« previous next »
Pages: [1] 2   Go Down

Author Topic: Registration Lines  (Read 6684 times)

0 Members and 1 Guest are viewing this topic.

Offline Idoun Knight

  • Animation Connoisseur
  • **
  • Posts: 142
Registration Lines
« on: May 18, 2008, 09:49:04 pm »
So we're heard the horror stories from AX, Otacon, ACEN and Anime Boston about people having to wait in lines for over 8 hours to get their badges. ACEN was the latest example. Although the way that con is run, they don't know their heads from their asses (Since they claimed they got DDoS, even though a Reg system SHOULDN'T be connected to the internet at all by the time it closes)

So will NDK be prepared to have an efficient system to get people in and out fast?
Logged

Exodia

  • Guest
Re: Registration Lines
« Reply #1 on: May 18, 2008, 11:21:14 pm »
The two NDKs I attended back when it was in the Holiday Inn had some pretty long lines and took over an hour. Every year at the new hotel, the Marriott has been pretty good in my opinion. The longest I've waited has been maybe 10 minutes, then again I always showed up as soon as registration opened.
Logged

Offline Idoun Knight

  • Animation Connoisseur
  • **
  • Posts: 142
Re: Registration Lines
« Reply #2 on: May 18, 2008, 11:38:07 pm »
Swiped from a guy who posted at another place I visit for tips on how to run reg.

Quote
1: Build a good system. Consider MySQL and get a good code monkey or two to write it. Don't put the data on a public server. If possible have it moved to an internal intranet during the weekend of the convention.

2: Make registration part of the the top 3 largest staffed convention. The cost of stations are minimal as you can purchase the necessary components for around $100 if you know where to source it. Have backup equipment on hand because shit will get broken. Exploit gophers during peak times. Consider trying to have a 200 attendee:1 station for peak times. Make it a scalable operation so that when it winds down, the equipment is packed up and gopher staff is repositioned.

3: Have all badges ready when purchased, they should be pre-laminated. Have a station set behind registration which dispenses badges when a payment has been made.

4: Have a backup plan and even a secondary backup plan because the worst will happen. Have a paper-reg system ready in place that can be easily switched over to if the network decides to fail. You want to get people their badges, you can deal with the data later on.

5: If the hold up is getting data from walk-ups, consolidate data input. Get only the most necessary data like name & DOB then move to the next person. Each person should take less than 45 seconds. If they are taking longer then figure out what is the bottleneck and remove it.


The goal should be to take no more than 30 minutes to get people through the line. People get grumpy after the one hour mark of waiting.
Logged

Offline Greg Hines

  • Master of the Japanese Language
  • ******
  • Posts: 2,702
  • Gender: Male
Re: Registration Lines
« Reply #3 on: May 19, 2008, 02:28:59 am »
Trust me when I say you don't need to worry about registration. Most people don't wait more than 15 to 30 minutes for their registration--and that's when the line is long. Our registration team has this stuff down to a science and it's been years since we've had complaints about long wait times for registration.

Exodia mentioned the old hotel--you may hear an occasional horror story about registration at the old hotel, like the Great Line of '04. Not only was the hotel unsuitable for as many people as we had, but a new team has taken over registration since then and they've done a marvelous job of processing thousands of people every weekend.

Long story short, you don't need to worry. If you want to bypass the lines, though, registration opens around 2:00 PM on Friday. Get there sometime around then. Most people arrive later in the afternoon or early in the evening (most con stuff doesn't start until about 5:00 PM on Friday) so that's when the lines are the longest. Get there sooner and you'll beat the rush. Then enjoy some time to relax, get situated in your hotel room, and explore the hotel a bit... get acquainted with the room locations and hotel layout.
« Last Edit: May 19, 2008, 02:35:29 am by Greg Hines »
Logged

Exodia

  • Guest
Re: Registration Lines
« Reply #4 on: May 19, 2008, 04:36:50 pm »
I thought the line in '03 was the worst. '04 might have taken as long but the line was outside so I guess time flew by quicker.
Logged

Offline Greg Hines

  • Master of the Japanese Language
  • ******
  • Posts: 2,702
  • Gender: Male
Re: Registration Lines
« Reply #5 on: May 20, 2008, 10:13:52 am »
Quote from: Exodia on May 19, 2008, 04:36:50 pm
I thought the line in '03 was the worst. '04 might have taken as long but the line was outside so I guess time flew by quicker.

