Visitors are now able to book USS Arizona Memorial tickets in advance. This change could significantly reduce visitor wait times and help you make the most of your Oahu vacation time.
Tickets will still be available on a first come, first served basis for walk-in visitors. In this KHON report, Eileen Martinez, Chief of Interpretation for the Pearl Harbor Visitor Center, says that 50% of tickets will be available for walk-in visitors. **July 2014 Update: Only 300 tickets will be available for advance reservations. That makes 2,000 tickets available to walk-in visitors who arrive on the same day.
Though tickets will continue to be free to all visitors, a fee of $1.50 per ticket will be charged for the convenience of booking ahead.
The new ticketing process opened for bookings on February 16, 2012 for tours beginning on March 1. The system allows visitors to book up to three months in advance. ** July 2014 Update: Advance reservations may only be made one day in advance of the visit.
Visitors are able to book up to six tickets by calling 1-877-444-6777 or book online at recreation.gov. Reservations are available daily starting at 7am Hawaii Standard Time.
I’ve revised our tips for visiting the USS Arizona Memorial to include this new ticket change. In the mean time, do check out the advice to make the most of your visit.
Mahalo to Dave Soule for bringing this news item to my attention.
What do you think of this ticketing change?
Sheila Beal
8 comments
Ack! Timing is everything! Figures it doesn’t start until March 1.
Gray — the wait usually isn’t too bad. I asked a park ranger when the best time is to arrive to make sure you get a ticket and don’t have to wait long. He told me shortly after 9am is a good time, unless you’re there on or around a big holiday.
I LOVE it! No more mad-rush to be first in line. From my experience… You either get there first thing in the morning, get a tickeet and take a boat out to the memorial within an hour or so…
Or you get there in the early afternoon, get a ticket and wander around 3 or 4 hours while waiting for your boat.
It’s easy to spend 3 or four hours there. The place has a lot to see and do but that’s not the point. I prefer to manage my time if I can.
I’ve had friends come to Hawaii but are unable to get to Pearl Harbor early in the morning and they don’t have the flexibility to wait around for an unknown period of time. So… They miss out on something special that they really wanted to experience.
Good points, Dave. It’s definitely good to have the option to book ahead, but still having the ability to get walk-up tickets for visitors who don’t know they can book in advance.
Sheila
Thanks for posting the info.
I went to the http://www.recreation.gov site & registered.
The site is good for tickets to many other historic places, campgrounds, etc.
You can be from almost any country & be able to register.
Almost all of the tickets to the different places are “Will Call”. That means you pick up the tickets when you get to the sight, attraction, campground etc.
I think at Pearl Harbor Visitors Center there will be a line to get the tickets through will call as everyone will try to get there shortly before their tour starts.
Used to be someone just handed out the tickets and the line to get tickets moved rapidly once they opened.
Now, they will have to look up your name & get your tickets. There may also be self kiosks (like for checking in at airports).
Another recent change at the visitors center is that you can ask for a tour at a certain time instead of the next available tour.
For example, if you arrive there at 8am & the next available tour is at noon, you can ask for tickets for 3pm. Gives you an opportunity to leave& do something else instead of waiting around for several hours.
But if you register & get tickets online, no need to do this any more.
Spread the word on any other blogs, forums, etc., that you participate in, about the new ticket reservation system.
Another change!
Advanced reservations can now be made only one day in advance and only for 1:15pm and 1:45pm tours.
NPS will honor all previously made reservations.
See this forum thread for info:
http://www.tripadvisor.com/ShowTopic-g60982-i38-k7627764-Pearl_Harbor_Change_in_Advance_Ticket_Reservations-Honolulu_Oahu_Hawaii.html
That’s an interesting change, Dave. Thanks for the heads up.
More changes to the reservation system!
Advanced reservations can be made two ways:
1. Up to two months in advance. Tickets available for advanced reservations are 25 tickets for each of these tours: 8am, 9am, 10am, 11am, 12N, 1pm and 2pm. 75 tickets for each of 2:30pm and 2:45 tours.
2. One day in advance. 75 tickets are available for the next day’s for each of these tours: 8am, 9am, 10am, 11am, 12N, 1pm and 2pm. Tickets will be available at 7am HST for reservations for the following day.
http://www.recreation.gov/tourDetails.do?contractCode=NRSO&tourId=317399
There are also about 1300 tickets available for walk-ups.