Anyone else wonder why so many "just back" reports?

[B4DlandOpened]

I wish there was a way to just read the OP posts and skip the rest.

Absolutely! But it would take a hierarchical structure instead of linear. Not sure if that's an option.

I agree it can be tiresome to wade through them, but I think the reason people do it is to encourage the TR author and connect with them personally: to let them know that they have an interested audience - that people are looking fwd to their report.

Agree - especially if the TR is well written, humorous, and informative.

 

[L_MD]

I'll tell you why. Because the TR forum is full of gigantic, epic, multi-page, book-length TRs that can make you feel tired just trying to make it through the tables of contents. It can be very, very off-putting. Just the idea of writing a short TR in the TR forum can make you feel like you're doing it wrong. So some people just leave a single long post in the Theme Parks forum. Maybe it's time to split the TR forum up into short and long report forums? Or make it more explicit that you don't have to write an encyclopedia just to post in the TR forum? I don't know. I do know I just came back from an awesome, pivotal WDW trip, and for the above reasons the last place I feel comfortable writing about it is in the TR forum.

Furthermore, criticizing people's admittedly misplaced TRs for being too short is mean-spirited and totally not welcoming. It's also ludicrous, considering the whole point of the DIS is to talk about Disney. Not to mention hypocritical to throw in your own "just back" report in a rant telling people to stop posting "just back" reports. Seriously.

I hope you post your trip report- and I'll be happy to read it wherever it ends up being posted!

 

[jo-jo]

I agree it can be tiresome to wade through them, but I think the reason people do it is to encourage the TR author and connect with them personally: to let them know that they have an interested audience - that people are looking fwd to their report. It's a lot of time/work to do a TR - and more motivating if you know you're not speaking to an empty room. Plus many of these folks chiming in have answered questions or helped the person during months of his/her pre-trip planning too.

(Do the DIS tools let you see how many people are watching your thread or following along if no one specifically says anything?)

I agree writing them is a awful lot of work and I enjoy the reading. As far as seeing if people are interested, the threads do have a listing such as 12 replies and 147 views, so that shows at least people are looking.

Asking questions or making comments like we didn't have issues like that at Ohana is different than I'm in, can't wait, etc.


I remember yrs ago someone wrote an epic and it was so funny and well written, but there were a few comments like "when is the next installment going to be up". People were getting snippy if the OP hadn't added that day's posting.

 

[MalkaR]

I like reading the short "just back" trip reports. I only click on and read the posts I'm interested in.

 

[hiroMYhero]

I wish there was a way to just read the OP posts and skip the rest.

By using the Search option, you can run a Search within that specific TR thread and see the list of Posts by the OP.

 

[mikedoyleblogger]

By using the Search option, you can run a Search within that specific TR thread and see the list of Posts by the OP.

This is awesome. I never knew this.

 

[Accident]

It seems every day I'm seeing 3-4 new trip reports posted in this forum under a "now here", "just got back".

I'd like to invite everyone to check out this forum: http://www.disboards.com/forums/disney-trip-reports.18/

Perhaps mods can start to move these threads to the forum they should be in (in my opinion).

 

[AtlantaDisneyDreamer]

I totally get what you are saying. I think people post here because very few read and/or respond to that forum compared to this one. I posted a trip report or two there and barely got a response. Seems people respond to the ones posted here.

I haven't posted a trip report in a while because people tend not to care much when they are posted in the other forum.

Some of them do speak to attractions and strategies, but they also apply to resorts and restaurants, so this may not be the ideal forum.

 

[AJA55]

Well you know…everyone has an opinion. H mine...

Personally I like the short TR/just back posts here.

If I want to have a detailed and entertaining novella I head for the Trip Reports page.

I read both.

 

[OhioStateBuckeye]

I like the 'just back' reports in this forum.

I think they help a lot with planning. They usually give a snapshot of what crowds were like at this time of year. People state what worked and what didn't work for them.

