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cstephens
07-22-2011, 08:09 AM
Mods: The example I'm using happens to be at Walt Disney World, but I wanted to start the thread here because its application at Disneyland is what I'm interested in discussing.


So I'm remembering the last Disneyland event we attended, which I think is the Haunted Mansion anniversary event. There were so many problems with registration, partly with their servers crashing repeatedly, and then there was the issue of only being able to register one person at a time, which resulted in cases where some couples could only get registration for one of them.

I happened to be alerted to the Haunted Mansion event being held at Walt Disney World (http://psc.disney.go.com/eventservices/artofdisneyparks//event/wdw_roomfor1more.html). It sounds kind of interesting, but I'm not sure I'd actually go since it's being held at the Contemporary and you don't actually get to go on the ride, though the logistical nightmare of getting everyone to the Magic Kingdom in a timely manner is understandable.

In any case, what I found interesting is their method of registering for the event. It's a random selection process, much like how they've handled some pin releases lately. There's a set time period when you can send in your registration request, and then once that period is over, they randomly select people who are given the opportunity to purchase tickets. You can select one or two spaces at the time you register, and you have to provide the name of the other person who would be going. So, no issues about servers crashing, or having to be available and by an internet-enabled electronic device at the time when registration opens. I don't know if they've used this system before at WDW or if this is the first time, but I expect that if/when they have the next event at Disneyland or DCA, they would use the same system here.

I noticed that there's only one level of admission for this event, whereas Disneyland events have usually included several different price points and level of participation. I think this new system could be used for multiple levels of tickets as well, though I do think the logistics would be harder to coordinate, since you'd presumably have to make sure all the higher level packages are accounted for before offering the lower level packages.

I figured there might be others like me who don't necessarily pay attention to WDW events and so won't have seen this, which is why I'm mentioning it. Curious as to what others think about the new system.

Andrew
07-22-2011, 10:27 AM
I would be concerned that the confirmation that I'd been selected to be able to buy tickets would arrive too late for me to be able to plan and book travel, assuming I wasn't planning to be there anyway.

cstephens
07-22-2011, 11:26 AM
I would be concerned that the confirmation that I'd been selected to be able to buy tickets would arrive too late for me to be able to plan and book travel, assuming I wasn't planning to be there anyway.

I don't think that would be much different than the previous/current system. The window to submit the request to purchase was about a week, and then I think notifications are supposed to go out about a week after that closed. Some people would get their notifications later as spots open up from those who got chosen but are declining to attend, but I don't think that's any different than the old "waitlist" system. I do remember that for one of the DL events, tickets went on sale pretty late, so out of towners would have had a harder time planning and booking travel.