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Ok - anyone??? Where is the handicapped camping? I assume it is closer. Boz has a screwed up leg and I have a screwed up ankle and hip. Last year we were in BFE and the walk was not too bad if we took it slow and steady and loaded up in Tylenol well before hand. I have a handicap placard but I also would not want to use it if handicap was crowded with people who really need it. We can make the walk if we had to but it would be a much nicer (read - pain free) time without it.
You sound like a perfect candidate for the access area to me. I wonder about it too, I have diabetic neuropathy in my feet and walking a long ways will be hard on them. My daughter and her friend don't want to camp there for fear of not being able to rock out as much as they want to.
I know what you mean about if there is room for those of us who are not in wheelchairs. Hopefully someone who is in the know will see this thread.
Post by magnoliabread on Apr 3, 2007 18:37:03 GMT -5
Yay - I have been waiting to hear from others who will be in the access area. I have a screwed up hip & ankle, too. As much as I like to think I can still do everything I used to, I know that there is absolutely no way I could camp out in the back and make it to Centeroo, even with my cane, without wailing in pain/calling in the medics, etc. :/ I emailed Laura Grunfeld, Bonnaroo's Access Consultant ( access@bonnaroo.com ), earlier this year, and she was very helpful with my questions. I even Googled her - she does this for all kinds of festivals & such. The pdf access guide they have on the site is basically last year's - she said to check back from time to time for revisions to it for this year. The guide will tell you which exit to use, to display your placard, which lanes to be in, etc. www.bonnaroofest.com/2007/info_guides/AccessInfoGuide.pdf The camping is up front - - and looks kinda comparable to the distance to tent-only, except not in front of the main stage, but on the other side of things. Some spots may be further away than some in tent-only, but you don't have to lug your stuff away from your car.
This is one of the map pics posted on Inforoo already; the access camping area is the yellow part; the yellow part in VIP is the VIP access area:
This is another view with the access, tent-only, & VIP areas in orange:
So, no new info from me, really, but maybe this can give you an idea of how it's set up. 71 days - yeehaw!!!
I was wondering along the same line. I am going blind but Idon't have or want a handicap placard. Last year I was in bfe and camped in the middle of site. The walk to and from centeroo was not too bad but getting from the rode to the tent was near impossible even with my friends help. And after 15 hours of partying my friends were not as capable guides as usuall, imagine getting a guide dog drunk and stoned:)).
I am most likelg going RV this year and was wondering how close the RV spots were. I saw some way out in bfe, I hope there are some close.
^^^Perhaps you could get a temporary handicap hang tag that would just cover the month of June so you could be assured of a close in camping spot. I am going to discuss the festival with my Dr. and see if he thinks I would do better with a closer spot and just get a temp hang tag.
That's the worst that could happen, so that's not too bad, but I would guess they would want to help the handicapped etc and get them where they're going the first time around even if it is Wed nite.
I am about 400 miles away so I guess about 8 hours since I have to go thru Atlanta. I just can't imagine driving all night long so I can get there at 5 or 6 am.
I hope someone who has stayed in that area will see this if it stays near the top.
Post by magnoliabread on Apr 11, 2007 13:35:19 GMT -5
The new, updated access guide is up at bonnaroo.com, now.
www.bonnaroofest.com/2007/info_guides/AccessInfoGuide.pdf (same link as before) After skimming through it, I don't see any major changes that stick out at me...... just the policies updated to the most current info as far as exits, shuttles,etc. I don't remember wheelchair rental, sign language & braille services being in the 1st one, but, anyways - - check it out, everyone has different things they're concerned about for their roo experience.
sooo- from the access guide - does it sound like the people in access camping must get a different colored wristband - I am curious - because they mention that there is mobility impaired seating - and they also state that you can bring in a small softsided cooler with ice and water AND mentions that there ar handicapped toilets and showers in VIP - and we know they don't let just anyone in VIP.
Oh - the guide also states that small umbrellas are allowed
This sounds good! especially the cooler with water and food and small umbrella!
I also noticed that the access camping area is right past the toll booth. That looks promising for Wed nite entry.
