Once upon a time, a blonde-haired wanderer heard of a magical place called Tomorrowland, in the faraway land of Boom, Belgium. She listened to dreamy tales and watched, transfixed, a beautiful thing called The Aftermovie, and she knew that someday, somehow, she too would join the sweaty, flag-swathed masses for her own Tomorrowland experience. Though many obstacles stood in her way, she slayed them mercilessly in pursuit of her goal. It can only be described as a magnetic pull, that thing which inspired this fairy tale sojourn to Tomorrowland; an irresistible urge that began with pressing play.
. . . . . .
I hope you guys read that in an appropriately wistful, Brothers-Grimm-narrator-style voice.
I mean come on, I can only keep up the third person fairy tale speak for so long! Yet it seems inexplicably appropriate, because from the moment I stepped foot in Boom — yes, the name of the town holding the festival is, indeed, Boom — I did feel that I was in some sort of magical fantasy land. This sensation was aided, no doubt, by the almost surreal lengths we’d gone to get there. Not surprising, we weren’t the only ones captivated by Tomorrowland’s charms.
Reportedly there were almost 1.8 million people pre-registered for ticket sales for Tomorrowland 2014 — the infamous EDM festival’s highly anticipated tenth anniversary. For those 1.8 million people, there were just 180,000 tickets up for grabs. So, statistically speaking, Tomorrowland is harder to get into than an ivy league university. After flirting with the idea of attending for almost a year, eventually wrangling fellow Yes Girl Heather into signing on board, and then spending months in an over-excited planning frenzy, I had more than a few sleepless nights in the week leading up to general sale wondering what I was doing hinging an entire summer in Europe on odds like that.
Well, Heather and I must have aced our karmic SAT scores, because pretty soon we were on our way to Belgium to take part in what I can only describe as a harmlessly hedonistic Alice in Wonderland-esque playground party.
Our planning and ticket purchasing saga — and trust me when I say that is was a saga that you’ll be hearing all about someday — involved choosing where to rest our heads during the three day festival. The choices ranged from pitching our own tent in the slums of DreamVille to staying at hotel in nearby Brussels or Antwerp to glamping in an affluent neighborhood of luxury tents. After much reflection on the merits of financial responsibility versus unrestrained indulgence and perhaps a glass of wine or seven — which, keeping in mind we were in different countries for the entire process, took place over Skype — we decided it was go big or go home. And going home wasn’t really an option.
Which is how we became the proud temporary residents of our own little yellow Dreamlodge on Sunset Boulevard, in the DreamVille Campground. The happiness we felt camping — okay, glamping in our case — alongside 35,000 of our fellow festival goers was such a profound part of our experience that it deserves a post of it’s own.
But if we thought we were ecstatic as we checked in to Dreamville on Thursday night, we had no idea the wide-eyed giddiness that lay ahead of us for the next three days as we passed through the rainbow-arched gates of Tomorrowland. With a maze of fifteen magical stages, a star-studded DJ lineup, a drool worthy list of edible experiences and smile-inducing surprises around each corner, it’s no wonder Heather and I spent the majority of the weekend sprinting around the festival like over-caffeinated toddlers at an attention deficit symposium. We quickly coined a catchphrase for the festival that summed up both our dumbstruck excitement and our insatiable appetite for more.
This is awesome… let’s go!
And go we did. To an almost transcendent set by Kygo at the intimate BlueFlame stage.
To mail tipsily-composed complimentary postcards to our loved ones around the world.
To giggle at the so not-actually-naughty Chapel of Love. (Sorry Tomorrowland, but Burning Man has you beat when it comes to orgy tents.)
To marvel at the innovation that went into creating the various stage environments, from the nest-like Qult structure to the ever so intimately sized and hilariously named Rave Cave.
To be pampered at the giggle-inducing Refresh Stations, which achieved the amazing feat of somehow making porty potties bearable.
To stumble on tucked away surprises like a mystical palm reader, a forest of trees made for hugging, or a Wall of Love photobooth for our camera-hamming pleasure.
To feast on a shockingly high-quality array of cuisines of the world, from Texas-style pulled pork sandwiches to soy sauce-slathered Asian stir-fries to a particularly indulgent Belgian chocolate dessert.
And finally, over and over again, to make our pilgrimage to the epic main stage.
