In this episode of the BoldlyGo Podcast, DeAndre and Taryn take you inside their entire Belgium and Tomorrowland adventure, from the complicated process of actually getting festival tickets to the moment they finally walked into one of the largest electronic music festivals in the world. They break down how they booked the trip, used points and miles for business class flights, stacked Amex Fine Hotels + Resorts benefits across their Brussels stay, and turned what started as a trip for a music festival into a much bigger European travel experience.
Before Tomorrowland even begins, the trip delivers plenty of stories. An 11-hour flight delay completely changes their plans in New York. However, they still manage to put hotel certificates, dining credits, and travel insurance to work before flying Brussels Airlines business class to Belgium. Once there, they explore Brussels through its food, history, architecture, Belgian beer, chocolate, and one of their favorite food tours, while also fitting in a spontaneous visit to Ghent. Their stay at the Tomorrowland theme hotel then marks the transition into an entirely different kind of experience.
DeAndre and Taryn break down all three days of Tomorrowland, including the massive main stage, unique stages across the festival, Symphony of Unity, premium dining experiences, surprisingly good festival food, the cashless Pearl system, transportation, bathrooms, crowds, and the overall atmosphere. They also explain why general admission delivered far more than expected and why they did not feel like VIP was necessary. After three packed days and a much-needed recovery day, they finish the trip with Lufthansa business class back to the United States and share their final verdict on the question that matters most: did Tomorrowland live up to years of anticipation, and would they do it all over again?
Timestamps:
(00:00) Intro: Our First Tomorrowland and Belgium Adventure
(02:38) How We Finally Got Tomorrowland Tickets
(10:34) Our Points & Miles Strategy and the 11 Hour Flight Delay
(23:23) Flying Brussels Airlines Business Class to Belgium
(29:08) Our Brussels Hotel and Amex Fine Hotels + Resorts Strategy
(38:28) Exploring Brussels, Belgian Food and the Ultimate Food Tour
(45:31) Tomorrowland Theme Hotel and Our Trip to Ghent
(50:23) Tomorrowland Day 1: First Impressions and the Main Stage
(01:03:09) Tomorrowland Day 2: Exploring the Stages and Symphony of Unity
(01:10:22) Premium Festival Dining and Tomorrowland Day 3
(01:19:44) Recovery Day and Saying Goodbye to Tomorrowland
(01:26:00) Flying Lufthansa Business Class Home and Our Final Tomorrowland Verdict
Key Highlights:
- Tomorrowland Tickets: Getting tickets can be incredibly difficult, but Global Journey packages can provide another path into the festival while combining admission with hotels or transportation.
- Points & Miles Strategy: DeAndre and Taryn used points for business class flights to and from Europe while paying cash for their Tomorrowland Global Journey package.
- Travel Delay Reality: An 11-hour delay on their positioning flight reinforces the importance of building extra time into major international trips and having travel insurance.
- Amex FHR Strategy: Alternating Fine Hotels + Resorts bookings across multiple eligible Platinum cards allowed them to maximize hotel credits across their Brussels stay.
- Belgium Beyond Tomorrowland: Brussels delivered memorable food, architecture, Belgian beer, chocolate, history, and a standout food tour, while Ghent offered another glimpse into Belgium beyond the capital.
- Theme Hotel Experience: Hotel Le Plaza extended the Tomorrowland experience beyond the festival with themed decor, gifts, breakfast, a friendship lounge, beauty services, and dedicated transportation.
- Tomorrowland Production: The scale of the stages, visual effects, immersive environments, and international crowd exceeded their already high expectations.
- General Admission Value: Despite normally preferring VIP at music festivals, they found Tomorrowland's general admission experience strong enough that paying extra for Comfort access did not feel necessary.
- Festival Food: Tomorrowland goes far beyond typical festival food, with a huge range of options and premium dining experiences that approach restaurant-level quality.
- Symphony of Unity: A full orchestra performing electronic music became one of the standout experiences of the weekend.
- Three-Day Experience: Exploring different stages on the second and third days revealed just how much of Tomorrowland exists beyond the famous main stage.
- Final Verdict: Even after long days, travel delays, and the exhausting schedule, both DeAndre and Taryn would return and are already thinking about another Tomorrowland trip.
Resources:
Need Global Travel Insurance? We recommend World Nomads
Some of Our Favorite Tools For Elevating Your Points & Miles Game:
Note: Contains affiliate/sponsored links
Connect with DeAndre & Taryn:
