Hi
Having read the stuff on the web site (below if you've not been there yet), This is what I make of it all
Go here:
http://www.wizards.com/dnd/Event.aspx?x=dnd/4new/event/dndencountersSOME seasons allow you to use your own character, with the first season allowing you to.
I'm guessing each season is made up of two or three campains and once these are done you've finished that season
There is no character carry over from one season to another (though some of the rewards do)
I have just been reading the forum and it appear that the Wednesday and 'In Store' are fix because there will be stuff connected to the adventure on social media (twitter, blogs, etc.) and perhaps even more game related twists (how this would work over the time differences though? So it can't be that solid). I would think and a Forum reply from WotC seems to confirm this, is that the Wednesday thing is more about the advertising and giving everyone a firm day and place, ie. Advertising from WotC, by default, advertises the event at Spirit (or wherever). Sanctioning (whatever this is) will ONLY be available for Wednesdays. If the advertising says Wednesday then someone new could walk into a shop expecting a game to be running that day. Though they could be corrected it's not ideal.
I'm getting the feeling that this event is not really for establish DnD player groups but to try and encourage a new group of people to come in and try it - This would be the payoff for the shops and WotC. Perhaps the established groups would provide DM's for the new groups. Could this not be an opportunity for others to DM if they wished too? Could some of us be running games, in the shop, during the day - It appears that it is the intent of WotC to have games running, instore, for people to join in on, when the come in to do some shopping. A session is on one encounter (1 to 2 hours max).
And at that I give up because as stated in other posts there's so much contradictory info that it's impossible to see the Wizards for the Coast.