Ticket buying has become more competitive in recent years as demand for live events continues to grow. For popular shows, tickets often sell out within minutes of going on sale. In response, Ticketmaster has implemented virtual waiting rooms for high-demand events to help manage the influx of traffic all trying to buy tickets at the same time.
What is a Ticketmaster Virtual Waiting Room?
A virtual waiting room is a digital queue that fans join before tickets go on sale. It’s essentially an online “line” to get into the ticket onsale. This prevents Ticketmaster’s website and servers from crashing when large volumes of people flood the site at the exact same time.
Instead of everyone logging on right at 10am when tickets go on sale, fans can secure their place in line earlier. Ticketmaster staggers admittance into the sale from the waiting room, typically opening up every few minutes to small groups of shoppers. This relieves the strain on their systems.
Joining the waiting room does not guarantee you will get tickets, but it gives you a fair shot at buying them once they go on sale. Spots in line are randomized, so there is no advantage to joining super early. You just need to register before the waiting room closes.
When Does the Ticketmaster Waiting Room Open?
The waiting room typically opens up 24-48 hours before the public onsale time. Fans can enter the virtual queue as soon as it opens to get in line for tickets.
However, waiting rooms are only enabled for extremely high demand shows where tickets are expected to sell out very quickly. For lower demand events, Ticketmaster uses its standard queue system and fans only need to log on at the specified onsale time.
If a waiting room is in place for an event, Ticketmaster will announce the details ahead of time. The waiting room FAQ page on their website states that they try to open it at least 24 hours in advance when possible.
The amount of notice can vary though based on when the event goes on sale. For example, if tickets are selling Friday morning, the waiting room may open sometime on Wednesday or Thursday. But for a Monday sale, it typically opens on Saturday since they need the 24 hour minimum notice.
In some cases, Ticketmaster has given very short notice – waiting rooms opening only 4-6 hours before the listed onsale time. But that generally only happens for newly announced events or rescheduled shows.
The main takeaway is that Ticketmaster tries to open the waiting room 24 hours early when feasible. But keep an eye on their social channels and the event page on their website to know exactly when registration starts. This information will be posted as soon as a waiting room is confirmed.
How Long is the Waiting Room Open For?
Waiting rooms are open for 12-48 hours leading up to the sale. The longer registration period gives more fans a chance to join the queue.
For extremely high demand artists like Taylor Swift or Harry Styles, the waiting room may be open for 1-2 full days. Their shows attract such enormous global demand that keeping registration open for 48 hours helps accommodate fans in different timezones.
For other top acts like The Weeknd or Red Hot Chili Peppers, the waiting room usually opens 24 hours before tickets go on sale. Half a day tends to be enough notice for their devoted fans to get in line.
In some cases, the waiting room may open with very short notice – as little as 4-6 hours prior to the onsale. As mentioned, this generally happens when new events are announced or postponed shows get rescheduled. Promoters don’t always finalize details too far in advance, so Ticketmaster has to adapt and open the waiting room quickly.
While a short notice period isn’t ideal, it’s better than not having a waiting room at all. The queue still reduces strain on the ticketing system when Everyone tries buying at once.
No matter the time frame, Ticketmaster will post specific waiting room details on the event page and their social media when registration goes live. Just make sure to periodically check for updates as the onsale approaches so you don’t miss it.
What Happens After the Waiting Room Closes?
Once registration closes, fans already in the waiting room queue just need to stand by for tickets to go on sale. Additional people cannot join the line after the waiting room closes.
Those already in queue will be randomly assigned an entry time. Shortly before the public onsale time, the virtual queue moves in small increments, allowing groups into the ticket sale every few minutes.
The waiting room does not automatically enroll you in the sale – you still have to be online at your designated time to access tickets. This staggered admission relieves stress on Ticketmaster’s servers when ticket demand is extremely high.
Once your assigned entry time arrives, you typically have 10-15 minutes to look through seat options and complete your purchase. Make sure you’re logged into your Ticketmaster account, have your payment details saved, and join right at your designated time.
Keep in mind that just because you got a spot in line does not guarantee tickets. For the most in-demand shows, there is often far more demand than there are seats available in the venue. But using the waiting room at least gives you a shot at getting in during the onsale.
Without it, Ticketmaster would have to handle hundreds of thousands of people swarming the site all at once, which would likely lead to crashes and scalpers buying up large chunks of tickets. The waiting room creates a more fair and controlled sale.
Tips for Using the Ticketmaster Waiting Room
Here are some tips to maximize your chances of getting tickets using the virtual waiting room:
- Register for the waiting room as soon as it opens – don’t wait until the last minute.
- Make sure you’re already logged into your Ticketmaster account before joining the queue.
- Save your payment details ahead of time so you don’t have to enter them during checkout.
- Only have one device join the waiting room to avoid duplicate spots.
- Be ready online before your assigned entry time so you don’t miss it.
- Have a back-up payment method or friend try for tickets too.
- Keep trying if you don’t get tickets initially – some venues release held-back tickets later.
Waiting Room Entry Times
Wondering when specifically you’ll get access to the ticket sale? The timing varies, but here are some general guidelines on when waiting room groups tend to be granted access:
- 2 hours before onsale – Entry times begin for first groups
- 1 hour before – More groups given access every few mins
- 30 mins before – Access accelerates with groups let in one after another
- 15 mins before – Entry times speed up further as sale nears
- 5 mins before – Last remaining groups granted admission
- Public onsale time – Anyone still in waiting room gets access
The pacing isn’t an exact science, but Ticketmaster tends to follow that general timeline. The early groups give their systems a chance to warm up before the biggest rush right before tickets go on sale.
So if you’re assigned an entry time well in advance, don’t worry – that group is just the test batch before they start admitting people more rapidly closer to onsale time when demand peaks.
Waiting Room Alternatives
While waiting rooms are Ticketmaster’s main tool for managing high demand, they do have some other options in their toolbox as well.
Verified Fan
For super high demand artists like Taylor Swift, Ticketmaster sometimes uses Verified Fan instead of a waiting room. Fans must register in advance and get a special code to access the sale.
Codes are also given out randomly and do not guarantee tickets. But the pre-registration helps block out bots and scalpers.
Dynamic Pricing
Ticketmaster has its “Official Platinum” pricing that adjusts costs based on demand. Platinum tickets can cost substantially more than face value.
This very high premium pricing makes scalpers less likely to scoop up large quantities of tickets. Regular fans can still buy regular price seats.
Slow Roll Onsales
Some events have tickets released across multiple staggered sales instead of all at once. This helps manage demand spikes.
Slow roll onsales often reserve tickets for fan club members first before opening up other seats to the general public.
Conclusion
In summary, Ticketmaster waiting rooms open 24-48 hours before ticket sales for highly anticipated events. Fans can line up in the virtual queue during that window to gain access to the onsale at a randomized time. This helps manage exceptionally high traffic volumes and give everyone a fair shot at tickets.
The waiting room does not guarantee tickets but is more fair than everyone slamming the site all at once. Just be sure to register as soon as the waiting room opens and be online at your designated time for the best chance at scoring seats.