Awkward Question About Inactive Fish Extender Group

[GrannyDee]

I've been toying with posting this question for awhile.

So. Say you're on an FE list that started early, but the person who has volunteered to manage the list has been progressively less involved, to the point where they haven't logged on to the board in nearly two months. The cabin lists have not been sent/provided, although the cruise is now less than four months away.

Most of the original posters, including myself, to this thread have moved on and migrated to another <which shall remain unnamed> FE list source.

I have no wish to get anyone in trouble, or taint anyone's awesome Disney experience, but new cruisers come on hoping to join the FE list. Eventually they realize the thread is ... not really viable.

Do you PM the new posters to let them know they should probably look elsewhere? I know that we're not supposed to talk about alternative FE groups, but ...

Awkward.

 

[Huskiesrule]

Someone else could always step up and run the FE here if there is enough interest. As to directing traffic elsewhere even with a pm, I think that is against the rules but

 

[GrannyDee]

Someone else could always step up and run the FE here if there is enough interest. As to directing traffic elsewhere even with a pm, I think that is against the rules but

I think newcomers aren't aware that it's pretty much a dead thread. No one's stepping up to run it because pretty much everyone has moved on.

The person who originally said she'd manage the list last posted a chastisement to the defectors, noting that was against the rules, and hasn't been back. I dunno. Maybe it'd be ok to let the new people know the thread is weak and let them figure the rest out themselves?

 

[Huskiesrule]

Well, unless someone posts on your thread that people have moved on but don't say a location? You have to stick to the rules here and you really can't even pm a newbie as they have to post 10 times before that feature is available. Dead meet threads seem to be the thing unless you get active DIS members and we try to keep it going(like my Nov. cruise).

 

[RedSox68]

Start a new FE thread here, and then go on the original one and post the link to the new one. At least if newbies see the old thread, they can find you with the link. As far as linking anything to an offset site, could be a rule breaker plus some of us don't care for the other site anyway and would rather have everything here.

 

[wcw57]

or, just post on the thread to any newbies that the FE group seems inactive...and not to get their hopes up. Don't mention other locations as an option...you might suggest people pm you with questions in your post.......

 

[GrannyDee]

Start a new FE thread here, and then go on the original one and post the link to the new one. At least if newbies see the old thread, they can find you with the link. As far as linking anything to an offset site, could be a rule breaker plus some of us don't care for the other site anyway and would rather have everything here.

Will this do any good? Maybe I'm not understanding you. We've moved on, so this doesn't affect us and I don't have any interest in managing the FE list.

Maybe I should/could just post that there hasn't been any activity in a couple of months and someone else could perhaps take over the cabin list if they have an interest? The original organizer hasn't backed out, she's just disappeared. I just hate people to miss out on what has been such a fabulous part of the build-up to the cruise.

 

[RedSox68]

Will this do any good? Maybe I'm not understanding you. We've moved on, so this doesn't affect us and I don't have any interest in managing the FE list.

Maybe I should/could just post that there hasn't been any activity in a couple of months and someone else could perhaps take over the cabin list if they have an interest? The original organizer has backed out, she's just disappeared. I just hate people to miss out on what has been such a fabulous part of the build-up to the cruise.

Yes, if you want, post that information and say if anyone wants to take it over to start a new fresh thread and move the information there, and then post on the old site with the new link just in case someone finds the old non-active thread before they find the new one. That way the new information can continue to be updated. Does that make sense?

 

[GrannyDee]

Yes, if you want, post that information and say if anyone wants to take it over to start a new fresh thread and move the information there, and then post on the old site with the new link just in case someone finds the old non-active thread before they find the new one. That way the new information can continue to be updated. Does that make sense?

Yes, I think so. I'll give that a go.

Thanks tons to everyone!

 

[AquaDame]

I disagree - if you have no interest to start an FE then there isn't a reason to start a new thread. People are just going to find both and get more confused most likely. Just posting in the original thread that at this time there is no FE for the cruise on the DIS would be sufficient.

Posting, referencing and PMing people to specifically look elsewhere is against the board rules - that includes in PMs.

 

[GrannyDee]

I disagree - if you have no interest to start an FE then there isn't a reason to start a new thread. People are just going to find both and get more confused most likely. Just posting in the original thread that at this time there is no FE for the cruise on the DIS would be sufficient.

Posting, referencing and PMing people to specifically look elsewhere is against the board rules - that includes in PMs.

I hope you'll recognize that it was not my intention to flaunt the rules. Is there a mechanism within the Disboards that makes this easier? Surely this must come up from time to time.

In the meantime, I've just posted that the thread is quite inactive - as you've suggested - and that new posters might wish to start a new list (not necessarily a new thread).

 

[AquaDame]

I hope you'll recognize that it was not my intention to flaunt the rules. Is there a mechanism within the Disboards that makes this easier? Surely this must come up from time to time.

In the meantime, I've just posted that the thread is quite inactive - as you've suggested - and that new posters might wish to start a new list (not necessarily a new thread).

