Official 2018 Star Wars Dark Side Weekend

[1lilspark]

Personally for us, we started checking a gear bag... Here's why, at the end you get water, powerade, banana, and snack box. If you want to take pics, hang out, etc. it's hard to hold everything, etc. We've learned to actually pack our favorite race bag with draw strings inside the clear bag, cause it's just easier to have a back pack than lug around the big clear bag from Disney. Gear check is easy and efficient. Don't be afraid to use it. It takes no time at all. Happy Running! 2 weeks to departure date! So excited

That's part of why we didn't do any post race photos this past wine and dine and why I plan on sticking a foldable tote in my running belt

 

[Bree]

So.....why should I be packing a plastic beer cup from ESPN?

My Darkside Weekend Passholder t-shirt was just delivered today!

 

[Jsciv]

They will give you a cooling towel at the finish line. Honestly, unless you plan on going into Epcot after the race and not going back to your resort for a very long time, I'm not sure there's any benefit to packing a gear bag for just a towel and dry shirt. Depending on how quickly you put that dry shirt on after the race, it may not stay dry for very long. Last year, I stood in the photo lines I wanted to after the 10K and Half and showered and changed back at my resort. And if you don't care about photos after the race, you can skip all that and catch a bus back to your resort.

I sweat. A LOT. And standing in a wet shirt is miserable to me (even in warmer temperatures I find it uncomfortable). Sometimes I pack two shirts, one for "right after" and one for "when I've sweated through the right after". I shudder to think how miserable I'd be on one of those air conditioned WDW buses in wet clothing for a ride back to the hotel. But I appreciate the info! I think I will go ahead and leave my prescription glasses in the hotel and just leave reading glasses in the bag (at DL I swap out of the contacts back into the glasses right after the race) so that there's nothing valuable in there. I guess people just race with their magicbands on?

How long it takes from any resort is dependent on traffic: the later you wait to board a bus, the heavier the traffic and longer the ride. It should be about 15-20 minutes, but if your driver gets lost (it happens at least once at almost every race), and/or there's a back-up of traffic going into the parking lot, it could be a lot longer. Take an early bus if you don't want to chance it!

This is my biggest concern. I live 8 miles from Disneyland and drove to those so my pre-race routine boiled down to "leave the house 35 minutes before you want to be in the corrals" and I know that's not how it works. Still, "early bus" if I look at the schedule when I check in should help I guess.

Lately, its been a small pack of Sport beans.

Hmm. I have never had a Sport Bean. I should buy some and try them on a training run to see how I deal with them. Either that or (and I was debating this anyway) take FlashAM7's advice and bring my own gel. Thanks!

 

[Keels]

So.....why should I be packing a plastic beer cup from ESPN?

My Darkside Weekend Passholder t-shirt was just delivered today!

You get a discount on beer refills with the cup!

 

[Sleepless Knight]

I sweat. A LOT. And standing in a wet shirt is miserable to me (even in warmer temperatures I find it uncomfortable). Sometimes I pack two shirts, one for "right after" and one for "when I've sweated through the right after". I shudder to think how miserable I'd be on one of those air conditioned WDW buses in wet clothing for a ride back to the hotel. But I appreciate the info! I think I will go ahead and leave my prescription glasses in the hotel and just leave reading glasses in the bag (at DL I swap out of the contacts back into the glasses right after the race) so that there's nothing valuable in there. I guess people just race with their magicbands on?



This is my biggest concern. I live 8 miles from Disneyland and drove to those so my pre-race routine boiled down to "leave the house 35 minutes before you want to be in the corrals" and I know that's not how it works. Still, "early bus" if I look at the schedule when I check in should help I guess.



Hmm. I have never had a Sport Bean. I should buy some and try them on a training run to see how I deal with them. Either that or (and I was debating this anyway) take FlashAM7's advice and bring my own gel. Thanks!

I kept my MagicBand in my race belt. I didn't want to deal with yet another band on my wrist during the race.

Yeah, Disney World is a very different animal on the when to arrive front. They always recommend being on the first bus so as to not have the stress if buses get delayed, lost, et all. Plus Dark Side had multiple character photo ops available before the race the last two years so there's at least something to do that isn't entirely stand around and wait.

