This past weekend we were in New York City and while wandering decided to go up to the top of the new tower.  It costs $32/each and was worth every cent.

The line was rather short, we went from decision to elevator in less than 10 minutes.  When you buy your tickets, they ask for your zip/postal code.  There is a brief stop thru airport like security and then you see the map.  A larger than life projection of the globe with dots all over representing the people that have visited there.  As we go thru, we see our popup showing Colorado Springs and our three dots pop onto the map.

The elevators are smaller than most I’ve been in for similar buildings, but they are fast!  Once the elevator starts, you are treated to LED screens that take up the three walls from floor to ceiling. You are given a visual history of New York City, complete with timelines and the images of the small to tall buildings.  When you “arrive” at “today” the elevator is at the top.

From there you are all herded to a holding area, they make short short folks and kids are right up front by a railing.  The wall in front of the railing is a 3-d block-like sculpture that becomes a video screen.  You are shown a video of New York City today, of all the things that make New York New York.  At the end the screen rises and then you get your first view from the top.  It is nothing short of stunning.

There was the annoying sales push for both group photos and rent an iPad (they have an app that tell you what you are looking at from the top).  These folks (were just doing their job, I get it) made it seem like listening to them was just part of the required process to get to the actual viewing area.  None of there words were relevant to us. 

So we went down one level to the actual viewing area and were treated to views like this, all around us.

The elevator trip down also had video for us.  After the production on the way up and the stunning viewing from the top, I have no memory of what they showed us on the way down.