Weddingbee boards

This dreaded time of year has snuck up on me again.  My parents, grandmother, and aunt come into the city to see the Radio City Christmas Show.  They take this ridiculous bus trip that shows up two hours before the show and does not leave until FOUR hours after the show.  It is my job to entertain everyone during those four hours.  Lunch is obviously a plan, but that's not going to take up four hours.  I was hoping to find something to do/see in that time as well.

The problem isn't my parents (they visit the city and have a great time), it's my grandma/aunt.

Problems:

-We can't go to my apartment.  My grandmother can't climb the stairs (walk-up)

-My grandmother can't walk more than 5 or 6 blocks

-My grandmother and aunt will really only eat "American" food.  Nothing out of the ordinary.  They're from upstate so it can't be too expensive either.

-They'll take a cab within a reasonable distance.

-The show ends at 2:30...they get picked up at Bryant Park at 6:30.

-They'll be doing Rock Center before the show.

-ESB, Top of the Rock, Titantic exhibit, etc. have all been deemed "too expensive"

Ideas?  Suggestions?  Anything?  FI and I are frustrated and at our wits end with this.  Everything we've suggested has been shot down.

Ouch. That's a rough one. Who is shooting down your ideas - your aunt/grandmother or your parents? Since you said your parents come into the city a lot and enjoy themselves, do they have any suggestions if yours keep getting nixed?

I'm trying to think of stuff but those are some pretty rough pre-requisites for NYC! Sorry you're dealing with this!

@Kittyachi: My mom on behalf of my grandma/aunt.  I feel so bad for my mom.  She gets roped into this stupid trip every year because taking the train is "too expensive" (please keep in mind my aunt and grandma have tons of money)

They just tend to be complainers about everything. 

As for my parents, we plan stuff for them when they come.  But they're pretty easygoing about everything.  They feel bad for burdening us with these plans :o(

It annoys me to no end when older people that HAVE the money say things are too expensive. I understand that yes, outside of NYC and other major cities you can get a nice dinner for much much cheaper, but you're going to NYC. You need to deal with the fact that things are just more expensive. Argh. I'm getting annoyed for you!

Yeah, and my mom keeps saying "I feel bad.  Why don't you just meet us for lunch and we'll figure something out?"  I'm like, "Mom, if between me and FI WE can't figure something out...how are you going to?!"

What have you done in previous years? You said this is an annual thing, right? Can you recycle?

@Trailmix: That's where they're planning on killing time once they get to Bryant Park to wait for the bus. 

I forgot to mention that my aunt/gma HATE shopping.

I was thinking St. Patrick's Cathedral.  I'll mention that to my mom.

I thought of museums but my grandmother won't be able to walk around them and refuses to get a wheelchair -- convenient!

And they're coming tomorrow.  My grandmother wasn't feeling well so I thought they were going to cancel, so I didn't research in advance.  But, alas, they arrive in less than 24 hours...

@Kittyachi: To answer your question in what we did years previous, the bus trip used to be different.  There used to be like a two-hour gap between show and bus home.  So we would just have lunch at Heartland Brewery or something and walk them to Bryant Park.

Last year, there was a three hour gap.  We did the same lunch thing and then just tried to drag out the walk to Bryant Park as much as possible.  It didn't work.  We were at Bryant Park an hour early and ended up sitting in Starbucks until the bus came.  It was miserable. 

Oh boy. I'm so sorry! I have nothing to offer you but sympathy.

@Kittyachi: Thanks :o)

Maybe see if tea at The Plaza is a possibility?  $60.00 a pop, I think, but it's stationery and indoors.

If they're already at Bryant Park could they spend some time in the library?  There's usually an exhibit going on.  MOMA is reasonably close, but expensive for non-members, at least compared to The Met.

Otherwise I say just stick the complainers in a Starbucks and go have fun with your poor mother!

Edited to add:  The International Center for Photography is at 43rd and Ave of the Americas.  Cheap-ish.