Thursday Set Up/Wait?

[Rachelll0ve]

How long did it take you guys to get in (THURSDAY) on previous years? I've sat in traffic upwards of 9 hours just to get onto other festival campgrounds. Anybody with similar stories?

[wizard]

last year we left 7 pm and our tent was up by 2:30 am

sidenote: alcohol can create serious delays ^_^

[Stickjohn]

you made good time wizard!

[spewshemano]

I live about 90 minutes away. Last year I left around 10am and got there around noon. Waited in line for a couple hours and got my tent up by 3pm. Worth it for the spot we got in the car/campsite.

[Rachelll0ve]

Word! Yeah we're coming from Los Angeles... I was assuming the wait to get into camp would be 3-5 hours. I wanna leave early, I've always ended up in BFE at any festival I've gone too.. and while 40minute walk to the stage always makes for a fun pre-game/walk thru shakedown street... I'd rather be close.

[spewshemano]

Walking from wherever is no big deal when it comes to festival. But if you want to get a close camping spot try arriving around noon or earlier.

[superkindskunk]

we got there around 4pm and had our tent up by sundown.

[furnace]

Which roads are usually jammed? What would be the best way to get in?

[Rachelll0ve]

Which roads are usually jammed? What would be the best way to get in?

Thaaaat, my friend... is trial and error.

We stayed at a house last year, >10 miles away from the Polo Grounds. First day in, I drove and fucking FAILED at it. 4hours to get in, and that was AFTER I pulled some bullshit moves/cut people off (back when I had NY plates still and people recoiled in fear when I drive by them...le sigh).

By Sunday we had the guy who owned the house drive us, and he took NUTTY BACK STREETS and got us there in under 25 minutes. Insanity.

[heyeric]

In line by 2PMish, some of the first. We waited in line for about 3 hours and drank with everyone. The search moved real slow but I have HIGH HIGH hopes they are going to address the slow moving search issue this year. Our camp was setup by about 7PM, we were bbqing and drinking and mingling with our neighbors throughout the process.

[loubque]

So odd to hear the long lines, i got there i think around 3pm last year and I only waited in the search line for probably 20 minutes and had our camp set up by 5pm. We were some of the lucky ones i guess.

[alpez03]

Last year I got to the search lines around 7ish, right when the sunset was kicking in.
From Ralphs to the entrance it took us about 20 mins with minor traffic. It didn't take us that long to get in to the campgrounds. I guess we were lucky because, after following other cars, we came back/went to the search line with fewer cars (less than 10 cars I'm sure, the closest line running parallel next to the Madison Ave. entrance). We waited less than 20 minutes, it didn't seem that long since we were already drinking and meeting friends. I'm glad the CSS crew we got was very chill, they asked if we had any glass containers, we simply replied NO and were very polite, all the time. Nothing was unpacked or checked inside the car, we all got our wristbands and they gave us the X and the circle. Our camp was set up by 9pm.

I'm not sure how they are handling traffic this time, not sure if they will use the same entrance. I just hope this year is as smooth as the last one.

[Inthecolumbiagorge]

Got there before noon on Thursday - camp set up by 3:00! I am afraid early will be the norm this year though. I am betting that by noon there will be a long long line this year.

[Coachella Bound]

my question is: How is GV going to regulate the 10X30 this year....? i know a number of people got far less than what they payed for. It be nice to see designated areas marked as ive seen in previous years.

[nosurprises12]

Got there before noon on Thursday - camp set up by 3:00! I am afraid early will be the norm this year though. I am betting that by noon there will be a long long line this year.

I'd be inclined to believe you, especially as there is now a cut-off time for check-in on Thursday night.

Last year we arrived in Indio around midnight and, about a mile or so from the venue, ran into traffic a line of traffic and CRAWLED up to the check-in point; it literally took us almost 3 hours before we finally got to our campsite (one positive, however, was the extremely short check of our car from a very friendly attendant).

Needless to say, I will be leaving LA no later than 1 and just hope for the best this time 'round.

[pinkladyam]

Arrived around 10am last year, sat about 4 cars from the entrance. Was a bit of a clusterfuck for a while, but got everything set up no later than 2. Even stopped at Ralph's before hand. I'd definitely recommend arriving as early as possible if you want to beat the heat and the long, snaking lines.

[Milky]

So Thursday gets pretty packed too? I might have to change our buses so we arrive in the mid-arvo and not at 7 pm.

[Robin]

I think we got there around 2pm. Waited in line for a bit. Tailgated. By the time we made it to our campsite, I was a bit tipsy. We had everything "set up" by about 7pm. Needless to say, we had a "few spare poles" but everything stayed up!