Ah. Well, NDK '04 was my first year at the con, so I don't know what previous years' lines were like.
Logged

Offline Blasphemy

  • Miss Adventures
  • Animation Connoisseur
  • **
  • Posts: 104
  • Gender: Female
  • Show me your teeth;
    • deviantART
Re: Registration Lines
« Reply #6 on: June 18, 2008, 12:48:31 pm »
'04 was bad because we had to wait outside, but at Marriott the lines are almost never long. (04 was probably a bit worse for me because I had back surgery that June, too, but I didn't have much of an issue beyond the heat.)  Get there early on Friday if you can, because Saturday there will almost always be a line. 
Logged

Offline Kyuubi.is.a.frog

  • I are Kyuubi. Nothing else need be said.
  • Fanfic Author
  • ***
  • Posts: 399
  • Gender: Female
  • RAWR.
    • Kyuubi's Myspace
Re: Registration Lines
« Reply #7 on: July 31, 2008, 12:51:34 pm »
When I went a couple years ago, the thing that took the longest in line was that I couldn't find my confirmation email. Once I found it, I got my badge in two minutes, maybe. There wasn't a line at all. There was, however, a REALLY long line for on-site registration.
Logged
~I is the master of the cane. Don't mess we me. }:[]
(Yes, I'm a Loser. But I'm the COOLEST loser you'll ever meet.) {{I don't care just what you think, as long as it's about me...}}

Offline Sarge

  • Security Cmdr.
  • Staff
  • Fan Person
  • *
  • Posts: 514
  • Gender: Male
  • That one *really* loud Security guy
Re: Registration Lines
« Reply #8 on: August 01, 2008, 08:39:39 am »
Quote from: Kyuubi.is.a.frog on July 31, 2008, 12:51:34 pm
When I went a couple years ago, the thing that took the longest in line was that I couldn't find my confirmation email. Once I found it, I got my badge in two minutes, maybe. There wasn't a line at all. There was, however, a REALLY long line for on-site registration.

The onsite reg line can be fairly long at times, but always moves quickly.  The longest lines I have ever seen at NDK (and I've seen all the lines for most of the con years) have been for other stuff, like Cosplay and Dealer Room.
Logged
'Sarge' - NDK Security Commander

"Some people will do anything for the sheer fascination of doing it. Or for fame. Or because they shouldn't." - DEATH

Offline Zahada

  • Passing Fan
  • *
  • Posts: 70
  • Gender: Male
Re: Registration Lines
« Reply #9 on: August 25, 2008, 07:33:20 pm »
When does registration open on friday...
i would like to know so i can get in line before they open so i can get it over with

i did not pre-register because im an idiot.
Logged
"Violence is never the right answer, except when used against heathens and monsters."
-Father Alexander Anderson

Offline Woggy

  • Fanfic Author
  • ***
  • Posts: 415
  • Gender: Male
Re: Registration Lines
« Reply #10 on: August 25, 2008, 08:09:52 pm »
I seem to remember getting there around noonish and seeing the line start to form up.
Logged
(2010)
Squall Lionheart (Final Fantasy VIII)
Nuriko (Fushigi Yuugi)

Offline Zarabadoo

  • Master of Snippets
  • Area Head
  • Pocky Fiend
  • *
  • Posts: 1,259
  • Gender: Male
  • I like pie.
Re: Registration Lines
« Reply #11 on: August 25, 2008, 10:02:58 pm »
The official time is normally around 3pm, but they have been known to start up much earlier. It is all about how long it takes them to get set up and ready. Even getting there at peak times is usually only about a 15 minute wait at that though.
Logged
--
Al "Zarabadoo" Steffen
NDK Webmaster
http://www.ndkdenver.org

Offline NeoPhoenixTE

  • Not quite too old for this, but getting there
  • Fanfic Author
  • ***
  • Posts: 289
  • Survived Line Desu Kan™ 2012
Re: Registration Lines
« Reply #12 on: September 08, 2008, 10:14:29 am »
I've some friends who are coming with who can't leave until 7pm (from Greeley) due to the awesomeness of 6pm classes. This has raised a couple questions that I guess can fall in here:

1.) How late is the line to pick-up pre-reg badges going to be open? Wanna know if we're gonna need to get permission to snatch their badges for them or not. (I know about that process. Had to pull it last year..)

