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My only complaint was the decision to route us through GA on Monday...wonder what that was all about? The search coming in was minimal...popped the trunk, they looked in quickly and waved us on.
I'd only been to the brunch in tent only for the past two years, so we decided to take a taxi ride to the outer reaches of GA on Sunday. Y-I-K-E-S. I really don't think I could ever do Roo if I couldn't do VIP. Friends were in car camping last year and they had no issues, but I saw enough (and realized how positively far you could potentially have to camp) to convince me that VIP's the only way for me to do it.
I didn't stay in VIP, but I did do traffic for VIP check-in. It was a serious CF. The thing I hated was the volunteers weren't really told what to do. They were kinda put out there and that was it. Once more people showed up the "supervisor" came over to tell us how to put cars and was a total tool. He told us to start putting cars on the lawn which was a horrible idea, which I told him and he said "you will do what I f-in tell you to do." I was told the wait was because they didn't expect as many people to show up at the same time, but who knows. They definitely need to do some better planning next year. Also they need to actually tell us volunteers more instead of just putting us somewhere and letting us figuring it out on our own.
yeah, but it was cool as hell to know the check in guy when i got there
4. Watched a neighbor get taken out in handcuffs, and his new RV and Harley which was mounted on the back confiscated by the cops for selling nitrous from the roof. This might need to be in the good section as it was really interesting. (how did he get a harley in the gate?)
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7.Parking guys would not let you take any extra space. We had 8 people together thats 4 parking passes. Why limit you to one space. If we had all driven separatly we could have gotten 4 spaces. How about encouraging carpooling to save the earth and letting folks spread out a little.
The guy with the Harley on the back of his RV was behind us in VIP check-in the whole night! I can't believe he was trying to sell nitrous to VIPers when their wouldn't be that big of a crowd. His Harley was sweeeet.
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We asked the check-in people to put a parking pass sticker on one of the tent bags of a guy in our group so we could get two spaces... They only said that they have to stick it to something so you can't sell the sticker later. We had to act like he was hitching a ride just to bonnaroo and wasn't really in our group.
I have no idea why they direct the VIP traffic through the general admission campground. In 06 we left at 10 PM Sunday night, we drove out the way we came in (by the Nissan dealer). In 07 we left at 9 PM Sunday night and exited out through the general admission camp (not by choice) and it took us two hours to leave. So this year we left at when Snoop took the stage and even though we exited through general admission (again) we were on the interstate in fifteen minutes.
I take the time to compose a letter and usually send it out at the end of July. Titled "The Good and not so Good of 09"
I figured they are getting tons of letters from other people now telling them how bad everything was....
This was my first year in VIP. We loved everything except for check in, leaving (it took us an hour!), and the searches on the way back IN to VIP. My husband had his backpack opened up, camera bag taken out, camera taken out, then the MEMORY STICK BOX TAKEN OUT. We took absolutely *zero* contraband into Centeroo, were in and out all day, and yet the search lady acted like she'd never seen us before. People in GA can just leave Centeroo and walk back to their tents as they please, but for an extra $500 I get to be searched at the whim of some fake security guard.
Also, someone upthread noted that you could charge your phone in one of the VIP tents? Where was this? I ended up charging mine in one of the bathrooms.
The stage used for the VIP party had a dozen plugs all around it- I just pulled them up and used them.
Also, the VIP tent behind the Which Stage bleachers had several outlets all along the inside.
Oh, hey...I think I know you. We might have discussed this topic at Roo, actually.
I meant I thought they should have actual cell phone charging stations, where you could leave your phone securely, like they have in the Fuse barn.
One of the best experiences was when some guy who was completely lost just came into Tarpland and plopped down. He need water and a rest. Chatted a bit offered him a beer, he told us about a guy that had cd's of every Phish concert ever played that were free. Said he would bring one back later and off he went. What was amazing is we were napping and when we awoke there was a PHISH cd on out cooler from a halloween concert in 99 or 98... I just thought to myself what a great guy. and experience.
Oh, hey...I think I know you. We might have discussed this topic at Roo, actually.
I meant I thought they should have actual cell phone charging stations, where you could leave your phone securely, like they have in the Fuse barn.
Ah-ha, nope. Those Fuse Barn things were so clogged anyhoo- we had our own outlets in the VIP tent behind Which, which was nice.
