Who's going to Alpine Valley - June 26th 2010

[CaptainP]

How much was the "early admission fee"?

And before anyone starts griping about it...I just want to say this:
We, as Parrotheads, have long come to assume that they would open early for us. I'm as guilty as anyone else (one year, my cousins and I were the 2nd & 3rd cars into the lot!). But Alpine Valley and Walworth County have the right to enforce their rules if they want. They gave it to us in the past because we forced them by blocking roads. Now, we have built ourselves this sense of entitlement....they HAVE TO let us in, they've ALWAYS let us in!!! Please remember, we're there for fun (OK, not me this year ), but rules are rules, and if they choose to enforce them, that is their right.

Anyhow....here's hoping everyone had a GREAT time!!!!!!
Since there has only been one post this morning....I'm assuming that y'all did!!!

[looking4OPH]

How much was the "early admission fee"?

$20 early fee. By the time we got to the entry (4:20is), there was no checking of tickets to people. Did that happen earlier like Alpine so strongly threatened? Or can anyone verify if they were checking all the people on buses?

[fins91]

How much was the "early admission fee"?

$20 early fee. By the time we got to the entry (4:20is), there was no checking of tickets to people. Did that happen earlier like Alpine so strongly threatened? Or can anyone verify if they were checking all the people on buses?

We were in the lot just a few minutes after noon and they were not checking tickets/people on buses or cars. There were several buses and large campers entering and Alpine staff did a great job of keeping the traffice moving even though they had to collect the $20 entry fee from each vehicle.

Great day and another Awesome show by Jimmy!

[Glorfindel7]

Ok, didn't know about the 20 dollar "early entry" fee idea... (how did that pan out for the buses?) But instead of fighting the traffic, I went to Hemingway's for a pre-tailgate party (Thanks Steve, had a great time )......

I left the party about 1:30 because I heard that they were "letting people in".... but probably would have been better off staying put as I ended up in the "Green Lot" this time around.... (Someone mentioned to me that that is the "cross country" course for Alpine and I couldn't tell if he was joking or not ) .... Memo to myself, no matter how tempting, DON't get in the "left lane" when it opens up....

Ran into a couple of you at the venue, but it was really hard to find anyone else. I apologize for not trying to meet up with a couple of you after the concert, but was just too plain tuckered out... I'll see a couple of you again in a couple weeks at Toyota Park

[Chattyb]

How much was the "early admission fee"?

And before anyone starts griping about it...I just want to say this:
We, as Parrotheads, have long come to assume that they would open early for us. I'm as guilty as anyone else (one year, my cousins and I were the 2nd & 3rd cars into the lot!). But Alpine Valley and Walworth County have the right to enforce their rules if they want. They gave it to us in the past because we forced them by blocking roads. Now, we have built ourselves this sense of entitlement....they HAVE TO let us in, they've ALWAYS let us in!!! Please remember, we're there for fun (OK, not me this year ), but rules are rules, and if they choose to enforce them, that is their right.

Anyhow....here's hoping everyone had a GREAT time!!!!!!
Since there has only been one post this morning....I'm assuming that y'all did!!!

Because they don't make enough off of us already???

[theez1]

Does anyone know who runs and operates Alpine Valley Music Theater? Their web site no longer exists and I'm dying to give them a piece of my mind about the "early entrance fees". My problem with the fees is that they didn't tell you about them before hand. If they want to charge an early fee, fine, but you just can't spring it on them when they are already there. They handled the situation very poorly.

It was $20 per car and $50 per bus. Buses already pay an extra $100 for parking, despite the fact that parking fees are already included in every ticket sold. It's also the longest it's ever taken to get from the highway into the lot, which is obviously due to them stopping each car.

Was anyone else amazed that beer went up to $9.50 this year? I'm pretty sure it was $7.50 last year. Were the cups bigger? I don't drink beer, but I was still in awe of the prices.

Show was great, parking lots were finally warm and sunny. Been a while.

[parrothappy]

When and where was the early entry "bribe", or whatever you want to call it, advertised? Who did the money go to? Did Jimmy get it? Did the theater get it? Did Live Nation get it? Did the Walworth County sheriff's office get it? Did it go to beer money for the employees parking the cars? What's next, charging for peeing in a port-a-potty? Using their trash cans to deposit your empty bottles and waste?

