We had purchased tickets in advance of our trip to Chicago. We arrived only to discover that there was a hike/climb of the tower & we had to wait 40+ minutes to take an elevator up or down. Once in the observatory it was sweaty, hot, and you are trapped without a chair until you can go down. It was not first-come first-served, and rather all the parents & children were hustled in front of us, causing even longer waits to get up to the observatory or back down the elevators. The staff seemed frazzled, and in our opinion, the entire observatory should have been closed and tickets refunded to tourists... as with any race or fundraising event, close it down except to those participating. It wasn't worth the money for the view. It's a good view, but not spectacular. There are more impressive sites the world over...save your money.
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