If you’re trying to buy tickets on Ticketmaster and get placed in the virtual waiting room queue, it’s possible for your spot to be temporarily paused. This can happen for a few different reasons:
Your connection is lost
One common reason your spot is paused is if you lose your internet connection or the page refreshes. Ticketmaster’s virtual queue system works by assigning you a place in line and keeping you on the page while you wait. If that connection is disrupted, Ticketmaster can’t keep track of your place in line anymore.
When this happens, your spot will be paused until you can re-establish your connection and reload the page. As long as you reconnect within a certain amount of time (usually 5-10 minutes), your spot should be held and you can pick up where you left off. Just don’t wait too long or your spot could be released!
The queue is paused
In high demand situations, Ticketmaster may also proactively pause the whole waiting room queue periodically. This gives their servers a chance to catch up with demand and helps keep things running smoothly.
If this happens, you’ll see a message on your screen that the queue is paused and your time will stop counting down. Your place is still reserved but you’re in a suspended state until the queue resumes. This is totally normal and your spot should not be impacted as long as you don’t refresh the page. Just sit tight until the queue starts moving again.
Technical issues
Less commonly, technical glitches on Ticketmaster’s end could also cause your place in line to be temporarily paused. Issues like server overload or website crashes can interrupt the normal queuing process.
There may not be any messaging that your spot is paused if this occurs. You’ll just notice your wait time has stopped. Unfortunately there’s not much you can do in this scenario except wait it out. Your spot should return to normal once their systems are back up and running.
What happens if your spot gets paused?
If your place in the virtual queue gets paused for any reason, here are some key things to expect:
– You’ll stop advancing in line until your spot resumes. However, you maintain your place and others can’t jump ahead of you.
– Any wait time that accumulated before being paused will be retained. You don’t lose that time spent waiting already.
– Your estimated time remaining will be inaccurate until your spot resumes.
– You should periodically refresh once your connection restores to make your spot becomes active again. Don’t just leave the stagnant page open indefinitely.
– If paused for extremely long periods, your spot could still expire after an hour or more. So best not to abandon your queue.
The main thing is your spot is still reserved in most cases. You just need to periodically check back and refresh to make your place in line active again. Don’t panic if you see you got paused unless it stays that way for very extended periods.
What should you do if your place is paused?
Here are some tips on what to do if your spot in the Ticketmaster queue gets temporarily paused:
– First, don’t panic! Your place is likely still reserved.
– If you lost connectivity, try restoring your internet connection on the same device. Wireless issues, switching networks, or browser crashes could interrupt service.
– Refresh the page every few minutes to see if your spot resumes. Don’t just leave it idle.
– If paused for over 10-15 minutes, try reloading the full queue page again. This may reset your spot.
– Keep periodically checking back until your place resumes. But don’t obsessively refresh constantly.
– If over an hour goes by, your spot could expire depending on demand. Keep that in mind.
– Once active again, let the queue play out normally. Don’t refresh unnecessarily or you could risk losing your place.
Stay patient and keep trying if your spot is briefly paused. As long as you follow up promptly, you should be able to pick up where you left off in most cases. Don’t stress if it takes 10-15 minutes to resume. But if much longer, your spot could be at risk.
What causes your spot to get paused in the queue?
There are a few root causes that could lead to your place in the Ticketmaster queue becoming temporarily paused:
Lost connectivity
If you lose your internet connection, even briefly, Ticketmaster has no way to keep your spot in line. Your network connection is paused or disrupted, so your place in queue gets paused too until connectivity resumes.
Common examples include:
– Wifi dropout or switching networks
– Exceeding a public wifi time limit
– Router reboot or network outage
– Operating system crash or browser crash
– Switching devices or browsing in multiple tabs
– Poor cellular signal areas
Any interruption in your device’s ability to maintain constant access to Ticketmaster’s queue servers can result in a paused spot.
Website technical issues
With extremely high demand queues, Ticketmaster’s servers can struggle to keep up. This can lead to the whole queue getting paused temporarily.
Some common technical causes include:
– Excessive demand overwhelming servers
– Database server latency from load
– Cascading system failures
– Bandwidth or resource constraints
– DDoS attacks or security breaches
Even major sites like Ticketmaster can experience hiccups when traffic spikes to extremes. Millions of fans hammering servers simultaneously can tax any system.
Client-side technical problems
Glitches on your end locally can also pause your spot if they interrupt the constant connection needed:
– Browser crashes or page freezes
– Operating system crashes
– Computer restarting
– Running into storage limits or memory errors
– Incompatible browser extensions/plugins
Problems with your computer or browser can break the connection just as much as server issues on Ticketmaster’s infrastructure. Anything terminating the open queue connection will pause your place.
