Future runDisney Events

[MissLiss279]

I also think someone previously stated that a few years ago (2018??), we didn’t register until July for MW... so there is still hope.

I’m agreeing with @BuckeyeBama about people refusing to get the vaccine (emergency use, don’t trust it, side effects, whatever reason). Around here the rate of vaccines given has definitely dropped, and it’s available to anyone that is 16 (or 18?) and older. I’m not sure we will get to the point of 70% or more that have been vaccinated here. I’m just hoping that enough people get it (and in the process get more and more data on long term effects of it so more people will want to get it...) that it will keep COVID from spreading too much.
I was glad to get it when I was eligible and am now fully vaccinated! Yay!

 

[EPCOT-O.G.]

I’m agreeing with @BuckeyeBama about people refusing to get the vaccine (emergency use, don’t trust it, side effects, whatever reason). Around here the rate of vaccines given has definitely dropped, and it’s available to anyone that is 16 (or 18?) and older. I’m not sure we will get to the point of 70% or more that have been vaccinated here. I’m just hoping that enough people get it (and in the process get more and more data on long term effects of it so more people will want to get it...) that it will keep COVID from spreading too much.
I was glad to get it when I was eligible and am now fully vaccinated! Yay!

This is unfortunate that so many are refusing. At the same time, now that they're available to all, and supply is starting to outpace demand, I think that in a month or two we should open fully. At that point those who've refused to avail themselves of protection shouldn't be able to functionally veto any activities others want to undertake, such as an open air road race.

 

[PrincessV]

Re: any thoughts of WDW/rD requiring proof of vaccination - FL's governor signed an executive ordering banning businesses in FL from requiring proof of vaccination from customers. The legality of that order is unclear and, as yet, untested, but it's in place at the moment. It has no teeth, so far as WDW is concerned, because the only penalty is that businesses that do require vaccine proof aren't eligible for government contracts; I don't think that will apply to WDW.

So far, WDW has done things much more conservatively than FL's official COVID restrictions (of which there currently none, basically), but I just do not think they'll go against this one. There is also the issue that the EO prohibits FL from providing vaccination info for citizens who want to get a digital vaccine passport - so if that becomes a requirement, we Floridians are out of luck. That's a fairly large portion of potential rD participants, especially when international travel is still down. Again, nobody's entirely sure any of this can be upheld, but that's what's going on down here now.

 

[Onceuponamarathon]

Marathon weekend 2018 had a registration of July 19th, which was 2-3 weeks into Dopey training. I think that's the latest they could push registration. June/July should also give a pretty clear picture of vaccination rates, variants, etc. The real question is the volunteers and logistics. I don't think they could do a July registration AND start planning in July. I would think the call for volunteer would go out prior to that, as would vendor contracts for bussing, bringing back the rD staff, etc.

 

[BuckeyeBama]

This is unfortunate that so many are refusing. At the same time, now that they're available to all, and supply is starting to outpace demand, I think that in a month or two we should open fully. At that point those who've refused to avail themselves of protection shouldn't be able to functionally veto any activities others want to undertake, such as an open air road race.

I agree, but remember that the vaccine is not 100% effective. These "opt out" people are going to kill people who tried to do the right thing, not just themselves.

 

[Grabnar]

Re: any thoughts of WDW/rD requiring proof of vaccination - FL's governor signed an executive ordering banning businesses in FL from requiring proof of vaccination from customers. The legality of that order is unclear and, as yet, untested, but it's in place at the moment. It has no teeth, so far as WDW is concerned, because the only penalty is that businesses that do require vaccine proof aren't eligible for government contracts; I don't think that will apply to WDW.

So far, WDW has done things much more conservatively than FL's official COVID restrictions (of which there currently none, basically), but I just do not think they'll go against this one. There is also the issue that the EO prohibits FL from providing vaccination info for citizens who want to get a digital vaccine passport - so if that becomes a requirement, we Floridians are out of luck. That's a fairly large portion of potential rD participants, especially when international travel is still down. Again, nobody's entirely sure any of this can be upheld, but that's what's going on down here now.

