VERY New to Reading : Many Questions : HELP!

[Biffy4President]

Ok - I'll try to make these questions as straightforward as possible. A little about me..30 years old...surprising my wife with Reading tickets. We live in Austin, Texas in the United States, so we'll be flying in for the festival. Super excited! 

• What is the deal with only 1 day single passes for purchase (Friday, Saturday, Sunday)? Is there somewhere to purchase 3 day passes or do I have to buy 2 Friday, 2 Saturday, 2 Sunday if I want to go all 3 days? 
• How easy is it to get to a hotel from the festival after each day? We are flying from the United States, so it doesn't seem like the best idea to buy a tent to camp and then just leave it at Reading...or does it? Would it be better if we camped?
• Is this going to sell out? Should I hurry and buy tickets NOW? 
• Are there no "upgrade tickets/VIP tickets" to potentially purchase? I'm assuming all tickets are the same and there's not an upgrade option?
• How expensive is alcohol/food at the festival? 
• I just read about riots at the festival...is this a real thing? I've been to almost every major festival in the United States and never experienced a "riot"

I know I'm missing a ton of questions, but figured I'd get these out of the way first. I'm most concerned about my wife and I being safe and having a great time. 

Thanks everyone! 

 

[eFestivals]

9 hours ago, Biffy4President said:

Ok - I'll try to make these questions as straightforward as possible. A little about me..30 years old...surprising my wife with Reading tickets. We live in Austin, Texas in the United States, so we'll be flying in for the festival. Super excited! 

• What is the deal with only 1 day single passes for purchase (Friday, Saturday, Sunday)? Is there somewhere to purchase 3 day passes or do I have to buy 2 Friday, 2 Saturday, 2 Sunday if I want to go all 3 days? 
• How easy is it to get to a hotel from the festival after each day? We are flying from the United States, so it doesn't seem like the best idea to buy a tent to camp and then just leave it at Reading...or does it? Would it be better if we camped?
• Is this going to sell out? Should I hurry and buy tickets NOW? 
• Are there no "upgrade tickets/VIP tickets" to potentially purchase? I'm assuming all tickets are the same and there's not an upgrade option?
• How expensive is alcohol/food at the festival? 
• I just read about riots at the festival...is this a real thing? I've been to almost every major festival in the United States and never experienced a "riot"

I know I'm missing a ton of questions, but figured I'd get these out of the way first. I'm most concerned about my wife and I being safe and having a great time. 

Thanks everyone! 

 

a 'weekend' ticket covers all of Friday/Saturday Sunday. You can get them here:-
http://www.seetickets.com/event/reading-festival-2016/richfield-avenue/907203?aff=efestivals

The weekend ticket includes camping (there's no non-camping weekend ticket), so that might be the way you decide to go. I know some who fly to festivals decide it's easier/cheaper to buy a tent when here and then leave it at the festival, so you wouldn't be the first to do that - tho it's becoming frowned on. Have at look at the prices of the stuff you think you'll need to some high street stores where you could buy from when here and see how that might work for you.

Nearby hotels tend to get booked up early and they charge premium prices for the weekend, You can find nearby hotels here:-
http://www.booking.com/searchresults.html?aid=393757&latitude=51.46392780000000&longitude=-0.98504750000000&radius=8&checkin_monthday=26&checkin_year_month=2016-08&checkout_monthday=29&checkout_year_month=2016-08&do_availability_check=1&order=location&tfl_cwh=1

It may or may not sell-out. I wouldn't leave buying your tickets for too long, especially if you've booked flights, etc.

I'm not sure if there's hospitality (VIP) tickets available for the general public to buy, but I'd say they wouldn't be worth the extra cost (I've had them as press). The only extra they'd give you is access to the hospitality area where there's a bar and perhaps food (it's 10 years since I've been), and the hospitality camping area. There's nothing of 'living the dream' about them.

Alcohol is premium-priced. Expect to pay £5 for a pint of lager, perhaps a little more. (You can take your own alcohol onto the campsites, but not into the arena).

The 'riots' happened, but mostly at the Leeds version of the same festival, and a decade or more ago, and revolved around a few  things that seem to have gone away now. I wouldn't worry about them.

Tho Reading is a bit of a rite-of-passage thing for kids who've just finished their compulsory schooling (aged 18), and can be quite high-jinx in places because of it - for many I suspect it might be the first time they've been let loose on a weekend of alcohol. So don't be too surprised if you see some of that, which might perhaps include a tent ot two getting set fire to on the campsites (mostly likely someone of that group, but not always ), that sort of thing. But friendly enough with it the vast majority of the time.

I hope that helps, have a good one.

