When visiting a city for the first time, researching its history, landmarks and cuisine is a protocol for enthusiastic travelers. Willis Tower is the landmark for Chicago must be on your travel itinerary.A trip to Chicago is incomplete without a visit to the Skydeck,an architectural marvel on the top floor of the tower. Skydeck is to Chicago what the Colosseum is to Rome!
A Brief History of the Willis Tower
Situated along the banks of the Chicago river towards the easternside of Union Station,the Willis Tower is the highest structure in the city.The building is 110 stories tall, measures 1,450 feet andis built 43 feet into the ground.
Originally called the Sears Towerduringitsinauguration in 1973 after a construction period of three years, the tower was rechristened in 2003. What’s interesting about the structure is the construction method known as the Bundled Tube Design. Which is essentially a set of nine tubes bundled together forming the base.Think of it as a pack of nine pencils, each packed higher than the last.
The Willis Tower houses nearly a hundred different offices, although, the highlight of the structure is undoubtedly the Skydeck. It is one of the tallest structures in the United States, and on a bright sunny day the four states of Illinois, Michigan, Wisconsin and Indiana can be seen from the Skydeck if you are lucky!
A major addition was made to the Willis Tower back in 2009, in the form of four observation pods, commonly referred to as the Ledge. These pods are constructed using three layers of half-inch thick glasses,laminated into a seamless unit.
How to Plan a Trip to the Willis Tower?
If you plan on visiting the Skydeck during sunset, make sure to start early and expect long queues. The line through the elevatorscan get cramped very soon, and unless you are towards the front of the line, expect a general waitingperiod of 15-20 minutes. This gets worse during peak seasons wherethe waiting time often shoots up to 45 minutes and an hour.
Once you are on the elevator the ride is amazingly quick and a video presentation keeps you entertained. At the peakget ready to be welcomed by a sea of tourists and locals enjoying a great view. It is not difficult to locate the pods, since, they are thronged by people at any given time.
Join the informal queue leading to the pods, although, you might have to wait a good few minutes for your turn. Get ready for some selfishness as well since you will have those one or two people secretly sneaking into the queue.
Once you are on the pod, try not to take a thousand photographs. It gets increasingly annoying for the people waiting in line.If you want to get your pictures clicked, there are photographers on the Skydeck ready to oblige to your requests for a fee.There are a few telescopes around the hall for an uninterrupted view of the Chicago skyline and city maps for reference.
There are few different dining options available on the mail stories of the tower, but if you are looking for a meal with a view you might have to loosen your purse strings quite a bit!
Willis Tower Skydeck – Hours and Timings
The Skydeck is open for public viewing seven days a week. You might want to check the official websitefor any change in timings. The general timings are from 9 a.m. to 10 p.m. from March to September and from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. from October to March. The ticket kiosks shut down 30 minutes prior to the closing bell.
The Skydeck has a few offerings for the patrons prior to the main event, i.e. reaching the top. These offerings include different video exhibits that talk about Chicago and the Willis Tower. It also includes a movie that talks about the history of the building and the surrounding architecture.
The overall experience might be time consuming as the wait times are high, but these informativeyet entertaining presentations are sure to keep you hooked, while helping you develop a greater appreciation for the experience.
Willis Skydeck – Tickets
The ticket prices are subject to change, but for now, the prices for general admission is that adults from age 12 and above have to pay $24 in fees. Children between the ages 3 and 11 have to pay $16. The entry fees to children under 3 are free.
There is also another ‘Fast Pass’ option where the individual has to pay $49. This offers fast entry to the Skydeck, the tickets are available based on the demand. Though the price of the ‘fast pass’ is more, tickets are known to sell quickly.
Then there are other ticket options for Willis Skydeck which also includes the Chicago City Pass option, the combo tickets, the dining at Skydeck option and early bird entries. You can buy tickets for the Willis Tower by going to this link-https://tickets.theskydeck.com/e-commerce/ItemList.aspx
Other vendors also offer day/night tickets, which are two separate tickets per guest, trolley tour, which is a basic ticket with an additional hop on/hop off benefit, the skylight tour, which is an audio-visual tour pointing out important structures along the skyline and the Art Institute combo, which is a basic pass with a complimentary entry to theArt Institute.
Pro Tips to Successfully Plan a Trip in the Shortest Amount of Time
It takes about three to four hours to complete a trip to the Willis Tower depending on which time of the year and day you plan on visiting. The general pattern suggests that the crowd is the thinnest in the morning and just before closing time. If you plan your trip accordingly you might be able to complete the tour in under an hour.
However, keep in mind that the exit queue can get long too. You should schedule your day accordingly. We cannot stress enough on the importance of visiting the official website for last minute information on changes to the timing schedule or special events.
Booking tickets online saves a lot of time. Every second of your time is precious when you need to stand in queue for everything, from reaching the top to viewing the skyline and even exiting the building!
Have you been to the Willis Tower or the Skydeck recently? Share your experiences with us via the Comments Section below!
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