I'm Back!!!

[dragonconoffice.livejournal.com]

For those of you who don't know, I have been busy. However, I have also been keeping up with the Livejournal, and I will answer what I can with this message. What I don't answer I cannot answer, so please don't get mad.

First, what have I been doing that has kept me so busy? Do you all remember those little white sheets of paper everyone filled out? Yes, I know they were annoying. Well try this, I have just finished alphabetizing every one of them. That's right ALPHABETIZING 30,000 little white sheets of paper.

Why do I do this? Primarily it is to retrieve all of the pre-registration forms out so I have your paperwork for the next year. If you pre-registered and left with the copy, I need that sheet. E-mail it to me, fax it to me, or mail a copy of it to me, I do not care.

The secondary reason is if there are people who call me saying they paid for last year, and I do not have them entered into the computer, I can find the problem.

The second thing I would like to discuss is the pre-registration side at the convention. I have read all the suggestions, and some of them look like solid ideas that can be implemented right away. I like the idea of having one notebook for signing while having another with the labels only. It never occurred to me, but I have the power to do that. Also, I like the idea of getting rid of the maze in pre-registration, and just have lines to the booths while having larger lettering on the booth. The larger lettering I can do, and I am trying to get rid of the maze. All of the other suggestions were valid, but I have no control over them. So please do not complain to me about them, my hands are tied.

Next, if you have made any changes I need to know, please e-mail me. I would like to have them fixed before I shut the office in August. That includes if you have gotten married, moved, new badge name, etc.

Also if you ordered multiples but did not give us a second name in the comments box, I need that second name.

Last one, I would like to thank all those who have been answering questions for me while I have been absent from the board. There are too many to thank, so this is for all of you.


Chip
chip@dragoncon.org
office@dragoncon.org

P.S. All other information is on the website.

PPS. When I wrote the subject line, I had Kyle's cousin from South Park in my head.

Comments

[dementia.livejournal.com]

You da man, Chip

[paradisacorbasi.livejournal.com]

Welcome back, Chip. And cheers for all the hard work you do!

[charismaryllis.livejournal.com]

thanks chip!!

[boomergoodheart.livejournal.com]

Chip is the Office God.

Pre-registration

[aldeygirl.livejournal.com]

I am sure someone (many someones) have suggested this before. It would be wonderful to get badges prior to the con. I would be willing to pay for shipping and a processing fee. An extra $10 to $15 would be worth avoiding the line. When the normal cards come out there could be instructions for purchasing the pre-con badge shipment. SIGH - This is just my idea and dream.

Re: Pre-registration

[starlady42.livejournal.com]

There's already a counterfeiting issue -- sending out badges pre-con would magnify the problem 100x. :/

Re: Pre-registration

[51stcenturyfox.livejournal.com]

That's what I figured, too. It's too bad!

Mayyyybe if they had some kind of hidden RFID tag on them and people with prepaid/sent badges had to go through a scanner and get a special sticker to attach to the badge at the convention to make it "official"? That would be quick.

I sort of vote for asking a tech firm to come up with a foolproof idea in exchange for sponsorship ads or something? Issue a challenge with a January closeout for coming up with a solution?

Re: Pre-registration

[datavortex.livejournal.com]

Discussed to death already: http://community.livejournal.com/dragoncon/2217155.html

[hazelwitch.livejournal.com]

Wow. That's impressive. I'm amazed you've managed to get this far. :)

Side question--for those of us volunteers who were unable to get con shirts this year (because they sold out so fast while we were working, ha) and put our names on a mailing list for them--when should we be looking for them?

[dragonconoffice.livejournal.com]

When I get them, I will start sending them out.

[dragonconoffice.livejournal.com]

I will contact you beforehand

[hazelwitch.livejournal.com]

Thanks so much! I know there's a lot of things that need doing, and of course you can't send what you don't yet have, but I really appreciate you getting back to me. :)

[craftypug.livejournal.com]

Thank you, Chip! Any improvement, no matter how large or small, is still an improvement and is MAJORLY appreciated! Thank you for reading, considering and acting on what you have the power to change.

