Need Help Deciding TOT or W&D

[ShannonMarie]

Trying to decide whether to plan our vacation around the Tower of Terror 10 miler and the Wine & Dine 1/2. Having a hard time deciding. What would you do and why? Taking all things into consideration (which race will be better, crowds, time of year, cost).

Thanks!
Shannon

 

[Danhockey04]

I am going to do Tower of Terror this year and skip the W&D as I was not a fan of the race nor the course, really dislike the DHS section. Also, it is a new medal for me and a new race course. Price might be very similar, November will have better weather most likely and ToT will not be eligible for the C2C if you're looking for that medal. It really depends on what you like better, an after party at DHS or EPCOT with a 10 or 13.1 mile race before it. Hope others give more advice so you can select the correct race for you.

 

[ksoehrlein]

ToT has the added cache of being an inaugural race. Then again, it has the added potential for error of being an inaugural race (see also: the first ToT 13K and the first W&D). I've never raced this distance before, so if you're like me, it will be an automatic PR once you finish the 10 miles regardless of your pace.

W&D is good if you're looking for a half marathon to add to your roster. This is especially important for Half Fanatics and 50 Staters. I think they did a great job last year after learning from the mistakes made in 2010, so 2012 should be a well run event. But not everyone wants to run 13.1 miles at night, so the ToT may be a better option.

Signed,
Ms. Wishy-Washy

 

[ShannonMarie]

Thanks for responding! Weather is definitely a consideration...we don't like it to be terribly hot but swimming and water parks are a big part of our vacation too. Is the end of Sept. REALLY hot? I don't think we've ever been then. Went mid-October a couple years ago and that was great! Went marathon weekend last year and that was nice too but too chilly for water parks. Oh the decisions.....

I think I would rather have the after party in DHS...good thinking on that!

 

[Rose&Mike]

Thanks for responding! Weather is definitely a consideration...we don't like it to be terribly hot but swimming and water parks are a big part of our vacation too. Is the end of Sept. REALLY hot? I don't think we've ever been then. Went mid-October a couple years ago and that was great! Went marathon weekend last year and that was nice too but too chilly for water parks. Oh the decisions.....

I think I would rather have the after party in DHS...good thinking on that!

It can be really hot at TOT time.

We were there the first weekend in October 2009 and they broke record highs almost every day--upper 90s and very humid. I got pavement rash....

DH and I did W&D in 2010 and 11. And both years we assumed it would be miserably hot, and really we didn't think it was too bad. In 2011 it was actually pretty pleasant. Beautiful weather, but I know a lot of folks still thought it was too warm at the start of the race.

If you pick TOT, I think you have to assume it will be very warm, and hope for the best.

Good luck! They both should be lots of fun!

ETA...ok so I reread my post from last night and I must have been having some brain fog. What I meant to say yesterday is the end of September/beginning of October (which is TOT race time now) can be a hot time at WDW. I've fixed it so hopefully this makes more sense now.

 

[J3nn78]

I LOVED the W&D this year and had every intention of doing it again-until they changed the dates. Keep this in mind for W&D. It will be Jersey Week, W&D crowds, last week of F&W festival, AND Veterans Day weekend. I predict BIG crowds. I think we will be skipping it this year. I am really upset that Disney moved an event after advertising the dates. Why didn't they make TOT in Nov?
I think we may end up doing the TOT race instead-but I really don't have an interest in a 10 mile race-but the time works better for us.
September can be very hot-upper 80s low 90s

 

[ShannonMarie]

These are my exact thoughts. We were all set for the W&D and then they changed the dates! And I was thinking the same thing about the new W&D date as far as crowds. More than likely, I'll do the TOT and stick with the original date and hope its not unbearably hot!

 

[UGAFan0829]

My hubby and I are two more people who were planning for the W&D until they changed the date and annouced the ToT. I agree with the PP about the crowds for W&D.

Though we still want to do the W&D sometime in the future, the ToT sounds a little more fun to us--and having the after party in HS is a definite bonus.

 

[Cripey]

I just came across this thread and thought I would add my 2 cents in case you haven't decided yet. I was all in for doing W&D again until the dates were changed to the last weekend of F&W. For me it was because of the festival mostly...I love the F&W and would go regardless of a race, but it was a bonus doing the W&D and then getting to enjoy myself at the festival (with slightly less guilt after having burned off some calories at the race!). When the dates changed, it would force me to enjoy the festival and parks in the days before the race and my legs can't take that...not to mention I like to really enjoy eating and drinking around the festival and that would just negatively impact the race for me too much. With ToT 10 miler being the first weekend of the F&W, I'll still get to do a race and enjoy the festivities in the order that works for me. I really really enjoyed the W&D last year and was disappointed with the date change, but I think I'll still have fun with the ToT.