Disney 1/2 Marathon Question - Update and Question ab/ Anthony Travel

[TnTsParty]

Ok I think I finally figured out what 1/2 marathon I want to be my first and unfortunatly due to the date I won't be able to do that one (Half Shell Raw Bar Half Marathon) but I might have possibly found a way to get into the Disney 1/2. I found on Active.com that I can register for the 1/2 marathon through TeamTSA Tourette Syndrome Association for $100. The only thing that has minimum guidelines for fundraising is for travel packages through them (which is completely optional - words right from their website) I won't need a travel package since I will arrange my own hotel. So my question is - do you think its "wrong" to register through them without any plans to raise any funds? I may be able to get some people at work to donate but I am not one who feels comfortable asking people for money.

I really want to do a 1/2 and the ones in January or February work perfect for my training and since the date of the one I want to do in Key West conflicts ironically enough with a chance to go to WDW another time because my neice has a gymnastics competition there the same weekend. Since my AP expires in February I might as well get as many days out of as I can. Ugh the choices.

UPDATE: it appears my question has upset some. Sorry!!!!

So I think I have decided to see about registering through Anthony Travel. Has anyone used them successfully? I normally do all my own Disney hotel bookings so I have no experience with a travel agent. I am going to have to get a hotel room anyway and would probably stay 3 nights. So PLEASE if anyone has used Anthony Travel before let me know how it was? It looks like I have to make up my mind before Oct 19 (and I actually would like to make up my mind before that) but the rates don't seem that bad as opposed to what has been standard for AP discounts lately.

 

[Big Vic]

Go for it.

Heck, I'll donate 6 bucks just to make it legal.

 

[Lisa loves Pooh]

As a former TNT participant, I can empathize with the discomfort of raising funds.

HOWEVER--Disney sets asides these slots for charitable purposes. To not attempt to raise any money, I feel is not in the spirit of what Disney has done for these charities.

I would at least make a passive attempt--by that...simply draft a letter and mail it to everyone on your Christmas card list. And by passive I don't mean a....donate if you want..but you don't have to if you don't want to kind of thing...b/c then folks obviously won't.

But if you say something along the lines of--"hey, I didn't think I would have the opportunity to run this, but I found this great charity to support in exchange for an entrance into the Disney Half. While I know it is a lot to ask, if you can spare a moment to consider contributing to ____________ in honor of my 13.1 mile endeavor, I would greatly appreciate it.

If you care to contribute, send contributions to _______ (however they collect them).

At the very least, keep me in your thoughts on race day.

Sincerely,

TNT's Party."


I don't mean any disrespect, or to really stand on a soapbox or anything--but if you don't wish to raise the funds--at least contribute something on your own. And at the worst--folks will just ignore your letter, not contribute and it is NO BIG DEAL!

I just don't think you should ride the coattails of a charity just for the sake of getting a donald duck medal without putting forth some MINOR effort in following the spirit of why they have those slots available.
The $100 you pay isn't even going towards the cause. It is covering your entry fee--a possible singlet--and any overhead that the foundation incurs to get your registered.

The package has nothing most likely to do with the fundraising but rather, to cover your airline ticket and/or hotel accomodations.


So yes, I guess I do think it is wrong to register with no intent to even come close to attempting to fundraise.

It isn't as hard to ask folks as you think. I didn't want to fundraise this year--so I registered on my own. For TNT they do have fundraising minimums and now I can understand why.

 

[Lisa loves Pooh]

I just reviewed their website--weird that I didn't see details on Disney posted yet.

As far as the packages--looks like that is incentives for high fundraising--but at least for the marine corps marathon--they are asking you to at least try for $1000.

I would try for something basic--$200, $500, whatever...but not for gooseeggs.

Good luck with your decision.

 

[Lisa loves Pooh]

I apologize if I come across as sounding harsh--I really don't mean to be. Just wanted to share my thoughts on how I felt regarding your dilemma.

