Anyone else so cheesed they will not return next year

[goofyguy1958]

I hate to start a negative thread but I am curious if anyone else sees the $50 increase in the Goofy price as a reason not to go in 2010 (I am not sure how to do a survey). Me, I will not be returning for Goofy #3 because almost $300 is simply too much for these races and when you factor in all of the other expenses...geeze, that's a lot of money to drop.

 

[windwalker]

I hate to start a negative thread but I am curious if anyone else sees the $50 increase in the Goofy price as a reason not to go in 2010 (I am not sure how to do a survey). Me, I will not be returning for Goofy #3 because almost $300 is simply too much for these races and when you factor in all of the other expenses...geeze, that's a lot of money to drop.

We have a petition type thread going over on the DisneyRunning to get peoples opinions. No one is happy about it and most of us feel used. We enjoy the event but there is a point where it will be just to much. Some of us are doing the RFTT instead of ToT this year since the race is cheaper and the finishline food better.

Thrifty Panda

 

[escape]

2010 will be the first (and probably only) Goofy race for me. I've been planning on signing up for a long time. When I saw the price, I almost flipped! I was expecting around $225 and thought that was too high. However, I bit the bullet and signed up but I'm not happy about it at all.

There were rumors going around that there would be a special medal for the 5th Goofy but the Disney folks I talked to at the expo didn't know anything about it.

 

[goofyinohio]

It may sound strange, but it was easier for me to justify this trip by doing both. With that being said I can't believe how much Goofy is in 2010. Adding a stupid camera I'm sorry is just not going to help people with the price increase. I almost feel they are doing this to get the out of towners to come in and keep the locals from doing the races. People who really love Disney are paying these crazy prices and then paying for rooms, tickets, food, etc. If you live close by you are likely not going to do all of those things and if so only for a couple days compared to a week that most of us do.

 

[WDWFAN9]

Ya, I'm not thrilled about the cost, but we just had such a great time and WDW is my happy place, so we will be back in 2010. Is anyone else wondering why the half cost $120 and the full is "just" $125?? At least January is a cheaper and less crowded time in Disney.

There is going to be a point though where we come to cheer and do our races else where.

 

[goofyguy1958]

Panda, I posted on that thread as well but didn't see anyone discussing the increase here and was curious if the feelings were the same. Apparently so.

Chris, well said. I think you may have hit on something I hadn't seen dioscussed before and it does make a lot of sense.

I have decided not to return, to hold onto my DVC points and limit my 2010 trips to one or maybe not at all.

 

[JimB.]

IMO $285 is pretty steep. No more Goofy's for me (this is just 1 reason).

Since I AM local (relatively), I will be doing the full though. And probably the 5k if I can talk the DW into it..........

 

[jbucci]

I'll admit I was so psyched after the full that we went to sign up and did not notice the price increase. I sort of assumed it was always that expensive (since the thought of Goofy was not even on our radar last year we had never looked at previous prices). I can still justify it to myself-my reasoning is this... if $285 can inspire me to get off of my butt and onto a TM and keep me excited about the process for a year then it is well worth it. I'm paying for the trip to Disney I know it will bring and a year of fitness. For 2 races-- WAAAYYYYYY too expensive, but in my mind it is more than just a pair of races.

 

[hockeygirl]

I was a bit annoyed by the price increase, but i had such a blast doing the Goofy this year, that I bit the bullet and signed up anyhow. Although, I might draw the line if it gets any higher!

 

[Mooshu]

Running around WDW is what keeps me in shape and get's me out the door when I'm not motivated during the winter season. But there are 49 other states to run during the winter time.

2010 marks my 10 years of running around the world and will probably be my last if the price keeps increasing.

 

[ultramickeymouse]

09 we did all 3 races(5K & Goofy) for $500. 2010 we are doing just doing Goofy for $550. $50 more and 2 races less. That's the only way I can afford to do it. ToT last year at $85 stopped us. I am cutting back on races when at WDW. Never would have dreamed that before

 

[Steffwalks]

I wasn't angry and the price didn't even make me pause. It's what I wanted and I was willing to pay for it.