 

[the wonderwhy]

Festiticket do ticket + hotel packages, might be worth looking at as they tend to keep prices lower than going through the hotels directly. 

[bca]

There are always pod pads if you want to get the full experience without having to camp or navigate back to a hotel at 1am.

https://podpads.com/reading-festival-2016

They're located on-site, and you'll be in a field with other campers (well, podpad'ers) so you'll still get more of the experience (they used to be, and I assume they still are, located in the corner of white campsite where it says "pink moon camping"):

 

Edited May 14, 2016 by bca

[Biffy4President]

THANK YOU to everyone that responded! This is seriously some great information! Just to double check with everyone...is this a legitimate place to purchase everything "Festicket" ( https://www.festicket.com/festival/reading-festival-2016/ ) OR do I have to purchase everything from the "Reading Festival" website ( http://www.readingfestival.com/tickets ) to be safe? It just seems easier to purchase from the "Festicket" website b/c you can add Tickets + Camping easily.

I am about to purchase 2 Weekend Camping Tickets + 1 x Double Podpad at Podpad Camping + 2 Sleep Easy Packages. 

Thanks for all the help everyone! 

[glasto-worker]

9 hours ago, Biffy4President said:

THANK YOU to everyone that responded! This is seriously some great information! Just to double check with everyone...is this a legitimate place to purchase everything "Festicket" ( https://www.festicket.com/festival/reading-festival-2016/ ) OR do I have to purchase everything from the "Reading Festival" website ( http://www.readingfestival.com/tickets ) to be safe? It just seems easier to purchase from the "Festicket" website b/c you can add Tickets + Camping easily.

I am about to purchase 2 Weekend Camping Tickets + 1 x Double Podpad at Podpad Camping + 2 Sleep Easy Packages. 

Thanks for all the help everyone! 

unless there is many posts in support of Festicket 

I would advise buying direct

http://www.readingfestival.com/tickets

and

https://podpads.com/reading-festival-2016

The Pink Moon campsite us very safe

so check http://www.pinkmooncamping.co.uk/festivalchoose.asp?mychosenfestival=53

as it may work out cheaper 

that way you can be certain that you wont get ripped off .

there is tons of fake Companies and its not worth taking the risk

Best to be safe than sorry.

Sure there has been what was described as a riot at Reading but it was contained in a certain area so it was not the whole camp - I only know about it as I was working there and I knew some of the Security who were involved and that was many years ago.

I have worked in the  hospitality (VIP) bar and what you have to appreciate is while you will get into the hospitality area with a hospitality wrist band there is many areas you cant get into as you need a extra pass - 

I certainly would not pay for the privilege.

By the way unlike many festivals ' Reading festivals' is right beside the town so rather than eating within the festival there is lots of ' Take Away places ' just outside - many people will be heading towards Reading Train Station so just follow the crowd and you will soon spot something - I worked there for 26 years and never bought any food within the Arena.

so its a curious festival - one second your within a festival and then you walk out and you have a whole town to explore.

The Town is buzzing - taxis are cheap { compared to London prices } although I always preferred walking back as it is a experience.

Edited May 16, 2016 by glasto-worker

[Biffy4President]

Thanks, glasto-worker! Ok, you totally sold me on wanting to stay in town. I think my wife would love to go out after the last performer went on! I just found a hotel that we could afford that looks like it's 6 miles away from the festival. Will there be plenty of transportation to get to the town after the festival is over? 

Thanks again for all the informative answers. I'm getting really excited for August!

[cb4747]

1 hour ago, Biffy4President said:

Thanks, glasto-worker! Ok, you totally sold me on wanting to stay in town. I think my wife would love to go out after the last performer went on! I just found a hotel that we could afford that looks like it's 6 miles away from the festival. Will there be plenty of transportation to get to the town after the festival is over? 

Thanks again for all the informative answers. I'm getting really excited for August!

6 miles is generally calculated as the bird flies so it may be further than you expect. The action at the festival generally finishes around 11/12pm and if Reading is anything like my hometown the public transport is usually less frequent late at night and you may end up having to get a taxi 

[Biffy4President]

9 minutes ago, cb4747 said:

6 miles is generally calculated as the bird flies so it may be further than you expect. The action at the festival generally finishes around 11/12pm and if Reading is anything like my hometown the public transport is usually less frequent late at night and you may end up having to get a taxi 

Thanks, cb4747! Ok, so before I lock in the hotel...looks like it says the hotel is 4.5 miles from map center. I guess the big question that needs to be answered by those that have gone to Reading Festival before (and stay in hotels and not camp)...are there a lot of taxi's / ubers? The last thing I would want is to have a hard time making it 6 miles back to the hotel after we go to the bars 

[Biffy4President]

Ok, I just booked my hotel...it is on Wharfedale Road, Winnersh Triangle, Reading. Looks like it's a good deal! Fingers crossed we won't have any trouble getting to and from the festival. Hopefully taxi's and uber's won't be hard to come by! There are Uber's in Reading, right? 

