nywhiz...I took your advice!

We finally did priceline and got the Royalton Hotel for $190! I am super excited...because there is a parking garage right there that will only be about $57 for the total time we need it! Now, if I can just wait three more months...lol...I don%26#39;t know if I can...I am too excited about it!! Thanks for all your help, and to everyone else who gave suggestions! It is very much appreciated!

Jill

nywhiz...I took your advice!

I%26#39;m glad you are happy with your hotel selection and now you can look forward to planning the rest of your trip.

For others considering priceline... I strongly recommend reviewing the New York boards on betterbidding.com (or biddingfortravel.com) before bidding. There are strategies and tips to avoid overbidding. With a stay that is several months in advance, if a low bid doesn%26#39;t make it, one strategy is to book something cancellable until hotel rooms open up. The Grand Hyatt is notorious for opening up rooms at very low rates at the last minute.

nywhiz...I took your advice!

I too am glad you%26#39;re happy. There is indeed an inexpensive garage right on the block. Congrats.

Yep, i am so excited! We plan to do a horse carriage ride Saturday late morning, right after we get there....should we call ahead and reserve? Or just show up? I am thinking, get to NYC around 10am, park in the parking garage...we can drop by the hotel to see if the room would be ready yet (doubt it) and maybe leave our bag, then get a taxi or the subway up to central park...do the carriage ride, then go down to Carnegie Deli for lunch...then either walk or taxi over to St. Patricks Cathedral, then from there over to Times Square to walk around and do some shopping. Then we will go back to the hotel and get ready for the show. I don%26#39;t want to over schedule us, I would rather have some extra time in between to just take it all in. I can%26#39;t wait!

I can%26#39;t really advise you on the carriage ride since it%26#39;s been too many years since I did it. I will give you a heads up that some people are disappointed with the experience b/c you don%26#39;t get to see as much of the park as they expected. The carriages are regulated to only go on the roads inside the park, not on walkways etc.

Since this is something you have your heart set on doing, you might consider reserving in advance so you won%26#39;t be disappointed. There are different websites I%26#39;ve seen that allow you to reserve but one is only for evenings (after 6)

http://www.gothamcarriages.com/

and the other won%26#39;t take rezzies on weekends! although they%26#39;re offering a 1 hr. tour at 9:30am on Sundays.

www.ajnfineart.com/MCC/CarriageRide.html

This one has a phone number and is linked to the official Central Park website so maybe a good idea.

http://www.centralparkcarriages.com/

I would park car/drop bags at hotel. Walk to Fifth Ave. and walk north on Fifth Ave. toward the park so you get to see Rockefeller Center and St. Pat%26#39;s across the street from it and the shops along Fifth Ave. Do the carriage ride. Then walk to Carnegie Deli (not far from south end of the park) and continue back to hotel on foot.

First, congratulations on the Royalton. (You can%26#39;t go wrong with Whiz%26#39;s advice!)

I%26#39;m one of those who try and steer people away from the carraige rides. Aside from the sad state of most of the horses, they take you on a slow loop around the lower roadway, so it%26#39;s not a good way to see the park. Consider the human-driven pedi-cabs instead. (I love these guys, but only in the park. I don%26#39;t think they should be allowed on the streets to compete with taxis, trucks, etc.)

And as for the Carnegie Deli -- which serves the best pastrami on the planet -- do not even consider ordering a sandwich for each of you. Don%26#39;t be put off by the $3 extra they charge to split a sandwich. It%26#39;s a bargain. They%26#39;ll bring you extra bread, and each of their sandwiches will feed two starving adults. Hopefully you%26#39;ll have a little room to split a slice of their amazing cheesecake. They don%26#39;t charge to share that!

Yeah, we are considering doing the bikes instead. I am laughing at the thought of the two seater bikes...I am trying to talk my husband into it because I think it would be a riot seeing us try to get the hang of it together. LOL Plus, I told him it%26#39;s cheaper, so we can save some money for other things! Thanks again to everyone for all the great adivce! It%26#39;s been very helpful!