Marathon Weekend 2022

[lukemorenus]

So, how did yesterday go for everyone? Did anyone not get the race(s) they wanted?

Easy-Peasy! ... of our 11 browsers, two connected right away!

 

[ZellyB]

So, how did yesterday go for everyone? Did anyone not get the race(s) they wanted?

It was actually really smooth for us. We had 3 devices trying to get on and our desktop was the first to win the race. That made me happy because these old eyes see better on that huge monitor. Anyway, I think we got put through at about 10:20 (9:20 our time) to the actually registration page. Got all the races we wanted. At the time we got through everything was still available so could have registered for even more if we'd wanted to. LOL. Got the confirmation email almost immediately as well.

 

[jrsharp21]

Question about the Dopey and the corrals. When I registered for Dopey, I only saw the question asking for the expected marathon finish time. What about the half, 10k, 5k? For the 2020 half marathon I was in the A corral. Hoping to do the same for 2022 runs (don't care what I am in for the marathon). For the marathon, I put that I would finish in 5-5:30 hours. For the 2020 half marathon I finished in 1:49. If I go back in and say that I expect to finish in less than 4 hours and put in the proof of time, will I get the better corral assignments for all the runs?

 

[Bunkie1979]

So, how did yesterday go for everyone? Did anyone not get the race(s) they wanted?

After review of COVID data trending, personal risks/benefits, etc., DH and I made the decision to pull the plug on in-person racing until at least after this coming respiratory season and will be joining you all in spirit with another round of Virtual Dopey from afar (as long as we can snag registrations on Friday).

Congrats to all who managed to register for the races they were wishing for! Happy magical miles to you all in your training and hopefully we'll see you among the thousands of our other closest running buddies for Marathon Weekend in 2023!

 

[ZellyB]

Question about the Dopey and the corrals. When I registered for Dopey, I only saw the question asking for the expected marathon finish time. What about the half, 10k, 5k? For the 2020 half marathon I was in the A corral. Hoping to do the same for 2022 runs (don't care what I am in for the marathon). For the marathon, I put that I would finish in 5-5:30 hours. For the 2020 half marathon I finished in 1:49. If I go back in and say that I expect to finish in less than 4 hours and put in the proof of time, will I get the better corral assignments for all the runs?

If you have a POT to qualify for less than 4 hours then you definitely want to put that in. It will improve your corral placement for all races.

 

[Baloo in MI]

So, how did yesterday go for everyone? Did anyone not get the race(s) they wanted?

I have to say I am really happy about how it worked out. I ended up having to take my daughters to the doctor and registered while sitting in the car. Needless to say I was very worried! Used two iPads and an iPhone. Strangely the two iPads which I hit register for at the same time (9:54) came up with a “more than hour” wait and a 2 minute wait! Needless to say got everything I wanted and am so appreciative! Now I feel like I can really get excited about MW!!

 

[camaker]

Question about the Dopey and the corrals. When I registered for Dopey, I only saw the question asking for the expected marathon finish time. What about the half, 10k, 5k? For the 2020 half marathon I was in the A corral. Hoping to do the same for 2022 runs (don't care what I am in for the marathon). For the marathon, I put that I would finish in 5-5:30 hours. For the 2020 half marathon I finished in 1:49. If I go back in and say that I expect to finish in less than 4 hours and put in the proof of time, will I get the better corral assignments for all the runs?

If you have a proof of time that will support a sub-4:00 marathon, definitely enter it. It will improve your corral placement for the half and full marathon. Both races use the same bib and corral placement. Your corrals for the 5k & 10k will be based on the separate pace estimate you entered during registration for those races.

 

[DopeyBadger]

Question about the Dopey and the corrals. When I registered for Dopey, I only saw the question asking for the expected marathon finish time. What about the half, 10k, 5k? For the 2020 half marathon I was in the A corral. Hoping to do the same for 2022 runs (don't care what I am in for the marathon). For the marathon, I put that I would finish in 5-5:30 hours. For the 2020 half marathon I finished in 1:49. If I go back in and say that I expect to finish in less than 4 hours and put in the proof of time, will I get the better corral assignments for all the runs?

Alright, refer to this chart for POT about the Marathon (the top portion is relevant to you because you're doing Dopey).



