Star Wars Half Marathon Weekend ** Check-In ** January 15-18, 2015

[Belle Ella]

For anyone interested, runDisney has officially added the training programs for the Star Wars Half Marathon Weekend to their website. The 18 week programs will begin on September 23 and the 20 week programs will begin on September 9 - so only a few weeks away.

You can find them here!

 

[MousekaReady]

I'm doing the half! Still trying to figure out what I'm doing the night of the race. I have a DVC room for every night but 1/17.

 

[fairymum]

Is anyone else slightly freaked out by the scheduled distances in December? I got in 4 miles this morning with an average 15:07 pace. Granted it was 78 degrees and 80+% humidity out. If I could sustain that slogging pace for 13.1 miles I'd be delighted!
But that 14 miler is scheduled for the same day we are returning from WDW and I'm pretty sure it might do me in after six park days with my kids. Yikes!

 

[kim3339]

Is anyone else slightly freaked out by the scheduled distances in December? I got in 4 miles this morning with an average 15:07 pace. Granted it was 78 degrees and 80+% humidity out. If I could sustain that slogging pace for 13.1 miles I'd be delighted!
But that 14 miler is scheduled for the same day we are returning from WDW and I'm pretty sure it might do me in after six park days with my kids. Yikes!

You'll do great by Dec. It looks like a big number but you build up to it, so when you get there, it won't seem as bad. As for the timing of the schedule, you can always move days and runs around to fit what's happening in your life. I do that all the time if I have a race scheduled during training. Nov and Dec are really race heavy for me this year, so I have the long runs scheduled just moved the weeks or days around so everything fits.

Nice job on the run this morning!

 

[wdwfan22]

Sorry to ask a slightly off topic question to all you fabulous runners, but I am looking at being in the park the week of the 11th. How early are any of you guys going? Just wondering if lots of you are going to make a week of it and wondering how it will affect crowds.

Thanks so much!!!

 

[kim3339]

I'm coming in late Thursday afternoon. I'll be in the park later that evening, Fri-early Mon. I did the same for Tink this year(same wknd as SW next year) and Thurs/Fri weren't that bad. Sat morning was okay, mid-morning it got busier and then I'm guessing a drop off Sat evening as most runners head back to the hotel for rest. I do. I didn't stay after this year, but the year before Sun and Mon were busy, but that's also MLK weekend.

Another thing is that the expo doesn't open until 12 on Thur and while some people pick up their park tickets before the expo (runners can get discounted tix) most don't pick them up until the expo so Thurs morning is usually lighter than Thurs afternoon/evening.

 

[butiflfeet]

We are arriving on Friday and staying until the Thursday after the race. Hopefully after MLK day the crowds aren't going to be that bad

 

[kirstie101]

Is anyone else slightly freaked out by the scheduled distances in December? I got in 4 miles this morning with an average 15:07 pace. Granted it was 78 degrees and 80+% humidity out. If I could sustain that slogging pace for 13.1 miles I'd be delighted!
But that 14 miler is scheduled for the same day we are returning from WDW and I'm pretty sure it might do me in after six park days with my kids. Yikes!

I completely agree with Kim. I move the schedule around all the time to fit into MY schedule. I wouldn't be able to pull off a 14 miler the same days as returning from WDW either. Give yourself a break or do a shorter run that day and save the 14 miler for the next weekend or something. And I'll admit I've never done a run over 11 miles when training for a Half. But I'm not really looking to improve my time right now so it works for me.

Sorry to ask a slightly off topic question to all you fabulous runners, but I am looking at being in the park the week of the 11th. How early are any of you guys going? Just wondering if lots of you are going to make a week of it and wondering how it will affect crowds.

Thanks so much!!!

Im doing the 10K and the half so I'm not even driving down until Friday. We will leave Monday.

 

[Belle Ella]

I'm doing the half! Still trying to figure out what I'm doing the night of the race. I have a DVC room for every night but 1/17.

Oh no! Were you still hoping to stay on site for that night?

Is anyone else slightly freaked out by the scheduled distances in December? I got in 4 miles this morning with an average 15:07 pace. Granted it was 78 degrees and 80+% humidity out. If I could sustain that slogging pace for 13.1 miles I'd be delighted!
But that 14 miler is scheduled for the same day we are returning from WDW and I'm pretty sure it might do me in after six park days with my kids. Yikes!

You'll do great by Dec. It looks like a big number but you build up to it, so when you get there, it won't seem as bad. As for the timing of the schedule, you can always move days and runs around to fit what's happening in your life. I do that all the time if I have a race scheduled during training. Nov and Dec are really race heavy for me this year, so I have the long runs scheduled just moved the weeks or days around so everything fits.

Nice job on the run this morning!

I'm with Kim on this ^. If you follow along and increase your distance mile by mile you'll be able to do it. And I am definitely all for bending the schedule so it fits your life. I move runs around all the time, but the goal is to complete them, period - not just complete the day some 'paper' tells you you ahve to complete them. The only run set in stone is the official one!

Sorry to ask a slightly off topic question to all you fabulous runners, but I am looking at being in the park the week of the 11th. How early are any of you guys going? Just wondering if lots of you are going to make a week of it and wondering how it will affect crowds.

