The Rink at Brookfield Place

Bottom Line: There are better outdoor rinks to experience than «The Rink at Brookfield Place»
Pro:
— No Line or Short Line
— Beautiful View of the Sunset in the Afternoon
— Near Brookfield Place for Food such as Hudson Eats, Num Pang, The District, and Mighty Quinn’s
Cons
— Expensive: $ 15 Admission, $ 5 Skate Rental
— Skates Rentals were Wet/​Gross
— Tiny Rink
— Tons of Children Skating Around You
— 90 Minute Sessions (so Arrive on Time!)
— No Easy Access to Winter Palace via Rubber Mats
— None/​Limited Seating
— Your By The Water So It’s COLD!

My friend was bullied by a little girl here. She had snow tossed in her face and was stalked by said girl for a couple of hours. I’m not sure how it started; perhaps it was the accidental eye contact that my friend threw her way. But this girl was relentless, and as it was New Year’s Eve, with very few souls on ice including my friends and a few spare groups, it seemed natural she would be drawn to us.
She decided to toss snow on me next. And that’s when I threw out a hand (no, not in the discipline sense) to put distance between us, and said the phrase of the night: «I don’t know you like that.» Something had to be done about this nuisance– some little girls are cute; they say the darnedest things and can get away with murder. This one, however, was the Bride of Chucky in human form. Those devil horns couldn’t be concealed by her colorful snow hat.
Besides our tiny terror encounters, the rink itself is also small. You should keep that in mind if you’re planning to go. It was freezing on NYE, and even colder at the rink since it’s by the water. The views are sweet; I’m actually very glad I opted out of standing in Times Square for hours on end. I was able to get the full experience my first time at this rink, with little chance for collisions. Somehow, a wobbly stranger came at me with arms outstretched, and naturally, I embraced her. *shrugs* What can I say, I’m a welcoming person?
Pay attention to the rates of the rink; I think it’s pretty expensive for skating because
1. it is timed for specific 1.5 hr intervals, and they forget to remind you of this even when you’ve arrived 20 minutes past the time slot. So depending on when you get there, you may have already missed out on a chunk of skating time.
2. there is no space for your belongings; plan ahead and carry light. You can leave your belongings/​shoes lying around inside the tent, or hand over your shoes to the staff. It will go in the cubbyhole where the skates were stored.
3. the rink is small. I don’t know what their max capacity is, but I wouldn’t want to skate here with a big crowd.
If you’re looking for a change in scenic backdrop or just to get away from the tourist masses of midtown, I’d try this place out. But then again, they might just walk over after visiting the World Trade Memorial.

So excited to have an ice rink in my neighborhood.
They are open everyday 10am to 10pm. Skating times for 1.5 hours which is enough time. It’s $ 15 to skate and $ 5 for rentals. Skates are in good condition and staff are friendly. They let you use orange cones to aid when skating but not ideal for first time adults. The changing area gets a bit hectic when the skate time is over. More seating to change shoes would be better.
The rink is right on the Hudson so we get a nice view of the water. Great location!