Very disappointed in the WDW kids races... Vent ahead..

[pyrxtc]

My DS ran in the 200 meter dash on Friday mornign and I was very excited to see him run. The race started and I was sorely disappointed in what I saw. Despite the announcement that parents needed to be off the track for the race, parents still proceeded to run with their child on the track, getting in the way of other children running besides them.

My son tripped over two kids already on the ground while he was trying to avoid an adult in front of him. He got up and kept running but that adult should not have been there in the first place. I understand that some of these kids would not have run without their parent there but if that is the case, the parent should not have signed thier child up for it.

This was not a parent/child race. This was for kids to have fun running and get to experience the race. If you kids won't run without you or is crying before the race even starts, then tell them that you are sorry they won't get to run and sit on the sidelines to watch the other kids run their race. There were plenty of other tracks out there that they could run on wihtout being in the race.

I even watched someone send their kids in for the race without a bib cuz their cousins were running and they wanted to run too but they were told the races were full. The parent told their child to go as the kids took off.

A local race my DS was in was very able to keep parents off the track but Disney did not even attempt to do anything besides the announcement before the run.

My DS may only be 5, but he is all about the running and wanted to see if he could pass everyone. He went in to win and was trapped where he was. he eventually made it to the outside of the track and managed to pass quite a few people but dang if it wasn't so hard to do. It's really hard for little kids to see around grown-ups to see where they are going so fast.

He wants to do the longer race next year and I hope they fix it by then if we do. I am also going to be e-mailing Disney on this too.

 

[crazyoldmaurice]

Thanks for your input and sorry that it turned out that way. That is good to know since I have been strongly considering entering my daughter into that race next year, because she really wants to be a part of the whole "marathon" experience.

If we are going to be paying to register our kids for this, then you would think there would be at least a bit of organization and enforcement with it.

And I didn't see the kids races, but depending on how many kids were in it, just getting rid of the parents out there may or may not take care of the issue of getting trapped or stuck behind others. That is also an issue with the half and full marathon with the grown ups, and just comes with the territory.

 

[pyrxtc]

the view looked like these

and here is my son coming up with a couple of other kids on the outside, he was last in the 3 for this shot but passed them quickly.

And my DS after it was over....

 

[Jen117]

My kids have done the Kid's races the last 3 years and this year was by far the best organized. I just wanted to say that Yes, parents are encouraged to run with their kids, especially those that are scared. Where they don't want parents congregated is at the finish. Let me tell you, last year it was a nightmare. My 4 year old was lost in a mass of parents for 5 minutes. We couldn't get anywhere near the finish to find our children.

We ran the Saturday kid's races and each of the run heats were small in comparison to previous years. This helped with congestion and accidents.

I am sorry your child fell, but trust me the races are improving and this year was fabulous compared to the previous. And I know my husband has run with our daughter and parents should be encouraged to watch for other runners.

 

[pyrxtc]

My kids have done the Kid's races the last 3 years and this year was by far the best organized. I just wanted to say that Yes, parents are encouraged to run with their kids, especially those that are scared. Where they don't want parents congregated is at the finish. Let me tell you, last year it was a nightmare. My 4 year old was lost in a mass of parents for 5 minutes. We couldn't get anywhere near the finish to find our children.

We ran the Saturday kid's races and each of the run heats were small in comparison to previous years. This helped with congestion and accidents.

I am sorry your child fell, but trust me the races are improving and this year was fabulous compared to the previous. And I know my husband has run with our daughter and parents should be encouraged to watch for other runners.

Then why was there an announcement for parents to clear the track before the races started?

 

[scoolover]

So your 5 year old was in it to win, huh? I think that perhaps you took the whole thing a little too seriously. They are called kids races, after all.

I also would encourage parents of little ones to run with kids for many reasons.

Hopefully, they will continue to improve how they run the whole thing but if you are looking for victories, Disney may not be the best place to run.

 

[pyrxtc]

Yes, my 5 yr old was in it to win. He practices at home and stretches wiht his father every chance he gets. After the Thanksgiving race, he wanted to win. I told him there were no winners here but he still wanted to be first. I'm sure the one thing he was wanting to do was to avoid adults running! I don't push him, but I let him try. I don't run even, not something that interests me.

