This was our third year going and maybe the third time is the charm because it was the best EDC experience so far. This was also the first time that we attended it for all three days. In previous years, we only attended one or two days. Here are some tips that you will need to know before going to EDC:
1. Get there early
The festival opens at 7PM but you can go there earlier and hang out on the grass area near Cosmic Meadows. We did that the first day and also managed to go on some rides! Later in the day, the lines for all the rides will be extremely long with at least a 30 minute wait time. Since we arrived very early, we were the first ones on the rides with no lines. And similar to other music festivals like Coachella, there are different art installations throughout the festival.
We went on two rides the first day before the sunset and it was a fun experience. I would suggest going on the spinning ride with your friends and take pictures of each other to get a good backdrop of the festival.
2. Create a schedule
There are a lot of DJs playing these 3 days, so if there is anyone you really want to see, make time for them. I created our schedule this year in a simple Note on my iPhone. It was used more as a guideline than something as a concrete schedule. There is also an App you can download on your phone for free provided by Insomniac (EDC app). You’ll find that you tend to deviate away from your schedule because of various reasons like trying to meet friends or something might have caught your eyes (or ears).
Having a map of the speedway will also help a lot so that you know where each stage is and how far away from each other they are. We easily walked 10 miles each day so be prepared to walk and wear comfortable closed toe shoes.
3. Pick a meet up spot
No one wants to get separated or lost when we are just trying to enjoy the music. In case you or your friends get separated from your group, make sure to pick a meet up spot before you guys go in. It’s important to do this before you go into the festival because you might not have service inside.
4. Getting there
There are several ways of getting to EDC. This year we decided not to drive (and deal with the parking situation) so we took an Uber. The Uber going to the festival is about $50 but can go up to $100 on the way home the next morning due to surge charges. Allow 1-2 hours to get there depending on traffic if you are coming from the strip. Also, you won’t be dropped off at the entrance – the walk is about 1-2 miles. There are two drop off locations that Uber can route you to so one drop off is closer than the other. There are people that you can pay where they will bike you to the entrance depending how far you got dropped off. It was$10 per head or so. We did it twice because we were about to miss a set. It was kind of fun because they also have music and you are speeding ahead of everyone else.
5. Getting in
Once you get to the entrance, the first line you get in will be for your ID. There will be another line for your actual wristband and then another for security and checking bags. The security at EDC this year was not as strict as other years. There are multiple lines so make sure to pick the shortest one if you want to get in faster. There is a list of things you can bring in to the festival and things you can’t on the EDC website. To avoid being held up at the security line, make sure to review that list. If you bring anything in that they won’t let you, you might have to throw it away or walk back to your car (if you drove there). We provided a list of the essentials that you will need to bring in this article.
6. Getting around
Get a map! Either a physical one or a downloaded one will work.
Pay attention to some of the locations on the map like water stations, food and bathrooms. If you or a friend brings a camelback then you can refill the water using the water stations or you can also just buy water at some of the food/drink stands. There are also alcohol stands too. One of the things that I dread the most when going to music festivals is having to use the bathroom. Unless you get VIP tickets, you will have to use the porta-potties and they are not clean – we usually bring toiletries with us as well as hand sanitizer.
7. Getting back
We indulged one of the nights and took a helicopter ride home. If you decide to try this, make sure you give yourself enough time to find the helipad. We were a little lost and finally found it by exiting the speedway. There will be 6 people in each helicopter ride. Make sure to speak up if you want a window seat or to sit in the front. It’s not a first come first serve seating. The best view going back to your hotel will be where you sit either in the front or on the left side behind the driver.
For the other 2 nights, we just took an Uber back to our hotel. There is an Uber lounge where you can request an Uber and sit and wait. There are bathrooms there and also people selling water. The wait time is about an hour or more.
8. Pace yourself and have fun
Don’t try to see and do everything in one day – you have 3 days so pace yourselves. We also suggest allowing some time to just walk around and explore. If you stick too much to your schedule, you might find yourself just speeding from stage to stage. And as always – stay hydrated 🙂
