Will-Call or Mail?

[remi]

I think I might do Will-Call for the first time ever at a festival. Just save money, and not have to worry about transporting/losing ticket. What are your thoughts? Pros? Cons? Any good/bad experiences with Burning Mans Will Call system in the past?

I understand how it works, but any additional input given today before noon PST would be appreciated.

Godspeed to those entering the sale in less then 3 hours.

[Ratty]

You'll save $18 per order. (Being from Canada). I went to Will call last year and it wasn't too bad. But I was early entry. Once the gates open you may be sorry. It could add a long wait to your already long wait.

[LowePro]

Stopped at Will Call last year for a carpooler that had Low-Income tic. We had to divert to a separate vehicle line, go into a side parking lot, wait around in line, got separated from our caravan, and then got back into the main line to get into the event. It wasn't *horrible* as long as you keep your wits and humor about you, but it took at least another hour and finding the rest of our friends required a lot of planning and patience. It's worth $18 to me to skip Will Call.
ESPECIALLY if you are travelling with a crew and you'd be the only one who has to stop at Will Call. Do it as a gift to them and get your tix shipped!

(this was on opening night/Sunday. It might be less of an ordeal later in the week).

[rubymermaid]

I am going to do Will Call for the first time ever too.

The thing is, I've gone to will call with passengers in my car for 2/4 years anyways and it was a breeze. Kind of adds to the experience.

I'm doing Will Call this time to lessen the worry of tickets arriving in the mail damaged or stolen and also because I'm moving before Burning Man and not sure where yet and they said you have to mail the tickets to the address on your credit card account and that's where I am living now and not my parents home which would work.

It does not save any money for in the States people, same fees either way.

[remi]

I'm from Canada, so I would save money.

Great idea, I'm going to contact the other members of my convoy to see if they will be doing will call or not. I'll just do what they're doing. I've never lost festival tickets or had a problem.. I just thought it would be one less thing to worry about... if it runs smoothly

[BoyScoutGirl]

I'm definitely doing Will Call again, partly because I'll be moving at least twice between now and go time. Also because Will Call went very smoothly for me last year. On opening night they even had karaoke and it was about 30-45 minutes of partying while in line - everyone was happy to be there and you could really feel the anticipation. Don't know if my driver had as much fun waiting in lot, so it is a good idea consider the time of others in your group.

Also, I like knowing my ticket (probably) won't be lost between Apex and Gate, as opposed to between BM HQ then my home then Gate.

[Canoe]

remi has a PM

[trilobyte]

I've always had ticket in hand, but we've had people in either our convoy or camp every year with will call tickets, and it hasn't been a problem.

Figuring out an arrival strategy is a good idea. I've seen convoys who split their will call members among the vehicles so that they stay together, but IMO this is a bad idea - it just jams more cars into the will call process. Consolidate them into one regardless of how you drive to the playa, you can juggle who's riding in which car at the Empire Store or while waiting in line, and then agree to meet at a fixed point in BRC.

Unless you're a placed camp, don't have that lead car go hunting for camp space in the neighborhood you want to be in - getting re-connected can be a real pain. One vehicle's driving around trying to find the perfect spot, and the other vehicle is driving around to try and find a target that might still be on the move. Two solutions I've seen work are:

• Pick an intersection in the target area of where you guys want to camp. Then the lead vehicle (or vehicles) heads off in that direction at 5mph to find just the right spot. The vehicle with will call passengers heads to that intersection you picked, pulls to the side of the road and waits. Once the lead vehicle finds your camp's spot, have them send someone back to that intersection you picked.
• Plan to meet at the intersection of the outer-most street and whatever point on the clock you guys were going to aim for. The first vehicle gets there and waits for the second, then in you go as a group.

[FossaFerox]

This past year we went into the city with four vehicles including one that had to make a pit stop at will call for two of our campers who had low income tickets. One of our vehicles was also separated coming through the gate (we're not sure how). Still, somehow the two vehciles that DID stick together made it to the rendezvous spot inside the city LAST, well after the will call vehicle. And this was Sunday night around 7:30 PM. YMMV but will call isn't a bad option from what we experienced.

That being said, I'm paying the extra $18. Having the ticket in hand gives me peace of mind and keeps me stoked.

[remi]

Thank you all so much for your input.

I will be trying out Will Call for the first time ever.

GOOD LUCK everyone. 1hr6mins until ticket time

[9ah]

I actually forgot which option I chose.... I do prefer having the fireball/lemon head though. They don't give them out at will call.... sadly!

[trilobyte]

Actually, that's not true. In 2012 and 2013 the ticket team has gotten a massive box of fireballs (more than 10K) to hand out with orders. They do eventually run out, but they're there!

[9ah]

I was there on Saturday evening and they didn't have any... There is no way that 10k ppl made it through Will Call at that point... I've been had!!!

[Canoe]

I was there on Saturday evening and they didn't have any... There is no way that 10k ppl made it through Will Call at that point... I've been had!!!

Were there a group of them laying down out back groaning?
Or the sound like a herd of Wildebeasts chomping their way across a sports field in the dead of night?

[9ah]

I didn't even think about that.... Conspiracy to give themselves all the fireballs for their whiskey!! I completely forgot about the fireball once I was in the will call line and kept racking my brain to make sure I hadn't forgot my EA pass, ID, etc... =]

I was there on Saturday evening and they didn't have any... There is no way that 10k ppl made it through Will Call at that point... I've been had!!!

Were there a group of them laying down out back groaning?
Or the sound like a herd of Wildebeasts chomping their way across a sports field in the dead of night?

[trilobyte]

It could also be that they didn't have them for the early arrivers.

[remi]

in 2012 I didn't get a candy with my order.. I was soooo disappointed. Maybe because it's international? Either way, with candy off the table, Will Call was an easy choice.

[masterofgrond]

Well considering I actually lost my ticket on the way to my first burn last year, I decided that maybe I'd play it safe and use Will Call.

[BBadger]

For me: Two in the hand > Two in the booth

[kiss-o-matic]

Can we change the delivery method on Ticketfly later?
I chose Will Call against my better judgement. My reasoning is that AFAIK, I'm going w/ some fellow non-US residents and they will have to wait in line anyway, so I might as well join. That might fall through though.

One thing worth noting, is that when I check Ticketfly, it looks like they're mailing them too me, but I suspect that's a dispaly snafu.

[trilobyte]

Yes, ticket orders can be changed between shipping and will call (or vice versa). That'll open up in the near future, and probably continue on until the end of May.

[kiss-o-matic]

Fantastic. On the technical and organizational level, absolutely zero complaints this year. So much easier than everything else in real life lately. So easy it makes me worry about what disaster might lie ahead between Reno and the Playa.