Trip report question...very confused...

[traciedee]

I'm just not understanding why everyone is getting so upset here. Kinda just plain silly. For goodness sake-- this is just a forum to discuss Disney, not world peace or how to solve world hunger. Lighten up and quit beating up on the moderators(who I am sure are just following guidelines). I am sure there is an area you can discuss off topic issues and wander off to whatever topics you want.

 

[FSUMARCHIEF]

I do try to cause stirs occasionally, when things are wrong and need to be fixed. And by posting here, this time, I'm not trying to cause a stir. I just want to offer my two cents - and remember - that's about exactly what was paid for my thoughts!

I looked at Vettechick's post - it had 97,000 + views before it was shut down.

Happy Haunts had 86,000 + before it was shut down.

I haven't been on this board very long. In fact I used to lurk almost exclusively on the theme park strategies and the food boards. Those were my favorites - I like food! My wife, however got me into the trip reports with Vettechick's actually. Her report about the honeymoon, etc. was what first attracted me to the trip reports board. And it is apparent from the sheer number of views that I wasn't the only one attracted to the report.

The same could be said for the Mel's reports. They are extremely entertaining.

I am guessing from the discussions here that my threads have also been a part of the problem, cause I didn't always stay on track with just Disney stuff. But to me it's the asides that make the trips entertaining and funny. If we didn't know that Vettechick was a teacher by day it wouldn't be near as funny to think about her boozin her way around the world. We'd just think she was a poor drunk who probably did this at home too. But because we know she's a regular teacher and that she admits this isn't full time behavior for her, its a little more comical knowing that she lets her hair down at WDW.

Same for Mel. The things about her children wouldn't be near as funny if we didn't know the little side things about them. It's these aside, going off the topic things that help us feel like we know something about the people - and that they aren't just some character made up in someones head.

I posted in one of my threads that I had gotten a little tired of saying, "We rode this, and then we rode this." I personally get bored reading ride report after ride report. But when somebody almost gets poop on their neck right before Illuminations cause their kid forgets to tell them he has to go to the bathroom - now that's funny!

I understand rules - and I'm all for them. Where would we be without rules. But let's please not make this board simply into a we rode this and we rode that. This board has become something I check every day - especially for these two reports. I'm not going to the Community Board. I've surfed through there a few times and there's just too much garbage over there - though I will try and find out what happened to Mel's kid and the prisoner guy.

Can't we all just get along? 97,000 plus 86,000 is an awful lot of satisfied people. Almost 200,000 served! I know restaurants that can't make that claim!

I'm not mad. I'm not even really complaining. I'm just expressing my fear that this board is going to lose its pizzaz for me and I'm going to have to go back and find something else. That's all.

Blessings!
Mark

 

[TLinden16]

Lillygator, it is obviously upset about the decisions of the moderators, and I'm sorry that you feel that way.

MarlaHellwig, Pumba, OhMari and I have been entrusted by the webmasters of this site to make decisions on what we feel is the best way to improve and grow the Trip Report Board. We want to make this board fun, and user friendly for everyone who comes to this board looking to read about other people's trips to Walt Disney World. If there is a lot of random chit chat on the threads, it's going to make it hard for people to find the actual trip reports, and that is the reason why they came here.

We do not moderate the budget board, the DVC board, the resort board, or any other board on the DIS. We moderate the trip report board. We make the decisions for what we think is best for this board. If other moderators allow alot of off topic posts on their boards, that is their decision, and maybe that works out fine for those boards. But, we do not think it works best for this board.

Every board on the DIS has a specific topic. If we didn't have the DIS broken down into topics, then we would just have one big messy community board with thousands of posts every day on every subject under the sun. It would be difficult to navigate. Could you imagine trying to find someone's trip report or whatever if we didn't have the boards?

The boards are broken down into sections for a reason. Keeping off topic subjects to a minimum makes it a lot easier for everyone to navigate.

We're not saying that folks can have big long random conversations on the DIS--we're just saying that the Trip Reports board is not the place for that. Take that to PM, or start your own group on the Community Board. That's what it's there for.

Thank you.

Karen

 

[luvpooh]

How do you know? I mean, I only glanced at those reports...and the replies and no one said anything about it being fake....not calling you a liar. Just wondering why in the heck you'd make up a trip report and why in the heck that's allowed?