 

[CarolA]

Personally I am not fond of these fund raisers. For most of them with the travel packages the "net" to charity is too low IMHO which is one reason neither I or my boyfriend don't do them. (Not to mention that unfortunately some of the Team in Traning "teams" seem to be very "abusive" on the course. At one race I was at they were spread ALL accross the road completely blocking runners behind them and thier "Coach" was with them.... RUDE!!!!)

I would probably donate a small amount to the charity and be done with it if it were me.

(considering the "net to charity" if you give them an extra $100 bucks and don't expect lodging etc they are probably making money LOL!)

 

[Steffwalks]

I would donate some money and be done with it. I don't like these fundraisers, either. I love events where the event itself is the fundraiser. That way I don't feel like I am working for the charity, but donating to the charity.

 

[Lisa loves Pooh]

Personally I am not fond of these fund raisers. For most of them with the travel packages the "net" to charity is too low IMHO which is one reason neither I or my boyfriend don't do them. (Not to mention that unfortunately some of the Team in Traning "teams" seem to be very "abusive" on the course. At one race I was at they were spread ALL accross the road completely blocking runners behind them and thier "Coach" was with them.... RUDE!!!!)

I would probably donate a small amount to the charity and be done with it if it were me.

(considering the "net to charity" if you give them an extra $100 bucks and don't expect lodging etc they are probably making money LOL!)

I am biased LOL--but TNT has 75% of the proceeds go to charity--one of the highest! They take the trip expenses, multiply by 4 and voila--that is your minimum.

I must say your sentence in parenthesis is quite shocking to me.

I've seen gallowalkers take up an enourmous amount of room--and have had runners be rude to me just b/c of the purple singlet. I simply was following running etiquette and the girl about bit my head off. This is few and far between, but I do find that TNT gets a bad rap. 2 years in a row--I've gotten blocked by folks independently registered on Contemporary Hill.

In 2006, we were THE last at the finish line supporting fundraisers for other charities who had seemingly been abandoned by their organizations. IT was TNT in the bleachers at the finish line supporting THE last person over the line...who was a fundraiser for Stroke.

I was pregnant last year and didn't go on race day--but it most likely was purple again in those bleachers.

I know folks get offended by those groups--I think it is a shame. Some of these folks have real reasons for being there and aren't there to offend you. They are there b/c they have loved ones who suffered and loved ones who have DIED from these causes. They are just doing the best they can as anyone else is to make it through. Yes there are some rude people--but as I pointed out, it doesn't matter what color your singlet is...it won't camoflouge rudeness. When I did the half--we had one guy whose son was newly diagnosed (he died last December).

Hate the disease or cause they are fighting for...not the people who are fighting it.

We'll see how I feel when I am walking without the purple this year.

I wouldn't take a space though intended for a good cause...I would write it off as I snooze, I lose if I had no itentions on attempting the spirit of the cause.


As you can tell I am quite passionate about it--so I will just hush my mouth.
I just can't believe that I am getting personally upset by this. I mean--I did the lime with the purple while doing TNT.

The words on this screen is the attitude of the elites--I thought WISH was better than that.

 

[Steffwalks]

I am terribly sorry that I may have offended you, Lisa Loves Pooh. If I were to do one of these events, I would contribute the necessary funds required. What difference would it make whether I went out collecting or just wrote the check myself?

 

[Disney Runner]

I booked last year with Anthony Travel and had no problems at all.

 

[CarolA]

Lisa,
Are you SURE about that precentage? One of my coworkers did the TNT. His travel expenes were about $1,000. He had to raise $2,000. That was a NET of 50% before any admin costs..... I just spent quite a while on thier website. Nowhere on it could I find anything about the net percentage which would bother me as a donor.

I find the 75% hard to believe if the fundraiser raises ONLY the minimum. If you raise a lot more then maybe so, but.....most folks don't raise a lot more.



