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White House Easter Egg Roll Tickets Available Now

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By Emily Leaman   Published Thursday, March 26, 2009

Comments

I live in Miami, Fl and I purchased flight tickets for the Easter Egg Roll for my granddaughter and myself. The tickets were purchased before the announcement was made that there would be a change in the process of attempting to receive tickets.I was truly disappointed that I was not able to get tickets for the Easter Egg Roll.I went on line at 12:01a.m.on the 26th and spend most of the day trying to obtain tickets.I received the message at 7:30 pm that there were no more tickets available. My granddaughter and another small child hoping to attend the Easter Egg Roll, were davastated and heartbroken to know that they would not get to attend.
Then to find out that I lost over $300.00 for the tickets that I purchased to attend this event.Did anyone give any thought that people purchased flight tickets for this event. I feel it was a very bad approach to go this route to obtain tickets. And to think that some individuals received tickets and sold them in various ways. They had no plans of attending from the start. My preference would be to stand in the cold in long lines to wait for tickets.

Posted by: Verneda, Apr 08, 2009 02:09:03 PM

We are activ duty military. I am glad that the president made the disition to do it this way online. I’m sorry for the people who did not get ticket’s. It does make it alot easier for us military families that can’t camp out all night. I hope they keep to contine this tradition it is extremely fair and gives everyone an option and chanse to get tickets. I also was kicked out after starting to ente my info. Then finally at 6:37 I finally got my tickets. Thank you to our president it for doing it this way.

Posted by: Happy to get tickets, Apr 08, 2009 08:13:59 AM

I started at midnight and checked every hour then every half hour after they were released. I agree that the WH should have released a time so people could have gotten some sleep. I even called the WH at 2am and 6am!!!! Finally at 7:30pm we got tickets for Group E. Must have been the last tix too, bcs shortly therafter, they released the statement that they were no longer avaialble. Even though We were successful, I would have preferred to camp out!

Posted by: Baltimore mom, Apr 08, 2009 07:39:29 AM

I too did not get tickets after a day of clicking away. With four computers running on separate internet feeds and still no luck.
I was not surprised that the White house made a mess of it.
For some back story,I have been at the egg roll twice before and know exactly what to expect of the days event or in this case the two hours the guests are timed to attend. Why was it a local event verses a national event in the past? Because it was kept small and comfortable. And let me be very clear, you already had a lot of people on the grounds. This is how I see the 2009 event: More of a Obama mess but at a grander scale. Your going to have too many people (even though I bet, most of those out of town folk are not going to attend. And those that do travel are going to have a real let down, in a massive way. The event lines are going to be "Disney world" in scale. And people are going to be disappointed because the Obamas have P.R,’d the event as a greater than life event, greater than it really is. Why didn’t people travel across the country before? Because it’s not worth the trip. If I wasn’t local these days I wouldn’t even give it a second thought. I have been local for two years and I can tell everyone, I didn’t give it thought before and when I move away I wont think of it again. IT’S WAS A LOCALS EVENT!

Oh, and if I hear one more propaganda posting about how single mothers, and out of town people can finally attend, how this was a great idea for the citizens of the country - I’m gonna puke. It’s so obvious that’s the postings are White House PR doing some clean ups. Single mom of 5 year oldor live so far away, bless you Mister President, What a great idea, We could never have done this, hum.... oh yeah, single mother of 6 year old, single mother of 3 year old.....

Posted by: Eric , Apr 02, 2009 04:38:52 PM

just so everyone know over 25,000 tickets went out to active duty. there are still tickets available for active duty only.

Posted by: va military wife, Apr 01, 2009 02:51:21 PM

We tried since midnight every hour. During the day, we tried every minute. After 6pm, every second. We got four tickets for the Group A and couldn’t be more happy!

In the end, I think the most persistent and lucky won. Good luck for you on next year!

Posted by: Winner, Apr 01, 2009 09:15:30 AM

Our family for years have camped out for the Easter Egg Roll tickets. We survived snow, rain and cold. It was always the Memorial bldg in the Morning that brought smiles to our faces knowing we were getting our tickets. Yesterday we had 2 people in Virginia and two people in Maryland trying from Midnight to Evening hours. We all had our "pass codes" and all made it to the "buy" section to ALL be timed out. The site was a nightmare. And to no avail our kids have NO Easter Egg Roll tickets. Craigs List had posting to email for prices!! Ebay had tickets for sale as high as $1,000. It was better to stand in line and know where you stood than play roulette and Lose. Very upset!!!

