Ticket tips and Tricks for 2025 festival

[Doohickey]

In 2013 after ticket day, the festival had a post somewhere inviting feedback on how the process went. I had failed to get tickets, so my feedback was polite, but disappointed and wondered if there was a fairer way (careful what you ask about it turns out). I got the following reply back from them:

 

"Thank you for taking the time to provide us with your feedback, (name) – it’s much appreciated.

 

The suggestion of a lottery/ballot comes up each year, however it isn’t something the Festival would be keen to take on, as although it would undoubtedly give everyone the most equal chance possible, there are many who complain that that shouldn’t be the case. i.e that the most equal way wouldn’t necessarily be the fairest way. Largely this is a concern expressed by people who have come to the Festival for a number of years, and have a great attachment to the event, to the point they would be willing to go river deep mountain high to get a ticket.

 

For them the introduction of a ballot system would mean that their chances of getting a ticket would be reduced, whilst the chances for someone who is just entering the ballot on the off chance would be significantly increased.

 

Whilst we certainly don’t want ticket buying to be an endurance race, and are working with Seetickets to make the current process quicker and smoother, some investment of effort/time (to log on, enter the details and buy the tickets) ensures that the tickets do go to people who truly want them, rather than people just trying on a whim..

 

Best wishes

Glastonbury Festival"

 

That was a decade ago, and I understand the festival changes and they have to face different challenges and react accordingly, but the change to the queue system does feel to me like a complete change in the festivals outlook.

 

 

[incident]

6 minutes ago, Doohickey said:

That was a decade ago, and I understand the festival changes and they have to face different challenges and react accordingly, but the change to the queue system does feel to me like a complete change in the festivals outlook.

 

I said this earlier - but ultimately the festival won't be setting the direction on these aspects. They're not in a position to do so. Seetickets are implementing a queue system across all of their sites, and this is ultimately a Seetickets site.

 

Given that the Festival don't (and realistically can't) run their own ticket platform, the technology they use and the mechanisms within it are going to follow whatever their provider provides for them.

 

Yes, if they felt strongly enough about the specifics of how the site operated, they could try and push the issue or look at other providers - but that's a whole can of worms. It's questionable how much See will want to diverge from what is now becoming their standard setup, and every other ticket agent capable of handling that kind of traffic already uses queue based systems.

[Talcroft]

15 minutes ago, Doohickey said:

In 2013 after ticket day, the festival had a post somewhere inviting feedback on how the process went. I had failed to get tickets, so my feedback was polite, but disappointed and wondered if there was a fairer way (careful what you ask about it turns out). I got the following reply back from them:

 

"Thank you for taking the time to provide us with your feedback, (name) – it’s much appreciated.

 

The suggestion of a lottery/ballot comes up each year, however it isn’t something the Festival would be keen to take on, as although it would undoubtedly give everyone the most equal chance possible, there are many who complain that that shouldn’t be the case. i.e that the most equal way wouldn’t necessarily be the fairest way. Largely this is a concern expressed by people who have come to the Festival for a number of years, and have a great attachment to the event, to the point they would be willing to go river deep mountain high to get a ticket.

 

For them the introduction of a ballot system would mean that their chances of getting a ticket would be reduced, whilst the chances for someone who is just entering the ballot on the off chance would be significantly increased.

 

Whilst we certainly don’t want ticket buying to be an endurance race, and are working with Seetickets to make the current process quicker and smoother, some investment of effort/time (to log on, enter the details and buy the tickets) ensures that the tickets do go to people who truly want them, rather than people just trying on a whim..

 

Best wishes

Glastonbury Festival"

 

That was a decade ago, and I understand the festival changes and they have to face different challenges and react accordingly, but the change to the queue system does feel to me like a complete change in the festivals outlook.

 

 

 

This is a fascinating response from them at the real peak of my Glasto days (36 of us got tickets for 2014 via one of the backdoor hacks). Having not managed to get tickets and working the last 3 (necessity rather than choice), I'm really clueless as to where this leaves us. 

 

Slightly concerned @Suprefan is totally right and I no longer have any chance (compared to very little chance before). 

[henry bear]

2 hours ago, danmarks said:

Cos its biĺly bullshit. Was yesterday that supre said it definitely wont happen before 2027 so yeah

Indeed he did - likes to present himself as an industry oracle with very little tangible evidence to back anything up 

[AdrianH]

Already looking at other alternatives. There will inevitably be technical issues first of all and then you'll basically have a queue of over 1 million people followed by a snails pace ticket sale taking hours with people sat frustrated watching a fake progress bar slowly fill up. Not sure I even want to put myself through it.

