First Time (Disappointed ) Burner - 2016

[maresdz222]

I have been so excited about going to Burning Man 2016 for over a year now. I live in North Carolina, and will might be going with my son who lives in San Francisco and his friends. He has been before and asked me if I wanted to go this year. (Yep, I even watched the movie "Taking My Parents to Burning Man!")

My son and I bought the crazy, expensive pre-sale tickets, but I, along with about 10 others in our camp tried to get all the tickets we needed yesterday. We had our own private chat room to keep up with each others' progress of the green man going across the screen and then finally getting in and hitting "Get Tickets" over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over again.

Despite us all entering the waiting room at 2:45 (EST), in the end, none of us were able to buy even one ticket.

This also means we didn't get the parking passes we need (3).

Quite honestly, all of this excitement is turning to disappointment, BURNING MAN. I already booked my flights because I had my ticket; collectively, our Camp has a fully stocked storage unit with all the Camp gear; our shopping spreadsheet is complete; logistics are all in place. But now it's not going to be what it should be/would be if we don't have our entire Camp there. Despite how much I love him, my son and I, a camp does not make.

What to do now? Any good suggestions?

I'm told don't count on the STEP or OMG sales, don't buy on StubHub, don't buy on Craigslist, don't buy on eBay, and don't pay more than face value. I've read everything I can on the Burning Man website, Reddit, Burning Man Journal, and other blogs, and despite making it sound like there is still a chance, the overall tone is we don't have a chance.

Our last resort regarding parking is for my son to learn how to ride a motorcycle (because motorcycles don't need a parking pass) and tow a U-haul truck behind it (because towed items don't need a parking pass either)!!! Keep an eye out for us; you can't miss us!!!

[Savannah]

Your son and you do not a camp make? You're selling yourself short. Some of the best experiences I've had on playa involved camping with one other person. We weren't professionals or particularly hardcore, and we had some lovely neighbors on all sides, and made some new friends. You don't need to have a sophisticated or fancy camp to have the respect and friendliness of your neighbors.

That said, I know you're disappointed, and why (I have friends minus tickets too--and of course it sucks). Burning Man simply isn't allowed to sell as many tickets as there are interested attendees. The contract they have with the federal government only allows a certain number (70,000 or so) on the land.

However, tickets will be shaking out of the woodwork for months to come. A lot of people bought tickets in pairs whether or not they had a travel mate, so they could sell to a friend or a campmate. (Thus begins the complicated dance of finding out who needs tickets and who's selling, and either buying from them or--if you're merely acquainted--connecting the two parties.) Also, by June, a number of people will have new jobs, or pregnancies, or changing financial straits--or folks just realize it's a lot of work, and they're just not as interested as they thought. Those folks will sell. And there will be a few more at the last minute--no one wants to get stuck with a pricey ticket they can't use. But yeah--the wait is emotionally rough, and if a person financially or psychologically needs a guarantee before they can build, that guarantee is not available.

If your campmates have already given up, you're right: they're not going to make it. But people who are relentless in their pursuit of aftermarket tickets often do succeed.

Your other campers should join their regional group, if they haven't already . . .
http://regionals.burningman.org

Networking is powerful. No one wants to sell a ticket to a complete stranger if they can help it--what if they're a scalper, or they mug you and take the ticket without paying? Or what if it's a counterfeit? . . . Selling to friends, acquaintances and locals lessens the danger a bit. It's also just plain old more joyful when you can sell to someone you've met on a build, at a regional event, a beer night, a planning meeting . . . some Burner groups meet weekly.

I hope your friends tell everyone they know (friends, acquaintances, co-workers, relatives, etc) that they're looking and schedule their time off anyway, if at all possible. Folks who don't give up have a decent shot.

And if it doesn't work out for all of them, I hope you will come anyway. Camp a deux, or (carefully) ally yourself with another camp or village. There's got to be a reason for all the fuss, right?

Some people love the Burn, some people find it's not their cup of tea at all . . . but it's a fairly original kind of adventure, and that's always the truth.

Good luck to you & yours, and welcome to ePlaya.

[Elderberry]

Hey there, welcome to eplaya!

[karli elizabeth]

Don't be disappointed! What's meant to be will find a way. Honestly, my boyfriend and I are going solo as of right now. (We're super excited -- but we're both virgin burners, so we're also slightly terrified.) It sounds like you're a planner -- and I am too. Which is why this experience is so important to me. The more I read, the more it sounds like you really have to let go of whatever your expectations are for your camp, your experience, etc. Come prepared with the essentials, but don't put all your eggs in the "perfect Burning Man experience" basket -- because you're bound to crack a few along the way.

Good luck getting the rest of your tickets -- and hope to see you dancing around on the playa!