Posted by: Sue Maryland, Mar 27, 2009 08:10:45 AM

We tried to get tickets starting at midnight. We tried every hour on the hour. At 8 AM, my wife was in queue to get tickets but she was unsuccessful completing the transaction. At 2:30 PM, she was able to get through the ticket site and set up our account but she couldn’t get tickets. At 7:30 PM, we were able to get four tickets for Group C. It turned out that having the White House Easter Egg Roll account speeded up the checkout process. My wife jumped up and kids jumped up and down with joy. It was an exhausting day for my wife and I. We felt like we won the lottery and our exhaustion disappeared.

Posted by: Michael, Mar 26, 2009 05:37:21 PM

We are from Nebraska and bought airline tickets to go to DC for this event 3 months ago. We went 2 years ago and camped out for tickets, which was MUCH smarter. I, along with 10 of my family members have been checking this stupid website every 5 mintues all day long and no-one has had any luck. If the government can’t even set up a website that works, how can they run a country? Unbelievable.

Posted by: Nebraska mom, Mar 26, 2009 04:09:42 PM

I hated that NO time was ever announced. I started at 7 a.m. and then every hour after. I "chilled" in multiple waiting rooms, just to be timed out. I got to the ticket ordering area MANY times this morning, just to put in the secret code and then be timed out again!!! It is so frustrating. My 6 and 4 year old daughters LOVED this event last year. I would have DEFINATLY camped out again this year. The system should not have let me that far just to time out!!! I had multiple windows going and my husband was at work trying as well. The tickets should have names on them like airline tickets, so that people couldn’t sell them on e-bay (non transferrable, etc.) I just went through this with Taylor Swift tickets in Columbia, MD. I had a pre-sale code, but that didn’t work. I was on the internet at 10 a.m. sharp and (9:59) and I wasn’t able to get even 2 LAWN seats!! They would’ve been $28, now there are a TON on ebay and other ticket websites for a minimum of $99 per ticket. Shouldn’t this be illegal??????? So annoying...

Posted by: Eager, Mar 26, 2009 03:34:54 PM

I tried at 12am and then again starting at 8 am until now which it is 5:25pm. This has been a huge disappointment for our family. I work from home and own my own business this is the only reason why I’ve been able to be on so long. I still have not scored tickets. I have experienced the same problems everyone else has experienced. My sister in Fl. however at 2:12 pm was able to get 6 tickets.

Her family and ours were planning on camping out to get tickets. Thank God they received tickets because their plane tickets were already bought. We only need 2 more tickets so here I go again trying to get tickets. Just heard from the news that they will distribute until late evening SO GOOD LUCH EVERYONE!!!

Posted by: Woodbridge Mom, Va., Mar 26, 2009 02:35:34 PM

Ditto all of the above. Had order in hand (2x), entered verification code, system crashed. Started this a.m. shortly after 8 a.m.

What hard-working American can skip work to be online all day to try to get tickets for his/her kids? Talk about "economic stimulus"?! How many of hundreds of thousands of dollars got wasted today because people were online instead of doing their job and being a productive member of this economic chaos we live in?

Posted by: Dorothy, Mar 26, 2009 01:31:15 PM

I’ve tried since about 11:12 this morning and even called the frontticketgate folks to complain since the site is down, crashes, down again, then you see the area to choose your tickets and all options are empty and then the site crashes again! this is terrible! Frusterated!

Posted by: STafford Mom, Mar 26, 2009 12:30:53 PM

I really enjoyed going last year, camping out, being woken at 3am, and shivering. No, I did!

This is such a hard thing to organize and I feel lucky that I was able to go once. I just hope a lot of everyday folks go this year and not just the connected and wealthy.

Posted by: MD dad, Mar 26, 2009 11:09:55 AM

What a mess I did not get tickets so the average dc hard working family will not be attending the 2009 whitehouse easteregg roll. I’ve been online since 12am around 9:15am i was able to order the tickets i was then askes to enter the code after doing so i was disconnected from their
system. After several attempts of being told tickets are no longer available at this time I’ve decided to give up i have to agree with Paula I would have preferred waiting in line
GOOD LUCK TO THE AVERAGE HARD WORKING FAMILY

Posted by: average dc working mom, Mar 26, 2009 10:37:20 AM

Clearly they were unprepared for the kind of response they are receiving. It is ridiculous that they could not have predicted this and planned the site accordingly. They have been changing the site throughout the day to the point where now they are kicking you out to a blank white page that just says check back later. At least earlier you could be on the actual website and logged in or were in a holding room.

Posted by: Cheryl, Mar 26, 2009 10:25:21 AM

Like everything else in this world, the Easter Egg Roll has taken on a life of its own and is now too big. We have had no luck thus far on line.

Last year even though I waited in line beginning at midnight (I could have cared less that the Jonas Bros. were there) after driving down from Philly, I was turned away without tickets. I think it is good they are trying to do this online but clearly demand is too great. It used to be so simple in the late 90’s to go to this event and even during the first years of President Bush.