[Miathedog]

24 minutes ago, AdrianH said:

Already looking at other alternatives. There will inevitably be technical issues first of all and then you'll basically have a queue of over 1 million people followed by a snails pace ticket sale taking hours with people sat frustrated watching a fake progress bar slowly fill up. Not sure I even want to put myself through it.

That’s how I’m feeling too 🙁 

I mean, I still will. But I’m dreading it. 

[northernangel]

11 hours ago, parsonjack said:

Editing your queue position in the page source so you jump to the front, or blocking the call to the queue URL so you avoid it altogether we're the popular methods I know of.

 

Both are firmly closed off now.....not to mention that Queue-It also offer very effective bot-detection capabilities as bolt-ons.  It absolutely wouldn't surprise me to see GFL/See cancelling purchases that have gamed the queue in some way this year.

 

I didn't know about the altering page source information. Makes sense how people get a lot.

10 hours ago, aj6658 said:

My thoughts 

• There is 100% a way to game the old system. I was invited into a group who last year some guy got 7 different groups tickets. Not sure how but if you're very tech savvy, you have the advantage 
• Old system meant that once you got tickets, you can try and get other people tickets by just going back in. New system eliminates that 
• This is essentially a ballot. Whatever effort that was required is now dead. No idea how many people actually just give up and whether thats a significant number 
• https://www.somersetlive.co.uk/whats-on/music-nightlife/glastonbury-festival-2024-how-many-8874703 says theres 138k tickers sold. so if everyone gets 6 tickets, you would need to be below 25000 but reality I say if you're in the first 50000 you should be fine (as a group of six may all drop off of which all have 2 devices so 12 queue spots - very rudimental math) 
• Oasis bot tickets and Glastonbury are a bit different. Oasis are doing it for profit. Glastonbury dont allow transfer of tickets but can still see people selling those services 

 

Overall I hate it 

 

I think 138k is bull. There cant be 72k workers on site now because that woule just be ridiculous.

 

I wouldn't say it worked by just going back in. 2014 though was very easy to get tickets for form the farcry of 13....The Stones rumors definitely did not help.

8 hours ago, incident said:

 

I said this earlier - but ultimately the festival won't be setting the direction on these aspects. They're not in a position to do so. Seetickets are implementing a queue system across all of their sites, and this is ultimately a Seetickets site.

 

Given that the Festival don't (and realistically can't) run their own ticket platform, the technology they use and the mechanisms within it are going to follow whatever their provider provides for them.

 

Yes, if they felt strongly enough about the specifics of how the site operated, they could try and push the issue or look at other providers - but that's a whole can of worms. It's questionable how much See will want to diverge from what is now becoming their standard setup, and every other ticket agent capable of handling that kind of traffic already uses queue based systems.

 

I actually don't mind the idea of the new system as it almost takes a bit of panic an stress away. I can't lie, as a severely anxious person ticket day is horrible and just basically accepting I either go a place or didn't I guess it different from thinking how is F5 near working yet thousands are in. I do think Glastonbury itself will be a shadow of its formerself in 10 years though.

[4AssedMonkey]

1 hour ago, AdrianH said:

Already looking at other alternatives. There will inevitably be technical issues first of all and then you'll basically have a queue of over 1 million people followed by a snails pace ticket sale taking hours with people sat frustrated watching a fake progress bar slowly fill up. Not sure I even want to put myself through it.

 

As a fellow AdrianH, I concur.  The thought of this is genuinely making me feel physically ill.

[Ayrshire Chris]

The festival are obviously aware the huge numbers of folk who have failed  to get tickets in recent years. I’m sure every year they are inundated with complaints, e mails etc from disappointed folk. Of course this is due mainly to the huge demand for tickets but certain people being tech savvy have had an unfair advantage.  This new system is  an attempt to close loopholes. It’s now a lottery. Login and just hope your number comes up. Is it fairer because it gives everyone a more equal chance? probably.  If you get tickets then great, if not then you will be extremely disappointed. The same as ever!

[Avalon_Fields]

1 hour ago, AdrianH said:

Already looking at other alternatives. There will inevitably be technical issues first of all and then you'll basically have a queue of over 1 million people followed by a snails pace ticket sale taking hours with people sat frustrated watching a fake progress bar slowly fill up. Not sure I even want to put myself through it.

If there are serious technical issues the process will be seen as a failure, however there’s no reason why the sale will take longer than usual as far as I can see. 
 

Fully understand the stress of it all, I’ve found it increasingly hard over recent years. 