User errors
Mistakes by users can also inadvertently pause spots in the queue:
– Accidentally closing the browser or navigating away from queue page
– Clicking refresh excessively and losing place
– Allowing computer to sleep/hibernate during queue
– Having multiple queue pages/tabs open
– Forgetting to return promptly after a lost connection
Be careful not to disrupt your own place in line due to avoidable user errors. Be mindful if refreshing too much or abandoning your device mid-queue.
Can you lose your spot if it gets paused?
In most cases, your spot should be retained if it gets temporarily paused while waiting in the Ticketmaster queue. However, there are scenarios where you could still lose your place:
– You don’t restore connectivity for an extended period of time, exceeding the 10-15 minute grace window.
– Technical issues on Ticketmaster’s end cannot be resolved, forcing the queue to restart.
– The paused period exceeds the max 1 hour limit, causing spots to expire.
– You refresh the page excessively after being paused, accidentally resetting your place.
– High demand results in paused spots getting bumped by other fans jumping in line.
– Closing your browser or navigating away, losing your spot for good.
So while brief pauses are usually harmless, you do risk losing your place if the interruption persists too long or you make errors trying to restore your spot. Be patient, but also vigilant if paused for long periods.
How long until a paused spot is lost?
There is no definitive answer, as it depends on many factors:
– Ten minutes is usually a safe buffer if you restore connectivity promptly.
– Up to 15 minutes is still reasonably secure in many cases.
– Beyond 20+ minutes and risk increases substantially.
– Inside an hour is still recoverable if queue demand allows.
– Beyond an hour, and you almost certainly forfeit your spot.
So while you have some leeway, try to restore your connection within 10-15 minutes if possible. The longer you remain paused, the greater the risk your place could expire.
What happens if you lose your spot after being paused?
If your paused spot remains stuck for too long and ultimately gets forfeited, here is what you can expect:
– Your place in line will be reset based on available remaining capacity.
– You’ll be assigned a new place at the back of the active queue.
– Your wait time will start over from zero again.
– You’ll have no preferential treatment or restored spot.
– You’ll need to wait out the full new estimated time again.
– You likely lose your original opportunity if demand outpaces supply.
So it’s like losing your place and starting over. No record is kept of your prior spot. Make sure to avoid getting paused excessively long to prevent this!
Options if you lose your spot
If you already lost your spot after a lengthy pause, you have few options:
– Try again if any queue capacity remains available.
– Check back later if additional spots may open up.
– Use a different device and queue account to start over.
– Purchase tickets from a secondary seller as a last resort.
– Accept the loss and wait for the next pre-sale opportunity.
Once your spot gets forfeited from a pause, it’s gone for good unfortunately. You’ll have to start over or find other ticket avenues at that point.
How can you avoid getting paused in line?
Here are some useful tips to avoid having your Ticketmaster queue spot get paused in the first place:
Ensure a stable internet connection
Use a strong wifi or wired connection that is unlikely to disconnect. Avoid public wifi that throttles or cuts off users. Check that router and modem are restarting to minimize downtime.
Close unnecessary apps and browser tabs
Keep only the Ticketmaster tab open to maximize browser resources. Streaming video and high-bandwidth apps can also consume connectivity.
Use a modern, updated browser
Make sure your browser is updated fully and avoid any unsupported legacy versions. Popular secure options include Chrome, Firefox, Safari, Edge and Opera.
Don’t use multiple queue tabs/windows
Stay in one place only, as duplicates can confuse the queue algorithm and pause your progress. Only a single tab should be active.
Disable browser add-ons and extensions
Some ad blockers, privacy extensions and toolbars can interfere with queue functionality. Safest to disable them temporarily.
Don’t allow computer to sleep/hibernate
Change your computer’s sleep settings so the screen and system remain active during your queue wait. Allowing sleep can disconnect.
Periodically refresh if paused long
If your spot gets stuck for 5+ minutes, try refreshing periodically to nudge your spot. But don’t refresh excessively.
Following these tips should minimize instances of your Ticketmaster queue spot getting paused. But occasional brief pauses may still happen due to high demand. Just respond promptly if you notice your queue stalled for any reason.
Can you refresh if paused without losing your place?
You can safely refresh your browser if your Ticketmaster queue position gets paused, but only with some precautions:
– Wait at least 5 minutes before refreshing to ensure a true pause, not just slow queue movement.
– Only refresh periodically, such as every 5-10 minutes. Excessive refreshing can forfeit your spot.
– Scroll to the exact position on the page you were on before refreshing. This helps restore your precise place.