-If you submit an estimated finish of 5:00-5:30, then you will be placed in Corral F (or its equivalent) for the Half Marathon and the Marathon.
-If you submit that your estimated finish is less than 4:00 hours, and you submit a Half Marathon POT of 1:49:00 from Jan 2019 to now, then you will be placed in Corral B (or its equivalent). You would need an estimated 1:44 or less to be in Corral A of the Half Marathon as a Dopey participant.

If you want to run the Half Marathon from Corral B (by using POT), but then run the Marathon from a further back corral (like Corral F), then you have that option. You can always drop back in corrals on race day, but you can't move up corrals.

-Your 5k/10k corral placement is based on a separate question during Dopey registration that asks you for your expected pace during those races. What you choose for this question will dictate your corral placement for the 5k/10k. If you choose "under 8" then you will be in Corral A (or its equivalent) with other similarly paced runners. If you choose "14:01-16:00" then you will be in Corral C (or its equivalent) with other similarly paced runners.



ETA: I do think there is a possibility that there will be only one POT corral. So if you have a sub 4 marathon equivalent, then there may not be a separate delineation between Corral A and B (like I currently have estimated at a 1:44 HM).

 

[jrsharp21]

Alright, refer to this chart for POT about the Marathon (the top portion is relevant to you because you're doing Dopey).

View attachment 592865

-If you submit an estimated finish of 5:00-5:30, then you will be placed in Corral F (or its equivalent) for the Half Marathon and the Marathon.
-If you submit that your estimated finish is less than 4:00 hours, and you submit a Half Marathon POT of 1:49:00 from Jan 2019 to now, then you will be placed in Corral B (or its equivalent). You would need an estimated 1:44 or less to be in Corral A of the Half Marathon as a Dopey participant.

If you want to run the Half Marathon from Corral B (by using POT), but then run the Marathon from a further back corral (like Corral F), then you have that option. You can always drop back in corrals on race day, but you can't move up corrals.

-Your 5k/10k corral placement is based on a separate question during Dopey registration that asks you for your expected pace during those races. What you choose for this question will dictate your corral placement for the 5k/10k. If you choose "under 8" then you will be in Corral A (or its equivalent) with other similarly paced runners. If you choose "14:01-16:00" then you will be in Corral C (or its equivalent) with other similarly paced runners.

View attachment 592867

ETA: I do think there is a possibility that there will be only one POT corral. So if you have a sub 4 marathon equivalent, then there may not be a separate delineation between Corral A and B (like I currently have estimated at a 1:44 HM).

Thanks for the reply! Definitely clears things up!!!

 

[NewYKRunner]

So, how did yesterday go for everyone? Did anyone not get the race(s) they wanted?

My wife actually did it as I was busy interviewing someone at work. But it apparently went smooth - my friend and I are signed up for the Dopey, my wife is doing the 5k (just to run with us the first day) and my friends gf is doing the half. They saw that it was open 10 minutes early and it took 20-30 minutes I believe.

 

[opusone]

My registration went smoothly, but after seeing the random queue results during W&D, I went a little overboard and initially had 10 different unique browser windows open (over two computers). Six of them (one computer) I started right when registration was available (~20 minutes before 10am ET), and the other four (the other computer) I opened from 2 minutes before to 2 minutes after 10am ET.

Very unlike W&D, it so happened that the first browser window I used had the shortest wait time (I think it was initially 12 minutes), but then there was the expected random spread of times on the other nine windows. I immediately closed all the windows that had over an hour, so then I had about 5-6 windows open. I closed a few more once the first window was down to two minutes to go.

 

[FFigawi]

Are you not joining in the fun this year?

Sadly, no. This trip right now is our only one back to the States until sometime in late 2022. I'm already working to ensure Rogue Two is together for DATW and parking lot beers from afar.

 

[happ]

What advice do you have regarding park touring during marathon weekend? Should certain parks be avoided on certain days/times?

 

[Wendysofftoneverland]

What advice do you have regarding park touring during marathon weekend? Should certain parks be avoided on certain days/times?

On that note, what time does Epcot open on marathon day? How easy/hard is it to get from Saratoga Springs to Epcot if we want to cheer on runners? Will Epcot open at 9 that day, or 11, or 10:30 for on-site guests?

