Heading to Ultra Miami for the first time? Wondering what to expect? Look no further, we’ve got you covered. As grizzled veterans of Ultra (4 years and counting) we’ve got all the essential tips you’ll need to have a great time at your first Ultra!
1. Get the Ultra Miami app
The Ultra app includes set times, festival ground maps, bathroom locations, and a bunch of other useful stuff. We highly recommend getting the app beforehand – downloading it at the festival might be tough given the number of people. You can find the iOS version here, and the Android version here.
2. Bring a portable battery / charger
There are a few charging stations available in the venue, but we highly recommend bringing your own. Alternatively, you can get a battery case for your phone. There’s nothing worse than running out of juice at the end of the festival when you’re trying to call an Uber or look for your friends!
3. Set up a meeting place / time with your friends
If you’re going to Ultra with a group, there’s a good chance you’ll get separated. People will want to go to different stages, people will need to go to the bathroom, etc. Set up times and a meeting point for people to check in every few hours. Or maybe at the end of the night.
4. Dress appropriately
Be sure to check the weather forecast. Miami is usually pretty sunny around Ultra, but there have definitely been years where it’s rained. Make sure you bring comfortable shoes.
5. Eat and Hydrate
Make sure you stay hydrated throughout the day, especially if it’s hot and you’re dancing hard. Eating is also important to fuel the dance!
6. Arrive early or later
Ultra opens at 4 PM on Friday, but people usually start lining up earlier. If you’re trying to get in without as much waiting, we recommend arriving at 5 or 6 Friday. If you want to be first to get in, you may need to start lining up as early as noon on Friday. On Sat and Sun, doors open at noon. Lines usually aren’t as bad on these days because people gradually trickle in throughout the day.
7. Leaving Ultra
In general leaving a bit before the festival ends makes it way easier to catch a ride share / taxi / drive without dealing with traffic. In general it’s usually going to be a lot more pleasant to leave earlier or hang back and wait until the crowd thin out. There will be a lot of taxis lined up by American Airlines Arena. The bus also runs 24 hours a day, for those of you heading to South Beach.
Ultra will check your ID at the gate, so make sure everyone has it before leaving the hotel – or else you’ll have to run back and get it.
10. Pace yourself
Like all 3 day festivals, Ultra is a marathon not a sprint!
11. Afterparties
If you’re planning on going to after parties, it’s usually much smoother if you buy your afterparty tickets in advance. You’ll end up paying less than you will at the door, and in some cases a ticket is required to get in.
Lastly, don’t over plan your day!
Enjoy the sights and sounds, go with the flow, explore the festival, and meet new friends – Ultra Miami is one of the best EDM music festivals and you’re going to have a great time!
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If you’ve been to Ultra (or any other festival) you’re well aware that there are number of simple things to bring that can greatly enhance your festival experience. Most of these items are fairly cheap yet they can go a long way towards helping you enjoy Ultra. These are the top items we’d recommend bringing to Ultra Miami:
Camelbak
Ultra starts during the day (doors open at noon on Sat and Sun) – and it can definitely get pretty hot. Staying hydrated is essential to having a good time. There are free water refill stations throughout the festival grounds, so bringing a large Camelbak is a great way to avoid paying for bottled water and avoid waiting in the water refill lines.
Sunblock / Chapstick
As mentioned above – Ultra is more of a day time festival and you’ll be spending a lot of time in the sun. Keep applying that sunscreen and chapstick to make sure you don’t get burned! There are a few shaded areas but most of the grounds are pretty exposed.
Cheap Sunglasses
Sensing a theme here? : ) Spending a lot of time in the sun means you’ll want to bring some shades with you. There’s a good chance you might lose or destroy them, so we’d avoid bringing your designer shades.
Portable Phone Charger / Extended Battery Case
There’s nothing worse than running out of battery and losing your friends. As with all festivals, cell phones tend to struggle to find service, draining your precious battery. Having a working phone is critical especially at the end of the night when you need to call that Uber or meet up with your friends. There are a few charging stations in the festival but having your own is definitely worth the peace of mind.
Comfortable Shoes
Spending 3 days dancing can take a toll on even the most hardy feet. Between walking to the festival, walking between stages, waiting in bathroom lines, and dancing, you’re going to put a lot of miles on those shoes. Do not go in a new pair of shoes unless you’re interested in returning with blisters. Additionally, your shoes will probably be in rough shape after 3 days of Ultra.
