Marathon Weekend 2018

[hauntedcity]

I'm cracking up over here. Wearing all my medals. Heck, I ran my 13.1 cancelled half today and wore my medal sitting on the couch! Proud!

I ran my 13.1 on Saturday, and switched off Donald and Goofy medals for the afternoon.
Yesterday, the family was sitting around watching Star Wars Rebels, and, you guessed it, I was sporting my Donald medal while sitting on the couch. Hey-- I finally earned that thing! I'm gonna show it off!

 

[mbwhitti]

I ran my 13.1 on Saturday, and switched off Donald and Goofy medals l for the afternoon.
Yesterday, the family was sitting around watching Star Wars Rebels, and, you guessed it, I was sporting my Donald medal while sitting on the couch. Hey-- I finally earned that thing! I'm gonna show it off!

Woooooohooooooo!

 

[hauntedcity]

Today's Disney Question for everyone:

How many times have you been to Walt Disney World and when was your first trip?

My answer, I have been 9 times. My first trip I was 8 months old (1999) and don't remember anything of course.

I'm a day late, but I'm going to answer anyway! My first trip was in 1980. I had one more childhood trip, and didn't make it back until the late 90's. I think I've made up for that, because I pretty much lost count after I hit 2 dozen trips.

 

[michigandergirl]

All right. I couldn't stand the suspense any longer. I'm registered for Dopey 2018 through Acclaim!

We booked over the weekend too. Excited to run my first Dopey!!

 

[Baloo in MI]

I am so tempted! Is it a whole package - race registration, tickets, resort; or just the race registration? How expensive? Feb 14 can not get here fast enough!

 

[rteetz]

I am so tempted! Is it a whole package - race registration, tickets, resort; or just the race registration? How expensive? Feb 14 can not get here fast enough!

Through Acclaim its registration, hotel deposit and minimum two day park ticket I believe.

 

[Ariel484]

I am so tempted! Is it a whole package - race registration, tickets, resort; or just the race registration? How expensive? Feb 14 can not get here fast enough!

If you book through a TA for a WDW race you have to do hotel and tickets with them - 2 days minimum I think. They sometimes work with APs but I'm not sure exactly what "working with APs" means so take that with a grain of salt.

 

[BuckeyeBama]

We have APs and plan on staying at Bonnet Creek again (my wife loved it), so we are going to have to get bibs the old fashioned way (plan and pray).

 

[Baloo in MI]

We have APs and plan on staying at Bonnet Creek again (my wife loved it), so we are going to have to get bibs the old fashioned way (plan and pray).

How do you like Bonnet Creek? If my family goes again, we will be looking at trading out a week from our vacation club and Bonnet Creek is an option. Do you still feel like you are in the Disney bubble? Is there race and expo transportation?

 

[michigandergirl]

If you book through a TA for a WDW race you have to do hotel and tickets with them - 2 days minimum I think. They sometimes work with APs but I'm not sure exactly what "working with APs" means so take that with a grain of salt.

Okay, now you've got me nervous - so I didn't handle the booking or any of the specifics - my friend booked through her agent and she was told we did not have to do park tickets at this time, just race and hotel.

 

[camaker]

If you book through a TA for a WDW race you have to do hotel and tickets with them - 2 days minimum I think. They sometimes work with APs but I'm not sure exactly what "working with APs" means so take that with a grain of salt.

Acclaim says they can waive the ticket requirement if everyone staying in the room is an AP holder. I paid $560 for Dopey registration (includes Active fees, so actually a savings there) and a $200 deposit on the resort reservation. They have a couple of resorts that they offer, but you can request a different one. I did not have to buy park tickets, just enter DW and my AP numbers. Unless I'm just missing something, I'm not seeing a real downside to this approach.

 

[BuckeyeBama]

How do you like Bonnet Creek? If my family goes again, we will be looking at trading out a week from our vacation club and Bonnet Creek is an option. Do you still feel like you are in the Disney bubble? Is there race and expo transportation?

We rented a car, but we always rent a car no matter where we stay. I think that renting a car is an absolute requirement for ease getting around WDW. If you generally have a car, getting around is just as easy as driving from any WDW resort. If you are a fan of the buses, I wouldn't recommend it. Their shuttle is not free, and it doesn't run regularly enough to be considered an option, IMO.

You have to consider parking in the parks. We have APs, so this was not an issue for us.

You also need to remember that you cannot charge back to your room, so bring cash and/or a credit card and photo ID into the parks with you. This did represent a difference for us, but we didn't even notice after the first day since it reflects how we pay for things every day.

As for the Disney bubble - it felt like a moderate resort with a different theme.

Finally, the food options at BC are very limited, but we eat in parks or at our favorite resorts anyway (which is our standard), so again no change for us. But without a car, this would present greater difficulty.

For us, with a rental car, it felt just like every other WDW vacation. We would not stay here without a car.

ETA - We paid $1600 for 9 nights in a HUGE 2 brm suite with complete kitchen and washer/dryer.

