Whether it's your first Bonnaroo or you’re a music festival veteran, we welcome you to Inforoo.
Here you'll find info about artists, rumors, camping tips, and the infamous Roo Clues. Have a look around then create an account and join in the fun. See you at Bonnaroo!!
Post by Wunderlustking on Mar 29, 2011 11:48:39 GMT -5
Solo Volunteer, this will be my fourth Bonnaroo, but first time volunteering. Signed up for pre-festival set up in hopes of getting the weekend free (crossing fingers). Pretty sure I was one of the first to get in my deposit and application into W.E.T. yesturday right when they came out. Looking forward to hearing back from them within the next couple weeks.
ok vie been looking and cant find an answer sorry if this is a repeat..i see once you park in volunteer camping you can move your stuff but not your car..what the set up like are the bathroom or porta potties and what about showers? i usually do vip but put in a volunteer app. just wondering how radically different it will be
On that note, what perks do volunteers get? Is there a separate entrance we can take or do we still go through the regular GA camper line, search, and everything? Someone probably mentioned it and I probably saw it when I read through this whole thread, but don't have the energy to hunt it down, lol.
As far as I can tell, aside from being in it's own area (volunteer area or tollbooth have separate areas) everything else is similar to bein in GA. Free showers, I think, and quality of everything is the same. I'm no expert though. I've yet to volunteer also, and put in my app on Monday when it was first available.
On that note, what perks do volunteers get? Is there a separate entrance we can take or do we still go through the regular GA camper line, search, and everything? Someone probably mentioned it and I probably saw it when I read through this whole thread, but don't have the energy to hunt it down, lol.
As far as I can tell, aside from being in it's own area (volunteer area or tollbooth have separate areas) everything else is similar to bein in GA. Free showers, I think, and quality of everything is the same. I'm no expert though. I've yet to volunteer also, and put in my app on Monday when it was first available.
Hey Dunn Loring, I'm in Springfield!
Volunteers get PLENTY of little perks... the showers are generally much easier to get into, the camping is WAY closer than most camping, the whole camping area is restricted to only volunteers (so it's a little more secure), you get to enter the festival through a back entrance directly next to the main stage ("What", I think it's called) and this entrance never had a line, as it never had any security screening you in, so you could bring in water bottles and food a little more freely (I wore a CamelBak everyday, I know GA people were getting shaken down for those). You also get a few free meals over the course of the festival, last year at check-in they handed out little meal coins, I kept one cause they're awesome. You also get the nifty shirt and lanyard which make you look official and important, and those perceptions can work to your advantage when you're trying to navigate a crowd. You also get the comradery of other volunteers, who control everything. Last year I took plenty of free golf cart rides and I was able to get about 4 Bonnaroo program books long after all the info booths had run out. Just make friends fast and then you can all help eachother make it through easily.
I'm sure I must be missing things, but these are the ones that jump out in my memory.
Hey neighbor!! Thanks for the info. it's all familiar now that you say it, but I had forgotten off the top of my head. I thought I read regular volunteers are kinda far and tollbooths near the west tollbooth (top left??) or maybe the tollbooth is the far 1 and regular volunteer camping is ok? Where exactly is that? (I saved the pdf from 2010: filebox.vt.edu/users/elhama/Roo%20Map.pdf)
I signed up for tollbooth in hopes to get everything done by Friday and relax the rest of the weekend, but who knows if that's what I'll end up with. I figure since I got it in early, probably will. I think the dates I posted said they start taking deposits for new volunteers on Monday, but they said they need around 2 weeks to process apps, so I guess really would know by the 11th.
You'll notice a few notations, I'll explain those.
1A and 1B are pretty much the same... one of those was where during-fest tollboothers were camped last year. I know this because one of the guys I brought down with me was assigned tollbooth. I really can't recall though which gate it was.... the more I think about, the more I'm strongly suspecting that it was 1B, but I'm not 100%... I'm just pretty sure I can recall seeing the tower / ferris wheel off to the left, way back, which would've put me at the booth at 1B. Which ever it was, the volunteers were pitching their tents and parking their cars to the right of the main entrance road. And either way, where I camped (#4) was literally about a quarter the distance to Centeroo than #1A or #1B.