While we often made our way up to the front to get lost in the mosh pit of mayhem, on one occasion we treated ourselves to Bubbles with a View. For the mere price of a ridiculously overpriced bottle of champagne, we were spoiled with VIP views, a bit of breathing room to recharge in, and a bowl of strawberries to toss in our bubbly.
And recharging was often what we needed. Four nights and three days of hard partying is not for the faint of liver heart, and so with the festival open for thirteen hours a day, we often returned to DreamVille for a few hours of what we dubbed “The Middle Party” before re-entering Tomorrowland after dark with a group of our new camping friends in tow.
And upon return, we’d find a completely different universe to explore. If things were playful and lighthearted during the day, it was safe to say a bit of chaos seeped in as the sun set.
Riding the Ferris Wheel that marked the far side of the festival and looking out in awe over a video game-like explosion of fountains, fireworks, neon lights and color was a moment of euphoria that I won’t be forgetting in this lifetime. But while our days consisted of endless exploring and wandering, our nights belonged to the mainly belonged to the mainstage.
Can you blame us?
This year, Tomorrowland tickets came in the form of electronically-chipped bracelets, and at certain special moments throughout the nights, a selection of them would start to pulse light in unison with the music. Then there was the time Steve Angello made 60,000 people crouch down on the ground and hold, hold, hold, just so we could all spring up together in roaring unison as the beat dropped.
These were moments that again, I fail at finding words to describe.
And while wild dancing, uncontrollable stomping and general raging made up a fairly impressive portion of the evenings, there were a few moments where Heather and I made our way to a relatively quiet spot on the more sparsely populated section of the hill, took a seat, and just let the insane sensory overload sink in.
I have lots more to tell you about Tomorrowland — practical stuff like what it cost, what Dreamville was like and how to get tickets — but first, I wanted to start with a story.
Because once upon a time, there was a girl who dreamed of going to Tomorrowland.
And this fairy tale had a very happy ending.
Also in this series: Dreaming of Dreamville • How Much Does Tomorrowland Cost? • Tomorrowland Tips and Tricks
Update: Travel Blog Success was merged with Superstar Blogging by Nomadic Matt. It’s an equally impressive course that I plan to take and review eventually — click here to take it yourself!
Marvelous news for a magical day. My dear friends and mentors over at Travel Blog Success are having a sale this week! You’ve probably heard me sing the praises of this online course for helping me make Alex in Wanderland what it is today, and it is the first thing I recommend to those who write to me for blogging advice. Travel Blog Success helped me move Alex in Wanderland from a hobby to a business. The secret member’s group gives me daily inspiration, feedback, and assistance (and a heavy dose of humor!) This is truly the warmest community in travel blogging, and all memberships are on sale now.
Holy crap, this festival looks absolutely insane. You guys must have had the time of your lives! Somehow I’d totally never heard of Tomorrowland until I read about it on your blog, but it seems like it would be a blast. I especially love the idea of glamping at a festival like this 🙂 I can’t wait to hear more about your time there!!
I don’t think I would have survived sans the glamping 🙂 Which is why it is getting a whole post of its own!
Wow that looks so trippy! Seems like you guys had an amazing time… And that’s a ton of fun to fit into three short days!
We did indeed! Being totally unplugged — we had no wifi or service — made it really easy to live in the moment and have all out fun! 🙂
This looks so amazing! You’ve sold me – I must make it to Tomorrowland before I die! 🙂 The pictures are amazing – how did you manage to haul your camera around and take beautiful pictures at night with all this fun happening around you?
Thanks Neysha! I probably took my big camera out half the time and my iPhone out the other half. I think I actually only took the dSLR out on one night. I’m so glad I did because I cherish these photos, but I’m also glad at other times I left it behind to just play 🙂 Lots of these pictures, were with my phone. Like the one from the top of the Ferris Wheel at night… that was taken with my iPhone and I wish it had been with my dSLR. But you just have to find a balance!
Tomorrowland looks insane! I was also wondering how you managed to get such great shots a night- I’m not sure I could handle carrying a camera in that madness. And your clothes/costumes are super cute!
Yeah, it was always hard to decide whether to take it out or not 🙂 Luckily the iPhone takes pretty amazing photos during the day, so I was more than happy to just tote that most of the time!
