CHRISTMAS TICKETS?

[Martiena]

All of life's a stage, and we are but the waiters....bad, very bad,not funny.
You know, I stopped waiting for most things in life. Burning man, I'm so hooked, it opened my eyes in many ways.

[BAS]

It's about time for the "What's the condition of the playa?" thread to start up somewhere, isn't it?

[trilobyte]

Martiena - waiting's not terrible, just don't obsess over it. Kill time working on camp or art planning, the info will be released soon enough.

BAS - I think I saw one or two conditions posts already. It's rained, it's snowed (though I'm not sure if a shallow lake (which we desperately need) has formed up yet. They're having some kind of 'snow on the playa' party in Second Life at Burn2 (the virtual regional group), on the 15th I think.

[BAS]

I poked around on the virtual playa earlier this year, but never seem to time it right to get there when other folks are there. (I managed to get stuck in the Santa's Workshop thing and finally had to teleport elsewhere to get out. Oh, and get stuck in the toilet of one of the porta-pottey's. Logged out while sitting on it, and, when I logged back in latter, SL had me standing-- in the middle of the toilet.)

Sounds liken the (Real Life) playa had its first snow before us folk in southern Wisconsin, then.

[Nipple]

i thought it was hannukah sales, and you had to show proof of, um....

Don't you shower with a raincoat on?

Raincoat is new. I always called it a "turtleneck".

[ygmir]

i thought it was hannukah sales, and you had to show proof of, um....

Don't you shower with a raincoat on?

Raincoat is new. I always called it a "turtleneck".

*runs to find a mohel*

[Simon of the Playa]

screw that, go out and find a Goyle...

[Ratty]

I bought the high priced ticket last year but WOW!! Not this year. I hope they still have the 'snail mail' option on opening day.

[Humin]

I bought the high priced ticket last year but WOW!! Not this year. I hope they still have the 'snail mail' option on opening day.

A fair point. I was expecting to spend $300-$400, this would set me back a little. What do the vets think? Are you worried enough to shell out an extra few bills to secure a ticket?

[AntiM]

I'm not. Just can't afford even one presale this year. Hoping the first come first served will work for the two I require. Oh crap, I need three. Damn. Last minute drop out third party tickets, yeah, that will have to do.

[TT120]

I can't afford the pre-sale either so I will just have to try and get in on the main sale or wait for the last minute and get them off Craigslist. Luckily, I'm only 5 hours away from the Playa so I could even wait till after TTITD starts, get the tix real cheap, and still make it there in time.

[BAS]

$650 is higher than my monthly rent, so I'll just have to wait and see what the other prices are, and if I have a decent source of income by that time.

[theCryptofishist]

I don't know about you guys but $650 Presale seems out of line, and is rather foreboding regarding the regular ticket price.

I'm sure they are priced significantly higher than the regular sale tickets. The foreboding is just your mind fucking with you.

[cammi hudson]

At $650 for these "pre sale" tickets I stand a good chance at getting a low income ticket if these are the prices for next years event. Last Year low income were $160 this year maybe $300 for low income?

[trilobyte]

Last year's pre-sales were $420, only $30 more than the regular price. In the wake of last year's main sale, many indicated that they were going to jump on the pre-sale just to hedge their bets. Personally, I see this price to be intended as a deterrant. Other tickets will be substantially less, set your sights on January 4th for details on regular and low income ticket programs.

[Dr Helix]

I don't know about you guys but $650 Presale seems out of line, and is rather foreboding regarding the regular ticket price.

I'm sure they are priced significantly higher than the regular sale tickets. The foreboding is just your mind fucking with you.

I think this is supply and demand working. Why should the the regular price tix drop significantly? No problems in selling them last year so up it goes. Last year it was $420- Presale, $390-top tier regular. This year $650- Presale, ________top tier regular. You are all welcome to fill in the blank but I am already on record at $500. Would love to be wrong though.

[vargaso]

If I see anyone who was active in the ticket discussion last year on these here boards freak out this year, I'm going to punch you in the nose via my keyboard. We all know by now that the ticket thing will work itself out once again.

[graidawg]

personally this could be the final nail in my hopes to go in 2013. i too suspect that ticket prices are going to jump significantly, if we are looking at a 50% increase in presale then its reasonable to look at the same in normal tickets, of course if they drop the tiers and average then its about $320 x 150% = $480 (£320ish) still significantly less than the presale price but again a hell of a jump in cost. add that to the ever increasing airfare (about £650 last year) it could well be over £1000 just to get there. thats without the other associated costs of getting from airport to event, food, water, booze and incidentals. Burning Man is rapidly becoming a playground for the rich, with BMorgs endorsement of plug n play style camping last year it looks like the cargo cult will now include those of us too poor to go hoping for the return to the home we once knew

[pink]

I was just on the ticketing forum, and there are references to direct distribution tickets, an 'OMG' sale in August and a bunch of other stuff. I thought perhaps these references were from last year, but the post dates are December, and the OMG sale refers to happening in August 2013.