Karli Elizabeth

[tattooedreceptionist]

Agree with everyone, no need to be disappointed.

This year is going to be our first year going home. Did we get tickets? NOPE! But we have our RV, plane tickets, days off approved, playa gifts almost all ready and our MV costume is in the works. This trip to us has a lot riding on it: it's my first time on a plane, lots of past family n personal things that we've finally conquered and planning to release in the man and temple....I just feel it, we will get there. Can we show up the day before and still not have tickets or a VP? Absolutely! But we can also end up getting tickets and that's why we're still gunning for it.

Like a broken record, follow the 10 principles and you will get what you need. The unseen frequencies that govern this world will respond but you have to resonate your frequency for them to find you I'm rooting for you guys!

[maresdz222]

Thank you all for your encouraging words. You all have helped me get through this. My disappointment was so overwhelming, I didn't know what to do!

And, yes, as one of you said, I am a THE ULTIMATE PLANNER so when no one in our camp got our tickets the other day, it created a lot of anxiety!!

I've calmed down and have faith that all the experienced burners in our camp will figure out a way to get tickets.

I'm back to getting really, really excited about going to my first Burning Man!!

[Ratty]

Lets just pretend for a second that you and your son are the only ones coming. You fly to SF and carpool to the event. YES. Carpool. There are THOUSANDS of people driving from SF. There are boards you can go on to share the ride. Don't depend on all of his camp getting tickets. Every year is different. A lot of established camps won't get tickets. A lot of drivers need gas money. Plan like you're coming, because you are. I'll hug you later.

PS Learning to ride a motorcycle for this event is NO solution.

[BBadger]

• You have two (2) Burning Man tickets, purchased at presale prices no less.
• There are six (6) months left. It's only a few days after the main sale.
• You only need one (1) vehicle pass for both of you, which you can find via various means, and you can avoid in many ways.
• You don't need a camp to have a good time at BM, nor the camp you thought you'd be at.
• Your son is in San Francisco, where there is a huge, if not the largest, community of burners. It's not like you're operating out of Sydney, Australia or even solely from the East Coast. Get involved and use your resources. There are even those ten other, ticketless people in your camp, who will be using their own resources to find tickets.

You're already in a good position -- much better than many people who don't even have tickets. You should be celebrating that it is even possible for you to attend at all.

So spare us this "disappointment" for the mere injury to only your best-laid plans. The privilege of "disappointment" is reserved for those who exhaust all of their options.

[lucky420]

• You have two (2) Burning Man tickets, purchased at presale prices no less.
• There are six (6) months left. It's only a few days after the main sale.
• You only need one (1) vehicle pass for both of you, which you can find via various means, and you can avoid in many ways.
• You don't need a camp to have a good time at BM, nor the camp you thought you'd be at.
• Your son is in San Francisco, where there is a huge, if not the largest, community of burners. It's not like you're operating out of Sydney, Australia or even solely from the East Coast. Get involved and use your resources. There are even those ten other, ticketless people in your camp, who will be using their own resources to find tickets.

You're already in a good position -- much better than many people who don't even have tickets. You should be celebrating that it is even possible for you to attend at all.

So spare us this "disappointment" for the mere injury to only your best-laid plans. The privilege of "disappointment" is reserved for those who exhaust all of their options.

I love your words

[Captain Goddammit]

This year is going to be our first year going home. Did we get tickets? NOPE! But we have our RV, plane tickets, days off approved, playa gifts almost all ready and our MV costume is in the works. This trip to us has a lot riding on it: it's my first time on a plane, lots of past family n personal things that we've finally conquered and planning to release in the man and temple....I just feel it, we will get there. Can we show up the day before and still not have tickets or a VP? Absolutely! But we can also end up getting tickets and that's why we're still gunning for it.

I was noticing you're first timers and bringing an MV, over in the Ticket thread you mentioned the
Swamp Thing". Have you applied for a DMV permit here? http://burningman.org/event/art-perform ... -vehicles/
You must go through the application process and receive an official invite to bring a Mutant Vehicle to Burning Man. It would be a really big disappointment to drag one all the way across the country and not get to use it!

[tattooedreceptionist]

I was noticing you're first timers and bringing an MV, over in the Ticket thread you mentioned the
Swamp Thing". Have you applied for a DMV permit here? http://burningman.org/event/art-perform ... -vehicles/
You must go through the application process and receive an official invite to bring a Mutant Vehicle to Burning Man. It would be a really big disappointment to drag one all the way across the country and not get to use it!

Hi captain!

Appreciate you veterans looking out!! That would def suck to go all the way to find that out. I did go throug that post and what we actually have is an RV with a costume (lol) that will be stationary at camp. Still learning the lingo. Thanks!!!