Best campsites are gone!!!

Word to the wise: The best campsites were gone by 8:15 am Thursday morning when I showed up. Aparantly, they allowed people to camp Wednesday night and keep their spots, so anyone arriving later than Wednesday is just hosed.

Thanks, Wakarusa, for having such a good plan in place to make sure the camping set up is fair for everyone who pays their money.

First year festival = rank amatuers...

[KUfiredancer]

who cares. people arent going to get the best camping spot. people are going for the music. it would be one thing if you spent all day at your campsite. but people arent going for the camping, its for the kick ass music. my camp spot is only a place to rest my head at night. enjoy the nice weather that is now supposed to be on the way for saturday and sunday.

I agree, it's about the music, but when you shell out $200 bucks for a good site, and they give specific instructions that say we can't camp until 8 am on Thursday, it's reasonable to expect that you'd have a good oportunity to find a decent spot.

Instead, the rules weren't followed, they organizers never answered questions about the camping set up with specifics, just \"well, maybe we can...\"

Rank amatuers...

[KUfiredancer]

i didnt know you paid for the upgraded camping. i talked to my brother who got out there early this morning to set up their upgraded camping spot and he said nothing about those spots being taken up. i dunno whats up, but dont sweat the small ****. this is the first attempt at this festival so some things wont work out exactly as planned. have a good time at the festival.

[JackDog]

:evil:

Aparantly, they allowed people to camp Wednesday night and keep their spots

I specifically asked if this would be possible, and several people on this bulletin board told me that Wednesday night's campers would be forced to leave and get in line Thursday morning. I just hope that the organizers have their shiat together with the other aspects of this festival, otherwise this could be one muddy clusterfvck.

[KUfiredancer]

summit country huh??? are you coming to the festival?? i was just out there a few weeks ago doing some hiking. if you are coming, when are you leaving?

[JackDog]

I drove straight through to Topeka solo last night. :shock: I'm at my parents house right now, and since the better spots are gone and I don't care about anyone playing tonight, I might just hang out 'till tomorrow.

[lauridi]

:roll: They may be amatuers, but they mean well, and they are trying their best....

Frankly, I'd rather have our local folks puttin this show on than to deal with the corporate mind**** of Clear Channel, etc.

I think you need to just accept your fate, roll with the punches and relax.

If you think it will be a cluster****, you're more likely to experience one. Never underestimate the power of self fulfilling prophesy. Be happy! Groove on! It's going to be a magical weekend!

[JackDog]

I'm just a little upset that the organizers flip-flopped on a major issue that's important to me.

I paid 100 bucks for an upgraded site and I better get one when I show up this evening or I'll freak the **** out!

Chill out people - all of this pre-fest anxioty is going to cause high blood pressure and your eyes will pop out. :shock:

Be positive energy.

True, the organizers did lots of flip-flopping in recent weeks. They were asked many times about camping specifics, but rarely offered solid information, and the info they did provide on the festival web site wasn't true and those guidelines weren't followed. Guess that means we can have as many people as we want at our campsites, since the rules just don't apply.

I'm not totally throwing the baby out with the bath water, but when you ask a question repeatedly and get no reply or various answers, it kinda sux when you follow the rules and no one else does.

Not glad I bought a camping upgrade in the least. Rip-off!

As long as there is enough space for my big ass tent - I don't care where the site is. Of course some will be a better than others but this world is a crazy place that way. Just live it - don't try to manipulate it. Each and every sitw will have people freakin :shock: and laughing :lol: and smiling :D :) and chillin 8) Some sites may have some people that feel a little ill from too much partying :oops: or confused from eating something strange :? but I don't expect to see anyone like evil :twisted: or mad :evil: or pissed off about a camp site :x or sad :(

:D :) :o :lol: 8) :shock: :? :oops: :wink: :D :lol: :lol: :lol: 8) 8) :? 8) :shock: :) :oops: :o :) :D :? 8) :lol: :D :) :o :o :lol: :lol: :lol: 8) 8) :lol: :lol: 8) :lol: :D :) :D :) :o :shock: :oops: :? :lol: :D :lol: :oops: :shock: :P :P :lol: :lol: :D :) :? :shock: 8) :lol: :P :oops: 8) :? :) :D :o :lol: 8) 8) :? :lol: 8) :shock: :D :) :) :P :? 8) :lol: :? :shock: :D :) :? 8) :lol: :o 8) :? :) :D :o :o :o :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: 8) :? :shock: :D :D 8) :) :? 8) :lol: :oops: :lol: :lol: :lol: :o :D :P :shock: :? :oops: :) :) :D :lol: :o :) :? :shock: :shock: :shock:

Glad you're prepared to be happy campers all weekend, but you're missing the point. Many people asked specific questions for WEEKS about how the camping will work, and never got solid answers. The actual rules posted on the site weren't followed, thus anyone who did what they were supposed to do (like me!) got screwed for showing up when we were told.

