Argh - help me solve this problem or I have to return my ticket!

[thenavyone]

So we are Glasto regulars and my husband is a teacher, this is the first year where he will be able to go to Glastonbury from Wed-Mon as we are expecting a baby this Sat and he has taken his parental leave to fit over the Glastonbury period - so we were super excited to get tickets in the resale for the coach leaving bristol on the Wed at 2:30pm!

We have 2 children, a 3.5 year old and the baby who will either be 7 or 9 weeks old depending on when exactly he decides to be born. I contacted see at 6:15pm on the resale day (Thurs) to book 2 seats for my kids as per their T&Cs.  They don't have any tickets left and despite a few suggestions to them there doesn't seem to be a way to make this work  

Can anyone think of a way we can get the kids delivered to us at the festival?  I've heard about an unofficial taxi rank on the west side of the site near Steanbow Farm, is this accessible on the Wed?

Going to the drop off point isn't really an option as by the time we get the coach down from Bristol and then a bus to the meeting point the baby would have been away from me for too long and despite being so little See have said he absolutely can not sit on our laps and has to have his own seat.  My toddler would be fine meeting us at the meeting point.

I absolutely am not trying to get out of going on the coach, it would actually be easier for us if all 4 of us could get the coach, it's much less walking involved!  As an aside how often to the buses run to the meeting point?  We only used it once the year before last and had to wait an hour - not sure if thats the norm?

Thanks!

 

[Michaels denim shorts]

1 minute ago, thenavyone said:

So we are Glasto regulars and my husband is a teacher, this is the first year where he will be able to go to Glastonbury from Wed-Mon as we are expecting a baby this Sat and he has taken his parental leave to fit over the Glastonbury period - so we were super excited to get tickets in the resale for the coach leaving bristol on the Wed at 2:30pm!

We have 2 children, a 3.5 year old and the baby who will either be 7 or 9 weeks old depending on when exactly he decides to be born. I contacted see at 6:15pm on the resale day (Thurs) to book 2 seats for my kids as per their T&Cs.  They don't have any tickets left and despite a few suggestions to them there doesn't seem to be a way to make this work  

Can anyone think of a way we can get the kids delivered to us at the festival?  I've heard about an unofficial taxi rank on the west side of the site near Steanbow Farm, is this accessible on the Wed?

Going to the drop off point isn't really an option as by the time we get the coach down from Bristol and then a bus to the meeting point the baby would have been away from me for too long and despite being so little See have said he absolutely can not sit on our laps and has to have his own seat.  My toddler would be fine meeting us at the meeting point.

I absolutely am not trying to get out of going on the coach, it would actually be easier for us if all 4 of us could get the coach, it's much less walking involved!  As an aside how often to the buses run to the meeting point?  We only used it once the year before last and had to wait an hour - not sure if thats the norm?

Thanks!

 

Send your husband on the coach & you take the kiddies, (get dropped off?) in a car to bath & west / get a shuttle & meet at gate A. 

[thenavyone]

See have said they won't give the ticket to anyone not on the coach  They also said it doesn't go to an office or anything like that.  They said the T&Cs are clear, "– Travel on your chosen coach is mandatory in order to receive your Festival tickets." so both adults have to be on the coach and no kids can be on the coach! ARGH

[Newtoit]

get someone to look after the kids and to take them to the 'park and ride' car park.

You go in on the coach and get your tickets. Then get the bus straight back out to the park and ride to collect your children.

Would the baby even need a 'seat' on the coach? I would have thought a two month old would be allowed to travel with you regardless - which just leaves the 3.5 year old (which seems easier logistically to me).

A few years ago we brought our daughter in just for the day via a park and ride pick up like this. ( sorry I might be meaning 'drop off point' here??)

 

good luck

hope it all goes well!

Edited April 20, 2016 by Newtoit

[Michaels denim shorts]

Just now, thenavyone said:

See have said they won't give the ticket to anyone not on the coach  They also said it doesn't go to an office or anything like that.  They said the T&Cs are clear, "– Travel on your chosen coach is mandatory in order to receive your Festival tickets." so both adults have to be on the coach and no kids can be on the coach! ARGH

They lie, it will be at a box office by gate A, if your husband can't blag it out of them when they get there / if you aren't there waiting for the coach already 

[Michaels denim shorts]

If you make sure you make it to the coach park before your coach / husband arrives on site then I can't see them refusing to give the ticket to you 

[sedra]

Send your husband and the 3.5 year old on the see tickets coach to pick up the tickets ( make sure Seetickets have him down as the lead Booker) and you book another  national express Glastonbury coach for the same time with your baby or get someone to drop you off to meet up with the coach. Under 2yrs go free on national express and they have frequent coaches from Bristol to the festival.  You should both all arrive at more or less the same time. However I'm not sure a new baby on a coach full of festival goers is a great idea so probably better for you to get a lift from someone if you can?? 

alternatively try contacting the festival office - if you don't pick up your tickets on the coach then they usually leave uncollected ones to be picked up on the gate. 

Hope you get it sorted. 

[Junglist1981]

If you're comfortable with holding baby on your lap then I reckon you should ignore what the jobsworth at See told you and turn up to the coach with the baby anyway. Would take a very mean driver to refuse you.

If it's not looking good you could always smuggle baby on board up your jumper! Once you're on the way they can hardly chuck you off!

