[RaDragon76]

Personally, I am worried about it getting lost/sidetracked in the mail, . I don't generally get things lost in the mail but there have been times where I've received bills and other important things in the mail months after they should have been here. The post office had noted that they had become lost. I'd hate to have something like that happen to a badge that I have paid 40 for or to have it damaged in transit.

Since I have mulitple concerns about this I have a few questions regarding the mailing of badges.

1. Will the badges be mailed as soon as payment has cleared rather than in a large batch near the con time?

2. How will they be mailed? Regular post, FedEX/UPS, Registered mail or some other mailing service?

3. If you never receive your pre-reg badge in the mail/or if it comes after you've left to attend the con will you still be able to pick one up at con as long as you can prove you paid the pre-reg rate with either a copy of the check in question or a confirmation email and your id?

4. Will there be an option allowing the pick up of a pre-reg badge at con if you are unsure about having it mailed?

[amandajayde]

RaDragon76 said:

Personally, I am worried about it getting lost/sidetracked in the mail, . I don't generally get things lost in the mail but there have been times where I've received bills and other important things in the mail months after they should have been here. The post office had noted that they had become lost. I'd hate to have something like that happen to a badge that I have paid 40 for or to have it damaged in transit.

Since I have mulitple concerns about this I have a few questions regarding the mailing of badges.

1. Will the badges be mailed as soon as payment has cleared rather than in a large batch near the con time?

2. How will they be mailed? Regular post, FedEX/UPS, Registered mail or some other mailing service?

3. If you never receive your pre-reg badge in the mail/or if it comes after you've left to attend the con will you still be able to pick one up at con as long as you can prove you paid the pre-reg rate with either a copy of the check in question or a confirmation email and your id?

4. Will there be an option allowing the pick up of a  pre-reg badge at con if you are unsure about having it mailed?

1. No they won't be mailed...you should recieve an email or card in the mail with your information on it and you'll bring that and a state id and get your badge at the convention itself.

2. not mailed.

3. bring your id they have you on computer file

4. it is not mailed you are required to pick it up at the con...it is safer that way...you cannot lose it at home or forget to bring it. Don't worry they have a good system...it takes a bit to stand in line but its all worth it

[Cherry_Wolf]

uh, not that I am totally disagreeing with you, amandajayde, but earlier in this thread, djfluffkins had said that the badges were being mailed this year and that it's the first year that they are doing this... where did you get the information that they are not mailing the pre-registered guests badges? Not to sound like I am arguing or anything, cause I'm not... I am just curious seeing as we had heard otherwise in this thread.

[Ryo-Ohki-san]

At what time does Acen 2007 start on Sunday May 13th?

[waterfaerie05]

I'm very confused at this point.

Are the badges going to be mailed? If so, will there be any way to get a badge at the con if said badge doesn't get there in time or is lost in the mail?

Also, How does pre-registration work? When I read what khenemetset said about sending money through the mail it made me a little worried. This will be my first time attending ACen and I'd like to know a little bit before it opens so I don't get any more confused.

Heh. Thank you in advance! *bows*

[Cherry_Wolf]

Hmm... waterfaerie05 makes a very valid point. For years people have sent their money through the mail to pay for their pre-reg badge... so how is having your badge be mailed to you going to be any different? There is still risk involved and we've been risking that every year when we pre-reg... so I say chill, just don't worry. The ACen crew will work out things.

[amandajayde]

if thats the case what would they do with registration? get rid of it except for at-con reg?

[Cherry_Wolf]

Correct me if I am wrong, because more than likely I am, but wasn't registering online always considered pre-reg? The only normal registration is at the con, isn't?

I mean, I've been going to this con for four years(2k7 will be my fifth), but I have always pre-reg... so I always considered normal registration was an at-con only thing.

I doubt they would do away with normal registration, that would not be a good idea.

[amandajayde]

yeah pre reg is pre reg but you've still always had to go through a registration once you've gotten there...this sending the badge to the house would make it easier for people to give their badge away if they couldn't go and i know in the past you couldn't do that...thats why i'm so iffy about this sending to the house thingy.

[Cherry_Wolf]

ooh, yeah! I know I wouldn't give away my badge, but there are people who would... but like I said... you'd probably have to show someone at the con that it's you... email confirmation and ID...

I am not too iffy because I feel that the ACen staff will either eventually look here and take in consideration on what we're all saying or that they've known what they have been doing this whole time. :sweatdrop

[Disco_Raptor]

when should we expect to know the group rates and what is the minimum number of people to a group?:sweatdrop

[RaDragon76]

djfluffykins said:

Badge.... pickup?:

We will be introducing something special this year for all of you who are going to prereg... we will be mailing you the badges! More details to come but this way you won't have to waste your first day at the con waiting for your badges! (More reason to preregister)

Quoted from the first post in this topic made by an ACen staffer, amandajayde. Personally, I like the system the way it it was last year with pre-reg badge pickup only on Thursday, the long line not withstanding. I say they shouldn't fix what isn't broke.

Someone also mentioned that people would be able to hand off their unwanted badges if they were mailed without ACen staff being the wiser. I think that's another reason not to mail badges out myself since there are a lot of sickos in the world nowadays. Personally, I don't see why the ACen staff would want to mail out pre-reg badges. None of the cons that I've attended in the past or plan to attend, not even Otakon, mail out pre-reg badges.

Someone also mentioned that if you were okay mailing out checks to pay for the badge why wouldn't you be okay with mailing out badges? My answer to that is if a check is lost in the mail I can call the bank and put a stop payment on it and not worry about it but if my ACen badge gets lost in the mail and they don't have a set up to replace it at con then I'm out 40 dollars and will have to pay the 50 at con rate which means that I've paid 90 dollars total for a con that isn't worth it. I would much rather stand in a line at con on Thursday and be assured that my badge is waiting than to wait and wait for it to arrive via mail and not be sure it will ever arrive in time for the con.

