SCHOOL ME about Monster Jams!! HELP!!

[DisneyLoverUSA]

My husband loves watching Monster Jams on TV. Hopefully you have heard of this event. It is monster trucks jumping things and racing around very loudly, from what I have been told, for HOURS, until you are literally deaf in both ears.

DH was JOKING that when we went on this vacation we were going to see if Monster Jams would be in the area and then he forgot about it. I happened to mention Monster Jams today because I saw it on TV and DH said OH YEAH I FORGOT and starts looking to see if any is going to be going on while we are there from Jan 26th to Feb 2nd. AND LO AND BEHOLD (you could hear the clouds part, the angels began singing, rays of sunshine shown down on us as the angels sung on high)

The decision was made (by DH) WE ARE GOING!! He will never have another chance to see it in person again because they never come to any where near where we live.

They happen to be having it on our Universal (short) day also so we will be done at the park by 1 or 2. We will go change clothes and go eat an early dinner then head over to the arena by 5.

The pit party thing is 2 to 5 and we are not going to that. It said gates open to the general public at 5 so I would like to be parked and headed into the arena by 5:30. The event starts at 6:30.

NOWHERE does any of the information tell me how long this crap is going to last. I call it crap because I never envisioned myself EVER going to a monster truck rally. But the things we do for our spouses. =)

Would it last 2 or 3 hours? 3 or 4 hours? DH said they are doing racing and the freestyle, whatever that means and I think he said there was 16 trucks. That seems like it could take a LONG TIME.

I will take my ear muffs and my Iphone and can keep myself occupied but I would like to know what I am in for. Is it so loud you can't hear the person next to you yelling in your ear? Does it take ALL NIGHT LONG? Am I going to regret going to this?

Have any of you ever been specifically to the Florida Citrus Bowl and how horrifying is the public parking situation out there. Even the parking map looks like there is a lot of dirt lots and grass fields to park in. How do you pay for parking if you are parking in a big field?

I see where ticket masters sells parking for lot B, which is the lot we want to park in, but it doesn't offer you anything to print off at home to prove you paid for parking. So I have to call them tomorrow and find out about that. Parking is $22.

But the tickets were reasonable, $34.50 each. The first rip off website I found ACE tickets, selling triple priced tickets over what Ticketmaster charges for them. We found way better seats for half what they were trying to charge. Less than half actually.


Have you been? It will just be the 2 of us, no kids. DH will have earplugs but I am sneaking out his shooting ear muff things and he won't even know I have them until we are there and all he has is ear plugs. lol.

Tell me what I am getting myself into and what the parking situation is like at the Citrus Bowl.
I imagine it is a madhouse trying to get out of that general area for an hour after the event is over.
I don't deal with traffic well, so DH will be driving us through the mazes of streets around the arena.

SO school me!!

 

[Planogirl]

I've never been to a show like the one you are talking about but I've seen monster trucks do their thing just to show off. It's really kind of fun in a weird sort of way and it actually didn't take them a long time to run the course.

DS liked monster trucks when he was young but we never got to take him to a show. I think that it's nice of you to go with your DH.

 

[DisneyLoverUSA]

I hope he thinks it's nice too because I don't like watching that stuff on TV and I doubt I am going to like watching it in person either. But he is taking me on a vacation for 7 days so I can spend one night going to something he wants to do. I just hope it doesn't totally SUCK for 4 hours to where I am wanting to shoot myself in the face before it is over.

 

[HelenePA]

I've never been to one but I do know 2 of the drivers. They live in my town, one I've known for 20 years. Anyway we looked into going one year and found that you do NOT want lower seats for this thing. Its going to be LOUD and the fumes are going to be bad. You can look some of them up on facebook and find more out about pit parties that way. John Seasock is on there, nice guy, he talks a lot about the parties. I do hope you have fun!

 

[bigbabyblues]

My DH & younger DS went to Monster Jam last year. DS (7) was on cloud 9, he loved it! DH wasn't crazy about it, but that's not his thing anyway. I think it was about 2 hours, maybe a little longer, but I didn't go. Definitely take the ear protection. I'm sure you can buy some there, but it's probably not cheap.

HTH!

 

[Wishing on a star]

Okay, I didn't read thru your whole post carefully...
But, here goes!
Yes, we took DS to a Monster Jam a few years ago.
We took him to the big one in Atlanta...
Now, of course, 'I' and even DH, are not Monster Jam fans....
But, you know what, it was great.
Go with a good attitude, and enjoy!