A couple of years back, they were a prominent fixture on the TR board and the CB; the 2 ladies that were penning the posts 'came out' and admitted they were the ones behind them...

 

[SoNotAPrincess]

Y'know...I've been trying to backtrack and figure out exactly what happened to stir up this hornet's nest, too.

Near as I can figure, some folks complained about certain threads being more popular than theirs. Sounds like sour grapes to me. But like my Granny used to tell me, "The squeaky wheel gets the grease."

Squeak squeak

So what if the threads got off topic? Vettechick would've been back and been all about Disney. Mel and her family are off to WDW again in about 6 weeks. Whatcha wanna bet we'd have heard about it right there on the Endless Trip Report thread. Hey, ya'll...it says ENDLESS right in the title.

Correct me if I'm wrong, but the mods didn't have a problem with the off topic posts until somebody complained.

Squeak squeak

And Mel and Vettechick get shut down.

I'd hate to see the really good trip report writers stop contributing. Do we need a new sub-board (like the Dreams Unlimited Trip Reports sticky)? We can call it Meandering Trip Reports or TMI Trip Reports...something clever...that way folks'd be forewarned, and if they want their trip report cut and dried with no asides, digressions, details, minutia, etc. they'll know not to come there.

Seems a shame to even have to make such a suggestion, but if the squeaky wheel is getting greased...

Squeak squeak.

 

[luvpooh]

Y'know...I've been trying to backtrack and figure out exactly what happened to stir up this hornet's nest, too.

Near as I can figure, some folks complained about certain threads being more popular than theirs. Sounds like sour grapes to me. But like my Granny used to tell me, "The squeaky wheel gets the grease."

Squeak squeak

So what if the threads got off topic? Vettechick would've been back and been all about Disney. Mel and her family are off to WDW again in about 6 weeks. Whatcha wanna bet we'd have heard about it right there on the Endless Trip Report thread. Hey, ya'll...it says ENDLESS right in the title.

Correct me if I'm wrong, but the mods didn't have a problem with the off topic posts until somebody complained.

Squeak squeak

And Mel and Vettechick get shut down.

I'd hate to see the really good trip report writers stop contributing. Do we need a new sub-board (like the Dreams Unlimited Trip Reports sticky)? We can call it Meandering Trip Reports or TMI Trip Reports...something clever...that way folks'd be forewarned, and if they want their trip report cut and dried with no asides, digressions, details, minutia, etc. they'll know not to come there.

Seems a shame to even have to make such a suggestion, but if the squeaky wheel is getting greased...

Squeak squeak.

I (squeak squeak) agree

 

[MommyPoppins]

A couple of years back, they were a prominent fixture on the TR board and the CB; the 2 ladies that were penning the posts 'came out' and admitted they were the ones behind them...

That's kinda weird...makes me feel weird...I'm probably going to think about this all night....and I probably won't sleep.... then tomorrow, I'll probably read them.

or not.... at least pondering the purpose of a fake trip report will keep me from thinking about the electic shock being applied to my cervix tomorrow. Can you say cervix? Is that too OT?

 

[luvpooh]

or not.... at least pondering the purpose of a fake trip report will keep me from thinking about the electic shock being applied to my cervix tomorrow. Can you say cervix? Is that too OT?

probably a little OT, but good luck with that anyway...(is there a squeamish smilie?) this guy will do

 

[horsegirl]

I think this is helpful to keep this dialogue up. TLinden, I can understand what you are saying, but it seems to me people are concerned that the spontaneity and liveliness of these reports might be lost. Censorship is serious stuff. This really feels like censorship at its worst, when posts go missing all over the place and a thread gets pulled for what many see as a flimsy reason. The trip board mod team may not feel that the direction is right for the trip board, but by posting here, many of us are, I think, saying we disagree.

 

[horsegirl]

That's kinda weird...makes me feel weird...I'm probably going to think about this all night....and I probably won't sleep.... then tomorrow, I'll probably read them.

or not.... at least pondering the purpose of a fake trip report will keep me from thinking about the electic shock being applied to my cervix tomorrow. Can you say cervix? Is that too OT?

OMG MommyP that is sooooooo funny. See what I mean moderators? A little banter adds to the character of a post and can even lighten it up. Thanks mommy and luvpooh, I feel better already. Fake trip report? Is that allowed?

 

[TLinden16]

I guess I'm the one who is getting confused here. I'm just not understanding what everyone is having a hard time understanding here.

