While the new 'queue' system is a welcome change and huge improvement from last year...........the entire Santa thing needs to be changed. 1 or 2 Santas cannot POSSIBLY hope to see all the people that want to either see him or get the hat/scarf. Clones are ruining it for alot of people. All it does is causes a great many people to spend hours (I've heard of people waiting 7 or 8 hours) waiting to see him...only to be disappointed everytime. ALOT of unhappy people...especially the kids. I've heard many stories of people getting in to see him...and noticing there are clones of other people in there waiting to see him. Really...this whole process needs to change.
There should be 2 routes: one to see Santa, and the other just to get the hat/scarf automatically. Another option is an NPC Santa. The amount of time it takes for the exchanges between a single player and Santa can exceed FIVE MINUTES per player! This isn't taking into consideration the times he DC's or needs to refresh. While it's nice to see and talk to a real Santa...I think it should be an OPTION instead of a requirement for those who just want the nice hat/scarf.
There is talk again this year that they might do what they did last year, and end up just giving everyone who logs in on Christmas day the hat/scarf. That's nice and good and everything...but that doesn't get all the wasted time back for those who waited forever to see him. It's almost like a smack in the face.
Our family was incredibly lucky. When we got back from vacation, we heard the line would be open at 4p.m. the next day. We got right in line (they were about 10 minutes late opening the room), and were able to get our family the hats. Why people cram their clones into the queue to see Santa is beyond me. The hats/scarfs are not tradeable...therefore, they have no value at all. Maybe it's just for bragging rights...which is disappointing to witness, since each clone that gets in has taken away an opportunity from another player who don't have the hat/scarf on their primary player/players.
Let's hope they rethink the whole process for next year. Best of luck to those still trying to get in to see Santa and get the hat/scarf.
Flamanar