As a somewhat-jaded guy who loves the early access period far more than any other period in the event, I'm greedily heartbroken that more and more of EA time has been chipped away for earlier openings.

Yeah, I'm an asshole. But I seriously love the EA time period, how nearly every person out there is there for a reason, rather than to exclusively get fucked up and party. This has changed a bit in recent years, as EA passes have begun to shake loose easier, but... man, it just doesn't compare to the event. Thousands of people, all with a job to do. Nearly every person you talk to is an artist, or a volunteer, or salient in some way to some person somewhere. Construction equipment zips around the playa. You could drive your regular car around to do things (until recently... now even that is stopped). Huge work-lights illuminate the open playa, people camp next to their art projects, and somehow, the porto-potties are all incredible.

I fully accept that I am a dickbag. But I'm sad to see more and more of the EA time go.