The TX order that’s very similar only applies as long as the vaccine is under an EUA. Once it’s ”fully licensed” it’s open season.

 

[GreatLakes]

RunDisney isn't going to have different rules than other guests. Unless they are going to require all guests to have vaccinations they aren't going to require rD runners to have them.

I still think Marathon Weekend is possible but I'm not sure about that. I think if MW is cancelled or virtual so is Princess. They might wait until the Star Wars replacement in spring 2022 to be the first in-person race depending on how the world looks in 2022.

 

[*DisneyDreamer]

I’m losing optimism that there will be any events before the rethemed Star Wars weekend or Wine and Dine in 2022. Each week that goes by without news just makes it harder to see how they’ll do it. I just want to know so I can accept it, move on, and start hoping for Dopey in 2023. In the meantime, I really need at least local races to start back up again because I am desperate for a live event!

 

[DopeyBadger]

In the meantime, I really need at least local races to start back up again because I am desperate for a live event!

If you still live in the same area, Silver Circle has been doing live races almost every weekend. I’m doing one in 1.5 weeks.

 

[*DisneyDreamer]

If you still live in the same area, Silver Circle has been doing live races almost every weekend. I’m doing one in 1.5 weeks.

Good to know!

 

[jimrpa]

I'm a researcher by nature and profession so have been obsessing about the numbers for a while now. lol. Overall I agree with most of what you said but there are a few wrinkles I think Disney is still waiting on.

First, that 90% by July number is a simple calculation of the number of people vaccinated a day as a portion of the population. Which is great. But also not obtainable until we get a vaccine for those under 16. Otherwise, we max out around 78% once we get all eligible adults. A number that is likely to be lower as some adults will decline.

As for the proof of vaccination...I don't know if Disney goes that route. Realistically, anyone who decides to go the electronic proof of vaccination route will be a pioneer in it. Disney could be a great candidate but I don't think they'll take on the expense, PR efforts, etc., unless they do it across the board (i.e., it's needed for the parks as well). While they could do it just for races people will point out that they need it to run but then can waltz right into the park. Plus, hopefully, we'll get to herd immunity and not need proof within the next year. There's a lot of advantage for Disney to just wait it out instead. Then again, I DO think they will need to figure out proof of vaccination for the return of cruising. They haven't announced they'll require it like other cruise lines have, but I have to imagine they will. And I could also see them using it for vendors (the bus services, volunteers, etc.) for race day. So it may be they use proof of vaccination internally.

As for signing waivers. Disney doesn't really care about a random person getting covid and suing. What they don't want an outbreak traced back to them. That's the real concern. Waivers don't matter much for that.

Ultimately I think marathon weekend is doable. Maybe even desirable as a way to bring in more money per person while likely under capacity limits. However, I don't think they announce until the last second possible second.

Good points, except that trials on children and toddlers with the mRNA vaccines have been underway now. And studies have demonstrated that the babies of pregnant women who have been vaccinated with mRNA vaccines have spike protein antibodies, so I suspect children are coming soon.
What really troubles me are the people who are “hesitant” to be vaccinated. All that’s doing is providing more opportunities for more variants to develop and spread
Anyway, I’m going to stay as optimistic as I can

 

[sandam1]

I believe that most of the races (except 2020 Star Wars) that went virtual did so before the Galloway training plan started. So since the MW training plans are 29 weeks, I'm thinking that somewhere mid-June is the drop-dead date.

I'm about 50/50 on whether MW is going to happen - and I get more pessimistic every day that goes by that we don't hear something/anything from runDisney. The only thing that makes me hopeful is that in 2021, reports of attendance for what would have been MW is that it was a ghost town. So even as much as regular attendance has grown, races weekends are still "quiet times" and Disney still has a use for the races to boost numbers.