I noticed that they said there would be more access camping to the north of the access tent. I don't know which way is north since I have never been there. Can anyone help with this?
If you are coming from Chattanooga, which side of the road is Bonnaroo on, the left or right? This will help orient me to the map.
I also wonder if they will let access folks in the VIP entrance as well as the main one.
Post by magnoliabread on Apr 11, 2007 18:20:54 GMT -5
Yeah, I noticed that about the umbrella....I just didn't want to open a can of worms, y'know...LOL !! ;P
And I just assumed the VIP mentions were just for the people in the Access section of VIP. ??????
Coming from Chattanooga, goin up 24, the 'roo farm is on the Right side of the highway.
On the maps up there^^^, North is towards the top of the maps. And if they're expanding the Access camping area, I can only see that resulting in farther-away-from-Centeroo spots, unless they do some major reconfiguring of where the "access tent" is that they're talkin about. Maybe the "access tent" would be the "?" symbol/"Pod 4" right after the access entrance on the sitemap up there.
BUt either way, it's good that they're expanding it, and it will always be wayyy closer than BFE.
My wife and I are in the acces. The umbrella is probably for peopel like my wife who has MS and needs shade sometimes to stay cool. I just recieved an email from the acces person stateing that their will be plenty of space.
Post by masshysteria on Apr 19, 2007 11:08:13 GMT -5
Quote: "I wonder how much everyone parties down in the access camp? Anyone know? I have to try to convince my daughter it will be cool there."
My brother's girlfriend had a broken ankle when they arrived to the gate but they did not have any handicap tags or anything. They just asked the parking guy for the best spot since she was injured and they let them park in the handicap area. Also they said that there is some good partying around that area also, it is just a little more laid back. Also they were able to have any of there friends tag along into the handicap area so you can still have your party and be really really close to the action. I will try to talk to my brother more about this soon and relay any new info for you.
"That's the big thing about education. People can be book smart, but not really intelligent about anything else. A lot of times they just taking in all this information and regurgitate it. It's much more important to process it and personalize it. To apply it to your world, to your life. You have to walk the walk, or you can't really report about it honestly."
Well if I do camp in the 'access' I will be partying down w/ the best of them. I'm not going to let a bum knee ruin my Roo. Send your daughter my way...I'll show her a good time.
(I'm just kidding about the daughter inuendo, but I will be flying the party flag for anyone that wants to join in)
opinions please - I lost my placard - I can get another - that said - we could walk if we have to - we did last year but it sure would be nice not to walk
A friend that is going in our caravan has a screwed up back but he feels it would be "bad ju-ju" to park in Access Camping if you could get by without it
What are the general thoughts on this? Bad ju-ju or not?
Well I was on the fence about the bad Ju-ju thing. I wrecked my bike about a month back. I blew out a disk and broke 2 ribs .;( I was riding the fence about doing the access thing untill. Two weeks ago we found out that we are pregnent,so i bought a rv for her to crash in. I think we will be doing the acess thing now for sure. I think the Juju thing is all up to the person. I dont thinks its so much abot being able to make the walk,but making the walk for 4 days and being pain free enough to enjoy roo. I hope this helps.
opinions please - I lost my placard - I can get another - that said - we could walk if we have to - we did last year but it sure would be nice not to walk
A friend that is going in our caravan has a screwed up back but he feels it would be "bad ju-ju" to park in Access Camping if you could get by without it
What are the general thoughts on this? Bad ju-ju or not?
I have the same worry. My hubby has a bad left side (hip, knee, ankle) we have a placard but I don't want to take space from someone who needs it more. On the other hand, BFE would suuuuuck, and we DO have the placard. I'm leaning toward camping there especially if there is enough space.
So Megan, if you do decide to camp in access let me know and we'll see each other there
Here are the pros and cons of each that we have talked about
Access: Good - close Bad - dusty, lots of people walking through, noisy at night
BFE: Good - not as dusty, relatively quiet, people not just walking through unless they are stuck back there Bad - the walk
If we ended up in BFE again - we prolly would not go back to camp during the day - just pack in what we need
It would be mighty nice to have a place to go during the day that was relatively close. That said, if we were to go to BFE - we can always hang out at Camp Inforoo during the day if we need a break.
