Disney Races kill Hotel availability

[GatorChris]

Like you didn't know this. We all do! But I was just checking my vacation dates in the middle of November, which happen to coincide with the Disney races. There's hardly anything available that week due to the weekend (Fri-Sun), and if it is available, it costs a fortune. So no switching up for us. Bummer. Good thing I booked months ago, although many hotels were already booked for that weekend back in March!!!

I got to experience the tail end of the November races last year (Monday morning), and the lines just to get into the parks were just stupid crazy - literally from the gate of DL all the way to the gate of DCA. It looks like they're affecting hotels in the same way. I'm having better luck finding availability in the middle of summer than I am for the middle of November. It's a shame. November is the best time for me to vacation, due to work. It used to be a nice time to go. But Disney has shareholders, and wants to make some extra dough that weekend. I get it. Just don't like it.

Oh....and I HATE running. Inflicting pain just for fun? No thanks.

Just venting. Thanks for listening. Try not to flame me too bad. And maybe, just maybe, there's a few people with the same first-world problem.

 

[Malcon10t]

Like you didn't know this. We all do! But I was just checking my vacation dates in the middle of November, which happen to coincide with the Disney races. There's hardly anything available that week due to the weekend (Fri-Sun), and if it is available, it costs a fortune. So no switching up for us. Bummer. Good thing I booked months ago, although many hotels were already booked for that weekend back in March!!!

I got to experience the tail end of the November races last year (Monday morning), and the lines just to get into the parks were just stupid crazy - literally from the gate of DL all the way to the gate of DCA. It looks like they're affecting hotels in the same way. I'm having better luck finding availability in the middle of summer than I am for the middle of November. It's a shame. November is the best time for me to vacation, due to work. It used to be a nice time to go. But Disney has shareholders, and wants to make some extra dough that weekend. I get it. Just don't like it.

Oh....and I HATE running. Inflicting pain just for fun? No thanks.

Just venting. Thanks for listening. Try not to flame me too bad. And maybe, just maybe, there's a few people with the same first-world problem.

As the mom, aunt, and grandma to a bunch of the runners, also know that is a very popular weekend because it is 1.) a holiday weekend, and 2.) it is the opening of the Christmas season. As for that Monday, most runners are gone Sunday night. We have to work Monday. Usually, the vacationers are there Monday. I am with a fairly large charity running group, and we all left by Sunday night.

 

[GatorChris]

As the mom, aunt, and grandma to a bunch of the runners, also know that is a very popular weekend because it is 1.) a holiday weekend, and 2.) it is the opening of the Christmas season. As for that Monday, most runners are gone Sunday night. We have to work Monday. Usually, the vacationers are there Monday. I am with a fairly large charity running group, and we all left by Sunday night.

There was a huge group of them Monday morning after the race last year. All of them in their fancy running shoes....that's how I could tell. But even if they didn't show up on Monday, the hotel situation is terrible that weekend. At least from an off-season perspective.

Yeah, I know there's a lot of runners and people who love to run. I just wish they didn't do it at DL. But....if I were a runner, I think I'd try it at least once. Must be cool to run through DL.

 

[SMD]

As the mom, aunt, and grandma to a bunch of the runners, also know that is a very popular weekend because it is 1.) a holiday weekend, and 2.) it is the opening of the Christmas season. As for that Monday, most runners are gone Sunday night. We have to work Monday. Usually, the vacationers are there Monday. I am with a fairly large charity running group, and we all left by Sunday night.

I've noticed that locals will tend to leave at the end of the race weekend, but on the holiday weekends people who traveled farther do tend to stay the extra day. With the November race actually falling on a 3 day weekend last year, I'm sure many people who wouldn't otherwise be able to travel for that race did come out and stayed for at least part of Monday.

As far as hotel availability, since it is an official Disney event, participating in a race also gets you a good on site hotel rate with a large dedicated block, so that's a plus if someone is up for participating.

 

[Malcon10t]

As far as hotel availability, since it is an official Disney event, participating in a race also gets you a good on site hotel rate with a large dedicated block, so that's a plus if someone is up for participating.

I've never been able to get a race rate at the DLR.

The whole reason my daughter started running was because she wanted to run in Disneyland. Now all the kids also run the Giants race (it ends on the field at ATT) and she runs the Modesto Marathon and the Peace Officer Memorial runs. I have 2 daughters that run the 5 and 10Ks, a 6yo granddaughter that does the 5Ks (she has done 10 of them since she turned 4), a son and niece that run all the races (5K, 10K, half) and in Jan we are traveling to WDW so they can run there and get their coast to coasts. Me? I am race support, meaning I get up at 4am to go cheer at various spots, take out food so they can grab and run. My niece placed 5th in her division at the Avenger's race last year. And the races are over by 10am at the latest.

