Official 2018 Star Wars Dark Side Weekend

[AerialGael]

Doing the challenge again this year, yay! I've been compulsively checking the rD webpage waiting for Light Side to open so I can get my Kessel Run completed in 2018. As a result of this compulsive checking... did anyone else notice that the DS emblem changed recently? Is that the First Order badge? I don't recognize it.

 

[Dis_Yoda]

Doing the challenge again this year, yay! I've been compulsively checking the rD webpage waiting for Light Side to open so I can get my Kessel Run completed in 2018. As a result of this compulsive checking... did anyone else notice that the DS emblem changed recently? Is that the First Order badge? I don't recognize it.

You are right! IT did change to the First Order

 

[camaker]

Doing the challenge again this year, yay! I've been compulsively checking the rD webpage waiting for Light Side to open so I can get my Kessel Run completed in 2018. As a result of this compulsive checking... did anyone else notice that the DS emblem changed recently? Is that the First Order badge? I don't recognize it.

You are right! IT did change to the First Order

We already knew that they were re-branding Light Side (the challenge, at least) from Rebel to Resistance, so I think this is just an extension of runDisney moving the focus away from the classic movies and their Rebel/Empire focus towards the new movies and their Resistance/First Order theming.

 

[AerialGael]

Hey I'm good with that. Just excited to see some of the rumor mill materializing into something more tangible. Now if they'd just open LS, I'd be a happy runner, haha.

 

[Krandor]

Hey I'm good with that. Just excited to see some of the rumor mill materializing into something more tangible. Now if they'd just open LS, I'd be a happy runner, haha.

Me too, but I'm not expecting anything till afte DLH.

 

[osopecoso]

Did Dark side this year ran through animal kingdom? The reason why I ask is because I am about to book at room at AKL and would like to know how close it comes to the resort? My family would like to see me run by and that would be a perfect place. Will the buses be running during the race? Ideally they would see me run by the resort then meet me at the end. Is that possible. Thanks

 

[ywgckp]

Did Dark side this year ran through animal kingdom? The reason why I ask is because I am about to book at room at AKL and would like to know how close it comes to the resort? My family would like to see me run by and that would be a perfect place. Will the buses be running during the race? Ideally they would see me run by the resort then meet me at the end. Is that possible. Thanks

Yup, it ran through Animal Kingdom.

But, it ran through before the park opened. We did come out of the park and onto Osceola Parkway en route to Hollywood Studios, so maybe your family could see you there, although it would be a fair walk and on a road with no sidewalks, so.....

 

[osopecoso]

Yup, it ran through Animal Kingdom.

But, it ran through before the park opened. We did come out of the park and onto Osceola Parkway en route to Hollywood Studios, so maybe your family could see you there, although it would be a fair walk and on a road with no sidewalks, so.....

How close is the resort to the entrance to animal kingdom? Do you run through the emtrance?

 

[PrincessV]

Did Dark side this year ran through animal kingdom? The reason why I ask is because I am about to book at room at AKL and would like to know how close it comes to the resort? My family would like to see me run by and that would be a perfect place. Will the buses be running during the race? Ideally they would see me run by the resort then meet me at the end. Is that possible. Thanks

How close is the resort to the entrance to animal kingdom? Do you run through the emtrance?

The course did not run by the AKL resort, only through the AK park, so if the course stays the same, your family would need to travel to see you. Osceola parkway is a controlled access highway, NOT for pedestrians. With a car, they could get to the AK parking lot if they went SUPER early, before roads close, but I can't see any other way.

 

[PrincessV]

@osopecoso here's a snap from my course map via Runkeeper. The red line is the course we ran, and the blue X is the entrance to AKL.

 

[osopecoso]

@osopecoso here's a snap from my course map via Runkeeper. The red line is the course we ran, and the blue X is the entrance to AKL.
View attachment 254561View attachment 254561

Ah ok. I always thought the resort was somewhat connected to the park. Guess not.

 

[DAdams419]

So question for you guys who have done the race before. If budget is an issue, which resort would you guys book? Would y'all book close to ESPN or Magic Kingdom (since it'll probably start at the back of the MK parking lot like last year)? And when would you book the room? Would you wait for a room only discount?
Thanks in advance!

 

[mernin]

We are playing around with extending our vacation to include this week (really so DH could do the 1/2 marathon). We won't find out if he gets the weeks until December so won't be signing up officially until after then. Fingers crossed that it and the 5k are still available (my dd10 would run it with me).

 

[PrincessV]

So question for you guys who have done the race before. If budget is an issue, which resort would you guys book? Would y'all book close to ESPN or Magic Kingdom (since it'll probably start at the back of the MK parking lot like last year)? And when would you book the room? Would you wait for a room only discount?

Budget is always an issue for me - I've never paid rack rate in 25 years of WDW-ing! Location really doesn't matter, as every WDW resort provides race transportation, if that's something you need. If you have your heart set on a certain resort, I'd book early to be sure you get it. Otherwise, you can wait to see what discounts come out and book whatever is available from those. I'm semi-local and drive to WDW, so offsite is always an option for me and I book whatever fits my budget: I'm booked offsite for DS for now because I grabbed a good rate, but I'll switch if something better comes along.

 

[AerialGael]

So question for you guys who have done the race before. If budget is an issue, which resort would you guys book? Would y'all book close to ESPN or Magic Kingdom (since it'll probably start at the back of the MK parking lot like last year)? And when would you book the room? Would you wait for a room only discount?
Thanks in advance!

Budget is always big for me too. Last year my mom was supposed to run with a charity so we had access to a discount at the All Star resorts. Previously I had stayed at Hilton Bonnet Creek for the WDW marathon. Very nice, but a little spendy. They both had race transportation included, which was really my biggest criteria. I found the All Star thing by accident as Hilton didn't have race packages for DS. If you sign up with a charity and don't mind doing some fundraising, you can get discounted room rates (and sometimes discounted park tickets) through that program. Alternatively... I found a fantastic rate at the Swan for DS 2018 just on a regular hotel search website. I like having transportation included.. just simplifies a lot of things for me, plus I always meet random new friends on the ride to and from the race!

 

[absolutmey]

delete

 

[ars0525]

I booked at an All Star (Sports I think?) for the weekend. I'll see what discounts come out as it gets closer, but at least I know I have a room. Having race transportation was important for me (otherwise I'd stay off site) so I'll treat myself for the weekend. Plus I already have an AP so it's not like I have to buy park tickets or pay for airfare to get there.

 

[DAdams419]

I booked at an All Star (Sports I think?) for the weekend. I'll see what discounts come out as it gets closer, but at least I know I have a room. Having race transportation was important for me (otherwise I'd stay off site) so I'll treat myself for the weekend. Plus I already have an AP so it's not like I have to buy park tickets or pay for airfare to get there.

I'm trying to talk my wife into an AP, but we live in North Alabama and going once or twice a year is hard to convince her to invest in APs

 

[ars0525]

I'm trying to talk my wife into an AP, but we live in North Alabama and going once or twice a year is hard to convince her to invest in APs

Yeah that's a tough sell unless when you work the numbers it's to your favor. I live 117 miles my door to Magic Kingdom so it's easy to justify a FL resident AP as long as I go 10 days a year.

 

[rteetz]

Officially contemplating running this weekend...