Future of west coast runDisney

[Ariel484]

Do we think they’ll announce before or after Avengers weekend?

EDIT: not sure how good that blog’s sources are so I’m not banking on an announcement next week.

 

[StarGirl11]

Do we think they’ll announce before or after Avengers weekend?

EDIT: not sure how good that blog’s sources are so I’m not banking on an announcement next week.

I saw someone saying they are good with WDW but not really as good with DL. So I'm not sure what to think.

 

[Keels]

Interesting question but where do you put that weekend? May? September? I feel 4 race weekends for WDW is the perfect amount.

I ain't running in Florida in May or September. Even April seems pretty ridiculous to me for a race, but hey ... I don't run (haha!) runDisney.

 

[Keels]

Do we think they’ll announce before or after Avengers weekend?

EDIT: not sure how good that blog’s sources are so I’m not banking on an announcement next week.

I think they'll announce before Avengers in a last-minute cash-grab effort ... and try to sell that weekend out.

 

[rteetz]

I think they'll announce before Avengers in a last-minute cash-grab effort ... and try to sell that weekend out.

Now that would definitely be something runDisney would do.

 

[Ariel484]

I think they'll announce before Avengers in a last-minute cash-grab effort ... and try to sell that weekend out.

If that’s the way it goes, I feel really bad for the CMs manning the Runner Relations and runDisney booths at the expo (not like they wouldn’t be flooded with questions either way though)

 

[Z-Knight]

Interesting question but where do you put that weekend? May? September? I feel 4 race weekends for WDW is the perfect amount.

Yeah, that would be the tough one...definitely would be hard to have any races in the summer at Disney World - too many people would be passing out from heat stroke just getting to the start of the race.

I guess they could add a march and december race weekend if they were inclined to do it. Although this would only probably happen if the race registrations did in fact spike up due to no west coast. Although, didn't someone mention that race registrations have been decreasing lately across the board - so maybe those spikes wouldn't be that big after all.

 

[rteetz]

I guess they could add a march and december race weekend if they were inclined to do it. Although this would only probably happen if the race registrations did in fact spike up due to no west coast. Although, didn't someone mention that race registrations have been decreasing lately across the board - so maybe those spikes wouldn't be that big after all.

March, you have Spring Break and December is well December. I just don't see them adding more races unless its a one race event like the Everest Challenge.

Except for Princess, race registration has been down.

 

[Keels]

I guess they could add a march and december race weekend if they were inclined to do it. Although this would only probably happen if the race registrations did in fact spike up due to no west coast. Although, didn't someone mention that race registrations have been decreasing lately across the board - so maybe those spikes wouldn't be that big after all.

December would 100-percent be out. There is no way that Disney can logistically support a race weekend in December with all of the holiday events going on. Like, less than zero possibility. RunDisney race weekends rely on parks and resorts to hand over a chunk of their Guest Services employees, as well as security, custodial and food service, to staff the early morning events (@FFigawi and I found this out in January), and there are barely enough employees to staff December as it is (hence the spike in seasonal employees that Disney hires), so there is no way that they'd be able to help facilitate a December race weekend.

Though not as bad, March is Spring Break and is also busy. Plus, Disney doesn't need to fill hotel rooms in March ... so they're not going to go out of their way to push that weekend on rD for an event.

 

[Mimsy Borogove]

Interesting question but where do you put that weekend? May? September? I feel 4 race weekends for WDW is the perfect amount.

They've had 5 weekends in the past: WDW Marathon, PHM, Everest, TOT10, Wine & Dine. Honestly, if there are no DLR races for the foreseeable future, and rD wants to redeem themselves to a certain degree, reinstating Everest and/or TOT10 would be a good place to start.

 

[rteetz]

They've had 5 weekends in the past: WDW Marathon, PHM, Everest, TOT10, Wine & Dine. Honestly, if there are no DLR races for the foreseeable future, and rD wants to redeem themselves to a certain degree, reinstating Everest and/or TOT10 would be a good place to start.