2 is something that everyone should be aware of-- this is where the pent-ultimate master headquarters and supreme command of all things W.E.T. and volunteer were centered. It was kind half-way inside the VIP area, halfway not... hard to explain. It is a place you'll want to know how to locate just in case you need any help with your schedule or loose your wristband or whatever. There're always heaps of golf carts around there too.
Also, just south of 2, unmarked on my modified map, is where the Wal-Mart shuttle is for volunteers. That's another bonus. You can hop on a little 15passanger van and get a ride to and from WalMart any time for more ice, a sandwich from Subway, whatever.... totally free and completely awesome. The pick-up / drop off point in Bonnaroo was just across the way from the VIP area, in a big mostly empty space behind What Stage. The pick-up / drop-off in town was at the Scottish Inn directly across the street from WalMart (behind the truck-and-trailer in this picture from google street view: tinyurl.com/scottishinn ). The shuttle came south down Grosch Dr. (labeled on official Bonnaroo map) to leave Bonnaroo, then turned onto Kimberly Ln. to get over to the hotel. Just be SURE to bring ALL your ID!!!!! They keep security TIGHT TIGHT TIGHT for the shuttle!!!!
#3 is where the vendor volunteers camp. That's for all the people who got a gig selling the merch, selling the food, etc. I saw a bunch of those folks, but never mingled over there too much.
#4 is where I camped last year as a during fest volunteer. I know the port-o-potties were on the left / west side of the site, showers were north west by just a very short walk. The site was fine, slightly sloped to allow for some runoff for the rain we got on Wed night last year. No complaints on this end.
The Red Trail is the path I walked several times to and from Centeroo. It takes you past the POD that's located directly outside the volunteer campsite, then past a water station (bad tasting water, not the good stuff you get in Centeroo-- this is shave / brush teeth water), then past the "Oh Shit" helo-pad on your left and all the associated emergency medical stuff (I felt good camping next to those guys), and the vendor volunteers on the right, then into a brief woods and over a footbridge that crosses a little creek. At this point you'll be at a t-off with the VIP area straight in front of you (where more WET volunteers are posted to keep you out) as well as the WET HQ (which, of course, you can go to). Make a short left, though hug the fence. You don't want to walk down the street! Get in an opening just to the left of the VIP-site entrance (where my red trail jack-knifes, just about 15ft south of #2), and go through a narrow(ish) fenced-in walkway / enclosure. This will wrap around the VIP / trailer parking and spit you out right at the What Stage! Like magic! no security, no muss, no fuss--- just awesomeness. Worse comes to worse, just ASK where to go, or follow everyone else
I almost forgot-- After Bonnaroo is all done, on Monday, when you're leaving, look for people trying to wave you EAST (this will feel like the WRONG WAY). Follow their directions! These are people who own the adjoining farmland and for $5 or $10 they'll let you take a shortcut through their land and you'll be out in about 5mins vs about 5 hours. WELL worth the money!
Hope it's been helpful!
EDIT::: I just re-read that post--- it's still pretty confusing. I zoomed a section of Ellie's original map (linked way up top) and made a more detailed version of the entrance volunteers have to get to Centeroo. Sorry about the strange, huge, storyboard-type layout, but here it is, from the bottom, right of the whole map, picking up my beloved Red Trail!
oh my gosh... I wasn't expecting this detailed of an answer, lol. Thanks for putting in so much effort! You're too nice, hehe...
So this means I'd be able to take in camera/glowsticks with less fuss at that entrance? If we were to go to regular entances, then we'd have to get searched like normal, right? Or would they just wave us in with our wristbands and/or badges?
