Sorry! Yet another NYC City Q! ESB or Top of The Rock?

[Tink#64]

Calling on all of you with NYC touring experience yet again! Gosh I appreciate you guys! If I have to choose just one, IYHO, should we visit the observation deck of the Empire State Building or Top Of The Rock?

I was all set to purchase our advance tickets to the ESB last night & I went to (can I name this site? if not I apologize) Trip Advisor & read reviews & the majority of them all said that if you could choose just one, to visit Top of The Rock! Everyone claimed shorter lines, more interesting que, more friendly CM's and you have a great view of the ESB & Central Park. If we choose TOTR, we'd still visit ESB, just not the observation deck. I'm going to have my family look at both this week, but I'd really appreciate any advice from you guys!

[Zippy 1]

The lines for ESB can be very long. Especially in the summer. I would try Totr.

[Mickey'sGirl]

I would definitely do Top of the Rock. We went up at about 5pm on a Saturday 2 years ago ... no wait, beautiful views. We went up the ESB last summer, and the wait was ridiculous, and the views were the same as the Rock! I say Top of the Rock.

[floridamom]

We chose TotR. The neat thing is from the observation deck there you can clearly see/take photos of the ESB. We liked having photos with it in the background.

[Kenny1113]

IF for some reason you decide to go with ESB. DO NOT do the extra floors. It is enclosed the wait for the single small elevator is insane and the views are not that much different than 86th (is that right?) floor. I will not do it again. I had read about top of the rock and wanted to do it. Ran out of time.

[luvDaMouse]

Top of the Rock!! Views are amazing.. If you can time it just before sunset we did this about a month ago and we got some wonderful pictures of the empire state building and central park. Then the sun went down and it was beautiful seeing all the buildings lit up! As a matter of fact if you have seen the Disney blog from a couple of days ago they have pictures of the view from the top of the rock looking out to the empire state building and a view of central park.

[Tink#64]

WOW! It's unanimous! Top of The Rock it is! Gosh I'm so glad that I didn't buy those ESB tickets & decided to compare the two! It just felt, hmm, weird not choosing the obvious - ESB that everyone else does! But I too feel like from all the reviews I've read, including all of you, that TOTR will be a better choice for us!

I really appreciate the feedback! Thanks to all for the info!