Mail-in (paper) registeration for WDW 2011

[bunnyfoo]

I've probably missed it on the Disneysports.com site but is there an option to mail in our registration for the WDW 2011 marathon? Can anyone point me to the link where I can download the form?

TIA

 

[JimB.]

The best I can tell, there is NO mail-in registration this year. I dislike intensly paying the active.com fees, but it looks like there is no choice now......

This is probably the 1st thing Disney has done with there races (other than ditching the ToT) that has really not set well with me................bleh.

 

[syko]

No mail in, even the chairs can enter on line this time, for the first time!!!!!

 

[bunnyfoo]

Bummer ... I guess on the bright side, I won't have to worry about the registration form being lost in the mail.

 

[K80K]

From today's chat:

Kim (Santa Clara, CA): I am wondering if there is a mail-in registration form for the Disneyland 1/2, and if there is, how can we download it. Thanks!

Kailey: All registration for Disney races can only be completed online.

 

[cewait]

welcome to the 21st century and associated service fees

 

[geaux_half]

welcome to the 21st century and associated service fees

Is this what we call progress?

 

[ultramickeymouse]

Is this what we call progress?

From the RD side, the registrations we get from Active are easily downloaded and imported into our race management and chip timing software. Paper apps have to be manually entered. It takes much longer and increases data entry error chances.

From runner side, I hate paying those extra fees as I like to save money where I can.

BTW: I have read before Disney is spinning this as a way to go "Green" .

 

[K80K]

We have several local races that will charge the same fees if you fill out a paper application to pay the person that has to manually enter the informations.

 

[cewait]

Like Robert as a RD I prefer electronic entry over paper and am 100% electronic on the two races I RD. I think that if my race population insisted on a paper copy in the future I would charge more than the Active fee for the entry process. My time is worth something!

Likewise as a runner, I prefer an electronic entry. I know that I am entered as soon as the receipt pops up. I do carry a paper copy of the receipt with me to packet pickup as every once is a while Active will blow it.

As the Director of Climate Change for my company - well it is greener but I do not think it as green as the mouse would have you believe. We still must print a paper waiver that does nothing other than allow for the manual packet pickup process. The mouse could use an electronic tablet setup at the expo to actually make the entry green.

The Active pricing model goofed in the long term view. Granted when starting up the only way they could sell the service is to make the user (runner) pay the fee. The fee was kind of hidden since it only pops up at checkout. Since electronic entry is now the predominant form of entry, I think Active should revise their business model. Rather than be the bad boy in the entry process they should charge the RD for services, not the runner since the runner has less of a choice in the matter. Frankly, I think RD's should cover the cost of Active IF they only allow electronic entry. It's not a huge increase in costs to the RD and is easily hidden and passed on in the fee. In addition, it would bring competition back into the pricing process as the RD would be forced to shop around the service and be more likely to award to the lowest cost provider.

*Note not picking on Active in particular but use their name in the generic sense like I do Xerox for copying*

 

[Mark214]

One of the things that bothers me about Active is that if I register three people in my family for a race, I pay the same fee three times. While the fee is small compared to the price of a race such as Disney, it just irritates me.

Of the on-line race registration systems, I think Active is the worst. I have stopped doing some local races because they use Active for registration.

 

[ultramickeymouse]

Like Robert as a RD I prefer electronic entry over paper and am 100% electronic on the two races I RD. I think that if my race population insisted on a paper copy in the future I would charge more than the Active fee for the entry process. My time is worth something!

Likewise as a runner, I prefer an electronic entry. I know that I am entered as soon as the receipt pops up. I do carry a paper copy of the receipt with me to packet pickup as every once is a while Active will blow it.

As the Director of Climate Change for my company - well it is greener but I do not think it as green as the mouse would have you believe. We still must print a paper waiver that does nothing other than allow for the manual packet pickup process. The mouse could use an electronic tablet setup at the expo to actually make the entry green.