So WTF? I feel like I'm excavating bits of info from all over the website. Trilo, do you know anything else?

[vargaso]

I was just on the ticketing forum, and there are references to direct distribution tickets, an 'OMG' sale in August and a bunch of other stuff. I thought perhaps these references were from last year, but the post dates are December, and the OMG sale refers to happening in August 2013.

So WTF? I feel like I'm excavating bits of info from all over the website. Trilo, do you know anything else?

I'm assuming the "OMG sale" is referring to all the people in August who suddenly go, "OMG I can't afford to go/OMG I just got a new job and can't get the time off/OMG I need to sell these tickets fast," which of course happens every year and results in a glut of tickets for sale, even (especially) last year. Not an official sale, but even more predictable.

I predict the same will happen once again. I also predict regular tickets will cost the same as last year. You heard it here first. I'm never wrong.

[Ratty]

I have to agree with you Vargaso. I don't anticipate a big jump in price. They are just trying something different with the high priced pre-sale tickets. (I hope you all put $10,000 to $20,000 down as your yearly income on the census.)

[trilobyte]

Pink - nothing I can share. Set your calendar for January 4th.

[lucky420]

Agreeing with ratty and vargaso. Way to early to start whining or panicking...



((Group hug))

[maladroit]

I'll actually be a little surprised if all 3,000 of those tickets are sold. The extra two million dollars would definitely look nice in BMORG's stockings, but I think most burners will realize that they'll have a chance later.

[Firas]

I have a feeling that those 3000 tickets will not all sell, I think that the ORG is waiting for this answer to determine if they are gonna put those two million in the sock and then how much they need to price the main sale tickets at to allign/cover all the submitted budgets.
I have purchased 4 pre sale tickets last year because I was one of those who freaked out that I will not get a ticket in the lottery and some of my friends will not either.
And I regret that decision,, we all know what was the result of that and what ended up happening.
I am not buying a ticket in the presale, I don't think I'm a buying a presale ticket ever again. I'll take my chances

Wow I can't think of many organizations that get payed 2 million $ for a service or a product or an experience that they provide 9 months later.. I thought it was the other way around these days no ? oh I forgot to add ---Deadline of purchase provided----

[shroom]

If the tickets are jumping up a lot----which it looks like they will----it will also make it harder for me to attend. I have to travel 2 days each way and that ump in price is my gas money and hotel money.

I hope it's better that it's looking.

[Dr Helix]

I'll actually be a little surprised if all 3,000 of those tickets are sold. The extra two million dollars would definitely look nice in BMORG's stockings, but I think most burners will realize that they'll have a chance later.

With all respect, think of all the burners who spend TENS of thousands of dollars on the best RV's, food, costumes, etc. Do you really think that a $130.00 jump in price to ensure they have tix is going to deter them? Hardly. Those tickets will be sold right away. Burning Man is counting on last year's panic about tix to feed this year's demand. The gap between haves and have nots grows larger. I will say this. I also bought in the pre-sale last year and was glad I did, but will not this year. Why? Because last year showed me that there will always be tickets to those who want them. Just look at the panic selling last August as hundres of tickets were sold at or BELOW market value. Supply and demand.

[BAS]

Two day trip each way here, too. I've only been able to make it one year, and that trip was without any hotel stays on the way out (sleeping in the car at truck stops), and a couple hour nap + shower at a Motel 6 in Winnemucca on the way back. It is true that today fuel costs are a bigger factor than the ticket prices, but every increases hurts. The average American's income has been essentially stagnant for, what?, decades? *I* haven't experienced any increase in wealth!

I *do* want to make a serious effort to get back to BRC, preferably this years, since the odds of making back seem to be decreasing every year. I don't know if it will happen, though.

[maladroit]

Haha, I just had a thought: reverse scalping might be a problem around August. Because of what happened last year, quite a few people who want to go might wait very late in the hopes of getting a ticket for $100 or less. But then there might actually be scarcity, and no one willing to sell for so low. Either way, I'm happy...people expecting to profit on others' misfortune get screwed, just like last year.

[Rice]

If I see anyone who was active in the ticket discussion last year on these here boards freak out this year, I'm going to punch you in the nose via my keyboard. We all know by now that the ticket thing will work itself out once again.

I was more than active on those discussions! I said then, and say now: "If you do not panic, you will get the ticket(s) you need at a reasonable cost!"

All those who panicked made the ticket situation worse for themselves and everyone else who needed a ticket...

I have never panicked about getting my ticket, I trust that things will work out when you let them. So far, I have never been let down

I am, however, curious about how "Burners" are going to respond to this year's ticket sales plan... Maybe, finally, they get it?? (time will tell on
that one )

Ta