Alphabetizing 30,000 pieces of paper? I am in awe. You have more patience than I could ever hope for. :)

[vallikat.livejournal.com]

Thank you. I really hope that some suggestions can be implemented to make pre-registration smoother for future years.

"All of the other suggestions were valid, but I have no control over them. So please do not complain to me about them, my hands are tied."

So my question is, is there someone else that we should direct other comments or suggestions regarding pre-reg to?

[alexdelarge78.livejournal.com]

Thank you chip for helping to make the con what it is. The concept of alphabetising 30000 peices of paper- well .. anyway. .

You are appreciated :)

[datavortex.livejournal.com]

Thank you for your reply. Alphabetizing 30K sheets? Wow! Sounds like you would be the first to agree that it is time for registration to come into the 20th century.

Who do we talk to about ideas such as electronic self-registration and print-on-site ideas that were addressed and proposed in the previous mega-thread (http://community.livejournal.com/dragoncon/2217155.html)?

[trybutez.livejournal.com]

Alphabetized 30,000 names? Oh man... is now a bad time to tell you they voted, and decided to rearrange the letters in the alphabet?

[keirandyl.livejournal.com]

Ya thanks Chip you are wonderful! :)

[skzb73.livejournal.com]

Is there a reason why filling out paperwork on-site is required? I understand having a paper system as a backup, or as a secondary system for those who prefer it, but why is the primary system not more computerized?

Also, I'd support "Deli-Counter" style of registration lines. You show up, take a number, then follow a Twitter account or similar to see when your group of numbers (now serving 100-150) is called. Has this idea been suggested before and discussed?

Perhaps these issues have been discussed before. I admit I don't always understand the reason and history behind things.

Thanks for all your hard work. We really do appreciate it.

[dragonconoffice.livejournal.com]

the paperwork is for our computer entry people at the convention to have as much information as possible when they enter it into the system.

[glasscannon.livejournal.com]

Um, white sheets of paper? Is it bad that I have no idea what you're talking about?

My husband and I went to D*C for the first time this year, pre-registered online in Sept '08 for D*C '09, and picked up our badges at about 8:15 Friday morning. We pre-registered for D*C '10 online last month, after the D*C store went back online.

At no point were we given white sheets of paper to fill out, other than signing our names in the book when we picked up our badges. Is this something I need to contact the office about?

[veracity]

I'm not Chip, but I think they white sheets of paper are for the on-site registration, like those that signed up at the con itself. Not the website, which is what I did as well. I didn't sign up at the con since I wasn't sure I'd even be able to attend 2010. Still not sure, come to that.

Where is pre-registration at the Con

[marlin39a.livejournal.com]

Where is pre reg at the Con. This was my first year attending and I didn't think to track it down. I was somewhat surprised by how spread out everything was. Tracking down some of the rooms, especially at the Hyatt, reminded me of dungeon exploration.

Re: Where is pre-registration at the Con

[veracity]

I honestly have no idea where the pre-reg at con is. I've never used it before. The Hyatt, are you referring to the rooms like Hong Kong or something on the International Towers? It's quite complicated, I agree.

Re: Where is pre-registration at the Con

[glasscannon.livejournal.com]

I *think* it was in the Marriott, on the same level as the vendor halls but on the other side (towards the Hyatt) from the vendor halls, labeled "Concessions" I think. I didn't even think about going over there until Monday, and by that point my husband and I were way too wiped out. Next year I'll try to hit that up, since the price for pre-reg is slightly better at Con than once the website reopens later in September.

Re: Where is pre-registration at the Con

[datavortex.livejournal.com]

You can pre-register for next year's con at On-Site registration (at the Sheraton in 2009).

Re: Where is pre-registration at the Con

[dragonconoffice.livejournal.com]

If you were looking at buying the next years badge, you could either buy at the regular registration, or the Dragon Con store in the Marriott.

Re: Where is pre-registration at the Con

[marlin39a.livejournal.com]

Thank you for the info!

[dragonconoffice.livejournal.com]

You are correct

[dragonconoffice.livejournal.com]

If you pre-registered, the little white sheets are not necessary

[glasscannon.livejournal.com]

Good to know, thanks.