DC DPR Summer Camp in-person Registration Experience

[Anonymous]

I don't even live in DC and I find this really fascinating. Thanks!

--signed,
Mom who signed up kids for whole summer of Y camp on first day of registration, a month ago

[Anonymous]

Ha! Husband is in line behind you - funny to see the pictures. I think you're right about next year. This was a great plan for DPR and I love the idea about getting a college student to wait for us...

[Anonymous]

it doesn't make sense to me for DPR to go this direction. the city got rid of this approach years ago when parents started camping out overnite for oyster bilingual school.

i promise DPR is going to hear it from all the parents on monday morning when those parents go online to register and they find that some of the camps are already full.

[Anonymous]

But didn't they "hear it" last year because the internet system wasn't up to snuff to keep up with demand? Anyone can brave the cold and wait out all night, not everyone has access to superfast internet.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:But didn't they "hear it" last year because the internet system wasn't up to snuff to keep up with demand? Anyone can brave the cold and wait out all night, not everyone has access to superfast internet.

It wasn't accessibility to super fast Internet, it was thr DPR registration system getting overloaded by the demand. I don't think today's process is progress. If the system can't handle the demand, implement an online lottery system. This standing in line business seems very antiquated and punishes the people who want to sign up because DPR's system doesn't work.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:But didn't they "hear it" last year because the internet system wasn't up to snuff to keep up with demand? Anyone can brave the cold and wait out all night, not everyone has access to superfast internet.

It wasn't accessibility to super fast Internet, it was thr DPR registration system getting overloaded by the demand. I don't think today's process is progress. If the system can't handle the demand, implement an online lottery system. This standing in line business seems very antiquated and punishes the people who want to sign up because DPR's system doesn't work.

That makes sense - they should totally follow the school lottery system, right? No waiting outside anymore there. Are you listening, DPR?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:But didn't they "hear it" last year because the internet system wasn't up to snuff to keep up with demand? Anyone can brave the cold and wait out all night, not everyone has access to superfast internet.

What about single parents, or those with disabilities, etc.? I got there early and got my kid into the camp I wanted, so this isn't sour grapes. But when I left I could feel people were starting to get a little steamed at the pace and the process. But I'm glad I was in a position to go over there early.

[Anonymous]

Nobody should have to get up at 4 am to register for summer camp! That is crazy.

Hopefully enough people will complain about this ridiculous process so they can come up with something more modern.

Signed ~

A parent who got there shortly after 7 and was able to register for the camp I wanted.

[Anonymous]

I was in the 90s and got one of the last spots available at about 1:30pm. People were getting pretty annoyed once they figured out that the camps they wanted were closed, particularly because of when DPR started handing out tickets (7:45) vs when they said they were going to (9am).

I'm glad I got a spot, but I'd rather not go through this again next year when the line is likely to start even earlier.

I agree, a lottery would be a lot smoother and more fair.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I was in the 90s and got one of the last spots available at about 1:30pm. People were getting pretty annoyed once they figured out that the camps they wanted were closed, particularly because of when DPR started handing out tickets (7:45) vs when they said they were going to (9am).

I'm glad I got a spot, but I'd rather not go through this again next year when the line is likely to start even earlier.

I agree, a lottery would be a lot smoother and more fair.

It doesn't matter when DPR handed out the tickets. The people in line at 6 am would have still be the first in even if DPR didn't hand them a number until 9 am. The only thing that would have been different is if people tried to cut in an existing line for a better number. I appreciated that they handed out the numbers early because it certainly helped with crowd control and prevented bad behavior.

I'm with you about a lottery system.

[Anonymous]

Yes, I get that.

I think people were irritated because they think they would have gotten there earlier if they'd known they could get a ticket at 7:45 and then go on about their morning and return at a later time.

To be honest I wasn't planning on getting there as early as I did, but when I saw it posted here that they'd started handing out tickets already I hurried up & got out the door faster.

[Anonymous]

wayan wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Nobody should have to get up at 4 am to register for summer camp! That is crazy.

Again, I don't think its crazy. Its actually pretty brilliant. Parents like me who are willing to start at 5am (and we really could have started at 7am and got the same result), you know that we want DPR summer camp. Coming early is a great indication of desire that weeds out those that maybe want to send their kids to DPR summer camp from those that are committed. If I were DPR, I would keep this system. Its the best way to ensure those that really want the service, get the service.

OK, so maybe we can agree to disagree. I really wanted to go see Tears For Fears for my 16th birthday but it was 1986 when there was no other alternative to standing in line. I don't consider myself a hard core parent but I wanted my kids to go to DPR camps because it's low cost and convenient. I just don't agree this is the process that is fair.

14:54. I agree with you, when I realized that I could sit in the car and chat with my girlfriend, it wasn't as bad as I expected. I still don't want to do it again.

[Anonymous]

Is every session at every location that was available today full?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Is every session at every location that was available today full?

That was the other reason people were annoyed at 1:30pm. DPR staff would not take any more registrations for the camps deemed closed, but they also said that they basically couldn't sort it all out that day. Some people didn't register for every session, but they were counting the sessions all full at that location as if they had. The staff said they'd have it sorted out by Monday at noon when registration goes live on the website, so there might be a few stray sessions here & there available at some of the camps. If I had waited for 5 hours to register, only to be told that I had to fight it out with all the other parents online Monday morning, I'd be pissed, too.

It seems like they should at least have had a waiting list system in place for those who went in person.

[Anonymous]

wayan wrote:

Anonymous wrote: I don't consider myself a hard core parent but I wanted my kids to go to DPR camps because it's low cost and convenient. I just don't agree this is the process that is fair.

Well my wife would double over in laughter if someone tired to describe me as "hard core parent". I too see DPR camps as mainly low cost and convenient. One of the few serious perks we get from our local gov, and I wanted to make sure we were in.

Was it over-the-top to go at 5am? Yeah, of course. But that was 1/2 the fun. Was it inconvenient? Hell yes. My wife worked today, I had to juggle pre-dawn care with a neighbour, and it was really cold. But it was also very nice to be done by 9:05am. And nicer still to know that the kids my cold will camp with have parents who really wanted their kids at DPR camp (for whatever reason).

I didn't mean to imply you are a hard core parent, I was just repeating what you mentioned on an earlier post. It's all good, and DPR will probably have both of our perspectives when they decide what to do next year. At least our kids are in so it's one less thing to worry about. Enjoy your summer.