Marathon Weekend 2018

[hauntedcity]

My brain has got to take a break from runDisney planning! I just woke up from a dream where I showed up to the marathon and left my bib at the resort with no busses going back Officially new my worst nightmare...

I've had the same dream! I was at WDW with no bib, so I had to dash back to my house (in Indianapolis). Thanks to dream logic, they were within a short car drive.

 

[RunDisney Crazy]

IMO, the question should be focused on how many spots will remain for the general public, and I think that the number will be very low for the popular races. That makes it hyper critical that folks be at their keyboards ready to click when this goes live.

I'm with you. They'll definitely be spots but how many. It will be like a couple of years ago where races would sell out in 30 minutes. This time since it's a big race plus the limited spots since so many are already filled.

Almost.....I saw almost - going to miss the excitement of clicking refresh time after time waiting for it to open and then typing as fast as humanly possible. But sitting back, knowing you're bibs are secured (TA) and watching will be nicer.

 

[RunDisney Crazy]

The kids school calendar has been released for 17-18 school year, and they don't start back up until Jan 8th.....so Dopey 2018 just became much more likely!

I have been tempted to register by the past participant link, but might wait until Monday until I pull the trigger.

Has anyone stayed at UO resorts before for marathon weekend? Curious to see how early I need to book rooms there compared to Disney resorts.

That just crept into my mind. I've stayed after the marathon weekend and on Tuesday, parks were empty. We left resort after the inaugural Dopey, from hotel to park and we were the only two on the bus. Going week before this year and just thought about kids being out of school. CROWDS..

 

[DVCFan1994]

That just crept into my mind. I've stayed after the marathon weekend and on Tuesday, parks were empty. We left resort after the inaugural Dopey, from hotel to park and we were the only two on the bus. Going week before this year and just thought about kids being out of school. CROWDS..

I have the opposite issue. My kids go back on the 2nd, so do I pull them for the week or do I go without them and incur the wrath of very angry children...

 

[BuckeyeBama]

That just crept into my mind. I've stayed after the marathon weekend and on Tuesday, parks were empty. We left resort after the inaugural Dopey, from hotel to park and we were the only two on the bus. Going week before this year and just thought about kids being out of school. CROWDS..

The crowds were a 10 (or so close that it didn't matter) this year. Next year will be worse the week before.

 

[Anisum]

I really don't understand the theory behind kicking people out of the queue that registered. I would think they'd want our money but who knows. Charge me the extra $10 and call it even. I just to run and enjoy the race!

I think you'll be fine unless there are so few general reg spots left that people complain about how the abuse of the pas registrants system kept them from getting in. That being said this scenario relies on runDisney being a rational professional organization. So...

Got the email link, opened it to look at the options (can't afford to register yet, still paying off W&D, Christmas, Dopey, Light Side...), and I don't see an option for the standard VIP Race Retreat, just the Runner's World VIP Retreat. Anyone else looking for the VIP? Am I just missing it? Guess it will be offered as an add on after early registrations...

I love the covered place to sit, pre-race food, and post race hot meal, but the Runner's World VIP is $1,150 per person! That's crazy, in my budgeting mind! The VIP Race Retreat Package is only an additional $230, making Dopey with VIP "only" $790. The 25th Anniversary Marathon Finisher jacket is tempting, but worth an extra $360? The other perks really mean nothing to me (I'm not that serious of a runner). Why does rD make me think so hard?!

So while you may not care about the other perks I tried to break out the pricing. If you assume the jacket, the backpack and the in-training t-shirt are somewhere in the range of $150. If you assume the special pasta party costs $50 (which I what I think Pasta in the Park used to cost but I could be wrong) then you are only paying $130 for all the personalized training. Which still seems like a lot but that's what I think the breakdown would come out to?

 

[ZellyB]

No chance at all. Disney will limit the spots in the early registration to give the running community at large (or at least those parts of the community who don't think Disney races are beneath them) the opportunity to enter.

