The holidays are one of the most exciting times of the year in New York City!
It seems like everywhere you turn, there is some iconic holiday sight- from The Rockefeller Center Christmas Tree, to the Central Park skating rink, to the holiday markets.
But one of the most famous holiday experiences in the city is the Radio City Christmas Spectacular.
It is an absolutely magical show, but there are a lot of options for getting tickets, and it can be pricey, so it is best to plan ahead a bit.
I personally love the Spectacular! In fact, one of my childhood dreams was to be a Rockette.
While that did not pan out I have had many friends perform in the show over the years, and think it is pretty wonderful for both kids and adults.
If you ever take a tour with me, you will see that I am several inches too short!
This post is about Radio City Christmas Spectacular, how to get tickets, available concessions, and other tips.
2025-26 dates are yet to be announced. Last year, this classic holiday show returned to the Radio City Music Hall from November 8 to January 5.
HOW MUCH ARE CHRISTMAS SPECTACULAR TICKETS?
Normally, tickets on sale through StubHub will run you anywhere from $100 midweek for mezzanine (and some orchestra) seating to nearly $200 for premium seating for most of the month of November.
If you are local, or visiting around this time, take advantage and go see the show. It is much cheaper at this time.
After Thanksgiving, a Saturday 1:30 pm show will cost between $100 - $599.
The price you pay depends on the day of the week, the time of the performance, and of course, seat location.
If you can buy tickets several weeks in advance, you may find better prices.
You will at least be able to shop around a bit to see if one show is cheaper than another that works with your schedule.
Keep in mind that weekend midday shows are the most desirable tickets.
If you can go on a weekday or on a weekend at night (there is a 10pm show in peak season), you may be able to find better tickets.
The more flexible your schedule is, the more likely you are to find a good deal.
I completely understand that most people visiting at this time of year have a jam-packed itinerary, but this is where some advance planning helps out.
I recommend solving the Radio City piece of the puzzle early in your planning, and then build the rest of the itinerary around that, if seeing the show is something that is important for you to do.
After Christmas, prices drop. The show usually runs through the 1st weekend of January.
So, if you can wait to see the show until after December 25th, you may find less expensive tickets.
I promise, it is still fantastic if you see it a couple of days after Christmas.
New York in general stays very festive all the way through the new year, so it won’t feel weird to go to the show then.
While you can find less expensive tickets with some of what we discussed above, they are still pretty expensive tickets!
If price is a main concern, you may do much better shopping around and trying to find discount tickets.
But, before I get into tickets, I hope you will consider taking one of our Christmas-themed tours.
8 DISCOUNTS ON TICKETS
This section will cover the best ways to save money on tickets to see the Radio City Christmas Spectacular.
We also include details about common discounts that may not currently be available.
Many of the concessions are only available until early December or have limited availability thereafter.
If you are looking to do this, book early!
1. Check Promo Sites
Look at these sites periodically for deals and promo codes:
- Groupon
- Living Social
2. Consider Using StubHub
Tickets on sale through StubHub may be less expensive than purchasing tickets directly from Radio City Music Hall.
You can find tickets as low as $100 for tickets. The earlier you buy, the better the savings.
3. Look for Deals on Goldstar
Check out prices on Goldstar which usually offers tickets at a special rate.
You can save up to 30% off tickets for select performances. Sometimes they will have tickets as low as $40.
Definitely an amazing deal, if you can get it!
4. Use a Chase Credit Card
If you pay with a Chase credit card, you may have access to concessions or reserved seats for preferred showtimes.
Other credit cards and even debit cards may also provide similar deals.
5. TKTS Offers
Unfortunately, TKTS, the well-known concessionary Broadway ticket booth, does not sell tickets for the Christmas Spectacular.
This might change in the future, but for now, this is not an option.
6. Promo Codes
In years past, there have been several different promo codes for this show.
Always worth checking for any promo codes online before buying tickets!
7. Group Sales
Groups of 10 or more are eligible for special benefits, preferred group pricing, and help planning their visit.
If you're planning to come to see the show with a bunch of other people, this is a great way to make sure everyone has a fantastic time.
8. Choose the Right Time
As we discussed above, tickets are much more affordable on weekdays and early on in the season.
If you go to see the Radio City Christmas Spectacular in November or on a weekday, chances are you'll pay much less for a ticket.
Once you are past Thanksgiving, the prices will go up and stay up until after Christmas.
IS THE SHOW WORTH IT?
I will always stipulate that “Not every show is for every person.” But in my opinion, the answer to this question is, “YES!”
I have heard people say that it is really best for little kids.
While it is great for young audiences, I disagree with the sentiment that it is only for them.
The show is, as the name suggests, spectacular. It is fun, energetic, and full of amazing performances.
And even if you do think it is for kids, I think the best part of the holiday season is that all of us have opportunities to feel like a kid, even if it is just for a little while!
But don't take my word for it. Read what some of the 225k members of our popular NYC Travel Tips Facebook group have to say.
There is a range of opinions on the show.
Our group consists of locals, like us tour guides, expats, regular visitors to NYC, as well as newbies.