Edited May 16, 2016 by Biffy4President

[Tyonks]

Normal Taxi's will be fine mate although maybe more of wait for them to arrive than under normal circumstances due to high demand. I would say expect to pay around £10/£15 for each journey, so definitely include that in your budget. 

Uber's haven't taken off in the UK in the same way as in the USA, so they only exist in a few cities here, and Reading isn't one of them as far as i'm aware. 

I've been to Reading Festival a couple of times and it is a great festival and you'll have a blast, just don't get too drunk!!  

[poppunkprincess_eryn]

On May 13, 2016 at 2:27 PM, Biffy4President said:

Ok - I'll try to make these questions as straightforward as possible. A little about me..30 years old...surprising my wife with Reading tickets. We live in Austin, Texas in the United States, so we'll be flying in for the festival. Super excited! 

• What is the deal with only 1 day single passes for purchase (Friday, Saturday, Sunday)? Is there somewhere to purchase 3 day passes or do I have to buy 2 Friday, 2 Saturday, 2 Sunday if I want to go all 3 days? 
• How easy is it to get to a hotel from the festival after each day? We are flying from the United States, so it doesn't seem like the best idea to buy a tent to camp and then just leave it at Reading...or does it? Would it be better if we camped?
• Is this going to sell out? Should I hurry and buy tickets NOW? 
• Are there no "upgrade tickets/VIP tickets" to potentially purchase? I'm assuming all tickets are the same and there's not an upgrade option?
• How expensive is alcohol/food at the festival? 
• I just read about riots at the festival...is this a real thing? I've been to almost every major festival in the United States and never experienced a "riot"

I know I'm missing a ton of questions, but figured I'd get these out of the way first. I'm most concerned about my wife and I being safe and having a great time. 

Thanks everyone! 

 

I'm from the US too (California) and going to Reading! Glad some fellow Americans are also venturing to Reading :-)

[LowerMead]

Whoa, I wish I'd seen this thread earlier! I'm from Reading, live just over a mile from the site, and am a three time Austin City Limits veteran (see avatar picture <<<) , my wife and I did ACL 2012 as part of our honeymoon. I've been to Reading for the last 18 years straight, but am only going on the Sunday this year as we have a 16 month old baby, three days will be a bit too much for him.

Reading is much like ACL in terms of stages, but is a bit ... OK, a lot ... grungier - you will be staggered by the amount of litter on site at the end of each day - comes from its origins as a bit of a low-down dirty rock festival. Music is great though, and people are friendly. The 'riots' you speak of were mainly just drunk kids on the campsite, it's a bit of a 'rite of passage' thing for 16-18yo's before they go off to College or University, for many it's a first time away from home with their friends and, well, we were all youthful once. You'll have no problems whatsoever as a non-camper, and in any case Security is a lot better on the campsite now.

The festival site is on Richfield Avenue, which is a 20 minute walk from central Reading - think of it as a much shorter Barton Springs Road, with less bars to hang out at on the way home - say 'Hi' to The Shady Grove for me!!

There is a taxi rank outside Rivermead Leisure Centre in Tessa Rd, but it gets busy at peak leaving time. Your could always walk to the centre of town (head for the train station) and get a cab there. There is a station at Winnersh Triangle with a regular service to Reading for you to get in to the festival in the mornings, but your last return at night departs Reading at 23:13 - you would have to be leaving the Arena at 22:30 (missing half of the headliner) to make that train, so probably not a good idea. 

Why not head into Reading and check out a few bars instead, then get a later cab? The Purple Turtle and The Oakford Social Club both recommended. Friar St is our 6th Street, but not really full of Festival types.

There are no Ubers in Reading - the local council just denied them a licence - nothing to do with the new Mayor of Reading being head of the Reading Taxi Driver's Association, I'm sure *rolls eyes*

Just be aware that the Monday after the Festival is a public holiday - as soon as the clock ticks over to midnight on the Sunday night then taxis are legally allowed to charge Public Holiday rates - either 1.5 or 2 times standard fare - it's a sneaky trick on their busiest day of the year, just be prepared for it.

Come and enjoy it - the people of Austin made me feel very welcome when I ventured there solo in 2008, I hope we can do the same for you.

  

Edited July 7, 2016 by LowerMead