mightyduck
Well-Known Member
Well, I can't speak for the other ladies, but I don't mind it, mr sunshine. 
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PrincessAriel
New Member
I agree with you Duckie I don't mind :animwink:Originally posted by mightyduck
Well, I can't speak for the other ladies, but I don't mind it, mr sunshine.
dopey
New Member
freak and i discussed this in our private "chicago-bears-fans-who-also-love-disney" lounge and we agree this site isn't as fun as it used to be.
it's good that the premium members are questioning what has gone wrong. but the fact that they're discussing it in their private lounge rather than discussing it with all members seems to provide the answer.
like i said, it's great that a group of regular members helped steve maintain this site. and it was nice of steve to grant those people special privileges. but it doesn't appear to be working out for the benefit of the site.
most of the premium members are fun, interesting people. but when they cut themselves off from the public discussions, the sense of community here was lost. yes, their financial contributions kept the site up and running. but by keeping many of their contributions to the boards out of public sight, it makes the site less enjoyable. it has taken on a sort of nasty us-vs.-them quality.
think about it: the most active members of this site are segregated from everyone else. if this site were a newspaper, it would be like all the best writers limited themselves to writing interoffice memos.
my suggestion would be to get rid of the private area. premium members would retain their status and some other benefits, like more space for PMs.
i understand the private area is more "adult-oriented." i also understand that there are some things you don't want to discuss publicly. and i, too, have leaned on other members here for support. but, again, like i said before, there's email and pm. if you're really tight with someone, maybe even a phone call. speaking for myself, a phone call would mean much more to me than a post on a semi-public discussion board.
those are just my opinions. and i express them because i like this site and the people here but don't like how things have deteriorated since the creation of the premium members' lounge. but it's not up to me.
it's good that the premium members are questioning what has gone wrong. but the fact that they're discussing it in their private lounge rather than discussing it with all members seems to provide the answer.
like i said, it's great that a group of regular members helped steve maintain this site. and it was nice of steve to grant those people special privileges. but it doesn't appear to be working out for the benefit of the site.
most of the premium members are fun, interesting people. but when they cut themselves off from the public discussions, the sense of community here was lost. yes, their financial contributions kept the site up and running. but by keeping many of their contributions to the boards out of public sight, it makes the site less enjoyable. it has taken on a sort of nasty us-vs.-them quality.
think about it: the most active members of this site are segregated from everyone else. if this site were a newspaper, it would be like all the best writers limited themselves to writing interoffice memos.
my suggestion would be to get rid of the private area. premium members would retain their status and some other benefits, like more space for PMs.
i understand the private area is more "adult-oriented." i also understand that there are some things you don't want to discuss publicly. and i, too, have leaned on other members here for support. but, again, like i said before, there's email and pm. if you're really tight with someone, maybe even a phone call. speaking for myself, a phone call would mean much more to me than a post on a semi-public discussion board.
those are just my opinions. and i express them because i like this site and the people here but don't like how things have deteriorated since the creation of the premium members' lounge. but it's not up to me.
NowInc
Well-Known Member
Not to intimidate or anything..but if you actually saw how little went on in that lounge..you would probobly take back most of what you just said....
The thread about whats going on here was done in that lounge so that we could avoid further aggrivation among eveyone else.
The kind of stuff posted in there is 9 times out of 10 stuff that could just as easily go into the chit chat forum...except we use our real names...oooOooo
I really dont think we should have to defend ourselves..especially when we are doing nothing wrong....the lack of "community" on here lately isnt because of the Permium lounge..its because we are very busy..looking at how little our post count goes up will proove that...
The thread about whats going on here was done in that lounge so that we could avoid further aggrivation among eveyone else.
The kind of stuff posted in there is 9 times out of 10 stuff that could just as easily go into the chit chat forum...except we use our real names...oooOooo
I really dont think we should have to defend ourselves..especially when we are doing nothing wrong....the lack of "community" on here lately isnt because of the Permium lounge..its because we are very busy..looking at how little our post count goes up will proove that...
dopey
New Member
i'm not sure what you mean by "intimidate," now. but i don't feel intimidated by your reply. i think it's fair to have an open discussion about this and appreciate your feedback.
but you supported what i just said. if it can be said in chit chat, why not share it with the entire community? all i'm saying is that adds to the fun for everyone. that's what made this one of the best disney communities.
and, as you know, posts in chit chat don't count toward post count.
but you supported what i just said. if it can be said in chit chat, why not share it with the entire community? all i'm saying is that adds to the fun for everyone. that's what made this one of the best disney communities.
and, as you know, posts in chit chat don't count toward post count.
DisneyFreak
Well-Known Member
Hey Dopey, are your ears ringing?
:lookaroun
:lookaroun
dopey
New Member
Originally posted by DisneyFreak
Hey Dopey, are your ears ringing?
:lookaroun
lol. yeah. and suddenly, i have access to the premium members' lounge. i don't know how that happened. but getting access to the lounge isn't why i've said what i said. my point is that getting rid of it would benefit the entire community.
