Wimbledon first timer, do's and don'ts please 🎾

[leesmum]

Hi I've been incredibly lucky to get Centre Court tickets for the 2nd week of Wimbledon, I've never been before and not likely to again, has anyone got any helpful advice for the day? I want to make the most of what should be a fabulous day 🎾🍓🍾
Thank you.

Yeah I was worried about what water bottles would or wouldn’t be acceptable so I didn’t bother in the end and just bought a couple in there then refilled them as needed.

There is a pharmacy there which may well sell suncream (perhaps that’s why they were confiscating it, trying to boost their pharmacy sales!)

Make sure you have strawberries and cream very reasonable compared with a restaurant

I wish they'd issue some clear guidelines then we'd know where we were and could follow them!
Agreed! I've taken an empty metal single skin water bottle in previous years with no problem, but this year there's contradictory info about them - conditions of entry just says they must be empty (as in previous years) but the ticket holders guide just says flasks, travel mugs and opaque bottles aren't allowed. I tried to phone the AELTC earlier to and but no answer. I'll probably take a single use bottle and refill.

Like others I absolutely need to take suncream, or I will be burnt in about 20 minutes. I don't have any containers that I could easily decant my suncream into as it's thick, so will bring it and if it gets confiscated will have to buy some more.

Very jealous.
My recommendation is to take the biggest, size compliant soft sided cooler bag you have for your picnic and drinks but don't quite fill it so that when you come to security you can put your handbag in it too so that you comply with the one bag rule. Then store the cooler under your seat for the day.
Have a great day.

Unfortunately the sun cream sold there is unlikely to be any good for me as I have loads of allergies so can only use very specific lotions.

I can't see any complaints on twitter about suncream being confiscated (whereas there werw quite a few about it taking hours to get into the grounds for Queuers) I only see it mentioned in some online newspaper articles, as reports that suncream was confiscated, rather than quotes from people it actually happened to. Perhaps security threatened to confiscate it but didn't? Or perhaps some security guards confiscated from a small number of people incorrectly?

I am sure Wimbledon advise people to bring things for all weathers including suncream and they are very hot on sustainability so it would seem quite odd if there were a blanket ban on suncream and they were confiscating and binning it all. Plus the pharmacy is only small and I doubt it has enough bottles for everyone who'd want to buy one after theirs was confiscated. Would they really be willing to just let people burn? Or happy for suncreamless people to leave their seats empty as they can't be in the sun? That would be awful publicity for them.

Hello,

Just wanted to say we went today and it was incredible!! Rain didn't ruin our day until we were leaving and had to walk to the station. We were no.1 court and had dinner at the Lawn included so didn't have to worry about rain through the day or queues etc. Security were awkward and young arsey so and so's. I had a mini bag which contained nothing but my small wallet. The security guy made me open my wallet to look at the contents. It was unnecessary and he was rude. Overall a lovely day - got to mingle with lots of celebrities and enjoy some fantastic sport with some really interesting people from across the world. A lovely, respectful crowd with a sense of excitement and community.

@oviraptor21 we have an insulated cooler back pack, it's a couple of cm's bigger than the size permitted to bring in.....I'm hoping they don't have tape measures out 🙄😂

@Worryaboutwork thanks for letting us know how your day went, it all sounds fabulous 😀

@leesmum I forgot to mention if you have Amex they have a lounge you can use too!

There is an Amex lounge but it had a massive queue when I went to look for it - there were shorter queues at some of the standard food outlets!!

Hi all, we have ballot tickets for next Monday on Court 1 🥳 V excited, last time I went was ten years ago! Was wondering what time is best to arrive and which is the fastest gate for ticket holders? I have a dodgy ankle, not a serious disability at all, but wouldn't be able to stand in a queue for too long so happy to go early if it means getting in faster!

Don't get **faced on bottomless wine before the match and fall asleep in the loo missing most of the centre court match. It was my first proper time out after the kids had grown a little and I forgot I could not drink like a 20 year old anymore.

Do have a jumper for the evening when it's a bit chill.

