Sticky Thread for Registration - What do you think?

[camaker]

It seems like every time we approach a new race registration day, there is a deluge of "how do I register" questions. What would folks think about putting together a sticky topic for the top of the board outlining the "How Tos" of registration? Moderators, can it even be done?

The post could cover everything from the general (need an Active Acct, separate registrations for adults, individual registrations for each race, etc) to the more specific of how to register early as an AP or DVC Member.

I'd be happy to help get it set up if we think it's worth it.

 

[Ariel484]

Great idea.

 

[ZellyB]

That seems like a great idea!

 

[opusone]

It seems like every time we approach a new race registration day, there is a deluge of "how do I register" questions. What would folks think about putting together a sticky topic for the top of the board outlining the "How Tos" of registration? Moderators, can it even be done?

The post could cover everything from the general (need an Active Acct, separate registrations for adults, individual registrations for each race, etc) to the more specific of how to register early as an AP or DVC Member.

I'd be happy to help get it set up if we think it's worth it.

Exactly... I was thinking about this the other day, but I would suggest that the sticky includes much more than just registration... sort of an FAQ for runDisney events. Topics could include:

Registration (with all the details you include above, plus basic info about going through charity groups or travel providers)
Proof of Time (I know it's part of registration, but probably deserves a separate section)
Host Resorts
Expo
Race Weekend Transportation (participants and spectators, onsite and offsite)
Day of Race Schedule and Tips

I'm sure there are other main sections I am forgetting, but that's a quick list off the top of my head.

 

[camaker]

Exactly... I was thinking about this the other day, but I would suggest that the sticky includes much more than just registration... sort of an FAQ for runDisney events. Topics could include:

Registration (with all the details you include above, plus basic info about going through charity groups or travel providers)
Proof of Time (I know it's part of registration, but probably deserves a separate section)
Host Resorts
Expo
Race Weekend Transportation (participants and spectators, onsite and offsite)
Day of Race Schedule and Tips

I'm sure there are other main sections I am forgetting, but that's a quick list off the top of my head.

I like this idea. My suggestion would be to split it up into 2 or 3 stickies (all could be titled "FAQ-[Title]" as appropriate). On first glance, I would suggest the following breakdown:

1. Registration & Planning (Registration, Proof of Time, Host Resorts)
2. Event Information (Expo, Race Weekend Transportation)
3. Schedule & Tips (I kept this one separate because I see it more as a "what I like and how I do it" advisory board for people to share experience rather than an objective information source)

 

[rteetz]

I think it's a great idea.

@ohMom what do you think?

 

[lurkergirl]

I would add Passholder/DVC versus regular registration, just because sometimes those links like to hide.

 

[bumbershoot]

It would be wonderful.

It would require updating just about every registration, because they tweak it every time.

And it won't take away the questions, because so few people really read stickies.

But some do, and for those, it should be created.

 

[ohMom]

Let me chat with @Tiger Lily 03 , she's at the parks post race right now. Keep brainstorming !

 

[FFigawi]

And it won't take away the questions, because so few people really read stickies.

People don't read the information published online by rD either, or else there wouldn't be so many questions about things that are already available.

 

[BuckeyeBama]

It would have helped me avoid my fail yesterday in registering my wife. These things are constantly changing. You think that you know what to do because you have done it before and "poof", they change something and do a poor job of communicating it. Would be great to have a single place to go with that kind of information.

 

[BuckeyeBama]

People don't read the information published online by rD either, or else there wouldn't be so many questions about things that are already available.

Maybe, but rD does not provide enough information on their site and admitted their holes to me yesterday on the phone. What is needed is explicit instructions - rD does not provide that kind of help anywhere.

 

[Ariel484]

People don't read the information published online by rD either, or else there wouldn't be so many questions about things that are already available.

They also don't read the race program - hence all of the etiquette complaints and whatnot, but I digress...

It would have helped me avoid my fail yesterday in registering my wife. These things are constantly changing. You think that you know what to do because you have done it before and "poof", they change something and do a poor job of communicating it. Would be great to have a single place to go with that kind of information.

Yeah, normally they tweet out a little "registration tips" thing, but they didn't do that this time. Also, that is not helpful for those who do not have Twitter...sometimes I feel like they rely on Facebook and Twitter way too much to get important information out. And their email blasts aren't reliable, either.

 

[FFigawi]

Yeah, normally they tweet out a little "registration tips" thing, but they didn't do that this time. Also, that is not helpful for those who do not have Twitter...sometimes I feel like they rely on Facebook and Twitter way too much to get important information out. And their email blasts aren't reliable, either.