To the above poster, Sunday would probably be the main day there would be an issue. The 5k and 10k races are so early that the runners are done before park opening. Epcot might be a challenge to access via car on Saturday half marathon and full day if the races end there. The halves and fulls I've done went through MK quite early, so runners I think will be done by park opening. AK and HS may see some runners on the Sunday.

 

[Grabnar]

On that note, what time does Epcot open on marathon day? How easy/hard is it to get from Saratoga Springs to Epcot if we want to cheer on runners? Will Epcot open at 9 that day, or 11, or 10:30 for on-site guests?

To the above poster, Sunday would probably be the main day there would be an issue. The 5k and 10k races are so early that the runners are done before park opening. Epcot might be a challenge to access via car on Saturday half marathon and full day if the races end there. The halves and fulls I've done went through MK quite early, so runners I think will be done by park opening. AK and HS may see some runners on the Sunday.

Looks like they may be changing it up some this year as they're "still evaluating"

https://www.rundisney.com/events/disneyworld/disneyworld-marathon-weekend/spectator-information/

 

[lhermiston]

Sadly, no. This trip right now is our only one back to the States until sometime in late 2022. I'm already working to ensure Rogue Two is together for DATW and parking lot beers from afar.

My proposal is we hire a surrogate for you, John:

What advice do you have regarding park touring during marathon weekend? Should certain parks be avoided on certain days/times?

This is admittedly the wrong advice, but when I did Dopey in 2019 it was part of a family vacation. So it was races in the morning and parks at night. I didn't avoid any parks or any activities. I just treated it like a normal Disney trip.

 

[lhermiston]

I know this is super premature, but have folks started thinking about crowd levels at all? I think it was the 2018 marathon weekend that last had dates similar to 2022, right? I was following from afar, but I remember horror stories about parks being at capacity since it was so close to the holidays, still.

The X-factor in 2022 is COVID and crowd limits, though. Hard to say until probably December how those will impact MW22.

I know all we can do is speculate, but my wheels have been turning on this a bit in the last day.

 

[DopeyBadger]

On that note, what time does Epcot open on marathon day? How easy/hard is it to get from Saratoga Springs to Epcot if we want to cheer on runners? Will Epcot open at 9 that day, or 11, or 10:30 for on-site guests?

I think it's difficult to be definitive on this due to the ever changing landscape of today's world, but for MW 2018-2020 EPCOT opened at 9am. DHS had Extra Magical Hours and opened at 8am in 2018-2020. My notes don't include years prior so it could have easily been the same in 2017 and previous.

Side note is that Les Halles opened at 9am, La Cantina de San Angel opened at 10am, and other EPCOT Alcohol/Food Stands opened at 11am in 2020 (per my notes). AK's Thirsty River opened at 7:30am in 2020 (again per my notes).

Looks like they may be changing it up some this year as they're "still evaluating"

https://www.rundisney.com/events/disneyworld/disneyworld-marathon-weekend/spectator-information/

If I were to take a guess, one area that's definitely "still evaluating" could easily be the Main Street crowd during the HM/M before the park opens. I could see some evaluation for the finish area as well. I'd be less inclined to believe there will be much of a difference as it comes to in-park (AK, DHS, and EPCOT) spectator viewing during normal park hours than a normal year. I'll be curious to see what comes of it.

 

[PrincessV]

my DS and DD will be 12 and 10. We can leave them in the hotel while wife and I run, but how have others handled this in the past?

I left my son in the hotel room when he was 11. I woke him up right before I left so he could deadbolt the door behind me and engage the flippy lock. He had a cell phone and knew who to call if I didn't return or call him by a certain time. I'm a stickler for identifying emergency exits in hotels upon check-in, so he already knew that, too. He mostly slept while I ran the half and was eating breakfast when I got back to the room. No problem!

 

[Marc A.]

Looking for help on who to contact. I registered for Dopey yesterday (#2) and then my son (he's 15) for the 10k. I then went to register him for the 5k and after all was said and done my name is on the registration. It says minor and has his birthdate and lists me as the emergency contact. I sent something through the website (without any email yet) but who else can I contact to clear this up. It's just switching a first name....