Wakarusa folks deserve credit for putting on a fine local festival, but they're also responsible to the participants they charge BIG BUCKS for a weekend of fun. I paid $200 and got a VERY TERRIBLE campsite. No shade, slopling hill, no nearby facilities. Others, who arrived Wednesday, got the good sites with shade, etc.

That's all I'm sayin'. It must be fair to everyone or it's not fair to anyone.

Did you forget what I said???

:lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: 8) :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: 8) :? :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :oops: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: 8) :lol: :lol: 8) 8) :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :o :lol: :lol: :lol: :) :D :lol: :lol: :shock: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :oops: 8) :lol: :lol: :? :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: 8) :lol: :P :D :) :o :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: 8) :lol: :lol: :lol: :shock: :D :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol:

Nope, I can see smiley faces, but you can't understand the notion of fairness, for some reason. Have a fun show...

I understand fair, I do get your point, and am sorry that you are upset. I only hope that you'll put this behind you and have a great time. The campsite doesn't make the fest. The music and people do. Be happy that you are fortunate to have this weekend. :wink:

[Cjeon]

Well why are you back here on the Internet instead of at the festival? Do you have a spot in upgraded camping? Isn't that what you paid for, or were you promised \"the best spot\"?

Some people are spoiled.

and the $200 spots said nothing about shade on th eweb page because they are meant for RV's. I just hope my upgraded $100 has some shade, if not I have a big shade tarp I'm bringing. Just have fun!

TomThumbs

The temp won't get much higher than 80 and there will be some clouds. We will all be comfy and if some rain comes to cool us down even more - fine. There will be shade in other places and in my tent if I want it. I am a happy camper. :D

Cjeon, you miss the point and you're a jerk to me, thanks! I never said anything about being entitled to \"the best spot.\" Correct me if I'm wrong. In fact, I said that everyone should've played by the rules and had the same chance to access the \"best spots.\"

Fairness isn't too much to ask, is it?

BTW: I'm at work because I couldn't get Thursday off. That's why I tried for WEEKS to pin down the organizers on when we could arrive, so I could ensure that I got SOME sort of spot, not just whatever's left. That's why I followed the rules, showed up early before work to set up camp, and discovered that the floodgates were already opened the day before.

That's a terrible discovery, I assure you...

>>Some people are spoiled.

Yeah, the people who were allowed to set up camp on Wednesday when the rules clearly say Thursday, 8 am...

Whaaaa :cry: :cry: :cry: :cry: :cry: :cry: :cry: NOT FAIR!!! whaaaa WHAAAAA I didn't get the best site :cry: :cry: WHHAAAAA!!!!! My weekend is ruined!! :cry: :cry: WHAAAAAAAHHH! WHAA!! :cry: :cry: :cry: :cry: :cry: :cry: What about the rules!!!!!!!!!! WHHHHHAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHH!!!!!! :cry: :cry: :cry: :cry:

See, amatuers...

You mean \"amateurs\"?

[quote:4893648025=\"Anonymous\"]Did you forget what I said?[/quote:4893648025]
I'm sure he didn't forget it, just dismissed it as being irrelevant. See, some folks enjoy camping (in addition to music, etc.). This event is apparently trying to appeal to that way of thinking since it is clearly billed as a \"Music & Camping Festival.\" In fact, they even invited people to pay extra for better camping -- MORE extra for this camping than the price of the festival ticket itself. So one might reasonably expect to actually GET something for the hefty additional camping fee.

So, if you don't care much about camping and didn't pay extra for an upgrade, have a great time enjoying what's important to you. But HOW DARE YOU suggest to anyone else what THEY should care about? Are you going to give him back the $200 (or whatever) he spent for essentially nothing? If not, then put a sock in it, as you have no right to criticize his expectation of getting what was proffered.

I wonder how long the \"Whoah, dude, just be mellow\" attitude would last if YOU were ripped off for a hundred or two.

[BreatheIn]

[quote:013895e1ea=\"Anonymous\"]Glad you're prepared to be happy campers all weekend, but you're missing the point. Many people asked specific questions for WEEKS about how the camping will work, and never got solid answers. The actual rules posted on the site weren't followed, thus anyone who did what they were supposed to do (like me!) got screwed for showing up when we were told.

Wakarusa folks deserve credit for putting on a fine local festival, but they're also responsible to the participants they charge BIG BUCKS for a weekend of fun. I paid $200 and got a VERY TERRIBLE campsite. No shade, slopling hill, no nearby facilities. Others, who arrived Wednesday, got the good sites with shade, etc.