We "played by the rules" and checked-in at our hotel in Kenosha about 200pm and then headed cross country on the back roads through Burlington and approached the venue from the east on Highway D. We pulled up behind at least a mile long line on D at about 240pm and stopped. After creeping forward a car length at a time and watching the "locals" negotiate the gravel shoulder to get around the jam up, we slowly crawled up to the Highway 120 intersection about 315pm and waited for the police to allow traffic on 120 turn onto D.

One of our group had knee replacement surgery about three weeks ago and her husband scoured the Alpine website and even called the facility to inquire about ADA parking. So we prominently displayed the temporary handicapped parking placard on the rearview mirror and headed for the lodge parking area as we were instructed after getting across Highway 120. Two parking attendants and about 10 minutes later, we were in the ADA parking down in the valley near the lodge. Great! It was now about 330pm. Then we were told we could not grill in the handicapped area. We had a gas grill, not charcoal, but that made no difference. So it was back up the hill, back onto D and down one more entrance to the next lot. We needed to park on an aisle so we could depart about 630pm in order to get back down to the hanicapped lot. After explaining this concept to the teenagers who were parking cars, we finally got the main aisle.

After enjoying our tailgating, we packed up and crept through the crowd about 630pm to get back to lodge lot. Parking in the ADA lot, we started talking to the people next to us. They had paid for premium parking and waited for two and one-half hours only to be told that there was no parking remaining in the premium area. To the venue's credit, they did put them in the ADA parking but their afternoon of tailgating had been ruined by that time.

The employees manning the ADA "club cars" were very friendly and promptly got us to and from the theater. They deserve a lot of credit in "service recovery" efforts.

Whoever dictated the late opening of the parking lots - Walworth County, Alpine Valley Music Theater, Live Nation or whoever, needs to reconsider their decision. I've been going to Alpine since the late seventies and I have never seen such a "clusterf**k". "If it ain't broken, don't fix it."

Parrothappy

[ExpatriatedAmerican]

Great show... hot weather like it should be...

I think the $20 "early entry fee" was a surprise by design - like the venue surcharge & convenience fees on top of ticket price wasn't enough. We were in the first row of Yellow (we got our money's worth for $20) but I bet the whole line completely stopped about 2:45 when people refused to pay $20 for 15 minutes, which explains some of the delay experienced by "on time" arrivals.

Of course, years ago they introduced the "early exit fee" - aka, VIP parking.

I look forward to the day they pioneer the "frequent bathroom user fee", the "grilled food fee", the "beverage consumption surcharge", and the "tax on fun".

[ExpatriatedAmerican]

Does anyone know who runs and operates Alpine Valley Music Theater? Their web site no longer exists and I'm dying to give them a piece of my mind about the "early entrance fees". My problem with the fees is that they didn't tell you about them before hand. If they want to charge an early fee, fine, but you just can't spring it on them when they are already there. They handled the situation very poorly.

It was $20 per car and $50 per bus. Buses already pay an extra $100 for parking, despite the fact that parking fees are already included in every ticket sold. It's also the longest it's ever taken to get from the highway into the lot, which is obviously due to them stopping each car.

Was anyone else amazed that beer went up to $9.50 this year? I'm pretty sure it was $7.50 last year. Were the cups bigger? I don't drink beer, but I was still in awe of the prices.

Show was great, parking lots were finally warm and sunny. Been a while.

$9.50 for beer? Not bad... for a 12 pack.


RE: contacting Alpine, the closest I can find is intended for their employment office, but at least somebody's probably going to read your mail if you send it: http://www.alpinestaff.com/contact_us.html

[Candyman]

What a great night for concert!!!

[Candyman]

[Candyman]

[Candyman]

[cmpete]

We got there at 1, drove slowly in, paid the fee and had a WONDERFUL day. In our cashless world, I'm sure there were a few cars that had plastic only
I too searched for the alpine website, but only got shoved to live nation. I wished they would've warned us about the fee. That doesn't fit with a statement on this thread that they had 'posted the information on their web site'

I think Alpine handled it poorly by not giving a heads up to the phans. And I KNOW that they didn't solve anything. The lines on the interstate were 3+ miles long at 3 oclock! Alpine officials could've posted on this site and on the other Buffett world site and on margaritaville if they are too chintzy to host their own website!!

