Our tournament is a celebration of creativity where teams show off the solutions to the Challenges that they have been working on for the past several months, and where we acknowledge their teamwork, creativity and problem-solving skills.

• Destination Imagination is a spectator sport! Family, friends and supporters are welcome to attend!
• Teams will present the Team Challenge solutions that they have been working on for the past months, in front of Appraisers, and an audience of their peers, parents, supporters, and other teams.
• Teams will also solve an Instant Challenge — a secret problem that will be presented to them on the day of the Tournament.
• Our Appraisers will give the teams feedback on their solutions, and score the solutions of teams in competitive Challenges.
• Teams and their supporters are invited to come early and stay late to see as many other teams perform as they can.
• There will be other fun activities for teams, including pin trading, and other activities.
• At the end of the day we will hold our Closing Celebration and Awards Ceremony, where will will acknowledge the teams' hard work, distribute medals to teams whose solutions excelled, and announce which teams will be invited to participate in Global Finals.

Spectators, such as friends and family members, are welcome to attend this tournament. Spectators are welcome to view any Team Challenge presentation. Please look for the doors marked “Audience Entrance” at each Challenge Presentation Site.

Please note: At many Presentation Sites, doors will be closed whenever a team is presenting, so spectators may be asked to wait to enter the Presentation Site.

Spectators will not be allowed to view any Instant Challenge presentations.

Our tournament is run almost entirely by volunteers, who serve in roles both large and small.

If you would like to serve as a volunteer at the Tournament, please complete one of the following forms:

• Affiliate Tournament Appraiser Form (for Appraisers and other full-day volunteers — usually an 8-hour commitment)
• Affiliate Tournament Support Volunteer Form (for other volunteers — usually a 2-hour commitment)

Tournament Officials

It takes a small army of Tournament Officials to make this event possible. Challenge Masters, Appraisers, Prop Zone Monitors, Registration staff and even our door staff are all volunteers. Please thank them, and remember that if you need help, look for us!

Josh Diamond



Tournament Director

Challenge Masters
&
Captains

Appraisers
&
Other Officials

Food and Drink

Food and drinks will be available during the tournament from the cafeteria in the Student Center building. The cost of items ranges from $3 to $15. Please let the servers know if you have any food allergies before ordering.

Teams and spectators are also welcome to bring their own food and drinks. Anyone seeking an allergen-free space should contact Tournament Registration for instructions.

Photos and Videos

Photos/videos of a team’s Presentation may only be taken if the team has given permission. This information will be announced before the team begins its Presentation.

Inclement Weather

If inclement weather will have any impact on the tournament schedule, teams will be notified via email.

What to Wear

All tournament participants and spectators are welcome to wear comfortable, weather appropriate clothing. Our volunteers often wear vibrant, colorful clothing and hats to celebrate the event. It is also highly likely that you will see team members in costume for their Presentations.

Scent Free Policy

Out of respect to those with sensitivity to scent, please avoid wearing perfumes or colognes.

Individuals with Special Needs

Destination Imagination is committed to ensuring that everyone is able to enjoy our program. If you or your child have special needs, please see the Accessibility section below, or contact the tournament director for more information.

All teams are advised to read:

• Tournament Guide for Teams, which has important instructions about pre-Tournament and at-the-Tournament procedures.
• Your Challenge (again), so you don't get caught out by rules that you may have forgotten or overlooked.
• Rules of the Road (again), which has lots of details about Tournament procedures.
• The Published Clarifications for your Challenge.
• Our Check-in and Prop Handling Rules and Procedures.

Tournament Registration will be available to advancing teams shortly after the Closing Celebration of your Regional Tournament!

Please visit Register Your Team to start the registration process. You can log in using the same credentials that you use to access the Resource Area. Registration must be completed by March 9 to avoid late fees.

With the help of Visit Binghamton, NYDI has arranged reduced lodging rates at several hotels in the Binghamton Area.

Please see the preferred hotel list for locations and room rates.

To streamline check-in at each Challenge, the documents that the Appraisers will need when evaluating your team's solution must be submitted online, in advance of the tournament.

The required forms include:

• Tournament Data Form [competitive teams only] (tdf)
• Starry Showcase Form [Rising Stars teams only] (tdf)
• Expense Report (exp)
• TC Prep
• IC Prep

Please note: A different subset of the forms listed above may be required depending on your Challenge.

Submission instructions:

• The submission page is in the Resource Area at Teams → my tournaments
• Use the button in each column to access the submission forms.
• Your submission is not complete until you click the Submit button at the bottom of each form.
• Deadline:
  • Please submit before Wednesday, March 20 to avoid the last minute rush!
  • All documents must be submitted by 11:59pm on Thursday, March 21.
• Our Prep Area Appraisers will review your submission within 48 hours, and may respond with questions, so please remember to check your email!

