Confused

[mjmcca]

I am also concerned with the abrupt end of this TR. I too was reading every new installment. I see no difference in this report to several others continuing unmolested on the board. I also think that as long as I keep getting server too busy messages the Mods and Webmaster wont care what a handful of posters think about their actions.

 

[AC7179]

Please reconsider.

I think that a wordy TR has at least as much right to be on the TR board as the games have on the CB. And I think a wordy TR has MORE right to be on the CB than the games do as well (although I do enjoy the games.)

 

[Shelby5514]

It's a shame there isn't SOMEWHERE on the DIS boards that would welcome this kind of report.

 

[MareQ]

Having been a member of AOL's Community Leader team (before we were all "fired" last year - lol) I am leary about "bashing" the CL's at all. I understand that they have a tough job and I know that all they are trying to do is their job... however....I fail to understand why some FANTASTIC threads have been shut down.

I can see how it would be very disruptive if there were multiple OT posts clogging the board - however that's not happening at least not the way I view the boards. It's one thread with several posts under it - ONE VERY POPULAR THREAD with several posts under it. SO WHAT?

Posters like ZZUB, Vettichick and Mel are why many many people come here. We like reading trip reports but especially love reading their trip reports. When it goes beyound the actual trips - WE don't care - when you find a book, a series or an author you love - you beg for more - the actual topic becomes less important as you laugh and cry with them and are sucked into their world.

 

[MrsMcMouse]

I'm just a bit disappointed that this thread has been running for more than 24 hours and none of the moderators has taken the opportunity to share the reasons/explain the decision to a group who have asked repeatedly for an explanation to help us to understand.

A difficult situation can be so easily defused with a clear and reasoned explantion.

 

[Disnut25]

I agree that the mod’s job is not an easy one, nor would I want to do it. I also see that these boards are not a democracy and the owner/web-master has the right to operate these boards as they see fit. Unfortunately, the end result is that we may have to seek the enjoyment of reading a more personal TR somewhere else. Please PM me if you know where ZZUB and Mel have gone.

One of the main reasons I read this board is that I love Disney and enjoy hearing about other people’s experiences. It is very brave of people like Mel, Zzub, Horsegirl and others to open up their lives and in some cases, reveal very personal artifacts of their lives in an open forum. Their openness and honesty is what make me want to call them friends even though I would not know them if I bumped into them on the street. It is what keeps me coming back to the boards. To ask these people to change their writing style because it does not fit into someone’s idea of what a TR should be is just wrong. Obviously, many people feel the same way as me.

I hope the owners of this site see that this is not just about unlocking Mel’s TR. It’s about changing the idea of what should be considered appropriate for this thread. When I first started to surf this board I was drawn to it because of its sense of humanity. A place we could find out about how we each experience the magic. In our/their own words and eyes the things that make Disney so special. We all laughed and cried, for our own reason during different parts of the each report. I for one find I sometimes learn something about myself while reading some of the TR’s. If this element is taken away, you will just have a hollow shell of a TR that does not have much redeeming value.

Please do not unlock Mel’s report unless you are willing to except that some people have more to offer then been there, done that. Unlock it because you want to make this board a place where people can come and share themselves, if they desire, with friends. After all why shouldn’t there be a little magic on the DIS as well.

 

[DisneyGirl4188]

I agree that the mod’s job is not an easy one, nor would I want to do it. I also see that these boards are not a democracy and the owner/web-master has the right to operate these boards as they see fit. Unfortunately, the end result is that we may have to seek the enjoyment of reading a more personal TR somewhere else. Please PM me if you know where ZZUB and Mel have gone.

One of the main reasons I read this board is that I love Disney and enjoy hearing about other people’s experiences. It is very brave of people like Mel, Zzub, Horsegirl and others to open up their lives and in some cases, reveal very personal artifacts of their lives in an open forum. Their openness and honesty is what make me want to call them friends even though I would not know them if I bumped into them on the street. It is what keeps me coming back to the boards. To ask these people to change their writing style because it does not fit into someone’s idea of what a TR should be is just wrong. Obviously, many people feel the same way as me.

