Coach with 6 month old?

[whitehorses]

16 minutes ago, The Nal said:

 

I get the official line and all but the festival telling people to cancel their tickets and try for the resale is madness.

Yeah this so ludicrous advice. Can’t believe that’s their line. 
 

edit: obviously I believe the reports, it’s just bewildering 

Edited February 24, 2022 by whitehorses
Clarification

[gooner1990]

19 minutes ago, crazyfool1 said:

They are usually too busy waving cars in .. it might be the official line … but in reality I don’t remember it happening 

mate, every time I've come in from the east side they check everyone's ticket and that you have a car park ticket before you can go through.

[Crazyfool01]

6 minutes ago, gooner1990 said:

mate, every time I've come in from the east side they check everyone's ticket and that you have a car park ticket before you can go through.

A friend has my general admission ticket if that’s the case … I’ll buy the car park in advance though someone else 

[Fred Zepplin]

I think if you have a car park sticker on your car they wave you straight in, might get the odd person asking to see your ticket as well. If you don’t have a sticker they will definitely want to see your ticket.

[rosemae]

Following as we're in the same boat and have had the same response from the festival (no response from See). 

We're contemplating one of us driving with our daughter and the other taking the coach to get the tickets and meeting there, but it's a long journey from London for the driver to do without someone to entertain the baby (plus it would have to be my husband driving as I can't, and she's still breastfeeding). Alternatively I could get the coach with my daughter (not an early one and only on the way there, but still a bit antisocial!) while my husband drives with some friends.

We would manage all on the coach if needed, but would need a seat for an 18 month old and See won't reply about adding one.

I'm definitely nervous about the idea of all driving over and being sure our tickets would be waiting for us.

We have friends with general admission tickets who would happily take our place on the coach so not reducing the number of people on coaches at all, but seems it's not an option.

[squirrelarmy]

Just now, rosemae said:

We have friends with general admission tickets who would happily take our place on the coach so not reducing the number of people on coaches at all, but seems it's not an option.

This is a logical solution. The problem is how you approach GFL/Seetickets with it. 

Approaching them individually as you have done will just get you a stock response. You need to find a group of people in similar circumstances to yourselves and from what I've seen on various sites there are quite a few of you. 

I'm sure GFL/Seetickets are wary about setting a precedence of allowing ticket swaps.  These are definitely exceptional circumstances which may play into your hands.  I'm sure there a quite a number of people in the reverse of your situation who now need a coach ticket as their original transport option is no longer available. 

If you can reach out publicly as a large group  who all have proof of a new addition to their family as well as having already done the leg work and have found willing volunteers to take their coach places I'm sure GFL will work out a solution especially if you use the power of social media. They won't want to have bad press about this. 

[The Nal]

20 minutes ago, rosemae said:

I'm definitely nervous about the idea of all driving over and being sure our tickets would be waiting for us.

They absolutely 100% will be. Any remaining tickets are dropped off at the hut thing. 

Or if you talk to the security guy nicely, he'll get on the radio and tell you when the bus is expected and get the tickets from the driver and drop them over to you. We were waiting around for an hour or so for ours. 

[gooner1990]

I fear this knowledge of tickets being left at the 'ticket office' if you miss the coach is going to lead to lots of people deliberately missing the coach to just collect it the other side so they can go in their/a friends car once it becomes a known 'thing'

 

[The Nal]

1 hour ago, gooner1990 said:

I fear this knowledge of tickets being left at the 'ticket office' if you miss the coach is going to lead to lots of people deliberately missing the coach to just collect it the other side so they can go in their/a friends car once it becomes a known 'thing'

 

I did it in 2013. Its only a handul of people every year. 

Why wouldnt you want to get the coach anyway? Its great. Drops you right at the gate. 

The danger of course is that theres a 2016 type thing, or just heavy traffic and you're left sat at Gate A like a pleb for 12 hours waiting for your ticket. 

[gooner1990]

11 minutes ago, The Nal said:

I did it in 2013. Its only a handul of people every year. 

Why wouldnt you want to get the coach anyway? Its great. Drops you right at the gate. 

The danger of course is that theres a 2016 type thing, or just heavy traffic and you're left sat at Gate A like a pleb for 12 hours waiting for your ticket. 

You know how these things spiral...I just think once there is a year where loads do it then there will be a precedent set.  Then again what do I know.

Yes I got the coach in 2015, and I'm doing so again this year....it makes getting on site quite pain free however the luxury, ability to store more kit/beer, and freedom of the car probably outweighs it.

[The Nal]

19 minutes ago, gooner1990 said:

You know how these things spiral...I just think once there is a year where loads do it then there will be a precedent set.  Then again what do I know.

