Since no one is going to build a gigantic multi-thousand-bed resort 10 miles from Deal's Gap anytime soon...

I know the veterans would love to have some form of "entitlement" system to ensure accomodations for as long as they live, if they so choose....

But I also know that those of us who are "newbies" would love to be able to experience MINIness in all it's close-up glory, and make new friends, and participate in more events - in a way that only works if you're staying on-site. Doesn't seem very "fair" to me that a few hundred people get to yell "DIBS!" once, and as a result get to have a monopoly on MOTD for their own personal fun forever...

The lottery wouldn't have to be all that hard. Fill out a card that checks off accomodations you are willing to accept, ranked in order of preference. Put all the cards in a box. Pull the cards one at a time. When your card is pulled, if your first choice is available, you get it, if not, you get the highest preference choice that IS available (which could include multiples- example: I want one cabin or two lodge rooms). That prevents multiple "cascading" lotteries and complexities like that. Once simple lottery, you get your first available preference. If none of your acceptable lodgings are still available, you get nothing and the next card is pulled. Easy.

And obviously a certainly number of lodgings are reserved for vendors and organizers. You want to guarantee on-site lodging? Work for it. :-)

 

@bamatt: Yes, of course. But at least I would know that everyone had an equal chance. And I couldn't feel even the slightest bit bitter about the turn of events. ...and, yes, I'll admit to still being a little bitter.

It also might make it easier for me to choose to "skip" a year here and there - and try something different (like AMVIV or MITM) for that year.

 

Aha! It is easy! I hadn't thought in that direction. Good show, Blimey!

 

I like that Blimey - that way people who need to be on site (organizers & vendors) would be and it's a little incentive for people to volunteer. I guess we'd have to talk to Fontana about blocking off a certain number of reservations for volunteers and leave the rest to a lottery system. Hmmmm, definitely something to think about here.

 

As far as rooms/cabins for the volunteers/Clubs running events, couldn't NAM book a certain number (with top priority) and then adjust from there, i.e. if too many rooms are reserved, a simple post in here and more than enough folks would jump on the slot

Just an idea

 

So you think Fontana is going to have time to go through hundreds of pulled cards & call each individual (in the order they were pulled) to ask them if they want a reservation, all the while having to leave messages when someone doesn't answer the phone? Or will they have time to pull all these cards & wait for responses while we are there? It's a nice thought but Fontana could not even handle booking requests on Saturday night when there was no line at the desk so I don't see them being able to handle anything this complicated.

Frankly with the direction reservations are heading I think within a few years it will be new faces every year & there won't be much worry over having past attendees wanting rooms if we are forced into an unknowing lottery nightmare to obtain accomodations.

 

In all fairness, there is no fairness

Fontana I'm sure is not losing much sleep over how so many got "hosed" this year. They are going to book rooms and cabins no matter. At best I would expect them to clarify the reservation policy nothing more. They are in the lodging business not the lottery business. The only way I could see a lottery working would be for a 3rd party to book the entire resort and hold the lottery. Mark, what is you credit limit on your Visa

 

Ouch. I for one don't think that this sounds complicated. A number of details would need to be thought through, but it could potentially be even easier than the "normal" reservation system.

OK, I imagine this next idea will not be received well, but I'll throw it out anyhow: What if there were to be a lottery for 2008 which immediately reverted to the "right of first refusal" at check-in system described earlier for 2009 and beyond? This would start everyone currently involved off on the exact same footing.

Maybe, to keep things honest over time, a new lottery is then held every 3 years?

Just brainstorming.

 

I can only speak for myself with my wallet & I know Fontana could not care less as they will be booked to capacity no matter what I do but... if they go to lottery & if I am not allowed 1st dibs on my cabin upon check in or out, I will not be staying there anymore. All I can do is vote my feelings with my one little wallet

 

Glad I got to meet you (briefly) this year, then, bamatt.

I suspect Fontana would be willing to work with us / NAM on solutions to avoid a BUNCH of PO'd people yelling at them. Which has happened during the past week or so.

Lottery wouldn't mean calling people to see if they want reservation, etc. If you filled out a card, and you get drawn, you get (and get charged for) a room. Either CC info is on the card, or Fontana collects CC info separately for this purpose.

Lottery could be administered by Fontana, by NAM, or by a combination of the two working collaboratively.

I'm just brainstorming solutions, same as everyone else here. Not trying to steal someone's room. I already have one. Which I'd LOVE to keep every year from now until eternity. But I'd also like there to be 10x as many people in the US who are CRAZY about their MINI and the community. And for that to happen, more people need to be able to experience MOTD and similar events.