I hope the owners of this site see that this is not just about unlocking Mel’s TR. It’s about changing the idea of what should be considered appropriate for this thread. When I first started to surf this board I was drawn to it because of its sense of humanity. A place we could find out about how we each experience the magic. In our/their own words and eyes the things that make Disney so special. We all laughed and cried, for our own reason during different parts of the each report. I for one find I sometimes learn something about myself while reading some of the TR’s. If this element is taken away, you will just have a hollow shell of a TR that does not have much redeeming value.

Please do not unlock Mel’s report unless you are willing to except that some people have more to offer then been there, done that. Unlock it because you want to make this board a place where people can come and share themselves, if they desire, with friends. After all why shouldn’t there be a little magic on the DIS as well.

That was very well said. I agree whole heartedly. I do wish the mods would just post here and answer some of the questions that have been posed.

 

[OhMari]

I'm just a bit disappointed that this thread has been running for more than 24 hours and none of the moderators has taken the opportunity to share the reasons/explain the decision to a group who have asked repeatedly for an explanation to help us to understand.

A difficult situation can be so easily defused with a clear and reasoned explantion.

I've posted, see post #6.
OhMari
Co-moderator Trip Reports

 

[Lan]

If anyone talks to Mel, please encourage her to get her own webpage to post her trips. I don't know about cost, etc. But I did/do enjoy her trip reports. I have never written A TR, but I guess it would have to go like this:

I went to Disney, saw Mickey, and came home.

That stayed on topic

 

[ZZUB]

I wish to commend the moderators for allowing this thread to stay open and for allowing people to openly question their decisions. To lock down this thread and to start deleting posts from curious members of the Dis Community would be to further inflame passions and create even more dissent.

Out of an abundance of morbid curiosity and in response to a morsel which was left for me, too tempting not to pursue, I came over here to see what had been going on since last week.

To clarify one thing with regards to me: I have NOT left the Disboards permanently. However, in light of the recent crackdown and because I sensed my time was not being well spent, I have decided to limit my internet activity for the time being to my own blog (this post notwithstanding).

Part of what propelled me to make this decision was the way in which Mel's Trip Report was dispensed with like so much garbage. If the Disboards are a community and communities thrive only because we each agree to treat others with respect, then I wonder if anyone would want to be treated the way Mel was treated by the moderators on Friday. I doubt anyone would welcome that.

I don't know the moderators personally. I don't know any of you personally. But TLinden, Oh Mari and Pumba have all, at one time or another, posted on my various Trip Reports. Their comments have usually been encouraging. After I posted the epilogue to my last Trip Report, I was warmed by the responses I received from many people, including TLinden who reminded me that we have a little angel in Heaven watching over us. Which leads me to the conclusion that the moderators are, in fact, more sensitive and caring then we are currently perceiving them.

In retrospect, I don't think TLinden meant to be mean-spirited to Mel by announcing, almost immediately after Mel described the tragedy her daughter witnessed, that Mel's trip report was going off into long winded, off topic discussions. But that was they way it was perceived by many of us. In addition, I can't imagine that there was a groundswell of people offended by Mel's decision to add some back story to her Trip Report.

It bears repeating that Mel's trip report (like Vettechick's before her) was not attacking anyone personally or as a group, was not unfriendly to families, racist or laden with blatant sexual innuendo. Mel's Trip Report was shut down, so it would seem, simply because she was explaining herself in too much detail.

I hope the moderators will indeed respond to their better angels and relax their rules with regards to what constitutes an appropriate trip report. Judging soley by the number of views on Mel's Trip Reports it would seem she is quite popular. I wonder who is served by silencing her voice?

Finally, if it is the intent of the Disboards to censor non-offensive material from Trip Reports simply because it may be considered "off-topic," is it also the intent of the Disboards to see a significant, perhaps even a substantial, number of its members go elsewhere? Who is served by that?

 

[jw50]

I've posted, see post #6.
OhMari
Co-moderator Trip Reports

I think this means end of discussion

 

[horsegirl]

Thnank you for clarifying your position Zzub. I edited my post to reflect that...

 

[OhMari]

I think this means end of discussion

I never said that JW50. A DIS member said a "Moderator" never posted. I was directing the member to my post.

 

[Minnie]

Bonnie,
Please see the sticky on top of this thread. Also the DISboards have guidelines, we were following them. Here is the linkhttp://www.wdwinfo.com/guidelines.htm

We closed 1000HappyHaunts because of this guideline6. STAYING ON TOPIC: The boards are named to reflect general topics. Please refrain from asking questions about park hours on the DVC board, or questions about the Caribbean Beach on the Trip Reports board.

