Returning Registration is October 15

 OCTOBER 4

As predicted, the winds of autumn have carried in Returning Registration. I know there's been a lot of chatter on what an upheaval system changes will cause, but I don't think there's any reason to be anxious. Let's review.

• Returning Registration badge sale is October 15. Saturday morning, same time, same bat channel.

• Or rather, not the same channel. This year, as CCI charmingly put it, "the badge sale will take place in your Member ID account." I would reword that to say that you will access the badge sale from your Member ID account. 

• You'll still join a waiting room between 8-9 am PST and wait for the badge sale to begin at 9.

• If this aligns with the Special Edition badge sale, you won't have a spinning blue circle, you will have an ETA, and the sale will move a little slower than previous sales. Those last 2 are important. Don't reach for the hemlock if your ETA looks bleak - and don't try to predict sell-out times based on when Preview Night and Saturday badges used to sell out. Just hang in there and see it through.

• Don't worry about the sale crashing. I'm not saying it won't. But approaching this like we're all walking into a teetering ruin in a tornado just intensifies an already stressful day. Let's give some CCI some credit; they've had years to upgrade systems since our last badge sale. (They've definitely hired some skilled staff in other areas.) So let's just hope for the best - and it crashes, well, it will feel like old times.

• Test out your tech as they recommend. Again, it's been years (unless you did Special Edition) so just run through and make sure your computer is friends with their systems.

• Note that you still aren't supposed to use tablets and phones, and you still can't Paypal, GPay, etc. Just good ole Visa, Mastercard, and Amex.

• I can't remember what the last full badge price was, but it's now $330. So if you buy for 3 people, be prepared to sell out $1K up front.

CCI promised to provide "visual step-by-step instructions," the study of which I think is advisable for everyone. So keep an eye out for their next update - and in the meantime, lock down your buying group details.

Think positive!