Hotel-Booked! Flight-Booked! Just a few questions!

[sayingsorry]

So I finally have my flight and hotel booked, going to the Jan 9 10 and 11 tapings if anyone else is gonna be there lets meet up! But I had a few quick questions to ask to those who have been before-

1. What do you think is better, the earlier or later taping and why?

2. For those who have been there recently what time do you suggest I get in line? I plan on at least getting there around midnight at one of them at least so I can feel the nostalgic feeling of waiting all night in line.

3. I am staying in the Rodeway in all week, any suggesting on things to do/see in the area that are inexpensive or moderately okay priced. I was looking into the public transportation system and seeing where that will take me.

Thanks everyone!

[jhshifris]

Are you planning on driving anywhere instead?

[sayingsorry]

Are you planning on driving anywhere instead?

I have to see if I will be able to afford a rental car, since I am under 25 they will charge me extra per day so I will have to see how much I can save up till then.

[spoon14]

So I finally have my flight and hotel booked, going to the Jan 9 10 and 11 tapings if anyone else is gonna be there lets meet up! But I had a few quick questions to ask to those who have been before-

1. What do you think is better, the earlier or later taping and why?

I like the later taping better. It felt like a better crowd vibe, and there's not the pressure to get up at a crazy time.

2. For those who have been there recently what time do you suggest I get in line? I plan on at least getting there around midnight at one of them at least so I can feel the nostalgic feeling of waiting all night in line.

Well, it depends what you're aiming for. The times listed on the ticket are 8:30 a.m. and 12:00 p.m. I think if you arrive about 30 minutes ahead of the listed time, I think you should be pretty certain to get a seat. If you aim is to get a really low arrival number, then you'd have to get there a few hours before the listed time. Just keep in mind that a lower number doesn't necessarily translate into a better seat. Stuff like the size of your group factor into where you're seated. If you're in a group with X number of people, they'll look to see where there are X empty seats together.

3. I am staying in the Rodeway in all week, any suggesting on things to do/see in the area that are inexpensive or moderately okay priced. I was looking into the public transportation system and seeing where that will take me.

I didn't take the bus, so I don't know what's conveniently reachable. There are some museums a couple block south of Television City. I went to the Page Museum which is about prehistoric remains from the La Brea Tar Pits. The tar pits themselves aren't super-impressive. Admission was something like $8 or $10. There's an art museum next to it, but I didn't go there. Head out to the beach - Santa Monica and Manhattan Beach are nice. The Griffith Observatory at Griffith Park is cool. It's free to enter the observatory, but you have to pay to see a planeterium show.

[sayingsorry]

I like the later taping better. It felt like a better crowd vibe, and there's not the pressure to get up at a crazy time.
Well, it depends what you're aiming for. The times listed on the ticket are 8:30 a.m. and 12:00 p.m. I think if you arrive about 30 minutes ahead of the listed time, I think you should be pretty certain to get a seat. If you aim is to get a really low arrival number, then you'd have to get there a few hours before the listed time. Just keep in mind that a lower number doesn't necessarily translate into a better seat. Stuff like the size of your group factor into where you're seated. If you're in a group with X number of people, they'll look to see where there are X empty seats together.
I didn't take the bus, so I don't know what's conveniently reachable. There are some museums a couple block south of Television City. I went to the Page Museum which is about prehistoric remains from the La Brea Tar Pits. The tar pits themselves aren't super-impressive. Admission was something like $8 or $10. There's an art museum next to it, but I didn't go there. Head out to the beach - Santa Monica and Manhattan Beach are nice. The Griffith Observatory at Griffith Park is cool. It's free to enter the observatory, but you have to pay to see a planeterium show.

Thank you!

Yeah I'm coming from Connecticut by myself so I will be a group of one. I will check after the first taping what time people get in line to see what the lines turn out to be over time. I plan on going to the earlier taping the first day, later the second, and decide which I like better to go to for the third.

