How to go to the bathroom in Times Square on New Year’s Eve

When you’re jammed into Times Square with scores of others to celebrate New Year’s Eve, there’s one predicament you might run into: where do you use the bathroom?

Times Square famously doesn’t have port-a-potties, and with an estimated 1 million people expected to watch the ball drop on December 31, hotels and restaurants will likely turn revelers away.

Why It Matters

Without ready access to public bathrooms for hours, some attendees are forced to resort to wearing diapers and other forms of transportable bathrooms while celebrating New Year’s Eve in Times Square.

Most hotels and restaurants in the surrounding area do not allow public access to restrooms. Another approach by some attendees—albeit a potentially dangerous one—is not to drink liquids throughout the event to prevent the need for a bathroom trip.

But no matter the choice, if a person leaves the viewing area, they won’t get their spot back.

The best bet is to use the bathroom before heading to the festivities.

Are There Public Bathrooms in Times Square?

There are no public bathrooms in Times Square. There also are no portable toilets.

Where Are the Bathrooms Near Times Square?

There are restaurants and hotels in and near Times Square that have bathrooms. However, it is not guaranteed that the establishments will allow the public to use them without being a guest or purchasing something first.

When Should I Arrive for the New Year’s Eve Ball Drop in Times Square?

To see the ball drop in person, arrive early. People start gathering at noon, and the streets fill up quickly. Once you’re in, however, you cannot leave.

Popular NYC Bathroom Finder Apps

The NYC Bathroom App helps users locate public restrooms in Manhattan, as does GOT2GONYC. There’s also an official guide to public restrooms in the city on the Parks Department website.

What To Know

The ball will drop from Times Square for the 115th time at midnight on December 31. Festivities shown on television formally begin at 6 p.m., with the ball drop starting at 11:59 p.m. EST.

Over 1 million people from around the world are expected to attend the annual ball drop celebration in New York City’s Times Square. The tradition has been held annually since December 31, 1907, except for 1942 and 1943 due to World War II.

The event was first organized by the owner of The New York Times, Adolph Ochs. Before the first ball drop, Ochs held a fireworks display for New Year’s Eve.

In addition to the lack of portable restrooms, people cannot bring umbrellas to Times Square, even though rain is in the forecast. Attendees are also not allowed to bring in alcohol.

If being packed into a crowd and not having a bathroom doesn’t sound pleasant, it can be watched on the NBC New York app and the ABC app. It is also viewable on Roku, Peacock, Xumo Play, Samsung TV Plus, Amazon Fire Live TV, Google TV, CNN Max and Local Now.

What People Are Saying

@BobCarriesOn on X: “Today in Travel. Dec 31, 1907. Ball first drops in Times Square on New Year’s Eve, becoming international symbol for need for massive public gatherings to have public bathrooms available.”

The Times Square Alliance, on its website: “As the famous New Year’s Eve Ball descends atop One Times Square, countless people Watch New Year’s Eve in Times Square, nationwide, and throughout the world and are united in bidding collective farewell to the departing year and expressing joy and hope for the year ahead. We can’t wait to see you this December for Times Square New Year’s Eve 2025!”

What Happens Next

The ball will drop at midnight, marking the new year as people celebrate in Times Square and worldwide for the start of 2025.