An actual charging station, or just outlets? Did they advertise that and I just missed it? Ah well.
Also, I wasn't too impressed with the poster. I'd guess there might have been a few gigposter collectors in VIP who would have appreciated a numbered/signed print rather than a generic list of bands printed on glossy stock.
Anybody else have to turn around in front of the school for VIP check-in?
The sign for check-in was like 50 feet PAST where we had to turn...
not fun pulling a U-eee with a bigass RV for sure...
also exited Sunday night and found it goofy to have to drive through the eye of the storm....
I'll be back next year though!
I was a volunteer and was one of the people waving an orange flag to direct traffic into the school parking lot. The reason the sign was at the wrong place when you came in and that we were necessary, was that when traffic got backed up to the street, the entrances were alternated to provide an overflow queue, so that traffic didn't get backed up into the street.
The check-in at the school was a joke. They were making campers with trailers drive through the grass, oh and then there was the trailer that the school owned that was in the way. And then......we ran out of wristbands...
There has to be a vacant lot somewhere in the Manchester area where they have more room to stage the cars and campers. Then have more knowledgeable staff at the tollbooths. Not one person for two lines.
The funny story was one of the volunteers was telling me how unorganized things were when he showed up on Tuesday, he also informed me that it took him two hours to get his t-shirts. I reminded him that the difference between us was in somewhere in the amount of $1,700
What's the point of offsite check-in, anyway? Can't parking passes be mailed and wristbands affixed at the entrance to the farm? Am I missing something?
The check-in at the school was a joke. They were making campers with trailers drive through the grass, oh and then there was the trailer that the school owned that was in the way. And then......we ran out of wristbands...
There has to be a vacant lot somewhere in the Manchester area where they have more room to stage the cars and campers. Then have more knowledgeable staff at the tollbooths. Not one person for two lines.
The funny story was one of the volunteers was telling me how unorganized things were when he showed up on Tuesday, he also informed me that it took him two hours to get his t-shirts. I reminded him that the difference between us was in somewhere in the amount of $1,700
I didn't see anyone driving on grass, when did you come in?
I never did get a volunteer T-shirt and got turned away Tuesday night because they ran out of wristbands because a "computer error" caused them to accept too many volunteers, and had to sleep at Walmart Tuesday night. Then spent 6 hours in line on Wednesday to get my schedule and wristband. On the plus side, I only had to work one 12 hour shift instead of 3 six hour shifts because of the over-staffing.
We got to VIP check-in at 9:30 AM on Thursday. They had cars and campers parking (staging) on the grass area to the right when entering. Too many volunteers? Where were they? There was one kid taking the tickets and putting wristbands on for two lines, and its not like he would alternate the lines either. Dope. The other kids were just standing around.
We got to VIP check-in at 9:30 AM on Thursday. They had cars and campers parking (staging) on the grass area to the right when entering. Too many volunteers? Where were they? There was one kid taking the tickets and putting wristbands on for two lines, and its not like he would alternate the lines either. Dope. The other kids were just standing around.
Yeah, we weren't taken to the school until around noon. So things got a little better after then, although it still wasn't an ideal situation.
Post by ChiefPemperToadWigginsky on Jun 26, 2009 15:02:13 GMT -5
Cons: The Poster was super lame; the Shirt was nearly the same as 07; Some of the volunteers seemed a little too faded to be working; no one knew anything about the VIP party; and Phish only played twice
Pros: no search at all; made friends with VIP security; free outlets in VIP for phone charging; unexpected free food and beer thursday; canopies with chairs right next to my camp for an extra hour of sleep every A.M; and Phish got to play twice
Post by sweetmelissa on Nov 3, 2009 17:55:52 GMT -5
This was our second year as Vips. I agree, the check in was a complete CF! We had to turn around because we went to the wrong enterance. The line of RVs and cars overflowed into the surrounding neighborhood. It went pretty well once the line started moving. We were pulling into the Farm just as the super huge thunder death storm was approching. We thought for sure we'd be allowed to just park and attempt to set up before the rain hit. Wrong..... wrong.... We had to pull over and security dragged our stuff out of the truck and left it on the ground. As we parked I got out and tarped and had the tent just about up as the deluge hit. WET TENT! If we hadn't wasted the 15 min with security (we had NOTHING on us by the way) we would have been set up and prepared for the storm! Boo bad! Also, we barely had enough room for out tent and truck in the tiny amount of space that was alotted.