There's no need to be a member of the group to search for and read the posts, comments, and recommendations.
Radio City Music Hall (RCMH) is located in Midtown Manhattan on the corner of 6th Avenue and 50th Street and is part of the Rockefeller Center complex of buildings.
Directions
You can use this Google link to get exact directions from your departure location to RCMH.
By subway
- B, D, F, and M trains to 47-50 St/ Rockefeller Center Station
- 1 train to the 50th St./Broadway Station
- E and M trains to 5th Ave./53rd St. Station
By bus
M1, M2, M3, M4, M5, M7, M50, M57, M104
Radio City Music Hall was the first of the Rockefeller Center buildings to open, in 1932.
The first Christmas Spectacular was held on December 21, 1933.
At the time, the Rockettes and other live performers were somewhat of a warm-up act that was presented before the latest Hollywood films.
It is crazy to think of the famous Rockettes as just a “warm-up act,” but it really is true.
The films being shown after that first performance were holiday films, and the dances were choreographed to be on theme.
The first show included the Rockettes doing “The Parade of the Wooden Soldiers” and the “Living Nativity.”
Both of these are still components of the show to this day!
(Parade of the Wooden Soldiers is one of my favorite parts- the precision needed by the dancers to pull it off is incredible.)
The films that were presented that first year were “Flying Down To Rio, “The Night Before Christmas,” and Walt Disney’s “Silly Symphony.”
The show ran for two weeks that first year. Today it runs for almost two months, so you have plenty of chances to check it out!
FUN FACTS
- The show evolved from a 30-minute performance to a 90-minute stand-alone show in 1979, which was the year that Radio City stopped showing films.
- As technology has advanced, the show has been brought up to date. It now even includes a 3-D film! The special effects during the show are amazing in general.
- The current version of the show includes 14 musical numbers, which feature a huge cast of characters, including the Rockettes and Santa Claus himself.
- Even though the Rockettes are largely associated with Radio City and the Christmas show, in particular, the precision dance troupe was actually founded in St. Louis in 1925 as the Missouri Rockets.
- There are 36 Rockettes. All of them are between 5’6” and 5’10 ½ “. The illusion that they are all the same height is created by putting the tallest in the middle and then a gradual slope down to the shortest on both ends. Each dancer kicks “eye-high”, to give the illusion that all of the kicks are exactly the same height.
- I have had several friends perform as Rockettes over the years. A lot of people would think it is just about being the best dancers. Yes, they are all AMAZING dancers (the casting call specifies you must be proficient in ballet, jazz, and tap.) But the Rockettes are a precision dance company. It is about making every movement absolutely identical to the other 35 women in the line- right down to where your pinkie finger is!
- In peak performance season, a Rockette might do over 600 kicks per day! It is considered an extremely intensive contract, for both rehearsal and performances, but is also considered one of the best jobs a dancer can land in NYC.
- While you will see 36 Rockettes onstage at any one time, there are actually 80 in any given holiday season. Because of the high number of performances in peak season, there are two casts of 40 that rotate.
- Over 1300 costumes are used in the show. The shortest costume change is only 90 seconds!
- Because of the number of costumes, the show produces around 350 loads of laundry every week.
- Even if you sit all the way up in the balcony, you will be able to see the bright red lipstick worn by every Rockette. It is a MAC shade called Russian Red.
- Approximately two million people see the show each year, between the New York show and the tours.
- Radio City Music Hall seats 5,933 people.
- A Rockette does about 300 kicks per show.
- The Living Nativity includes a cast of real animals. These animals live at Radio City Music Hall for the run of the show. Throughout the run, they consume 450 bottles of water, 340 bales of hay, and 560 loaves of 7-grain bread. Their handlers take them out for exercise late at night or early in the morning. If you are around the theatre at those times, you may see them out strolling. I think this is one of the coolest things you can possibly see in NYC, if you are staying in the area and don’t mind an early morning!
GENERAL TIPS
I wanted to leave you with some general tips for making the most of this experience!
- Check View From My Seat before buying tickets, to see what the view of the stage is from a particular part of the theatre. Radio City, as we mentioned above, seats over nearly 6,000 people. That is about 5 times larger than the average Broadway theater!
- While the theatre is very big, I also do not think it is best to sit really close to the stage for this particular show. In my opinion, being further back is better. I want to be able to see the formations created by the dancers, and to be able to see the entire stage as one picture, with all of the cool effects. So don’t feel like you need to book the front row!
- Unlike most shows, where the house opens a half hour before curtain, Radio City opens a full hour before the show starts. It is a big place and it takes a lot of time for a full audience to get settled. I highly recommend getting there when the house opens. They actually specify that if you arrive any later than a half hour before, you risk missing the first several numbers in the show.
- There is no official dress code for this show, but most people dress nicely and festively! Think along the lines of what you would wear to a nice holiday party.
- The show is great for kids- even pretty young kids. It is very energetic and action packed, so tends to keep everyone entertained. However , the show is 90 minutes long and does NOT have an intermission, so use your judgment to decide if this is something your kids are up for!
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