While on a break Postal Workers Claudio Roussillon and Shantel Gilmore were some of the first people to ride the Times Square Wheel.

The newest attraction, in the Crossroads of the World, opened Wednesday and will be open every day from noon to midnight through Sept. 12, offering a unique view of Times Square.

“It was really good,” said Gilmore. "I loved it and I will be bringing my 12 year old.”  

“You see everything,” explained Roussillon. "I want to try in the night too because in the night all the lights and everything Times Square, the energy, amazing.”

The idea behind building the Ferris wheel on Broadway between 47th and 48th Street is to give New Yorkers and tourists another reason to visit the area and patronize local businesses and restaurants.

With the shutdown of Broadway and the slow return of tourism, business in the area have been struggling throughout the COVID-19 pandemic.

“We wanted something big, bold and exciting for people to do while they await the return of Broadway and this is it,” explained Tom Harris, president of the Times Square Alliance.

In pre-pandemic times, Times Square saw an average of about 365,000 pedestrians. From May to June, Harris says the pedestrian count rose from 100,000 to over 200,000 people a day. The hope is the wheel will give the area a little extra boost.

“A full Times Square and a Ferris wheel in Times Square is a symbol of our resolve and our recovery,” said Harris.

“Most of the 200,000 people who come here are New Yorkers who are rediscovering their Times Square. So we want everyone to come out sand make new Times Square memories, and they get to do it from a vantage point that they have never had before.”

The very top of the Ferris wheel is 110 feet above ground, equivalent to 11 stories high.

If you got a COVID-19 vaccine shot between Aug. 1 and Sept. 12, you can show proof and get a free ride. They are offering 100 free rides a day.

For tickets, visit here.