Got tickets for LM24HR, worth joining the ACO?

[misterblonde]

After advice, as a first timer. I have my tickets and camping (with PH, obvs!), but have avoided getting grandstand tickets as a first timer going with two first timers we wanted to explore more. But is it worth getting ACO membership? Are there viewing areas that we could access if we had it?

[Bluegoose59]

misterblonde said:

After advice, as a first timer. I have my tickets and camping (with PH, obvs!), but have avoided getting grandstand tickets as a first timer going with two first timers we wanted to explore more. But is it worth getting ACO membership? Are there viewing areas that we could access if we had it?

The main advantage is early access to tickets and discounted entry tickets usually about a week before general release. There are 2 members areas which you would need to purchase additional tickets for. This gives you access to the T17/18 for food and drink, showers lockers etc. but not actual seats in those GS. The other member area is La Chappelle, which has big screen TV, bar, food and a reasonable viewing point just after Dunlop. There is a couple of Euros cheaper food and drink prices to in the village. Members do get a goodie bag, last year it was a backpack, program, lanyard and a few other things. We tend to go to Chappelle and GS tickets in T34 as its easier to get to, but the last couple of years it was rammed, oversold and poor weather last year, so very long lines for toilets, bar etc.
Lastly you do get free entry to the museum.

[LM240]

My main reason for membership is for early ticket sales and certain grandstand choice.

If you have all the tickets you want, personally I wouldn’t bother. The member areas are okay, but busy and nothing particularly special.

[//j17]

Bluegoose59 said:

Lastly you do get free entry to the museum.

To clarify this one I think anyone with a general access ticket can get free entry to the museum during the race week, via the entrance behind the 'Dunlop' grandstand. ACO members get free access year round.

[Vsix and Vtec]

As other have said, the value in the membership is the members only sale of tickets, which is fast becoming all but impossible to complete unless you're lucky or run a bot to buy tickets with. The members areas are OK, but tickets for access are limited, an extra to membership (£53 each person) and always over subscribed. Every year it seems to have huge queues in the George Durrand area with upto an hours wait to be served. When its quiet, it's wonderful, but that's rare. La Chapelle is bigger and with an actual view of the track (unlike the George) but still very busy. There's showers and lockers, but unless you arrive early (as in before Thursday) the lockers will all be gone. The toilets are a bit nicer than the campsite and outside areas, but unfortunately everyone now knows this and often have longer queues than outside (but you can't see that until it's too late and you've queued to enter the area) same goes for the showers. The cleaning staff are fantastic and constantly on the go, trying to maintain the standard, and i genuinely laud their efforts.