They recruit for Disney in July/August. Currently they are in training for their summer season and will shortly get their fall season recruitment done. Disney is considered winter season (At least for my chapter).
All funds raised over minimum go 100% to the cause (i.e. no overhead)--some participants who are blessed to afford the expenses--will cover the 25% themselves and let everyoen who they request donatiosn from know that every red cent they donate goes to the mission and not overhead.
You will be obligated to pay a registration fee when you do sign up. I had to pay it last season even though my fundraising was complete. Didn't make me happy. I would have delayed sending a check into the office (I was an alumni--and they will hold cash our funds at the local chapter and apply to the next season which is what I did).
You will let them know that your entry fee is paid and it will be notated and they will credit you that amount on that fundraising. Typically continental US involving airfare is in the $3000-$4000 range...alaska and international tend to be near $5000.
Whether you sign up with TNT or with Disney and then subsequently TNT--what you receive at expo is the same as everyone else who just decided to run for the heck of it without a fundraiser.
Your fundraising covers entry fee, pasta party, victory party, and transportation, half a hotel room (They room--you can opt to buy the other half of your room in December when you have your final meeting and get all the finances in order--I forget what that is called. I blank it every year).
Rooms are always at a moderate resort--last year it was CBR, CSR, and POFQ/POR. We were at POFQ in 2005 and at CBR in 2006.
The pasta party for the past two years has been at the millenium thing a ma jig at EPCOT (entrance across from the Rose and Crown). Without a ticket, you will bus from resort or drive to the EPCOT parking lot and park in a special section and be bussed round to the back. Those with tickets are welcome to go into EPCOT the traditional way.
Victory party in 2005 was at World of sports. This year it was at Coronado. Lots of fun. 2005 it was more a finger food event (heavy hors d'oevres). This year was much better as it was a full buffet meal. They had Minnie and Mickey stop by for pics.
Here's some of my pics:
Lots of toilet paper will be seen at the victory party
Special guests at our TNT victory party
Look at all those people--TNT...up DANCING to a wonderful DJ. Making yourself dance is supposed to reduce recovery pain (like stiff legs) on Monday.
The moment you realize--I'm AWESOME..when you set up your race day clothes with the infamous purple shirt.
It is a blast and you will enjoy.
Prepare now by training to train (begin exercising).
As far as fundraising, your chapter will begin by telling you to write letters via the letter campaign..you send it out to EVERYONE you know--be it you just said hi or you have been best friends for ever. Studies show (LOL!) that the people you expect to donate either don't or don't donate as much as you expected they woudl have. It's always the people--"I'm not sure I want to bug them"...who surprise you with donations. Send it to everyone. Our chapter pays the postage for the first 100 letters if submitted by a deadline.
After that--then they will do a fundraising clinic--to give you ideas and brainstorm other ways to fundraise.
Fall is great--b/c of HOLIDAYS....gift wrapping booths, making crafts, offering services to other people--very easy to get creative. You can fundraise at wal-mart...I did red white blue mardi gras beads at
Walmart for 4th of July--you could do this at christmas (do a google search--I found some super cheap)---your out of pocket expenses for this are tax deductible and you are permitted to reimburse your costs. So if you spent $5 on candy and raised $100 at wal-mart you could legally and ethically reimburse yourself the $5 and doante $95. Not as important for the little things--but I did a fudnraiser at a fireworks display and "I" bought all the water and ice that we sold--so when you spend $150---yes you would want to be reimbursed (combined with raffle--we raised roughly $800 before expenses).
Anyway--you will also be assigned a mentor...their (and my job this past season) is to keep tabs on their assigned peeps--they are provided your fundraising data (only how much you have raised) and are supposed to help peeps in distress---supporting them, offering ways to help. It is also their job to plan at least ONE fundraiser for their team and to invite you to it. As my money was already raised--I did a wal-mart fundraiser and allowed the one person who showed up to keep all the money. I had to bail on my next day as I had knee surgery that week and my leg was not tolerating what I was doing. Another teammate worked that shift and benefitted from it.
