How to avoid the waiting before a race -lyft Uber, Minnie van?

[kniquy]

I did the Dark Side 5k this past year. Getting up at 3:30 to catch the bus between 4-4:30 and then waiting around to close to 6am before we actually started was a bit draining. I know they have character meets and entertainment, but if we could show up a little after 5am we would still be able to partake and avoid an extra hour of waiting around.

Has any used another transportation to get to a race?
What time did you show up (we are doing just the 5K)?
Any issues with drop off locations when using another service?
I am guessing Minnie van doesn't operate this early, but i wonder if this is a service they will start providing.

 

[rteetz]

Lyft and Uber could be an option. You need to be on some sort of transportation before roads start closing though. 5Ks are also now starting at 5:30AM instead of 6AM like they did in the past. Minnie Vans don’t run earlier than 6AM I believe.

 

[JJ2017]

I did the Dark Side 5k this past year. Getting up at 3:30 to catch the bus between 4-4:30 and then waiting around to close to 6am before we actually started was a bit draining. I know they have character meets and entertainment, but if we could show up a little after 5am we would still be able to partake and avoid an extra hour of waiting around.

Has any used another transportation to get to a race?
What time did you show up (we are doing just the 5K)?
Any issues with drop off locations when using another service?
I am guessing Minnie van doesn't operate this early, but i wonder if this is a service they will start providing.

curious if you were able to find out if minnie vans start running that early?

 

[Aela]

I would like to know this too. I read you can schedule Minnie Vans in advance. Would be nice for race days!

 

[Z-Knight]

the thing that would worry me is road closures and traffic if I tried timing things to get there at the last possible second. much safer for me to sacrifice a bit of sleep for peace of mind.

 

[Sleepless Knight]

I did the Dark Side 5k this past year. Getting up at 3:30 to catch the bus between 4-4:30 and then waiting around to close to 6am before we actually started was a bit draining. I know they have character meets and entertainment, but if we could show up a little after 5am we would still be able to partake and avoid an extra hour of waiting around.

Has any used another transportation to get to a race?
What time did you show up (we are doing just the 5K)?
Any issues with drop off locations when using another service?
I am guessing Minnie van doesn't operate this early, but i wonder if this is a service they will start providing.

I ran the 10K and the Half this year at Dark Side. When they told everyone to proceed to their corrals, the characters also left and the entertainment ended. While I don't enjoy waking up early and waiting around to start in the last corral, I'd rather do that than have the stress of being late to the corrals and possibly missing the race altogether.

 

[bumbershoot]

Waiting around is part of WDW rundisney. None of us want to do it. But you do it because packing 20k people into the corrals takes time. And despite the fact that we are all unique and awesome individuals, we are ALSO one of the 20k getting packed in.

So you get up early. You go early. You wait around.


And if you want to feel better about your situation, think about those of us who are still on pacific time! Talk about painful!!!

 

[ahoff]

Several years ago I had some friends who stayed at OKW and walked to the start corrals. I stayed at SSR, walked from there and met them. It seems lots of people would walk from OKW. The following year in the info book was a statement saying that you were no longer allowed to walk, and the only way to get to corrals was via the start location at EPCOT parking lot. That ended the walks, and I did not think it was that bad a walk from SSR, probably about as far as the walk from the parking lot to the corrals. Now it's back to the buses!

 

[Sleepless Knight]

Waiting around is part of WDW rundisney. None of us want to do it. But you do it because packing 20k people into the corrals takes time. And despite the fact that we are all unique and awesome individuals, we are ALSO one of the 20k getting packed in.

So you get up early. You go early. You wait around.


And if you want to feel better about your situation, think about those of us who are still on pacific time! Talk about painful!!!

I realize this may not work for everybody, but I took a redeye from the west coast for Dark Side this past April. I can't sleep on planes. Haven't been able to do so for years. This one was no exception despite the complete exhaustion from months of 10-12 days at work. Yes, my arrival day was difficult. I was very tired the entire day. I felt grouchy until I had some breakfast and thus felt actually human again. My brain didn't fully function that day. And I went to bed around 6 or 7pm.

I woke up the next morning and I was 90% adjusted to the time change. The challenges of waking up that early were limited to the challenges of waking up that early and not weighed down with any jet lag.

 

[bumbershoot]

I realize this may not work for everybody, but I took a redeye from the west coast for Dark Side this past April. I can't sleep on planes. Haven't been able to do so for years. This one was no exception despite the complete exhaustion from months of 10-12 days at work. Yes, my arrival day was difficult. I was very tired the entire day. I felt grouchy until I had some breakfast and thus felt actually human again. My brain didn't fully function that day. And I went to bed around 6 or 7pm.

I woke up the next morning and I was 90% adjusted to the time change. The challenges of waking up that early were limited to the challenges of waking up that early and not weighed down with any jet lag.

Doesn’t work for me, sadly. Doesn’t matter how little I sleep during travel, I’m a zombie for a week.

Last two princesses I took the red eye and it still felt like midnight getting up for the 5k. And 10k. And this year the Half.

Don’t even want to talk about our week trip to Dublin last month. Wr had just the one week (following DH on a work trip), and DS and I missed 2.5 days because we were so exhausted. (Arrival day after flying all day and night, then two full and separate days later)

Sigh.

I miss Disney’s night races. Those were awesome for this 5pm pacific time runner.

 

[dsk727]

For Dark Side this year, if you stayed at Poly or GF (and Shades of Green i think also) you could walk to the start for the 10K and the Half. It was so nice, reminiscent of DL races. SO maybe if you can get a ride or walk over to one of those you can take more time??