To me, the trip report forum is for those trip reports that describe minute by minute details of the trips with lots of pictures, not overall summaries.

A while ago they did move the small 'just backs' to the trip reports board and no one read them or got any use out of them.

I hate to say this, I don't usually agree with the phrase but if you don't like these types of thread just pass by them.

I'd really hate to see them get moved back to the trip report forum where they don't help a lot of people.

 

[rwdavis2]

I hate those long winded,multi page, cutesie-titled reports. I try to read them but the mind numbing inane details of most of them make them unreadable.

 

[Missyrose]

I wish there was a way to just read the OP posts and skip the rest.

The trip reports you're looking for are the ones with a chapter list, usually in the second post. That way, you can just click through to the actual TR posts without having to look through the response posts.

 

[Accident]

I hate those long winded,multi page, cutesie-titled reports. I try to read them but the mind numbing inane details of most of them make them unreadable.

Would be easy to spot the "just back" threads in there though. Or maybe it's time for a just back subforum

 

[mikedoyleblogger]

I like the 'just back' reports in this forum.

I think they help a lot with planning. They usually give a snapshot of what crowds were like at this time of year. People state what worked and what didn't work for them.

To me, the trip report forum is for those trip reports that describe minute by minute details of the trips with lots of pictures, not overall summaries.

A while ago they did move the small 'just backs' to the trip reports board and no one read them or got any use out of them.

I hate to say this, I don't usually agree with the phrase but if you don't like these types of thread just pass by them.

I'd really hate to see them get moved back to the trip report forum where they don't help a lot of people.

This. Everything this.

 

[hiroMYhero]

Yes, to clarify: it was determined sometime last year that "Here Now" and "Just Back" threads are welcome on TPAS. These threads do reflect real-time experiences and can be beneficial to those with trips planned for the near future.

*From the DIS Guidelines:
If you have any questions regarding how TPAS is moderated, please direct them to admin@wdwinfo.com. Any discussion about a Moderating decision that takes place on the boards could result in an infraction.

 

[megster1123]

I've actually gotten some good tips that are relevant to our plans from the just backs. I like them because the info is quick and current and not presented in overwhelming war and peace length literary piece. And I've found the OP gladly expands if a question is asked, so that's helpful too.

I do find it slightly odd when opening a TR thread to find the OP is updating day 4 of their 10 day trip that concluded last spring. Those types...not my cup of tea.

 

[DrunkJam]

I do read the just back threads, but I'm amazed at the epic 20 thousand page reports. How people remember on Sept 1 we ate at Casey, hot dog $12.99, soda $3.59 (I making up numbers) total......$ 3 cheaper than dining plan. Then we waited 18 mins to get on Peter Pan, while walking a brisk 3.7 miles per hour, we hit splash mountain at 1:32 pm for our FP. I remember stuff like dinner was around 100 bucks, not $92.32 plus tip.

What does annoy me is the number of posts that say "I'm in", "I'm subscribing", "can't wait"....Sometimes the writer has three posts and the "I'm in" people has 28 posts. I wish there was a way to just read the OP posts and skip the rest.

I sometimes post a quick comment if I get in at the start of a report. Because the opening post contains something that I want to be sure to read the updates on, and if I post something, I get e mails when the post is updated. SO, I WILL actually find it again.

 

[mikedoyleblogger]

Yes, to clarify: it was determined sometime last year that "Here Now" and "Just Back" threads are welcome on TPAS. These threads do reflect real-time experiences and can be beneficial to those with trips planned for the near future.

Could that possibly be considered for stickying in TPAS?

 

[hiroMYhero]

Could that possibly be considered for stickying in TPAS?

Good suggestion! I'll discuss with @lovethattink!

 

[L_MD]

I do find it slightly odd when opening a TR thread to find the OP is updating day 4 of their 10 day trip that concluded last spring. Those types...not my cup of tea.

Hear hear!