ePlaya

Hi there, I'm having difficulties figuring out what to do about this, as no one seems to know about it. We have a builder who needs to arrive on Monday August 18th to help build our camp, but he has a will call ticket, which of course doesn't open until Wednesday August 20th. Do you know how he can trade with someone with a paper ticket? I've tried searching for answers in other Burning Man departments but no luck. Thanks!

He'll have to put the ticket in the other person's name. There is a procedure for that. I don't know what it is. Eric, Trilobyte, and Sham (at the least) have links in their sig lines to the the ticketing FAQ that will let you know how it's done.

Cool thanks, would love to get on that asap...

I'm moving this to the tickets discussion board, since that's a better fit for tickets discussions.

As Fishy said, it's just that simple. Hit up the ticket support FAQ page, and follow the posted instructions for changing the name on the will call order. Then hand the physical ticket to the person that needs that. All done!

Last time I did this, back in 2008 so things likely changed ...

Our crew was on-site 3 weeks before gate for a large art installation build. The EA pass and our will-call was OK. Actually no one had physical tickets.

Best to contact ticketing or you other contacts for the EA process and get clarification.

BORG has been pushing will-call for years and they should have a framework in place for this.

That is ABSOLUTELY NOT okay in 2014. For the last few years now, anyone arriving prior to the gates opening up at noon on the Wednesday prior to the start of the event MUST have either a physical ticket and valid early arrival pass or staff credentials.

And there you have it. Trilo with the wisdom and good information. Thanx for the good data.

Things have indeed changed.

I inquired about this myself and there is no solution available.
It is extremely odd.

All you can do is find someone willing to use your will call ticket.

gyre wrote:I inquired about this myself and there is no solution available.
It is extremely odd.

Sadly, it's not extremely odd. We now a sell-out event, people will attempt to game the system to get in, and if Will Call isn't open and they still let people with Will Call tickets (and EAs) in, they have no way to verify that the tickets are there or valid - and I can easily think of ways to try to cheat that loophole. It makes perfect sense as a way to maintain control over the amount of people entering.

It makes no sense.
They can easily verify the validity of tickets for early arrival, as they used to do.
The only option I was offered, was asking a department to come up with another hard ticket.
Is that supposed to be easier than verifying a will call ticket they already have the paperwork and control over?
No one is gaming anybody.

gyre wrote:It makes no sense.
They can easily verify the validity of tickets for early arrival, as they used to do.

If someone only has a Will Call ticket, and Will Call is closed, how are they supposed to verify the validity (or get the participant the hard copy tickets that Will Call has control over)? We're not living in the same time as when "they used to" be able to do something - there wasn't a sell out then, there were more tickets than participants, you could still buy tickets at the Gate. It's a new reality now, and the current system is based on the facts on the ground, not the facts as they stood in 2010 or earlier.

For the ten to 100 people that might be in that boat, they could ask for pre-approval and a list could be available to gate verifying the tickets.
Wednesday, they go to will call and pick up the hard copy.
Can't be a huge crowd of people, but it's not just one person.

Worst case currently, a crazy person makes up a fake will call paper, arranges early early arrival with some dept, shows up early, works until wednesday and is then arrested for fraud and carted off.
I can't really see that becoming popular as a scam.

In the unlikely event of an honest ticket issue, it gets resolved, or out you go on wednesday.
That won't be popular either.

Same result.
There's a ticket or you don't stay.
Wednesday there aren't 20,000 people to hide behind.

How about just trade with someone in your camp that doesn't have EA?

Only option currently.
But who wants to trade a hard copy for a will call line?

Or not trying to volunteer early.
That's what most people end up doing.

Or for someone with EA who is arriving Wednesday or later, when the will call line is nonexistent.

Excellent idea.

pink wrote:Or for someone with EA who is arriving Wednesday or later, when the will call line is nonexistent.

gyre wrote:Excellent idea.

So the "excellent idea" is exactly how it operates now - transfer the Will Call to someone in the camp who is arriving after Weds, they hand the person the physical ticket. What is the issue?

It will still have to be arranged well ahead of time.
The will call can easily be transferred on the playa.
That's no problem.
Lot of logistics that shouldn't have to be done.
A lot that can go wrong shipping a ticket.

Or even someone who is coming in after gates open with a paper tickt but who is traveling with someone with a will call ticket, they'll have to wait anyway.

Good thought.

What's all the angst waiting in the Will Call line? Some of my best times in that line...but, as usual YMMV.

I've never had to wait long, but other people have.