Complicated coming and going....need some advice!

[CalvinAndHobbes]

Hi all, I'd welcome some advice on whether some quite complicated logistics is likely to work out......

I'm coming by car on the Tuesday night ready for entry first thing on Wednesday.

Early on Friday morning, I plan to leave the festival to return home and pick up my son, returning on Friday afternoon.  (He has his own Child ticket, though he looks quite a bit older than he is (13).  He's missing school on Friday but we didn't want to stretch to 3 days off.

My wife (who doesn't have a ticket) plans to drop my daughter (who is 11) off with me at the festival on the Saturday, and she'll stay with me after that.  I plan to leave with my kids after the last performances on Sunday night.

So my questions are:

1. Do I need to bring ID for my son, to prove he is 13? (And do you reckon a photocopy of his passport would do, or bring the real thing, which I'd ideally rather not do in case it gets lost on site just a few weeks before a summer holiday).  And ditto with my daughter, to prove she's under 12?

2. Are there any restrictions on leaving the site and returning, at any particular hours? I assume I'll be given a pass-out band or something similar?

3. I've got a car parking ticket, will I be able to re-park at any car park after picking up my son?

4. Are there likely to still be massive traffic jams trying to re-enter the site on Friday afternoon?

5. Ideally I'll meet my wife as near as possible to an entrance in order to pick up my daughter and bring her in, does anyone have any suggestions on where the best place might be to arrange to meet?

6. Anyone got any experience of leaving on the Sunday night after the last bands, are there usually massive traffic queues coming out of the car parks then?

Realise that I may need to direct some of these qu's to the Glastonbury team themselves, but thought I'd try you good people first!

Many thanks for any advice anyone can offer!

Less than two weeks to go woooooo......!

[fur_q]

1) I'm not sure but If his age is questionable he will need ID and I'd imagine it would need to be the original if document not a photocopy. The passport could be left at one of the property lock ups (for a small donation) where it will be total secure while you enjoy the festival. 

 

2 no restrictions on leaving the site when you enter for the first time you are given a wristband, when you leave you are given a passout ticket and you will need to show both of these along with your original festival ticket for re entry.

 

3 a car park ticket is a sticker you put in your windscreen (top tip stick it to a piece of clear plastic and  sellotape it as they are a bugger to remove) you can come and go as many times as you want if you have the sticker displayed. 

 

4 highly unlikely there will be any queues at that time. 

 

5 unfortunately you wife will need to use the drop off point at the bath and west showground. this is just over a mile form the festival and there is a free shuttle bus from the bus station at gate A. The roads around the festival will be designed clearways during the festival, the site is massive and so trying to meet on local roads will be more hassle than using the drop off point. 

 

6. no experience myself but expect to que to get out of your leaving directly after the headliners finish. 

[CalvinAndHobbes]

Thanks fur_q that's really helpful - especially the sticker top tip 

[Flysheet]

Take them both from the start. Honestly worth them missing school, mine have done it and it's such an experience they won't get anywhere else. They can do some educational stuff up in the Green Fields as well 

[CalvinAndHobbes]

thanks, yeah it's tempting....

[Flysheet]

Do it do it do it do it

[phil the shrew]

Great replies above 

What I would add I'd be prepared to be in totally different car parks on the Tuesday and Friday. I did something similar a few years ago and was in a West car park on the Wednesday when I arrived, but then got put in east when I went off site and came back again. Same pass gets you back in at any gate - but due to size of the site it can be quite a walk

On the Sunday I'd say 11pm to 1am is busy getting off site after the headliners so tend to mill around till about 1.30am - might as well spend time in the festival rather than sat in the car park for 2 hours. Also keep an eye on the weather if it is wet and muddy getting off the car parks takes longer and creates more traffic hold ups

[phil the shrew]

Another thought might be for your wife to put daughter on the Glastonbury or showground shuttle bus on Saturday, then you meet her at the festival bus station. Probably easier than going off site 

[Ollie9917]

He's only 13 I missed an exam last year for glasto, admittedly it wasn't an exam I cared about but it would have meant missing 2 days of glasto for it so ://

 

I doubt he's doing much in school around this time anyway

 

[CalvinAndHobbes]

Thanks all really helpful replies...having a rethink now over whether to stretch it and bring the kids earlier.  I've only been once myself ('95) but I'm so looking forward to immersing them in the whole experience....

[verrymerry]

It's a shame your kids are "going to get poorly" and need time off school...

[Flysheet]

Picked up my then 14 y o from school at 2pm on the Tuesday to travel down last year. Had to sign him out naturally and was asked to give a reason, came straight out with it and got major jealousy from the staff! 

They sent a runner to get him and all his classmates and teacher asked where he was off, he said Glastonbury and place was in uproar apparently! 

My kids have done numerous festivals over the years, Glasto, BD, Cambridge, Solfest & daughter did Leeds at 15 with her mum.

No point in missing out!

 

[mrfunk]

Do the full festival with them , start to finish . They learn a lot more there then two weeks in schools 

[Miathedog]

Re. coming and going after the festival has started, it's really easy and quick because everyone is already in there. We do similar to you in a way, we take ours at the start and drop him home on the Friday, and go back again without him. It's quick getting back into car parks but you will be nowhere near where you were before and you will just have to find a parking spot wherever they point you (or just keep going and park in a spot you like, which we tend to do!)

[AnnaGrant]

On 11/06/2017 at 10:16 AM, phil the shrew said:

Great replies above 

What I would add I'd be prepared to be in totally different car parks on the Tuesday and Friday. I did something similar a few years ago and was in a West car park on the Wednesday when I arrived, but then got put in east when I went off site and came back again. Same pass gets you back in at any gate - but due to size of the site it can be quite a walk

On the Sunday I'd say 11pm to 1am is busy getting off site after the headliners so tend to mill around till about 1.30am - might as well spend time in the festival rather than sat in the car park for 2 hours. Also keep an eye on the weather if it is wet and muddy getting off the car parks takes longer and creates more traffic hold ups

If you leave while the headliners are playing you will probably be able to drive straight out of the car parks no trouble. That was my experience in 2011, and also what we used to do in the Nineties, though that is so long ago it is probably not useful.

You have to decide if it is worth missing the end of the headliners, or more probably if your kids will accept doing this!

[giantkatestacks]

If I was you I would go with your son on Thursday after school and camp up in Wicket where there will still be loads of space and it is next to the JP which my 12 year old enjoyed last year. Plus it is close to the coach station so you can meet your daughter off the shuttle bus when she arrives. 

I would find that easier then all of you arriving at different times tbh. 

[noplacelikehome]

All good advice above and agree it will be MUCH easier not to drive in and out each time and to use the shuttle bus - go up to gate A and they are every 10-15 mins meet your wife at B & W showground and come back on the bus again - it is free and you don't have to trudge though carparks and potentially end up at the far end of the car park when going back again for your daughter.  There are acampervans up at B & W this year so the shuttles will definitely be running frequently.  Hope they have an amazing time for however long they manage to stay there!

[CalvinAndHobbes]

Thanks again all, really helpful advice....