So - I have no idea what we are going to do - will sit down and talk with all that are going and get their feelings
My wife has MS and we need to park there. I think if you have a disability, even if it is temporary, it would be okay. If you don't take care of a bad back, knee, joints (bones that is) then they could become a longterm problem. Talk to your doctor they can tell you. I will be in access and I get emails from them. I think the only time it would be bad Juju is if you have nothing wrong and are faking or took someone elses placard just for good parking.... Hope to see you all soon.
I think the decision was made last night - mainly because the friend that said "bad juju" may not be coming and may bail on us - due to lack of funds - soooo - that being the case - the other friends coming with us in another car have no prob with us parking in access (since they get to park with us)
Thanks Clato, it makes sense that preventing any further injury is the right thing to do. I'd hate it if bonnaroo made it worse for my husband in the long run.
So... megan, i guess we might run into each other,
Post by canexplain on May 13, 2007 14:13:50 GMT -5
we will be in handicap, tygerlady and myself ... we have a truck with a camper on it .. we had vip last time at the roo so this is new to us now also ... i dont know about wed night though .......... at wakarusa, we got turned away the night before because "we werent vip and upgraded camping" so ya never know ... see you all there .. cr****
This will be our third year in the accessible parking area (with an RV). My uncle had his foot crushed in an accident and has numerous surgeries on it.
We have been put in Camp Mr. Miagi both previous years (farthest left on map) arriving late evening Thursday the first year and mid-afternoon Thursday the next. I think all accessible RV campers were put in Mr. Miagi or Daniel LaRusso. The non-RV campers were put in the others. As I remember, there was plenty of room in all of these areas.
It was about a 10-12 minute walk from where we were to the entrance by The Other Tent and another 10-12 minutes to the main entrance.
I think the "Access Center" to which the guide referred is located in Camp Serge (corner of Broadway and 5th). That would mean the expansion north would be toward Camps R2D2, Emperor, and possibly Lando Calrissian.
The dust was not real bad where we were because there is no camping beyond there (just to the north). The sites north of Broadway are certainly worse than that though (i.e. the closer you get to Shakedown).
Different wristbands are not required. Access to centeroo and the stages are the same as with GA. There are raised platforms at each stage/tent for handicapped seating. If your impairment is not obvious, seperate verification from a doctor (handicapped ID card?) might be required to access the platforms. One family member is allowed to accompany you here.
my only question is this - even tho it specifically states that the gaes open on Thursday morning - we all know - they will actually open the gates at some point of Wednesday night. BUT they will let cars in but not people to Tent Only - are they gonna let Access camping in on Wednesday night or will we get turned away - doomed to the Wal-mart parking lot and waiting in line on Thursday morning
Like I said we arrived Thursday both years, so I can't answer that. I was thinking about arriving Wednesday this year because we have been near the back of Miagi both years when arriving on Thursday. That's already as far back as they can put you in accessible camping, so it can't be any worse if we arrive Wednesday, can it?
I've noticed on the overhead photos of midday Thursday that the closer sites are full so I assume they fill LaRusso first then Miagi, but they fill them from the rear. That's how we ended up in the back of Miagi.
This is the only thread on handicapped camping I could find, and I didn't want to start a whole new one, so I figured I'd bump this one.
Can anyone confirm what happens for handicapped campers on Wednesday night? Are you turned around/forced into BFE or can you go right to Access?
How packed does it get? I'm assuming it fills up like any other section, and we'd be going for my girlfriend's bad back. She already emailed them to ask about it, mentioning that she didn't want to use up the space that would be needed by someone with a greater disability, and they said for her to get a placard and use the access camping.
How was the dust last year? I know I've hear 07 was really dusty, but last year wasn't bad where we were (Prince Akeem), but we also weren't in such a high traffic area.
I do whatever my Rice Krispies tell me to...
As much as I like to think I can still do everything I used to, I know that there is absolutely no way I could camp out in the back and make it to Centeroo, even with my cane, without wailing in pain/calling in the medics, etc. :/ 