P.S. I think we should (if not already done) compile a list of common duties for each position. Maybe talk right after Roo's done this year and say what each area's function is, aside from just wondering and know the location maybe when we send in the app. Or would this be difficult to do?
So this means I'd be able to take in camera/glowsticks with less fuss at that entrance? If we were to go to regular entrances, then we'd have to get searched like normal, right? Or would they just wave us in with our wristbands and/or badges?
Exactly. If you go to the main gate they will search you like normal. I went once last year, just to see what it was like, and it sucked... way too much waiting, too much dickhead security... I had issues. I'll avoid that entrance like crazy and would advise everyone to do the same. Last year at each side of the fence / tunnel that wraps around VIP there were WET volunteers, making sure that people had the proper credentials (a WET bracelet). Last year I also carried my lanyard on me at all times just in case I ever needed to prove myself to anyone. I also carried an extra Volunteer shirt, so I'd put that on before I entered the fenced in bypass on either side, just so it'd be more obvious that I was allowed.
Another very big thing that'll help you understand some important nuance to Roo-volunteering is that there are multiple ways to contribute to the weekend's festivities. What gets the most press is WET, by Shimon Presentations. This is Shimon / WET's second year at Bonnaroo, and they are the general-purpose volunteering guys. Last year I sat in a POD (POD 1) for about 10 hr, then spent about 4hr doing nothing, and another 2hours folding t-shirts (I'll explain later).
WET volunteers are just a small part of the 'Roo employees / volunteers. There're also the real people, by which I mean people with meaningful tasks who are generally paid to be there. This will also include some of the big folks who work with WET and who you'll easily be able to distinguish from the rest of us.
There's also a separate group of paid security who mostly just screens people going into / out of Roo, and there's the aforementioned Vendor volunteers.
WET volunteers are basically the bottom rung in the hierarchy. For during fest last year I was sent to a WET central location and waited to be assigned work. This was my assigned work detail, and I got the impression it's a common one. Basically you're like stem-cells-- you're sent to a big petri-dish with a bunch of other WET'ers, you check in with the real WET people, then you sit around and bullsh!t with other WET'ers until the real WET'ers give you something to do. For me, they said "The Ford tent needs two people to fold shirts, Brian and Stephanie, head over and work with them until you're done, then come check out." Another guy I went with was posted at the VIP refreshment booth south of What Stage and was checking bracelets. The work varies HUGELY and it's really just luck of the draw. This, at least, can be said for during-fest.
That having been said, the people who are posted at either end of the fence that wraps around VIP is WET volunteers. They're kids like us who really aren't qualified or empowered to search anyone. At no point last year was there ever any paid / real security people at any entrance to the bypass. This is yet another great reason why you should be nice to other people working the festival-- we can all help make eachother's lives a lot easier, and make one another's experience really much more positive.
P.S. I think we should (if not already done) compile a list of common duties for each position. Maybe talk right after Roo's done this year and say what each area's function is, aside from just wondering and know the location maybe when we send in the app. Or would this be difficult to do?
As I said in that last little bit, at least for During Fest general purpose volunteer is really quite a grab-bag of possibilities. I can't speak much for Clean Vibes, Pre / Post Fest, or Toll booth. I suppose it couldn't hurt for people to post their experiences.
Another thing to keep in mind, again, is that this is only WET's second year at 'Roo.... so if people post experiences from '09 or prior, take with with a grain of salt-- they may still be completely relevant, but they may also be profoundly off base since there's completely new management running the volunteers nowadays. You might even want to scroll back in the history of this forum and pick up and start reading from a couple years ago (each post is tagged with it's post date, so it's easy to find when things were posted). Last year I went all the way back to the first post, and read EVERYTHING.... a little unnecessary perhaps, but I figured I'd rather not waste any on-site time dealing with a learning with a learning curve. I think reading everything helped quite a bit, even though most of it was pre-WET posts.
