Darien Lake Performing Arts venue issues (Buffalo, Rochester: credit card, construction, live) - City-Data Forum

karen824 · 08-06-2010, 03:46 PM

We went to the Green Day concert at Darien Lake last night. The concert was great--once we got in. But I couldn't believe the hassle involved in picking up our tickets and getting to our seats! I was wondering if any others have had similar experiences. I've been trying to find a way to contact them to express my displeasure but I'm still working on that...

We had gotten our two kids and my son's girlfriend tickets early through the Green Day fan club. The only option for delivery was to pick them up at "Will Call." After we got those tickets my husband and I decided to go along, so we ordered two tickets for ourselves through Ticketmaster and those we were able to get mailed to us. So we arrived last night with our two tickets, still needing to pick up the three for the kids.

After we finally got parked we made our way to the entry gate and were greeted by a horde of surly Darien Lake workers who wouldn't let us go any farther, since we didn't all have tickets, and the "Will Call" window was located "within the concert area." They told us to "wait to the side" until an "escort" could come to take us to the Will Call window. After waiting and waiting (all the time hearing the opening band, AFI, playing in the distance) a guy finally came over and took some other people with him, but for unknown reasons said it wasn't our "turn" to be escorted yet. Another wait...finally he came back and said he would take only me (because my name was on the order) to the Will Call window--everyone else in our party had to continue to wait. He then walked me a very short distance over to Will Call, which turned out to be a window in a hut, situated next to a chain-link fence. On the other side of the fence were a horde of people who apparently had shown up at the last minute wanting tickets. A steady stream of Darien Lake workers came in and out of a gate in this fence, clutching credit cards and IDs from these people, going in and out of the hut to get tickets for them. Meanwhile, those of us who had ordered our tickets well in advance, through the *fan club*, were forced to wait and wait in line while random people came and went behind the one window. No one seemed to be dedicated to the Will Call service and it was fairly chaotic. I finally made a bit of a fuss and a woman took my receipt, went in and came out with my tickets a few minutes later. Then I had to wait AGAIN until the "escort" was available to take me back to my family. It was just ridiculous.

And of course, after the concert we had another wait trying to get out of the parking lot, where workers were attempting to "direct traffic" using no apparent system--but at least you kind of expect that to happen with crowds that large. But really, this nonsense with the tickets was ridiculous. So just a warning--if you're going to a concert there, do everything you can to get your tickets in advance.

Oh, and don't bother paying for the "VIP Parking" or the "VIP Fast Lane"--definitely not worth it.

donbuy · 08-06-2010, 09:46 PM

Whenever we go to a concert we try to get there well in advance of the opening act. Arrive after the concert starts andcyou are sure to have hassles at any venue - especially if you need will call. Fan club or not

karen824 · 08-07-2010, 02:37 PM

Well, we couldn't arrive any earlier because we had to wait for people to be done with work before we could leave Rochester, and it's an hour's drive from there. But we were still there before the opening act started--it would have been fine had they had any kind of well-organized system for getting people's tickets to them. It's just crazy that they have the Will Call area in a place that people aren't allowed to get near unless they already have tickets. Where is the sense in that?

NYLooking · 08-07-2010, 02:45 PM

That's out of my geographic area, but good to know. Large crowd, outdoor venue, and Will Call not a good mix.

mikesuicide · 08-08-2010, 06:21 AM

As an experienced veteran when it comes to going to concerts, I can tell you that place has a system that really is the worst. The people who manage the concerts there operate with an iron fist and no brain. They are not receptive to critisizm in any way. I cringe at the thought of having to go there to see my favorite bands. I was pulled over by a Corfu cop a week ago while he was trolling for people to harass on their way to the concert. I ended up rideless with 3 passengers because I had an (ONE) unpaid parking ticket from last year. They impounded my vehicle and seized my plates. My trip to Darien Lake ultimately cost me nearly a thousand dollars and a days wage. I am in Chicago as I write this attending Lollapalooza. There are over 80,000 people here in my estimation and it's efficent and orderly. The concert is being held downtown in a beautiful park. Why can't Rochester or Buffalo pull this off? we will never know.

garmin239 · 08-08-2010, 09:12 AM

Darien lake sucks. It makes no sense to have the ticket pick up inside the area. Where is the logic?
You are right about the people directing traffic. I went there for a show years back. We got so frustrated that a friend took some construction looking clothing we had in the trunk, got out and started to direct traffic on his own.

NYLooking · 08-08-2010, 09:45 AM

Saratoga is nice.

garmin239 · 08-08-2010, 10:07 AM

BTW, I think CMAC does a much better job with concerts on a large scale.

JH6 · 08-08-2010, 12:36 PM

Darien lake seems to be one of the larger outdoor venues for concerts during the summer. I think its a terrible venue, especially if you get seats in the lawn.

I'm not surprised that it was run like that.

karen824 · 08-08-2010, 02:22 PM

I don't know if the lawn area is always like this, but at Greenday I thought it looked terrible. Everyone was standing in a clump as close to the dividing fence as they could get, and there didn't seem to be much of a slope, so unless you were actually right next to the fence, I don't think you could see anything.