 

[Mash011]

I'd say the actual coach driver is unlikely to be as much of a hardass about it as the guys at the SeeTickets customer service desk. On my coach last year he just handed the tickets all over to one of the passengers and said 'alright, you hand them out'. If you turn up and meet the driver I'd be shocked if he'd refuse to hand over the tickets because you're not all travelling on it. I could be mistaken but don't they all come in one envelope for the lead booker anyway?

[thenavyone]

9 minutes ago, Newtoit said:

get someone to look after the kids and to take them to the 'park and ride' car park.

good luck

hope it all goes well!

Thanks Newtoit, I think the park and ride is the same as the meeting point, the bath and west show ground?  I think (although happy to be corrected) that it could take 2 hours to get form Bristol to Glasto, then another hour to get off the site and across to the meeting point.  That means the baby could be away from me for 3 hours.  Now considering the baby isn't even here yet this could be totally fine we might get one chilled out baby, but we also might get one that needs feeding every hour and won't take a bottle so I'm trying to cover all the bases.  My toddler will be fine being collected form the meeting point though, he's well used to travelling in buses and cars for long periods of time.

 

10 minutes ago, Michaels denim shorts said:

They lie, it will be at a box office by gate A, if your husband can't blag it out of them when they get there / if you aren't there waiting for the coach already 

HA, really! That simple?  I'm the lead booker so ideally I'd go down on the coach (I also fancy less walking 7/9 weeks post delivery!) and the baby would take my husbands seat but if they don't let the baby into my husbands seat then my husband will have to go on the coach and I'll meet him down there with the kids.  Thanks for that, all this faffing for nothing.  Just need a car park ticket, I'm sure someone can help me out with that.

[thenavyone]

yay thanks everyone, I think I'm worrying about nothing then, I like to do things "right" and "fair" but it sound like it's workable when it comes to the day and the driver.

I'll get the coach with the baby, I'll collect my husbands ticket and I'll meet my husband and toddler there.  They can either get a lift from my sister to the meeting point then a coach in, take a different bus or take the car (if we find a car park ticket).

[Newtoit]

I would contact the Glastonbury office direct.

i know they say they have nothing to do with ticket issues, however this seems more of a policy issue.

i really can't believe that they would separate a breast feeding mother from her baby. Personally I wouldn't want to risk just showing up with the baby and leaving it up to the good nature of the driver ( although I expect it would be fine). Mind you, thinking about it, would the driver get into trouble if the baby wasn't in a properly fixed child seat?? (Duh, forget that, people travel on buses all the time with kids and no seats).

 

 

 

Edited April 20, 2016 by Newtoit

[davidd]

22 minutes ago, Michaels denim shorts said:

They lie, it will be at a box office by gate A, if your husband can't blag it out of them when they get there / if you aren't there waiting for the coach already 

This, my mate made a complete collocks of it the year before last,missed the coach etc and i received 4-5 emails telling me where it could be collected when he arrived.

[thenavyone]

I think I'd take the seat just incase!  If it's needed I'd take it and put it in the lock up as soon as we got there. But weirdly the coach rules don't mention babies needing car seats, but see rules say that they need actual seats - you know, for all that chilling out and sitting up they're gonna do 

[thenavyone]

1 minute ago, davidd said:

This, my mate made a complete collocks of it the year before last,missed the coach etc and i received 4-5 emails telling me where it could be collected when he arrived.

Ah cool, was it hard to get to it, I'm guessing it's somewhere in the coach car parky thing?

[davidd]

..

Edited April 20, 2016 by davidd
Double post.

[davidd]

12 minutes ago, thenavyone said:

Ah cool, was it hard to get to it, I'm guessing it's somewhere in the coach car parky thing?

I'm quite sure it was at the office near Gate A, just had to bowl up and collect it. I'm sorry i can't be more specific, tried looking for any emails from back then but no joy.  I'm sure you'll be fine .

[Matt - Ed Banger Records]

Someone from here missed the coach from Reading last year, they just put their tickets in the collection point by the coach drop off, is no drama at all

[themuel]

What are the official reasons for no children on the coaches?

[thenavyone]

1 minute ago, themuel said:

What are the official reasons for no children on the coaches?

Kids are allowed, but "UK coach travel regulations stipulate that the total number of passengers per coach (regardless of age) must not exceed the total number of seats." so there is no space for the kids

 

[Curlygirl]

I personally would let the hubby and 3 yr old get the coach, you n baby drive. Hubby can get your ticket ( say you're in the toilet ). I've never known seetickets asking for lead bookers, they just ask your name and hand it to you. I collected a mates when he was in the loo. If worst comes to worst, collect yours at the ticket office. Good luck

[blackred]

As everyone has said, you will be fine. It was (is?) a condition of the licence that a certain number of people have to travel by coach so See will not advertise the fact that tickets are given to the lead booker, or held at the ticket office, because if people decided not to get their coaches en masse it would cause the festival an issue. While the numbers are small they have measures in place to ensure your ticket isn't wasted.

Next time don't get coach tickets if you aren't certain you will be able to make the coach, every year there are posters asking for ways round the system - there are plenty of people who would happily take those tickets and abide by the rules, and others who know they won't be able to and stick to the general sale only.

[davidd]

Given that the coach will be used one way or another it makes little difference and the fact that they were very lucky indeed to get ANY ticket i'd say fair play really.

Have a fantastic time thenavyone + family and the best of luck !

[SwedgeAntilles]

I'd just go and enjoy the festival and get some new kids afterwards.

[gooner1990]

When I got a See coach from Oxford last year, all tickets had been put in individual envelopes.