Spiffed-Up Times Square Can Be a Family Circus

The kids were waiting impatiently at the Ferris wheel, their fists full of the candy their indulgent parents had just bought for them.

But this was no summer day at the local theme park. We were in New York City’s Times Square, checking out the city’s hottest new attraction for junior tourists, a Toys R Us that features a 60-foot-high roller coaster, a giant Barbie house and a 5-ton dinosaur that roars and swings its tail.

With Toys R Us, MTV, the Disney theaters and store, theme restaurants such as Planet Hollywood and the nearby lights of Broadway, Times Square has become Family Central for tourists visiting New York. Sixty-five percent of the shoppers at the Times Square Toys R Us are out-of-towners, a company spokesman said. Some visitors told me they made the giant toy store their first stop. (To find out about upcoming Toys R Us events, call [646] 366-8855 or visit www.toysrustimesquare.com.)

Southern Californian Albert Katz, who was trying to corral his four kids at Toys R Us, liked the bang he was getting for his vacation buck. “Compared to a day at Disneyland, you spend less, and there’s more to do,” Katz said.

This enthusiasm is good news for New York. As we near the first anniversary of Sept. 11, the city is still struggling to encourage tourists to return. Officials say the number of visiting families from around the country helps offset the significant decline in visitors from other countries.

Bob Johnson, a minister from Richland, Wash., chose to vacation in New York and Washington, D.C., because of Sept. 11. “We thought there would be fewer crowds,” he said with a laugh as he surveyed the packed Toys R Us.

Mary DeFeo, 16, persuaded her parents to bring her and a friend to New York for her 16th birthday--their first trip to the Big Apple.

“Shopping is their main thing,” said Mary’s mom, Jennifer, a Rhode Island schoolteacher.

One family from London was checking into the oh-so-hip W New York Times Square, the hotel chain’s flagship. The W would enthrall any teen or preteen with its glass-encased waterfall, lounge-style lobby, in-room DVD players and sleek stainless-steel fixtures. At the hotel’s Blue Fin restaurant, families can nibble sushi and seafood, salads and standout desserts, without breaking the vacation budget. The hotel offers a weekend package that includes continental breakfast and, if available, a room upgrade. The cost is $259 a night, a discount of about $50. Call (877) W-HOTELS (946-8357) or visit www.whotels.com.

Whatever your taste or budget, there are deals that can help families stretch their vacation dollars:

* The 115-room Gorham Hotel at 136 W. 56th St. has a complimentary Internet connection (a hit with teens) in the lobby, free fruit and candy, and parlor suites with a kitchen alcove. Rooms start at $205. The bountiful buffet breakfast is a bargain at $11.50. The hotel even provides double-and triple-seated strollers. Call (800) 735-0710 or visit www.gorhamhotel.com.

* The Upper East Side’s Hotel Wales welcomes tiny travelers and their parents with a $229 room that includes a crib, highchair, fridge, baby bathtub, toys and a stroller. Call (877) 847-4444 or visit www.boutiquehg.com.

* The new Westin New York at Times Square, set to open in mid-October, will offer $199 weekend rates. The hotel’s Westin Kids Club will include presents for young hotel guests, and an urban camp program is in the works. Call (800) WESTIN-1 (937-8461) or visit www.westinny.com.

* Manhattan Getaways offers one-bedroom apartments starting at $170 per night, as well as bed-and-breakfast rooms in New Yorkers’ homes. Call (212) 956-2010 or visit www.manhattangetaways.com.

“It’s a buyer’s market,” said Arleen Kropf of NYC & Co., the city’s tourism agency. She notes that the average room price has dropped from $230 to $187, with many available for less.

Take the opportunity to introduce your aspiring actors and actresses to Broadway, which is offering kid-friendly productions like “Oklahoma,” “42nd Street,” “Mamma Mia,” “Rent” and “The Producers.” As Broadway struggles to fill many of its theaters, bargain tickets abound. Half-price tickets to many Broadway productions, including “Rent” and “42nd Street,” are available at the Theatre Development Fund’s TKTS kiosks at Times Square and the South Street Seaport. There are also discount theater coupons available at the New York City Visitor Center at 7th Avenue and 53d Street. Find more deals or purchase tickets at www.ilovenytheater.com or www.playbill.com.

Whatever you do when you get here, New Yorkers will try to make you and your kids feel at home. “We even got help on the subway,” said George Greene, a Minnesotan raised in New York.

*

Eileen Ogintz welcomes questions and comments from readers. Send e-mail to eogintz@aol.com.