Rent a Bus to Ordway Center for the Performing Arts: Group Night-Out Guide

Getting a group of 15, 25, or 50 people to a show at the Ordway is genuinely enjoyable — right up until someone has to figure out parking. Downtown Saint Paul on a sold-out Saturday night means every ramp within two blocks is filling from the top down, meters run until 10 PM, and whoever drew the short straw and agreed to drive is now circling Kellogg Boulevard instead of finding their seat before the curtain. A St. Paul charter bus rental solves that in one move: one vehicle, one drop-off on Washington Street, and nobody missing the opening number because they're feeding a parking meter.

This guide covers everything a group organizer needs to know — where the bus drops off and where it parks, what the Ordway's two halls mean for your itinerary, which shows are worth planning around in the 2025–26 season, and how pricing actually works for a night-out run. Party Bus St Paul runs these downtown Saint Paul trips regularly, so the logistics below come from doing it, not from the venue's homepage.

What the Ordway Actually Is — and Why It Matters for Group Trips

The Ordway Center for the Performing Arts opened in 1985 as the most expensive privately funded arts facility ever built in Minnesota — a $46 million complex designed by Benjamin Thompson and anchored by a gift from 3M heiress Sally Ordway Irvine. It sits at the corner of Washington Street and Market Street in downtown Saint Paul, directly across from Rice Park, and it draws roughly 400,000 people a year through nearly 500 performances. The Marzitelli Foyer is a two-story lobby with panoramic views of Rice Park and the Mississippi River beyond — which is worth knowing because it's exactly where your group will be waiting at intermission.

There are two distinct performance spaces inside, and which one you're headed to changes your night slightly:

• The Ordway Music Theater seats 1,900 people and is the Broadway house — touring productions of major musicals run here, and the sightlines from the upper balcony are genuinely good. This is the hall most groups are headed to on a Saturday night.
• The Ordway Concert Hall seats 1,093 and is the home of the Saint Paul Chamber Orchestra, Minnesota Opera, and the Schubert Club. Acoustics here are the point, and the smaller, more intimate configuration means the audience is close to the stage regardless of where you sit.

Four resident arts organizations call the Ordway home: the Saint Paul Chamber Orchestra, Minnesota Opera, the Schubert Club, and the Saint Paul series of the Minnesota Orchestra. That makes the building genuinely busy on most nights of the week — not just Friday and Saturday — which is why you need to know the parking situation before your group shows up expecting easy options.

Charter Bus Drop-Off and Parking at the Ordway

Here is the part other pages either skip or get vague about — so let's go straight to what the Ordway actually says.

Per the Ordway's official directions and parking page, buses should drop off passengers in front of the venue on Washington Street before finding parking elsewhere. The Ordway's security team will meet your bus and direct you to the appropriate spot. That curbside drop-off puts your group steps from the main entrance — no walking a block from a ramp, no navigating unfamiliar streets in formalwear.

The Ordway recommends two parking lots for buses after drop-off:

• Lot by Comcast & River Park Plaza on Robert Street — the primary recommendation for bus groups, a short distance from the venue.
• Sears lot on Rice Street — the secondary option, also confirmed by the venue for oversized vehicles.

For school groups attending matinee performances, the Ordway has a dedicated Education Hotline at 651-282-3115. It is worth calling ahead regardless of the occasion — the security team at the Ordway is accustomed to coordinating with groups, and a quick heads-up about your arrival time and group size makes the curbside drop-off even smoother.

The Downtown Saint Paul Parking Situation — Why a Bus Skips All of It

The Ordway has no onsite parking. That is not unusual for a downtown venue, but the neighborhood context matters for a group. On a sold-out evening — a Saturday night Broadway run, an SPCO subscription weekend, a Minnesota Opera opening — the ramps within easy walking distance fill fast.

The closest options are the RiverCentre Ramp (150 West Kellogg Blvd), Lawson Commons Ramp, Kellogg Street Municipal Ramp (129 West Kellogg Blvd), and Landmark Towers Ramp at 4th Street and Market Street. The nearest surface lot is the Travelers Lot at 200 W. 6th St., roughly a four-minute walk.

Downtown meters run Monday through Saturday until 10 PM, which covers every evening curtain at the Ordway except Sunday matinees. Whoever drives is watching the clock from the moment they park. For a group of 20 arriving in separate cars, that translates to 20 different "where did you park?" conversations at intermission.

