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November 7, 2026
The ball drops at midnight from the top of One Times Square. Many parties nearby list a view of it, and the difference between them is where you stand at midnight, and which ticket gets you there.
The countdown, from the street outside Applebee's 50th Street. Photo: Jon Fleming Photography.
Midnight on One Times Square. Photo: Jon Fleming Photography.
The show at the Marriott Marquis
14NYC parties list a view of the ball
$649the lowest price with a full view, at Planet Hollywood and Chicken Guy
11:59PM, the ball starts its 60-second drop
3kinds of view: windows, terraces and the street
Our picks at a glance
Ten parties near Times Square, each the best fit for one kind of night. Where the cheapest ticket doesn't include the ball at midnight, we show the price of the view too.
| Best for | Party | Why | From |
|---|---|---|---|
| Best overall | Marriott Marquis | 8th-floor Ball Drop Viewing Terrace above the Times Square stage, 21+ | $999view $2,750 |
| The highest view | Bar 54, Hyatt Centric | 54th-floor rooftop terrace, view with every ticket, 21+ | $1,499 |
| A view for every guest | M Social | Every guest is guaranteed a live view of the ball, 21+ | $899 |
| Watching from indoors | R Lounge, Renaissance | Windows on three sides of the main room, 21+ | $1,350 |
| Families | AMC 42nd Street | All ages, outdoor terrace access with every ticket | $799 |
| A front view from the street | Applebee's 50th Street | All ages, you step out at midnight for a front view | $849 |
| Dinner with a view | Olive Garden | Buffet dinner and its own outdoor viewing area, all ages | $899 |
| The lowest price for a full view | Planet Hollywood | All ages, step outside for the ball drop | $649 |
| A party under $200 | NYY Lounge, Hard Rock Hotel | The view needs a "View Escort" ticket | $125view $1,249 |
| A partial view | Palma Verde | Only the VIP tables see the ball, partly | $129view $499 |
Where exactly does the ball drop?
From the top of One Times Square, at Broadway and 43rd Street. The ball is raised at about 6 PM, starts its 60-second drop at 11:59 PM and lands at midnight. You can see it from the streets of Times Square and from the buildings that face it along Broadway and Seventh Avenue.
The angle matters. The Marriott Marquis, Bar 54 at the Hyatt Centric, M Social, R Lounge and Bowtie Bar at the Renaissance, Olive Garden and Rosie O'Grady's see the front of the ball. Planet Hollywood and Chicken Guy see it from the east side, and Applebee's and AMC on 42nd Street from the west.
The ball at midnight, seen from 50th Street. Photo: Jon Fleming Photography.
Our #1 place to watch the ball drop
Marriott Marquis
An 8th-floor party above the Times Square stage, with a premium open bar from 8:00 PM to 1:00 AM. From 11:15 PM to 12:15 AM the Ball Drop Viewing Terrace is for "Ball Drop Terrace Access" tickets only.
Check which ticket includes the view
This is the detail most people miss. At some parties the cheapest ticket gets you into the party, not in front of the ball at midnight.
At the Marriott Marquis, every ticket includes the party and the two outdoor terraces until 11:15 PM. From 11:15 PM to 12:15 AM the Ball Drop Viewing Terrace is for "Ball Drop Terrace Access" tickets, from $3,750, and window-side tables with an inside view of the ball start at $2,750. At the NYY Lounge in the Hard Rock Hotel, only the "Live Ball Drop View Escort" tickets, from $1,249, include a guided walk to a secured viewing area. At Palma Verde, only the VIP tables at $499 and $599 have a view, and it is partial.
At Bar 54, M Social, R Lounge, Bowtie Bar, AMC, both Applebee's, Olive Garden, Chicken Guy, Planet Hollywood and Rosie O'Grady's, every ticket includes the view.
Midnight from the Marriott Marquis Ball Drop Viewing Terrace
The party for under $200
NYY Lounge, Hard Rock Hotel
A lounge party from $125. Only the "Live Ball Drop View Escort" tickets include a guided walk to a secured viewing area in Times Square, and very few are left.
