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I was wondering the same thing myself. I posted the following to the e-mail list, but I will post it again here:
So I splurged on VIP tickets based only on the brief, vague description on the web site. So I am wondering if anyone who was there last year could give us some more details? According to the Bonnaroo web site, the VIP package includes:
-- Preferred parking and camping What exactly does this mean? Is there one section just reserved for VIP ticketholders? Where is this located, close to the main area and stages?
-- Special shower and restroom facilities Can anyone elaborate on this? Are these facilities any good?
-- VIP pre-event party on Thursday night What exactly does this entail? What will be happening at this party?
-- Two VIP Hospitality areas with food and beverages near stage Is that free food and beverages? (I hope so for what we paid!). And, is would those beverages possibly include beer or any other alcohol?
-- Special viewing decks for main stage and 2nd stage Where would these viewing decks be situated? Are they really a good vantage point?
-- Commemorative Bonnaroo Package -- Other amenities I wonder what these include. Any idea??
One more question, will the VIP ticket holders be able to show up early or will we have to wait in line with everyone else?
After I sent that to the e-mail list, I got a reply with some info, so I hope the person doesn't mind if I share it with you here. Here is what she wrote:
VIP camping is on the opposite side of the fair grounds than the rest of the camping. I would say there were 2,000 people in that section. It is less of a scene than the main camp ground, but it was certainly not quiet. There are trees around the edge of the area and if your lucky, you can grab a spot on the edge. Otherwise, it's an open field just like the main camping. The showers are portable and they truck water in. The beer and water a cheaper and there is food to buy, but it was hot meals which I thought was weird. Cookies were free. There is a tent to eat in.
There is a KOA adjacent to VIP camping which is where I stayed. It was really mello and just a ten minute walk to the main stage through VIP camping. I highly recommend it if you need to sleep at all over the three days. There is a pool, hook ups for RVs, big pine trees. It's very basic, but I think worth the money.
The best part of VIP is the grandstands for the evening shows when pretty much everyone is at the main stage. It's nice to be up just a bit higher than the crowd. There are bleachers-but who sits at Bonnaroo.
I am in my 40's and am going alone for the second time, so I really appreciated having a bit of control over my environment. I visited the main camping area when I wanted to, and then had quiet when I needed it. It was worth it for me.
Post by phunkyphresh on Apr 12, 2004 13:03:29 GMT -5
i remember las year i had a few buddies in vip and the first night it was free beer after that a dollar a cup, a buffet of food but overall as a student i cant afford the 995.00 price tag but if i could i probably still wouldnt.
i remember las year i had a few buddies in vip and the first night it was free beer after that a dollar a cup, a buffet of food but overall as a student i cant afford the 995.00 price tag but if i could i probably still wouldnt.
PhunkyPhresh- Do you remember if the food was free? Any other side benefits that they talked about??? Just a curious V.I.P.er ;D
Post by phunkyphresh on Apr 13, 2004 9:43:37 GMT -5
yeah the food was free, buffet style. the last day we would have him fill up the plate and bring it to our campsite to munch on. but yes for what i remember it was free. as for other benfits showers are very crucial after a couple days in that sun a cold shower would be like heaven. other than that i don't remember, but i will as k him next time i see him and post the info Peace
It sounds high at first, but 3 nights in a nice hotel in a cool city (New Orleans, San Francisco) would be at least $450, not including food. Although I'm too cheap to get them, I can see having the conveniences would make up the price difference.
I agree with the above post...you'll easily spend more money going out of town to see 3 shows. For me, stage position alone is justification for VIPs. I was in the general masses last year and had a blast. But, I can't wait to stand 10 yards from.......(fill in the blanks) while on either of the 2 biggest stages. Anyway, has anyone found out any logisitcs about VIP? The references above are the only things I've heard. I've been on other chatrooms & listservs, but haven't heard anything quite as good. I'm just curious, wanting to know some of the smaller details. If anyone could help (or wants to talk VIP) let me know
I stayed in the VIP area with my wife last year. Feel free to fire away with questions.