A St. Paul party bus rental cuts out all of it. One vehicle drops the entire group on Washington Street, the bus parks at the Robert Street lot, and everyone walks in together. No one is late because they couldn't find the Kellogg ramp entrance, and no one misses the second act because they forgot to re-feed a meter.

What's On in 2025–26: The Shows Worth Planning Around

The Ordway's 2025–26 season is its 40th, and the center is marking it with 13 shows — seven Broadway productions and six one-night-only concerts. That density means there are very few weekends between September and June when the downtown core around Rice Park is quiet on a Friday or Saturday night.

The Broadway lineup includes productions your group may already have on the radar. Mrs. Doubtfire runs March 17–22, 2026 — a high-demand run that tends to move fast on weekend nights in the Music Theater. Spamalot, the Monty Python musical co-scored by Eric Idle, runs June 10–14, 2026.

SIX — the pop-concert reimagining of Henry VIII's six wives — runs June 17–28, 2026 and has been one of the most requested Broadway titles in the Twin Cities in recent seasons. The full 2025–26 lineup also includes The Addams Family, The Notebook, Kimberly Akimbo, and additional productions — confirm the complete schedule and current dates at the Ordway season calendar.

In the Concert Hall, the Saint Paul Chamber Orchestra opens its 2025–26 season September 12–14 with Mozart's Jupiter Symphony. The SPCO performs the majority of its season concerts at the Ordway Concert Hall, running from fall through spring — the full schedule is at the Saint Paul Chamber Orchestra site. Minnesota Opera and the Schubert Club fill in the remaining dates, which means there are stretches of the season where the Ordway is running performances in both halls on the same night — and the surrounding ramps reflect it.

The booking urgency point: Broadway weekend runs at the Ordway sell out, and when they do, the parking ramps in a two-block radius sell out with them. The Friday of a SIX or Mrs. Doubtfire run is not a night you want 20 people circling Kellogg in separate cars looking for a space. Lock in the bus as soon as the show date is confirmed — the right vehicle goes to the group that calls first.

What Size Bus Does Your Group Need?

A night at the Ordway is a contained run — downtown Saint Paul pickup, Washington Street drop-off, and a return trip after the curtain call. That makes vehicle sizing straightforward. Here is how the fleet breaks down for a performing arts night out:

For most night-out groups — a bachelorette celebrating with a Broadway show, an office team heading to an SPCO concert, a birthday dinner before the Ordway — a 15- to 35-passenger minibus is the right pick. It fits downtown Saint Paul's streets easily, the A/C keeps everyone comfortable on the ride over, and nobody has to navigate the I-94/35E merge at 11 PM after a glass of wine. For groups wanting the celebration built into the ride, a party bus with an onboard bar and LED lighting turns the trip to the Ordway into part of the evening.

Building the Night-Out Itinerary Around the Ordway

The Ordway's location in the heart of the Lowertown and downtown Saint Paul cultural corridor makes it easy to build a full evening around the show. Rice Park — directly across Washington Street — is one of the most walkable public squares in the Twin Cities, with the Landmark Center and the Saint Paul Hotel bordering it. The pre-show dining window matters: most Ordway curtains are at 7:30 PM, and the best tables within three blocks fill by 6 PM on show nights.

A few setups groups run most often with a St. Paul bus rental:

• Dinner first, then the show. Pickup from a central meeting point — a hotel lobby, a parking lot in the suburbs, a neighborhood — dinner in Lowertown or on West 7th, then the Washington Street drop-off. The bus waits at the Robert Street lot while the group is inside, then meets everyone on Washington Street after curtain call.
• Drinks and dessert after. The show lets out, the group walks to the bus at the agreed curbside spot, and the evening continues — a cocktail bar on Grand Avenue, a late-night spot in the North Loop, or a wine bar in downtown Minneapolis. No one has to figure out who's driving at 10:30 PM.
• Celebration add-on. For a birthday, bachelorette, or anniversary group, a party bus with an onboard bar means the celebration starts the moment the group boards — a glass in hand before the first note of SIX hits.

One thing to build into the plan: Ordway performances do not hold the curtain. If your group is arriving from the suburbs and I-94 traffic backs up at the Marion Street exit on a Friday evening, you want at least 30 minutes of buffer between drop-off and curtain. A bus rental removes the highway anxiety — the route is handled, and everyone arrives together with time to find seats and grab a program.