As for security at the Centeroo enterence, I agree it was rough. I got felt up and the entire contence of my backpack was removed. I'm not some crazy looking person either, I'm super innocent looking.
The VIP party Thursday night was fun. The food was good and I liked the free beer! VIP needs free beer everynight! The lounge behind Which stage bleachers was a lifesaver! The ac and the fruit was a great escape from the TN heat.
Overall, VIP was worth the money. We had great neighbors that we keep in touch with. We left Sunday afternoon and had no trouble exiting the way we came in. I couldn't imagine having to drive thru GA to get out!
Here was my email for the 2009 festival: Hello once again, here is our observations of the 2009 Bonnaroo Music Festival. We wrote down some notes when we attended back in June and figured we would let the dust settle down of the rush of emails that you probably received in the weeks and months following. We went VIP so we will start with the VIP check-in process.
Well here we go... Check in at the High School: -Good location, I think much better the hotel in town. -Making RV's with trailers go through the lawn at the school was not a good idea -The school truck trailer that was in the way and was a inconvenience when driving a camper/RV around it. -Question from Gene to one of the paring attendants, "What is the delay? Answer "We ran out of wrist bands, we didn't expect this many people to show up on Thursday". Is that what really happened? -Not enough knowledgeable staffing with directing traffic. The two kids at the entrance of the school parking lot did not have any direction of what to do or just didn't care.
VIP Grounds: -Vehicle search, I understand, I'm sure VIP with it's past limited to non-existent vehicle search has been a avenue for getting items into the festival, it was minimal. No problem with this at all. -Parking RV's: Attendant "Pull right in", Gene "I can't be blocked in, I might leave on Sunday night", Attendant "huh? Cricket, Cricket", again they need to visit a NASCAR event to see how to park RV's and campers. Not enough room where we were to pull out of a spot. -Your fire lanes / access roads are not wide enough. -We liked the area of where the Thursday night party took place. Food, music, drink.... location of showers and restrooms, everything about this was very nice. Do not change a thing with this !!!!
Other: -Gene "Excuse me, where is the VIP tent is in centerroo?", Answer "There is not a tent for VIP", Gene " No? I read it's new for this year" Answer "Look man, I have been here eight years and there is NO TENT". I did find it later on in the day by myself. It was great especially the AC and fruit. -I think this is my biggest problem every year, VIP bleachers by Which Stage, are always filled with general admission people. They need to have better way with policing the people sitting in the bleachers. Several time we wanted to sit up there to see that they were full and no one was around checking wristbands. -Searched going back into VIP....wow...???? -Water bottle filling stations. We liked this very much. We did not have any problems as other posters stated. Sure there were some lines but nothing major. Good tasting water. -Access for people with disabilities, not that we need it but it looks like they are making huge improvements with this. Nice to see. -Wristbands, go back to the ones like in 06 & 07
All in all it was more then a excellent time, with not going in 08 we were both happy to attend this year. We made sure to take a two hour walk around the general admission campground. This makes you really appreciate VIP. Mostly for its close proximity to the stages. Such N Such, we made a point to watch the entire show...very interesting... Hopefully we will see you in 2010 !!
Post by autumnsredtears on Nov 3, 2009 22:55:10 GMT -5
so... to add onto the searches thing. seriously. just give me my joint back. i would have smoked it with you if you would've asked politely. what an ass. what's the point of these searches? i have never seen someone get shot or stabbed. just saying. and let me sneak in my cheap natty light because you charge too much
so... to add onto the searches thing. seriously. just give me my *@&$^ back. i would have smoked it with you if you would've asked politely. what an ass. what's the point of these searches? i have never seen someone get shot or stabbed. just saying. and let me sneak in my cheap natty light because you charge too much
Maybe the reason you never seen anyone shot or stabbed is because of the searches ?
so... to add onto the searches thing. seriously. just give me my *@&$^ back. i would have smoked it with you if you would've asked politely. what an ass. what's the point of these searches? i have never seen someone get shot or stabbed. just saying. and let me sneak in my cheap natty light because you charge too much
Maybe the reason you never anyone shot or stabbed is because of the searches ?
