Carparks opening Tuesday night

[janah]

Apologies if this has already been asked but I couldn't find it...

From the official Glasto website:

'Car parks will now open at 9pm on the Tuesday night before the Festival, allowing Festival-goers to arrive throughout the night.

There will, however, be no entertainment or facilities in the car parks and Festival-goers will be expected to remain in their cars until the Festival gates open at 8am on Wednesday morning (an hour earlier than in previous years).'

I'm wondering if arriving Tues night's a good idea or not. Last yr we stayed in Street, a few miles from the site, and left there around 8:30. Even from there it took a good couple of hours as the traffic was terrible, but it was definitely preferable to setting off from East London at the crack of dawn. So we were planning to book a local hotel for Tues night again until I realised the car park's opening Tues eve, so now we're not sure what to do.

I wouldn't imagine huuuuge numbers would take this option so the idea of missing the traffic, getting a half decent sleep and still being in when it opens properly really appeals. BUT as it says above, there'll be no facilities. Does anyone know what this actually means? Surely there'll be extra toilets in the car parks at least? Maybe somewhere to get a hot drink and snack?

[ukslim]

I wouldn't imagine huuuuge numbers would take this option so the idea of missing the traffic, getting a half decent sleep and still being in when it opens properly really appeals.

[janah]

Thanks for the thoughts ukslim.

I was thinking it'd be ok as our car's quite big & comfy, but i hadn't really given a thought to all the other cars, stereos, horns, headlights, etc... I think I might be going off the idea actually!

But then again, surely a lot more people than usual will aim to get there at 6-7 am knowing the car parks will be open, so getting there around that time or slightly later will be a bit of a nightmare....

I don't know what to do!

[ukslim]

Thanks for the thoughts ukslim.

I was thinking it'd be ok as our car's quite big & comfy, but i hadn't really given a thought to all the other cars, stereos, horns, headlights, etc... I think I might be going off the idea actually!

[jimmyk83]

in theory it should make things easier.

presumably roughly the same amount of people will be keen to get in early doors, and these people will be spread out, some arriving tuesday night, some very early wednesday morning (5-7am say), and some at the time they would normally arrive wednesday morning (8-9am)

so im keeping my fingers crossed that there wont be too much traffic in the morning, arriving from a nearby town

certainly wont be driving down from essex on wedensday. last year all but 2 of us came down on the tuesday night. the 2 that didnt got caught in the nightmare that was the traffic, and didnt get in until very late wednesday night.

if i was stuck in traffic, that close to glastonbury, it would probably drive me to suicide

[farewellandgoodnight]

Awesome idea in my opinion. Will hopefully cut down the congestion dramatically. As far as getting some sleep's concerned, take a popup tent and pitch it in the car park next to your car, job done!

Of course that's assuming that anyone in their right mind will be able to sleep knowing that they're mere yards from the gates of Glasto. i'd be far too excited to get any kip personally.

[cejx]

in theory it should make things easier.

presumably roughly the same amount of people will be keen to get in early doors, and these people will be spread out, some arriving tuesday night, some very early wednesday morning (5-7am say), and some at the time they would normally arrive wednesday morning (8-9am)

so im keeping my fingers crossed that there wont be too much traffic in the morning, arriving from a nearby town

certainly wont be driving down from essex on wedensday. last year all but 2 of us came down on the tuesday night. the 2 that didnt got caught in the nightmare that was the traffic, and didnt get in until very late wednesday night.

if i was stuck in traffic, that close to glastonbury, it would probably drive me to suicide

[ukslim]

take a popup tent and pitch it in the car park next to your car, job done!

[farewellandgoodnight]

"Festival-goers will be expected to remain in their cars".

[tinpottery]

The risk of a bad sleep or the risk of being stuck in a 13 hour traffic jam like last year.

I'd rather go in there a little tired and chill out on Wednesday (and watch the England game), than risk a horror journey like last year, which completely stressed me out and saw us arrive in the wee hours of Thursday.

[jimmyk83]

It will cut down on traffic, but I suspect the pedestrian queues at the gates will be hideous... which if its raining could be hell on earth.

[r0cky]

It will cut down on traffic, but I suspect the pedestrian queues at the gates will be hideous... which if its raining could be hell on earth.

