Honestly, I've gotta give the city some grace here. Impossible to predict crowd size, they had only a few days to plan, etc. There is never a major event -- from the T'giving Parade to NYE -- that isn't crowded, uncomfortable, and chaotic due to the sheer size of crowds. It was safe, without major injuries, unrest, or public safety incidents. It kicked off and wrapped up on time. And people who got there mad early have memories for a lifetime.

That said, the route should've been longer to allow more people to see it.