NowInc
Well-Known Member
Dopey...i do see where you are coming from..and in a way i do agree..but its not like we dont post in regular chit chat either...
The last 4 posts in the premium lounge were me making avatars for people...stuff that would just clutter up this forum...
Of course...I know there is no way for me to PROOVE what goes on in there..but you have to understand that none of us our outcasting ANY of you.
To shift gears for a second...I think there would be nothing wrong if steve gave MORE "benefits" to people who pay...i mean..we are giving what we can to keep the site alive...to help get MORE people...youd have to give more..ya know?
The last 4 posts in the premium lounge were me making avatars for people...stuff that would just clutter up this forum...
Of course...I know there is no way for me to PROOVE what goes on in there..but you have to understand that none of us our outcasting ANY of you.
To shift gears for a second...I think there would be nothing wrong if steve gave MORE "benefits" to people who pay...i mean..we are giving what we can to keep the site alive...to help get MORE people...youd have to give more..ya know?
DisneyFreak
Well-Known Member
Hey, so did I.
Like Dopey said, this is not why we are saying what we are saying so we can get access to the "Premium" lounge. We both think that this has affected the site in a negative way, especially to some of the new members.
dopey
New Member
you don't have to prove anything to me, now. i honestly believe you.
yes, every premium member contributes mightily to the public forums. but the inside jokes do spill over from the private lounge and create confusion for everyone else who's interested in following what's happening here.
i'm sure this is becoming an annoyance for some people, so let me just repeat: it's not my call. i would be interested in what steve has to say on the subject.
if steve says the private lounge stays no matter what, then it's up to people who aren't premium members to decide whether this is the right disney community for them. i'm not threatening to leave. i like this place and have never had a problem dealing with any premium member. my point is that having an elite group of members may make this site less appealing to regular members.
yes, every premium member contributes mightily to the public forums. but the inside jokes do spill over from the private lounge and create confusion for everyone else who's interested in following what's happening here.
i'm sure this is becoming an annoyance for some people, so let me just repeat: it's not my call. i would be interested in what steve has to say on the subject.
if steve says the private lounge stays no matter what, then it's up to people who aren't premium members to decide whether this is the right disney community for them. i'm not threatening to leave. i like this place and have never had a problem dealing with any premium member. my point is that having an elite group of members may make this site less appealing to regular members.
DisJosh
Well-Known Member
Dopey get used to the inside joke stuff man! Trust me 99.9 % of the inside jokes are from everyone PMing one another. You really arent missing much in the premium member loung either its just an extension of chit chat and alot of the time used to talk about serious problems some of us may have that we feel we could only share with those closest to us on the forum. I know for a fact each and every one of the premium members is forking over the 5 bucks out of generosity and love for the forums.
If Marcia was doing it just for that special title of premium member than she wouldnt be paying my member fee.
If thats not generosity I dont know what is! P.S. Marcia, I'm thinkin' about getting a job this summer...so just a few more months.
You're the best mom! 
A lot of points have been raised in the past few posts, so I am going to try and address them here.
1. Without the Contributions that I have received on a monthly basis, there is no way I can afford to run the main site or the forum. So without their support, you and the other members would not be on here discussing this topic.
2. I felt it to be unfair to ask people to contribute $5 per month without offering any benefits over people who are not contributing. Simply having a custom title, or a larger PM box didnt seem to be enough in my opinion.
3. The Private Lounge and other contributor benefits will remain in place, and I am always looking for additional ways to give more to the contributors to the forum.
4. I consider that the features that are provided to non-contributing members are very comprehensive, with very few imposed restrictions. There are 29 public boards on this forum, and around 1000MB of public data on the main website.
5. It isnt my intention to be the largest Disney site or Forum on the Internet. I dont have the financial resources for that too happen. Therefore I am not concerned that membership numbers are not growing at a rapid rate.
6. I view the contributing members to be similar to WDW Sponsors. They help finance the show, and as a benefit of that, they have access to a few special areas, such as the corporate lounges, and front of line access. Well that is what we have here.
7. It may be that the forum here isnt for everyone, and some people may prefer other forums and websites. One forum/site doesnt fit all! Other sites are funded in other ways, and if those methods are preferred, then so be it.
1. Without the Contributions that I have received on a monthly basis, there is no way I can afford to run the main site or the forum. So without their support, you and the other members would not be on here discussing this topic.
2. I felt it to be unfair to ask people to contribute $5 per month without offering any benefits over people who are not contributing. Simply having a custom title, or a larger PM box didnt seem to be enough in my opinion.
3. The Private Lounge and other contributor benefits will remain in place, and I am always looking for additional ways to give more to the contributors to the forum.
4. I consider that the features that are provided to non-contributing members are very comprehensive, with very few imposed restrictions. There are 29 public boards on this forum, and around 1000MB of public data on the main website.
5. It isnt my intention to be the largest Disney site or Forum on the Internet. I dont have the financial resources for that too happen. Therefore I am not concerned that membership numbers are not growing at a rapid rate.