Went yesterday and had a lovely time. Went in at gate 3 and the queue was not too bad.
Have to recommend a new food bar ( or at least I hadn't been before) not far from gate 3 .. had a halloumi wrap and it was delicious... extortionate but delicious!

Went yesterday to Centre Court, arrived Southfields station at 12.00, walked down and was through security and in the grounds at 12.30. Had a (small) overnight bag and handbag and it was fine. Security was quick but this was pre the protestors so it may be different today. The stewards en route just told us to join the shortest queue! Had a wonderful day. If you are going, enjoy.

Court one for me yesterday, it was great! We went in at gate 5, took no time at all (stewards were saying don't queue at the first one as there are loads more gates).

Pitcher of pimms is £32.60 if there is anyone else like me 😉

I'm going on Sunday, first time since 2008, when I used to camp on the pavement with my son!
Number 1 Court tickets,and I'll be bringing a small overnight bag and handbag.
Are cosmetics/creams and lotions okay to bring in through security or do they have to be under a certain size?

@BCSurvivor I went on Weds, small overnight bag and handbag, toiletries and creams etc , no problems at all and no guidelines/limits to sizes of items. Have a lovely time.

Thanks so much for all your replies, we go down tomorrow morning and are at Centre Court on Monday, really looking forward to it now 😀

I've seen some mentions in this thread of opaque water bottles not being allowed. I was there via the Queue on Saturday and the information sign about bag sizes and allowed /not allowed items says opaque and metal bottles are allowed but must be empty. So it seems the conditions of entry which ban double walled metal bottles (basically flasks and insulated bottles) are still correct. I guess the issue with those is you could be hiding something between the 2 layers.

If you want souvenir balls, don't buy from the main gift shop, head down to a kiosk near court 12 - they sell the players balls from that day, £4 instead of £9.

I was there yesterday, we had Court 1 tickets from the ballot. Queue was non existent at Gate 1C where we entered around 10.30. The tennis was great, our Court1 seats were quite high up but we had great view and seats were cushioned. We also managed to get seats in Court 18 to watch some men's doubles before play began on Court 1. Be careful about how you time your breaks on centre or court1, I had to wait for two changeovers at one point to get back to my seat because the queue was so long.

Food... EXTORTIONATE!!! If you are on a budget, bring all your food with you! There is a well stocked M&S near Southfields Station (turn left out of station and cross the road), and a Sainsbos local on the walk towards the AELTC. Huge queue for strawberries, we didn't bother in the end.

Drinks... again, total extortion. You can bring in max two cans of alcohol or a bottle with screw top. I brought in canned soft drinks in addition to my two M&S canned cocktails, no problem with that. Bring an empty water bottle, loads of water filling stations around the place.

Eating areas... loads of places to sit despite the crowds, we never had a problem finding somewhere to sit for lunch etc. There is a smoking area up at the very back, top of the steps beyond Herman Hill... but very few smokers (we are non-smokers ourselves) and loads of picnic benches. We had our lunch there and it was lovely.

Toilets... plenty around and well signposted. The bigger ones are better as the queue moves fast!

Merch... again, insanely expensive e.g., £40 for a Wimbledon t-shirt, those giant tennis balls £22, you get the picture!

Overall, we had a great day and the tennis was the highlight 🥰

But, having been before over ten years ago several times, I have to say it has become very commercialised and focussed on corporate entertainment... I suppose that's what brings in the ££££ but having been when it wasn't like that, I think it's a real shame and it's just not the same as it used to be 🤷🏻‍♀️

PS meant to add... the staff and security are incredible there!!! Nothing but helpful throughout the day 🥰

I was there for Middle Sunday, court 1...amazing day!
My son's lovely partner, Lauren, is working at Gate 5, managing the queue, this year.

I was there for middle Sunday too! Fantastic day (especially the Svitolina/Azarenka match!).

We had tickets (ie rather than being in “the queue!”) and was in very quickly. Cursory glance in bags. People were going in with two small bags so that seems to be flexible. No issues with suncream. We took single use water bottles to be safe.

As PP has said all staff were very polite and couldn’t be more helpful.

Day was very well organised generally.

I took in a bottle with a cork which we did last time also. Haven’t read it had to be a screw top.

Hope you had a great time @leesmum!