New york - family trip - Easter 2019
 

I cannot believe i forgot to do a pre trip - that is unless i started it and forgot about it :omg::omg:

well let me introduce us all (if someone can advise again how to add photos that would be great)

well first of all ME
1. aged 44 this year ouch
2. planner and holiday booker and payer
3. love wine and gin
4. on a permanent diet but currently 16lbs down
5. driver but not got the courage to drive abroad yet

DH
1. 42 this year
2. just overcoming open heart surgery
3. follower of plans
4. loves a beer
5. big softie

DS1
1. aged 23 this year
2. would come on holiday with us every year if he could
3. finished college and working in a local store
4. best big brother and does the school run in the mornings when we are at work
5. went to NYC for his 21st with me
6. Avid cos player

ds2
1. just turned 11
2. this trip was a surprise for him
3. been to disney age 3 but can't remember being in a plane with a TV
4. into big bang and comics
5. plays basketball but not really sporty


so this trip came about when hubby was admitted to hospital for open heart surgery in September - we thought he had a chest infection but his body had gone into multiorgan failure and he required surgery. well after 3 weeks in hospital a new metalic valve was fitted.
we had originally booked to go back to vegas with pals but we now knew that this was not going to be possible. Vegas is not the type of holiday he will be able to do as a group again in reality. plus we were a bit nervous travelling that far - 2 flights required from Dublin

got the all clear to fly in February and bingo we were booked. (i had actually already changed the trip but shhhh he thinks it was his idea)
We decided to bring the boys along for the ride as we felt after what DH had just gone through we all needed something to look forward to as a family together

Details

we fly Good Friday 19th April at 11.10am with Aerlingus
It is great doing preclearance in dublin airport

hotel
The New Yorker beside Penn Station for 5 nights

things booked

aladdin tickets

SUV transfer from airport

friend works in the Natural History Museum so will get to see dinosaur exhibition there

things to book

NYC pass (thinking 5 things)
frankie leggs trip around central park

so a month to go

cases are out - purchasing of toiletries and underwear has begun in earnest lol

got travel insurance this week - for myself and the boys was €100 and dh has to do his himself as only his health insurance company will cover him

printed our ESTAS - the boys got new passports so needed new estas.

I have read conflicting information regarding if the can go in the "quicker, been to the usa previous" line. Some places say even with a new passport you can use that line. Sure we will prob all just go in the longer Queue

DH has all his paperwork now to fly
fit to fly cert
info on valve ( as he can't go through security scanners)
and perscription

we just need a letter dated in April to say what medication he is on too now
oh and his travel insurance too which he will do this week

You must be looking forward to your trip especially as you seem to have had a difficult time, good news your husband is ok to go ! We really enjoyed New York.
A suggestion for a place to visit us the Intrepid Warship museum if you haven’t already thought of it. You can go on to the warship, submarine and there is a Concorde there too which I was thrilled to see ! Concorde was closed when we were there but you could still see it from the outside. It is only about a 20 minute walk from Time Square.

We were all on new Estas but still went through the already visited on an Esta line.
Enjoy your planning ( one of these days I will finish that trip report ! )

we visited the Intrepid the last time we were there. My oldest son wanted to see it. I really enjoyed it too though after not expecting much from it. the rocket ship was so great

looking at passes now

would really like to get one about €100 per person.
saw a 5 visit pass which included the Ride - that alone is €60+

must check if the boys would like to do it though

I wish we had done the ride it looked a good laugh but we just ran out of time. We bought the 10 attraction Sightseeing Pass for £135 each. Unfortunately we only managed to use 7 of them. Look around on google for discount codes because they come up often.

i got passes this week. 4 attractions for €79 pp.
these include OWO and the ride.

not sure if the boys would enjoy it though
thinking of

1 - top of the rock
2 - OWO
3 - HOHO bus (I think this is on it)
4 - boat trip somewhere to see SOL


other things we will do
aladdin
may try to get rush tickets for pretty woman
go around central park with Frankie Leggs and his tuc tuc
over the brooklyn bridge and see dumbo for the famous photo
walk the highline to the ghostbusters fire station and see Carrie Bradshaws house
Times Square and maybe Sephora shopping
go to Dinosaur exhibition in National History Museum

its going to be busy

i am raging we are not going later in the year

none of the speed boat rides open till May :-(

any advice anyone?

maybe coney island

Can’t believe comment on the speedboats as we didn’t do them... we enjoyed our harbour cruise and loved The Ride!

Passes
 

Hi,
We’re going to NYC next week, where did you buy ur passes please? Thanks

looking for the site but 20suq1 is the discount code i used