Hamilton Cancellation Line

[lady godiva]

Just for perspective, it's 6:15 and I'm number four in line. Not sure what time the people ahead of me started queueing.

[FrontRowFirst]

Keep us updated!  Will be cancellation lining next week and reading about others experiences is helpful in forming a plan.   Fingers crossed for you.

[CercleRouge]

lady godiva said: "Just for perspective, it's 6:15 and I'm number four in line. Not sure what time the people ahead of me started queueing."

You only arrived at 6:15?

[CercleRouge]

Dancingthrulife2 said: "
And CercleRouge, I think you can ask the venue to print out the ticket for you. I saw someone ran directly to the box office, and they printed him two tickets."

Oh, I'm pretty sure they specifically don't do this. They were the ones to tell us to go to the Mariott Marquis to print them. I've also read on this forum that they won't print for you.

[lady godiva]

6:15 AM. The people ahead of me came at 5:40. The third person is a line-sitter. Nothing released for the matinee or evening yet.

[CercleRouge]

Got it. Good luck.

[eactormom]

can you put your name in for the lottery while you are waiting on the cancellation line? Is it possible to try both for the same performance? I haven't tried yet, everytime I am in the theater district I am in awe at teh huge number of people trying the lottery.

[SDV]

Lady Godiva, hoping the lack of updates means you got into the matinee! Let us know!

[lady godiva]

I did! I promise a full update when I get home!

[lady godiva]

You can put yourself in to the lottery if you're in the cancellation line - but they don't bring you slips like some other situations I've encountered in the past. You must find someone to hold your place in the cancellation line, and go stand in the lotto line - which queued around 8th ave and wrapped itself at least midway up 45th St. There were no SR names called yesterday. 

For yesterday's matinee, 10 or 11 tickets were given out - but none until about 1:55. I think I made it into the theatre at about 2:03, and then a few people behind me were let in. My seat was a row J center - one of the premiums, but sold for $199. Can't beat that. Many of the other seats were in that area. 

After the show, it looked like one person who had been waiting since 7 AM for next available cancellation ticket had gotten into the evening show, but the rest of the line was intact. 

Everyone who got tickets to the matinee arrived on the line prior to 7 AM. I'd liken to say that if the evening situation followed a similar model, 8:30 AM was the latest anyone arrived. 

[funhamilton_rent]

But if I get there at 8:30, howling will I have to wait? I'm only in NYC for 3 days, and I don't want to wait for 11 hours just to see Hamilton (which, I do LOVE, but I already have seen it).

[lady godiva]

That's the thing -- it's a toss-up. You could be waiting 11 hours. 

[funhamilton_rent]

What's the alternative? I could always get out of the line, or hire a line holder. Isn't there a GoButler or Uber-ish service for that?

[Dave13]

On December 23, 2015, I arrived at 6:53am for a 2pm show. I was second in line with the first person arriving at 6:45am. I believe 5 tickets were released on that date. If I didnt get a ticket for the 2pm, I was willing to wait for the later show. 

What times are people showing up on days that there is only one show?

[SDV]

Dave13, did you end up getting one of the premium seats at a discounted price? I've heard from a number of people (including lady godiva) that they ended up getting the $477 seats in orchestra for under $200 just minutes before curtain.

[Emma MK]

Has anyone gotten more than one ticket whilst stood in the line? Like can I get 2 tickets even if my friend is not with me the whole time? Does anyone know there likely to be single tickets rather than pairs (whats your experience of this when getting tickets) and if you want 2 but only 1 becomes available, are you able to continue to stand in line for another or do you have to go to the back of the line if you take the one?

 

many thanks in advance for any info. I'm trying to gather as much info as I can before my trip :)

[anapop]

I'm brand new here, but thought I'll share my experience, in hopes it helps someone else. I did cancellation line 12/29/15 (there was one 7pm show that day). I got to the theatre at 10:15 am. There were three others in front of me (earliest arrival 8:30 am). The two first ladies left shortly thereafter without tickets. We were offered two $477.00 seats around 11:00 am that no one accepted. Closer to 1 pm lady in front of me purchased two $177.00 seats for next day's evening show. The line kept growing after that. I passed up on two more $477.00 seats that a couple behind me opted to buy. I was able to enter the lottery, which I lost. Finally at 6:55 pm they pulled me inside and I was able to purchase seat G101 for $199.00 (Ticketmaster sells that seat for $477.00, so it is premium seating).

Each person is allowed to purchase two tickets. Your friend doesn't have to stand next to you the whole time. It's a lot easier to go with someone you know. That way you can take turns standing in line. I must say it was a very pleasant experience as we all made friends and looked out for each other.

 

[Dave13]

SDV said: "Dave13, did you end up getting one of the premium seats at a discounted price? I've heard from a number of people (including lady godiva) that they ended up getting the $477 seats in orchestra for under $200 just minutes before curtain.

 

"

I was offered 2 tickets in the front mezz for $177 each. I didn't see any premiums tickets offered from what I saw. The girl in front of me was offered 2 tickets in Row J Center Orch for $177 each as well. 