 

[Ariel484]

Okay, now you've got me nervous - so I didn't handle the booking or any of the specifics - my friend booked through her agent and she was told we did not have to do park tickets at this time, just race and hotel.

Maybe it's what @camaker said? Because of APs?

I'm in a runDisney facebook group with a bunch of TAs and they all say that for WDW it's something with the tickets (unless you're an AP) and the hotels. It's possible that the TA is just eating the ticket costs too, but I sort of doubt that when regular registration hasn't even opened yet.

 

[michigandergirl]

Maybe it's what @camaker said? Because of APs?

I'm in a runDisney facebook group with a bunch of TAs and they all say that for WDW it's something with the tickets (unless you're an AP) and the hotels. It's possible that the TA is just eating the ticket costs too, but I sort of doubt that when regular registration hasn't even opened yet.

Not sure, none of us are AP's. I'll have to get further clarification...

 

[MommaoffherRocker]

I did not have to buy park tickets, just enter DW and my AP numbers. Unless I'm just missing something, I'm not seeing a real downside to this approach.

I hope they they are able to wave the ticket from the beginning now. I know I told some of you guys at the meet up but for anyone else that didn't hear it, they made me buy the ticket upfront and were going to refund me after the race if it went unused. No one told me to make sure it wasn't prioritized in MDE and I used it. Thankfully they were able to refund me at the park once I noticed the problem but it took a couple hours of running around to find the person that could do it.

 

[camaker]

I hope they they are able to wave the ticket from the beginning now. I know I told some of you guys at the meet up but for anyone else that didn't hear it, they made me buy the ticket upfront and were going to refund me after the race if it went unused. No one told me to make sure it wasn't prioritized in MDE and I used it. Thankfully they were able to refund me at the park once I noticed the problem but it took a couple hours of running around to find the person that could do it.

I don't know about other TAs, but Acclaim definitely says they can waive the ticket requirement from the beginning. Here's the exact text from their website:

"* If ALL guests in the room are Annual Passholders, or Cast Members. Sports Travel can waive the ticket requirement. You will have to provide valid AP numbers or CM gate card ID for each guest in the room.

If SOME of the guests in the room are Annual Passholders, or Cast Members all guests in the room WILL have to purchase tickets, including the Annual Passholder or CM. You will submit valid AP numbers or CM gate card ID for the AP guests or CM and AFTER the event concludes, if the tickets issued to the AP or CM have not been used, they can be refunded. Please make sure at hotel check in that your AP , CM ticket is your primary ticket and your new ticket with race is secondary"

Hope this helps!

 

[MommaoffherRocker]

I don't know about other TAs, but Acclaim definitely says they can waive the ticket requirement from the beginning. Here's the exact text from their website:

"* If ALL guests in the room are Annual Passholders, or Cast Members. Sports Travel can waive the ticket requirement. You will have to provide valid AP numbers or CM gate card ID for each guest in the room.

If SOME of the guests in the room are Annual Passholders, or Cast Members all guests in the room WILL have to purchase tickets, including the Annual Passholder or CM. You will submit valid AP numbers or CM gate card ID for the AP guests or CM and AFTER the event concludes, if the tickets issued to the AP or CM have not been used, they can be refunded. Please make sure at hotel check in that your AP , CM ticket is your primary ticket and your new ticket with race is secondary"

Hope this helps!

I bought my bib through Acclaim and the wording was the same as what you quoted when I purchased it, hopefully Disney realized how much of a PIA that was and is letting them do away with the buy first and then get a refund later policy. For the record Acclaim was really great about everything, it was the just the way Disney wanted it done.

 

[camaker]

I bought my bib through Acclaim and the wording was the same as what you quoted when I purchased it, hopefully Disney realized how much of a PIA that was and is letting them do away with the buy first and then get a refund later policy. For the record Acclaim was really great about everything, it was the just the way Disney wanted it done.

Here's hoping. I'm going to be irritated if they advertise that they can waive the requirement and then require purchase and reimbursement later.

 

[mrsg00fy]

I bought my bib through Acclaim and the wording was the same as what you quoted when I purchased it, hopefully Disney realized how much of a PIA that was and is letting them do away with the buy first and then get a refund later policy. For the record Acclaim was really great about everything, it was the just the way Disney wanted it done.

The hotel and ticket requirements really seem to be hurting the Travel Agents. Disney doesn't want to play nice in the sandbox. For the upcoming Princess Half there are a few travel agencies offering half price on the bibs...but you have to buy the room and ticket (same ticket exclusions as what you experienced). Disney doesn't make these same demands for the West Coast Races.

ETA...some of the travel agents are saying that the ticket requirement can be waived if all room occupants are annual pass holders or cast members.

 

[MommaoffherRocker]

"* If ALL guests in the room are Annual Passholders, or Cast Members. Sports Travel can waive the ticket requirement. You will have to provide valid AP numbers or CM gate card ID for each guest in the room.

Here's hoping. I'm going to be irritated if they advertise that they can waive the requirement and then require purchase and reimbursement later.

I take it back the first part is different, I read it too fast. The second part was what they had for everyone, so it looks like they did change it.