Registration For Park District Summer Camps Starts Monday
CHICAGO (CBS) -- While some kids are still on Spring Break, it's already time to think summer.
Online registration for Chicago Park District summer camp starts tomorrow.
In case you haven't visited the Park District website since registering for summer camp last year, you're in for a surprise. It's been redesigned and users will have to create a new account. The redesigned site, crashed during spring registration, so the district has added additional servers to handle traffic.
Spokeswoman Jessica Faulkner suggests you check it out before registration starts at 9 a.m. Monday.
"Create an account in advance, and then you can create a wish list and you can put on there ... your top programs that you're looking for this summer," Faulkner said. "That actually saves time when you go in tomorrow morning to go register."
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Based on the creation of twice as many wish lists as last year, the park district believes they'll have a record number of people signing up.
"This year, we've seen about ... upwards of 12,000 wish lists created, versus about 6,000 last year at this time," Faulkner said.
Slots at small parks may fill up quickly. If you get a screen telling you to wait, don't refresh, or you'll lose your place in line.
Faulkner urges parents to be flexible and patient.
"If you don't get your first location, take a look at other locations. Look at one of the locations that's en route to your job, or look at one of the locations that's by grandma's house," Faulkner said.
She says if you get a screen telling you to wait, don't refresh or you'll lose your place.
In all, there are 30,000 summer camp slots available, and those who miss out online still have other options.
"For most parks, there is in-person registration on Saturday, April 14," Faulkner said.
