Official Wine and Dine 2016 thread

[BelleWannabe4]

I have to say, I am really bummed about these changes. I'm a night runner (working until 11 pm most days does that to you) and waking up at 3 am to run a half is just really not my cup of tea. I loved the idea of Epcot being open until 4 am - how fun! With a closing time of 1 am, it means it will be crowded the entire time.

I am also really bummed that the half and the afterparty got moved from Saturday to Sunday. When the race & afterparty was on Saturday, I could have flown in on Friday night and flown home on Sunday evening and not missed any work. With a Sunday race and afterparty, I have to take Monday off. Plus I'll still need to get in on Saturday in order to go to the expo so there's no savings on the resort costs. And the 10K sounds great, but then I have to take Friday off too and that just isn't happening in the 4th quarter.

This was going to be my first W&D but now I'm just not so sure. The added costs (extra resort day + vacation day) really just might not make it worth it.

ETA: I talked to my running buddy and we're out. The changes (and the extra runners) make this race not worth it for us.

 

[madduck]

So does this mean that a lot more half marathon spots will now be added?

 

[Ariel484]

As someone who is not 100% happy with the changes, I'd like to thank those of you who ARE happy with them and have expressed that without adding in name calling and the like.

 

[twinsouvenirs]

Wasn't this 3:15 before?? The 16min/mi requirement means 3.5 hrs. Doesn't it seem like a wide spread not to require proof of time for ANYTHING 2:45 through 3:30? Makes me think those slower corrals will be more of a mess...

SWS was 3:15

 

[bumbershoot]

I hope that once Hollywood Studios' construction is finished the Tower of Terror in some form will return. It was the 'villains' race

All I've got is no better than a bus driver rumor, but...on the plane to Princess an older gentleman started talking with me knowledgable about RunDisney. I was wearing my tot jacket. He told me that he had worked for rd since just after their first marathon until 2015 when he retired. He lamented all the changes over the years (with many opposite opinions than mine), and when I mentioned my hope for tot coming back he shook his head no. From what I remember from the conversation, he was saying that they don't make enough from the night races or the after parties to justify them.

It was an interesting but disappointing conversation. I did get a WWofS pin out of it, though.

Time will tell if he was a liar or not, but he seemed real. I'm not anticipating tot coming back though.

 

[Ariel484]

Wasn't this 3:15 before?? The 16min/mi requirement means 3.5 hrs. Doesn't it seem like a wide spread not to require proof of time for ANYTHING 2:45 through 3:30? Makes me think those slower corrals will be more of a mess...

It was, and I'm with you on the back corrals potentially being a mess. I don't understand their reasoning behind this change at all.

 

[AThrillingChase]

I'd love it to come back as a half (not 10miler) but still be at night.

I actually really liked the unique distance! But I'd be happy with either.

I'm happier with a morning race but am holding off on flights and room until I know for sure I get in. All the talk about trying to sign up is making me nervous. I am not an ap holder or dvc so I'll be signing up March 29. I have to work that day and have no idea if I'll be able to get online right at 12. I really want to rent dvc points but won't be able to cancel if I don't do the half. It needs to be March 29 already.

Honestly, I am really skeptical that this will sell out like it has in the past. The challenge will since it is new. But, this late in the game and with so many unhappy people, I just don't see it having the same draw.

I guess if you do all the RunDisney races it's cookie cutter to you (which is a phrase I've been reading all around social media), but when you only pick one to do a year I don't mind them being the same format, it makes it easier to pick one to work into a vacation for the year. We picked this weekend to do for the Fall time of year and for the wine & dine festival, the races are the icing on the cake for us. It's not just a regular half now that it's morning, seriously, I can't run in theme parks or meet characters at a local half, it's still a special half to me, maybe to those who run every race weekend and race all the time it's just another half.

This is a fair point. Though I will say that they have fallen into a habit of using the same course for races. Especially 10k's. And I specifically remember seeing the same characters in the same spots as past Princess half and marathon half races. And since there is such a tendency for RD runners to do multiple races, I think it should be something they consider. The Dark Side challenge at least seems to be a unique course. So hopefully next month will be as entertaining as I hope.

 

[afan]

Honestly, I am really skeptical that this will sell out like it has in the past. The challenge will since it is new. But, this late in the game and with so many unhappy people, I just don't see it having the same draw.

It might take a little longer to sell out but I think it still will fairly quickly. For all those I've seen that are now skipping I've seen the same that want to do it because it's I'm the morning now. I think a lot will cancel each other out.