[WheelzVatcher]

I got there at 3:30am for the 12:30 taping, got OAP #18, and got put behind the announcer booth and couldn't see squat. Meanwhile those who showed up at 8am were right behind contestant's row. I honestly don't think you need to be there at midnight though. Sure there always will be people that show up at midnight but I've been twice and showed up before 4am and was fine. I'm very happy I got a rental car when I was down there. I rented with Avis for a week. I'm under 25 and rented for 7 days and paid $325. The car was great on gas and I think I drove 400 miles on $40 of gas.

[jhshifris]

What's the difference between the earlier taping and the later taping anyway?

Spoon14, what do you mean by the later taping has a 'better crowd vibe', are there not that many people there around that time?

[spoon14]

What's the difference between the earlier taping and the later taping anyway?

I'm not sure what you're asking here. It's just the time at which they're taped, and all the things that would go along with events happening a few hours apart (different weather, different traffic, etc.). They're both TPIR shows. I suppose people who have gone to more shows might have opinions about whether the cast & crew do better or the same between the two tapings.

Spoon14, what do you mean by the later taping has a 'better crowd vibe', are there not that many people there around that time?

I've only be to 2 shows (one early, one late), so I don't have a huge sample size to make a judgment. The wait in line is long and it can be tedious. I think the 8:30 arrival time taped around 12:30 and the 12:00 arrival taped around 4:00. The late group seemed to have more energy waiting in line. Folks were doing the wave, etc.

[jhshifris]

Sayingsorry, are you planning on taking the bus after you're at the taping?

I'll rent a car and I'll stay at another nearby hotel.  And I'm planning on driving somewhere after I'll be at the taping.



Taking the bus anywhere sounds like fun but you have to be back in time for the taping.

[WheelzVatcher]

One would assume if you go to the 4pm taping that yeah people might be more awake. But then again I've never had so much energy at 3am. People are so excited to be there and the energy is contagious.

[jhshifris]

One would assume if you go to the 4pm taping that yeah people might be more awake. But then again I've never had so much energy at 3am. People are so excited to be there and the energy is contagious.

I can imagine.  So, everybody's up and ready to be let in around that time, right?

[WheelzVatcher]

Oh yeah no doubt. A lot of people were walking down the street at 3am screaming and yelling and jumping up and down. Sure you have the odd groggy person and in a perfect world we could all just sleep in but the excitement in line is like nothing I've ever experienced before. It may seem like a drag having the whole experience last 12 hours (about 10 hours of those waiting) but the time goes by fast. You get to meet a diverse group of people who you quickly get to know. I somewhat like to think those visiting from the east coast are at an advantage when it comes to having to line up at 3am. I live in Detroit so waking up at 2:30am PT was actually 5:30am ET which is the time I wake up for school anyways at home. Regardless of whether you get called down or not you'll have a blast and feel energy you wish you could feel daily.

[sayingsorry]

Sayingsorry, are you planning on taking the bus after you're at the taping?

I'll rent a car and I'll stay at another nearby hotel.  And I'm planning on driving somewhere after I'll be at the taping.



Taking the bus anywhere sounds like fun but you have to be back in time for the taping.

No I am staying at the Rodeway, but a bus to local attractions in the area, I have been looking up different things to do in the area and what is fun/expensive/needs a car to get to

[jhshifris]

Oh, that's right.  I'm sorry if I forgot.  There's the Grove which is a shopping center and then there's the Farmers Market, they are nearby.

[sayingsorry]

So I got tickets for all 3 days (Jan 9, 10, 11) but on Monday the 9th I had to switch it to the later taping because they are taping the Valentines day show during the earlier taping and I am going by myself and would obviously not get called down without a significant other with me 

So my new question is, for the late taping, do I still have to be there for when they hand out the arrival passes then come back later or do I come at a later time more towards the taping to get the pass.

Thanks