The VIP area is located just south of the main stage. This made for pretty quick access to the venue.
My general impressions: Last year was the first year they offered VIP camping, and they had a bit to learn. They had portable restrooms on trailers (with wash basins and private toilets), but they ended up putting them in a location where they couldn't truck it out and bring in a new one. As a result, those restrooms were pretty much useless by the second day. So we ended up with portapotties, just like everybody else. I assume they won't make the same mistake again this year.
The showers were nice. If lines got long, they let us shower in the employee showers, which were adjacent to the VIP area.
The biggest benefit to me was the amount of space we had to set up camp. We had a canopy and a tent and plenty of room around us. It was also really easy to enter the venue when we first got there, as we had our own entrance.
The lines for food and drink got kind of long, but the VIP tent was pretty good overall. We had been told that all beverages would be free (including beer), but that changed when we got there. I believe they charged $2 for beer. The VIP tent was near the main stage, and that's where we entered and exited and venue.
We rarely sat on the "viewing deck" which was simply a set of bleachers. It was really far to the side of the stage, so we simply went down into the crowd. The bleachers were nice to sit at with a plate of food from the nearby VIP tent.
This year there will be a set of bleachers at the second largest stage, which they didn't have last year. That stage was packed last year, so this is a great benefit.
The VIP party on thursday night wasn't a party at all. We waited in line for about an hour for our first taste of free food and then sat in the bleachers watching test patterns on the big screen at the main stage. It was really disappointing. Perhaps they're planning on doing something more significant this year.
The commemorative package included some plastic credentials (which didn't get you anywhere--your special wristband is how they identify you as VIP), a t-shirt, a CD, a poster, and some other information.
When Bonnaroo ended last year, we sat around and talked with our VIP campground neighbors. We all felt like we hadn't gotten what had been promised to us. And yet, when Bonnaroo went on sale again this year, I bought VIP again. Why?
-- lots of space to camp -- easy to get into and out of (special entrance) -- showers! -- close to main stage -- more of a "campground" experience -- relatively quiet -- we think they'll do better with lessons learned from last year
Hey BX...Thanks so much for the VIP info. Sounds like you have mixed emotions about last years VIP experience, but if you're doing the same this year, it must be worth it. I have a quick question (probably the first of many I'll shoot to you before June). Anyway...is the special "viewing deck" just those set of bleachers on the 3rd base side of the main stage? For some reason, we always thought those "decks" were the scaffoling on both sides of the main stage itself. Showers, food tent, etc. all all nice upgrades, but the main reason we choose VIP this year was because of stage position. If the scaffoling isn't for us VIPers, then who were the people I'd always see up there during shows? Thanks again for your input. I'd appreciate anything you could answer about this...bctornado
Thanks for the vip info. So do they provide free food all during the festival? What kind of beer? What kinds of food? I was planning to bring a grill and some food but if that's not necessary I could pack more beer.
Someone earlier said that there were some trees in the vip area and it was a good idea to try and get a site under them. Of course that might not be such a good idea with the cicadas this year.
I have also read horror stories about sitting in line for 12 hours to get in. Will vip's be able to avoid that?
Gee whiz, do you mean we won't be partying with Warren Haynes on Thursday night?
Once again, thanks so much for the info, keep it coming.
Yeah, the water is bad and extra bottled water might be the best investment you can ever make. You can sell it scalding hot for $1 a pop all day long if you bring too much. I always kept an extra four or five bottles in my tent for impromptu drinking and/or washing up.
I appreciated the candid comments about the VIP. While I'm sure some things will improve there this year, I think it's fair to say that something will inevitably get worse also. I purchased a pair of VIPs then resold them when I decided to take the "roll in Wednesday night and pay whatever I have to in the Wal-Mart parking lot to get tickets" route. I did that partially because it was just too damn much money (especially since I'm taking my son and the whole cost is mine) and partially because I thought I'd be disappointed with the roo definition of "VIP treatment."