Earplugs
Especially essential if you’re planning on getting up close and personal at the stages. Long term ear damage is no joke.
Toilet Paper / Kleenex
Essential for the ladies especially. The last thing you want is to reach over for the TP after doing your business and realizing that the roll is empty…
Hand Sanitizer / Wet Wipes
Your hands will definitely be pretty grimy after a day at the festival. Porta-potties can get really nasty. Bring some wet wipes to clean the seat or to wipe your butt. Or to clean your hands before eating.
Your Ticket
Duh! Though if you do forget this – it’s not the end of the world, as long as you have the credit card you used to purchase the ticket as well as your ID. Expect to wait in a very long line and to pay a replacement fee.
Kandi / Costumes / Flags
These are fun items to bring, but not essential. Ultra has a very relaxed dress code, and there’s definitely a PLUR atmosphere. If you’re into the rave scene, feel free to bring some Kandi to trade with others. Ultra is also a very international festival – people from all over the world rep their flags at Ultra!
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https://i0.wp.com/discotech.me/wp-content/uploads/2020/10/ultra_miami.jpg?fit=1600%2C1066&ssl=110661600Discotechhttps://discotech.me/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/Discotech-Black-Logo-300x138.pngDiscotech2020-10-26 14:26:122020-10-26 14:29:47What Items Can I Bring to Ultra Miami?
With over 150,000 attendees over the course of a three-day weekend at the tail end of Winter Music Conference, Ultra Miami is truly a Mecca for EDM lovers. In addition to the festival itself, there are also countless Miami pool parties and nighttime events during the week leading up to Ultra.
Anyone who is going to Ultra Miami knows there’s a lot of planning to do – flights, hotels, tickets, rave gear etc. Of course, all of this adds up and can do some serious damage to your wallet. If you’ve attended a multi day festival before, you should be well aware that the cost of the ticket is just the beginning. In this post we’ll go over an approximation of how much you should have budgeted for a trip to Ultra Miami.
Ultra Miami Ticket – $350 per person
Ultra Miami releases their tickets in a tiered system. They release tickets in batches (or tiers) at a certain price, and when those tickets sell out that tier is over and they go to the next tier where tickets are more expensive. The cheapest tickets are the early bird tier 1 tickets which typically go for $300 plus fees, which ends up being around $350. This is the cheapest price for official Ultra Tickets. Of course it’s possible that you may be able to get cheaper tickets on the resale market but that comes with it’s own risks and headaches. VIP tickets start around $1350 including fees. For more information on Ultra tickets check our FAQ page.
Ultra Miami Hotel / Airbnb – $75-500 per person per night
A few general rules of thumb when it comes to housing at Ultra Miami:
The further out you book, the cheaper your prices will be. If you book your hotels a year in advance, you’ll typically be able to get the best prices – and you’ll often also find some points award availability as well with Marriott, Intercontinental, Hilton, etc. The closer to the event, the higher the prices will be.
The closer the hotel is to Bayfront Park, the more expensive it’s going to be. “Nicer” hotels within 2 miles of Ultra will average around $500 a night, which could run as much as $2000 for the whole weekend if you arrive on Thursday night.
If you’re trying to save money, we recommend looking for hotels along the Metromover or Metrorail. Bayfront Park is easily accessible from both of these public transit options, and you can save some money by staying at a hotel thats further away from Bayfront but still within walking distance of a Metro stop.
The other factor is the # of people in your hotel room. There are many hotels with two queens or doubles, which means that you can fit 4 people comfortably in the room. This can obviously make things much cheaper per person if you have twice the number of people in a hotel room. For the budget conscious, you’ll probably want to look for these options first, but keep in mind that these rooms are also in higher demand and will be booked out earlier.
Many hotels and booking platforms allow you to cancel your booking before a certain date with no additional fees – we recommend booking the hotel early to lock in the room / rate and cancelling if later if you need to.
The same rules generally apply to Airbnbs, except that you generally won’t be able to cancel without fees. There are a wide range of Airbnb options in Miami, from cheap places in bad neighborhoods to penthouse suites. Expect to pay more for proximity to the festival. We also recommend booking with superhosts, as regular hosts can (and sometimes will) cancel on you, which can definitely throw a wrench into your plans.