Unfortunately, what we're getting to here is somewhat intertwined with the definition of MOTD. What is it?
a) an annual gathering, first weekend of May, when any MINI owners, old and new, from around the continent can meet and have fun?
b) an annual gathering, first weekend of May, where "old" friends (most of whom haven't known one another all that long) gather to have fun and where, if room is available, "newbies" (aka "outsiders") are welcomed to come and observe (but not make waves or suggest anything counter to tradition or trod upon the sensitivities of those who have attended for at least one more year than the newbie).
c) an annual gathering, first weekend of May, where the commercial elements of MINIdom gather to sell us stuff, and if we want to benefit from their financial support, we can fend for ourselves to find lodging and hang out...
d) none of the above
e) all of the above.

Whatever it was, I enjoyed the heck out of it this year, and will again next year, and the year after that. If I have lodging, I'll stay there. If I don't, I'll camp somewhere or sleep on someone's floor.

 

LOL - brilliant post. B in particular... and not far from the truth. (many people would also say the same about C, I'm sure.)

Although I am starting to become one of the "slightly older" MOTD veterans now (3 out of the 5), I welcome all newbies and I encourage them all to speak up and voice their own opinion on the direction that MOTD heads. I see it as a constantly evolving gathering. Some elements are lost, some are gained, but growth is inevitable and so we have to embrace change when it's necessary!

For those who think MOTD is becoming too big... perhaps Fall of the Dragon is the next "old style" MOTD?

 

I don't think the lottery has been finalized quite yet as it was only suggested today. I have my cabin for next year so you will be lucky enough to perhaps see me again next year but if it goes to lottery or any other out of the ordinary reservation system for 2009, I will be elsewhere.

 

I'm counting on seeing you a whole bunch more next year.

And hopefully subsequent years, too.


Gotta get my free doggie lovin.

 

There will always be free doggie lovin you just may have to drive beyond the entrance of Fontana Village to get it in '09

 

shhhhhhh!

 

*2 pennies hitting a table*

Ok a lottery is just a bad idea. And you certainly could not have NAM handle the lottery cause all it would take is one of the conspiratorial folk out there to not get a room for the "NAM screwed me thread" to pop up. I can't see Fontana running it as it isn't their job to run a lottery system, only to take reservations.

Look, there's nothing wrong with the current way they're doing the registrations EXCEPT that there was no notice of the change in policy. Now there's nothing that can be done about that.

The wisest course of action will be for Fontana to come out and say, ok, we'll accept reservations for the following year's MOTD starting on the 1st of April (or whenever). Then its public knowledge and a first come first served system. This would enable new people to get in on the action and still gives the veterans a chance at their old place.

For those of you who keep pissing on Veterans retaining their current lodgings, please remember that these people have supported MOTD over the years and have helped to keep it going. If they hadn't their might not even be such a wonderful event as the we have now. At the very least you should be able to appreciate what they want even if you don't agree that it's the best way to go about the reservations.

And I, as an organizer, absolutely think there needs to be lodging reserved for the people putting on main events. If I'm not able to secure lodging within Fontana in future years (I'm set for next year), I may not put on the Brew Swap. It is vital to be close because so much has to go on leading up to the event. That said, realize there aren't that many organizers right now. Brew Swap, Monte Carlo night, Welcome Dinner, NAM staff...You're talking about a dozen people. I'm obviously biased but for good reason.

 

The lottery idea is probably the fairest of the bunch. However, since I have my third consecutive reservation already, I prefer giving preference to returning guests

Fontana is going to sell out whatever system is adopted, but probably wants the simplest method rather than a fair one that takes more manpower to administer. While Blimey's method is moderately simple, it still takes quite a few more man-hours than simply accepting reservations when they come in.

Is there some way to make this a win-win situation? I am probably in the minority on this (as I am on many things), but I would be willing to pay extra to be able to keep my cabin from one year to the next. Right now, I think my one bedroom Willows goes for about $120/nt in early May. MOTD gets a 20% discount, so I pay about $96/nt. I would be happy to pay the full $120 to keep the cabin.

Can we do something with the following?
1. Let people keep their cabins from year to year, but make them pay the undiscounted rate, and then,
2. Take some portion of the 20% difference, say half, and put it into a fund to be used to pay for or to defray the cost of various MOTD events. The other half, of course, would go to Fontana for their trouble. They do, after all, own the place.