I can say that the VIP viewing deck at the second large stage was in the equivalent of shallow left field and looked just fine. However, the big tree down in the corner has shade and bubbles and dancers and views...and water right there too...and shit-o-goodness, does that water STANK...so I probably never would have taken "advantage" of that particular viewing experience.
I, too, thought the main stage viewing area was on the sides of the stage but I realize now that's impossible. That kind of brings me to the last reason I'm OK with having bailed on the VIP...I think they are probably selling an assload more of them this year. But that's just a guess.
I will look forward to the aftershow VIP reports, for sure. And even though I sold my tickets, I hope that roo 3 coughs up some serious coin to make you guys comfortable and happy. Cheap bastards.
I think this is probably the same bradley who posted above, but since his listserv take is a little different, I'm cross posting it here. Nice work, Brad. Thanks for the good info.
VIP was pretty cool last year--was it worth $525/ticket? I'm not sure.
Getting in was quite easy. There's a VIP-only entrance at the KOA. When you get there, they give you your special wristbands and give you a bunch of stuff--t-shirts, CDs, stickers, etc. You then drive a short distance into the VIP camping area. You get a lot of room to set up--not like a regular campground, but plenty of room to set up a canopy as well as a tent, and not be on top of your neighbors. I thought this was the biggest benefit of the VIP ticket.
On your way to see the music, you'll pass the showers and restroom trailers. There are probably 10 shower stall in all--5 for men, 5 for women. If it got too crowded, they let us use the staff showers, which were nearby. Last year they screwed up by not giving themselves enough space to truck out the restroom trailer. As a result, they weren't able to clean or change it out. I trust that they'll correct that this year. It was pretty disgusting by Saturday afternoon last year.
The VIP camping area is just south and a little east of the main stage. You have a private entrance into the venue. Once you get in, you're at the VIP tent. The VIP tent has free food all weekend--it's open from the morning until the last act plays the Main Stage at night. The food is good--it's catered, buffet-style. Lots of variety. Sodas and water are free. We were supposed to get free beer last year, but when we got there, that wasn't the case. I think we got it for $2 a cup.
Once you pass through the VIP tent, you can hang out there or enter the venue through the "Viewing Platform," which is a set of bleachers to the left of the main stage. I didn't really like the angle, but it was nice to sit there and eat and be able to see the bands before venturing out into the crowd.
This year, I understand that there will be a second VIP tent and a viewing platform at the second stage, which will be nice. The second stage was packed last year.
When it was over, it was really easy to get out and onto the highway. No traffic at all.
The people in the VIP section were very cool. We all shared, hung out, talked. It wasn't pretentious.
They advertise a VIP party on Thursday night. Last year there was no party--we had our first meal at the VIP tent and then sat in the bleachers and watched test patterns on the screens at the main stage. It was disappointing.
The VIP tent is a nice oasis during the hot days. There's nice shade, and you can still hear the music from the main stage (although you can't see the bands).
I'm not sure how many VIP passes were sold--perhaps 1,000 pairs? This year, they're offering VIP upgrades to people who buy hotel or travel packages. While this won't increase the congestion at the campground, it might make for longer lines at the VIP tents.
Hey again--sorry I disappeared for a couple of days and didn't see the follow-up questions.
About the "Viewing Deck." Last year, it was not the scaffolding. It was the bleachers that were, as somebody described, "down the third base line." Like you, I was hoping for a real deck with a killer view, but it was really just the bleachers. The people on the scaffolding must be the "All Access" VIPs, which are not available at your Local eBay.
I don't recall there being bleachers at the second stage, but I suppose that just means I was having a really good time
Starting to get obsessed. These posts remind me of the details of the past two years.