2.) Am I safe in assuming that the line for on-site whole week-end registration is gonna be running until 10pm or so? If not, I may just see if my friends who aren't pre-regged just wanna crash at the hotel room for the night and register for Saturday+Sunday only (save some cash).
Logged

Offline Zarabadoo

  • Master of Snippets
  • Area Head
  • Pocky Fiend
  • *
  • Posts: 1,259
  • Gender: Male
  • I like pie.
Re: Registration Lines
« Reply #13 on: September 08, 2008, 10:28:45 am »
Normally it closes before 6pm if i am remembering correctly. I will have to see about getting a definitive time later today though.
Logged
--
Al "Zarabadoo" Steffen
NDK Webmaster
http://www.ndkdenver.org

Offline NeoPhoenixTE

  • Not quite too old for this, but getting there
  • Fanfic Author
  • ***
  • Posts: 289
  • Survived Line Desu Kan™ 2012
Re: Registration Lines
« Reply #14 on: September 08, 2008, 11:10:51 am »
Okay, please do. I'm going to be showing up ahead with one of my pre-regged friends (bum has Fridays off, bleah!), and I might be able to get him a written note for my other pre-regged friend. Hell, he bought the passes, I should hope he can grab them both.

For my non-pre-registered friends, I'll just have them pay for two days. What's the daily rate for this thing again? Can't seem to find it on the main site (and I suspect I'm gonna get slapped with a FAQ link in a minute). Found it in a buried thread. 40 bucks beats 50 bucks I suppose. Can they buy two single-day passes at once?
« Last Edit: September 08, 2008, 11:12:48 am by NeoPhoenixTE »
Logged

Offline Zarabadoo

  • Master of Snippets
  • Area Head
  • Pocky Fiend
  • *
  • Posts: 1,259
  • Gender: Male
  • I like pie.
Re: Registration Lines
« Reply #15 on: September 08, 2008, 11:33:15 am »
Where are you getting $40? Saturday and Sunday are EACH $30 a day.
Logged
--
Al "Zarabadoo" Steffen
NDK Webmaster
http://www.ndkdenver.org

Offline Execdirec

  • Executive Director
  • Fanfic Author
  • *
  • Posts: 247
  • The show must go on!
Re: Registration Lines
« Reply #16 on: September 08, 2008, 11:36:47 am »
Reg usually stays open until 9pm for pre-reg and new reg alike.
Logged
-Executive Director, Nan Desu Kan

Offline NeoPhoenixTE

  • Not quite too old for this, but getting there
  • Fanfic Author
  • ***
  • Posts: 289
  • Survived Line Desu Kan™ 2012
Re: Registration Lines
« Reply #17 on: September 08, 2008, 12:27:50 pm »
Quote from: Zarabadoo on September 08, 2008, 11:33:15 am
Where are you getting $40? Saturday and Sunday are EACH $30 a day.
I saw 20 per day from an old thread. Guess it went up.

Looks like they'll be buying the weekend pass onsite anyways.
« Last Edit: September 08, 2008, 01:17:53 pm by NeoPhoenixTE »
Logged

Offline Kyuubi.is.a.frog

  • I are Kyuubi. Nothing else need be said.
  • Fanfic Author
  • ***
  • Posts: 399
  • Gender: Female
  • RAWR.
    • Kyuubi's Myspace
Re: Registration Lines
« Reply #18 on: September 09, 2008, 03:00:07 pm »
I heard that it was $50 on site for the whole weekend? truth or untruth?
Logged
~I is the master of the cane. Don't mess we me. }:[]
(Yes, I'm a Loser. But I'm the COOLEST loser you'll ever meet.) {{I don't care just what you think, as long as it's about me...}}

Offline Woggy

  • Fanfic Author
  • ***
  • Posts: 415
  • Gender: Male
Re: Registration Lines
« Reply #19 on: September 09, 2008, 03:44:11 pm »
Sounds about right, though I can't say anything official.
Logged
(2010)
Squall Lionheart (Final Fantasy VIII)
Nuriko (Fushigi Yuugi)
Pages: [1] 2   Go Up
« previous next »