Getting Tickets for the White House Easter Egg Roll

This entry is for the compulsive over planners out there. I know who you are and how you think, because I'm just like you. So here it is friends; I am going to spill the beans, share the trade secrets, give you everything I know about getting tickets to and attending the White House Easter Egg Roll. Hopefully this will help another family plan their Washington DC vacation.

The Saturday before Easter, free timed entry tickets to the Egg Roll are distributed at the Ellipse Visitor Pavilion in Washington DC. You can get all the official information at this website: http://www.whitehouse.gov/easter/2008/ . Although they hand the tickets out at 7:30am, the line actually forms way earlier than that. If you arrive at 7:30, don't expect to get tickets. Your only hope at that point is to join the line of desperate parents who are offering cash to buy tickets from people who actually slept overnight on the Ellipse. I absolutely can not recommend that strategy though because Park Rangers say it's illegal.

This is actually the third year we will be attending this event. My husband has been the guy gracious enough to camp out all night for the tickets each year. In 2006 he had a family friend with them and they brought lawn chairs, coolers, blankets and sat out under the stars. They also froze their butts off. They got there between 10 and 11pm that year and secured tickets for the Egg Roll that were timed for 10:30. There were a few hundred people in line in front of them.

There have been some changes in our strategy since the first year. Nowadays my husband brings a pop up tent, a cooler, a sleeping bag, a portable radio, blankets, and reading material with him when he goes. If we decide to try this again in 2009, he says he'll bring a portable heater too. Another thing that we've been doing each year is getting down there earlier and earlier.

I can't explain why it's happening, but the line is forming earlier and earlier every year! The time on your tickets usually reflects your place in line. So if you get in line first you will probably be in the first group to enter the Egg Roll. Like I said earlier, in 2006, my husband got in line between 10-11pm and got tickets timed for 10:30. In 2007, my husband got in line between 8-9pm and noticed the line was much longer than the previous year. Our tickets for 2007 were timed for 12:45.

This year my husband showed up by 7:30pm and noticed the line was significantly longer than previous years. He actually called me to tell me he wasn't sure if they'd have any tickets left by the time they got to him so we shouldn't get our hopes up. The local news reported that the first person in line got there at 3:00am Friday morning! Luckily for our family, my husband arrived home this morning with tickets and I noticed they are timed for 1:15. The last entry time for the Egg Roll is 2:00pm, so I can see we were close to the cut off. My husband says there were over 1000 people in line in front of him.

While waiting in line, there is a camaraderie that forms with the people around you. My husband has actually run into some of the same families year after year. The first year he went, he had a friend there with him to pick up extra tickets (each person is allowed to get a maximum of 5). Last year, dh (darling husband) went by himself but was able to get extra tickets from the friendly people around him who didn't need all five of theirs. This year, however there were no extra tickets to be had, so we will be going as a family and not bringing any of the cousins with us.

When you get your tickets, they also give you a flyer with important security information. Like an airline, there are things you can't bring with you onto the White House lawn. You'd be surprised while waiting at the security line, how many people in front of you never bothered to read the flyer. Do yourself a favor, follow their instructions precisely and you'll save time getting through the security line.

If you arrive early on Monday for the Egg Roll, you'll be able to partake in breakfast which is spread out for attendees and there is entertainment at the Ellipse to watch before your entrance time. They then shuffle people into tents according to the time on their tickets and pretty soon you are led over to the White House lawn.

One of the benefits of being the very first in line is you get to see the President or First Lady who only show up at the very beginning of the roll. The year I got there at 10:30, I met attorney general Alberto Gonzalez. Even if you don't get to see your favorite (or not so favorite) politician, there will be plenty of other characters strolling around. We've met "historic presidents", Arthur and DW, the Easter Bunny, and many others in previous years.

About a week before the event, the White House will update their website with the scheduled entertainment. Last year they had one of my favorite children's authors there, Mary Pope Osborne. She writes the Magic Tree House books. So I took one of her books with me in my purse and during the event, I saw her strolling around the grounds and was able to get her to sign the book for my son.

The activities at the event include the famous rolling of the eggs, egg coloring, and an egg hunt. The actual activities are geared for kids 7 and under. But you can take older children if you have at least one child in your party that is under 7. I find that older children will enjoy the entertainment acts. Last year they had Hannah Montana (Miley Cyrus) performing and my 10 year old neice went crazy! This year the Jonas Brothers are scheduled to appear.

Some years the Egg Roll is called off due to rain or bad weather. That has not happened to us yet and I'm crossing my fingers that it doesn't happen this year. I've heard however, that even in the years it's been called off, it has usually been called off after the first hour or so. That means getting there early also gives you the best chance of participating on inclement weather days.

Finally, if you missed getting tickets on Saturday morning, I do know they give out a small number of tickets Monday morning, but I have no idea how many or how long that line gets. I would say camping out over Friday night is your best chance. It's really a fantastic event that every American child should get the chance to experience at least once. There's nothing like getting to play in the President's yard!

Stay tuned, in my next entry I'll give you details about how this year's event went!

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