 

[Dis_Yoda]

It might take a little longer to sell out but I think it still will fairly quickly. For all those I've seen that are now skipping I've seen the same that want to do it because it's I'm the morning now. I think a lot will cancel each other out.

I think that as well too.


At least I finally got admin rights on my work laptop so I can have both IE and Chrome open so I hopefully can get my husband and I registered on the 22nd!

 

[cavepig]

Just thinking about how I'm excited for the extra hour of sleep before the half with the time change & we'll have to fly back for election day on the Tuesday. That is if we get in, I get so nervous to register for these things. A local half the same weekend sent people out preregister codes if they ran it last year and some for the friends, I'm like darn I need that for Disney, hahaha!

 

[jeanigor]

A thought on everyone arriving at once for the party... I wouldn't be surprised if they begin allowing folks in earlier than 8, much like the hard-ticket parties at MK. If so, it would be unofficial, but they do not want thousands of people blocking up the entrance and creating a safety hazard. If it starts looking ugly, they could just start letting people in. Also, a fair number of us are AP holders who will likely enter before 8pm, which will cut down on the numbers entering at 8. I plan to get there by 6 to have dinner, personally.

As someone who is not speedy and takes my time to enjoy snapping photos along the course, I would say that runDisney has not cared about this issue in the first six times they held this race, why would they start now? The benefit now would be that there wouldn't be thousands of sweaty, dehydrated, runners who just completed a half on wobbly warn legs waiting at bag check.

 

[bellrae]

I'm kinda excited about the new 10k and getting the chance to do the challenge. I know a lot of people are disappointed, but there are quite a few also looking in the bright side (and as the saying goes you can't please all the people all the time). Whilst I like night races I will admit I struggled with W&D last year because of just how late it was. By comparison, doing something like Vegas you can still grab a dinner reservation at 8pm, where as getting back to your hotel at 3am essentially wiped out two days for me.

To those who are disappointed, I strongly recommend running the RnR race in Vegas the weekend after wine and dine to get your night races fix. It's an amazing night time race.

 

[Funfire240]

I've been following along. I'm happy about the 10k. I have a friend that runs all the races and was trying to convince me for the half since out vacation days coordinate. I was on the edge about not only the distance but being a night race and that meant not having my DH and kids see me finish. (They will be 6 and 8 so I know wouldn't last that long) this way I will probably go for the 10k but if I change my mind in the next 2 weeks I know that my kids will be able to see me accomplish and finish either way.

 

[MonkeyDishwasher]

I'm excited for the change, I just need to get my running friends convinced to do this one with me!

Also, I feel it's fairly obvious that they don't want to shut down Animal Kingdom for the route because of the new night show- they finally have a reason to keep AK open past 5pm, why plan on stopping so early on?

 

[BrerNashville]

Is the link for the early registration (I know it's not time yet) available on the dvc website? I only see the Light Side info.

 

[sperkins921]

This is a fair point. Though I will say that they have fallen into a habit of using the same course for races. Especially 10k's. And I specifically remember seeing the same characters in the same spots as past Princess half and marathon half races. And since there is such a tendency for RD runners to do multiple races, I think it should be something they consider. The Dark Side challenge at least seems to be a unique course. So hopefully next month will be as entertaining as I hope.

I was thinking exactly this. Having only just run last year's W/D and this year's Princess- but knowing people who've done pretty much every race in the rD stable, I will say that W&D did have a kind of unique course. I don't believe (full marathon or Jan half aside) there was another course quite like it in the stable of races. Personally, I LOVED running at night- as it's more in line with my natural body clock. I work out/run 80% of the time after 6pm. While getting up at 3AM didn't *kill* me for Princess- I think that has more to do with my career choice's training than anything else. I've had to jump out of bed at some weird hours and expected to be firing on all cylinders no matter how little sleep I've gotten for a good portion of my 30's; so even though I don't routinely do it anymore- to my body it was 'just another day in the office'. Plus the excitement and anticipation of race day helped. SNAFU of last year's race (WD) start aside, I felt much more in my zone at the start of W&D than Princess. For me, W&D this year wasn't really on my radar, so it's a mute point personally. But I do understand people's disappointment. The thing that made W&D and ToT stand out is now gone. Yes us middle of the packers, and the back of the packers, will get a full party....but there was just something special about doing the party and riding some stuff right after running the race.

And I can't be sure, but for me, cookie cutter is a broad description for how things are going at rD in general. Pretty much, they're in the 'build it and they will come' mindset. They see now that they don't have to give us unique courses, they don't have to have their act together in terms of info (hello? we didn't even know for sure what Princess medals would look like 30 days out from the race- yet races that weren't for another 3-4 months already knew theirs) or consistency, they don't have to really do anything but offer us the chance to pay insane (relative to other races) prices for races and slap the Disney name on it and we'll all still line up by the tens of thousands to run it.