That's all I'm sayin'. It must be fair to everyone or it's not fair to anyone.[/quote:013895e1ea]

sssshhhh! RULES WERE MADE TO BE BROKEN :twisted:

[Strider]

Rather than post a response to specific comments made on this thread, I thought I would just post my experience. I paid for an upgraded campsite ($100) because I wanted a shady area and a campfire ring (I didn't need the water and elect hookup). I was worried about how to go about finding a good spot after not getting completely clear answers on the forum regarding my questions. I understood the reasons for not getting clear answers when TeamB responsed to someone asking about the vague answers. TeamB said that they could have just said NO NO NO to all inquires, but they were trying to be as accommodating to everyone as possible, without getting themselves into a corner. Since it was their first festival I gave them lattitude in this area. I checked out the site 3 weeks before the event to orientate myself with the layout. I spotted two areas I wanted to camp at. I planned on arriving Thursday at 8am to insure that I could get a good location. I overslept, and did not arrive on site until about 11:30am. One of the two areas I liked was fairly full but there were still UPGRADED sites available in this area. The other area I wanted was empty and I enjoyed what I think was one of the best campsites at the park. Lots of trees, picnic table, fire ring, and lots of room. Our neighbors on either side on us did not arrive until 12:30 and 2 pm respectfully. When I arrived I asked the guys at the gate if there was anyone in line at 8am when the gates opened and they said no. Even on Friday, I saw upgraded campsites on the fringes that were available. While I have never attended Bonnaroo, from what I have heard, everyone at Wakarusa enjoyed some sort of \"upgraded\" camping compared to Bonnaroo. Wakarusa had a much lower attendance than was expected (and hoped for) by the promoters. If it had been a sellout (at 30,000 people), any and all problems that anyone encountered would have only been amplified by the additional people. I was also worried about the limitations of one car per campsite as I had friends arriving later and didn't want them to have to hump there stuff in from the day lot. The Waka people were very accommodating regarding this, but it may have also caused some of the \"overflow\" of cars in the upgraded areas. If I had arrived and found NO ANY UPGRADED locations available, I would have found someone with Wakarusa with the authority and ability to go with me to secure a camping spot. This is just like at a concert when someone is sitting in your seats. If the violators don't move when you explain your position, find someone in authority that can help you with your dilemma. Two rules I always try to keep in mind regarding these kind of events: 1. Proper planning prevents piss poor performance. 2. PMA (positive mental attitude) It's not where you're at, who you're with, or what you're doing, it's what you make of it. I only hope that Wakarusa will be back next year, as I certainly plan on attending again. Kudos to the Waka team for putting on a great festival. I believe the vast majority of people that attended this festival were very pleased and will be telling all of their friends, which will only result in a stronger attendance in future years. Peace to all.

[prairiegirl42]

I got there Thurs AM about 10:30.
Sailed right in, no traffic, found a great campsite.
I had talked to the park about a month ago and they said ABSOLUTELY NO CAMPING WED NIGHT.
Maybe I lucked out.
The only complaint I have is that they oversold the $200 upgraded camping. We ended up sharing ours with someone who got there late Thurs evening. I dont mind sharing, but feel a little taken advantage of by the promoters.
The promoters had an RV taking up the spot right beside us. They ended up moving it for some folks, because they had their spot stolen! ( I couldnt beleive some one would do that)
Great music, great weekend, loved every minute of it!

We had the same experience as many others. Bought a $200.00 upgrade. Were told there would be no camping Wednesday night. Got no answers about how to secure a campsite after asking repeatedly. Heard that all the Premium sites were taken before all who paid for them got a chance. $200.00 is a lot of money to lose. Don't think the organizers did this to make money but just didn't have it together. I don't understand why we couldn't reserve a site like regular camping. I hope it is that way next time. Still am very glad we went and plan to come back next year.

[Lolly]

We got in Thursday morning around 9-10am. We also had upgraded camping, and got two spectacular sites down near the end of Shakedown (Camp Nelly Tucklehead). We had a completely shaded area with a clearing behind us. We were about a \"block\" from the showers/restrooms that were at the very end of the road. GREAT spot....will definitely look to camp there again next year.

People didn't realize that you had to keep going down the road to get the good ones. Just took some patience & willingness to be kind of far from the \"action\"....even though there was plenty of action where we were at. :wink:

[eljota]

i arrived thursday night and drove straight in (unlike my 14 hr wait last year at bonnaroo) to my group's upgraded campsite to find a mostly empty campground. We had showers with hot water and nice bathrooms that were private. except for the hurricane night we had a fire going until sunrise every day and no cops ever said anything to us. we were a ways out but the shuttles came every 20-30 minutes and you could often just hitch a ride with the helpful souls drivin around. we also became close to our camping neighbors and had a great time in an open field throwing frisbees and doing our own thing.

we were able to drive in and out of the event freely and around the venue. it was a 15 minute walk to a decent beach where there was a good vibe going down and about 30 minutes to the stages. shakedown street was a little crowded but those weren't the upgraded sites.

next time i suggest taking a look around before you pick your camp. i guess they could have provided a little more information to the upgraded campers to let you know about these other campgrounds.

lookin forward to next year's rusa and hope DBTs come back.

