📝 Overview
During Rush Registration periods, a large number of customers may try to access the Sawyer site at the same time. Without traffic management, this can cause slow load times, errors, or even system outages.
To prevent this, Sawyer uses Cloudflare’s Waiting Room, a traffic-management tool that creates an orderly, virtual line when traffic exceeds safe system limits. This ensures the site remains stable and usable for everyone.
⚠️ This service is not automatic and needs to be scheduled ahead of time. Providers can request rush registration support by completing the rush registration support form.
🧠 What Is the Cloudflare Waiting Room?
The Cloudflare Waiting Room acts as an intermediary between customers’ devices and Sawyer’s servers.
When traffic is within safe limits, customers access registration normally.
When traffic exceeds safe limits, new visitors are temporarily placed into a waiting room before entering registration.
Customers already on the site before the waiting room activates will not see it.
⚠️ Customers in the waiting room are not redirected to a new URL, but they will see Cloudflare branding instead of Sawyer branding. This is expected behavior.
💡 Why Sawyer Uses a Waiting Room
Large traffic surges can cause two major issues:
System Failure
Too many simultaneous visitors can overload servers, slowing or crashing the site entirely.Poor Customer Experience
Customers may encounter slow pages, errors, or abandoned carts during registration.
The waiting room is a proactive solution that protects system stability and ensures registrations can be completed successfully.
🚦 How the Waiting Room Works
Traffic Thresholds
Sawyer configures traffic limits based on what the system can safely handle.
These limits vary and are not publicly shared.
Orderly Queue
Once limits are exceeded, new visitors are placed into a First-In, First-Out virtual line.
Dynamic Entry
As active users complete or exit their sessions, new customers are automatically admitted from the queue to maintain a steady site load.
Session Inactivity Rules
If a customer already on the site does not advance or refresh a page within 3–5 minutes, their session may end.
This can happen if:
They leave the site entirely
They spend too long on a single page (for example, filling out a form without advancing).
Their spot is then offered to the next customer in line.
This only occurs if others are waiting in the queue.
🔧 Embedded Widget Requirement
⛔️ Embedded registration widgets should not be used during Rush Registration.
Replace embedded widgets with a button linking directly to the registration URL to ensure the waiting room functions correctly and wait times remain accurate.
🧑💻 Customer Expectations
If a customer encounters the waiting room, here’s what they should know:
You’re in Line
The waiting room is a fair, orderly queue (First-In, First-Out).Do Not Refresh or Close the Tab
Refreshing or closing the browser will send you to the back of the line.Estimated Wait Time
An approximate wait time will be displayed.Automatic Entry
When space becomes available, you’ll be redirected to registration automatically.A Better Experience Once Inside
The wait ensures the site stays fast and functional when you enter.
📝 Tips & Reminders
The waiting room only appears during unusually high traffic events like Rush Registration.
Customers already on the site before activation will never see the waiting room.
Embedded widgets should be replaced with direct links during high-traffic launches.
Cloudflare branding in the waiting room is expected and does not indicate a redirect or error.