Official Wine and Dine 2017 thread

[cavepig]

Question: was this the one where we ran around the whole AK parking lot? All the races are blending together for me... and I hated that part...

Yeah in the Darkside half you ran around & through the parking lot after exiting AK, they had the wampa cave and a video screen going. The map is posted a couple postings up

 

[1lilspark]

Course start and stop updated on official site
5k says AK
10k & half says MK parking lot start and end at Epcot (which was How dark side was)

Boo the whole reason I was iffy and ultimately didn't do the 5k was the site said it was in Epcot and NOT AK and I had wanted to do AK and the reason I signed up for Dark Side was cause the course was different from W&D hopefully the 10k course is a good one

 

[MickeyMinnieMom]

Yeah in the Darkside half you ran around & through the parking lot after exiting AK, they had the wampa cave and a video screen going. The map is posted a couple postings up

Eesh. I just potentially-irrationally HATED that whole AK parking lot part.

 

[lovingeire]

Course start and stop updated on official site
5k says AK
10k & half says MK parking lot start and end at Epcot (which was How dark side was)

I loved the Dark Side course, and really disliked last years course except when we ran by the Tree of Life, so I am excited about this! Seriously, of the rD courses I've run this year's Dark Side was my favorite!

 

[opusone]

Correct, you go in like in the Marathon or other 10ks at Epcot via backstage, but I think that is the area of some gondola construction, but I could be totally off on that. The AK 5k is so fun though and at least it gives a different course from the other ones so I think it's cool they kept it there.

You are correct that the gondola construction is exactly in the location where the Dark Side 10k & half courses (as well as others) entered Epcot (to the left before the IG entrance), so I have no idea what their plan is there.

Here is a picture that someone else posted with the fencing up... right where we entered Epcot.

 

[Luv2Run]

In case anyone else had a question as to what the Dark Side Half course looked like...

Ooof, it looks like a LOT of open road between miles 1-4 and 7-9...

 

[jeanigor]

You are correct that the gondola construction is exactly in the location where the Dark Side 10k & half courses (as well as others) entered Epcot (to the left before the IG entrance), so I have no idea what their plan is there.

Here is a picture that someone else posted with the fencing up... right where we entered Epcot.

View attachment 261828

In previous races, the paved way to the left side of the fence is where we entered back stage. The fenced area, to me, appears to be the small grassy field that was in between IG and the entrance to backstage. There have been characters on/near that grass in the past (Dopey, Sebastian, Genie, Lumiere....to name a few over various races).

So I don't think that unless then feel the need to close down the paved roadway, that any construction inside the fenced area would disrupt the course.

 

[PrincessV]

So I just happened to have walked through the IG area last week... yes, our usual route is currently blocked by the construction walls. But I thought I had read that that section is supposed to be completed by the time W&D rolls along, so I think we'll be fine. Worst case, they'll have to re-do that section of the course and get it re-certified.

 

[cavepig]

Boo the whole reason I was iffy and ultimately didn't do the 5k was the site said it was in Epcot and NOT AK and I had wanted to do AK and the reason I signed up for Dark Side was cause the course was different from W&D hopefully the 10k course is a good one

But, I didn't think the 5k ever actually had a location listed as anything but WDW resort.

If the 10k is the same or similar to Darkside we had Studios, Yacht/Beach and Epcot so I enjoyed it.

 

[lovingeire]

Ooof, it looks like a LOT of open road between miles 1-4 and 7-9...

I personally thought Dark Side was way less road time then last year's W&D. Plus we got three parks! 2-4 miles is necessary to get from one to the other so not too bad at all!

 

[CP3uhoh]

I personally thought Dark Side was way less road time then last year's W&D. Plus we got three parks! 2-4 miles is necessary to get from one to the other so not too bad at all!

