Here’s how to buy Hamilton tickets in Orlando.
These are not only the hottest tickets in town. They’re the most in-demand tickets the Dr. Phillips Center for the Performing Arts has ever had. “This is our Superbowl,” staffers say while explaining the months of intricate planning that have gone into making the process painless, or at least pleasant, or at least not hateful, for would-be theater-goers.
If you want a solid chance at scoring tickets to the traveling Broadway production of Hamilton for its Orlando run of 24 performances January 22 through February 19, 2019, follow these steps NOW, before the tickets go on sale. Miss even one step and, frankly, you’re screwing yourself. This all comes from the folks at the Dr. Phillips Center, who, from what I can tell, sincerely want you to have a great experience.
Step 1: Create an online account
Create it now, not when you’re trying to buy tickets in a race against hordes of others. You want every piece of the process to be complete so you can get online, choose what you want and check the heck out before you lose your chance. To create an online account, go to the Dr. Phillips Center website, scroll to the log-in page, click “No, I’ve not registered before” if appropriate, click Register, and then go ahead and register. That includes putting in you credit card, debit card or PayPal information. Yes, the Center has good software meant to protect your info.
Step 2: Figure out which tickets you want
Flip through the website and your calendar, then write down the dates you can attend, and the seats you can afford. This page has the dates. Ticket prices will be published when the on-sale date is announced. That will give you about a week to match up dates and prices before you need to jump onto the internet and hustle to get your seats, simultaneously hoping/wishing/praying that your actions work. Each purchaser can receive four tickets total. If you don’t have a list of pre-selected seats and dates, that will slow you down and may cause you to lose out on what you want.
NOTE: The “UNAVAILABLES” below are temporary. They’re there because the tickets aren’t on sale yet. No, they are not sold out already!
Step 3: Follow the Dr. Phillips Center on social media
Yes, it’s self-serving, but it benefits you too. The second tickets go on sale, Dr. Phillips Center will let followers on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram know. If you wait to receive an email or hear the news through the grapevine, you can kiss your tickets adios.
Those are the only true steps, but read on for more hints on how to get yourself tickets to this amazing traveling Broadway show.
Step 4: Only buy from the Dr. Phillips Center for the Performing Arts
You’ll get the best prices there. Plus, if you see tickets on sale elsewhere, even on legitimate sites like StubHub before the tickets go on sale, you will not really be buying a guaranteed seat. If the show sells out, which is likely, the Center will have no relationships with third-party sellers, period.
Step 5: Don’t Wake Up Early
Once people call in during the on-sale time, they’ll be placed in a “digital waiting room” and taken in order. However, waking up at, say, 1am won’t help you a bit. All the folks who do that will be taken in random order with others. Rising early won’t benefit you one iota, so don’t bother.
Step 6: Stay home
“Aha!” You might think. “I’ll go to the box office early and wait on line there. That’ll give me better chances.” NO IT WON’T. The box office will be open, but the tellers will be pulling from the same pool of tickets as everyone else. You’ll be more likely to get tickets on your smartphone while you’re waiting to be seen by the real person at the ticket window. Fact: 90 percent of tickets will be sold online.
Step 7: Don’t call
Nope. You can not buy Hamilton tickets in Orlando over the phone. It’s not an option. The Dr. Phillips Center for the Performing Arts will not sell them that way.
Step 8: Buffer in a bunch of time
That said, when you do call in, expect to spend some time on the phone. You will be within the digital waiting room, “waiting” being the operative word, so call in with an empty bladder, an engaging distraction and a good attitude.
Step 9: Keep your printer off
Maybe sneaky people can print bogus tickets in some universe. Not in this universe. Tickets will come in two forms: They will be mailed to you, or they will be texted to you. Finito. You will not have the opportunity to download and print anything at any time.
Step 10: Look for a digital lottery
The traveling show itself might have a digital lottery for day-of sales, and it may even have a cancellation line, although that’s less likely. This is the website if you need these options.
Other handy facts about how to buy Hamilton tickets in Orlando:
No show will be sold out before tickets go on sale. Yes, season ticket holders will have filled much of the house, mostly for the first week of performances, but loads more tickets are wide open for the rest of us right now.
You’ll be stuck with what you buy. While season ticket holders can trade dates, other tickets will not be exchanged or refunded. (I’m sure any Facebook post will result in someone happily bailing you out should you need to sell, however.)
Groups are out of luck. Hamilton in Orlando will not offer group sales in any way that will help you.
Kids get their own showings. Sort of. There will be two family-oriented matinees.
If you get in, you’ll be seated. The Dr. Phillips Center has never offered standing-room-only tickets before and isn’t likely to add them now.
You’ll be able to eat well. Savory foods are now sold in addition to granola mixes and such, so know you can have a Thai beef wrap, or a charcuterie/cheese platter, or other tasty nibbles before the show and during intermission – but not inside the theater, please.
So that’s it. Will Hamilton be worth all this effort? I saw it in New York, standing room only, because my kids waited in the freezing cold on the cancellation line, and their hours of numb fingers paid off. The show was so outstanding that it was worth standing through. I can’t swear the traveling Broadway production will be as good, as but I’m betting it will be remarkable. The script, music and staging are that fine.
Good luck!
