Everyone’s Wimbledon experience is different. You could camp overnight and end up on Centre Court. Or perhaps an influencer invited by a sponsor. You could be lucky enough to win the ballot. Or… you could be a hot mess who decides to join the Wimbledon Queue on one of the hottest days of the year.

Guess which one I was. This year, I decided to experience one of the most famous British traditions for myself: The Wimbledon Queue.

No hospitality. No Centre Court tickets. No special access.

Just a super early alarm, a cute outfit, a bag full of essentials and our fingers crossed to make it into the grounds

If you’re wondering whether it’s worth queuing for Wimbledon, here’s exactly what happened. Time to serve!

What Day is Best to Queue for Wimbledon?

We decided to go on Day 1 of the Wimbledon Championships in London.

The upside is, there’s plenty of tennis on Day 1 with lots of British stars and returning winners.

The downside is that those who camp out for tickets have had the weekend to build up a queue.

It is definitely one of the busiest days but we thought it would be worth it!

Also a note that the second week has less matches on the outside courts with so many players knocked out, so keep that in mind too.

How Many Tickets are Available in the Wimbledon Queue?

I’m sure this will vary from year to year but on the day we went, there were 10,000 tickets available in total:

• 500 tickets for Centre Court
• 500 tickets for Court 1
• 500 tickets for Court 2

When you arrive you’ll be given a Queue Card. It will have a number on which will give you an indication where you are.

My number was 6053 and we arrived at 5.15am.

As an aside on the day we went, Wimbledon put out an alert that all the tickets has gone by 8.30am so just keep that in mind. Also keep an eye on Wimbledon news for updates.

What Time Did We Arrive?

The alarm went off bright and early so we arrived just after 5am on the opening day of The Championships.

The closest station is Southfields Station. A lot of the tubes aren’t working at that time, so look at taxis, buses and bikes – check the day before.

By 5am the queue was already well established with campers and early arrivals.

If you’ve never done it before, it almost feels like arriving at an airport where nobody really knows what time it is anymore. Everyone is drinking coffee, sleeping on picnic blankets and settling in for the day.

It sounds strange, but the atmosphere is genuinely lovely.

People chat to complete strangers, play games, compare queue numbers, look after your possessions while you’re in the loo and swap tips. There’s a real sense that everyone is in it together.

How Long Did We Queue?

In total, we waited almost EIGHT hours before finally walking through the famous gates.

We paid for our tickets around 12.30pm but after ticket resale and security it was 1pm when we arrived.

It sounds like a long time, and it is. I liken it to the Hunger Games of queuing (if you watch my YouTube video, you’ll know what I mean).

And at times I was thinking it was live action version of the Ticketmaster queue! Basically you move from big queue to another big queue without any idea of when it will end!

But somehow the hours passed quicker than I expected. Plus queuing is very British.

How Much Were Tickets from the Wimbledon Queue?

From the back of my Queue Card it was:

£33 for a ground ticket.

Is The Wimbledon Queue Worth It?

For me, yes. There really is something quite special about earning your place at Wimbledon.

Walking through the gates after such a long wait feels even more exciting because you’ve worked for it.

If you’re flexible and don’t mind an early start, it’s an amazing way to experience The Championships without securing tickets months in advance.

I would warn you that the early start and the heat was a challenge for me. I suffered from heat exhaustion and had to retreat to the air conditioned Wimbledon Museum to cool down. There’s also a pharmacy on site if you need medication while you’re here.

What Should You Bring?

This was probably my biggest lesson of the day.

The weather getting pretty hot with nowhere to hide, staying comfortable became much more important than I expected.

I’d definitely recommend bringing:

• Plenty of water (in a clear bottle so you can take it into the grounds too)
• Sun cream
• A portable charger
• Breakfast and extra snacks
• A hat or cap
• Comfortable shoes
• Towel or picnic blanket to sit on while you wait
• A fan
• A compact umbrella to hide from the rain or sunshine
• Napkins and paper cups
• Hand sanitizer

Some people also brought blow up chairs, camping chairs, cushions and games to play. I’d say these are great but optional extras.

Toilets in the Wimbledon Queue

There is one big block of loos which are well organised with plenty of staff.

Just leave plenty of time to go, it took us 20 minutes to queue, so don’t leave it until the last minute.

For some reason there were plenty of free toilets at the end, but staff weren’t able to get people down there quick enough.

The Atmosphere

One of my favourite parts wasn’t actually the tennis.

It was people watching: outfits, families, picnic choices, friends, and visitors from all over the world.

Everyone excited for exactly the same reason.

It felt surprisingly friendly, and there was plenty of laughter despite the heat.

Once inside, the atmosphere only gets better.

The flowers are immaculate, the grounds are stunning, and suddenly all those hours of waiting become part of the story.

Food & Drink in the Wimbledon Queue

Inside Wimbledon Park where the queue is, they have food trucks like you might find at a festival.

Expect burgers, pizza, coffee and sweet stuff. Plus a Wimbledon Shop if you want to pick up merch.

You can leave the queue for half an hour to visit the nearby Sainsbury’s and Marks & Spencers, which is probably better.

However it is probably a half an hour round trip, so do this early. Otherwise the queue might move while you’re away.

It is good to go with a group so you could go in pairs. Although your neighbours will always look after your picnic blanket and place in the queue while you’re away.

Ticket Resale

Once you’ve paid at the marquee you’ll see a Ticket Resale queue. I was so sick of queuing by this point.

However, you can your Wimbledon QR code in the App.

Then if you’re really lucky and someone leaves Centre Court, 1 or 2, you might get their tickets at a fraction of the price.

We did this at 1pm and we got tickets to Court 2 when we had just left at 7.45pm. But it all depends on how busy it is and who’s playing and so on.

Things That Surprised Me

There were a few things I didn’t expect.

Firstly, how organised everything was.

The queue is incredibly well managed, with friendly stewards guiding everyone through the process.

Secondly, how quickly the morning passed.

Finally… just how hot it would be!

Let’s just say my glamorous Wimbledon outfit didn’t stay glamorous for very long.

Would I Do It Again?

Now I’ve queued once, I’m happy to let someone else take my spot next year!

If I was going again, I’d try to avoid a hot day.

Plus I would try to get there even earlier. Half an hour, so 4.30am, would have made all the difference and I might have got in before midday.

But despite the early alarm, the queues and slightly melting by lunchtime, I’m so pleased I experienced it.

If Wimbledon has always been on your bucket list, don’t let the queue put you off.

Go prepared, embrace the experience and enjoy every moment.

It really is one of London’s most iconic summer traditions.

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