Wow you got some great pix! So glad you did since I was on hiatus from my camera the whole time! Can’t wait to see the rest!
I was happy to take the torch for once 🙂 You needed a break!
Looks incredible!! That tent would be a must for me, not sure I could handle 4 days of partying without somewhere halfway decent to sleep it off. I love all of your night-time crowd pics! And the champagne seems like a worthwhile investment. 🙂
Yeah, it was amazing what good quality sleep we got considering we were in the middle of a 35,000 person campsite! I can’t see how it would have worked any other way, now that we’ve done it!
OMG, this looks like one crazy and fun festival!! Cool photos and looks like you had great fun! I am really impressed that you managed to take such stunning photos while partying! 🙂 You look great!!
Thanks Maria! I guess the blogger in me takes over no matter what state I’m in 🙂 Must! Document!
My goodness!!!! I’ve never seen anything like this in my life. This. is. insane. I’ve crept up on the music festival scene with Sonar in Barcelona being my very first ever last year … I definitely need to graduate and make Tomorrowland happen in this decade. WHOA. (They need to pay you and feature this story on tomorrowland.com … this is perfect)
Ha, considering how much money I threw at them (you’ll see my cost breakdown soon!) I would gladly welcome some cash flow in the opposite direction 🙂
Awesome! I need to make it out to this. Always wanted to go. First genre I liked and followed as I grew up was house music. A bit unusual I guess but always been a house head and followed the scene for as long as I can remember.
I can’t say I would have guessed that 🙂 I actually am not a huge EDM fan, I was more enticed by the festival atmosphere, but it was kind of freeing. Not being a slave to a particular lineup I was obsessed with seeing meant I could really go where the wind took me!
Wow, that reminds me so much of the Boom festival in Portugal! I wouldn’t be surprised if they have the same organization.
Well, they do have the name Boom in common 🙂
Wow. I rarely feel compelled to attend festivals like this but this honestly looks amazing! I love how whimsical and colourful it is!
Whimsical is the perfect adjective! How I left that one out of this post, I’ll never know 🙂
I’m pretty sure the EDM train took off right before I graduated college so I totally missed it. But, the photos look absolutely amazing and even though I appreciate some real nature-lovin’ camping, those glamping tents look pretty awesome. Glad that the missing costume box didn’t hinder you 🙂
I found a Claire’s Boutique in Ghent that had some great emergency hair supplies 🙂 And Heather was helpful in sharing too!
Wow this festival looks amazing! Way to make your dream happen!
Thanks Erin! I can’t believe I was really there 🙂 Now I need to pick a new festival to fixate on!
Wow looks amazing! Probably a bit too crazy for me though. I have been to Glastonbury a couple of times and Isle of Wight Festival and while I have great memories of them, I really don’t like large crowds of people so I don’t do Music Festivals anymore.
Yeah, you definitely have to have a patience for crowds in order to enjoy something like this! I have to say though I was expecting long lines a lot of the time and luckily we barely ever waited to enter or exit the festival or to get drinks. They have it down to a science!
YES. this is amazing! great to hear it was as magical as i imagine 🙂 i feel like tomorrowland could be dangerous for me 🙂 coachella tickets for next year are already bought, after the last few years of debauchery i couldn’t resist! now its just the little problem of figuring out where in the world i might be at that time so I can actually fly back for it!
Nice! Coachella is definitely a biggie! I am thinking Bonnaroo might happen for me next summer 🙂
You look absolutely gorgeous & so do your digs. But as an avid fest goer, I can’t help but think, Dreamville must have cost a fortune! Ditto for “Bubbles with a view.” Looking forward to the budget lowdown in a future Tomorrowland post.
Um yes, it did 🙂 I’m a little afraid to post my budget breakdown… it was a bit out of control!
I’ve seen a few posts on this place now, and want to go so badly! It reminds me of a grander scale Secret Garden party that goes on in the UK.
I’ve heard great things about Secret Garden! A friend of mine has been a few times and loves it.
What an epic! Thanks for sharing.
Can’t wait to see the follow ups (I did pick up one small typo I believe, ‘Overland’ when I assume you meant ‘Overland’)
Oh, thought you might like to know, we did Day 1 of our PADI course today 😉
Wait… they both say “Overland” 🙂 I’m confused!