Who Books an Ordway Bus — and Why

The performing arts crowd is a specific one, and the groups that book a bus to the Ordway tend to fall into a handful of patterns worth knowing:

• Bachelorette and milestone birthday groups. A Broadway night at the Ordway is one of the most popular anchors for a bachelorette weekend in the Twin Cities. The party bus version — onboard bar, LED lighting, sound system — turns the ride over from Uptown or the suburbs into part of the celebration, not just transportation.
• Corporate and client entertainment. Law firms, healthcare groups, and financial teams frequently book the Ordway for client outings. A charter bus or minibus rental keeps the group together, cuts out the designated-driver conversation, and signals that the evening is organized — not a "find your own way there" affair.
• SPCO and Minnesota Opera subscription groups. Season subscribers who gather a group for a specific Concert Hall run — often a dozen to twenty colleagues or neighbors — book a minibus so nobody has to figure out the Kellogg ramp alone on a January Wednesday night.
• School and youth groups. The Ordway runs student matinees and education programs through the school year. A charter bus keeps the group together, bypasses the school bus logistics, and gets students through the Washington Street drop-off exactly as the Education Hotline directs.
• Holiday and year-end celebrations. The Ordway's December programming — SPCO holiday concerts, opera, and special engagements — coincides with company holiday party season. A charter bus from a downtown hotel or office building gets the whole group to the show and back without anyone navigating icy parking structures at midnight.

How Pricing Works for an Ordway Night-Out Run

Party Bus St Paul provides all-inclusive pricing in under 30 seconds — you will know the exact number before you ever book. For a performing arts night out, the quote is shaped by a handful of factors:

• Vehicle size — a 14-passenger Sprinter limo and a 40-passenger charter bus are different rates.
• Total hours — a typical Ordway evening is 4–5 hours from first pickup to final drop-off, including the show runtime of roughly 2–2.5 hours for a Broadway production.
• Pickup location — a Lowertown hotel is a short run; a group gathering in Woodbury or Eagan adds mileage each way.
• Date — Friday and Saturday evenings run higher than weeknights; peak Broadway weekends may adjust availability and pricing.

Here are real hourly ranges to anchor your estimate: 14-passenger Sprinter limos run $170–$344/hour; 15–20 passenger party buses run $204–$378/hour; 20–30 passenger party buses run $244–$414/hour; 35–50 passenger party buses and minibuses run $294–$490/hour; and 40–56 passenger charter buses run $150–$300/hour. Split across 20, 30, or 40 people, the per-head number on a charter bus rental in St. Paul almost always beats the combined cost of separate parking across the group — especially on a downtown event night when surface lots are gone and the ramps are charging event rates. Call 218-520-3551 for an all-inclusive quote, or use our online tool for instant availability.

Bus vs. Driving to the Ordway: The Honest Comparison

For a group heading to a performing arts venue on a weeknight, the case for driving separately feels strongest right up until the moment you actually try to do it. Here is the honest breakdown:

The rideshare math is worth lingering on. The Ordway Music Theater holds 1,900 people. On a sold-out Saturday, most of them hit the rideshare apps within the same 15-minute window after curtain.

Surge pricing is not a maybe — it is a certainty. A group that pre-arranged their bus has a vehicle waiting on Washington Street and boards immediately. The groups who didn't are watching the app tick upward at 10:30 PM in January.

A charter bus in St. Paul is the only option that gets your whole group home in one vehicle at a known, flat rate.

Getting There: Routes and Downtown Timing

The Ordway sits in the core of downtown Saint Paul, accessible from most Twin Cities zip codes via I-94 or I-35E. Approximate drive times from common pickup areas, in normal evening traffic:

On a Friday evening before a 7:30 PM curtain, I-94 eastbound from Minneapolis backs up at the Marion Street exit — the natural exit for the Ordway — and I-35E northbound can stack through the downtown interchange. Budget 45 minutes from a Minneapolis pickup on a Friday night, not 20. A group in separate cars absorbs that delay as individual stress; a group on a bus absorbs it together, in climate-controlled seats, with a drink in hand if they booked a party bus.

Booking Your Ordway Night-Out Bus

Booking is straightforward once you have the basics together:

1. Know your headcount and show date. A ballpark is fine to start — we will match you with the right vehicle size once you have a working number.
2. Tell us your pickup location. A suburban address, a hotel lobby, a company parking lot — wherever the group naturally assembles.
3. Confirm the show time and any pre- or post-show stops. Dinner before the show, drinks after, or straight home — we build the evening's route around your plan, not a fixed template.