– If queue was paused over 15 minutes, consider reloading the full queue page instead.
– Once active again, stop refreshing and let the queue proceed normally.
Strategically refreshing can help nudge your paused spot to become active again. But be very careful not to over-refresh, or you could accidentally lose your place entirely. Use sparingly only after extended pauses.
Safe refresh technique
Here is one safe way to refresh your stalled spot:
1. Wait 5-10 minutes first to confirm a real pause.
2. Note your precise scroll position on the page.
3. Refresh the page gently once and quickly scroll back to original spot.
4. Let the page reload fully before interacting again.
5. Repeat only every 5+ minutes if still stuck.
6. If no progress in 10-15 minutes, try reloading the full queue instead.
7. Once unpaused, stop refreshing again.
Refreshing can nudge your spot if used wisely. But take care not to overdo it. Limit to only 1-2 strategic refreshes after prolonged waits to maximize safety.
What are the risks of refreshing if paused?
While refreshing cautiously can sometimes help revive a paused spot, there are risks if you refresh excessively:
– You may overwrite your reserved spot by essentially resetting your place in line.
– Excess refreshes can confuse the queue algorithm and lose your tracking.
– Other fans actively progressing can jump ahead while you refresh repeatedly.
– Your connection may timed out completely if refreshing too long inactive.
– Browser crashes or errors from over-refreshing could forfeit your spot.
– You may exceed IP request limits and get blocked temporarily if refreshing continuously.
The more you compulsively refresh, the more likely you are to lose your place unintentionally. Keep any refreshing to an absolute minimum to stay safe.
How many refreshes are too many?
There is no magic number for how many times is “too many” to refresh during a pause:
– 1-2 strategic manual refreshes is generally safe.
– Beyond 2-3 starts becoming riskier.
– Once per minute or more, danger is rising significantly.
– Near constant automated refreshing will forfeit your spot.
As a general rule, the less you can refresh the better. Refrain if paused under 5 minutes. And strictly limit to 1-2 times per long pause. The frequency is more important than the raw number.
Should you use auto-refresh plugins if paused?
It’s generally not advisable to set up any auto-refreshing browser extensions or plugins while waiting in Ticketmaster’s queues:
– Uncontrolled automatic refreshing is more likely to lose your place.
– Excessive refreshes get detected as bot activity, putting your spot in jeopardy.
– Auto-tools can end up DDoS attacking the servers, worsening glitches.
– Other fans queued manually will progress while you auto-refresh stalled.
– Unpredictable technical issues may arise from automation scripts pounding servers.
For occasional manual refreshing, the risks may be low. But automating the process can quickly spiral out of control. Queue manually and limit any refreshing to be occasional and deliberate only.
Auto-refresh alternatives
Instead of auto-refresh plugins, consider these safer options if paused awhile:
– Enable browser notifications, so you get alerted when your spot resumes.
– Use multiple devices to monitor progress while staying put in line on your queue device.
– Periodically check back manually rather than blindly refreshing continuously.
– Refresh just once or twice max per long pause.
The key is keeping human control. Technological aids can help monitor, but avoid fully automated refreshing bots. Manual intermittent refreshing is safer.
Does refreshing reset your time waited if paused?
In most cases, judiciously refreshing should not reset any elapsed wait time you’ve already accrued:
– Your time spent in queue before a pause is still tracked and saved.
– Occasional refreshes will not erase or restart your accrued time.
– Once unpaused, your wait time should continue ticking up from where you left off.
– Excessive or constant refreshing risks resetting your time, along with losing spot.
So on the whole, refreshing wisely should not impact your already elapsed queue time. That time in queue remains on record after typical brief pauses. Just avoid abusive refreshing.
When could wait time reset?
In these scenarios, your accrued wait time could potentially reset:
– After very prolonged pauses of 15+ minutes if queue expires.
– If you fully close browser or navigate away, abandoning your spot.
– After constant excessive refreshing triggering a reset or ban.
– IfTicketmaster queue has catastrophic failure, forcing full restart.
– Due to major account technical issues on Ticketmaster’s end.
So while occasional pauses and limited refreshes will not erase your time, extreme cases could still result in your wait being reset.
Conclusion
Having your spot temporarily paused can be a scary predicament but doesn’t have to be a disaster. In most typical cases, your place still remains reserved through brief pauses. Limit any refreshing, promptly restore connections, and your accrued time and spot should be retained. Be patient and vigilant and you can usually ride out short pauses. But excessively long pauses do risk forfeiting your place, so try to avoid those scenarios. With some care, you can safely navigate queue hiccups without losing too much ground.