To those who are disappointed, I strongly recommend running the RnR race in Vegas the weekend after wine and dine to get your night races fix. It's an amazing night time race.

It was on my radar this year (hence why no W&D) since last year. I *should* have registered during the brief period last November when there was an early registration period (only $99 for the half, VIP was like $120 I think) but I wasn't sure back then whether I'd really be ready to run it. One thing, if I'm not mistaken, that will matter for those of us slower runners- rD is very generous in their sweep time. I believe that it's a 14 (or even 13?) min mile maximum for RnR Vegas? So those who are used to having that large cushion at rD might have to step up their training to make sure they're not swept at RnR races. But, I have heard from several people IRL that there is nothing quite like RnR Vegas....

 

[bellrae]

It was on my radar this year (hence why no W&D) since last year. I *should* have registered during the brief period last November when there was an early registration period (only $99 for the half, VIP was like $120 I think) but I wasn't sure back then whether I'd really be ready to run it. One thing, if I'm not mistaken, that will matter for those of us slower runners- rD is very generous in their sweep time. I believe that it's a 14 (or even 13?) min mile maximum for RnR Vegas? So those who are used to having that large cushion at rD might have to step up their training to make sure they're not swept at RnR races. But, I have heard from several people IRL that there is nothing quite like RnR Vegas....

They actually give you more time than Disney for the half. The half and full use the same course and start together, so the course for the half is open for four hours I was very grateful for the course being open for longer last year given I had already done Avengers in the morning and was starting to feel very tired!

 

[OregonGirl]

Hi all!

Been lurking for awhile as I plan to run W&D this year. Just today read about the changes, and my two cents:

A little disappointed that the race isn't at night now. I'm from Oregon and the evening race was more like normal home run hours. That said, I am excited about the 10k and challange, and plan to take advantage of the 3 day reduced PH tickets and so will likely arrive at EPCOT earlier than 8 pm.

The Sunday AM half ruined my half baked plans to catch a cruise that afternoon in Ft. Lauderdale as hubby and I have done in years passed, but there are alternate Caribbean plans immediately following, so it's all good.

For me, Run Disney events are longer distance goals for me to look forward to and celebrate. And the event keeps me motivated. It's not always easy to stay on track with a running plan, but having a race at Disney as my end goal helps. So really, I don't much care about the details. I don't care what parks I run through, or the Osborne Lights, or even character meet and greets. The race is my treat to enjoy after all the build up of training, and I travel all the way across country to do it, as part of a vacation (mini or huge, depending). Maybe if I lived in Florida or running came as some easy and natural thing for me, I would feel differently.

I guess hope the Challange doesn't sell out before April, which is when I will have slush funds to pay for it.

 

[*DisneyDreamer]

Hi all!

Been lurking for awhile as I plan to run W&D this year. Just today read about the changes, and my two cents:

A little disappointed that the race isn't at night now. I'm from Oregon and the evening race was more like normal home run hours. That said, I am excited about the 10k and challange, and plan to take advantage of the 3 day reduced PH tickets and so will likely arrive at EPCOT earlier than 8 pm.

The Sunday AM half ruined my half baked plans to catch a cruise that afternoon in Ft. Lauderdale as hubby and I have done in years passed, but there are alternate Caribbean plans immediately following, so it's all good.

For me, Run Disney events are longer distance goals for me to look forward to and celebrate. And the event keeps me motivated. It's not always easy to stay on track with a running plan, but having a race at Disney as my end goal helps. So really, I don't much care about the details. I don't care what parks I run through, or the Osborne Lights, or even character meet and greets. The race is my treat to enjoy after all the build up of training, and I travel all the way across country to do it, as part of a vacation (mini or huge, depending). Maybe if I lived in Florida or running came as some easy and natural thing for me, I would feel differently.

I guess hope the Challange doesn't sell out before April, which is when I will have slush funds to pay for it.

I hate to break it to you, but I highly doubt the registration for the W&D Challenge will last longer than an hour or two, if even that long, much less multiple days. RunDisney challenges are very popular and in demand, and always sell out quickly (the exception being Dumbo Double Dare in Disneyland for this year which is shockingly still open), but with this one being inaugural, I'm sure it's going to go really fast.

But anyway, good luck to you on your training and I hope you're able to register for the race/races you want!

 

[jeremy1002]

It says that a parent can run with a kid during the one-mile run. Does the parent need a separate registration, or does just the kid need to be signed up? Thanks!