Thanks so much!!!

I'm a local and don't really do too much in the parks before and/or after the events. I might this time since a friend is flying in from DC and will be staying at the resort the 15-19 if that helps any.

I can say, with my experience when coming in from out of town before I moved here and my experience working in the resort the crowd levels don't really get impacted until the start of the expo and even then it's still usually mellow in the morning and it picks up in the afternoon and towards the evening as everyone gets what they need to do done. The holiday will make it busy for maybe Monday, but it should be pretty mellow again on Tuesday.

 

[jeanigor]

I'll be coming straight from Marathon Week in WDW, just not sure if it'll be Tuesday or Wednesday yet.

I seem to recall that rides like Haunted Mansion and 'it's a small world' get holiday overlays. When do they typically get 'returned to normal'?

 

[HTHgal12]

Signed up for the half here! DH is doing the rebel challenge and DS is doing the 100m dash.

Last year, at least It's A Small World was still in holiday mode around January 10th. I would bet that they will keep both holiday overlays until after the race.

 

[kim3339]

I seem to recall that rides like Haunted Mansion and 'it's a small world' get holiday overlays. When do they typically get 'returned to normal'?

IASW was still open and holiday for race weekend, think it closed the week after the race. Best part was it was lit up race all 3 race mornings so good photo ops.

HM was closed race week to change back from Nightmare to regular. I thought the refurb schedule said it wasn't supposed to open until Sat of race weekend, but it opened early and you could go on Fri afternoon. Downside was that once it opened, the lines were really long b/c it was back to normal again.

 

[Belle Ella]

I seem to recall that rides like Haunted Mansion and 'it's a small world' get holiday overlays. When do they typically get 'returned to normal'?

Yes, It's a Small World and Hunted Mansion both get holiday overlays. Historically, Haunted Mansion Holiday will close very soon after the holiday season ends to switch back to it's normal version and then they wait to do IASW once that is completed (so as not to have both rides down at the same time, and the order has to do with how much longer HMH is open for - it's part of Halloween Time as well).

Race weekend will possibly see IASW overlay still open (which makes a wonderful photo stop along the course), and if we are lucky regular HM will be back up and running (although very busy)

 

[Sherry E]

Pam Brandon from the Disney Parks Blog said in her recent blog about Haunted Mansion Holiday:

"Haunted Mansion Holiday goes through January 6, 2015."

The full blog is HERE.

That is pretty close to what was expected. We (those of us who dissect, discuss and analyze every aspect of holiday season info on this board!) figured that HMH would stay open through Monday, January 5th, as the Three Kings Day celebration will probably be going on over the weekend leading up to 1/5/15 and on 1/5/15, and it makes sense to keep HMH open.

However, the Tuesday, 1/6/15 end date was surprising.

I think that It's a Small World Holiday always stays open until mid-January-ish, though I'm not sure if it closes immediately after MLK Day or shortly before. IASWH stays open well past the time when the rest of the holiday season ends and everything else comes down.

 

[Belle Ella]

HTHgal12, you've been added to the runner list
​

 

[HTHgal12]

Yay, thank you!!!

 

[adykate]

Does anyone know of any fundraising groups who might still have bibs available for any of the Star Wars races? I just did the Disney Half, and I am signed up for the Star Wars 10K, but I am wishing I had signed up for the half and/or Rebel Challenge. Which I should have known would happen! My husband also wants to sign up for something (which is blowing my mind as he is SO not a runner, let alone someone who even works out regularly!). But apparently he was inspired by my training the last few months and over our trip for the half with our young kids. So trying to find any possible way to add some races...or we will just have to sign up for Disney's Half and Dumbo next year!

 

[kim3339]

Does anyone know of any fundraising groups who might still have bibs available for any of the Star Wars races? I just did the Disney Half, and I am signed up for the Star Wars 10K, but I am wishing I had signed up for the half and/or Rebel Challenge. Which I should have known would happen! My husband also wants to sign up for something (which is blowing my mind as he is SO not a runner, let alone someone who even works out regularly!). But apparently he was inspired by my training the last few months and over our trip for the half with our young kids. So trying to find any possible way to add some races...or we will just have to sign up for Disney's Half and Dumbo next year!

Try here ~ Macris Travel She's a travel agent in one of the SW fb groups I'm in. She might have some 1/2 and 10k bibs left. I got a 5k bib through her. It's the price of the reg and a 1 day park tix that can be upgraded or given to other family/friends.

You could always do DDD next year too; it'll be the 10th anniversary.

 

[Sleepless Knight]

Is anyone else slightly freaked out by the scheduled distances in December? I got in 4 miles this morning with an average 15:07 pace. Granted it was 78 degrees and 80+% humidity out. If I could sustain that slogging pace for 13.1 miles I'd be delighted!
But that 14 miler is scheduled for the same day we are returning from WDW and I'm pretty sure it might do me in after six park days with my kids. Yikes!

The first time I trained for a runDisney event, those late training sessions before the race seemed very daunting. But the consistency of training combined with the increments in miles help build up the endurance. I'm just glad that my possible December trip will take place during a low mileage week.

 

[jeanigor]

You could always do DDD next year too; it'll be the 10th anniversary.

Seems like only last year we ran the inaugural....