Also many personal messages were posted which should be done with e-mails or PM's.

Hopes this helps.
OhMari Trip Report Co-moderator

Since OhMari directed those of still concerned/questioning this decision to this post I wanted to paste it down here.

To be honest - no it doesn't help - what would however help is explaining to the Dis community EXACTLY what was off topic. Many of us our expressing that we haven't seen it in THIS particular report. The closure of this report still remains a question and a concern to many.

 

[Princessprissypie]

While I, personally, do not care for Mel Happyhaunt's trip reports I am a huge fan of many many others here. There are excellent stories of Disney trips on this board. For one: ZZUB's. I was saddened to read his post here. But I'm very glad he made it. Along with all the others on this thread. Unfortunately, I feel much the same. I don't fully understand the reasons nor do I agree with locking a TR in progress. As long as progress is being made.

I also agree with many people on this thread that a mod's job is not an easy one. I understand fully the need for mods on boards such as this. THIS is NOT a personal attack. I guess I'm just saddened. And wanted to tell you that here.

Thank you for keeping this particular thread open and allowing people to voice their opinions.

 

[GeorgiaAristocat]

Everyone -
I have heretofore tried to remain out of the public fray, and will continue to avoid it, although I have many of the same questions and concerns that have already been expressed.

This is merely to say that I believe the moderators have many issues that they must deal with, certainly beyond these boards. Their personal lives and families must come first, and I think we would all accept that and agree.

I think that patience is in order. I believe that the moderators are, at this point, well aware of the general concern. I have not seen any attacks on the mods, and I hope that I don't.

I would like the situation resolved to everyone's satisfaction as much as anyone else. Patience.

 

[LYNSUE]

It saddens me to think that other great writers will no longer be contributing to the trip report board because of this incident. I will miss you all, especially the Whirlwinds.

About HappyHaunt's report.... It did get a little long and off topic in some areas. I chose to skip that section or just close the thread. Simple really.

 

[MrsMcMouse]

I've posted, see post #6.
OhMari
Co-moderator Trip Reports

Thanks for the link back but I think if you had read the whole thread you would have easily identified that people are looking for more than that as an explanation. I think that has been made clear.

I am very sorry if other mods are dealing with difficult family issues - life can be unexpectedly hard at times and I send my warmest wishes to those concerned. This issue is in no way a personal assault on anyone but a concern about policy and the way it is handled.

I commend Zzub for a well thought out post. I hope that someone on the official side will provide an equally considered response when it is convenient for them.

 

[BratTink]

There are many eloquent replies to this thread which I greatly appreciate. I am not so eloquent and still a little UNHAPPY. One of my posts on another thread was edited, which I understand as the Dis is apparently Not a Democracy.
I don't know Mel Happyhaunt at all. I'm hoping that she does know the amount of support she has and that should she choose to write another report we will follow and support her and read her report while we laugh and cry with her happyhaunts.
Someone said above and I'd like to reiterate, to the Mods, we'd like to know exactly what was so off topic that the thread was closed. EXACTLY WHAT. Wallmart or her child's tragic event? I did take the time to go to the TR board and read other reports. None were as entertaining as Mel's. Sorry.

 

[sheridac]

Color me astonished. Still even. Not only is this thread still open, no posts that I can see have been deleted. On top of that, my dear friend Oz put his hat into the ring. A girl goes shopping for the afternoon and the man comes out from behind the curtain.

The interesting thing, to me, is that the Magic that Walt Disney created, the Magic we all feel when we visit WDW (well, the copious, free-flowing bleeding of our wallets not withstanding) has, up until now, always been re-created in the trip reports I have read here.

What saddens me, is that, for now, that Magic is gone. The personal details woven into each trip report is what makes that report so magically. How many of you have nodded your head in agreement as you read along??

I know I did.

The other thing that made each trip report so special to me, is the interaction between the author and each reader. That funny, witty humor and banter is yet another thing that makes these reports come alive. You can't replace that. I don't know why you would want to.

I have been told I am somewhat funny. And that people can't wait for me to write a trip report of my own. Maybe that's true, I don't know. As it stands now, I can't see myself ever writing one. At least not here. And I'm sure many, many others feel the same.

And that's a crying shame. 'Cause I am good.

Just ask my friends.