When trying to purchase tickets on Ticketmaster, especially for highly coveted events, fans are often placed in an online waiting room or queue before they can access tickets. This is done to control traffic on the site and prevent it from crashing due to extremely high demand. But what happens if your queue seems to be taking a really long time or you’re worried you may lose your place? The good news is that Ticketmaster queues do refresh automatically.
How does the Ticketmaster queue work?
The Ticketmaster queue system is designed to handle massive surges in traffic all trying to purchase tickets at the same time. When an event first goes on sale, all fans requesting tickets are added to a virtual queue. This queue will randomly assign places so that everyone has a fair shot at getting tickets.
Ticketmaster’s queue uses technology that functions similarly to a line at the grocery store. Even if you leave the website or close your browser, you will not lose your place. Your spot is tied to your specific device and cookies. As long as you do not clear your cookies, when you return to the waiting room page, it will remember your place.
The queue also refreshes automatically about every 60 seconds. During this refresh, the queue is processed and some fans will exit the waiting room and enter the ticket-purchasing page while others will be moved further back. This prevents fans from having to manually refresh repeatedly, but because it happens automatically in the background, it may sometimes seem like you have been stuck for a while if your position is not moving up quickly.
Why you may lose your place
There are a few instances where you could lose your place in line and be bumped back in the Ticketmaster queue:
- Clearing your cookies – This deletes the cookie that is saving your place
- Using a different device – Your place is tied to your specific device, so switching devices will put you at the back of the line
- Waiting too long after accessing the queue – There may be a time limit that will log you out after a certain period of inactivity
- Experiencing technical issues – Sometimes glitches happen and you may need to rejoin the queue
As long as you are waiting patiently, do not clear your cookies, and stay on the same device, you should not lose your spot even if you navigate away or close the queue page.
Tips for navigating the Ticketmaster queue
Here are some tips to make the most of your waiting room experience and ensure you don’t lose your coveted spot:
- Only have one browser window/tab open – Running multiple queues will confuse the system
- Stay on the waiting room/queue page – Don’t navigate elsewhere or you risk an idle timeout
- Refresh periodically – About every 5 minutes or so in case of any glitches
- Don’t give up – Persistence and patience is key, keep waiting it out
- Use a strong internet connection – Don’t rely on shaky public Wi-Fi or a weak cell signal
- Prepare your Ticketmaster account ahead of time – Make sure your payment info, shipping address etc. is up to date so you can checkout faster
- Clear up hard drive space and browser cache – This helps pages run faster and smoother
The queue is not first come, first served
It is important to understand that the Ticketmaster queue is not strictly first come, first serve. Your initial place is random, and then priority is given based on when you entered the queue, but other factors can come into play including:
- Cookie/device problems that may bump you to the back
- Glitches with users getting stuck, requiring spots to be reassigned
- Users with older or slower devices moving back
So you could theoretically enter the queue immediately at the starting time and still be behind many other fans. Don’t be discouraged if your spot does not seem to be moving up, just hang in there. With persistence, you should eventually get access.
Waiting room times vary
There is no standard waiting room time or number of users per queue. Some factors that influence wait times include:
- How popular/high-demand the event is
- How many tickets are available
- How quickly tickets are selling
- How many users are requesting tickets all at once
- Limitations with the venue’s ticketing system
All of this makes it impossible to predict exactly how long you will be in the queue. It could be mere minutes for less popular events or hours for the very hottest tickets. The queue is designed to meter traffic to make the system more stable, so patience is required.
Getting past the waiting room
What does it look like when you finally get through the Ticketmaster queue? Typically once it is your turn to access tickets, you will be redirected to the ticket-purchasing page. But this does not guarantee you will get tickets.
Often another virtual “lobby” opens where you choose the number of tickets you want. You may see a timer counting down before you can proceed to the seat selection map. At peak demand times, sections may sell out quickly before you finish selecting seats. There is usually very limited time to complete the transaction once in the virtual lobby.
So it is critical that once you gain access past the queue, you swiftly pick your tickets and checkout. Have your Ticketmaster account prepped with payment details and shipping info saved to shave off precious seconds.
If you don’t get tickets initially, don’t lose hope
Not scoring tickets the first time around is disappointing. But it is not necessarily the end. Here are some options if you miss out initially:
- Get back in the queue if it is still open – You can rejoin and try again as long as sales are still ongoing
- Check for ticket releases later – Venues and Ticketmaster sometimes free up holds
- Try reseller sites – StubHub, Vivid Seats, SeatGeek etc. but expect higher prices
- Wait until the last minute – Prices usually drop as event approaches when sellers panic
- Buy at the venue box office – No fees and first dibs on turn backs although limited availability
- Consider other nearby venues – Look for offshoot events or shows close to original date and location
Timing, technical issues and simple bad luck can all play a role, so try not to take it personally if you don’t score at first. Persistence and flexibility help increase your odds of eventually getting in the door.
Conclusion
The Ticketmaster queue system is designed to give everyone a fair shot at buying high-demand tickets without overloading the servers. While the process can be tedious and unpredictable, rest assured that regular automatic refreshes will maintain your spot in line as long as you stay on the same device and do not clear cookies. With savvy tips, patience and a bit of luck, dedicated fans can power through the queue and hopefully snag those coveted seats.