This is a board for Disney World trip reports. It is for discussions about planning and experiencing Walt Disney World trips. It seems pretty cut and dry to me.

We're not saying that you can't have your chit chat--we're just saying that the trip report is not the forum fo that. We have a community board for that.

Not completely sure why you are calling this censorship. We may have pulled some posts that were against DIS guidelines (guidelines that all of us agreed to follow when we joined the DIS--if you've forgotten them you can find them by clicking here. ), but everything else is still available for reading. And you can continue any of the random chatter from the two posts we closed over on the Community Board.

Since I'm directing everyone to the guidelines, please take special care reading this section to further understand the decisions of the trip report moderators:

6. 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.

7. MODERATORS: For each forum on the DIS, a moderator(s) has been chosen to oversee a particular board. Moderators have the authority to delete or edit posts as needed, based on these guidelines. Moderators act with the full authority of the webmaster, and their decisions on all matters are final.

Thanks everyone.

 

[cody's mom]

Can one of the mods please explain why vettechicks thread was locked instead of moved? You say chit-chat belongs on the cb board, why didn't you just move it there?

 

[TLinden16]

The thread was locked and not moved because it is a trip report. Vettechick was started on this board so that she could share her trip with everyone. This is the place where that thread belonged--if it had been started on the community board or another board, it would have been moved here to the trip report board by the moderators of that board. We can't just move a trip report thread over to the community board because people want to chit chat on the thread. Feel free to start a new thread on the community board to do that.

As we have said, Vettechick is welcome to start a new thread to continue her trip report at any time (and all of the moderators on this board hope she does).

 

[lillygator]

Lillygator, it is obviously upset about the decisions of the moderators, and I'm sorry that you feel that way.

If there is a lot of random chit chat on the threads, it's going to make it hard for people to find the actual trip reports, and that is the reason why they came here.

this is pretty much why I am upset....you are listing the above as reasons for closing/moving threads as well as the posted guidelines. The above bolded is ABSOLUTELY not true....it's so easy to edit the title and put in the new page number isn't it? I guess that is my main point...it's like a corporate wide dress code yet three departments get to wear tank tops while the rest get written up for it.

And if the posted guidlines that we all agreed to apply to the entire board then all the mods need to be on the same page and it needs to be enforced everywhere. There are a few cruise trip reports that happened last Nov that are still being used for chit chat and planning. I see no harm in this.

After this post I am finished on this thread. I come here for good times and Disney dreams...regardless of what the mods have posted I still think there is more to it. It's obvious from the reasons listed. I have been a mod on other boards and I know I how difficult it is to please everyone, but this case is backwards...the few led the masses here.

TLinden, I hate to see the DIS become rule crazy, but please pass on to the other mods that if we are going to be so strict in here that could everyone try and enforce the rest of the board. That is only fair. It's not right to penalize the TR section and not the others.

And everyone who so wants to read and write the we came we saw Trip Reports -- I am sure this whole thread has been nothing but encouragement, if you wanted lots of views and replies....well, you get the idea.

I was hoping to lead my TR into my May trip, but I absolutely don't want to move to the Community Board. A "what's for dinner" thread would get more attention.

 

[DebIreland]

Wow lillygator. I like your style. Nicely said!

 

[SoNotAPrincess]

I would like the moderators to address the "fake trip report" threads on the TR board. How come they aren't off topic? They are about a trip that never happened to people that don't exist. Yet they are allowed on the board and applauded by the moderators.

I'm confuzzled.

Please explain.

And, lillygator...I'm with you 100 percent!

 

[TLinden16]

Lily, I'm sorry that you continue to feel that way. I think you are really making a mountain out of a molehill here. This is a board for Disney trip reports. There is no need to have five pages of idle non-Disney World trip related chatter between installments of a trip report. And people should not have to wade through pages of idle chatter to find a trip report that they are trying to read. We're not saying folks can't have idle chatter--we're saying that if there is big long discussions in the middle of trip reports, they need to go to PM or the community board.

I just don't understand why you are having such a difficult time accepting that we are requesting that the posts stay on topic. This isn't something that came up suddenly. We've posted threads reminding everyone this purpose of the board is for Disney trip reports. We've posted friendly reminders on threads to stay on topic.

We're not being rule crazy. We're just trying to get people to stay on topic. It should not be so hard to understand and accept that.

