Anyone been to Wrigley?

T

texascoder

1,000+ Posts
After I watch the Horns wrap up the CWS title this week, the GF and I will be traveling to the Chicago area to visit family, etc. Since I'm a lifelong baseball fanatic and I've never been to Wrigley, I know I'll kick myself in the *** if I don't go, so we're going to try to get to a Cubs game, probably on Thursday 7/2 vs the Brewers (night game).

Since I've never been to Wrigley, I was wondering if anyone out there on the interwebs could offer advice about:
1) Tickets - Would I be better off trying to score tickets from scalpers outside the park or should I buy some on Stubhub, etc.? Looks like I can get some half-way decent tickets there for about $50-75 a pop.

2) Getting to and from the game - we'll be coming in from south of Chicago and I think we'll have an elderly person with us. What would be the best way to get to the game? Park as close as possible and take a cab? Is there public transportation that goes right to the park before and after the game, etc.???

If anyone has experience at the "friendly confines" it would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks!
 
About 2 years ago, I took my (then 11 yo) son with me and 2 other friends. We bought tickets through the cubs.com website that were reasonable, but we did buy pretty far in advance. There were a lot of scalpers, but I didn't pay attention to the prices they were asking. $50-75 is not bad for semi-decent seats.

As far as transport, we just rode the train all the way from downtown. It takes you right there and is cheap, but there are a lot of stairs to walk up and down. If your elderly guest cannot handle stairs well, I would suggest a cab. One thing for sure, you guys are going to have a great time. Awesome ballpark.
 
I am actually going to the day game on 7/3. I started looking for tickets (it has been sold out since the tickets went on sale) since around April. After trying eBay (way too expensive) and Stubhub (also way too expensive), I settled on Craigslist. I paid about 1.5 times face for pretty good seats right on the 1st base line in the first mezzanine. The face on the tickets was $60 a piece. I would suggest getting on Craigslist and checking it out. The people I got in touch with were very friendly and had some good hints and stuff to do before and after the game. Everyone was pretty straight up about the costs of the tickets and no one tried to screw me over. I had a lot of options for purchasing, but liked the deal I did the best because she did the deal through PayPal (more security). Best of luck. Wish I had more helpful hints, but that is about all I have right now.
 
Wild Bill, thanks for the info... did you mean stairs getting on and off the subway, etc.? or stairs at the ballpark? I would hope both places have elevators for handicapped folks, but maybe not???
 
I live up here and went to two games this week so here is my take:

Definitely do not do craigslist. That is where the scammers hang out and you are taking your chances.

StubHub is very good, especially for games during the week. Make sure you only go for the INSTANT tix that you print off. Your best bet is probably 24 hours before the game. Prices start to go about as low as they will by then. Do not do the e-tickets because you are waiting on seller approval and you might get hosed on the time. Prices work their way down during the week so dont be too eager.

If they dont get to where you want them, you can always score on the day of the game at SitClose tickets and the one across the street on Addison. These are permanent brick and mortar ticket guys so they wont rip you off. Do not buy off the street from anybody.

I got 10 rows behind the dugout for face against the Sox and did it the day before.

IMO the best seats in the place are the Terrace Box [100's sections] along the baselines. You want to be more than 5 rows up or people walking in front will obstruct a bit. You should be able to grab those for under 125/ticket and maybe a lot less.

If you get priced out [Brewers are a rival and in first place], the front section of the upper deck 3rd base side are great seats you can get at face. Upper deck at Wrigley is very close to the field.

The only seats I dont like are lower level under the upper deck. Avoid those.

Have fun, there is no place like it.
 
Stairs for both. The el/train and the ballpark are pretty old. However, I would double-check both. I wasn't looking for elevators, so maybe there are some. The Chicago Transit Authority website might help. Link I would also check the ballpark website.
 
You can't go wrong finding tickets. Everyone "needs" them outside, but just make sure you're not getting a fake one. Buy some together for sure.

Wrigley is definitely a walk-up kind of ball park, so taking a cab if you have an old person with you is probably your best option. I always took the shuttle buses they had from the west side because I was too cheap.
 
Everybody stays away from Craigslist because of "scammers." I have never had a bad transaction on Craigslist. If you start up an email conversation with someone and start asking about bars around the ballpark and things to do, then I think you have ruled out a scammer. And you can always do the deal through Paypal to protect yourself. I would not give up on Craigslist as an option just because one person says that is where the "scammers" hang out.
 
Take the train (subway) yes, I am pretty certain there are elevators.
There are lots of tickets for sale outside, wait until the game starts for the best price.
 
got mine just outside also, paid LESS than face, but went in after the game started--since Cubs are not doing too well, I would think that it is that way now, also--sat on the 1st base side, just outside the dugout--awesome place to see a game!
 
Love it. If you go to a day game don't worry about tickets. You can pick them up at the game or from a scalper cheap.

Take the Red line to the stadium. They run plenty of trains after the game so you will be out of there quickly.

Try and stay inside the loop. Make sure to eat at Gino's East and get an Italian Beef. Also, a Chicago dog.
 
It's damn hard to find a cab leaving the game, and the red line going back downtown (and probably going to the game) will be shoulder to shoulder so, either way it's tough for the elderly. Take a limo and go in style
 
Ok, I found tix on Stubhub at a decent price so I went ahead and bought those. Turns out there are elevators at Wrigley near the leftfield foul pole (gate K is right near there) and my tickets are near there so that should work out pretty well.

Still deciding on how to get to and from the game, and I appreciate everyone's input. Has anyone used the shuttle buses that the Cubs run between Wrigley and DeVry University? Just wondering how safe a neighborhood that is and where the buses might drop you off at the game.

Thanks for all the info!

Hook 'Em
 
I think I parked at that Devry lot. For $6, you park there and can hop on the shuttle that takes you to Wrigley. It was pretty safe, in my opinion.

Bleachers are the best place to sit. You have the most fun there, cause the best fans are out there. (and the best looking women
wink.gif
) It's kinda like sitting in the student section at DKRMS
 
When I went, I had no advanced planning, watched them play the 'Stros. We went to the window and bought SRO tickets about an hour before the game. It was a lot of fun.
 
You wont have trouble in the DeVry area. I dont live far from there and there are a lot of cops around. Its a viable way to get over there.

Ever since the Brew Crew moved to the same division it has really given some juice to that series so it will be fun.
 
wrigley is a fine place to watch the cubs get their butts kicked! go stros! if you have time, you should stop in at the brownstone bar on irving park and damen, our texas haven in the windy city, although it's much better on UT game day.
 
Thanks a lot for that info bullzak. I think I'll do the Devry shuttle bus thing... One question though. Before games (1-2 hours before, etc.) how close can you actually drive to Wrigley? The reason I ask is that if I park at Devry and do the shuttle bus, I'll probably want to drive as close to Gate K (left field entrance) as I can and drop off my GF and her mom there first, to cut down on the walking that her mom has to do. So I was wondering if I could actually drive along Waveland Ave. about 1-2 hours before gametime or do they block that off to traffic, etc.?

Hook 'Em!
 
I don't think they block anything before or after the game. There's a lot more people walking around but the cops do a good job of keeping them off the street and keeping traffic moving. You could double check this by watching the Cub Cam before their next game if you wanted.The Link
 
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