[snark] But the running community doesn't think they are serious races, so do we really think any of them will be registering? [/snark]

 

[gjramsey]

I have the opposite issue. My kids go back on the 2nd, so do I pull them for the week or do I go without them and incur the wrath of very angry children...

I was fully expecting the 2nd or 3rd for mine. For Goofy last year, we flew out Thursday afternoon, so they missed 1 class on Thursday, all day Friday, and we flew back way too early on Monday, and had them in school before attendance was called for the day (while I took the rest of the off). With them going back on the 8th, driving to Orlando is also back into play (and they miss 1 day), to make some things cheaper for us.

 

[lahobbs4]

I have the opposite issue. My kids go back on the 2nd, so do I pull them for the week or do I go without them and incur the wrath of very angry children...

Ha! We were totally 'those parents' this year that went without our 3 kiddos. Still makes me laugh but we really enjoyed our MUCH NEEDED time together.

 

[cburnett11]

I plan on doing the Dopey in 2018, but I'm holding out for the 'real' link on Feb 14th. If I don't get in (because everyone else has used the early link!),

I'm going to be surprised if they don't kick people out that didn't run this year. I signed up, but didn't sign up my 3-4 family members that will be first-timers next year in the marathon.

 

[DVCFan1994]

I was fully expecting the 2nd or 3rd for mine. For Goofy last year, we flew out Thursday afternoon, so they missed 1 class on Thursday, all day Friday, and we flew back way too early on Monday, and had them in school before attendance was called for the day (while I took the rest of the off). With them going back on the 8th, driving to Orlando is also back into play (and they miss 1 day), to make some things cheaper for us.

Ha! We were totally 'those parents' this year that went without our 3 kiddos. Still makes me laugh but we really enjoyed our MUCH NEEDED time together.

I had a flight cancelled due to a Blizzard for PHM 2014 so I am paranoid flying close to the race. If I were to do Dopey the latest I'd go would be the first flight Wednesday morning, to get to the expo. It seems pointless to send the kids Tuesday only, then pull them the rest of the week. I don't think I could fly out on Sunday either, so it would be Monday sometime. Which means at least 4 likely and possibly 5 days off. School would HATE me. But I've been known to ignore that before, like tomorrow for a ski day

Starting in the mid nineties my whole family (parents and siblings, eventually signsficant others) would go Christmas to New Years, because it was the only common vacation time for everyone. I stopped going after 2006 because my son was 8 months then and the crowds are way worse to deal with when you're dragging a baby around. We went back that week in 2014-15 for a specific celebration, and still didn't love it with kids. They are now 8 and 10 (almost 9 and 11) and I still think it would be rough. I am seriously considering an adults only trip. They've been every year since birth, I think Mom and Dad deserve one adult trip at this point right?

While I'm at it, anyone ever stay at the Poly DVC Villas for a race weekend (or not I suppose). Considering trying them for this weekend. It seems it would be easy to get to TTC for the days the monorail runs, but I've never stayed at Poly, so I don't know about the 5k and 10k, where the bus goes and how far that would be. Poly seems like a good place for DH to spectate from. Other wise it will be BLT, BWV or BCV. I can only book BWV at 11 months, so I'll likely start there in a few weeks.

 

[ZellyB]

While I'm at it, anyone ever stay at the Poly DVC Villas for a race weekend (or not I suppose). Considering trying them for this weekend. It seems it would be easy to get to TTC for the days the monorail runs, but I've never stayed at Poly, so I don't know about the 5k and 10k, where the bus goes and how far that would be. Poly seems like a good place for DH to spectate from. Other wise it will be BLT, BWV or BCV. I can only book BWV at 11 months, so I'll likely start there in a few weeks.

I haven't done it before, but that's our first choice this time. I just emailed a bit ahead of time to see if we can rent points for Poly once the 11-month window opens. Seems like it will be a good location.

 

[Nole95]

DW and I are going without kids for Dopey 2018. With having to get up early four days in a row, we just want to be on our own schedule and not have to worry about entertaining them the whole time. We can go at our own pace and rest when we need to.

