1 week Ago By Jami Ganz
The start to this year’s Coachella drew comparisons to the infamous Fyre Fest , according to attendees who were forced to “pee in cups” or on the side of the road in 100-degree heat as they waited up to 12 hours just to enter the campgrounds. Disgruntled festivalgoers, who paid at least $800 a ticket, spoke to Business Insider about the rough start to the festival in Indio, Calif. Veterans of the event told the outlet on Thursday the entry process was widely different from previous years, when getting into the campground has typically taken “two hours max.
” The gates were reportedly late to open, leading to bumper-to-bumper traffic outside the grounds, where no bathrooms had been set up. Some attendees claimed they had only moved about a half-mile every few hours. “It’s already really hot outside,” Hailey Maxwell told Insider, nine hours into waiting.
“I know people’s cars are overheating, and some people have already run out of gas. People in my group were calling the police and letting them know what is happening because, at this point, it’s a health hazard.” Adam Roberts said he felt “duped,” only somewhat joking when he added that he “didn’t know Fyre Festival tickets were included in admission this year.
” The waiting was one thing, but the lack of communication was quite another, Roberts said. Updates in the Coachella app — which attendees were told to refer to by security guards — had failed to mention anything about the delays. The issues also meant people had to fend for themselves when it came to sustenance and bathroom breaks.
Some attendees allegedly walked a mile to a local Rite Aid just to get supplies. “People are peeing in cups,” Roberts told Insider. “It’s been eight hours; people gotta do what they gotta do.
” Many attendees took to the comments section of Coachella’s Instagram account, particularly on a post advertising an omakase dining experience put on by Nobu at the fest. “New headliner at Coachella: UTI’s,” one user wrote. “Car campers stuck in line for 6+ hours in rising heat, wasting gas they have no way of refilling, with no bathrooms or explanation? I feel a lawsuit brewing y’all,” said another.
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