Personally, I just got vaccine #2 on Monday and am counting out my two weeks.

 

[Spikester]

Rock and Roll is starting in person races, they are doing Wash DC in Nov and New Orleans in Feb. (That I know about since I'm signed up for them). DC is still very strict with masking and indoor dining guidelines.

 

[The Expert]

Rock and Roll is starting in person races, they are doing Wash DC in Nov and New Orleans in Feb. (That I know about since I'm signed up for them). DC is still very strict with masking and indoor dining guidelines.

Las Vegas is also moving to February (supposedly permanently) and they have ditched the full marathon.

 

[jennamfeo]

Las Vegas is also moving to February (supposedly permanently) and they have ditched the full marathon.

Oh snap, I think I just found my first race after all this is over! LV RnR is on my birthday weekend in 2022. Everyone is invited. Also the LV RnR Marathon course was terrible, glad it's gone.

 

[Onceuponamarathon]

Good points, except that trials on children and toddlers with the mRNA vaccines have been underway now. And studies have demonstrated that the babies of pregnant women who have been vaccinated with mRNA vaccines have spike protein antibodies, so I suspect children are coming soon.
What really troubles me are the people who are “hesitant” to be vaccinated. All that’s doing is providing more opportunities for more variants to develop and spread
Anyway, I’m going to stay as optimistic as I can

They're underway but will the vaccines gain approval and distribution by June (when we cap out on adults)? And that date assumes all adults get it, so we may start to see a slow down as early as May. Given the timelines, I think it's likely there will be a drop in the rate of vaccinations as we wait for the children's option to come out, and we won't get to those 90% numbers in July. I would love to be wrong though! I honestly have no idea how close the child vaccine is to EUA.

And agree 100000% on the adults not vaccinating. Variants and a large portion remaining unvaccinated are my biggest concerns. Far bigger than the overall pace we're vaccinating at or timing of the children's vaccine coming out

 

[Onceuponamarathon]

Rock and Roll is starting in person races, they are doing Wash DC in Nov and New Orleans in Feb. (That I know about since I'm signed up for them). DC is still very strict with masking and indoor dining guidelines.

My very first half was DC Rock and Roll. While I'm pretty meh on the Rock and Roll brand experience I loved the course!

 

[Onceuponamarathon]

I believe that most of the races (except 2020 Star Wars) that went virtual did so before the Galloway training plan started. So since the MW training plans are 29 weeks, I'm thinking that somewhere mid-June is the drop-dead date.

I'm about 50/50 on whether MW is going to happen - and I get more pessimistic every day that goes by that we don't hear something/anything from runDisney. The only thing that makes me hopeful is that in 2021, reports of attendance for what would have been MW is that it was a ghost town. So even as much as regular attendance has grown, races weekends are still "quiet times" and Disney still has a use for the races to boost numbers.

Personally, I just got vaccine #2 on Monday and am counting out my two weeks.

We kept our resort reservation for what would have been MW 2021. Ghost town is an apt description.

 

[PrincessV]

Variants and a large portion remaining unvaccinated are my biggest concerns. Far bigger than the overall pace we're vaccinating at or timing of the children's vaccine coming out

This. Trying not to get too deep in the weeds... I think WDW/rD is going to have to make some tough decisions in the not-too-distant future: "herd immunity" is looking pretty unlikely, so then what? Do they keep parks at reduced capacity and keep COVID restrictions in place for another year? Two? Indefinitely? Or do they start a return to something close to normal and let the chips fall where they may? In other locations, like CA, some of that decision-making is out of Disney's hands, but here in FL, there are very few restrictions in place at the government level, so it's almost entirely in WDW's hands. I would not want to be the persons in charge of that.

 

[PrincessV]

FYI, BWI now has a reopening date: July 2. So that's another resort back on board, for whatever that's worth in speculative theory lol!