(My $100 comment was meant to be scarastic. I guess being run over by the RUDE TNT folks makes me a lot less likely to donate. The coach was being read the riot act by other runners but thier reaction was just to continue to be rude. They litterally were pushing people out of thier way to "stay abreast!" I guess I should just allow them to be RUDE??? A real reason to be there does not give you the RIGHT to abuse others. That' was very offensive to me. My stepmother died from the disease that TNT is "raising funds for" I still won't donate. I give my money directly)

 

[nucpharm29]

Tricia--We used Anthony Travel for the Minnie in May--We only used them for the hotel, though. But it went really smoothly--it was a great rate and didn't have any problems

 

[ironz]

Tricia...I used Anthony Travel for another event and it was fine.



and...my only beef with TNT is that their supporters on the sidelines will ONLY cheer for the "team"...when a non-affiliated person goes by, they clam up....When I'm out on a course cheering, I cheer for as many people as possible, no matter what group they are running for. Small potatoes, though.

 

[cdn_gal_eeyore]

Tricia, I also used Anthony Travel for a hotel for the Minnie in May. I found the rates really reasonable, and at that time it was cheaper to go through Anthony for a hotel then direct through WDW. (Not sure about now.) No problems at all, and I know a few other folks have signed up for the marathon events through them for this year as well. Good luck!

 

[scuba diver]

I'll keep this thread going on the hot topic of charity running.

I'm not a big fan of charity running because I ask people all day long for money and don't want to do it when I'm not at work.

However, last December I needed to make a donation to a charity before year end and wanted to share it with something other then my church.

I wrote a check to Joints in Motion (the Arthritis Foundation) and used them to run the recently very hot Chicago Marathon. I was allowed 30% of my fund raising for travel expenses.

I did not raise any additional money, just mine. I did not feel guilty about it because 70% of my money when to help the cause (of course I also got the tax benefit).

Frankly, I would throw some extra money to the charity to make sure they get something out of it and not feel to guilty about it. As long as they get some money to help their cause....go for it.

FYI - they were very happy with what I did because they still made a lot of money off me and that is the bottom line.

 

[Lisa loves Pooh]

I am terribly sorry that I may have offended you, Lisa Loves Pooh. If I were to do one of these events, I would contribute the necessary funds required. What difference would it make whether I went out collecting or just wrote the check myself?

That doesn't matter--I was more upset by those who disliked those organizations when their are WISHers here (like myself) who have supported them and worn the singlets proudly.

Many folks who do TNT just write a check themselves...I was simply taken aback by the candor that was posted regarding the displeasure with those groups and pointed out my experiences within those groups...and with folks NOT in any group.

 

[Lisa loves Pooh]

Lisa,
Are you SURE about that precentage? One of my coworkers did the TNT. His travel expenes were about $1,000. He had to raise $2,000. That was a NET of 50% before any admin costs..... I just spent quite a while on thier website. Nowhere on it could I find anything about the net percentage which would bother me as a donor.

I find the 75% hard to believe if the fundraiser raises ONLY the minimum. If you raise a lot more then maybe so, but.....most folks don't raise a lot more.



(My $100 comment was meant to be scarastic. I guess being run over by the RUDE TNT folks makes me a lot less likely to donate. The coach was being read the riot act by other runners but thier reaction was just to continue to be rude. They litterally were pushing people out of thier way to "stay abreast!" I guess I should just allow them to be RUDE??? A real reason to be there does not give you the RIGHT to abuse others. That' was very offensive to me. My stepmother died from the disease that TNT is "raising funds for" I still won't donate. I give my money directly)

There are great coaches in TNT (like mine) and there are some pretty sucky ones!! I can attest to that as I have encountered folks who haven't had the experiences that we do with the Orlando Chapter.

I also don't appreciate on the road that just b/c I wear purple..folks will assume that I will be rude. (That can and does happen! People can't move past the stereotype!)

TNT has solid rules regarding fundraising....I wonder if that person was a mentor or if someone in the office pulled strings...b/c that just doesn't sound right. $1000 doesn't even sound right for expenses for a local event (too high) or a distance event (too low due to airfare).

