Going to a rave can feel a bit like going to war with all the chaos and masses of party-goers. Things almost never go as planned and trying to meet up with friends can be an absolute joke. But anyone that’s been to a massive can tell you that it’s an essential part of the fun! You’ll want to make sure you have a solid grip on surviving the debauchery in one piece. Here are a few pointers to help avoid losing your belongings, friends, and some general tips you’ll be relieved to have thought of ahead of time. Some of these seriously have saved my ass more than once!
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Secure Your Keys
Attach metal keys to a lanyard or hair tie with a key ring and wear it around your neck/wrist.
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Return Info On Wallet & Cell Phone
Tape a Post-It to your cell phone and/or wallet with your return info as well as the numbers of a few people in your group so if a stranger finds it on the ground they can return it to you easily. You can jot a little friendly message thanking them in advance.
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Passcode Lock On Cell Phone
Disabling the passcode on your smart phone can give a generous raver the opportunity to return it to you if found by returning any missed calls or redialing recent numbers (likely to be you or your friends). Obviously you’ll need to decide if the return of your phone is worth possibly breaching your privacy.
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Hand-written Emergency Numbers
Write down a few of your friend’s numbers on a piece of paper and keep it in your wallet or pocket as backup in case your phone dies.
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Don’t Use The Small Pockets
Do NOT put anything in the small inner pockets that are nested in the main pockets of jeans. Walking/dancing pushes the contents up and out of these easily. I had a car key in one of those particular pockets which had me convinced with a small flap and a button securing it closed. Nevertheless the key was gone by the end of the night pushed out under the corner of the closed flap. Luckily #6 below saved my night.
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Check The Lost And Found
If you’ve lost anything do not hesitate to ask where the lost and found is. Insomniac staff and clean up crew sweep and clear out everything on the ground and get lost items to the lost and found in a matter of minutes after attendees leave the festival grounds. Insomniac has also had very detailed web lost and founds after some of their events. Here is an example with instructions on how to claim your items.
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“Meet At The Tree!”
Upon entering the festival pick a convenient landmark to use as a meet-up spot for you and your group to easily rendezvous at any point of the night.
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New Lockers for $25/Day
Utilize this year’s new locker area to store personal items for the entire night. The $25/day price may be worth it for some groups to split one. More locker info here.
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Wear Comfortable Shoes
Wear comfortable shoes. Do NOT attempt to rave in heels for 3 days straight. Your feet will thank you!
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Beat the Shuttle/Taxi Lines
You can beat some of the traffic exiting the rave by leaving 15 minutes early or even earlier. Moderate shuttle/taxi lines become throbbing with people once the party ends. The shuttles run to and from the Speedway all night.
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Only Bring In Unopened Items
If you’re new to raves, items such as chap stick, cigarettes, gum, and feminine products can only come with you into the rave if they are still sealed. Don’t be tempted to have one individual cigarette in line or be prepared to give them all up at the gate. You can find a full list of prohibited/permitted items here.
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Don’t Torture Yourself
Go to the restroom and refill your water BEFORE driving your way to the front of a packed stage. You don’t want to endure misery because you’re holding down your front row spot.
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Be Cautious When Sitting Down
Check for gum or other gunk on the ground before sitting down anywhere. And look at the ground and confirm all the items in your pockets when you stand back up. It’s also generally polite not to sit in high-traffic walkways.
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Smooth Sailing Home
If you plan on staying til the very end of the festival bring sunglasses for your journey back to your room. You will thank yourself, trust me.
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Certain backpacks allowed
If you plan on bringing a backpack or bag into the event, make sure it is 12″x12″ or smaller to follow Festival Guidelines.
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Use The Handy Dandy EDC App
If you’re not familiar with it already, download the awesome EDC app on your smart phone when it is released. Set times, artist bios, festival map, accommodations and everything you’ll need in a convenient interactive event guide.
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Verify ticket card contents
If you’re trying to purchase or sell a ticket second-hand, use the Fla.vor.us Card Check to verify the contents of a mag card to be certain of what’s on the table.
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Ride the rides early
If you want go on rides at the festival do it early in the day before the place is packed and the lines are outrageous.
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Practice Your Dubstep Dance
In case of a mid-festival zombie outbreak, stop and do your best dubstep dance. You’ll have no problem blending in and sneaking by the brain-eating masses!
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Checklist Before Leaving For The Rave
It takes 10 seconds to stop your whole group before hitting the road or leaving the hotel room each day to confirm that everyone has their ID, ticket, and cell phone with them. Having one person in a sticky situation at the gate because they forgot their ID is always a major buzz kill.
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-Flo
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