23 Sundance Insider Tips for Your First Trip

Thinking about attending Sundance Film Festival for the first time? Well, it’s never too early to start planning! If Sundance is on your Bucketlist, like it was on mine, you’ll be happy to know that this festival can (and should) be done on a penny-pinching budget. Check out all my Sundance Insider Tips to make the most of your time and wallet while in Park City!

This Sundance Insider Tips article has been updated since I originally posted it in January 2018 to include even more budget-friendly tips.

Sundance Insider Tips for Planning Ahead

1.Hotels and AirBnB’s book up a year in advance, so it’s never to early to start planning your trip. 

2. Flying into Salt Lake City is generally pretty inexpensive, especially if you book far enough in advance. (I found $180 RT flights from LA!)

From the SLC airport, there are a couple shuttle companies that will drop you off right at your hotel. This may be the most expensive part of your trip. We found the best deal on Canyon Transportation, which was $40/person. 

3. If you’re traveling with a group, UBER might be a better option for you as it costs $40-60.

4. Alternatively, consider flying in Provo. The small airport south of Salt Lake City has a few direct flights on Allegiant Airlines, and it’s only 1 hour away from Park City.

(Interested in where else you can fly on a budget? Check out my article on French Bee Airlines!)

5. Festival passes and movie ticket bundles are released in mid-October. If you plan on seeing a lot of films, you may want to consider this option. But passes are expensive! If you’re on a budget, like me, wait for individual ticket sales in January.

Where to Stay & How to Get Around

6. Stay a few miles away from Main Street. It will save you a ton of money. Last year, my mom and I stayed 10 minutes away at a ski-in ski-out lodge at The Canyons for only $200/night. This year, we’re staying at a cabin up the hill from the Main Street for only $150/night. Anything right in town will cost over $500/night.

7. Consider renting a room instead of a whole house. Check out the “I Need/Have Sundance Housing” page on Facebook 

8. Don’t rent a car. Parking can be over $60 a day in town.

UBER isn’t as expensive as you may think. An UBER around Park City costs between $9-15.

9. Download the bus schedules. Don’t risk missing your movie! While there are a ton of FREE buses to get you wherever you need to go, they are not always clearly marked around town.  Download the schedule and use Google Maps’ transit feature to plan out your route ahead of time.

What to Pack for Sundance

10. Wear snow boots you don’t mind getting dirty and leave the heels at home. This isn’t a fashion show. The slush is thick and underneath the slush is ice. Not a good mixture.

11. Dress warm. You will likely be waiting in long lines in the cold, so bring a big jacket and warm pants.

12. Bring your ski gear and hit the slopes. No one else does, so the mountain is empty.

13. Pack a large and light tote bag to carry around town. You will get a lot of free swag.

14. Bring business cards, even if you aren’t in the industry. Everyone has them, trades them, you never know whom you may meet.

Phone Service

15. Carry around a portable charger with you (or a couple). Your phone will die.

16. Turn your LTE cellular data off while in Park City. Everyone and their mom’s are using LTE, so it’s very slow. Remember to turn it back on when you leave.

There are FREE charging stations around Main Street at some of the pop-ups.

E-Waitlist Day-Of Film Tickets

17. Do your movie homework ahead of time. Know which movies you want to see and what events you want to attend weeks in advance. Make a list of your top choices, 2nd choices, and even 3rd choices on movies. Tickets sell out very quickly. 

18. Link as many friends as possible on the E-Waitlist. Download the Sundance app and link to all your friends who are also trying to get into that movie. Whoever gets the lowest waitlist number will be connected with all those friends.

19. Waking up early pays off. Your chances of getting into a movie off the E-Waitlist are much higher in the AM.

20. Practice your speedy phone tapping skills. Yes, I’m being serious! You MUST be on the E-Waitlist site a little before 2 hours prior to the screening time in order to acquire a waitlist position. The waitlists for popular films fill up in <1 second, so you’ll have to tap the screen as fast as possible

21. Additional Sundance Insider Tip: Make sure you are signing up for a theater in Park City. Sundance Film Festival also has screenings at theaters in Salt Lake City, Ogden, and Sundance Mountain Resort.

Insider Tips for Parties at Sundance

22. Search “Sundance Parties” on Google 1-2 weeks prior and you’ll find a bunch of digital magazines like The Hollywood Reporter or Variety with RSVP info

23. Don’t waste your money on food or drinks in town. You get more than enough FREE FOOD & ALCOHOL at all the parties and pop-ups.

Disclaimer…

Most of the industry parties are weekend 1. If you’re looking for that liveliness and excitement, go weekend 1.

If you want a more relaxing experience and better chances of getting day-of film tickets, go weekend 2.

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