i have volunteered the past two years, and vols DO NOT receive any special perks...there is no special gate to go in to avoid searches and lines, i did toll booth last year and was camped a 45 min walk from centeroo (1B on the map above), and in '09 was camped where it is marked 'volunteer camping' on the map...yeah, you get a 'lanyard', but it say 'NO ACCESS' on it so they make sure you dont get any perks...you do get some free meal tokens, but half of the vendors are confused as to what you get. i always used mine at spicy pie b/c you got 2 huge slices of pizza...it was very disorganized last year as well. both of my shifts, i ended up sitting around doing nothing (even got to sleep on my overnight shift!), but i was done thursday at 10 pm...im not volunteering this year b/c my wife is coming with me and doesnt want to be by herself while im working...all in all, both years was ok, but they have some kinks to work out...and you DO NOT get all the perks like someone mentioned earlier...
i have volunteered the past two years, and vols DO NOT receive any special perks...there is no special gate to go in to avoid searches and lines, i did toll booth last year and was camped a 45 min walk from centeroo (1B on the map above), and in '09 was camped where it is marked 'volunteer camping' on the map...yeah, you get a 'lanyard', but it say 'NO ACCESS' on it so they make sure you dont get any perks...you do get some free meal tokens, but half of the vendors are confused as to what you get. i always used mine at spicy pie b/c you got 2 huge slices of pizza...it was very disorganized last year as well. both of my shifts, i ended up sitting around doing nothing (even got to sleep on my overnight shift!), but i was done thursday at 10 pm...im not volunteering this year b/c my wife is coming with me and doesnt want to be by herself while im working...all in all, both years was ok, but they have some kinks to work out...and you DO NOT get all the perks like someone mentioned earlier...
I really must disagree with this post, but I really don't want to get argumentative or snippy. I don't know about two years ago, but last year my Red Trail was alive and well. It has also been discussed in length in past posts from previous years. I used the little Red Trail Bypass (please keep in mind that I just came up with this name, this is in NO WAY a real or official name for it! Don't ask people at 'roo for the Red Trail Bypass or they'll think you're crazy) for every trip into / out of Centeroo last year-- save for the one time I went to the main gate to see what it was like. I'm guessing that if you were up in 1B, or anywhere else north for that matter, you may well have just chosen the quickest path to Centeroo, which would've been through the main gates, and as I acknowledged, there certainly is no special perks over there (I almost sensed a trace of contempt from the security guards towards WET volunteers, though maybe I was just being overly sensitive).
I'm perfectly willing to accept that people may have had very different experiences that me, but I am speaking from my experience, and everything I have posted thus far reflects only my experience (and when it's not my experience, I state that). This poster says that "you DO NOT get all the perks like someone mentioned earlier," assuming he's talking about my previous post, I'm sorry if his experience was different, but I can assure you I have no reason to lie to anyone.
It's probably more responsible if you show up not expecting much of anything in the way of perks, but I've told this board now about my experience, and mine was wonderful. Other people hate volunteering and didn't feel like it was worth the hassle.... I'd rather get my ticket-price refunded plus skip the line at the gate plus get seperate camping plus get some free meal tokens plus get a shirt plus get "in" with the people who distribute the programs plus get a cool wristband plus get the Walmart shuttle. But hey, YMMV.
I am also curious about what time it will open. Have you received an acceptance email yet? When I contacted WET, they said new volunteers would find out this weekend.
I am also curious about what time it will open. Have you received an acceptance email yet? When I contacted WET, they said new volunteers would find out this weekend.
No I haven't received an acceptance email yet. I've only received a submission confirmation of my application.
I volunteered in 09 and we camped in "Volunteer Camping" as it's marked on the map above. WET wasn't doing it that year, as I'm sure you know, so I'm assuming we get to camp where travelinbeat camped? If so, that rocks because it seems a lot closer. Can anyone clarify this? Any info on this is greatly appreciated!