[Crazyfool01]

Just now, Ayrshire Chris said:

The festival are obviously aware the huge numbers of folk who have failed  to get tickets in recent years. I’m sure every year they are inundated with complaints, e mails etc from disappointed folk. Of course this is due mainly to the huge demand for tickets but certain people being tech savvy have had an unfair advantage.  This new system is  an attempt to close loopholes. It’s now a lottery. Login and just hope your number comes up. Is it fairer because it gives everyone a more equal chance? probably.  If you get tickets then great, if not then you will be extremely disappointed. The same as ever!

The number of complaints won’t change , the nature of them will slightly . We love a whinge especially on social media cess pits 

[Ayrshire Chris]

1 minute ago, Crazyfool01 said:

The number of complaints won’t change , the nature of them will slightly . We love a whinge especially on social media cess pits 

True, but the festival will at least to be able to say they did something to try and create a more even playing field. I’ll stick to this place and ignore those cess pits

[Ricci's Special Kebabs]

6 minutes ago, Ayrshire Chris said:

The festival are obviously aware the huge numbers of folk who have failed  to get tickets in recent years. I’m sure every year they are inundated with complaints, e mails etc from disappointed folk. Of course this is due mainly to the huge demand for tickets but certain people being tech savvy have had an unfair advantage.  This new system is  an attempt to close loopholes. It’s now a lottery. Login and just hope your number comes up. Is it fairer because it gives everyone a more equal chance? probably.  If you get tickets then great, if not then you will be extremely disappointed. The same as ever!

An equal but less of an overall chance at the same time. Many who've wished this to happen don't realise that. 

[Talcroft]

2 minutes ago, Avalon_Fields said:

Fully understand the stress of it all, I’ve found it increasingly hard over recent years. 

 

Yeh...I was initially gutted by the news, but actually I haven't managed to get a punter's ticket since 2017, despite software engineer husband, vpns, even one year going in to his office to use their superfast broadband. Ultimately I just stopped having a big syndicate to try for me after 2017 and that's really limited me (notably, I have never got through to get my own tickets - even in 2008 when it didn't sell out, a friend 'got in' first so got them for me). I've become kind of convinced the universe/Glasto gods/fate etc don't want me to have a ticket - and now feel resigned that the same luck will apply to the queue. Which is patently nonsense, maybe this change will actually give me a better chance. After all, surely I couldn't have worse luck? 

[parsonjack]

This morning's news doesn't help the mood in here.

 

 

[4AssedMonkey]

1 minute ago, parsonjack said:

This morning's news doesn't help the mood in here.

 

 

 

Yeah.  Go home America, you're drunk.

[incident]

12 minutes ago, Ayrshire Chris said:

This new system is  an attempt to close loopholes.

 

No, it's not. This new system is not about Glastonbury.

[uscore]

Do any other ticket sales still do an f5 bun fight, or was Glastonbury one of the last ones?

[Crazyfool01]

4 minutes ago, parsonjack said:

This morning's news doesn't help the mood in here.

 

 

Double kick in the teeth 🦷… but I’m gathering my help as everyone else should be and figuring out ways to get more chance . Need to be proactive 

[briddj]

The Thursday coach sale is going to be crazy.

 

Full of people not only trying to get coach tickets, but also others doing a dry run for Sunday. I know we will be doing the latter...

[Avalon_Fields]

12 hours ago, aj6658 said:

 25000 but reality I say if you're in the first 50000 you should be fine (as a group of six may all drop off of which all have 2 devices so 12 queue spots

By my own guesswork I came up with around 50000 yesterday 

[Skip997]

15 hours ago, CaledonianGonzo said:

All this stress just to see Eminem

😁

[Havors]

50 minutes ago, Ayrshire Chris said:

The festival are obviously aware the huge numbers of folk who have failed  to get tickets in recent years. I’m sure every year they are inundated with complaints, e mails etc from disappointed folk. Of course this is due mainly to the huge demand for tickets but certain people being tech savvy have had an unfair advantage.  This new system is  an attempt to close loopholes. It’s now a lottery. Login and just hope your number comes up. Is it fairer because it gives everyone a more equal chance? probably.  If you get tickets then great, if not then you will be extremely disappointed. The same as ever!

The new system is only because seetickets got bought out. The festival did not ask for this its just been thrust upon them by circumstance.

[CharlotteB]

It'll be interesting to see how it goes. I don't like that people with faster internet had an advantage, but I also don't like that a chancer might get tickets over someone who really wants to go.

[CantWaitForGlasto22]

47 minutes ago, Crazyfool01 said:

Double kick in the teeth 🦷… but I’m gathering my help as everyone else should be and figuring out ways to get more chance . Need to be proactive 

Same. For the first time I’m asking non-Glastonbury family and friends to help us on the day. Imagine it’s Granny who gets through 🫣