Guest post: Amber Jones gives us a fan's view of the Vikings experience at TCF Bank Stadium

Twitter pal Amber Jones hasn't made an appearance here for a while, and it's about time we changed that. She reached out recently about a stadium experience post after attending a Vikings game at TCF Bank Stadium. With the Purple set to return home for a game Sunday against the Lions — and Amber settling comfortably back into her niche as our unofficial fan experience correspondent — here is what she found after attending her first Vikings game at their temporary outdoor home. She also took all the pictures you see here. The opinions herein are hers. Amber?

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If you haven't been to a Vikings game at TCF Bank Stadium yet but plan to, expect some noticeable differences from your Metrodome experience — but also some similarities. The tailgating lots are still full of the same crazy fans dressed as Storm Troopers, weird alien cheerleaders, and literal Vikings. The grills, cornhole, and car systems blasting all of the Top 40 hits you don't want to hear are still in full effect. There was even a guy with a free photo booth in Lot 37 accepting donations to "Stop Inbreeding in Wisconsin" (I dropped in five bucks toward the cause). The SKOL Line still comes through to help get fans amped up. And if you're into that sort of thing, you can even find a fan zone outside the McNamara Alumni Center, much like the former plaza outside the Dome.

I didn't get up to the gate until right around noon, and the line actually moved pretty quickly despite looking hopeless. This is probably thanks in part to the bag/purse restrictions that only allow for a small clutch or clear plastic bag. The concourse is a beast, though. Unlike the Dome, TCF has one concourse shared between both the lower and upper tiers. If the crowd is at capacity like at Vikings games, don't even think about trying to move from one end of the stadium to the other and back during halftime. Actually, don't even think about trying to go to the bathroom during halftime even if it's right next to your section because that concourse is a complete logjam.

Outdoor football in Minnesota is obviously a total crap shoot. Early in the season we get some really beautiful game days (as is the forecast this Sunday), and it feels silly to think we'd want it any other way. When late October rolls around and it's 45 degrees and raining, that story could change. TCF doesn't really have anywhere other than the bathrooms to warm up, at least that I could find, so plan accordingly. The open-air does allow for some cool in-game presentations, like these paratroopers:

A lot of seating is bleacher-style, so expect those hard metal seats to get pretty cold as the season progresses. I will say this, though: Goldy's Locker Room is on point. This two-level store packed full of shirts, jerseys, hoodies, hats, baby bottles, beads, and whatever other randomness your heart desires is a huge step up from the usual generic kiosks.

The West end of the stadium (if you picture a horseshoe, it's the open end) is where all of your best food selections are located. In the main concourse you can find your standard fare, with a few bonuses thrown in like whatever those delicious candied nut things are, Famous Dave's and Dino's Greek. If you make your way down the stairs and across the micro kiddie field at the West end, you'll find Jax Cafe, a big cheese curd stand featuring regular or jalapeño, Panino's calzones, and Kennedy rounding things out with the grill. The Jax menu looked super solid.

When some hair of the dog that bit you is in order, don't go expecting to score a bloody mary. TCF allows beer and wine sales, but not hard liquor, to the general public. I was a little surprised by the limited range of beer options with just Miller Lite, MGD, Nordeast, Summit, Leinie's, and Redd's as the cider (gross). With the local breweries that seem to be popping up all over town, I really expected to see some more hometown loyalty and am a bit disappointed. Here's a tip: if you go to the North end of the Plaza you will start to see signs for more beer that seem to randomly direct you to an elevator lobby. Walk all the way through to the exterior of the stadium, and you will see a whole slug of beer stands back there with a bunch of bartenders twiddling their thumbs. This could prove to be a really great halftime refuge.

The University of Minnesota and the Vikings really have tried to provide the best experience possible while we wait for the new stadium to open. All of the staff I've encountered have been really nice and helpful. The police officers outside the stadium are pretty patient about people walking up to the gates with alcoholic beverages, though they'd appreciate it if you didn't. Inside the stadium, they have people positioned all over to assist you in satiating whatever cravings you might have. See? Just find this nice young lady and ask.