This concert was what alpine is about - phlocking and having fun. And the music was totally wonderful - Jimmy did a little less 'shouting' and more singing. And it was a pleasure to hear Nadirah, Mac, Tina, Pete and Doyle featured.
Am I the only one who noticed that he skipped Mr Utley during the band intros?
AND he sang Brown Eyed Girl just for me!

It was a pleasure and a hell of an evening!

[Glorfindel7]

Does anyone know who runs and operates Alpine Valley Music Theater? Their web site no longer exists and I'm dying to give them a piece of my mind about the "early entrance fees". My problem with the fees is that they didn't tell you about them before hand. If they want to charge an early fee, fine, but you just can't spring it on them when they are already there. They handled the situation very poorly.

Alpine Valley is run by "Live Nation" (Does this suprise you? ) Here's the main website

http://www.livenation.com/Alpine-Valley ... enue/57500

Edit...sorry this isn't the "main" website (they don't really have one).... But "Live Nation" runs the venue and makes all the other arrangements including the parking (the other Alpine Valley runs the ski resort in the winter)

[CaptainP]

How much was the "early admission fee"?

And before anyone starts griping about it...I just want to say this:
We, as Parrotheads, have long come to assume that they would open early for us. I'm as guilty as anyone else (one year, my cousins and I were the 2nd & 3rd cars into the lot!). But Alpine Valley and Walworth County have the right to enforce their rules if they want. They gave it to us in the past because we forced them by blocking roads. Now, we have built ourselves this sense of entitlement....they HAVE TO let us in, they've ALWAYS let us in!!! Please remember, we're there for fun (OK, not me this year ), but rules are rules, and if they choose to enforce them, that is their right.

Anyhow....here's hoping everyone had a GREAT time!!!!!!
Since there has only been one post this morning....I'm assuming that y'all did!!!

Because they don't make enough off of us already???

My point was this....they could have simply stuck to policy and not let you in at all.

Now, when I typed this originally, I didn't know it was $20.00. I do believe that was an extreme amount. But I can't find fault in their charging something.

[mvillewisconsin]

We were at Two Seasons Friday night and learned about the lots opening early and charging the extra $20, so we were prepared and didn't mind too much since we got in nice and early. I wasn't near a computer at all yesterday morning so I wasn't able to post the news, sorry. Great time, great show, weekend flew by way too fast and now it's back to reality.

[CaptainP]

Was anyone else amazed that beer went up to $9.50 this year? I'm pretty sure it was $7.50 last year. Were the cups bigger? I don't drink beer, but I was still in awe of the prices.

I've always said that anyone who pays that much for a beer in a venue is just being silly. I drink in the lot before the show. Once I enter the venue, I'm done drinking. That, plus the dancing, helps sober me up, so that I'm not driving home drunk.

Ask yourself this: Would you pay $108.00 for a 12-pack? Because that's what you'd pay if it was $9.50 a beer....

[CaptainP]

I think Alpine handled it poorly by not giving a heads up to the phans.

Agreed.

[Glorfindel7]

Was anyone else amazed that beer went up to $9.50 this year? I'm pretty sure it was $7.50 last year. Were the cups bigger? I don't drink beer, but I was still in awe of the prices.

I've always said that anyone who pays that much for a beer in a venue is just being silly. I drink in the lot before the show. Once I enter the venue, I'm done drinking. That, plus the dancing, helps sober me up, so that I'm not driving home drunk.

Ask yourself this: Would you pay $108.00 for a 12-pack? Because that's what you'd pay if it was $9.50 a beer....

Although in the Expo they DID sell a 24 oz beer for 11 bucks (while the other 12 oz beer was 9.50) so basically your second beer was only 1.50 (But I was much more disappointed with the 6 buck cheeseburger and even more ridiculous 9.50 "Philly" cheesesteak )