[Happy Camper]

Rules, hahaha, whatever. Early bird gets the worm.

the boonies were where it was at anyways. I dont see whats \"good\" about campsites that provide about three square feet of room in between each other. why complain about a little walk? we got there on wednesday night and chose to be in the middle of nowhere, and it was so much better. relax.

[JustBob]

The suburbs were nice, but you miss out on a lot of the party out there. I didn't get to do much with my scavenger hunt out there. I hopped to have walking traffic, go by to see the hunt list and grab a flyer. After we set up camp, I knew that was not going to happen. Also, not being able to come back and party at the camps site sucked. At night we just had to stay in the concert fields. It would have been nice to sit around talking when we were done every night.

Oh well
Bob

[girl]

Hey Bob~~~
I didn't do the scavenger hunt since I didn't have a digital camera with me, but I \"thought\" about it often! I saw a variety of things from your list & kept pointing them out to my friend. I think he thought I was making it all up!!! It kept me occupied on the long trek to & from the concert area though. BIG hug for that ;o).

Did anyone see the guy in a mask standing on the ridge to the north of the
store? I can't remember what day we saw him, but we saw him twice...once in a mask holding a bottle of beer. Looked like he was taking his pic with a picture phone & saying something. I'd love to see what he was sending! What a hoot!!! I should've taken a shot of him! There were a lot of missed photo opportunities, but still great fun :o).

[JustBob]

I saw the guy. We were on the bus and he was just standing there on the hill. Someone on the bus said \"thats scary\". We all looked over and there he was. Then someone said \"well maybe if we were in Arkansas\". Then we all laughed.

I missed so many photo opps. I kept forgetting I had a digital camera with me. I also didn't take pictures of the stuff from the hunt, but I pointed them out to my people every time I saw an item. None of them had a camera, so they couldn't do anything about it. We found it fun just to point the things out.

Thanx for the big hug, but the idea came from some of my friends. I just made the list. How about my typos and spelling errors? I didn't have time to let anyone proof read my copy before I posted it, and it shows. It's sad to think I work in a print shop and proof read all day long. Like I preach to my graphic guys \"always let a fresh set of eyes look at it before you print\".

I'm going to fine tune the list, add ideas, and keep it going. I'm on hipforums.com under the same name and thats where I will have more info on it. I think a girl is going to try it out at a phish fest.

kinderkitti and her friends were the winners. psycho rob is one of them, and I don't know if the other 2 girls post on here. I still need to get a guitar from uncle, so I can send it to them. I'll also hope Rob still has all the pics, I want to get a copy of them. They were so funny, and they got so many of the items.

Can't wait to run another hunt
Bob

[kinderkitti]

Wooohooo! And the winner was US! We had a great time scavenging. But H and S were a lot more into it than Psycho and I--to the point of obsessing over it. They would literally chase people down to get a photo. Hey, maybe we can hold a camping spot for you next year so you can be in the thick of things.

[psycho rob]

YEA!! I still have the pics of course and will send them on some time soon. I haven't even had a chance to look at them since we got back.

KK is right - there was some obsession going on with that list, but we had a great time with it.

We're going to donate the guitar to an organization that provides needy kids with musical instruments. I can't think of the name off hand... KK?
It's important to bring music into little ones lives.

[JustBob]

One of my fav items on the list is the child playing an instrument. You guys rock.

My trip to Orlando got pushed back a week, so I'm going down the 9th. I'll get the guitar from my uncle that weekend and ship it to ya Rob. Sorry I'm taking so long. It's just easier to work out a deal with my uncle in person. I don't want him to give it to me, so I almost have to put money in his pocket.

It's funny to hear they obsessed over the list. When I heard my friends talking about doing the list I was nuts about doing it. I'm going to be camping with them this weekend, and I get to tell them how much fun it was. BTW, they don't have a copy of the list yet. I hope after they see it we get some brainstorming and double the list.

Bob

[kinderkitti]

We knew it would take a while. No worries.

That's very cool of Bob to have given a guitar away. And, very cool of Rob and kk to give it away again... Wish I would have had the chance to hang with you good folk.

Hopefully it will land in the hands of some little person in which we will be seeing at a fest someday down the road! :P

Take things slow-

Randall

[JustBob]

I hope we make the next Jimi or Stevie out of some kid.

Be sure the story behind the guitar goes with it to the kid who gets it.

Bob