 

[Dave13]

anapop said: "I'm brand new here, but thought I'll share my experience, in hopes it helps someone else. I did cancellation line 12/29/15 (there was one 7pm show that day). I got to the theatre at 10:15 am. There were three others in front of me (earliest arrival 8:30 am). The two first ladies left shortly thereafter without tickets. We were offered two $477.00 seats around 11:00 am that no one accepted. Closer to 1 pm lady in front of me purchased two $177.00 seats for next day's evening show. The line kept growing after that. I passed up on two more $477.00 seats that a couple behind me opted to buy. I was able to enter the lottery, which I lost. Finally at 6:55 pm they pulled me inside and I was able to purchase seat G101 for $199.00 (Ticketmaster sells that seat for $477.00, so it is premium seating).

 

Each person is allowed to purchase two tickets. Your friend doesn't have to stand next to you the whole time. It's a lot easier to go with someone you know. That way you can take turns standing in line. I must say it was a very pleasant experience as we all made friends and looked out for each other.

 

 

 

"

Thanks for the information. The day I stood in line we all made friends and talked the entire time. Every one in our line would hold their place if someone needed to eat, bathroom break or enter the lottery. It is a pleasant experience considering you are in line for several hours. 

[CercleRouge]

funhamilton_rent said: "What's the alternative? I could always get out of the line, or hire a line holder. Isn't there a GoButler or Uber-ish service for that?

 

"

Absolutely hire a line-sitter. Google will bring up plenty of results, and I'm sure most have waited for Hamilton before. Had I not lucked out on StubHub the other day, I would've hired a line-sitter the next day to come as close to "guaranteeing" tickets as possible.

[lite2shine]

"

Absolutely hire a line-sitter. Google will bring up plenty of results, and I'm sure most have waited for Hamilton before. Had I not lucked out on StubHub the other day, I would've hired a line-sitter the next day to come as close to "guaranteeing" tickets as possible.

"

But how much a line-sitter costs? I googled and one quote was $25 for 1 hr, $10 for additional 30 min and for 10 hrs it'll be $205! I guess you will have them stand in line for say 5 hrs and you'll do the rest. Still, 6 hrs will be $125. Is taskrabbit cheaper? I'm not looking into doing, but it seems like doing a line-sitter job a couple of time and you can afford $500 Hamilton tix :P

[CercleRouge]

lite2shine said: ""

 

Absolutely hire a line-sitter. Google will bring up plenty of results, and I'm sure most have waited for Hamilton before. Had I not lucked out on StubHub the other day, I would've hired a line-sitter the next day to come as close to "guaranteeing" tickets as possible.

 

"

 

But how much a line-sitter costs? I googled and one quote was $25 for 1 hr, $10 for additional 30 min and for 10 hrs it'll be $205! I guess you will have them stand in line for say 5 hrs and you'll do the rest. Still, 6 hrs will be $125. Is taskrabbit cheaper? I'm not looking into doing, but it seems like doing a line-sitter job a couple of time and you can afford $500 Hamilton tix :P

 

"

Yeah the one you describe is the same service most people use. I don't think you have to have them arrive at 6am or anything like that. If you're say... the 3rd person in line on a normal day, you're probably OK. Have them arrive at like 10am, you arrive at 5pm. That's 7 hours, $105. You can buy two tickets, so split the cost of the line-sitting with a friend, and it's only $52.50 to more or less "guarantee" a great seat (the cancellations come from "house tickets" apparently... unused tickets usually allotted to the cast and crew for their guests). Definitely worth it to me.

[jsaman02]

I just created an account, and thought I should share my experience with the Hamilton cancellation line. I did the cancellation line today, 1/2/16 on a day with two shows and arrived at 6 AM (my friend joined me later). I was the first person in line, and the couple behind me got there at 7:30. The next person came at around 8, and after that a person would come about every 30 minutes. At 12:00 a few of us in the line entered the lottery but lost, and after the lottery about 5 more people joined the line. By now there were about 15 people on line. We kept waiting while people who had tickets started to arrive for the matinee. At around 1:40 a woman who worked in the box office came outside and asked me and my friend how many tickets we wanted, and we said 2. We were offered two $199 orchestra tickets row J. This was a great deal and we said yes. The couple behind us also got orchestra row J and the woman behind them got orchestra a few rows back (all same price). I'm not sure how many other people from the line got tickets. I'm assuming a few more but they probably sat in the mezzanine because I couldn't see them in the orchestra. The show was incredible and definitely worth the wait. When I came out of the theatre I recognized someone in the cancellation line from earlier today, so no more than ten tickets were handed out but I'm assuming less than 10. There is a hotel next door where you can take turns with other people in the line to warm up and use the bathroom. Remember to wear a ton of layers because you get very cold standing. 

[macnyc]

Thanks for the info! Are you standing outside or in the lobby? I'm assuming outside because you said it's cold, but one afternoon when I went to buy tickets a few weeks ago, people were standing in the lobby. I'm glad you enjoyed the show!

[Emma MK]

Thank you for the info! From reading everyone's accounts I have a good idea as to what to expect. I shall aim to be first in line and hope that's enough :) I'm off to NY in March from the UK and am really hoping to see Hamilton, and with all the info from here I am quite hopeful that I will be able to get tickets :) Many thanks to everyone that has contributed to this thread!

[CercleRouge]

Apparently they don't let you wait inside the lobby anymore.

 

Also, I was told by an employee of the theater that the MAX amount of cancellation tix EVER sold was 15. So if everyone waiting in line is planning on buying two tickets, and there are more than 8 people in front of you in line, you're probably out of luck.