This way, us old timers get to keep our cabins, but everyone benefits from our good fortune. This fund would amount to $10-20 per cabin per night, and would quickly amount to several thousands of dollars per year. I suspect the organizers could find good uses for this money. Anyone who refused to pay the extra amount could be permitted to do so, but they would forfeit their guaranteed cabin for the following year.

I don't know if this will work or not, but I think it is worth thinking about.

 

 

I had the same hotelroom for 2 years in a row and was disappointed that they gave up that room and any other room along those lines before I even checked out.

But that is ok with me now.

Is anybody here who would have me and my girlfriend friday and saturday night in their cabin?

 

I can agree with organizers needing lodging close to the central event location, but....

...what if a person or group gets lodging close to the action because they are organizing an event, then a month or two later have something come up preventing them from continuing to have an active part in the event, but not preventing them from attending. They would have a more desirable location and be preventing someone else who may need it from benefiting from that system. I am not trying to imply that anyone would do this just to get a decent location, but things do happen where someone has intentions of taking an active roll, then has other obligations come up. Additionally, how do you determine who is active enough to warrant certain lodging locations? As MOTD becomes more popular, there are going to be more events and more people organizing those events and before long I can see this discussion being among different organizers over lodging locations. I have an idea for an event next year, but am wondering if the other folks involved who aren't booked now will be able to get lodging close enough for us to be able to do it.

Just another couple of pennies.

 

Everybody can just stay at my house. It's only a 5 hour drive.

 

Cool! What's your address?

Ummm, I might be really missing something, but what would come up that someone could still attend MOTD but justify not fulfilling their committment to the event they are organizing?

I think it would be very difficult to face their replacements if they would still have the nerve to show up after renigging on their obligation. And if that would happen, I would think the person would have enough manners to bow out of their reservation for their replacement. The only way I wouldn't follow through with taking care of my obligations to an event is if something drastic enough happened that would actually prevent me from being able to attend MOTD period.

I am sure there are extreme circumstances, like becoming ill or there is some type of emergency while they are actually at Fontana, but I don't think too much else could come up to create the situation. I would hope consciences would prevent it.

As far as guidelines - I think common sense can rule. Obvious event leaders would qualify. It's not imperitive for someone volunteering an hour or two, but anyone who needs to be present for an entire event and all the plans leading up to it needs to be on site.

 

The idea of running a lottery for rooms and cabins has to be the
craziest thing I have seen here yet. Fontana created this mess and
needs to try to fix it or, at the very least, prevent it from happening
next year by clearly stating their policy and standing behind it. One
key to that policy should be that transferring of accommodations to
another party will only be done by them and to the next person on
the waiting list. That should be the main mechanism by which rooms
and cabins change hands. Otherwise, why have a waiting list if
people here are going to give or sell their reservation to someone
because their plans changed?

Honestly, you folks act like their is some sort of "entitlement" for MINI
owners to go to MOTD. That simply is not the case.

 

No. There is not entitlement to go to MOTD. The question is simply over the reservations themselves. Implementing/enforcing a standard policy now WILL provide any current reservation-holders entitlement to a future reservation (having the first right of refusal IS an entitlement). Which is the very entitlement that those of us who had held reservations in previous years thought we had. Simply, the common practice DOES impart an entitlement and YES, we expected it.

The bottom line is that the common practice was basically undermined this year and has resulted in the unfair redistribution of the entitlement for a future reservation. The perpetuation of the injustice by enforcing the common practice henceforth doesn't sit well with those whose entitlement was taken.

There is no simple solution. Going back in time is virtually the only way to have complete resolution. So, in light of the injustice, ideas are being thrown out that would return a sense of fairness to the whole messy ordeal.

 

As I have not attended MOTD previously, and have doubts I ever will, I think I can take an objective view. This is not about entitlements, seniority, etc. The simple fact is, representatives at Fontana told people one thing one time and another thing another time, thus resulting in some people not getting the reservations they wanted. People who tried to make a reservation and were told to make them later, only to find out later other people got their room because someone else at Fontana let them reserve earlier were screwed by Fontana, regardless of whether or not you believe they had an entitlement to the room. Fontana should do what it can to make things right for those people. It's called customer relations. They screwed up. So, Fontana should do something to remedy it. Of course, some people insist upon living in an ideal world and will not accept any form of conciliation. Those people will just have to be unhappy. For the future, Fontana should clearly post its policy in writing.