Oh, no, we all know its an ongoing problem, as you've found there is just no good answer to how to handle it unfortunately. One single poster who decides they are above the rules can dismantle any chance of a group here by posting repeatedly to go somewhere else. We have two options - either try and facilitate a place for FE groups to start for those who aren't on other social media or close them down which is no fun either. I wish people would stop opening new accounts just to poach and dismantle ours when they don't need more people in their groups to begin with. That has happened more than a few times... I have absolutely tried to keep up with the ones in your meet thread as it was reported but its like whack a mole.

Then, when we get very close to the sail date and there still isn't a group here... what do we do? I don't want anyone to go without either, but... then it gets too complicated if we allow it here and not there, and when is it OK, and what size is big enough, etc etc.

 

[GrannyDee]

Oh, no, we all know its an ongoing problem, as you've found there is just no good answer to how to handle it unfortunately. One single poster who decides they are above the rules can dismantle any chance of a group here by posting repeatedly to go somewhere else.

Unfortunately, I don't think that's what happened with our group. I believe people were excited to participate on a Disboards FE, but after months of no forward motion in terms of cabins being organized, people (me included) began to worry that there'd be no group. Hence the migration away from Disboards at that point.

I'm surprised to hear about "poaching", but I suppose I shouldn't be. I'm not sure if there's subtext and circumstances in your post that I'm unaware of, but I suspect there is. I don't feel like there was any attempt to poach in our group, just a genuine sense of frustration that things weren't move forward.

At any rate, thanks for responding to my posts. Forum moderators have my utmost respect; it's not an easy job.

 

[AquaDame]

Unfortunately, I don't think that's what happened with our group. I believe people were excited to participate on a Disboards FE, but after months of no forward motion in terms of cabins being organized, people (me included) began to worry that there'd be no group. Hence the migration away from Disboards at that point.

I'm surprised to hear about "poaching", but I suppose I shouldn't be. I'm not sure if there's subtext and circumstances in your post that I'm unaware of, but I suspect there is. I don't feel like there was any attempt to poach in our group, just a genuine sense of frustration that things weren't move forward.

At any rate, thanks for responding to my posts. Forum moderators have my utmost respect; it's not an easy job.

New posters with 1 or 2 posts in a thread just saying "we are all on _____! Find us at this link! ______!!!" and then disappearing are poachers in my book, thats all I meant. One poster on your thread in particular had 3 posts, all of them just a link to FB.... >_<

Someone definitely needs to step up to do the list, thats for sure! Of the ones I've been in on Facebook a couple have been started by very motivated persons who just so happen to sell FE items. Definitely not every single one, I'm not saying that at all, but we are better about disallowing that here so there is no motivation aside from wanting to help out or being an A type personality.

We are lucky here! I've had very little to do since almost everyone is here to help, and even the times it happens its usually a one and done thing. Well, with minor exceptions.

 

[anricat]

The person running our FE here on the Dis for our most recent cruise disappeared. About three months before sailing, someone else just stepped up and did it. Once that happened, people started joining in left and right and there was a lively group. Someone just needs to take the reigns at this point or the stagecoach is going to go off a cliff. Are you that person?

 

[GrannyDee]

New posters with 1 or 2 posts in a thread just saying "we are all on _____! Find us at this link! ______!!!" and then disappearing are poachers in my book, thats all I meant. One poster on your thread in particular had 3 posts, all of them just a link to FB.... >_<

Thanks for the explanation!

The person running our FE here on the Dis for our most recent cruise disappeared. About three months before sailing, someone else just stepped up and did it. Once that happened, people started joining in left and right and there was a lively group. Someone just needs to take the reigns at this point or the stagecoach is going to go off a cliff. Are you that person?

Alas, no. I'm the person who quietly bailed. :-(

 

[professorandmom]

Alas, no. I'm the person who quietly bailed. :-(

I understand completely - if the goal of any cruise-related Internet activity is to have a great cruise experience and perhaps participate in FE exchange, you need to go where the people are...

 

[ldo]

why not post a reply that says, "I believe that this FE group is no longer active. If you are still participating in this group, please post a reply by XX date. Also, it appears that this group would need a new organizer. I am no longer participating in this FE, but wanted to let newcomers know. Best wishes

Also, I don't understand why we cannot mention other FE groups. Isn't disboards' goal to get the most out of a Disney trip? Why does it matter if I look over on XX as well? I never understood this. It like saying, "if you're my friend, you can't be Julie's friend also," as in the 4th grade.

 

[Krissy22222]

I will relate my experience here, a couple years back I joined a wonderful children's FE group, here on DIS. DD and I got everything ready to deliver, and were especially excited about an ice cream social meet and greet where she could go day 1 to meet the other children. Everyone was supposed to bring an ice cream topping to share and meet at Goofy's Galley. She is shy and this sort of event would have helped her to make friends she could have throughout the cruise. Anyway we show up to the meet and greet day one and all the people are just leaving, seems the time for the event was changed on FB but not on DIS. I was confused. I didn't even know there was a FB group for our cruise, much less the FE folks were posting on it. DD was bummed, I felt left out too, thinking "what else did I miss?" So, I can see your concern, OP.

 

[Krissy22222]

Also, I don't understand why we cannot mention other FE groups. Isn't disboards' goal to get the most out of a Disney trip? Why does it matter if I look over on XX as well? I never understood this. It like saying, "if you're my friend, you can't be Julie's friend also," as in the 4th grade.

I totally agree!