2025 Wine and Dine

[Mgslalala]

Afternoon all. Last years runner info says the expo opens at 11 on the Saturday. My memory is not up to much, but I swear I’ve picked up earlier than that in years gone by…
Thoughts?

 

[patm95]

Afternoon all. Last years runner info says the expo opens at 11 on the Saturday. My memory is not up to much, but I swear I’ve picked up earlier than that in years gone by…
Thoughts?

I was thinking it’s on a Thursday?

 

[The Expert]

Afternoon all. Last years runner info says the expo opens at 11 on the Saturday. My memory is not up to much, but I swear I’ve picked up earlier than that in years gone by…
Thoughts?

The expo hours are already posted on the rD site: https://www.rundisney.com/events/disneyworld/wine-and-dine-half-marathon-weekend/expo/. Since Saturday is the last day and only those runners doing just the half marathon would be going to pick up that late, the hours are typically shorter.

 

[jmasgat]

Is it weird that I am only running the 10k, but am considering flying in Wednesday because IF Brooks does a shoe for this weekend and IF it is the Ghost 17, THEN I would want to be around so I could get to the expo on Day 1?

No, you say. Yeah, I figured you'd say that. Off to check flights......

 

[SugarSweetLee]

Is it weird that I am only running the 10k, but am considering flying in Wednesday because IF Brooks does a shoe for this weekend and IF it is the Ghost 17, THEN I would want to be around so I could get to the expo on Day 1?

No, you say. Yeah, I figured you'd say that. Off to check flights......

Word is that there are a number of shoes reserved for each day of the expo so you don't have to be there day 1 to be able to buy

 

[jpholic]

Picked up a charity bib for the challenge and was searching for a room via wdw website, dvc rentals, and CM friends searching internally for a good deal... coming up empty on all fronts. Is it really that busy the last weekend of October where no rooms are available?

 

[The Expert]

Picked up a charity bib for the challenge and was searching for a room via wdw website, dvc rentals, and CM friends searching internally for a good deal... coming up empty on all fronts. Is it really that busy the last weekend of October where no rooms are available?

It is the last weekend before Halloween, so the MNSSHP parties will likely sell out. It's also peak Food & Wine, which a lot of locals attend on the weekends. We are well within the DVC 7 month window, when you can book at any DVC property (rather than just where you own). AND one of the free dining plan windows covers those dates. So yeah, I can believe it's pretty booked up at this point.

That said, check third party sites like Expedia and Travelocity. Look at Marriott for the Swan/Dolphin complex and the JW. Check Disney Springs hotels on Hotel Plaza Blvd. And look at DVC rentals.

 

[jmasgat]

Picked up a charity bib for the challenge and was searching for a room via wdw website, dvc rentals, and CM friends searching internally for a good deal... coming up empty on all fronts. Is it really that busy the last weekend of October where no rooms are available?

Good deals---no. You can book rack rate. But also....Disney IT is funky. Example: I can book 6 nts at POR at Passholder rate, but if I try to book 4 of those exact same nights in the same room, it shows up as not available. In the past, I have been able to book the longer stay and then drop nights later on. Don't know if that workaround will still hold.

 

[fatmanatee]

I see All Stars still available, across the board, rack rate otherwise is pretty rough. No Pop.

 

[The Expert]

I see All Stars still available, across the board, rack rate otherwise is pretty rough. No Pop.

The bonus of rack rate only is you'd qualify for free dining.

 

[jpholic]

Good deals---no. You can book rack rate. But also....Disney IT is funky. Example: I can book 6 nts at POR at Passholder rate, but if I try to book 4 of those exact same nights in the same room, it shows up as not available. In the past, I have been able to book the longer stay and then drop nights later on. Don't know if that workaround will still hold.

Thanks for the tip! I fiddled with it until I got what I needed. So strange that nothing came up during my initial search.

 

[DisneyGamer11]

I had submitted my POT the day of registration - but received an email this week to submit by POT, so I double-checked, and it's still there.

Is that email just a default reminder? Or is that an indicator what I submitted may not be sufficient? It's from a 2025 WDW half.

 

[WillRunForPizza]

I had submitted my POT the day of registration - but received an email this week to submit by POT, so I double-checked, and it's still there.

Is that email just a default reminder? Or is that an indicator what I submitted may not be sufficient? It's from a 2025 WDW half.

That email goes out to everyone. If you've already submitted a POT, you're fine.

 

[jenljeffers1989]

I'm doing Wine and Dine as part of a girls trip this year (4 of us), and I'm the only one doing the 2 course challenge. Everyone else is doing the 10K. Are there typically people giving away/selling their after party tickets for less than rack rate? I did Wine and Dine in 2021 and it was like 80 dollars, and this year it's $120, which is steep IMO.

 

[EPCOT-O.G.]

Just curious, did we ever figure out why they moved from the usual daylight savings time weekend? I assume so as not to conflict with Halloween?

If that’s the case, do we expect the same thing to occur next year (2026) as Halloween falls on Saturday, Oct. 31?

 

[The Expert]

Just curious, did we ever figure out why they moved from the usual daylight savings time weekend? I assume so as not to conflict with Halloween?

If that’s the case, do we expect the same thing to occur next year (2026) as Halloween falls on Saturday, Oct. 31?

It has been over Halloween a few times before -- last year a few of us did the 5K the morning after the Halloween MNSSHP. Maybe the races and parties are getting popular enough that it is becoming an issue? I also suspect it may have something to do with avoiding the New York marathon, though it's not like it doesn't sell out.

When the runDisney started, the races were scheduled to fill down times in the calendar. Those don't really exist anymore, so any legacy reasoning for a particular race weekend to be when it is/was has likely changed. I suspect this is an experiment and if crowd satisfaction scores are higher (for both race and non-race vacationers), it will stay put on the earlier weekend.

Edit to add: This also assumes they don't have any big disruptions due to it being closer to the active part of hurricane season, historically.

 

[fatmanatee]

Halloween fell on a Saturday in 2015 and they held W&D the following week. Normally I'd guess they do that again next year but this year is a curveball.

 

[Naomeri]

I also suspect it may have something to do with avoiding the New York marathon, though it's not like it doesn't sell out.

That could be part of it, especially if what I heard from someone about Brooks giving them advice on how to get a few more elite-ish type runners participating (this is apparently what led to the moving of the water stop between Boardwalk and Hollywood to a less stupid spot)

 

[DisneyMountainWoman]

That could be part of it, especially if what I heard from someone about Brooks giving them advice on how to get a few more elite-ish type runners participating (this is apparently what led to the moving of the water stop between Boardwalk and Hollywood to a less stupid spot)

I am like you dont need elite ish runner to know they had some stupid water stops.. lol

 

[nancipants]

I guess that answers how much they actually read our surveys.