Tomorrowland
After attending Bonnaroo in 2015, my love for live music ignited a fire within me. The electrifying performances by Bassnectar, Flume, and Mumford & Sons left me captivated and hungry for more. Eager to explore the world of music festivals, I delved into the vast array of options and found myself attending numerous festivals across the United States in the following years.
However, amidst all the excitement and unforgettable experiences, one dream loomed large in my mind—Tomorrowland. Countless videos and countless Reddit posts fueled my desire to experience the magic of Tomorrowland firsthand. The captivating stages, the breathtaking production, and the unmatched energy of the crowd all combined to create an atmosphere that seemed truly magical. But there was a harsh reality that stood in my way: I was just sixteen years old, and the steep cost of the festival was far beyond my reach. Tomorrowland tickets were being resold for excessive prices, reaching into the thousands of dollars, making the dream seem distant and unattainable.
Undeterred by the challenges, I continued my festival journey in the United States, attending remarkable events such as Coachella, Lollapalooza, EDC Orlando, Buku, Lights All Night, and many more. Each festival was an incredible experience in its own right, leaving me with memories that will last a lifetime. However, despite the amazing adventures, none of them could match or fulfill my deep desire to attend Tomorrowland.
In 2019, I exhausted all my efforts to make it to Tomorrowland, but the logistics proved to be impossible. And then the world went into lockdown, indefinitely postponing my dreams. The cancellation of live events and festivals felt like a heavy blow to the music community and left a void in my dreams. The yearning to experience Tomorrowland grew stronger during the long months of isolation. Finally, in 2022, Tomorrowland made its triumphant return, announcing the festival dates for the following year. My heart raced with anticipation and hope, but to my dismay, tickets sold out in February—much earlier than I had ever anticipated. It seemed that the universe was testing my determination and commitment to making my dream come true.
But 2023 was my year. I refused to let the challenges and setbacks deter me. Determined and well-prepared, I devised a proposal for a sponsored field trip by Superf3st/Festisia. When my proposal was accepted, I couldn’t contain my excitement, though I still didn’t fully comprehend the magnitude of the challenge ahead—getting the coveted tickets to Tomorrowland. Further research revealed the near-impossibility of obtaining tickets through the presale and general sale. It became clear that our best shot at securing tickets was through the global journey sale, which required purchasing a travel package along with the festival tickets. Though pricier, these tickets presented our best chance at realizing our dream.
And so, the day arrived—the day to acquire our tickets. Sitting anxiously at my computer, we patiently awaited the early morning ticket sale. The anticipation was intense, and our hearts raced with a mixture of excitement and anxiety. As the clock struck 10am, we logged into the ticket portal, excited to get tickets. To our dismay, we found ourselves placed in a seemingly endless waiting queue (pictured below), the screen stubbornly unchanging for what felt like an eternity. Two hours passed, and the anxiety started to creep in. We had begun to accept that we were not going to get tickets.
After three agonizing hours, the ticket portal finally opened for us. Scrambling to secure our desired tickets, I added them to my cart. But just as I attempted to complete the transaction, my credit card company declined the purchase. After several more failed credit card attempts, hour four arrived, and with everything seemingly sold out, a sense of defeat had hit us. Refusing to accept defeat, I continued to refresh the page, clinging to the hope that we would get tickets.
Finally, the tickets we longed for reappeared. Seizing our last opportunity, I tried a friend’s credit card. And finally, the confirmation of our ticket order brought immense relief and joy. We did it! We had secured the tickets to Tomorrowland.
I could hardly believe it—Tomorrowland tickets were officially ours. After more than eight years of dreaming of attending the festival, my dream was finally turning into a reality. The process of acquiring the tickets had been the most nerve-wracking experience of my life, but the overwhelming excitement and gratitude I felt were unparalleled. Life has a way of surprising us, and I certainly never anticipated that I would be embarking on this journey to Tomorrowland with my closest friends so soon. As the days count down to the festival, a mixture of emotions have been swirling within me. Euphoria, anticipation, and utter excitement. We are preparing ourselves for the adventure of a lifetime—a journey to Tomorrowland in Boom, Belgium.
Tomorrowland
Stay tuned for more pre-trip blogs, where I’ll share our planning/researching our Tomorrowland and European itinerary, Sets to Look out for, Things to look out for, and more. The trip blogs will follow, chronicling our 18-day European journey and culminating in the epic experience that is Tomorrowland.
The dream that once seemed unattainable is now days away, and I cannot wait to share more about our adventures. Tomorrowland, here we come! The content is on its way, and the countdown to the most extraordinary adventure of our lives has begun.
-Dub