 

[pyrxtc]

So your 5 year old was in it to win, huh? I think that perhaps you took the whole thing a little too seriously. They are called kids races, after all.

I also would encourage parents of little ones to run with kids for many reasons.

Hopefully, they will continue to improve how they run the whole thing but if you are looking for victories, Disney may not be the best place to run.

I can use your own words.... "They are called kids races, after all." Races implies running to win. Definition of Race = A race is a competition of speed, against an objective criterion, usually a clock. The competitors in a race try to complete a given task in the shortest amount of time. Typically this involves traversing some distance, but it can be any other task involving speed.

 

[wfloyd]

The final race instructions said that "any parents who wish ro run with their children are encouraged to do so". It also stated "that parents that choose to run with their kids will not receive a medal". So parents could be in the race with their kids. Disney allows parents to be with their kids at all of their races throughout the year.

What the announcers were talking about were the people along the track that would jump in to get pictures or run along the track to get a better position. I was with one of our kids in the 100 meter area and we kept seeing people running across the track before the race started. I have a feeling the announcers were trying to get them to clear out so they could start the race.

Things were a little better organized this year and it does get better with each year. They also have more kids participate each year so they find new issues each time.

My biggest issue was the kids who kept pushing others around in order to get in front of them. I saw all the 100 meter and most of the 200 meter races and the parents were better behaved than some of the kids running. There were some kids there that understood the "have fun part" but there were others that were doing whatever it took to "eliminate the competition". Hopefully your son wasn't one of the ones that was pushing others around.

 

[scoolover]

I can use your own words.... "They are called kids races, after all." Races implies running to win. Definition of Race = A race is a competition of speed, against an objective criterion, usually a clock. The competitors in a race try to complete a given task in the shortest amount of time. Typically this involves traversing some distance, but it can be any other task involving speed.

Really? Did you just give the definition of race? Now that is funny stuff. This is really not the type of board where people come to stir up ****. I doubt that you will find much sympathy about parents running in a race that is put on by Disney at "the happiest place on earth".

Sorry your son didn't win.

 

[TnTsParty]

Was there even a "winner" - aren't they all "winner's" for getting out there and doing it???

 

[Jen117]

Yes, all participants/finishers are winners. My daughter hurt her foot, so she did pretty poorly. But when she finished she remembered to tell me that it's not about winning, but finishing. That is what WISH is all about and I remember to tell my kids that every time they run.

 

[drdelsol]

My disappointment was we didn't get in. I know it was entirely my fault and there is no one else to blame, but before it was never a problem just signing up the day of the race even when I preregistered her, so I figured there wasn't really a limit. It always looked like they took as many as they could. So I was just going to sign my daughter up at the expo-all full. She was very dissappointed. I apologized to her and said next year I'll sign her up when I do.

For the record, my wife always ran with her on the outside of the track and was never in the way and would have this year for the enjoyment. It's for fun. I could see the older kids, but preschoolers?

Not to add too much fire to the flame, I don't think you are 100% wrong in your dissappointment, but at all these Disney races, you might as well have fun because you are going to get stuck behind people over and over. Next year try to get him up front at the start. Good luck.

 

[pyrxtc]

Really? Did you just give the definition of race? Now that is funny stuff. This is really not the type of board where people come to stir up ****. I doubt that you will find much sympathy about parents running in a race that is put on by Disney at "the happiest place on earth".

Sorry your son didn't win.

It wasn't about him winning but being able to race against kids his own age. A kids race should not have adults running in it. The kids are not going that far and you can be at the end before the kids are by running straight across the grass. They also gave parents a pick-up tag so they knew who could pick up the kid and not give them to anyone. I mean, it's 200 meters! You can't let your kid run 200 meters without being right next to them? It's not that long. The end is blocked off so that you can receive your child and it will be over. I did a much smaller race that was the same length and they had no problem keeping parents off the field or running with their kids or getting the proper child to the proper parent.

