After the final sets ended on for the first night of Ultra Music Festival, the lack of transportation leaving Virginia Key has clearly become a major issue.
Update March 30 at 5:30pm EDT: Ultra Music Festival has released more information surrounding the exit after the festival tonight. They will be keeping food, beverage, and other vendors open late so that attendees can leave at their leisure. Additionally, more resources have been allocated to make this process more streamlined. They also teased that there might be some secret performances after the show, so make sure to stay tuned!
We have been hard at work ensuring a smooth transportation experience for your trip home after the festival tonight.
Specific actions we are taking:
– Additional resources allocated to enhanced training for ALL transportation staff and volunteers
(1/3) #Ultra2019
— Ultra Music Festival (@ultra) March 30, 2019
Earlier Update: Ultra Music Festival has released an official statement via Twitter about the shuttle situation that occurred last night.
In a series of three tweets they said: “Last night, many of you experienced challenging transportation conditions leaving the festival. This is unacceptable and inconsistent with the high standards you have come to expect from us. For this, we are sorry. As you might expect, we have already been working cooperatively with our city and county partners to promptly address and resolve these issues. We look forward to offering you a significantly improved transportation experience today and throughout the weekend, and we appreciate the opportunity to earn back your confidence and trust.”
OFFICIAL STATEMENT:
Last night, many of you experienced challenging transportation conditions leaving the festival. This is unacceptable and inconsistent with the high standards you have come to expect from us. For this, we are sorry.
(1/3)
— Ultra Music Festival (@ultra) March 30, 2019
When Ultra Music Festival announced that they would be relocating to Virginia Key, one of the biggest concerns that potential attendees of the festival had was surrounding their arrival and departure from the venue each day. Tonight, after the closing artists finished their sets, it seems as if those concerns were met as the exodus to leave the island quickly became chaotic.
Social media posts began to surface quickly as lines continued to grow for shuttles. Now, there have been reports from our own correspondents on the ground that some have been waiting for hours to get onto a shuttle to leave. EDM Maniac and others have also reported that a crash on the shuttle route has caused them all to stop and while it also seems that a small fire broke out after the fireworks display as well.
David Gonzalez, a reporter from Houston’s CBS Affiliate KHOU Channel 11 has also shared photos and videos from the exodus. The videos below offer a glimpse into the current state of how things are going on Virginia Key
I can already see reaction from #Ultra2019. Fire Festival part 2. New venue is crazy MAJOR ISSUES getting off the island. Thousands are stranded. pic.twitter.com/hUCyzObb8D
— David González (@abc7DavidGonz) March 30, 2019
Thousands are walking across the causeway to get out of #Ultra2019. We haven’t seen a single car get off in our direction. Police have no control of the crowds. #miaminews pic.twitter.com/yxiR8wYIL5
— David González (@abc7DavidGonz) March 30, 2019
At this point, many have simply just begun to make the three-mile trek across the bridge back to the mainland.
Frustrated with the current situation and lack of shuttles, thousands of attendees have jumped barriers and have started the three-mile walk back across the bridge to the mainland. Those who do walk across it are met with another flood of people who have bogged down the Uber and Lyft apps with their requests for rides.
Once you make the 3 mile journey across the causeway on foot there are still issues. Thousands boggling down @uber and @Lyft. The apps aren’t loading. #miaminews #Ultra2019 pic.twitter.com/5ls6g5KkHS
— David González (@abc7DavidGonz) March 30, 2019
Stay tuned as Virginia Key clears out and this story continues to develop. No official statement on this situation has been made by Ultra as of this posting.
That’s exactly why I didn’t go I just watched it on livestream. Because once I knew where its new location as someone who grew up in Miami & knows the area knew it would be a freaking nightmare getting people off that island. I would have loved to go but I didn’t attend for that very reason!