Their goal is only your success. They do not succeed as a program by letting you fail (they have stats on retention and fundraising--we had one drop out due to pregancy--coach joked with the office that it shouldn't count against him--it was very funny and we are a close knit group). They will support you. They will not fundraise for you--but they will find every opportunity to get help if you aren't doing well with the fundraising. The only way one will fail is by refusing to accept the help.
We've done raffles, I did a restuarant fundraiser (call a restuarant and see if they will donate part of the proceeds from an evening to the cause---scheduling a bone marrow drive (so easy to do, call your local blood bank) will make it more of a community event). I did Texas Roadhouse as it was a % of total sales. Some restaurants require tickets for a luncheon (when restuarant is closed to regular patrons) and others require fliers. Unfortunately if I knew enough people to sell tickets to or to hand a flier to, I certainly wouldn't be planning a meal, KWIM?
Also gift wrapping, Krispy Kreme (our homeschool group did this and it was really cool--no selling of actual donuts. People buy coupons for a dozen donuts and then buy them when they want. this was great at Christmas time b/c people used them as part of gifts--I think the ratio is 50/50--$2.50 to KK and $2.50 to your cause).
Now--you can get to planning a bunch of this now--however many businesses will require a tax ID letter. So if you run into that, you can contact LLS and say you'd like to begin fundraising whenever--and how can you go about getting that.
Additionally (I think I said that word already)--they will provide you supplies galore--letterhead (you will have to photocopy this--print your main letter and then copy as many as you need since letterhead is expensive), banners, placards, stickers, brochures, sooo much stuff---think of the fundraisers will plan and get only what you need or think you will need.
MONTE---while attending training and other events only serve to benefit you--many have succeeded without attending one single event. Life gets in the way and as long as you are able to fundraise and do your required training...you can still succeed. Our highest fundraiser in our county---didn't attend anything. Her son just finished his chemo mid season. She felt soooo bad. And I felt bad for her b/c there was no reason for her to feel that way. She accomplished what some couldn't do if you did it for them. NO reason to feel as though you are not a part of your team due to mere proximity. And man did she have one excellent time at the Victory Party.
Lastly (gee---I think I talk too much)
children are welcome (though I would advice they arrange separate accomodations with your spouse or SO or other family member the night before your race). They will think the pasta party is boring. They will have a BLAST at the victory party
You do not need to share a room. But you will be obligated to pay the other half of that room as your entry fee only covers half the room (room sharing is assumed). You will indicate this when you do your paperwork at Recommitment (hey, I remember the name). This is about October
Hmmm--still sounds overwhelming--hey guess what.. yOU have TWO MONTHS to try it out. Until you sign on the line in (roughly) October--you are not obligated to one red cent to the organization (thoughany money you raise they will maintain and I believe you can apply it to a future season). In that time, if training isn't working out for the full--you can change your mind to the half (if you pregistered your entry fee will not transfer--so that will come out of fundraising).
I had my knee surgery the night after recommitment--and I was able to coordinate an extension to ascertain the proper choice--so even with injury they will help you. (doc said either event was possible--so we awaited to see how things turned out).
If you get injured at the last minute...We had a runner who broke her toe the second week of December--she loses 25% of her fundraising as that was the overhead that went to pay commitments to travel, hotel stay, and parties...but the other 75% was able to be transferred to another season. It doesn't all vanish.
wow--that is a bunch of information. I was a mentor last season--so I guess I just foam at the mouth with information.
Any other questions I will be happy to answer from that perspective.
You may wish to cut and paste and put all this stuff in chronological makes sense order as I think I jumped around.
Give it a shot--you have nothing to lose and everything to gain!
- I asked). The experience was wonderful and I am actually contemplating doing it again this fall. The official training for the Disney Marathon starts in August and there are meetings in late July or early August to sign up. If you decide to do it, good luck and congratulations! 
You are NOT responsible for the other half. You are only responsible if you choose to room alone or bring family along who will share your accomodations.
I asked. But then you wont' get near your block and though we are all spaced out--they do a pretty good job of getting TNT near TNT.