Food & Drinks – $60-100 per day
This obviously can vary wildly depending on where you decide to eat, and how much / where you drink. In the festival itself, expect to pay $10 per drink, $15-20 per meal. You can obviously save some money by going to Chipotle and pregaming at your hotel before heading to the festival. Alternatively, if you’re hanging out in South Beach, you can expect to pay $20 per drink and more for food. We recommend budgeting $60-100 for food / drink per day.
Miami runs most of their public transportation additional hours and/or more frequently during Ultra Miami, which is nice for festivalgoers. There are three main forms of public transportation within Miami – Metro Mover, MetroRail and MetroBus.
The Metro Mover is a free, elevated railway that runs around downtown Miami. This railway runs on a 4.4 mile loop around downtown Miami, and again it is free. If you are near any of these stops it is a great option for getting to Ultra Miami.
The MetroRail is a good option if you are staying outside of downtown Miami as it has a train that runs both north and south of Miami. The traffic for Ultra Miami is always awful so if you can park at a MetroRail station and take that in it will be both inexpensive and stress free. MetroRail will run you $2.25 each way.
The final option for getting to Ultra Miami is the MetroBus is also $2.25 and runs throughout the greater Miami area. If you stay in South Beach you will want the 119 bus, which will be about a 30 minute ride to Ultra Miami. Let’s assume you use a combination of these options and end up spending $30 to get to Ultra Miami throughout the weekend. If you are smart and take advantage of public transportation this should be quite reasonable.
If you don’t take public transit, you can expect your costs to go up. Ubers and Lyfts will definitely be surging when the festival ends (though of course you can split it between multiple people). Alternatively you can also take a free Metro Mover away from the festival a few stops and then call and Uber/Lyft to avoid the surge.
Airfare to Miami – Varies
Airfare to Miami is obviously going to be a big portion of expenses, but can vary depending on where you’re coming from. If you’re trying to save some money we recommend flying into Fort Lauderdale (FLL) – this is about 25 miles or 40 minutes – 1 hour away from downtown Miami, but flight prices are generally cheaper than flying directly into downtown Miami. Most of the discount carriers will fly into FLL instead of MIA. You’ll also have to factor in the cost of your Uber / Lyft though – so this option is best if you’re traveling with friends.
The Miami airport is definitely much closer (10 miles) and more convenient than FLL, but flight prices for the weekend will also be much more expensive.
We recommend setting up a google flight alert for the dates / flights times that you’re looking at. The google alert will send you an email when the prices increase or drops, and it also gives you an indication of whether the current fares are expensive or cheap.
Traveling from Airport to Hotel – $4.50 to $100
Again, this will depend on where you are staying in Miami. When travelling to Miami I generally just Uber to wherever my hotel is located. You can take the MetroBus, but this will be slower and carrying all your luggage across multiple bus stations isn’t exactly fun. If you are going to downtown Miami the Uber will be around $15 and to South Beach it will be about $25. If you take the MetroBus you can save some money and will only spend $2.25 each way.
If you’re Ubering from FLL, it will probably be at least $40-50 to downtown Miami.
Total Costs for Ultra Miami Weekend
An Ultra Miami trip can be pulled off for as low as $800, assuming you book flights early, split a hotel with friends, and don’t spend too much on food / drinks. But realistically we’d expect to budget around $1000-1500 for the whole weekend, especially if you plan on going to after parties, staying more than just 3 nights, and splurging a bit on your accomodations. As they say – you can’t put a price on fun!
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Yes, Florida sure has its fair share of weird headlines, but did you know that the music festivals out on this lovely coast have the best headliners? No? Well you don’t have to take my word for it, just take a look at the some of the best music festivals Florida has to offer and decide for yourself.
Get the latest news and announcements on Florida festivals on the Discotech App!
Electric Daisy Carnival (Orlando) – November
Decked out with thrilling roller-coasters and a plethora of interactive art exhibits, Electric Daisy Carnival proves to be the real love-child of amusement parks and concerts. Unfolding across multiple elaborately decorated stages, this music festival’s high-production value is matched only by its incredible ambience – a perfect mixture of hippie-dippie inclusivity and edgy creativity. In between the zip-line rides and art-hopping, make time for some stirring performances by the likes of Timmy Trumpet, Bassnectar, and Alison Wonderland.
