News Round Up 2018

[afan]

News

New runDisney virtual race series!

https://www.rundisney.com/star-wars-virtual-half-marathon/

That's actually a nice thing they did esp with adding the kessel challenge to it.

 

[Roxyfire]

I would love this so much, even though my original Apple Watch no longer survives a rope drop to park close day anymore.

Do you have the first one that came out? If so you may want to take it in, mine had a battery issue and it was replaced free of charge. Not to get your hopes up but there's a chance it's an expanding battery and will go out anyway.

 

[Roxyfire]

News

New DVC offer for runDisney events

https://disneyparks.disney.go.com/b...ney-fans/?CMP=SOC-DPFY17Q4wo1228170103180018C

Ooof I can't imagine how much that'll run. Creative way to sell some points there, though I'll give them that. I'm sure a decent amount of people will bite if they're quite serious about the marathons.

 

[pkrieger2287]

News

Select Disney's Spirit of Aloha Dinner Shows Cancelled on Jan. 2-6

Seems like most things involving water this week are closing due to the weather. Does anyone know if they would close Splash Mountain for this same reason?
Wife and I arrive on Friday and plan to ride if possible since January refurb starts next week.

 

[rteetz]

DHS entry road construction

 

[rteetz]

BTW Star Wars construction is much grander in scale than the pictures do justice.

 

[SouthFayetteFan]

Seems like most things involving water this week are closing due to the weather. Does anyone know if they would close Splash Mountain for this same reason?
Wife and I arrive on Friday and plan to ride if possible since January refurb starts next week.

I've never seen them close Splash due to weather, it ran once when we were there and highs were in the 40s. Luckily if they turn off a few of the water effects you barely get wet on it (and when I was all bundled up it wasn't a worry haha).

Now the one concern I'd have is would they think "oh it's cold - lets start the refurb early" but it seems like that would be an odd decision to make when they specifically started the refurb on a Monday (probably to keep it open for what may be a decent crowd weekend Jan 6/7).

 

[rteetz]

MK road construction

 

[sachilles]

We are all looking out our windows here in downtown Jax waiting for a flurry or two. (Definitely a Floridian move)

Flying into JAX in about 12 days. I fully expect you to turn the heat on for my arrival. Anything above 50 will be tropical enough for me.
Thank you.

 

[TheMaxRebo]

DHS entry road construction

View attachment 291909 View attachment 291911

I must admit I am still strugling a bit to picture what this will look like when done, but I am excited for it as I always thought the entrance into DHS wasn't the best

 

[skier_pete]

News

New DVC offer for runDisney events

https://disneyparks.disney.go.com/b...ney-fans/?CMP=SOC-DPFY17Q4wo1228170103180018C

So, this is sort of an interesting move. They were already selling guaranteed weeks. (Old-fashioned time share vs normal point system.) And you can still trade your guaranteed week back in for points. However, as I look at it, the ONLY real benefit to this is that you can pre-book 5 people in the race event. But is this really a problem? I mean, I know these events fill up, but doesn't it take several weeks to fill up?

While RunDisney events are very popular with DVC members, MOST of the bookings seem to be not full week bookings, but more Thursday to Sunday bookings. We are travelling the week of the Princess half this year, and while everything was booked at the end of the week by the 7-month (general booking) window, we were able to snatch a Boardwalk view room for Sunday - Thursday before the race with no problem at all, and that's a pretty popular room category.

Overall, I seriously doubt that this sells a lot of DVC...spending $30,000 to get 5 guaranteed race spots? Though there may be the occasional person that this pushes them over to edge to buy.

 

[rteetz]

They are covering up the plants across property because there is a freeze warning in affect tonight.

 

[SouthFayetteFan]

They are covering up the plants across property because there is a freeze warning in affect tonight.

Where is the "Not Like" button...

 

[DizFanFamily]

So, this is sort of an interesting move. They were already selling guaranteed weeks. (Old-fashioned time share vs normal point system.) And you can still trade your guaranteed week back in for points. However, as I look at it, the ONLY real benefit to this is that you can pre-book 5 people in the race event. But is this really a problem? I mean, I know these events fill up, but doesn't it take several weeks to fill up?

While RunDisney events are very popular with DVC members, MOST of the bookings seem to be not full week bookings, but more Thursday to Sunday bookings. We are travelling the week of the Princess half this year, and while everything was booked at the end of the week by the 7-month (general booking) window, we were able to snatch a Boardwalk view room for Sunday - Thursday before the race with no problem at all, and that's a pretty popular room category.

Overall, I seriously doubt that this sells a lot of DVC...spending $30,000 to get 5 guaranteed race spots? Though there may be the occasional person that this pushes them over to edge to buy.

I haven't run a race in WDW in a few years, but the last one I ran at DL, one of the races sold out in 22 minutes - admittedly, I don't recall which one as I was trying to register 1 for the 10k, one for the 1/2 and 1 for the Double-Dare - fortunately got everyone registered, but when trying to sign up a family, or a group who wants to run together, it is quite stressful to get them all done in the limited window. Not that I have $30k to drop to alleviate that stress...

 

[rteetz]

I haven't run a race in WDW in a few years, but the last one I ran at DL, one of the races sold out in 22 minutes - admittedly, I don't recall which one as I was trying to register 1 for the 10k, one for the 1/2 and 1 for the Double-Dare - fortunately got everyone registered, but when trying to sign up a family, or a group who wants to run together, it is quite stressful to get them all done in the limited window. Not that I have $30k to drop to alleviate that stress...

Races still sell out but not that quickly anymore.

 

[rteetz]

News

Edison reservations now open!

http://blogmickey.com/2018/01/reservations-now-open-edison-disney-springs/

 

[dina444444]

News

Toy Story Mania Undergoing Track Closures & Full Ride Closures Starting Today To Prepare for Toy Story Land Opening at Hollywood Studios

 

[Mal6586]

News

Toy Story Mania Undergoing Track Closures & Full Ride Closures Starting Today To Prepare for Toy Story Land Opening at Hollywood Studios

Man... I am going to have one disappointed 4 year old cousin on our late April trip if this is totally closed when we go. This is really kind of a gut punch to an already ride-barren park. The optimist in me wants to think they'll find some way to have this open as soon as possible, and maybe we could even luck into some soft opens, but the pessimist in me says we are SOL.

 

[MommyinHonduras]

News

Toy Story Mania Undergoing Track Closures & Full Ride Closures Starting Today To Prepare for Toy Story Land Opening at Hollywood Studios

Hoping they release dates ASAP. This will give us May/June trip planners more info. Also this stinks for those who will be there before with one more ride off the list. This might be a very dead park this spring with little ones. I am not sure the shows are enough to bring families without hoppers like mine until TS land is open.

 

[SouthFayetteFan]

News

Toy Story Mania Undergoing Track Closures & Full Ride Closures Starting Today To Prepare for Toy Story Land Opening at Hollywood Studios

The closure of a single track will impact wait times for sure but at least not fully closed. I assume if they close it entirely for a few days they need to know that at least 70ish days in advance or else they'll have tons of Fastpasses booked that will be impacted. The thing that will stink is people planned park days at 180 days out with dining and such and it's hard to change around if you only had 1 day at HS and TSM is closed that day.