ToT could be another since its a 10-miler. I don't know if WDW could have another half-10K-5K weekend.

 

[StarGirl11]

Everest could be another since its a 10-miler. I don't know if WDW could have another half-10K-5K weekend.

Your crossing your races. Tower of Terror was the 10 miler. Everest was always a 5k.

 

[rteetz]

Your crossing your races. Tower of Terror was the 10 miler. Everest was always a 5k.

I meant to say ToT yes.

 

[StarGirl11]

It's funny because I'm half expecting an announcement cancellation at this point but it doesn't make me less cranky. Though admittedly this isn't the only reason I'm cranky at this point.

 

[DOOM1001]

They should have back to back race weekends for a new ToT half followed by Wine and Dine,I wonder how many people would double up and stick around to run both.ToT was a fun event but I definitely remember finishing the races drenched in sweat with them being run pretty early in October,the weather greatly improves near the end of the month.In December the first week of the month has pretty low crowds,I'm thinking that week is doable but the rest of the month gets wacky nu nu.And how about a new event maybe in March,a Spring Break themed half marathon with a new course running both water parks,finishing at one of them and then all the runners jump in the wave pool,I know,I know the sweat would kill the PH level of the water and maybe have to close the pool for a week to clean it up,that's just me brainstorming something up but it honestly sounds like something that would have me signing up right away.As far as Dark Side,Wine and Dine and ToT those need to become night races.

So let's review,ToT,W&D,Marathon weekend,Princess,Dark Side,possible December race and a Spring Break half where all the runners jump in the wave pool at the finish.Seven race weekends and what you do is between March and August have open registration for these races,runners can bundle races if they want and save a bit of money by running 4 or more,give them the option of paying monthly as long as they sign up by August,again I know this would create chaos and RunDisney as it stands now couldn't handle it but with the addition of new races and spreading out paying the races it might actually drive up registration numbers.

 

[bumbershoot]

They've had 5 weekends in the past: WDW Marathon, PHM, Everest, TOT10, Wine & Dine. Honestly, if there are no DLR races for the foreseeable future, and rD wants to redeem themselves to a certain degree, reinstating Everest and/or TOT10 would be a good place to start.

All the yesses to that.

 

[Anisum]

I think if they shut down West Coast runDisney there will be a limited increase in sales for WDW races. The west coast races seem to draw a larger local population than the east coast races. For example a quick look at this year's Disneyland Half Marathon results shows about 5310 of the participants (out of 8717) are from California which doesn't account for the full amount given some of the neighboring states are more likely to travel to California as opposed to Florida. Of course this is a very limited dataset and to know for sure we would need to look at more past West Coast races but if it is any indication I would say that east coast would only see a slight uptick at each race because those local to the California area who wanted to runDisney wouldn't be travelling to more than one or two races.

 

[trackgam]

Can we bring back some night races? I loved expedition e at night and wine and dine used to be at night with the after party to follow..... I am sure there are reasons they stopped night races but man, I like night races heck do something insane like a chip and dale race where you do a morning 5/10k followed by a night 5/10k.... takes up 1 day, no other days wishful thinking bc I would love a chip and dale themed medal HAHAHAHA (and yes I know they had it one year when they did the relay)

 

[spideymike]

Yeah, I loved the night races. I'm guessing they stopped them since they'd have to have extra staff work late at night and it's a cost-cutting measure. Running ToT and W&D at night and then going to the parks was amazing. {sniff}

 

[Ariel484]

Yeah, I agree that the night races going bye-bye was a result of $$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$

BUT, them having a night race in Paris this year (I think, right?) gives me a bit of hope that we'll see one again someday. I'd really love for them to bring back Everest or ToT, just because they were unique (with the challenge/obstacle course and 10-mile distance, respectively) and because, more selfishly, I never got to do those races.

But I wonder if they'll ever actually stray from the 5K/10K/half schedule they have going on? Everest doesn't seem like it would be as profitable for them with the 5K being the marquee race of the weekend and the expo being much smaller...