See your Challenge, Rules of the Road, Resource Area Hints & Tips and Tournament Guide for Teams for more details.

Every team must complete the Champ Pack & Pins Pre-Order Form 2024 by March 9 so that we can have a Champ Pack ready for your team if they advance. This is also where you can pre-order 2024 NYDI Trading Pins and Team NY Shirts for delivery at the Tournament, and receive a discount. See the form for detailed information about this year's Champ Pack.

It's been said that pin trading is the social glue that binds teams from around the country, and around the world, together at Global Finals. Team members get to meet kids on other teams from places far away, and bond as they trade a pin, or trade sets of pins, to build their collection.

Most team members want to have a set of NY pins for themselves (to keep as a souvenir), but they also want to be able to trade with teams from other states and countries. We usually suggest purchasing at least 2 extras of each set to make that possible. Of course, there are also kids (and adult supporters) who want lots of pins to trade; that's why we also offer the larger bulk / discount packs.

See our Champ Packs page to learn more.

All teams should report to Tournament Registration, located in the lobby of the Student Center building at SUNY Broome, before loading any props or equipment into the building.
The green arrow ➜ on the map hows the entrance to use for registration.

• It is sufficient for one Team Manager to come to Tournament Registration; it is not required for the entire team to report there.
• Do NOT bring your props or other equipment to Tournament Registration!
• Do NOT enter any building on campus before checking in at Tournament Registration!
• Maroon arrows ➜ on the map indicate prop load-in locations!
  Click on the arrow to see which challenges are loaded there.

The SUNY Broome campus is located at 907 Front St, Binghamton, NY 13905, but we do NOT recommend navigating to that address, as it is shared by all of the more than 15 buildings on the SUNY Broome campus!

Instead, please use the following:

• the event map below
• GPS coordinates 42.135713, -75.910803
• Plus Code 43PQ+7MP Port Dickinson, New York
• the campus map found on the SUNY Broome website

The top two teams in each Challenge / Level will be invited to participate in Global Finals, taking place in Kansas City, Missouri on May 22-25, 2024.

In the case of a tie, the tied teams will advance according to their rank, and will not affect the advancement of teams at a lower rank.

In order for a team to advance, the Challenge Master must certify that the team has made a good-faith effort to solve the Challenge, and the team must not receive any significant deductions for Unsportsmanlike Conduct.

For details about our advancement policy, see 2024 NYDI POLICY FOR ADVANCEMENT TO GLOBAL FINALS.

Destination Imagination is committed to being as inclusive and accessible as possible. If there are questions that extend beyond the information provided in this guide, please contact the tournament director ([email protected]), or visit the Tournament Registration desk.

Our event will adhere to all applicable local health and safety restrictions.

At this time, masking and vaccinations are optional but highly recommended.

To be respectful of those with compromised immune systems, please do not attend this event if you are experiencing an airborne or contagious illness.

Really, we mean it: If you don’t feel well, STAY HOME!

• Teams can perform even if one or more team members are missing at the tournament. There is no requirement for 100% attendance.
• No penalties or score reductions will be imposed because of a missing team member.
• It is always a good idea for teams to be prepared for breakdowns, including the possibility of a team member not being able to attend the Tournament due to illness. This is a scenario that has happened to many teams before, and we are happy to report that often those teams have won their Challenge / Level, received special awards, and advanced to higher levels of competition.

There are nine accessible parking spaces available at this event, located on the north side of the Student Center. From the accessible parking, the best entrance is the Gymnasium Entrance, which is approximately 100 feet from the parking area. All of the Team Challenge performance spaces are located on the main floor of the building.

Instant Challenge will take place in the Applied Technology building. There are four accessible parking spaces on Alumni Field Road, approximately 250 feet from the entrance of the building.

Presentation Sites are located throughout the venues. If you use a mobility device, please consider bringing it with you to help manage the distances between sites.

• There are multiple accessible restrooms throughout the Student Center and Applied Technology Buildings. 
• All attendees are entitled under the NYS Human Rights Law to use the restroom that aligns with their gender identity.

A Chill Out Room [also known as a quiet room or regulation room] will be available at the Tournament. This space is reserved for attendees who may need a quiet space for tasks like taking medication, prayer, addressing sensory needs, or just a moment away from the busy tournament.

While using the Quiet Room / Regulation Room, please use a quiet voice and silence all devices. Attendees under the age of 18 must be accompanied by an adult when in this area.

• The fire alarms in the building have flashing lights and loud repetitive sirens.
• Emergency exit information is posted in the building.
• Fire extinguishers are located near every stairway, and in other key locations.
• A first aid kid is available in every Challenge presentation site.
• If a medical emergency should occur, we will immediately call 911. Please notify the nearest tournament volunteer for assistance.