The "road time" on the dark side half is also preferential to running through WWOS, IMO, which they probably viewed as some sort of value, when in reality none of us viewed it that way. I also wonder if that starting area relieves some of the transportation issues they had last year, especially if they ran the monorail early. That seems unlikely, but you could get walkers to the start, and WWOS, that wasn't an option.

 

[Golfjbc89]

When signing up for the race knowing its no longer a nighttime race and with all the construction that the course could be very different I was worried about the course. If it follows this same path as SW half I would be floored with love. because of injuries im probably only going to run 10 miles during training to keep the pounds on my knees to a minimum. this course would be the perfect last 5k to push me to the end!! Excited for race day and to know the real course!!

 

[PrincessV]

I also wonder if that starting area relieves some of the transportation issues they had last year, especially if they ran the monorail early. That seems unlikely, but you could get walkers to the start, and WWOS, that wasn't an option.

IDK about the monorail, but yes, the transportation issues of 2016 Dark Side were fixed in 2017 - smooth sailing! I drove and parked at EP, then hopped a shuttle bus to TTC. They had a looooong line of empty buses of many sizes just waiting to whisk us off! As soon as one filled, it left and the next pulled up.

 

[jaxonp]

anyone care to review the after party? Is is worth it for others in the party not running the races?

 

[cavepig]

anyone care to review the after party? Is is worth it for others in the party not running the races?

Who knows, depends on the people. As I've posted back a few pages only 4 rides were open, Spaceship Earth, Test Track, Soarin & Frozen. Here's the link to jump back to what I posted and scroll down as some others commented about the party too. https://www.disboards.com/threads/official-wine-and-dine-2017-thread.3563111/page-51#post-57961574

 

[OlieRow]

If the race starts in the MK parking lot, is it possible to walk there if you'e staying at the Polynesian?

 

[DOOM1001]

Ooof, it looks like a LOT of open road between miles 1-4 and 7-9...

Do not complain about this course,have you seen the course from last years W&D,that was easily the worst half course in Run Disney history.The first 3-4 miles were spent on Osceola Pkwy,then you went into AK and when you exited you basically didn't see another park until you reach Epcot at the finish,like almost 8 miles of roads,and inside Epcot you only ran to the front of WS and turned around,seriously horrible course I'm glad I passed on this race last year.The old course before 2016 would be from WWoS to AK and back on Osceola Pkwy but then you hit DHS and the Boardwalk before entering Epcot,obviously the out and back to AK is not ideal but just like the full marathon once you hit DHS and the Boardwalk it makes getting to the finish much easier as the DHS,Boardwalk,Epcot stretch is the best running stretch at WDW,lots of crowd support and a lot to see.That's why I'm excited to see they switched the course,I love how this new course reminds me of the January full.I also didn't run Dark Side this year so I've never run this course before.

 

[redsox4886]

Do not complain about this course,have you seen the course from last years W&D,that was easily the worst half course in Run Disney history.The first 3-4 miles were spent on Osceola Pkwy,then you went into AK and when you exited you basically didn't see another park until you reach Epcot at the finish,like almost 8 miles of roads,and inside Epcot you only ran to the front of WS and turned around,seriously horrible course I'm glad I passed on this race last year.The old course before 2016 would be from WWoS to AK and back on Osceola Pkwy but then you hit DHS and the Boardwalk before entering Epcot,obviously the out and back to AK is not ideal but just like the full marathon once you hit DHS and the Boardwalk it makes getting to the finish much easier as the DHS,Boardwalk,Epcot stretch is the best running stretch at WDW,lots of crowd support and a lot to see.That's why I'm excited to see they switched the course,I love how this new course reminds me of the January full.I also didn't run Dark Side this year so I've never run this course before.

Couldn’t agree more. Last years race was fun but very boring. It was my first Rub Disney race, so It was nice to see some of the back stage stuff but those highways were a mental drain. Really looking forward to this years.

 

[mmtwinmama]

So, what are the chances the half goes through MK?

 

[Dis_Yoda]

So, what are the chances the half goes through MK?

Extremely low