Rolling Loud Festival (Miami) – May
Put your hands together for the largest hip-hop festival to grace the globe! By building up a reputation of putting together the most star-studded line-ups in hip-hop history, Rolling Loud has become synonymous with top-quality music. Watch out for international sensations like 21 Savage, Cardi B, and Kid Cudi, as they take the stage by storm and cement your obsession with the genre for decades to come.
Ultra Music Festival (Miami) – March
If you think EDM, you think Ultra, and the one in Miami is the oldest and biggest edition of this elite music festival. Summoning over seventy thousand ravers annually, it’s safe to think of Ultra Miami as the American Mecca of electronic music. Brace yourself for an explosive musical medley stretching from techno to house and everything in between, and let the likes of legends like deadmau5, David Guetta, and Alesso form the soundtrack to your best spring break yet.
Tortuga Music Festival (Fort Lauderdale) – April
Birthed in 2012 with the noble intention of raising funds for marine conservation, Tortuga Music Festival proves to be an endless beach party with a responsible twist. Boasting a diverse buffet of musical performances from every sub-genre imaginable, this music festival is sure to elevate your beach getaway by granting you memories of groovin’ to Flo Rida, Maren Morris, and Kane Brown with a crew of smoking hot surfers you found in the crowd.
Okeechobee Music and Arts Festival (Okeechobee) – March
Given that it’s hosted at a venue as invitingly-named as Sunshine Groove, it comes as no surprise at all that Okeechobee Music and Arts Festival proves to be a magical experience for attendees hailing from all across the nation. Featuring an array of immersive art exhibits as well as awe-inspiring live performances by artists from a variety of genres, this four-day event can best be summed up as a beautiful celebration of life. Khalid, Bassnectar, Halsey – name your musical idol and Okeechobee will have their name tucked-away in its incredible line-up.
Welcome To Rockville (Daytona Beach) – May
What do you get when Florida’s most beloved rock festival meets Florida’s most iconic beach? An unforgettable summer of crazy tans and crazy tunes! Let rock ‘n’ roll titans like The Prodigy, Korn, and Rob Zombie bless you with two delightful days of musical awakening that’ll leave you electrified and just a little hoarse – courtesy of all the screaming and headbanging, of course. If mischief, mayhem, and hours of pure euphoria under the sun strike your fancy, then you’ll definitely love Welcome To Rockville!
Miami Beach Pop (Miami) – November
One of the newest and freshest festivals in town, Miami Beach Pop is here to show you why Florida is deserving of its title as ‘the sunshine state’ even in peak-fall. Armed with a killer line-up that gels together the who’s-who of modern music and unites musical fans across genres, Miami Beach Pop promises to breathe new life into the rolling sandy beaches the city is known for. Catch big-names like Chance The Rapper, Kygo, and Maggie Rogers and more live and in action!
The Fest (Gainesville) – November
Do your middle school self a favor and head over to Gainesville this fall for the most extensive and enticing buffet of indie music you could ever find yourself at. Delve deeper into the underground music scene while digging through wonderfully odd items on show at the pop-up flea market, so as to truly bask in the air of lovely, unfiltered weirdness surrounding this music festival. Think you’ve outgrown your indie pop and punk rock phase? Well, think again because by offering up chilling performances by musical powerhouses like The Bronx, Jawbox, and Less Than Jake, The Fest will have you falling in love with the genre all over again.
Gasparilla Music Festival (Tampa) – March
For a more laid-back and cozier vibe, head over to Tampa this spring break so you can indulge in the absolute treat that is Gasparilla Music Festival. Fueled by a desire to foster a sense of fellow-feeling amongst attendees through the uniquely intimate experience of sharing a day-full of live music, this festival really puts in a lot of effort into curating a line-up that is as diverse as it is inviting. Enjoy a selection of class-acts of both local and international acclaim, such as Toro Y Moi, The Pharcyde, and Black Rebel Motorcycle Club, while you soak up the sun.
III Points (Miami) – February
Smackdab in the middle of the city’s burgeoning arts district you’ll find III Points – a festival dedicated to celebrating every creative’s favorite trio: art, music, and technology. Committed to redefining the experience of listening to music, this cutting-edge festival features a multitude of exhibits ranging from panelists and educational lectures to interactive demonstrations and live performances. Groove to tunes from Tyler The Creator, DJ Seinfeld, and Peggy Gou while you get your art fix.