A partial view
Palma Verde
A holiday-themed party with a premium open bar (21+) from 9:00 PM to 1:00 AM. Only the VIP tables have a view of the ball, and it is a partial one.
Windows, a terrace or the street
From indoors. R Lounge at the Renaissance has large windows on three sides of the main room, Bowtie Bar in the same hotel watches through its windows too, and the Marriott Marquis sells window-side tables with an inside view. You stay warm and watch the ball through glass.
From a terrace or a rooftop. Bar 54 on the 54th floor of the Hyatt Centric, M Social's 5,700 sq ft terrace, AMC's Platinum (6th floor) and Gold (5th floor) terraces and the Marriott's 8th-floor terrace. The terraces at M Social and AMC are standing room, first come, first served.
From the street. At Applebee's 42nd Street and 50th Street, Olive Garden, Chicken Guy, Planet Hollywood and Rosie O'Grady's, you have dinner and drinks indoors, and at midnight you step out to the venue's viewing area on the street.
The real choice is where you stand at midnight.Behind glass, on a terrace, or out on the street with the crowd.
The highest view
Bar 54, Hyatt Centric
A rooftop lounge on the 54th floor. You watch the ball drop from its outdoor terrace, and every ticket includes it.
A view for every guest
M Social
Every guest is guaranteed a live view of the ball, inside or on the 5,700 sq ft terrace. The terrace is standing room, first come, first served.
The best view from indoors
R Lounge, Renaissance
Large windows on three sides of the main room look over Times Square and the ball. Formal attire, black tie optional.
Another view through glass
Bowtie Bar, Renaissance
A bar at the Renaissance Hotel with appetizers, food stations and a premium open bar. You watch the ball drop through its windows, and every ticket includes the view.
Inside Applebee's 42nd Street before midnight
Hats on for the ball drop, Applebee's 50th Street. Photo: Jon Fleming Photography.
How much it costs to watch the ball drop
Standing in the street is free. A party with a full view of the ball starts at $649 per person at Planet Hollywood and Chicken Guy, and runs to $1,499 at Bar 54. The best views at the Marriott Marquis cost $2,750 and up. Most parties include food, an open bar and a midnight toast.
Prices go up as each party sells, and the parties with a view of the ball sell out first.
From $649for a full view of the ball, dinner and drinks included.
The lowest price for a full view
Planet Hollywood
Dinner, a DJ and drinks on 42nd Street. At midnight you step outside for the ball drop, seen from the east side.
Dinner at a table of your own
Rosie O'Grady's
A full dinner and a premium open bar from 8:00 PM to 1:00 AM, at a reserved bar seat or a private table. At midnight you step out to the street for the ball drop. All ages.
A front view from the street
Applebee's 50th Street
A buffet and a premium open bar indoors, a seat for every guest, and at midnight you step out to the street for a front view of the ball.
A party with a view, or the street?
The viewing areas in the street are free, but they open at 3 PM and the closest spots fill first. You stand outside for nine hours or more, with no restrooms, no alcohol and no way back in if you leave. A party gives you a warm room, a bathroom, dinner and a drink, and a view of the ball at midnight.
Nine hours or morestanding outside, the usual wait for a street spot.
| A party with a view | The street | |
|---|---|---|
| Cost | From $649 for a full view of the ball | Free, first come |
| Arrive | When doors open, 7:00 to 9:00 PM | Viewing areas open at 3 PM and fill early |
| Restrooms | Yes | None, and no re-entry |
| Food and drink | Dinner or appetizers, open bar (21+) | No alcohol; bags are checked |
| Warmth | Indoors, out to a terrace or the street at midnight | Outdoors all night; about 34掳F at midnight on average |
Getting in on New Year's Eve
Police barricades close the streets around Times Square, and the NYPD asks to see your ticket to let you through to a party inside the barricaded area. Use the entry point your party gives you, bring your ticket and a photo ID, and expect to wait in a crowd for a while. Movement can be restricted from 11:30 PM to 12:15 AM, so be inside well before then.
Our guide to the Times Square barricades and entry points has the details.
Be inside by 11:30 PM.Movement around Times Square can be restricted until 12:15 AM.