I think it was not very well organized and rules should have been stated. I can see the parents running, okay, mostly carrying the 2 and 3 yr olds but at age 4 and up, you'd think they could walk/run alone. I did not sign him up planning on running with him. I knew that he could run alone and wanted to run alone.

My DS knows the difference between being last and being first. Somebody always has to come in each place, why can't he want to come in first?

The way that adults were running in this race, I can only see in the future a child getting kicked in the face or knocked over by a taller parents foot or a parents focus on their child that they fail to notice a smaller child cutting in front of them or coming up close behind them.

 

[BamaEd1]

Pyrxtc, there is nothing wrong with having a competitive son and there is nothing wrong with him wanting to win. Kids like that grow up to become Olympians, Leaders, Presidents, Chief Executives, etc. I'm not a huge fan of helicopter parents, either. If the kid can't do it without Mommy or Daddy within 5 feet, maybe they are not mature enough to be entered? Best of luck to your son and please, don't let our increasingly wussy society put out his fire. Competition is good and he should always strive to do his best. My best was in the last half of the Disney Marathon Finishers and I am not at all disappointed that the first person to cross the line was not made to run at my pace. I won MY race, he won THE race. We both won but in different ways but we did it on our own.

 

[rbuccigrossi]

Then why was there an announcement for parents to clear the track before the races started?

I was there too (My daughter was among the 200M runners.) There wasn't such an announcement, and in fact there was an opposite announcement that parents were explicitly told that they could run with their children.

I'll admit that there was a bit of chaos with the definitions of the heats (lines of volunteers somewhat ambiguously defining waves), which led to jostling. I ended up trying to stay pretty far back from my daughter so that I wasn't in the way, yet be able to ensure her safety. The ability to be with her and run with her if she needed me was invaluable.

As for a definition of a "race", I whole-heartily disagree. I shall not convince you otherwise, but let me add my voice to many others who feel that this event was very important in giving my child the desire to run and to view finishing as a goal in itself. My goal was to encourage her to live a healthy lifestyle, which is what my money and energy went towards, not a "fastest-person-wins" competition where only a handful of kids get the thrill of victory.

Butch

 

[scoolover]

So was there a chute at the finish or was it a chip timed race? I can't seem to remember how they were awarding places in the two years prior to this year. When you can answer that, you can call it a, "race". Until then your son was simply running in a group of people. I like the fact that he wanted to beat people. Good for him. I wish my son more of that in him.

Still, if beating everyone was the goal, you picked the wrong race. You now know for next year. Too many kids, too many parents, too many heats, not enough track.

 

[Caitsmama]

I can personally see a little of both ends of this arguement..

My dd (8) is signed up to do the 400 meter dash in March. I did not plan to run with her, as i view it for her to run with others her age, and i want her to have that feeling that she did it herself.. i will be at the finish cheering, but won't run with her.

It's a tough call.. After all, it is Disney, and everything is "family".. But, i can also see the other side, if there were too many adults - then what is the point of calling it a "kids" race vs a "family" race.. mabye they should work on the wording, i think that is what is the shady area, the fact that they call it a Kids race, That is what i would expect.

 

[pyrxtc]

yes, if it was a family race then they should call it that. But they get to an age that they can run by themselves and you can wait at the end.

It is not a timed race but there was a finish line that was lined on both sides so you couldn't just walk in and get your child. You had to go to the end after the medals and pick them up. I don't think he can wait to do a timed race.

If we go next year, DS% will proabbly run the 5k wiht DH, DH will have to keep DS's pace of course. I will be the walker in the back sicne I can't.don't run but can easily finish in time alloted walking.

 

[Kristi1357]

This is Disney - so yeah, it's unorganized. I do have to say though that we have participated in 3 kids races and this was the best organized one for us so far.

My son and niece were in the same race as your son. They had a blast! And for what it's worth, they did run alone. Although we all thought one of us would be running with them as they both usually do get scared in situations such as this.

Now, I was very upset with the #@#%%% kid flinging sand all over everyone before the race while mom paid absolutely no attention. But that's another story...

It is what it is, I suppose.