The issue I have is that DSF is INCONSISTENT with what they say. First they say that people will not be permitted to line up until Thursday evening (what is 'evening' by the way?). This later is clarified to mean 6.00 pm on Thursday. Then they change their mind ... because of the risk of stampeding at 6.00 pm, people can begin lining up at 'anytime' on Thursday (what exactly does 'anytime' mean?). This later is clarified (on the phone) to mean that nobody can line up before 8.00 am. Fine ... except that people started lining up around ... what? ... 10.00 pm (?), which is not even Thursday. This pin release might go down in history as the first one to have the full 150 people lined up before the time when DSF has officially said the line up could start. My timeline might be a little off, DSF has changed their mind so many times, I can't keep up, but I think you can understand my point and the resulting problems.
My concern: if DSF doesn't enforce what they say, what's to stop people from leaving one release and getting back in line for the next one immediately? Sure, it'll be a long wait, but they'll be guaranteed to get a wristband, right? Giving the bands out early will clear out the sidewalks, sure, but it will just make the scenario I described (absurd as it seems now) all the more likely - especially for an insanely popular release. Why should people listen to when DSF says to come and line up when they can line up early and (even better) get the wristbands early?
I understand what DSF was trying to accomplish with these wristbands, negate the purpose of campouts. But isn't it ironic in attempting to eliminate campouts, they are generating campouts. Has anyone ever heard of a three night campout for a pin release before? I'm including the night of the actual release in that count as some people live too far away from DSF to commute home and back to the store Saturday morning.
At this point, I'm not at DSF and I don't see much point in going because I don't think I'd get a wristband now (and I can't really afford to lose 3 days to a campout, it's hard enough going to an overnight pin release). I'm not complaining, I will get my pin eventually (even if I have to buy it on the secondary market). For me, three day campout = no work. No work = no money for pins. Therefore, it becomes a no brainer; I must skip the three day campout and pursue the secondary market and be grateful that I can afford to do so.
My complaint is with DSF. They have a system that clearly does not work (or work they way they had intended). I don't know how to fix it (for every fix, there will be a way around it), but it clearly isn't working now. To those of you who are braving the cold and crowds, stay safe and stay warm - and post pics of the pins when you get them. 🙂