Personally, I'd say 100% that you need to join the ACO at least a few weeks before the members ticketing opens. At least then you get a decent chance of picking something up. You can go on agency waiting lists but if you're a new customer there's no guarantee that they will have something for you - and almost certainly not your first choice. Even existing customers (of long standing) haven't necessarily got their first choices this year.
My example. Although I'm now 'self-sufficient' so to speak (and sort out my own tickets as an ACO member), for many years (as a favour) I have bought tickets through 1st Tickets for the old friends I used to go to Le Mans with. This year the majority of them decided not to go to LM in '24 (but to do the Classic in '25 instead). But 4 wanted to go and wanted to camp (which they've not done before). Additionally, they wanted to try a different grandstand.
If they had wanted the same tickets as this year (entry and grandstand) they would have been pretty much guaranteed, however as they now wanted camping and a different grandstand, we had to wait and see what 1st Tickets could do for them after they received their allocation. Grandstand turned out to be fine, but camping not so (although camping tickets (Hippodrome) were offered). As it happens, on members ticketing day I managed to pick up camping tickets for them out at Mulsanne which they were happy with.
The fact remains that while the event remains as popular as it is right now, it will be a bit of a lottery. There is of course the resale site but people aren't reselling grandstand seats or the more sought-after camping pitches. In a few years time when the manufacturers drift away (as they eventually always do) and popularity wanes again, we may get back to some kind of pre-Centenary normality. Of course if the unthinkable happens and the race ever goes 'full electric', there will be thousands of tickets available.....
I'll get my hat and wash my mouth out.....