I have to figure it is supply and demand economics. Afterall, last year they closed the Goofy in less than a month. Obviously, demand out stripped supply. So, that means the market will bear a price increase. You can bet that they did their market research and increased the price based upon that research. Afterall, lots of us still signed up. Perhaps for the last time, but then that just clears the field, a little, for other first timers to give it a try.

 

[StitchAttack]

Everything at Disney is expensive. The races are expensive, the food is expensive, the park tickets are expensive, the hotel rooms are expensive. Sure I'd rather pay less to run the goofy, but it will still sell out very quickly. I agree with what the poster above said, supply and demand. If people will pay it, there is no reason why Disney shouldn't charge it.

When I add up all of the money my wife and I spent at Disney this year, another $50-$100 doesn't matter that much in the grand scheme of things. If it comes down to it, I'll still run the Disney races, we'll just stay in a less expensive hotel or eat at less expensive restaurants.

 

[skfulkers]

My DW and I have discussed this at length. We're both pretty upset about the price-gouging Disney is apparently doing. Yeah, it's Disney and everything is expensive and sure, they can probably charge $400-$500 for Goofy and still fill it to capacity.

But it's just wrong. There are marathons all over the country. I've run some of them. The vast majority of these marathons do not attempt to make a profit on the race itself. Most would lose a ton of money were it not for big sponsors who foot a large chunk of the bill. I know Disney has every right to follow the rules of supply and demand. And if people will pay it, more power to them. But it just feels like a slap in the face to those of us who continue to make the trek to WDW each year in January with the purpose of running their races. WDW race directors aren't stupid. They know what the "going rate" is for a half and full marathon. And they know that their prices are out of line. Maybe their hands are tied. Dunno.

All I do know is that this is the first year since we've been running the Disney races that I've seriously considered not going based solely on price.

Steve

 

[gsu1988]

I am not sure if I will run Disney next year or not. I love the races and the atmosphere but the prices are getting out of control. I think it might be different if we were getting our program in the mail as in the past or we were getting a CD and certificate mailed to us after the event but now we have to print our own. Boy that makes all the hard work special. My dad likes to joke around about Disney having technology that detects if you are trying to leave with any money left in your wallet and bank account and if you do there will be some type of goodie or charge that gets the rest. I am starting to wonder if that is true only now they are getting it all up front. If I do decide to return next year they are will get my entry fee but they will not get my hotel or food or souvenir money.

 

[lenshanem]

09 we did all 3 races(5K & Goofy) for $500. 2010 we are doing just doing Goofy for $550. $50 more and 2 races less. That's the only way I can afford to do it. ToT last year at $85 stopped us. I am cutting back on races when at WDW. Never would have dreamed that before

TOT was $85?!?

 

[mkymsehi]

$300. Isn't that what we would spend on an hour of therapy?

There are a lot of other marathon races locally I can do for under $100.00. It would still cost me airfare to a neighbor island, hotel, and rental car. But, I'd still be in Hawaii.

 

[goofyguy1958]

Jeff,

I think I just experienced deja vo. Didn't I see this on the DR web site?

Mike "GG" B

 

[CarolA]

TOT was $85?!?

Yes, it came with a "park ticket" that expired in two weeks. Really useless for those of us with an AP.

That and the horrid year one turned me off. And unless the ticket option isn't there this year I won't do it this year either.

 

[timmac]

While I can understand the frustration with the price increase, I don't necessarily fault Disney for acting in accordance with supply and demand. As someone who is planning to run the full next year (by then, it won't be my first, but as of yet I haven't completed a full), and having thoughts that the Goofy might be fun, I feel rather frustrated that the race fills up within weeks after registration opens, nearly 11 months out from the race.

If a price hike (and I do agree that is a bummer, since I may end up paying it, I really do) has the effect of making a few people think twice about whether or not they really want to do it, and gives some others a little more time to think about it before feeling like they have to register or miss their chance, then maybe that isn't the end of the world.

Or, look at it the other way, too. Imagine if the prices (for all three) were lower, and closer to what you'd expect from many other races, say $50 for a half, and $80 for a full. How many more people would sign up that much more casually, without even taking it seriously, maybe deciding not even to show up at all. And how much faster would the registration fill?