However, there are still 10,000 £60 and £30 tickets available for the first three days, and Cheltenham managing director Edward Gillespie concedes that the decision to extend the meeting has backfired in certain respects.
"Lasting out three days here was never easy and some people have decided to go from three days to two instead of moving up from three to four," he said.
"I completely understand that, but I challenge anyone to say this is a watered down event.
"We couldn't afford to be headstrong with 80 years of history, so a lot of work has gone into getting the new races right, and from next Tuesday it will be time to stop talking and start listening to see whether people feel the changes we have made have been successful." Channel 4 pundit John McCririck started campaigning for a four-day Festival more than 20 years ago but admits the public response has been less than he hoped for.
"I'm surprised and disappointed that the first three days seem unlikely to sell out and, in that respect, I have to admit I was wrong," said McCririck.
"That said, I'm sure that once people are there they will wonder why they've been deprived of an extra day for all these years. I would like to see the Festival stretched to five days ending with the Gold Cup on Saturday.
"It won't happen in my lifetime, but four days is a step forward and I think they've got the new races just about right."
Political pundit and Festival regular Peter Oborne disagrees with McCririck on one point but is right behind him when it comes to the extension of the Festival.
"The cross country chase is complete tosh, but every day at Cheltenham is magic and I'm completely in favour of an extra day," he said.
"Sadly, the bloody Budget looks likely to get in the way next Wednesday, but I'm still inclined to go to Cheltenham and I think Inglis Drever could spring a big surprise if he goes for the Smurfit Champion Hurdle [on Tuesday]."
So pay your money and take your choice for the first four-day Festival.
Gillespie is rightly confident that the week will start and end with a bang, but don't be surprised if a little Festival fatigue descends in the middle.
The long and the short is that the Cheltenham's management will be trying to improve on something which was already close to perfect.
And, despite the gushing approval from most of the industry, the jury is still out as to whether they will truly carry it off.