[Cherry_Wolf]

*bows to RaDragon76* Touche and well said!!

But the fact of the matter, in my mind, is that you trust the mail devilery service enough with checks.


However, you're reasons are very strong and I really loved the Thursday badge pick up as well and I'd be more than satisfied if they do that again, I just thought it would be neat for an over the mail badge delivery...

maybe it would be optional?

[RaDragon76]

If it was optional that would be fine with me as long as I could still pick my badge up on Thursday like it's been the last two years. I was planning on coming up the Thursday before the con anyway to get in ahead of most of the con attendees.

I think they should have a poll about it and see how the majority of con goers feels about this idea. If the majority thinks that it would be easier for all concerned for badges to be mailed out I would agree to that as long as there is some kind of system in place with specific rules about what to bring to catch those people who, for one reason or another, never recieved their badges via mail but who have paid for it already.

I've not had much luck with snail mail from ACen in the past and the idea that they're concidering mailing something as important as the con badge really concerns me. Call me paranoid but with my luck I'll get the badge the weekend of ACen when I've already left as has happened with the post cards the last two years. I live 5 hours away so it's not like it would be easy for me to run back home to get it or anything.

[RabbitLamere]

I was at my schools japinese club and some one said that the pre reg was open and filling up quickly. I was just wondering if this is true and how do I or where do i send the money for pre reg badge or something.........

[Cherry_Wolf]

RaDragon76: Yeah, maybe it will be by FeDex or UPS?

RabbitLamere: 0_0! I am going to check with one of the registration staff... see what they say.

[gundamnook]

I don't know why you guys are so worried about them mailing out badges. Wizard World (the largest comic convention) has been mailing out their badges for years and they don't seem to have any problems (or at least I've never had any problems getting my badges in the mail from them). You guys should have more faith in the postal system.

And I personally like the idea of ACen mailing out badges. I never want to wait in line for 4 hours on Thursday to get my pre-reg badges again. This is why I pre-reg. So I don't have to stand in line to pick-up badges.

[Cherry_Wolf]

That's how I felt... but I still think it would be good idea if they have it optional, seeing as some people have a problem with it.

[Cherry_Wolf]

RabbitLamere: I checked around, pre-reg is not open, but I have Alysia & djfluffkins looking out for things... so far, no... it's not open.


And thank you to you two staff members for helping me out!

[Norumu]

The idea of mailing out the pre-registered badges has me excited. If they do follow through with doing that, I'd be first in line to get it.
Not everyone can go Thursday to get their badges. I'm going to school in upstate New York and as I love ACen so much, I'm flying out for the weekend to the convention, which happens to be the 2nd to last weekend before my last quarter finals.
I'd rather not have to fly in and miss half of my Friday waiting in line for registration. That's just miserable. I'm really hoping that they do the mailing thing.

[RaDragon76]

Cherry_Wolf said:

RabbitLamere: I checked around, pre-reg is not open, but I have Alysia & djfluffkins looking out for things... so far, no... it's not open.


And thank you to you two staff members for helping me out!

I'll keep an eye out on the forums myself then although I probably won't be posting much since I don't have a lot of time now. Hopefully, there'll be some updated news about pre-reg and the situation with the Hyatt soon.

[Cherry_Wolf]

RaDragon76 said:

I'll keep an eye out on the forums myself then although I probably won't be posting much since I don't have a lot of time now. Hopefully, there'll be some updated news about pre-reg and the situation with the Hyatt soon.

I know... I even said in one of the PMs I sent that it seems kind of late this year...

[RabbitLamere]

Cherrywolf: thanks much!!! do you know when they are opeing them and do I just send cash thought the mail or is the a form I print out?

[Cherry_Wolf]

I, unfortunately, don't know when they are opening... djfluffkins and Alysia said that everyone is working on it... so who knows when it will open, as long as I only have to pay 45 dollars for the special badge, I don't care.


And I am pretty sure that yes, you print a form out and fill it out, then send it with your money or check to the address they give you... either that, there may be an online form to fill out... just wait and see.

[R1KKu]

Aww, but I love waiting in that pre-reg line, seriously.

Now what if, by some mysterious force, the badge does get lost in the mail. Will it be replaced at the con if a receipt is present?

I shoulda reg'd at Reactor. Hate paying more than $30 for reg, boo.

[WolfGirlJess]

Yay!! I can't wait to pre reg. This is my first year going and I'm sure I'll have a blast. Hope you guys settle on a pre reg date soon cuz I have some friends who have not joined the forum that are getting ancy. Thanks for the update guys.

[psyco_chick32]

My main concern is how long this is taking for registration to open.
It's late this year... and there's always a ramp-up of the rates. Are we going to have to pay more if registration doesn't open up before the normal first tier of dates ends?

[Cherry_Wolf]

I personally think they would be making a big mistake if they ramp up the rates even without pre-reg being up... I highly doubt that they will, but if they do... people may start losing faith in pre-reg. But I think that since pre-reg is awfully late this year, that they'll hold back on raising the price as well... if not... *shakes head* It will anger a lot of people and they could be framed as liars.

[RaDragon76]

I thought pre-reg was really late this year. I remember it being earlier last year though I didn't take advantage of the first tier then. I was hoping to be able to get regged and make hotel reservations already. If they are intending to mail badges this year then they really need to get a move on with the pre-reg. There will only be more room for mistakes and mis-mailed badges if they wait much longer. I'm not trying to badmouth anyone here I'm just cursed with being an uber organized person who gets annoyed with people who appear not to be.