Here's my experience if anyone cares to know: I volunteered with my boyfriend in 2009, and we got separate shifts which sucked, so we've done everything we can to get the same shifts this year. Despite being apart a few times, we really enjoyed ourselves. The showers were great (as long as you got there at the right time) and the free meal tokens worked fine wherever I used them (they did enforce a $$ limit however). And, the added bonus was there was a gate that only staff could enter to the far right of the "main" gates, and that's where we entered every time. All we did was show our volunteer bracelet and they let us walk through. This saved us much time and hassle as we were never really searched. We even got in with a full Camelbak. We never, not one time, used the main gates to enter Centeroo.
Got my acceptance email too Sending the deposit as i write this.
btw, around when do they let people know their assignments? If we can cancel without penalty by May 1st, will we know by then? If you guys don't know, I'll try to scroll back and see when people found out last year. I signed up for tollbooth and wanna know if that's what I'll get and be done by Friday.
Got my acceptance email too Sending the deposit as i write this.
btw, around when do they let people know their assignments? If we can cancel without penalty by May 1st, will we know by then? If you guys don't know, I'll try to scroll back and see when people found out last year. I signed up for tollbooth and wanna know if that's what I'll get and be done by Friday.
Not sure when folks choosing Toll Booth will get confirmation. Pre-fest acceptance notifications are supposed to be sent on Monday April 11th.
One change for this year is they are charging the deposits immediately after submission. Last year they waited until May 5th to charge the account.
Got my acceptance email too Sending the deposit as i write this.
btw, around when do they let people know their assignments? If we can cancel without penalty by May 1st, will we know by then? If you guys don't know, I'll try to scroll back and see when people found out last year. I signed up for tollbooth and wanna know if that's what I'll get and be done by Friday.
Not sure when folks choosing Toll Booth will get confirmation. Pre-fest acceptance notifications are supposed to be sent on Monday April 11th.
One change for this year is they are charging the deposits immediately after submission. Last year they waited until May 5th to charge the account.
Acceptance email..check. Deposit Sent...check. Bonnaroo here i come! Hey guys, 1st time volunteer and first time Bonnaroo go-er. I signed up for pre-fest and got my confirmation already and sent my deposit but it doesnt say if i was confirmed for pre-fest. So im guessing ill find out within the week. Im stoked to meet all you volunteers. Cant wait to get down there.
I just realized I should check the WET forums. does this help a lot or might as well just stick to here? I don't know if a ton of people use the forums, plus it gets a little confusing since it's geared towards all festivals they help with and not just Roo. But if most info/questions get posted and answered on there, then I might as well bookmark it and not waste anyone's time in here. (not that it's a complete waste, but still)
Post by noeysasquatch on Apr 5, 2011 13:16:29 GMT -5
anyone on here volunteering with cleanvibes post show cleanup? i had a blast doing it last year and made a number of friends. i'll be volunteering again this year with my girl and another friend
I just realized I should check the WET forums. does this help a lot or might as well just stick to here? I don't know if a ton of people use the forums, plus it gets a little confusing since it's geared towards all festivals they help with and not just Roo. But if most info/questions get posted and answered on there, then I might as well bookmark it and not waste anyone's time in here. (not that it's a complete waste, but still)
I'm not sure if it's my computer but every time I've tried to access the WET forums they don't work.
It seems like the WET forums were down for a bit, but I've been able to log on and use them in the past few days. I like using this as well as the WET forum.
For me, the WET forum is easier to navigate, but I'm sure I will eventually become inforoo savvy.
Post by Wunderlustking on Apr 7, 2011 11:17:59 GMT -5
quick question, after you apply to WET, get accepted, and send in your $275 deposit, are they going to send you an e-mail with different times you can pick to work, or do they decide which shift your going to work? I need to know if I should be checking me e-mail regularly in order to try and get good shifts. thanks.
Thanks for the info. it's all familiar now that you say it, but I had forgotten off the top of my head. I thought I read regular volunteers are kinda far and tollbooths near the west tollbooth (top left??) or maybe the tollbooth is the far 1 and regular volunteer camping is ok? Where exactly is that? (I saved the pdf from 2010: 
