Hi!

Empire State (copy and pasted from their website):

102nd Floor Observatory:
The 102nd floor Observatory has reopened as of November 1, 2005.
Admission tickets are only sold at the Observatory ticket office, located on the 2nd floor of the building, at a cost of $14 in addition to regular admission tickets.

Me: Regular Admission tickets are $18 per adult, $12 per 6-12 year olds, under 6 free. (Or $126 for 5 adults, 3 kids) It would be an additional $98 for the 102nd floor (assuming Kyle and Kelly are still free) The regular Observatory is at the 86th floor. The Observation times are from 8am to 1am (the next morning!) so there's no real time limits on us. I think we could purchase the regular tickets online (printed at home) and then get in line at the Empire State to purchase the additional $14 102nd floor. (There's no discounts either way.)

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Statue of Liberty:

Me: The Ferry Ride round trip is $97.50 for the 10 of us including "fees". Tickets are picked up at the will call station at Battery Park (where the Ferry departs/returns). The limited "time passes" are 8:45-11:45 (86 available at the moment), 10:45-1:45 (180 available), and 12:45-3:30 (290 available). Basically the time passes means the times we are allowed to enter the Statue of Liberty building and they only allow so many people at a time (hence the available number). The first ferry time is at 9:30am and they run every half an hour and it's a 15 minute ride. So basically we need to pick a time window to be at the Statue of Liberty and I will order our ferry tickets. If we don't care to enter the Statue of Liberty itself (which is free, they just limit the number), we can buy the ferry tickets (same price) and visit the island. Ferry tickets themselves are good any time for like 6 months.

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American Girl Place

Kelly can't go to the show (6 and older). And we can't get reservations for the cafe on either Friday or Saturday, they are completely booked (I called). Oh well...

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South Street Seaport:

The Free Friday night from 5-9pm place I mentioned. Basically on the east side of the island on the same street lines as Ground Zero (about 8 blocks away) or a little northeast of Battery Park, Statue of Liberty Ferry (12 blocks or so). Also near Wall Street.


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Subway

Cost: The cost is $2 per ride, no matter how far or how many times you transfer (as long as you don't pass through the turnstile gate; if you do, another fare must be paid). Purchase either tokens (coins for each ride) or a MetroCard, which can save you money on multiple rides. Options include the $7 one-day Fun Pass and a pay-per-ride card ($10 for 6 rides - the sixth ride is free - but you may put any amount onto a MetroCard).

Me: I found our 2004 map so assuming the subway lines haven't changed, we have info on that. Kelly is the only free rider, Kyle's 4 inches over the height limit


I think that's it for now. I'm going to get showered and run errands. I'd like to order both the Ferry tickets and Empire State (assuming you don't want to do the 102nd floor thing) today just so we don't lose any time waiting on tickets. Kinda bummed about the American Girl place. Oh well, more money to spend on other stuff! I'm also currently printing out Central Park maps and restaurant lists from MapQuest that will be around the areas we are visiting. Send me the info on the NJ to NY ferry and I can print maps. Let me know if there's any other info you need!

Love,
Katie