This year’s edition of EDC Orlando was filled to the brim with quality sets, stunning production, and some surprises that won us over.
In 2019 I took a leap of faith, hopped on a plane, and made my way from San Diego to Orlando to experience an edition of Electric Daisy Carnival that I had never attended yet. Back then, I was pushed to attend by the incredible lineup and recent expansion to three-full days and had a fantastic time exploring the grounds of Tinker Field, even if there was a little rain.
The scene, and the world as a whole, are far different than they were five years ago, but I felt like the time was right for me to make my return to EDC Orlando. I was curious as to how much the festival had grown and what the crowd would be like now. It was also a quick flight from Miami, where I had just attended Hocus Pocus and EDSea, making it even easier to decide to attend.
I found myself in a post-festival haze on the first day of EDC Orlando, but I was excited as ever to get to the festival grounds and begin to explore.
There was a familiar, yet fresh feeling that flooded my mind when I arrived at Tinker Field to kick off my experience. Not much can really change about a giant stadium, but the moment I walked through security I was in a whole different world compared to 2019.
The festival grounds had expanded immensely since the last time I was there. neonGARDEN lost its tent and became an open-air playground for house and techno lovers. This also allowed plenty more space for food, beverage, and merch vendors, not to mention room to dance.
The kineticCATHEDRAL sat in the distance in all its glory in a similar spot to where I remembered, just in a slightly different position. circutGROUNDS also retained its same spot as in the past. Meanwhile, stereoBLOOM had shifted to a different space, closer to where the South Entrance used to be, with casaBACARDÍ replacing that original location.
I appreciated the new layout, even if getting from stage to stage took some extra time. The attendance for EDC Orlando has grown immensely since I last attended, so any additional space to host thousands more people alone was welcome. It also gave Insomniac more room to host art installations, chill areas to sit down, and more in areas like Polygon Park and the Rainbow Bazaar. Yet, for some, there wasn’t enough room.
Crowds swelled throughout the festival during highly sought-after sets, but whether in GA or VIP, I never felt unsafe.
Reports from other ravers during and after the festival mentioned that they were in crowds that were too large or unsafe. I do not share that experience. I floated, fairly easily, throughout the mass of people in VIP and GA at all four stages and throughout the rest of the festival grounds.
There were some moments where it felt very packed, especially during Alesso and John Summit’s sets at circuitGROUNDS, but even then, I still found room to move around. That said, I also never was in the thick of it, nor am I someone who looks to reach the rail. I’ve said for years that the back is where it’s at, and that mantra held true once again.
Pasquale Rotella has since addressed the crowding concerns and those who incorrectly said that the festival was oversold. He stated that next year’s edition will see improvements, including a larger footprint, to help alleviate the issues that presented themselves during peak moments.
Speaking of the crowd, my overall experience with other attendees was pleasant!
Throughout all three days of the festival, everyone I interacted with seemed happy and brought good vibes. I didn’t encounter anyone rude or pushy. Instead, I was met with smiles, hi-fives, thank you, excuse me, and more. This has been so hit or miss on the West Coast lately that it was a welcome surprise.
My only gripe with the crowd was that, for some reason, fan-clacking had become the norm. I cannot stand hearing the thacks of fans clacking at festivals, even more so when they were offbeat and it was all over EDC Orlando. I couldn’t get away from hearing two, three, four, or unfortunately more, fans clacking throughout sets. It was like a plague, and I don’t know who hasn’t told them to stop yet, but please, for the love of good-sounding sets, stop.
Regarding the performances, all of the artists I caught brought the heat along with them.
As someone who appreciates more than just one or two genres, EDC Orlando gave me so much to catch at any given time. I got doses of drum and bass from Hedex and the Worship artists. I danced to house and techno from artists like Wakyin, Max Styler, Mochakk, Fly With Us (AC Slater and Chris Lorenzo), and Charlie Sparks. The aforementioned sets from Alesso and John Summit were great, albeit the packed crowds for each.
I regret passing up on catching the trance artists at stereoBLOOM during the Dreamstate takeover, but I’ll be heading to the festival in SoCal to get my fix instead. I missed some other sets, like Amelie Lens, I Hate Hodels, and Netsky, simply due to set time conflicts, which is always a drag.
When I wanted a break from those sets, casaBACARDÍ satiated my cravings.
casaBACARDÍ was one of the most vibrant, fun areas of EDC Orlando, with its Caribbean-esque stage setup nestled just outside Polygon Park. There, I could take a load off on the benches and hear Latin-twinged house sounds from artists like Tom & Collins, Calussa, Bolo, and Carola. It was fitting music for the tropical vibe.
Not only was their little corner of EDC Orlando perfect for those who wanted a break from the madness, but the upstairs bar was the perfect place to catch the sunset. Of course, this also meant that there were BACARDÍ drinks there and throughout the venue, and the “E.D.M. (Electric Dance Mojito)” quickly became my go-to beverage each day. It was super refreshing and perfect for the hot Central Florida day.
The only major hiccup I experienced involved a poor experience with rideshares after EDC Orlando ended on Saturday night.
I left the festival early to beat the rush, followed directions, and went to the nearest pickup. Over two hours later, I still found myself sitting on the sidewalk waiting for a ride. It got to the point that the police were packing everything up and told everyone waiting around that we should take the Downtown Shuttle “to get out of the area because it wasn’t safe and [they] were leaving soon.”
Many Uber and Lyft drivers in the area had clearly decided to hustle or scam ravers trying to get home by offering “cash only” rides. Before I decided to head to the shuttle, the area was crawling with fake “taxis,” random dudes yelling “cash Uber,” and more. Once downtown, I was in a rideshare within minutes and on my way to the hotel. The whole ordeal took me close to four hours.
This isn’t entirely Insomniac’s fault, and it didn’t dampen my mood on the third day, but it would’ve been nice to see something more organized. A proper Uber/Lyft lot, instead of telling everyone to go to four separate corners outside the festival grounds, seems like a better solution. I’m not sure where they could put that, but if you plan to attend next year and it’s the same setup, take the free Downtown Shuttle and get out of there instead of waiting around.
The sour end to Saturday night aside, EDC Orlando was a fantastic experience for me.
I loved the positive crowd interactions, the top-tier sets, the performers who paraded throughout the venue, and the ease with which I got from stage to stage. I didn’t mention the food earlier, but I also had some delicious bites that ranged from a juicy burger to fully stuffed empanadas, yet the offerings seemed endless.
EDC Orlando might be the right festival for you if you’re looking for an EDC Las Vegas-like experience that won’t break the bank or have even larger crowds. Although I’m still undecided about attending next year’s edition, I think it was a wonderful time and one that any dance music lover should check out at least once.
Future Owl passes for EDC Orlando 2025 are on sale now. Head to Front Gate to lock in your experience!
