US GP Austin 2013 Advise

I think you can pick them up there or at the track. Also at their FanFest location. Not sure which will be best.

 

The latest email (2 hours ago) says they do not have the Employee (that's us Volunteers too) Lot worked out and will email or hand out Parking Pass upon arrival.

Looks like they want us to reuse last year's hats, too......

You just have to hang loose with these guys, like catching some air downhill snow skiing.
Keep your balance and land it.....

 

Just got my weekend pass to the GP. I need advise now on how to get to the track. We are renting a car and staying downtown. Should I get a three day parking pass or take the shuttle bus. First time there so I have no idea what to expect. Looks like lots are sold out but I can get one.

 

I am also wondering about parking. Can parking passes be bought at the lot? Also, I need to quickly leave the race and drive to San Antonio, what would be my best parking option?

 

Seriously? I have no words.

 

On-site parking cannot be bought at the lot. According to their website, shuttle lot parking can be bought either on the ticketmaster website or at the lots. However, they tweeted to someone the other day that shuttle lot parking would only be available for purchase online. So...who knows!?!?

 

It all depends on your preference, I guess. Not trying to be flippant about it, but they've revamped the system this year so it's hard to tell what's gonna work best. I think if it were me I might just take my chances driving to a shuttle lot or on-site. I don't have much faith in this new scheme & I really think there won't be nearly as many fans as last year.

 

According to an email, parking for the park-and-ride lots at the Intersection of FM 973 and Burleson Rd. and at 9605 FM 812 can be purchased at the lot.

"The new Park + Ride lots are located along FM 973 and FM 812, approximately three miles from the track. Patrons may park their vehicles in these lots and ride free shuttle buses to COTA each day (Nov. 15-17). Park + Ride passes are on sale and cost $20 per vehicle for a three-day pass or $10 per vehicle if you buy each day individually (advance-purchase or at the lot)."

For these lots, you have to take two shuttles. One from the lot to COTA’s shuttle bus depots on McAngus Road (3 miles) and then another 1/2 mi shuttle to COTA’s Grand Plaza entrance.

 

These paper tickets from Ticketmaster are a joke. One of my favorite events organizers, Insomniac Events, recently started using them, since Live Nation, who owns Ticketmaster, now has a 50% stake in Insomniac.

Before that, Insomniac Events used Flavorus for their ticketing solution exclusively. They would issue magnetic cards instead of paper tickets. A cool design on that card the size of a credit card that you could keep as memorabilia. Even the packaging is way and above what I've seen from COTA. I'm still waiting for my ticket, but they have till Friday to get here before I fly out Saturday morning, so I'm not panicking yet.


Here's an EDC 3 day pass with along with packaging from 2012. This year's was even better.
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Ah, so that explains why COTA insists on using Ticketmaster. Live Nation is their music partner.

 

Is that necessary for a race? It's just a car race, not the crowning the queen of england. The last F1 race I attended, I bought a ticket at the door for $25 dollars and walked all around the track. What's changed?

 

The problem is that last year people were sold on the idea that their tickets were collectibles and bought fancy lanyards. Now they want to continue their collection and they are being given movie tickets.
When you are spending upwards of $450 per ticket you may get the feeling that you should get something special. Maybe even a kiss along with it. ;-)

 

Personally I don't care about the collectible tickets. I mean they're cool & all, but I'm not gonna frame 'em. The thing is, a lot of people really do care, & it didn't just start with last year's USGP. Apparently there are a lot of people who have been to several GPs and the only kind of ticket they've ever gotten is the nice, commemorative kind.

The bigger issue for me is just the awful way the ticket delivery has been handled, the Fedex Tracking charges for USPS delivery, etc.

Oh, and you won't be showing up on Sunday & paying $25 for this race, either.

 

Can someone tell me what these open areas in the image are?
The 2 green circled seats are Sec T5-5 Row 32 seats 1 and 2. These seem like they would be pretty good, unimpeded view to the left and high enough to see a lot, any reason to think otherwise?
Thanks
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Stairwells.

What turn is that? 5?
If so, those are pretty good seats.

Crazy there's so many seats left.

 

Yes, turn 5.
Thanks.

 

OK, I found my hats and shirts and Volunteer credential from last year, see ya'll at Turn 1 next to the Helipads.

 

Check with me after the Race, our Lost and Found box had plenty of the nice tickets by the end of the weekend last year....I'm sure it will be the same.

I killed some time one day walking up to the seats, and giving them back.

There was a paid escort sitting in one of them, her boys gave me a real "Go to **&*&&*" look!!

 

If you are still looking for parking alternatives, across the street from the main grandstand is Chris Taylor's place. Pretty cheap in comparison and not much further to walk. While they do not allow pedestrians into the facility, they cannot do much about it if you just walk right in.

$20/day or $50 for three days.
Chris Taylor Racing ServicesCircuit of the Americas Parking - Chris Taylor Racing Services

 

Thanks for the tip, picked up a slot!

 

They've been doing that at the F1 race @ Interlagos for almost 10 years now.

The only problem is that it makes it much harder to sneak into other sections on Friday and Saturday, because the card is swiped outside of your assigned tribune and won't work elsewhere (obviously this is just a problem for ticket/cardholders, not for the organizers).

 

It seems if they do not allow pedestrians then you could not just walk right in.
I checked with Chris Taylor and this was his response

"They've said that since their first event last year. I think their ticket fiasco will help them not to worry about pedestrians this year, either. We haven't had any issues with F1, MotoGP, Grand-AM, WEC, SVRA or concerts so far, and I hope they don't start giving us issues now."

So he hopes there is no issues.

 

Same was said last year. It's just a warning/disclaimer, but COTA cannot sell more parking passes at the moment, so there is little choice. Last year there were pedestrians walking through parking lot P (near T1, but now it has changed to Lot T) from nearby parking lots.

I've attended all the major events and a few other events at COTA this past year, with the exception of historics a few weeks ago because I was out of the country. Most of the time, I'll park across the street in a lot for 20 bucks a day and walk on over. Those times it wasn't as crowded, but there is little the parking lot attendants can do to say "uhh you cannot walk in here." Far more important things for them to worry about.

Those are my two cents.

 

Thanks for the info. Having never been there, it is an unknown whether they have control over everyone going in and out, so when they say 'no pedestrians', it sounds like controlled gates and no way in, so I appreciate your experience.

 

Cota confirmed on facebook that there will be no onsite audio this year and with no fanvision thanks to the troll it'll be tough to follow the race :/