LOL!
I guess that happens when i’m up too late!
The second should have said ‘overload’ 😉
Holy Bajinkas… YEAS… I love this post so much. I’ve never seen a festival like this before. A-MAZING. Adding Tomorrowland to the bucket list for the next couple of years. WHOA. So cool!
That’s what I like to hear, Anna! Hope you have the same ticket luck that I did 🙂
I left the video on just to enjoy the upbeat music 🙂
That video has powered hundreds of treadmill workouts for me! It never gets old!
Oh. My. Word.
🙂 🙂 🙂
I’ve HEARD of Tomorrowland, but I can’t say I’ve read much about it or seen many photos – it looks pretty epic! I like to idea of the fancy luxury tent village…
And it looks like you had good weather! I know people who went last year, and they said it rained the whole time!
That would be so sad! We only had one afternoon of rain. However, we also only had one really sunny blue sky afternoon, too — the rest was super overcast and cloudy. Luckily everything on the ground was so bright!
Believe it or not, I heard about this huge festival only this year for the first time which I found it so weird considering how big and well known it is. It’s a crazy event, it reminds me a little bit of Glastonbury in the UK, but I think it’s even more mad with plenty to do and to enjoy for everyone 🙂
Glastonbury sounds amazing but also a bit intimidating… like Coachella, I haven’t yet been bitten by the desire to go! We’ll see how that changes over the years 🙂
This is the first time I’ve heard about Tomorrowland. And it looks like one heck of a festival experience! It shows in your smile. 🙂 My list just keeps on getting longer because of you, Alex. You inspire me to never stop exploring. 🙂
Anne, this comment made my day! And my fellow travelers do the same for me every day 🙂
What a great post! I was in DreamVille too and the whole Tomorrowland is just the most amazing thing in the world. I just watched the official aftermovie and was totally on high again.
I still haven’t been able to watch the whole thing! I’m in Thailand and the streaming internet isn’t really strong enough. Can’t wait to see the full thing!
Tomorrowland looks completely unreal … I’m in my 30’s, but I think I might have to go to this festival soon to experience what it’s like!
Heather is in her 30s as well… there is no age limit for fun 🙂
Hi Alex, one thing has been bothering me a lot, and I have even posted messages to the Contact section of the FAQ in the tomorrowland website but no replies recevied from them, when u buy a dreamville package for 2, do you get 2 full madness tickets or just one? Because onthe site its mentioned ‘ONE TICKET PER TENT’ which seems confusing ? PLease helpl, thanks!
PS your posts are great, they helped me a lot and i can now imagine crazy how my experience is going to be
Our Dreamville Dream Lodge tent came with two Full Madness Passes. Hope that helps! And good luck — I know it’s confusing!
Hi Alex, amazing amazing amazing post! getting my way to tomorrowland 2016 is on my must-do thanks to coming across your blog 1 month ago…. and as luck would have it,
my girlfriend in HK was top 10 to sign up for pre-register! So she got that same email saying HER + 3 friends can now rep.
the problem is, she actually can’t make it. she only did it for me. does that mean all 4 spots are wasted…?
she has emailed tomorrowland the following questions and have gotten no reply. could you please please pls take a look and see if you know the answers since your friend got the same with cayman island. The designated sale date is coming up in 2 days or so. So stressful!
##
“1. How many packages am I allowed to purchase. If I purchase 2 Dreamlodge package (good for 4 people) – do I need to decide all 4 names at the time of purchase?
2. Does my name need to be 1 of the 4 names, or can it be my girlfriend + 3 friends etc.
3. Credit card. Am I allowed to use a credit card and billing address from a different country other than HK? Of course the bracelet mailing address will still be mine in Hong Kong. ”
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THANK YOU SO MUCH ALEX !!!
Hey Mello — sorry, I don’t think I’m going to be able to be much help. We used a Cayman Islands credit card and billing address and shipped to a US address, since Cayman only does PO Box delivery (so, the opposite of your situation.) As for the first and second question… I think you’ll be fine. But I can’t be 100% sure. Sorry customer service is such a mess!
Hi alex! I was just wondering if i buy the global thingy for four people, how do we do accomodations? Like we all buy them or by separate?
Hi Ami! Global Journey packages include accommodation. I hope that answers your question.