I was hoping they'd bring back the Gospel Sunday. I'd love it if they brought the Campbell Brothers back. Amazing amazing energy on that Sunday morning in 2002. The Campbell Brothers, "Steelin' for Jesus." Ohhh yeahhhh.
It's great to finally get some good VIP info. Anyway, did I read a prior post that the VIP entrance was through the KOA campground? If my memory serves correctly, the KOA campground was immediately adjacent to the main 'roo entrance just off the interstate, but had to be accessed from the prior exit (heading northbound on the interstate). Do we go through through there or go through the main gate, then veer off through the VIP lanes? Thanks and keep the good info. coming.
If my memory serves me correctly, the KOA entrance is indeed one exit before the main Bonnaroo exit if you're travelling northbound. When you get your VIP package, it will include a map and precise directions.
One heads up if you're a VIP: We were driving from Nashville. In order to reduce highway congestion, the VIP directions instructed us to exit the highway much earlier than is necessary (approximately 7 miles, I believe) and drive a series of frontage roads to get to the festival. Since there was no highway traffic when we arrived on Thursday evening of last year, this turned out to be a bit inconvenient. It would have been great to know this information in 2002, however, when the highways were backed up 15-20 miles. If you're in the "Better Safe Than Sorry" category, you may want to follow the directions exactly. If you have an inkling that traffic is light, stay on I-35 until your exit.
Again, this is all based on last year's VIP experience. Things may be different this year.
So, is it safe to say that VIP people won't have to wait in line for an ungodly amount of time? We will be able to bypass the traffic and go in through another entrance?
The off-ramp, road, and VIP entrance are in a totally different location than the main Bonnaroo entrance. So if the highway is clear (and it was when I arrived last year), you will have no wait. Zero. Nada. I mean, there may be 4 or 5 cars that are waiting to be checked in, but otherwise, you're clear. I should qualify this by saying that I arrived Thursday evening, and many VIPs had arrived earlier. Perhaps there were lines earlier in the day, but I didn't hear anybody complaining about them.
Thanks bradleyx, this is indeed good news! I want to arrive early Thursday morning, that way I will have all day to set up camp, relax, take a nap, and begin the weekend without having to wait in a line for 12 hours!
By the way everyone, we should all meet up at the festival and have a VIP message board "in real life" reunion!
There's another benefit to arriving early on Thursday--you'll get camping spots closest to the stage entrance. While there aren't a ton of VIP campers, there were enough when we got there to put us at the southern end of the field (furthest away).
Thanks for all of the scoop regarding the VIP package. It was real vague and hard to find any info even from last year. I am stoked about missing the traffic ( I hope!) Thatalone is worth the price of the VIP. Does anyone plan on setting up a tent in the camping only area ( no vehicles) We are planning on setting up a seperate campground that allows us to enjoy the best of both worlds. Arriving in Manchester early AM and plan on setting up as soon as we are allowed in. Could time move any slower! I am ready to roll now.
I posted this question somewhere else but I will in the thread as well.
Does anyone know if there would be a problem in selling VIP tickets, that I cannot use, one at a time.
Since they could only be purchased in pairs I am concerned that selling one to one person and another to another might cause them problems when they try to enter.
Don't do it. It really isn't worth it trying to have two camps; just too much work. I mean, if you have a easy-up tent for two, that's doable; but any more than that, and you'll wonder why you did all that shit.
I tried having hotels in Vegas downtown and on the Strip once; worst idea ever. My $.02.
i have been lurking for a while now but, thought I would finally post...
i also am VIP and would like to thank everyone else that has been VIP the previous years with their insight on how things go.. as now that it has been a few months and things are getting close and I realized how vague the details are reguarding this...
So anywho... I am going up on Wednesday the 9th from Birmingham... Is anyone else going that early?
I'll be there by 6 pm Wednesday, waiting on the gates at 7. I recently got an update that TDOT still is planning for that timeframe. Sure hope so, or I'm sleeping by the road!