For example....I'm racking my brain...but--for locals for Disney (no airfare required, 3 nights hotel, bus charter for TNT events where we don't use WDW busses, celebration, and pasta party not to mention race registration and singlet), we had to raise...I think something like $2200 . And that was for local! When the full and half were on the same day--it was about $1800. (Disney does NOT give them a good rate on their hotel rooms...at all! Compared to a Florida residence rate anyway). They stay in a moderate hotel....and for other events outside of disney--they stay at hotels comparable with a moderate at Disney or whatever is the least expensive option if all they have are fancy places. That is LOCAL!!!

Now--if I wanted to do the rock n roll marathon in California---that also is 3 nights b/c of the cross country trek. (typically they do 2 night hotel--unless you are crossing several time zones or in the case of disney..it is just too difficult to split everyone up). There is the airline ticket, there is also transportation from the airport to the hotel and all local transportation via chartered busses. Everything else is the same. For that event, I have to fundraise $3500-$4000.

If I want to do Alaska, it is about $5K...for Dublin..it was between $5K and $6K.

I don't know what event your friend did. TNT pretty much does the big name events which usually come with higher entrance fees....but something smells rotten with that office if that is all they required him to raise and he wasn't mentoring. (I forget the mentor discount--but it was significant)

When I was a mentor, I had to fundraise less. But when you sign up--clear as day on the paperwork....and when I sign my contract at Recommitment in October..it is all spelled out there. What I don't fundraise--comes off of whatever piece of plastic I gave them as the guarantee.

They take expenses...multiply by 4 and that is how they determine how much you will raise.

I am unable to find a direct link for TNT at the moment that breaks it down as I stated...but I did find LLS' breakdown for you:

http://www.teamintraining.org/firsttimehere/themissionandhistory/wherethemoneygoes/
(even though that is TNT--the pie chart represents LLS)

And I am sorry you encountered horrible people.

The best I can EVER suggest to anyone is to report any inappropriate behavior you encounter from anyone with TNT. IT is folks like you have encountered that give others a BAD name.



I apologize to everyone in this thread--just leaving the above link for reference.
Bowing out now.

 

[krissylynne]

My husband was going to run for TNT. He is not one to ask for money, so we are going to do a donation instead. I will say that it is a very moving experience watching all the people in purple finish. Especially when thy are running for a loved one who has passed or a loved one who is in a fight now themselves. The amount of money that is raised is amazing. If I remember right, last year TNT raised more than 2 million dollars. That is Awesome!!!! ALL of that money goes towards research. Read up on the organization. They do so much. It is a certain percentage that you raise above what your expenses are that goes directly to TNT.
When you have had many family members die becaue of Certain types of cancer, it does make you appreciate organizations like TNT so much more. I will never be one to complain.
And as far as purple only routing for purple along the stretch or on the finish, that is a naturall thing. The color is worn so that they can identify each other. When you are on a team you will naturally route for the same members on the team. Just becasue they dont cheer for you dont get to upset. They did not cheer for my husband either, there were thousands of other people who did that for him. When you go to a meeting and sign up that is one of the number one thing that they will tell you, SUPPORT! You will get 110% support from EVERYONE on the team. It is the nature of it all! With all of the breast cancer awareness that is going on, we also need awarness for other tyes of cancers that are touching so many more people now. TNT is doing great to rasie awareness.

As my Mother would of told me "Suck it up Princess! Get over it" And I do say that in a loving way.

 

[wtpntigger2]

I am running my first half with TNT and I will confirm that what Lisa loves Pooh says to be true. I will be traveling from IL and I must raise a minimum of $3900 which is 4x the cost of my travel and race expenses.

This is a charity I feel very strongly about because my grandmother passed away from leukemia. I will be honored to wear my purple singlet in her memory. It saddens me that others have given TNT a bad name.

OP-Good luck in whatever you decide to do!