Yes I got the coach in 2015, and I'm doing so again this year....it makes getting on site quite pain free however the luxury, ability to store more kit/beer, and freedom of the car probably outweighs it.

I think it makes you realise you don't need a lot of stuff and packing light is the way to go (see the best trolley thread) and also a sense of once you're in, you're in. No multiple trips back to the car nonsense. 

I cant see it spiralling tbh. It hasnt yet. Years of coaches now. 

[squirrelarmy]

6 minutes ago, The Nal said:

I think it makes you realise you don't need a lot of stuff and packing light is the way to go (see the best trolley thread) and also a sense of once you're in, you're in. No multiple trips back to the car nonsense. 

I cant see it spiralling tbh. It hasnt yet. Years of coaches now. 

Getting the coach isn’t the issue. Traveling with a baby/toddler is.
 

Before you even think about tents and your own gear you’ve got their needs to sort out first. Clothes, nappies, change bag. A large coolbox just for their food/milk then equipment needed to warm their food and milk. 

It’s a couple of large heavy bags plus pram/push chair. 

[incident]

48 minutes ago, The Nal said:

The danger of course is that theres a 2016 type thing, or just heavy traffic and you're left sat at Gate A like a pleb for 12 hours waiting for your ticket. 

That's the thing really - no matter what, you're never going to be better off by deliberately missing the coach.

Even in the best case scenario, you only get your ticket about an hour after the coach arrives - ie once the coach has unloaded, the driver does his admin, and the box office do their part. Quite often it'll take longer than that.

[The Nal]

22 minutes ago, squirrelarmy said:

Getting the coach isn’t the issue. Traveling with a baby/toddler is.
 

Before you even think about tents and your own gear you’ve got their needs to sort out first. Clothes, nappies, change bag. A large coolbox just for their food/milk then equipment needed to warm their food and milk. 

It’s a couple of large heavy bags plus pram/push chair. 

Oh sure. Which is why I was suggesting they meet the coach in the carpark. Theres the potential delay aswell. Can easily end up spending an extra few hours on the coach, with no notice. Not a place for a 6 month old really.

  

17 minutes ago, incident said:

That's the thing really - no matter what, you're never going to be better off by deliberately missing the coach.

Even in the best case scenario, you only get your ticket about an hour after the coach arrives - ie once the coach has unloaded, the driver does his admin, and the box office do their part. Quite often it'll take longer than that.

And theres a carpark ticket to be sorted if youre missing the coach. Then you have to make your way from the carpark or wherever to gate A, around the perimeter of the festival. Which can take a while depending where you're parked. Purple for example. I did it from the campervan fields. Nice walk mind you. But its a hike there and back to the car etc. Its messy logistically. Some paths are closed, a bit hilly.

Absolutely no idea where this is but we ended up walking through here on the way. 

 

Edit: Having streetviewed it, I think its St John Baptists Church in Parsons Batch....

Edited February 24, 2022 by The Nal

[Johnnyseven]

On 2/24/2022 at 2:26 PM, rosemae said:

Following as we're in the same boat and have had the same response from the festival (no response from See). 

We're contemplating one of us driving with our daughter and the other taking the coach to get the tickets and meeting there, but it's a long journey from London for the driver to do without someone to entertain the baby (plus it would have to be my husband driving as I can't, and she's still breastfeeding). Alternatively I could get the coach with my daughter (not an early one and only on the way there, but still a bit antisocial!) while my husband drives with some friends.

We would manage all on the coach if needed, but would need a seat for an 18 month old and See won't reply about adding one.

I'm definitely nervous about the idea of all driving over and being sure our tickets would be waiting for us.

We have friends with general admission tickets who would happily take our place on the coach so not reducing the number of people on coaches at all, but seems it's not an option.

One thing to consider is that there are a finite number of parking spaces. If a lot of people do this, there won't be parking for everyone. Plus the queue to get your ticket at the office at ped gate A may take all weekend!

[The Nal]

16 minutes ago, Johnnyseven said:

One thing to consider is that there are a finite number of parking spaces. If a lot of people do this, there won't be parking for everyone. Plus the queue to get your ticket at the office at ped gate A may take all weekend!

Thats why you need to intercept the coach! 

[Homer]

On 2/23/2022 at 12:38 PM, Quark said:

1. Congratulations.

2. I hope you get it sorted.

3. Selfishly, as someone with a coach ticket from Reading, can I please ask that you don't board it with a 6 month old in tow? 😉

Double the fun on the return journey.

[March Hare]

Just make sure you offset the additional emissions or your little Greta won’t forgive you when s/he grows up