Perhaps the White House should consider making it a week long event and go back to it just being the "egg roll" and some crafts, etc. and less like a Disney Channel show. Maybe it should only be open to kids 10 and younger? It used to be a thrill just to walk on the White House lawn and participate. You don’t need all the extra sfuff.

Happy Easter!

Posted by: What has happened to this great event!, Mar 26, 2009 10:00:39 AM

WHAT A MESS!!!!!!!!! HUGE DISAPPOINTMENT! I agree waitning in line would have been better because at least you knew where you stood.

Posted by: DISAPPOINTED, Mar 26, 2009 09:57:32 AM

I agree to most of the comments above. My experience was I reached the point where it asked me to enter the code. At first, I didn’t see the code but it did appear. I entered the code and it kicked me back to the beginning this was around 8:15. I have to say I’ve been up all night trying. I to am at work glued to the site.

Let’s keep our fingers crossed for the next round! Sad face on me at this moment.

Posted by: betkitty, Mar 26, 2009 09:49:23 AM

I too think this was a very dumb idea. I am very disappointed by this system. I got as far as ordering tickets only to be told that none were available. Is the government going to go after the scalpers? I thought sclaping was illegal!

Posted by: Richmond Mom, Mar 26, 2009 09:16:24 AM

This idiotic stunt is right on par for this administration - first the inauguration ticket online debacle and now this. And they are supposed to be competent enough to run the most powerful country in the world? What a joke. Not a snowball’s chance in … of getting egg roll tickets now. I’ve been trying all day with zero luck. What a joke, and it’s on us. Way to go Mr. Pres., I’m really impressed. With waiting in line, at least you knew you would get tickets if you got in line early enough, and the camaraderie was great. This online method is wrought with stupidity; par for the course.

Posted by: Alexandria Dad, Mar 26, 2009 08:55:44 AM

Yes, I noticed. That was really stupid. So, I tried for 2 adults 2 children even though I didn’t need the extra child. The whole system is just not right.

Who knows when they will release more??? How does this make it so more people can get the tickets? I don’t get it.

Posted by: VA Mom, Mar 26, 2009 08:30:19 AM

Did anyone notice there was not a category for 2 adults and 1 child?

Posted by: John, Mar 26, 2009 08:19:24 AM

Any clue what time the next batch will be disbursed? I guess my entire day will spent glued to the computer in hopes of receiving a few tickets. Thank God for my daughters who taught me patience.

Posted by: Tanya, Mar 26, 2009 08:16:20 AM

Ive been trying since 8am with no luck. It wasnt intill after 9 that i could get into the system to try to get tickets. I tryed all the times given and was unable to get 2 kids and 2 adult tickets. I have a half an hour left before i have to go to work and give up. I really wanted my kids to go and all so me. Good luck to all i hope you get your tickets but i think that scalpers will get most of the tickets.

Posted by: matt, Mar 26, 2009 08:03:44 AM

Ditto to all of the above! ugghhh!

Posted by: LaChelle, Mar 26, 2009 07:46:53 AM

No, I wasn’t able to get tickets this morning. I tried for 2.5 hours (8-10:30am). I made it to the screen to enter the code, but I didn’t see a code. I clicked on "can’t see code" then it kicked me out the system. I’m not worried though because I know I will get through today and get tickets for my son, niece, and nephew. God bless all who are trying to get tickets - keep the faith!

Posted by: VA - Sabrina Moore, Mar 26, 2009 07:45:28 AM

This is a TERRIBLE system! I, too, got to the screen where you choose your tickets only to be told there were none available. I tried for every possible combination of time and ticket amounts and was repeatedly told there were non available. Did ANYONE get tickets? I know some man in Florida did because he already sold them on ebay for $700!!!! That is why this system is terrible. At least if you wait in line, you work for it and appreciate it.

Posted by: Angie, Mar 26, 2009 07:45:20 AM

Terrible, terrible system. I got very close (choosing tickets) only to be told there are no tickets available for any time.
I would have much preferred waiting in line for ticets, at least I would know where I stood.
I expect I will be wasting the morning doing this only to not get tickets.
Who is the brain in the White House who decided to do this?

Posted by: DC Mom, Mar 26, 2009 07:27:10 AM

NO this is terrible, I have been trying all morning and all the tickets are unavailable. I made it as far as ordering the number of tickets and their system disconnected me.
This is so frustrating and unorganized. Would have much preferred waiting in line.

Posted by: Paula, Mar 26, 2009 07:22:39 AM

Tried repeatedly this morning with no luck; it was a horrible experience that was clearly not thought through very well. God help anyone on a dial-up connection.

Posted by: VA dad, Mar 26, 2009 07:13:43 AM

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