Gator, you don't have to run it, you can walk the 5K.

The holiday for Veteran's day last year fell on Friday, so the kids didn't have to take any time off from school! Win!

Her first race (4yo), she was dead last.... Peace officer memorial

Disney

Last Race (modesto marathon) just turned 6

 

[DDhunter]

LOL. I've actually been toying with the idea of signing up for one of the Disney Marathons as an incentive to get in better shape. They look like a lot of fun actually.

 

[SMD]

LOL. I've actually been toying with the idea of signing up for one of the Disney Marathons as an incentive to get in better shape. They look like a lot of fun actually.

I'd recommend looking into the virtual race shorts they're running this summer as a way to start.

I've never been able to get a race rate at the DLR.

I've found them available as late as 2 or 3 days before the race. Usually PPH, though when the start line is farther back not always. I've always found them available when races go on sale. Plus, many travel packages include them, if you're buying bib and 2 hotel nights only, it's a great deal.

 

[3DisMunchkins]

I feel you...$389 for Fairfield Inn and $699 for Residence Inn on Katela just to name a few!
Both are $189 the following week! Motel 6 is is for us that weekend...$85/nt!

 

[5forMickey]

We went in 15 during a race weekend, I said NEVER AGAIN.....in fact it bothered me so much we are going to be taking our first trip to the World. I didn't actually hate the runners, I just hated what came with them lol (I was already irritated but the drums at 3 am outside the hotel window pushed me over) Now fast forward and my youngest sons girlfriend is a avid marathon runner.......guess I can't get away from it (but we'll still keep her)

 

[bumbershoot]

Yeah, I know there's a lot of runners and people who love to run. I just wish they didn't do it at DL. But....if I were a runner, I think I'd try it at least once. Must be cool to run through DL.

If you can walk a 16 minute mile, you can walk the Disney races. No running needed.


They put the runs over holiday weekends.

 

[RainyDayPixie]

Not trying to flame, but innocently asking why you planned your trip for that week if you knew it would be busy? IIRC- your last trip was less-than-magical. Seems it might be good to delay a week?

I am stuck in a similar boat. I'm desperate to spend my 40th (gasp!) at DL, but it's CP weekend. I guess we do what we have to do!

 

[disney4cam]

i'm clueless. I've never even heard of the disney races. After googling just now, I saw the superhero races. Is that what you are referring to? We JUST decided to go 11/10-11/12 and bought our plane tickets last night. Are the parks going to be crazy crowded?

 

[Davidg83]

i'm clueless. I've never even heard of the disney races. After googling just now, I saw the superhero races. Is that what you are referring to? We JUST decided to go 11/10-11/12 and bought our plane tickets last night. Are the parks going to be crazy crowded?

Honestly it most likely will be. It's race weekend, a holiday weekend, and if this year is anything like the past 2 years it will also be the first weekend of the parks holiday celebrations. It's the perfect storm of events to create a pretty busy weekend.

 

[lcp9]

Yes that weekend especially, with veterans' day and opening of holiday season - we purposely circumvented that weekend last year, and I was glad we did when I saw pics of the esplanade that Friday - WOOF.

 

[my*gracie*girl]

We did the Neverland 5k in Jan 2013, and it was so crazy busy in the parks that we vowed to never go again race weekend. The run (slowwalk for me..ha!) was super fun, but the crowds felt insane.

 

[disney4cam]

Is it worse than Christmas or Spring Break?

 

[my*gracie*girl]

Is it worse than Christmas or Spring Break?

I think not as bad as Christmas Day was, but about the same as spring break.

 

[Malcon10t]

I think Sunday afternoons are fairly busy (summer busy) and Saturday day is busy, but those running are usually headed to bed by 8pm.

 

[Malcon10t]

i'm clueless. I've never even heard of the disney races. After googling just now, I saw the superhero races. Is that what you are referring to? We JUST decided to go 11/10-11/12 and bought our plane tickets last night. Are the parks going to be crazy crowded?

The Disneyland Half is Labor Day weekend, Aug 31-Sep 3.. It is usually based on various themes. The 5K is The Incredibles, 10K and Half are Pixar themed. (Granddaughter will be running as Boo, and her "Girl Squad" that runs with her (3 teen girls who help me watch her when I bring her down) with be running as Sully, Mike, & Celia.) Here is her and "The Girl Squad"

The Nov 9-12 SuperHeroes run will feature a Spider Man 5K, Thor 10K, and Captain America half, with the Infinity Challenge.

In Jan 11-14, we will be running the Star Wars run.

In May, The Tinker Belle run will usually happen on Mother's Day.

Sometimes they dress up because they like to, sometimes it is because they lost a bet... This one they wanted....

 

[jolinda]

The American Heart Association's annual meeting is Nov 11-15 in Anaheim this year. That's taking up a lot of rooms too.