The moderators of each board decide how they are going to apply the guidelines set forth by the webmasters. I can't speak for the moderators of the cruise board, but perhaps they have not seen this turn into a problem on their board. We do feel it has become a problem here on the trip report board, and felt there was need to take action on it.

As for trip reports being fake, we are not here to determine the authenticity of the of any trip report. I have no way of knowing if a trip report is 100% accurate and true, and it's not my job to decide whether or not it is true. I'd say that a large number of trip reports on this board have details that are embellished in their reports (poetic license so to speak).

Karen

 

[lillygator]

And people should not have to wade through pages of idle chatter to find a trip report that they are trying to read.

I just don't understand why you are having such a difficult time accepting that we are requesting that the posts stay on topic. This isn't something that came up suddenly. We've posted threads reminding everyone this purpose of the board is for Disney trip reports. We've posted friendly reminders on threads to stay on topic.

We're not being rule crazy. We're just trying to get people to stay on topic. It should be so hard to understand and accept that.

ok I thought I was through but a Gal can change her mind can't she?

I know it seems I am being argumentative but what you keep saying is really contradictory....how is it different than wading through the TR board pages to find report "installments" since they can't seem to keep it all in one thread? There is no difference is there?

and when I pm'ed pumba when the TR reminder post originated, the response was along the lines of due to the amount of complaints received we are putting this reminder out there....so had the people not complained nothing would have transpired here.

I am trying desperately to look at this objectively but I cannot see where the mods are looking at it objectively - unless of course you had as many complaining PM's as vettechick, Zzub, 1000thhappyhaunt had views on their reports....

It's interesting to note that of all the trip reports...I just went back and read 11 pages of the short ones....who the only responses come from.


Once again, as you can see, it is more than one or two people who don't understand this. As I said - please ask all the mods to do this in all areas if we are going to be rule enforced.

I am sorry if you feel I am being difficult, I am just trying to fully understand something being taken away that so many get such enjoyment out of simply because a couple folks didn't make the cheerleading squad.

 

[lillygator]

I do want to note that I appreciate the jobs and the responses from the mods....and I realize this is a no win situation on the part of the disgruntled.

I also realize we may never know the real answers to our questions....and to comment on the fake trip reports...well, I can't believe you would allow them. Mods out and ban trolls all the time...I understand your position on not wanting to determine if it's fake or not, but certainly if it is brought to your attention isn't it up to the mods/admin to do something about it?

Don't worry - you don't have to answer, you've already posted what you do about that...I am just wondering aloud.

Although Allison hasn't posted that I've seen, I do certainly hope that she was contacted out of courtesy before her thread was closed and I find it appalling that she is unable to finsh and must start a new thread for that....if you put yourself in her 3 inch stiletto's after a Jager bomb, how would you feel about that...? (and when I say "you" not you personally....but all the decision Gods)

now I bid farewell....and thanks for the laughs and letting us enjoy your families and trip adventures!! It's always fun to see Disney though the eyes of another! Good luck short writers - we'll pass over the golden keyboard now - but the imagination we'll be keepin'!

 

[SoNotAPrincess]

As for trip reports being fake, we are not here to determine the authenticity of the of any trip report. I have no way of knowing if a trip report is 100% accurate and true, and it's not my job to decide whether or not it is true. I'd say that a large number of trip reports on this board have details that are embellished in their reports (poetic license so to speak).

Karen

Oh, puh-leez! Those Cuthbert threads are pretty obviously made up, and it doesn't take a genius to figure it out.

And there's a huge difference between poetic license and fiction.

I'm not diminishing the fiction writers' talent or imagination. I'm sure they're very entertaining for those who want to read about the adventures of a fictional group of people at WDW.

But I thought the TR board was for sharing what really happened to real people, not what only happened in someone's fertile imagination.

We can split hairs all day. I agree that writers take a certain amount of poetic license in recounting their adventures. But the adventures REALLY happened, and the people they happened to are flesh and blood, not just pen and ink or fingers to keyboard.

Look, I don't want to get off on a tangent about this, and there is no need for a moderator to respond to this post; but...

I think fair is only fair if it is fair for all.

To say that "too much" (and who decides how much is too much anyway) idle chit chat is off topic and to shut down threads that are still alive and well and bound for additional REAL Disney trip reporting, but then approve and applaud fictional stories about a fictional trip that is COMPLETELY fabricated (no matter how cute they may be) just doesn't seem fair to me.