 

[ANIM8R]

So.....why should I be packing a plastic beer cup from ESPN?

My Darkside Weekend Passholder t-shirt was just delivered today!

Wait -a Darkside Weekend Passholder t-shirt??!?! I'm a passholder and I feel like I'm always missing this stuff! Where is (was) info on this? Thanks.

 

[Bree]

Wait -a Darkside Weekend Passholder t-shirt??!?! I'm a passholder and I feel like I'm always missing this stuff! Where is (was) info on this? Thanks.

I ordered it last month. I can’t remember if it was the shopping app or the website, but it was a limited time purchase. They sold them online for Princess, but also had them at the expo.

 

[KB0609]

Wait -a Darkside Weekend Passholder t-shirt??!?! I'm a passholder and I feel like I'm always missing this stuff! Where is (was) info on this? Thanks.

Same! I never knew you could get one!

 

[Bulldogmommy]

Extended forecast are now including our days! 54% humidity in Orlando in late April? I'll take that any day...

 

[ANIM8R]

I ordered it last month. I can’t remember if it was the shopping app or the website, but it was a limited time purchase. They sold them online for Princess, but also had them at the expo.

Thanks.
How were you aware that there even was one available? Was there an email? Or was there a posting on the bulletin board in Club 33?

 

[PrincessV]

Extended forecast are now including our days! 54% humidity in Orlando in late April? I'll take that any day...

Reminder to non-Floridians: 15 day forecasts cannot be trusted. Anything further out than 24 hours is unreliable, albeit useful for general planning (i.e.: whether or not a front appears to be coming at some point, vs. actual daily details.) That said, it's all part of the lead-up to race day to start looking, right?!

 

[Bulldogmommy]

Reminder to non-Floridians: 15 day forecasts cannot be trusted. Anything further out than 24 hours is unreliable, albeit useful for general planning (i.e.: whether or not a front appears to be coming at some point, vs. actual daily details.) That said, it's all part of the lead-up to race day to start looking, right?!

Louisiana native here, I totally get it... part of the fun however... 13 days, but who's counting?

 

[PrincessV]

Louisiana native here, I totally get it... part of the fun however... 13 days, but who's counting?

Hey there fellow Gulf Coaster! Yep, you totally know how it goes, too, lol!

 

[FlashAM7]

Extended forecast are now including our days! 54% humidity in Orlando in late April? I'll take that any day...

HAHA, I am glad to see I'm not the only person that obsesses over the weather 2 weeks out. I told myself after Marathon weekend that I wouldn't check the weather for future race weekends until 4-5 days in advance but I've already failed.

 

[PrincessV]

I haven't checked our local weather in days... and was surprised this morning when I walked out and it was cool! I won't make the mistake again.

 

[Bree]

Thanks.
How were you aware that there even was one available? Was there an email? Or was there a posting on the bulletin board in Club 33?

I saw it on FB in one of the rundisney groups. I never get any emails from Disney...ever.

I haven't checked our local weather in days... and was surprised this morning when I walked out and it was cool! I won't make the mistake again.

It was perfect running weather this morning! I wasn't expecting it to be so cool and not humid when I walked out the door!

 

[1lilspark]

Thanks.
How were you aware that there even was one available? Was there an email? Or was there a posting on the bulletin board in Club 33?

I think I saw a tweet either by RunDisney or another Disney blog I follow... if the AP shirt were a technical shirt instead of a Tee I’d of dropped $$ on it in a heartbeat

 

[Bulldogmommy]

HAHA, I am glad to see I'm not the only person that obsesses over the weather 2 weeks out. I told myself after Marathon weekend that I wouldn't check the weather for future race weekends until 4-5 days in advance but I've already failed.

Are you kidding me? I already have run outfits organized, grocery list made, and clothes stacked (a little OCD)...

 

[Keels]

Are you kidding me? I already have run outfits organized, grocery list made, and clothes stacked (a little OCD)...

Ugh, I’m jealous of your preparation. I leave early Saturday for a long weekend in New Orleans, and then I’ll be in Florida on Tuesday.

I have done negative packing.

 

[FFigawi]

I have done negative packing.

You at least have the beer cups out, right?