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Post by HardcoreHeroes on Aug 30, 2005 21:15:16 GMT -5
Okay, guys. Here's a suggestion that I'd like to get some feedback on.
This would pertain only to the signing sessions on our Autograph Stage.
The VIP numbers would still be determined in the same way (when you buy your tickets,) but instead of having 400 chairs taking up a lot of space, what if we call a group of numbers (1-30) to line up. As they begin, we call numbers 31-60 and so on. So we never have more than 30 people waiting in line at any given time. This would allow everyone else to still mingle throughout the fanfest area and shop with vendors, instead of spending so much time in line or sitting waiting.
Comments?
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Post by ssteward on Aug 30, 2005 21:23:56 GMT -5
sounds good to me
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Post by bobbyryates on Aug 30, 2005 22:00:34 GMT -5
i can see it, but i think it may not be so good. example:
say the auto signing is at 1pm. you have the non-nulty MC (how's that for a subliminal message? lol) announce the time is now. i'm in the bathrom or elsewhere and do not hear it. i assume i can go in front of the non-VIP's when i do find out about it. but....and i don't mean this to knock anyone, but it just seems that most of these events do not start when the announced starting time is set. so if i'm in the bathroom or elsewhere, that's one thing to not hear it. but...what if your number is called and you go there and wait? and wait still?
sticking to the announced time is the best idea, but not usually to happen.
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Post by HardcoreHeroes on Aug 30, 2005 22:29:08 GMT -5
i can see it, but i think it may not be so good. example: say the auto signing is at 1pm. you have the non-nulty MC (how's that for a subliminal message? lol) announce the time is now. i'm in the bathrom or elsewhere and do not hear it. i assume i can go in front of the non-VIP's when i do find out about it. but....and i don't mean this to knock anyone, but it just seems that most of these events do not start when the announced starting time is set. so if i'm in the bathroom or elsewhere, that's one thing to not hear it. but...what if your number is called and you go there and wait? and wait still? sticking to the announced time is the best idea, but not usually to happen. Bobby, it's late at night so I might have missed something here. I got your subliminal messages about Nulty and things not starting on time, but I missed your point on the new idea for the Autograph line. The best way for me to explain it is similar to what Southwest Airlines used to do (they may still do it, I haven't flown them in a couple years.) Their boarding passes were numbered. When it came time to board, they'd call for boarding passes 1-20. Then 1-40. Then 1-60. Ideally, it was 20 people in line at a time, but they did allow for folks that may have been in the bathroom or away from the gate area. So, if you were number 5 and you didn't arrive until late, you could still line up with the current group of folks. Make sense? I really think this will be even better than what we're presently doing. And I'd like some feedback before we implement it. Thanks! |
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Post by kyle on Aug 30, 2005 22:31:41 GMT -5
Bobby's right. My wife said the same thing and then people are going to get mad about missing their turn. I thought it worked really smooth this time, but I was up front and got my autographs in a few minutes and had time to do other things.
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Post by superstarsimms74 on Aug 30, 2005 22:33:38 GMT -5
I think your idea could work,Greg. Go for it!
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Post by kyle on Aug 30, 2005 22:40:33 GMT -5
It could work, but believe me, somebody is going to complain about this after the next fanfest. If I'm # 15 and they call 1-20 and i get my autographs whats to stop me from going through again on 1-60 and getting ahead of #61. Somebody will try to go through and beat the system. There is no perfect system but it sure seemed to run smooth this time. I know someone was the last VIP and felt like they got cheated because they paid the same as #1 but they waited until the last minute to pay.
