Concert-goers were held up by traffic at the Dr Hook and Creedence Clearwater Revisited concert in March as 15,000 people tried to get to and from the State Highway 6 venue.
It is expected up to 10,000 people will turn out to party to the sounds of American, British and New Zealand acts at the Gibbston Valley festival and camping site, which backs on to the Kawarau River.
However, festival producer Dan Allen predicted no such outcome for this summer's event on Friday and Saturday, after discussions with traffic-management officials.
"The issue they had with the summer concert was because it was on the other side of the road [turning right across SH6], and where we are it will be much easier to get in."
He also predicted the shuttle buses running from Queenstown, Wanaka and Cromwell would lighten the load on the road, but warned the services would need to be booked.
With room for about 3500 cars, Mr Allen said he did not foresee any trouble with space and people were welcome to sleep in their cars and leave the next morning.
"We don't want people leaving at 3am if they have had a bit too much to drink." Senior Sergeant John Fookes, of Queenstown, said police were "reasonably optimistic" the traffic disruption caused would be "reasonably minimal".
"It will depend a bit on how many people they get out there and people can arrive on the 30th or the 31st, so it's not like a sporting event, where people arrive all within a couple of hours," Snr Sgt Fookes said.
"On the same token, we want drivers to care care and keep a lookout for people while driving through that site."
Performing from noon on Saturday will be international acts Tommy Lee (Motley Crue) and DJ Aero, The Crystal Method, The Freestylers, DJ Muggs (Cypress Hill), Kraak and Smaak, AK 1200/DJ Dara/MC Messinian (Planet of the Drums), Boombox, Ana Sia, Heatbox, and New Zealanders Minuit. A New Zealand line-up will play to campers as part of The "Edge Bass Camp" from 2pm until midnight on Friday, including Hamilton's Knights of the Dub Table Soundsystem, Dunedin groups Hunting Bears and Simple Thieves, Invercargill band Rhythmonyx and Queenstown acts The Station Agents, DubSide, Ghetto Blaster and The Fletcherz.