Here are TWO big tips.

1. The Pit Party is a MUST.
Really, it is GREAT to actually see these Monster Machines up close.
And, yes, even if you want, get in line to meet a driver or two.
I very, very, highly suggest that you do that.

When we went, Maximum Destruction was one of the huge, most popular trucks and drivers.

We actually got in line to meet the driver.
He was GREAT....
He would laugh and talk with the boys, take the little ones right under his arm or even on his shoulder for the photo op. He really loves (loved... it's been a while, I have no idea what the current situation is....) what he does with the Machines and the kids/men.

He was one of the first ones out, zipped that thing around the course like mad... and then, purposefully flipped his machine to the roaring applause and adoration of the crowd.

2. Okay, tip number TWO...
EVERYONE MUST HAVE EAR PROTECTION.
SERIOUSLY.
YOU CAN NOT IMAGINE HOW L O U D THIS IS.
The little in-the-ear things might help...
But, I would also consider some lightweight (not totally noise cancelling) headphone things.

PS: I am rolling here at your 'clouds parted... angels singing' comments!!!! You are TOO funny!!!

Also, for safety reasons, the lower seats will be roped off and will not even be available...
Mid seating is great!

 

[elgerber]

Agreed, they are REALLY REALLY loud!! I would get something to go in your ears, and perhaps something that sits over them as well. But my dh and son LOVE them, they are a ton of fun!
They probably last a couple hours, 3 at the most.

 

[njmom47]

Yup, went to a couple back in the 80s when Bigfoot and Bearfoot were the popular ones. Loud, yes. Dusty and smelly, yes. Fun? Heck yeah! I dated a guy who had a big truck so we were into all that stuff. I think you should def take heay-duty ear protection and something to occupy yourself but you may surprise yourself and actually enjoy the antics of the event.

 

[Wishing on a star]

In a decent arena set-up today...
We didn't notice the smelly-dusty thing to be an issue.

And, the one we saw was the full set-up...
With a lot of clay-dirt.
Not props on concrete.

 

[happily single]

I go every year as my ds7 is obsessed with monster trucks. Unfortunately our arena is pretty small. It is BEYOND LOUD and SMELLY. And cold, but we are in New England and its held in February so the cold is expected.

Expect to spend about 2 hours there. Although there may be lots of trucks and "free style" events each event is only a few minutes long.

 

[Scornelius]

I took my little brother to Monster Jam in Toronto several years in a row. Gravedigger was the 'big' guy at that time. We always had seats quite close to the front and the dust and noise wasn't horrid. Normal earplugs that you'd get for a buck at the pharmacy are fine. For smaller children I'd recommend the earmuff-style protection. It never took more than 2 or 3 hours, and that was for the monster trucks, motorcycle stunts and racing, and a demolition derby.

If you let yourself get into it, you'll have a great time. The energy in the crowd is always fun and friendly, and there's nothing like seeing a giant truck crush a schoolbus to really let you know you're alive.

Have fun!!

 

[DisneyLoverUSA]

Thanks for all your responses.

I have never had a desire to go to one of these things but DH has always wanted to go to one in a BIG CITY where they bring in all the big name famous trucks and do the Freestyle thing too.

I know he will enjoy it so even if it really SUCKS to me I won't complain about it. I don't wanna ruin it for him.

What's weird is we were able to buy our tickets through Ticketmaster online and print them off at home. HOWEVER the pre-paid parking you can pay for online but you have to pick up the parking pass at a retail outlet!! We don't have any Ticketmaster retail outlets in our whole state. So we are going to have to go to one at a Florida mall once we get there and let them print off the stupid parking pass we should have been able to print off at home. Such a P.I.T.A!!

I found my DH's shooting headphone/earmuff things he wears when he is shooting his guns and I am going to wear those and let him wear regular ear plugs.

We won't be right down in front in the arena. There are 3 sections. Lower/near the floor, middle section and super high up nosebleed section. I picked seats in the center section kind of in the center of the arena. You can actually pick out your specific seats on the Ticketmaster website. I picked an aisle seat for DH so nobody will be sitting on the side of him but me.

 

[vettechick99]

I think you will be surprised how much you enjoy it. I went to one when I was in high school. We didn't bring ear plugs because we didn't know..and it was so loud. I remember holding my ears the whole time. But it was so fun! You really get into it. I want to go to another with DD because she loves tractors and monster trucks. Have fun!