Official Star Wars Half Marathon Weekend - The Dark Side 2017

[Bulldogmommy]

There is a coarse description.... we start on Florida way and end at Epcot.

I don't understand why maps can't come out sooner. No matter what people will find something to complain about. I mean seriously though you have to book hotel at 11 months, restaurants at 6 months, fastpasses at 2 months. You would think people would want to plan before and after that far out too.

yeah, but for Princess before the actual course came out, there was a detailed description that came out about this time... fingers crossed we get the same courtesy

 

[PrincessV]

My son is registered to run the half dark side on sunday 4/23 ...his first and we have never been to a run Disney event. I have some spectator questions:

I was planning on trying to hop throughout the race to try to see him in different points. What is the best way to do this? I will be staying at Beach Club but will also have car if I need to get from place to place. What is the best way to get around? Is it easy enough to view at different points? Any palces that are the most fun to hang out? What happens at the end of the race? Is there a dj or anything at wws finish line? I appreciate all of the info.

Without a course map yet, we really can't say for sure. But I think it's a real safe bet that you won't be able to access some or all of World Dr. If it goes through AK, that may be an option... I don't think buses will be running early enough, but you might be able to drive from BC to AK. If the course includes Osceola Pkwy, you could consider driving to the McDonald's at the intersection with Buena Vista Dr., but would likely need to be in place before road closures begin - ditto for WWOS if the course goes through there. If the course goes through DHS, that's an easy place to spectate: you can walk from BC to the DHS entrance plaza, and/or hang out anywhere along the path from DHS to BW, assuming the course uses that. Lots of possibilities, but until we have a map, it's just guessing!

Yes, there is a DJ at the finish area, concessions, and character photos.

 

[KatDiPaolo]

We leave 5 weeks from today!!
Booked our rental car through priceline for $19/day! Wooohooo! I'm ready for some Disney! Now I just need to see the course map...

May I ask where you got that deal? Currently I'm going down for 10 days and the best car rental I've found is $390 plus whatever holds they put on the card.

 

[mbwhitti]

May I ask where you got that deal? Currently I'm going down for 10 days and the best car rental I've found is $390 plus whatever holds they put on the card.

I used priceline's name your own price. Put in $19/day for an economy. 4 days came out to $120 (but you are charged up front with no refund for cancellations). I probably could have gotten it a dollar or two cheaper. You just don't know which rental car company until the order is complete. Both times I've done it for Orlando, I've gotten Hertz. The name your own price uses all the companies that have cars at the airport, which I like. That means no shuttle.

 

[KatDiPaolo]

I used priceline's name your own price. Put in $19/day for an economy. 4 days came out to $120 (but you are charged up front with no refund for cancellations). I probably could have gotten it a dollar or two cheaper. You just don't know which rental car company until the order is complete. Both times I've done it for Orlando, I've gotten Hertz. The name your own price uses all the companies that have cars at the airport, which I like. That means no shuttle.

Thanks! I know what I'll be doing ASAP then!

 

[WhereInFlorida]

Rental car math: 4 days @ $19/day equal $120.

 

[bryana]

Something just occured to me: we've wondered about the Death Star projection for the Half/10K but figured since it ends at Epcot, a lot of people won't see it because it will be light out.

But what about the 5K? As I was just stalking the rD site again (I'M IMPATIENT lol) and was re-reading the course descriptions. I know "under the watchful eyes of Darth Vader and his stormtroopers" just implies that characters and the theme or whatever, but it sparked a lightbulb. Maybe we'll get to see it for the 5K, since it is all within Epcot.

 

[cavepig]

Something just occured to me: we've wondered about the Death Star projection for the Half/10K but figured since it ends at Epcot, a lot of people won't see it because it will be light out.

But what about the 5K? As I was just stalking the rD site again (I'M IMPATIENT lol) and was re-reading the course descriptions. I know "under the watchful eyes of Darth Vader and his stormtroopers" just implies that characters and the theme or whatever, but it sparked a lightbulb. Maybe we'll get to see it for the 5K, since it is all within Epcot.

That's my hope too! I figure we start and finish the 5k at EPCOT so it would be perfect. You can see the ball from parking so anyone can see it even if you don't finish in the dark. They already have it from that event so really, why not? They could keep blasting us as people ran by it, hehehe!

