonic bar we booked it through their website which was linked to event bite! The tickets where $370 roughly £300 this included an open bar and food being passed around (pizza, cheese sticks, sliders etc) Honestly I was more interested in street access, something this event offered and this is the reason we booked it as it was the most 'reasonable' priced place we could find. So yeah we booked it and the tickets where sent via email and that was it!
New Year's Eve - so we arrived in NYC 28/12/16 and over those days we got told by many New Yorkers to make sure we leave our hotel at least 1-1.5 hours before our event is due to start as there is a lot of security (something I'd seen a lot of people mention online) so we decided to leave our hotel 'double tree hilton' on 51st Lexington avenue at around 18:30! Security was tight but in all honesty I found it comforting especially in the world we live in today! What I can tell you about security and access to your event is that you have to access on the street of your event. You won't get through if it's not. So ours was between 48th and 49th so we went through 49th off 6th! Don't bother 'trying' as they check your ticket and in our case google map the bar if they are unsure! So just make your life easier and do what you're told haha. Many didn't in my line and it's really annoying! So you get bag checked and your body scanned once that's done you're through to the next batch of security who are the ones who escort you to your bar/restaurant etc! The only minor hiccup we had was that the bar didn't open till 20:00 and we arrived through security at 19:15 so we had a 45 minute wait but hey ho can't have it all!
Once in we had a ball! The atmosphere is great and in all honesty its worth it for a once in your life experience! We got access to the street to watch the ball drop but I'd definitely start queuing at the door earlier so I can get next to the barrier (best view) if I done it again which I probably would. However I still got to see the ball drop so that's great! What I would like to say that I wish you wasn't allowed balloons and tall hats it's not fair on other revellers as some couldn't see because of them! Something the organisers should think about!
So yeah I had a great time! A quick note I'm going to make now is places you can go to and see the ball if you want to go and can't get Tonic bar!
Tonic bar
Olive garden
TGIFridays - 51st (my parents went here the same night for New Years and they loved it)
Bubba gumps
Applebees
The view (expensive)
Marriott (expensive)
Hope this helps! If you need any help let me know (I've already done a separate review of tonic bar on their own review thing)