traveling in NYC?

No question, it's easier to take a bus. Cab fare will likely exceed $40. Four people taking the bus/subway will only be $8, and might at times be faster than taking a cab anyway!

Flushing has many buses running through it, and downtown Flushing is a MAJOR bus/train hub. You will likely have a bus running down your block if you're on a major thoroughfare, or a bus within walking distance if you're on a side street. Look at the Queens Bus Map to determine what's around:

http://mta.info/nyct/maps/index.html

Furthermore, MetroCard makes transit easy; when you board a bus, you'll get one free transfer per passenger if you get on the subway within two hours of boarding the bus. The same is true for subway-to-bus.

If that bus takes you to the #7 subway (and you'll likely be able to find one nearby that does), that'll take you directly to Times Square. That's about as easy as it gets!

Get a look at that map, and if you have any further questions about bus routes or anything of that sort, feel free to add on and ask.

As for the cab, there should be only a few situations in which I'd even think about it:

1) Carrying large amounts of luggage, especially with a large group of people. Even then, you might be able to manage on mass transit.

2) Late at night in unfamiliar or unsafe areas, or any time in unsafe areas.

3) Need for fast travel in areas not well-served by mass transit.

4) Intoxication.

Hmmm.... I am also going to New York soon, I've been there before, but we stayed outside of the city and took a train everyday, then subway... so I'm not exactly sure. But cab fare would be expensive, so I'd take the bus unless that's too out of the way.