6. I view the contributing members to be similar to WDW Sponsors. They help finance the show, and as a benefit of that, they have access to a few special areas, such as the corporate lounges, and front of line access. Well that is what we have here.
7. It may be that the forum here isnt for everyone, and some people may prefer other forums and websites. One forum/site doesnt fit all!
Other sites are funded in other ways, and if those methods are preferred, then so be it.
Dopey & DF, I think what may be perceived as Premium members vs non-premium members is more of a case of long time (by internet time), frequent posters, versus new and/or infrequent readers/posters. As I've mentioned before, sometimes it's a matter of not "knowing" someone, rather than what he/she is saying that causes problems. For example, Jay-Rod makes comments about my age and vision. I know he's only kidding, and we actually PM each other regularly. If a new member were to say something slightly insulting in their first few posts, I might get upset! Unfortunately, there are a lot of us here who have a "history" (and most ARE premium members, but not all) so we do make remarks from time to time that a new member or infrequent visitor won't understand; this would go on in any face-to-face, group conversation, also! Don't we all love attending our spouse's office party....when people start talking shop? It's not polite, but it's also unreasonable to expect people who post every day to take the time to bring everyone who logs in up to date.
What I'm trying to say, and not doing it very well, is that even without the Premium members we would be having problems (as we've had them in the past, and will have them in the future) I really don't go in the lounge very much, but do enjoy having the benefit of a "larger" mailbox, as the list of people I PM keeps getting longer.
I don't know what the solution is, or what Steve can do about it! Do you alienate new members to keep the "old" ones happy? Do you risk losing old members because you allow someone who is "ing them off" to stay? Should everyone just keep his/her mouth shut when someone says something they disagree with? Should we ignore insults or hurtful comments aimed at someone else, or do we make it clear that we won't tolerate it? I think Steve has an extremely difficult job keeping order around here, without making people feel they can't say anything! If the Premium Members lounge is really making anyone feel unwelcome, perhaps it should be closed. BUT>>> I don't think that will be the end of these little altercations! When you have several hundred people reading these boards, and a cople of hundred posting, you're going to have personality clashes no matter what you do...IMHO!!!
What I'm trying to say, and not doing it very well, is that even without the Premium members we would be having problems (as we've had them in the past, and will have them in the future) I really don't go in the lounge very much, but do enjoy having the benefit of a "larger" mailbox, as the list of people I PM keeps getting longer.
I don't know what the solution is, or what Steve can do about it! Do you alienate new members to keep the "old" ones happy? Do you risk losing old members because you allow someone who is "ing them off" to stay? Should everyone just keep his/her mouth shut when someone says something they disagree with? Should we ignore insults or hurtful comments aimed at someone else, or do we make it clear that we won't tolerate it? I think Steve has an extremely difficult job keeping order around here, without making people feel they can't say anything! If the Premium Members lounge is really making anyone feel unwelcome, perhaps it should be closed. BUT>>> I don't think that will be the end of these little altercations! When you have several hundred people reading these boards, and a cople of hundred posting, you're going to have personality clashes no matter what you do...IMHO!!!
dopey
New Member
thanks, steve, for providing a comprehensive response. it’s your site and you can run it any way you choose. i think you’ve done – and continue to do -- a great job.
i hope you took my comments in the spirit in which they were intended. though i’m not a premium member, i’ve been enjoying this site for quite some time and feel i have a vested interest in seeing it continue to succeed and most of all, continue to be fun. there are obviously some concerns among all members about the seemingly changing dynamics of the discussion boards, as evidenced by the fact that a similar thread exists in the private lounge.
but perhaps the change is merely a short-term phenomenon that has nothing whatsoever to do with whether there are private discussion boards for premium members. i certainly hope that’s the case. i would agree with marcia that some problems would probably continue to exist with or without the private lounge. maybe the answer is simply that we all just need to be reminded about civility from time to time and not be so quick to jump on anyone who offers a different perspective.
i would welcome the opportunity to help in thinking of possible ways to make this site better. otherwise, i'm content to let the matter drop.
p.s. sorry megara (and anyone else) if i annoyed you.
i hope you took my comments in the spirit in which they were intended. though i’m not a premium member, i’ve been enjoying this site for quite some time and feel i have a vested interest in seeing it continue to succeed and most of all, continue to be fun. there are obviously some concerns among all members about the seemingly changing dynamics of the discussion boards, as evidenced by the fact that a similar thread exists in the private lounge.
but perhaps the change is merely a short-term phenomenon that has nothing whatsoever to do with whether there are private discussion boards for premium members. i certainly hope that’s the case. i would agree with marcia that some problems would probably continue to exist with or without the private lounge. maybe the answer is simply that we all just need to be reminded about civility from time to time and not be so quick to jump on anyone who offers a different perspective.
i would welcome the opportunity to help in thinking of possible ways to make this site better. otherwise, i'm content to let the matter drop.
p.s. sorry megara (and anyone else) if i annoyed you.
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