plasmadrive Posted December 26, 2015 Posted December 26, 2015 Next year "Lights at the Ranch" will be dark. I have some ideas kicking around in my head about what I want to do in 2017 but not sure. I am thinking perhaps a more intimate display where people can either walk around or sit and watch a predetermined "show". If I do this I need a way for people to get out of their cars. Won't work on rainy days of course, which worries me. If I do something like this I have just thought of a couple of options that may work. Or... I may just revamp a street display.. IDEAS:1. Since we are on a cul de sac I could possibly get a permit to close off the street on display nights and only allow local traffic and invitation on traffic. (like a private party) People could park along the street on one side during the time they are here. I would allow people to request an invitation via a web site. Only those that have invitations may enter the street. We would have parking for enough cars to make it work. The display would then be more like a show and people would come for the beginning and leave at the end. That way I could control the number of people coming. One set in, one set out, next set in, next set out. 2. Limit the number of cars to the first XXX amount and that would be all. I could put a sign out that says only XXX spaces left for tonight and it could be dynamic. We can run about 140-200 cars a night if we push... depends on the shut off time. This way the display viewing could stay in the same format and rain would not be as much of a factor. We would still have ridiculous traffic, but we could control the pace a bit more. I would say the first 120 cars are in. After that don't be in line cause it will shut down. Both are just concept ideas and I still don't know what the display is going to be.. and of course that will help determine what happens to some extent. #2 could also be by invitation only if I went that route. Either of those would require neighbor and city cooperation.. Just some ideas.. any thoughts? This of course assume people will want to come and watch.. :-)
Orville Posted December 26, 2015 Posted December 26, 2015 (edited) Not sure about the invitation option. Just know when i used to drive, I would just drive around and happen on an animated display{it's what got me into this mess in the first place! ROFL} So if I came across a display I saw from a distance and then drove in to find it was invitation only, chances are I wouldn't be back or bother, because in all probability, those that may just drive around, especially with children in a vehicle looking for nice holiday displays would be very disappointed not being able to get a "closer look". And not everyone still uses the internet, or may not even know how to RSVP for something like this on the internet. So I'd think you'd definitely be "limiting" your audience and might even upset a few folks that may just "happen on to your display.". Now if this were inside a gated community, requiring reservations would probably be the only way to see a display in such a community, just don't think it will work very well on an open public access street. Just my thoughts on requiring reservations. However, I do like the idea of a walk through display, I've been to quite a few of those and they do appear to be very popular. But it's *YOUR* display and only *YOU* can make the best judgement call on how it's all going to come together and work, especially with traffic control issues. Edited December 26, 2015 by Orville
plasmadrive Posted December 26, 2015 Author Posted December 26, 2015 Not sure about the invitation option. Just know when i used to drive, I would just drive around and happen on an animated display{it's what got me into this mess in the first place! ROFL} So if I came across a display I saw from a distance and then drove in to find it was invitation only, chances are I wouldn't be back or bother, because in all probability, those that may just drive around, especially with children in a vehicle looking for nice holiday displays would be very disappointed not being able to get a "closer look". And not everyone still uses the internet, or may not even know how to RSVP for something like this on the internet. So I'd think you'd definitely be "limiting" your audience and might even upset a few folks that may just "happen on to your display.". Now if this were inside a gated community, requiring reservations would probably be the only way to see a display in such a community, just don't think it will work very well on an open public access street. Just my thoughts on requiring reservations. However, I do like the idea of a walk through display, I've been to quite a few of those and they do appear to be very popular. But it's *YOUR* display and only *YOU* can make the best judgement call on how it's all going to come together and work, especially with traffic control issues.Orville, That is what I am after.. opinions and ideas.. For me a walk thru is tough if I don't have a way to control the amount of traffic because there is no where to park out on the main cross street and limited parking would be available on my street..Thanks
Orville Posted December 26, 2015 Posted December 26, 2015 Orville, That is what I am after.. opinions and ideas.. For me a walk thru is tough if I don't have a way to control the amount of traffic because there is no where to park out on the main cross street and limited parking would be available on my street..ThanksOne of the biggest and nicest walk through displays{static} in my area also has limited parking, it's off the main road and is a small circular road, and he gets tons of cars every year the display is up and operational. It's a static display, and he's been doing it for many, many years. Traffic is a nightmare, I'll give you that, and finding a parking space can be difficult, sometime you have to drive around the circle 5 or 6 times before you can grab a spot, and you're always vying for anyone else that comes in after you. I think the circle only allows about 20-30 cars at most to be able to park on the street, and you can only park in specific areas of the street and only in a couple of sections, and also must keep the neighbors driveways clear. There are some neighbors that put out NO PARKING signs that don't want folks parking in front of their homes, but it's usually only the ones at the only entrance in and out of the area, as that would cause big problems if anyone parked in those areas for folks coming in or leaving. They've been doing it for years and the only night I've ever seen any "traffic control" in place is on Christmas Eve. All other nights, nobody is directing traffic or anything, anywhere. His display runs from 6pm-10pm / 7 days a week {not on Christmas night}, and I'd think he probably gets 400-500 cars a night visiting his display.
EARLE W. TALLEY Posted December 26, 2015 Posted December 26, 2015 I run my show on a mini director and have sd cards with a PSA about littering and respect for others, then 4 sequences and another PSA 4 more sequences. I do this 4 times on the sd card. People think that when the PSA comes on the show will repeat and leave, they don't know that each segment is different. If the traffic gets heavy I replace the sd card with one that has 3 sequences per segment, I also have one ready with 2 sequences per segment (not used to date), Must note, I haven't had any traffic problems to date. My traffic is not that heavy but I do give out 85-100 boxes of candy canes during the days that Santa is out there (15th thru 23rd each year)
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