 

[lahobbs4]

DW and I are going without kids for Dopey 2018. With having to get up early four days in a row, we just want to be on our own schedule and not have to worry about entertaining them the whole time. We can go at our own pace and rest when we need to.

Yes to this! And no Peter Pan's flight or Tomorrowland Speedway or Disney Jr show or Frozen Ever After. It was enjoyable and we were easily in bed by 8:00 pm every night

 

[nervous1sttimer]

I am also going without my kids, which will be a huge change! But because it is so early and I am expecting insane crowds, I'm not planning to do any parks. I may do some resort ADRs and see La Nouba. I am planning on a very relaxing time with lots of early nights and super early mornings!

I'm going to be surprised if they don't kick people out that didn't run this year. I signed up, but didn't sign up my 3-4 family members that will be first-timers next year in the marathon.

I am 100% convinced they will not be kicking out anyone who registered with that link but who didn't run in 2017. I also don't think you will have a hard time signing up your family members on the 14th though!

 

[Sailormoon2]

Just wondering if anyone has photos of past marathon weekend "official" jackets-the ones you would pre-order vs what is available for sale at the Expo. Thanks

 

[Mimsy Borogove]

I just found out that rD won't defer my 2017 non-half to 2018 marathon (yes, I know it said half marathon, but they are the same price so I thought it was worth a shot) since the marathon is the only non-challenge I plan on doing in the foreseeable future. They sent me GC instead (which is totally fine). Planning to register for the full asap, looking forward to focusing on just that since my first marathon was part of Dopey.

 

[cburnett11]

I am 100% convinced they will not be kicking out anyone who registered with that link but who didn't run in 2017. I also don't think you will have a hard time signing up your family members on the 14th though!

The whole point of next year's trip is for the others to run. If they can't register, that would suck.

 

[croach]

I had a flight cancelled due to a Blizzard for PHM 2014 so I am paranoid flying close to the race. If I were to do Dopey the latest I'd go would be the first flight Wednesday morning, to get to the expo. It seems pointless to send the kids Tuesday only, then pull them the rest of the week. I don't think I could fly out on Sunday either, so it would be Monday sometime. Which means at least 4 likely and possibly 5 days off. School would HATE me. But I've been known to ignore that before, like tomorrow for a ski day

Starting in the mid nineties my whole family (parents and siblings, eventually signsficant others) would go Christmas to New Years, because it was the only common vacation time for everyone. I stopped going after 2006 because my son was 8 months then and the crowds are way worse to deal with when you're dragging a baby around. We went back that week in 2014-15 for a specific celebration, and still didn't love it with kids. They are now 8 and 10 (almost 9 and 11) and I still think it would be rough. I am seriously considering an adults only trip. They've been every year since birth, I think Mom and Dad deserve one adult trip at this point right?

While I'm at it, anyone ever stay at the Poly DVC Villas for a race weekend (or not I suppose). Considering trying them for this weekend. It seems it would be easy to get to TTC for the days the monorail runs, but I've never stayed at Poly, so I don't know about the 5k and 10k, where the bus goes and how far that would be. Poly seems like a good place for DH to spectate from. Other wise it will be BLT, BWV or BCV. I can only book BWV at 11 months, so I'll likely start there in a few weeks.

The DVC buildings are the closest to the TTC but they are also the furthest from the Great Ceremonial House. That's where the buses pick up for the race. But honestly it's not a long walk at all. This year the Poly shared a bus with the Grand Floridian and Shades of Green but it was the first stop.

 

[cavepig]

Yes to this! And no Peter Pan's flight

That's funny because I'll get a fastpass for Peter Pan and I have no kids, it's one of my favorite rides

and to the dream showing up with no bib, I almost did that for real at the 2016 marathon, we started heading to the bus and luckily my brother noticed I didn't have my bib on. So, for wine & dine weekend I pinned my bib on my shirt the night before when I laid my clothes out.