Your night in Times Square
- 7:00 to 9:00 PMDoors open, depending on the party
- Before 11:30 PMBe inside: movement can be restricted until 12:15 AM
- 11:59 PMThe ball starts its 60-second drop
- 12:00 AMMidnight, confetti over Times Square
- 12:00 to 2:00 AMParties end, depending on the venue
Watching the ball drop with kids
AMC 42nd Street, Applebee's 42nd Street and 50th Street, Chicken Guy, Olive Garden, Planet Hollywood and Rosie O'Grady's welcome all ages. Palma Verde has an all-ages space upstairs; its Dramma Nightclub downstairs is 21+. Every guest needs a ticket.
Our family-friendly page has every all-ages New Year's Eve event in New York.
All ages at Applebee's 42nd Street
Best for families
AMC 42nd Street
All ages, with a buffet dinner and three outdoor terraces facing the ball. Every ticket includes terrace access; spots are standing room, first come.
Dinner with a view
Olive Garden
A buffet dinner and an open bar from 8:00 PM to 1:00 AM, then its own outdoor viewing area for the ball drop. All ages.
What to wear
The Marriott Marquis and R Lounge ask for formal attire, black tie optional, and Bar 54 says black tie optional. Elsewhere, festive party clothes are the norm. Bring a warm coat: the view at midnight is on a terrace or in the street at most parties, and the average midnight temperature is about 34掳F.
Coats on for the terrace, Hard Rock Hotel Times Square
Ball drop questions, answered
What time does the ball drop in Times Square?
The ball starts its 60-second descent at 11:59 PM ET on Thursday, December 31, 2026, and lands at midnight. It's raised to the top of One Times Square, at Broadway and 43rd Street, at about 6 PM, when the celebration begins.
Does every ticket include a view of the ball?
At most parties in this guide, yes. At the Marriott Marquis only the "Inside Ball Drop View" tables, from $2,750, and the "Ball Drop Terrace Access" tickets, from $3,750, see the ball at midnight. At the NYY Lounge only the "Live Ball Drop View Escort" tickets, from $1,249, include it, and at Palma Verde only the VIP tables, at $499 and $599, have a partial view. Check the ticket name before you buy.
Can you watch the ball drop from inside, out of the cold?
Yes. R Lounge has windows on three sides of the main room, Bowtie Bar in the same hotel watches through its windows, and the Marriott Marquis sells window-side tables with an inside view, from $2,750. At most other parties you step out to a terrace or the street at midnight.
How early should you get to Times Square for the ball drop?
The viewing areas open at 3 PM and the closest spots fill first, so many people line up in the early afternoon. Once an area is full, police send newcomers farther uptown. Plan to stand outside for nine hours or more; the average midnight temperature is about 34掳F. Or skip the wait with a ticketed party steps from Times Square.
Are there bathrooms in Times Square on New Year's Eve?
No. There are no public restrooms in the viewing areas, and if you leave your spot you can't get back in. A Times Square party includes restrooms, heat, food and drinks.
Can you drink alcohol in Times Square on New Year's Eve?
No. Alcohol isn't allowed in the viewing areas, and bags are checked at the entry points. Backpacks, large bags, umbrellas, chairs and coolers are also prohibited. For a champagne toast at midnight, book a party with an open bar.
When should I buy New Year's Eve tickets in NYC?
As soon as you know your plans. Tickets for our NYC parties are priced dynamically, so the price goes up as each event sells, and it can more than double in the last weeks of December. The most popular parties, especially those with a view of the ball drop, sell out before December 31.
Still wondering?Call 212-NEW-YEAR (212-639-9327), or use Ask a question at the top of the page.
Last New Year's Eve in Times Square
Photos from our New Year's Eve party at Applebee's 50th Street, by Jon Fleming Photography.
Ready to pick your view?
Every party with a view of the ball is on one page, with its address, doors and price.
About this guide. Every time, price and view detail in this guide comes from the party's own listing on NewYears.com and its ticket list, checked November 7, 2026. Ball drop facts are from the Times Square Alliance. Photos of Applebee's 50th Street by Jon Fleming Photography. Prices go up as each party sells. Questions? Call 212-NEW-YEAR (212-639-9327) or use Ask a question.
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