A few things that come up on every Ordway booking: how early should we arrive? The Ordway recommends being in your seat before curtain — plan a Washington Street drop-off at least 20 minutes before showtime, 30 minutes if the group is doing will-call pickup. Can the bus wait for us?

Yes — the bus is reserved as a block of hours, so it waits at the Robert Street lot during the show and meets the group curbside after curtain. What about dinner? Just tell us the restaurant address and we route it in.

The evening is yours to design.

For holiday concerts, opening night productions, and Broadway weekends — especially shows like SIX and Mrs. Doubtfire that draw full houses — book as early as your date is confirmed. The best vehicles for a performing arts group night out go to the groups that plan ahead. Call 218-520-3551 or use the online quote tool to lock in your date.

Frequently Asked Questions

Where does a charter bus drop off at the Ordway?

Buses drop off passengers on Washington Street in front of the main Ordway entrance, per the venue's own guidance. The Ordway's security team meets buses at the curb and directs the vehicle to parking from there. That puts your group steps from the door — no ramp walk, no street crossing in formalwear.

Where does the bus park while the group is at the show?

The Ordway recommends the lot by Comcast & River Park Plaza on Robert Street or the Sears lot on Rice Street for buses. The security team at the venue can also direct your vehicle on arrival. The bus waits there during the performance and returns to Washington Street for the post-show pickup at an agreed time.

Is there a drop-off cutout on Washington Street?

Yes. The Ordway's accessibility page notes that there is a cut-out area on Washington Street available for pickup and drop-off at the main entrance, and the venue is fully wheelchair accessible from that point.

How much does it cost to rent a bus to the Ordway?

Pricing depends on vehicle size, total hours, pickup location, and date. Hourly ranges: 14-passenger Sprinter limos run $170–$344/hour; 15–20 passenger party buses run $204–$378/hour; 20–30 passenger party buses run $244–$414/hour; 35–50 passenger party buses and minibuses run $294–$490/hour; and 40–56 passenger charter buses run $150–$300/hour. A typical 4–5 hour Ordway evening splits cleanly across the group — call 218-520-3551 for an all-inclusive quote in under 30 seconds.

When should I book for a Broadway show at the Ordway?

As soon as your show date is confirmed. Broadway weekends — particularly opening and closing nights — fill the downtown Saint Paul vehicle supply quickly. SIX (June 17–28, 2026), Mrs. Doubtfire (March 17–22, 2026), and Spamalot (June 10–14, 2026) are all high-demand runs.

Waiting until the week of the show usually means premium pricing or no availability. Book when the tickets are bought.

What if the show runs long or there's an intermission extension?

The bus is reserved as a block of hours. As long as the total time falls within your booking, there is no scramble — the vehicle waits at the Robert Street lot and is ready when your group walks out. For shows with variable runtimes, just build a realistic buffer into the booking.

Broadway productions at the Ordway typically run 2 to 2.5 hours with one intermission.

Do you serve groups coming from outside Saint Paul?

Yes. Party Bus St Paul serves the full Twin Cities metro — Minneapolis, Woodbury, Eagan, Bloomington, Burnsville, and surrounding communities. A group gathering in the suburbs, heading downtown for an Ordway night, and returning home is exactly the kind of run we handle. Multi-stop itineraries — pick up in two or three locations, drop everyone at the Ordway, return to each stop — are also straightforward to coordinate.

Call 218-520-3551 and we will build the route.

Are ADA-accessible buses available?

Yes — ADA-accessible vehicles are available in our fleet. Let us know your needs when you request a quote and we will confirm the right vehicle for your group.

Book Your Ordway Night-Out Bus Today

A night at the Ordway should start and end with the show — not a parking ramp search on Kellogg or a 15-minute wait for a surge-priced rideshare on Washington Street at 10:30 PM. Party Bus St Paul gets your group there and back in one vehicle, dropped off exactly where the Ordway wants you, and ready for pickup when the curtain falls. Whether it is a Broadway bachelorette, a corporate client evening at the Concert Hall, or a birthday group catching SIX in June, the right bus for your night out is ready. Call 218-520-3551 any time for an all-inclusive quote — or use the online tool for instant availability.