[Cooter]

Overall, its a potential health and safety and fire risk and I'm completely surprised why no-one official has realised this yet. Still, bring it on, it'll be fun!

Edited April 12, 2010 by Cooter

[sparklypseudonym]

I think this whole idea (letting people in on Tuesday night) is one big accident waiting to happen I am planning on turning up on Wed morning like last year. Am sure that the tailbacks last year were because of a combination of really bad traffic accidents and not letting cars onto the site early enough.

Like Cooter says the health and safety issues are nightmarish.

[sparklypseudonym]

The risk of a bad sleep or the risk of being stuck in a 13 hour traffic jam like last year.

I'd rather go in there a little tired and chill out on Wednesday (and watch the England game), than risk a horror journey like last year, which completely stressed me out and saw us arrive in the wee hours of Thursday.

[noodle24]

we are going on the tuesday night in a citroen van !! my dad will sleep in the front and lucky me on my air bed in the back!

[lofichic]

The worst night's sleep I ever had was in a Mini on Mount Pleasant in Liverpool. I wasn't planning on sleeping there, mind. It was the middle of the winter and I only had the clothes I was wearing. Whenever one of us woke up (frequently), we'd turn the car on briefly to heat it up then turn it off again. Vile. Never happening again.

The traffic last year was a massive amount of things - mainly accidents on the motorways. I left Liverpool at 8am on Wednesday and got on site at 1am on Thursday. I don't like to talk about it. Seeing the sun set over Street in a traffic jam on Wednesday was so depressing I couldn't even cry.

Got a hotel booked in Bristol and getting the first train to Castle Cary.

[Grimmy]

Sod that, I'm not even that bothered if there are big queues to get in because I'll be in a car with my mate and some music playing. The only worry is getting all the tents pitched near each other and in a good place.

[Rabbit Exorcist]

I don't think that will be allowed: "Festival-goers will be expected to remain in their cars".

How they enforce that? <shrug> Same way they prevent the car park from turning into a big unlicensed party on Tuesday night...

[*Amy *]

We left at 5am Weds morning from liverpool last year and it took us 14 hours - yuk.

We were lucky in one sense as we were in the campervan so we had plenty of room and a fridge with drinks . I think opening tues eve may be ok for the campervans but tough for the people in the carparks.

I am worried about the tailbacks at 9pm tuesday, I reckon people will try to arrive even earlier than this and it will be the same horrendous wait to get in.

Worth it though...

[noodle24]

We left at 5am Weds morning from liverpool last year and it took us 14 hours - yuk.

We were lucky in one sense as we were in the campervan so we had plenty of room and a fridge with drinks . I think opening tues eve may be ok for the campervans but tough for the people in the carparks.

I am worried about the tailbacks at 9pm tuesday, I reckon people will try to arrive even earlier than this and it will be the same horrendous wait to get in.

Worth it though...

[Claireb84]

Im driving down from Newc, not sure what time to aim to get there for as the thought of a 6 hour drive then a ridiculous queue is stressing me out already! maybe try and leave at middnight and get down for 6am?

[youngatheart]

lets be honest no one knows whats going to happen this year everyone could turn up tuesday night {not likely} or just a few hard core. But alot will travel through the night to turn up around 6-8am so you will still get the same queues but perhaps earlier.The big problem i see will be the queues at the gates these will start to grow very early and by 8am will probably be at shepton (lol) best advice is to turn up when you get there and just enjoy........

[ar1]

"The worst night's sleep I ever had was in a Mini on Mount Pleasant in Liverpool. I wasn't planning on sleeping there, mind. It was the middle of the winter and I only had the clothes I was wearing. Whenever one of us woke up (frequently), we'd turn the car on briefly to heat it up then turn it off again. Vile. Never happening again"

4 of us tried to sleeep in a Suzuki Jimny (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Suzuki_Jimny ) on a beach near Valencia. We started with the roof closed and it would get really, really, really hot so you'd open it to realease a great fart of hot air. The mosquitos would then pour in so when you couldn't stand this you'd close and start the heating process again.

Didn't get much sleep!

I'm jealous of you guys going to Glastonbury but good luck for the getting in part!

[noodle24]

we are starting to go off the idea of sleeping in our van so thinking of looking for a campsite just outside of glastonbury to stay at on tuesday night...