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Post by HardcoreHeroes on Aug 30, 2005 22:53:59 GMT -5
It could work, but believe me, somebody is going to complain about this after the next fanfest. If I'm # 15 and they call 1-20 and i get my autographs whats to stop me from going through again on 1-60 and getting ahead of #61. Somebody will try to go through and beat the system. There is no perfect system but it sure seemed to run smooth this time. I know someone was the last VIP and felt like they got cheated because they paid the same as #1 but they waited until the last minute to pay. Here's what will prevent you from going through the line again. We'll include a "ticket" for each signing session (similar to the Southwest Airlines boarding pass,) so when you go through the line and present your "boarding pass", that will get you through the line a single time. Once you've turned in your ticket to get through the line, there won't be a chance for someone to abuse the rules and go through again. The 1-  ? simply allows for folks that may have missed their turn in line because of a trip to the bathroom, etc. |
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Post by bobbyryates on Aug 30, 2005 23:00:01 GMT -5
ooh, that's a good point kyle. i hadn't thought about someone trying to test the system by saying he was late and sneak BACK in line.
you are right greg. it is late. i can't think of a better way to explain what i meant and i realize it didin't sound so good. your airline analogy sounded great until kyle brought up the possible repeat person claiming he missed his number being called.
i'll think of this a bit....
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Post by bluedevil71 on Aug 30, 2005 23:23:09 GMT -5
I like the idea, but I see where the concept could be flawed by the repeat person getting in line, etc.
How about instead of calling the numbers you do it on a time basis. I know there are flaws to this, too, but it's the same scenario the only difference is that people now know when they have to be in line, etc.
For example, you have 400 VIPs we'll say and 100-plus weekend passes or whatever.
If you do it in sets of 30 and you have a 3-hour window for autographs.
1-1:10: 1-30
1:10-1:20: 31-60
1:20-1:30: 61-90
1:30-1:40: 91-120
1:40-1:50: 121-150
1:50-2:00: 151-180
And so on.
You get 180 people through the line in an hour, give or take. Then the last hour is your final VIPs, your non-VIPs, etc. You would have a better idea of how many people the closer to the weekend, so you could set the times. But then you wouldn't need chairs, you could start lining up people up and nobody would have to sit around.
And if one 10-minute session ran a little long, you could still line up your next 30 people without there being a clutter of people around. It would be on them to remember when their times are to get the autographs.
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Post by simm on Aug 31, 2005 8:56:33 GMT -5
Bad idea on changing the VIP auto line. You open yourself up to too many things that could go wrong. I thought the VIP line was the one thing that went almost flawless and was much improved. Why mess with that? There has to be something else that needs improvement or changing more than the auto line procedure.
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Post by HardcoreHeroes on Aug 31, 2005 9:13:13 GMT -5
Bad idea on changing the VIP auto line. You open yourself up to too many things that could go wrong. What could go wrong? And what makes you think it's a bad idea? There were several issues this last time. Friends were scattered about in different places if they didn't buy their tickets at the same time (this new idea would change that.) Poor SSteward ended up with a couple seats at the end of one row and another seat at the beginning of the next row (this new idea would change that.) And just the fact of having to sit and wait for more than an hour in some cases (more than two hours for some,) is something I'd like to improve upon. Why not spend your time socializing and visiting booths or doing anything else you want while waiting for your number to be called? From an organizational standpoint, this would free up a lot of room, and eliminate the need for 400+ chairs on the floor. I really can't see a negative here, besides maybe having a VIP area for folks to rest their feet, and that still could be done but maybe in a better way instead of rows and rows of chairs. |
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Post by stompingground on Aug 31, 2005 9:46:39 GMT -5
Having a specific number in line means that you don't have to wait in line the entire time. Number 200 didn't have to wait in that chair for 2 hours did they? Just keep checking back till its close to your spot.
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Post by kyle on Aug 31, 2005 11:04:22 GMT -5
Greg's idea can and will work. The only draw back would be if you have given you autograph ticket as you line up and had to get out of line for some reason. It happened to me when Dory Funk was not going to show up and then did. I was already seated and just minutes away from the wrestlers coming out when I realized that I had left his pictures in the room. Having organized my stuff the night before I put them in another folder and left them on the desk. Panic hit when I realized this and had to get to the 9th floor and back. Luckily I made it and all worked out. It could be a problem under the new system if my autograph ticket had already been taken.
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Post by cawthon777 on Aug 31, 2005 11:11:08 GMT -5
It's a great idea. It works for airports, it should work for this.
As far as people trying to get back in line early, that's what security is for. It was very obvious in Charlotte that they were paying attention to who had already gone through the line once and were making them sit down until everyone had gone through.
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? simply allows for folks that may have missed their turn in line because of a trip to the bathroom, etc.