As we've seen recently with the Wine & Dine debacle and the Goofy 10K plus half, not much they do is reliable. And yet we continue to fork over $596.96 to run four races....Sigh

 

[Ariel484]

As we've seen recently with the Wine & Dine debacle and the Goofy 10K plus half, not much they do is reliable. And yet we continue to fork over $596.96 to run four races....Sigh

HEY...they only got $400 from me yesterday.

ONLY.

...

 

[camaker]

People don't read the information published online by rD either, or else there wouldn't be so many questions about things that are already available.

Agreed. One of my pet peeves is seeing so many questions asked, though, that one visit to the runDisney site would answer, or even a brief scan of topics here. I love being helpful, but it gets frustrating when people don't make even the most basic effort to educate themselves and expect others to spoon feed things to them. And you get the SAME questions over and over and over... The message board has a search function, people!! You think you are the only one to have a question about how to register?!?! Sorry, rant over...

That's not to say that the answer to every question is obvious or out there, witness a veteran like @BuckeyeBama having trouble yesterday. I was just thinking that it could cut down on some of the duplicative questions if we had the sticky front and center with all (or almost all) the needed info right there for easy digestion.

 

[camaker]

As we've seen recently with the Wine & Dine debacle and the Goofy 10K plus half, not much they do is reliable. And yet we continue to fork over $596.96 to run four races....Sigh

Or $694 because I'm a sucker for the pin set...

 

[Ariel484]

Agreed. One of my pet peeves is seeing so many questions asked, though, that one visit to the runDisney site would answer, or even a brief scan of topics here. I love being helpful, but it gets frustrating when people don't make even the most basic effort to educate themselves and expect others to spoon feed things to them. And you get the SAME questions over and over and over... The message board has a search function, people!! You think you are the only one to have a question about how to register?!?! Sorry, rant over...

That's not to say that the answer to every question is obvious or out there, witness a veteran like @BuckeyeBama having trouble yesterday. I was just thinking that it could cut down on some of the duplicative questions if we had the sticky front and center with all (or almost all) the needed info right there for easy digestion.

AGREED. I like helping people too, and I get that we were all new to this at one point...but I was new to it in 2011 before there were dedicated sections on forums to runDisney, so I feel like if I figured out most (not all) of this out by myself, others maybe can as well. Read runDisney,com, read the race weekend event guides, read trip reports, etc.

 

[ZellyB]

Eh, the questions don't bother me. I definitely try to search out the answers and trip reports are a great source of information, but sometimes people feel better asking the question specifically for themselves and the search feature, while sometimes very helpful, doesn't always yield you a good clear answer to what you are asking. I'm quite sure I've asked questions that have already been answered somewhere but when I've spent several minutes trying to find the answer without success, I do like being able to just surrender and ask (looking at you, Beach Club thread) and have an answer within 5 minutes. And, yeah, I think we all know that sometimes you question what to trust from runDisney themselves, so it's comforting to hear from someone who has been through it recently.

Anyway, having been spending a lot of time on the Beach Club thread lately, I will say that it's beautifully organized with links to specific posts on the first post with the vast majority of the typical FAQ stuff on it. It's been a wealth of great information and I would love to see something like that available for folks with runDisney questions. It also looks to me to be a tremendous amount of work though to keep up with.

 

[camaker]

Eh, the questions don't bother me. I definitely try to search out the answers and trip reports are a great source of information, but sometimes people feel better asking the question specifically for themselves and the search feature, while sometimes very helpful, doesn't always yield you a good clear answer to what you are asking. I'm quite sure I've asked questions that have already been answered somewhere but when I've spent several minutes trying to find the answer without success, I do like being able to just surrender and ask (looking at you, Beach Club thread) and have an answer within 5 minutes. And, yeah, I think we all know that sometimes you question what to trust from runDisney themselves, so it's comforting to hear from someone who has been through it recently.

Anyway, having been spending a lot of time on the Beach Club thread lately, I will say that it's beautifully organized with links to specific posts on the first post with the vast majority of the typical FAQ stuff on it. It's been a wealth of great information and I would love to see something like that available for folks with runDisney questions. It also looks to me to be a tremendous amount of work though to keep up with.

I don't think anyone has issues answering questions when the runDisney site is ambiguous or the answers prove difficult to find. It's the ones like the recent question about whether a race after x date will count for proof of time that are aggravating. The answer is literally the first sentence in the first bullet under the section entitled "Proof of Time" on the runDisney site.