 

[wehrengrizz]

Something just occured to me: we've wondered about the Death Star projection for the Half/10K but figured since it ends at Epcot, a lot of people won't see it because it will be light out.

But what about the 5K? As I was just stalking the rD site again (I'M IMPATIENT lol) and was re-reading the course descriptions. I know "under the watchful eyes of Darth Vader and his stormtroopers" just implies that characters and the theme or whatever, but it sparked a lightbulb. Maybe we'll get to see it for the 5K, since it is all within Epcot.

@MommaoffherRocker and I have been speculating about this since last summer haha! I REALLY hope they do this. It seems like a no-brainer, which is dangerous in regards to Disney assumptions

 

[HockeyMomNH]

I remember being disappointed last year that SE wasn't lit up like the Death Star. I saw video of it done for a D23 event later in the year. I can't posts links from here but you can youtube video of it if you google Spaceship Earth Death Star.

 

[Ndusmama]

Something just occured to me: we've wondered about the Death Star projection for the Half/10K but figured since it ends at Epcot, a lot of people won't see it because it will be light out.

But what about the 5K? As I was just stalking the rD site again (I'M IMPATIENT lol) and was re-reading the course descriptions. I know "under the watchful eyes of Darth Vader and his stormtroopers" just implies that characters and the theme or whatever, but it sparked a lightbulb. Maybe we'll get to see it for the 5K, since it is all within Epcot.

Well sunrise is 7:27, 7:26, and 7:25 respectively. So it's possible for some of the faster 10k and half people to see if the do it. I am not one of those people. Well maybe the half if I get decent start time.

 

[Bronte]

Last year I think the photos taken during the race where free, will they be downloadable again or do you have to buy the photo pass ???

 

[cavepig]

Last year I think the photos taken during the race where free, will they be downloadable again or do you have to buy the photo pass ???

Pictures were not free last year.
If you have a WDW Annual Pass then Memory Maker (Photo Pass) is included. So I guess you could say they are 'free' to download with an AP.
If you do not have an Annual Pass you will have to buy Memory Maker.

 

[cavepig]

They updated starts to saying Magic Kingdom Parking Lot for 10k & Half:

Star Wars Half Marathon - The Dark Side
Sunday, April 23, 2017
5:30 a.m.
Start: Magic Kingdom® Parking Lot
Finish: Epcot®


Star Wars 10K
Saturday, April 22, 2017
5:30 a.m.
Start: Magic Kingdom® Parking Lot
Finish: Epcot®

 

[*DisneyDreamer]

They updated starts to saying Magic Kingdom Parking Lot for 10k & Half:

Star Wars Half Marathon - The Dark Side
Sunday, April 23, 2017
5:30 a.m.
Start: Magic Kingdom® Parking Lot
Finish: Epcot®


Star Wars 10K
Saturday, April 22, 2017
5:30 a.m.
Start: Magic Kingdom® Parking Lot
Finish: Epcot®

Oh my gosh, instead of them continuing to change the start location can we just get a course map or a course description please?! I know we're still probably a couple weeks away but I'm getting really anxious here. I'm hoping for something like what happened with Wine and Dine when the link for runner tracking went live and there was a map on there. But even that was 3 weeks out, so we still have to wait.

 

[bryana]

I'm starting to get so impatient!!!!!

 

[mbwhitti]

What I really want to know, is where I'll have to drive to in order to shuttle or however they are handling it. I could see parking at MK then taking the Monorail back after the race. I just don't want to park at Epcot then have to shuttle because that means earlier morning on race day. DH will NOT be happy.

 

[FFigawi]

What I really want to know, is where I'll have to drive to in order to shuttle or however they are handling it. I could see parking at MK then taking the Monorail back after the race. I just don't want to park at Epcot then have to shuttle because that means earlier morning on race day. DH will NOT be happy.

I'm hoping to drive to MK/TTC and monorail back after the finish.

 

[mbwhitti]

I'm hoping to drive to MK/TTC and monorail back after the finish.

That's my hope too. Are you running this one @FFigawi ??

 

[FFigawi]

That's my hope too. Are you running this one @FFigawi ??

I will be there, yes. Not sure how much running I'll do given my cast-enforced layoff, but I'll give it a go.