Clearly Florida’s where it’s at, so plan your next road-trip to the sunshine state right here!
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Swedish House Mafia is a Swedish house music supergroup consisting of Axwell, Steve Angello and Sebastian Ingrosso. The group officially formed in late 2008, were placed at number ten on the DJ Mag Top 100 DJ Poll 2011 and have been called “the faces of mainstream progressive house music. In 2012, they were ranked at number twelve on the DJ Mag Top 100 Poll. On June 24, 2012, the group announced they would split up. Their final performance was at Ultra Miami on March 24, 2013. For the next five years Angello worked solo, while Axwell and Ingrosso performed as a duo. On March 25, 2018, the group reunited with a surprise closing set at the 20th anniversary of Ultra Music Festival in Miami, Florida.
Here are the best full videos and recordings of Swedish House Mafia festival live sets available online! Check the Discotech app for upcoming Swedish House Mafia shows.
#SwedishHouseMafia#One #Miami2Ibiza
Swedish House Mafia – Live Set Ultra Music Festival 2013
Swedish House Mafia Liveset @ Madison Square Garden 16-12-2011
Swedish House Mafia – Liveset at Electric Daisy Carnival Los Angeles 2010
Swedish House Mafia Live Set @ F1 Singapore 2019
Swedish House Mafia – Liveset at Tomorrowland 2012 (Jockey Jay Rework)
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ZHU is an American musician and singer who has been active since the beginning of 2014, signed to Mind of a Genius Records. Until mid-2014, Zhu remained anonymous, asking to be judged by his music alone. His debut album, Generationwhy, was released on July 29, 2016.
David Guetta is a French DJ, record producer and songwriter. He has sold over nine million albums and thirty million singles worldwide. In 2011, Guetta was voted as the number one DJ in the DJ Mag Top 100 DJs poll. In 2013, Billboard crowned “When Love Takes Over” as the number one dance-pop collaboration of all time.
Here are the best full videos and recordings of David Guetta festival live sets available online! Check the Discotech app for upcoming David Guetta shows.
#DavidGuetta
David Guetta – Live Set at Miami Ultra Music Festival 2019
David Guetta – Live Set at Tomorrowland 2018
David Guetta – Liveset at Coachella 2015 (Weekend 1)
David Guetta – Liveset at Electric Zoo 2012 (New York City)
David Guetta – BIG Live From Ibiza [Songkick Live] 2019
David Guetta – Live Set at Miami Ultra Music Festival 2014
David Guetta – Full Liveset at Capital’s Jingle Bell Ball 2018
David Guetta – Live Set for Avicii Tribute Concert 2019
David Guetta – Liveset at Creamfields 2009
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Deadmau5 is a Canadian electronic music producer, DJ, and musician. He mainly produces progressive house music, though he also produces and DJs and other genres of electronic music, including techno under the alias Testpilot. Zimmerman has received six Grammy Award nominations for his work.
Afrojack is a Dutch DJ, record producer, and remixer. In 2007, he founded the record label Wall Recordings; his debut album Forget the World was released in 2014. Afrojack regularly features as one of the ten best artists in the Top 100 DJs published by DJ Mag.
He’s headlined countless festivals around the world, including EDC Las Vegas, Tommorrowland, Ultra Miami, Coachella, Electric Zoo and more. He’s also played sets at nightclubs, concert venues, and dayclubs / pool parties around the world as well as having a residency with XS Nightclub and Encore Beach Club in Las Vegas.
Here are the best full videos and recordings of Afrojack festival live sets available online! Check the Discotech app for upcoming Afrojack shows.
#Afrojack
Afrojack – Live Set at Ultra Miami 2019
Afrojack – Live Set @ Ultra Music Festival Miami 2017
Afrojack – Mainstage Liveset at Tomorrowland Winter 2019
Afrojack Live Set @ EDC Las Vegas 2018
Afrojack – Liveset @ Tomorrowland 2017
Afrojack Live Set at The Flying Dutch Rotterdam 2015
Afrojack – Live Set @ Amsterdam Music Festival 2015
Afrojack – Liveset @ Ultra Japan 2015
Afrojack – Liveset @ Ultra Music Festival Miami 2016