I tried to wing it at Sundance Film Festival. Don’t make the same mistake.

Sundance Film Festival is the largest independent film festival in America. 

Each year, filmmakers from around the world gather in Park City, Utah at the end of January to share their work. The festival has gained a shining reputation for uncovering some of the film industry’s most iconic performances since its humble beginning in 1978.

This is one of the best things to do in Utah and I promise, you’ll want to have an itinerary here — even if you’re the world’s best last-second traveler. Here’s my experience and why you should never wing it at Sundance Film Festival.

It was a rough start, as our trip began as a last-minute idea

I had heard of Sundance Film Festival but knew very little about the logistics of attending. A flight attendant on a work trip inspired me to go on a whim when he told me about his decade of volunteer experience. He said he’d met countless celebrities and seen some of his favorite movies at Sundance. I’d be a fool to skip it that week.

My boyfriend, Michael, is a screenwriter and the world’s biggest movie buff, so I booked a trip to Salt Lake City as a late Christmas present / travel date during the week of the festival. We didn’t consider any finer details until we were on the plane.

“We’ll wing it,” we thought. After all, that’s how we typically explored, and it had always worked out for us. Take it from a professional impulsive traveler: Sundance Film Festival requires careful planning.

The hottest events sold out almost immediately

Sundance packages go on the market in October before the festival. Package holders get first dibs on film and event tickets at the beginning of January. Film tickets for everyone else open in mid-January. Most of these events sell out within a day. 

Since I didn’t even know we were going to Sundance until the week of the festival, Michael and I were way behind the game. Every single notable event was sold out. Waitlists opened on the day of events to fill in for no-shows, but that wasn’t a reliable way to experience the festival. 

We tried to get on the waitlist for multiple movies and events, but others beat us to it in a matter of seconds. We found ourselves at the bottom of the list for nearly everything.

All you need to know is on the app, but it’s not very helpful when you download it late

The Sundance Film Festival mobile app includes showtimes, events, maps, and festival information. Purchased tickets and waitlisted shows are all stored here. It’s a one-stop shop for everything Sundance. 

However, it’s not that useful when everything is already sold out. Michael and I used it to see where everything was on the map, but that’s about it.

Everything from movie tickets to meals was expensive 

Park City is one of the most expensive towns in the country for its luxury housing developments and ski resorts. Throw in an exclusive indie movie festival and, guess what? Prices get even higher. 

Every restaurant warranted a $50+ bill for the two of us. Movie tickets were $30 each, and it was so packed in the theater that we had to crane our necks in the front row the whole time. It was not a pleasant experience for the price, that’s for sure.

The only free thing was the Park City Transit bus from the city station to the festival. While the Airbnb and car rental were affordable, everything festival-related was very expensive.

It snowed the entire weekend and we were freezing

Arguably, unless you’re skiing, January isn’t the best time to visit Utah. We knew Park City was cold, but we didn’t expect the weather to be as bad as it was. We came prepared with fleece sweaters and wool beanies… but nothing waterproof.

The snow started the moment our bus arrived at the festival. It didn’t stop for two days. Michael’s and my clothes were soaked in the first hour. We spent several hours trying to get warm and dry in a cozy coffee shop. After that, we navigated the streets under the cover of overhangs and umbrellas. It was rough.

First-come, first-serve events had lines down the street

Events that didn’t require pre-purchased tickets were our only viable option. But if we didn’t get there hours beforehand to wait in the cold, we were S-O-L. Lines for exciting events stretched on for blocks and blocks in the falling snow. It was a brutal waiting game.

And even if we did wait in line, lots of giveaways ran out before our turn. We stood in the falling snow for over an hour to get a Napoleon Dynamite hoodie, but they ran out about ten people ahead of me. The wasted time was frustrating and draining.

So what exactly did we get to do at Sundance?

Though many things didn’t go our way, Michael and I still enjoyed what we did get to do at Sundance. We were the last two customers to make the waitlist for a screening of an action comedy called Freaky Tales, so at least we can say we saw one film there.

It was the 20-year anniversary of Napoleon Dynamite, which debuted at Sundance in 2004. I got free tater tots and a t-shirt to commemorate one of my favorite films. Re-elect Pedro!

We went to a Black Keys concert at The Marquis, the live music venue in downtown Park City. I love music more than movies, so the concert was the highlight of my trip. The venue was intimate and aesthetic, and the music was divine.

We also got to see the cast of The American Society of Magical Negroes at their Q&A session. It was interesting to see the actors discussing their craft and the meaning of movies. Michael went to school for screenwriting, so he was super into it. Though I know nothing about making movies, I was intrigued to hear about the process from the actors.

Volunteering is the best way to experience Sundance for free/cheap

The flight attendant who inspired me to take this trip is a yearly volunteer at Sundance. He told me he gets tickets and access to special events in exchange for his time and labor. This could include any number of tasks from scanning tickets to setting up venues. It’s a cost-effective way to enjoy the perks of the festival in exchange for fairly easy work.

Had I known about this volunteer possibility earlier, I certainly would have applied. Many times you get to meet actors and entertainers if you’re lucky to get assigned to special events. Make sure to apply the summer before the festival for a chance to join Park City’s vibrant community of volunteers.

Renting a place and a car in Salt Lake City is the way to go

Booking a car and a stay was surprisingly a breeze. I landed a bare-bones sedan at the airport for just $25 per day. I was nervous because it was completely unequipped for bad weather, but we took our chances to save some money. It held up in the snowy mountains just fine.

We didn’t want to spend our life savings to stay in Park City, and last-minute hotels were over $300 a night. So we booked a stay in Murray, a suburb of Salt Lake and roughly a 40-minute drive to the festival. It was a private room in a shared house for just $40 a night. 

I highly recommend staying in the Salt Lake area and commuting to the festival to save money.

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Sundance Film Festival is super cool and rightfully renowned. It’s just not wing-it-friendly. Many events are exclusive and require early admission to even have a chance at getting in. If you want to attend this popular festival, make sure to commit and plan at least four months ahead of time.

I fully intend to return to Sundance Film Festival in the next year or two. I will volunteer or save up and plan thoroughly when I do. That way, I’ll know what I’m getting into and be able to enjoy the unique experiences the festival offers. I suggest you do the same!

If you enjoyed this article, check out my piece on getting denied entry into China. That’s another planning mistake I made so you don’t have to!