The Active pricing model goofed in the long term view. Granted when starting up the only way they could sell the service is to make the user (runner) pay the fee. The fee was kind of hidden since it only pops up at checkout. Since electronic entry is now the predominant form of entry, I think Active should revise their business model. Rather than be the bad boy in the entry process they should charge the RD for services, not the runner since the runner has less of a choice in the matter. Frankly, I think RD's should cover the cost of Active IF they only allow electronic entry. It's not a huge increase in costs to the RD and is easily hidden and passed on in the fee. In addition, it would bring competition back into the pricing process as the RD would be forced to shop around the service and be more likely to award to the lowest cost provider.

*Note not picking on Active in particular but use their name in the generic sense like I do Xerox for copying*

Charles: You can setup your race with Active.com to have either the runner pay, split the fee between race & runner, or have the race pay full fee.

I follow what almost all races do is pass the fee along to the runners. I can't recall a race that eats the fee. If thy do, they add the fee into the race fee to cover it

BTW: I offer mail in registration at the same rate as Active.com. The runner saves the Active fees and I do the extra work. I get about 50% from Active.com and 50% mail in for my marathon I RD.

 

[bunnyfoo]

So if the online services are saving work, should we be rewarded for helping out I'm just kidding!

I've run a couple of charity races in Toronto that were sponsored by big companies where there was no extra registration fee. The races here use a service similar to Active and they do the same thing where the runners are charged. I guess even if the fee is built into the entry fee, some people might feel better about not seeing the extra charge tacked on.

I guess with Disney, I'll just hold onto my money until the race is closer to being full before registering. That way, I can at least see if the exchange rate will improve.

 

[K80K]

I have registered for one or two events locally through Active that haven't had a fee. Both of those events were ones where they strongly pushed getting sponsored for your runs to make money for charities.

 

[ultramickeymouse]

I have registered for one or two events locally through Active that haven't had a fee. Both of those events were ones where they strongly pushed getting sponsored for your runs to make money for charities.

There is never a free lunch. The costs the race eats for the Active.com fees becomes an expense on the bottom line of the race. Fees charged to runners must cover these expenses. One way or another, the runner ultimately pays. The race would not go in the red to cover Active fees and thus accounts for them when they set registration fees.

 

[Mark214]

There is never a free lunch. The costs the race eats for the Active.com fees becomes an expense on the bottom line of the race. Fees charged to runners must cover these expenses. One way or another, the runner ultimately pays. The race would not go in the red to cover Active fees and thus accounts for them when they set registration fees.

What I wonder is, before there was on-line registration systems like Active races did not charge a registration fee. Now, races charge the same amount or more and on top of that we pay a registration fee when we use Active or other like systems. Didn't moving to an on-line system eliminate some of the cost incurred by those setting up races? It seems like we have greed on both sides with many races saving money by eliminating paper registration, but not passing any of the savings on to those of us who register.

Let's see, Disney got rid of paper registration, the mailing of the registration form, race booklet and after-race CD/DVD. At the same time, there race fee continues to increase. I guess until the races stop selling out, the increases will not stop or at least slowdown.

 

[cewait]

What I wonder is, before there was on-line registration systems like Active races did not charge a registration fee. Now, races charge the same amount or more and on top of that we pay a registration fee when we use Active or other like systems. Didn't moving to an on-line system eliminate some of the cost incurred by those setting up races? It seems like we have greed on both sides with many races saving money by eliminating paper registration, but not passing any of the savings on to those of us who register.

Let's see, Disney got rid of paper registration, the mailing of the registration form, race booklet and after-race CD/DVD. At the same time, there race fee continues to increase. I guess until the races stop selling out, the increases will not stop or at least slowdown.

You forgot failure to change shirt artwork more than triannually and the missing results booklet that we had pre 2005

 

[wtpclc]

Worship service was nixed this year too. You're right, though. As long as it fills, who cares?

 

[cewait]

Worship service was nixed this year too. You're right, though. As long as it fills, who cares?

That's right. I was looking for the tent this year and did not find it. THis year more for the wind block than the intended purpose.