Wine and Dine Half Marathon Weekend 2023 (Nov. 2-5, 2023)

[DopeyRunner486]

I’m gonna assume it’s going to be the same or similar course so they can keep the Epcot-Epcot loop unless they shock us by doing the WDW/princess route through magic

I would dislike this even more than keeping the same course.

 

[fatmanatee]

It definitely seems like they want to reduce the setup work and have all starts and finishes at Epcot.

 

[PrincessV]

This is only my personal perspective as someone who drives, but the old point-to-point courses weren’t a lot of fun, logistically. There were some races that seemed to nail it, but there were plenty of others that were disastrous. Inaugural Dark Side, anyone? When the buses back to parking simply stopped running at a certain time, before everyone had finished and made it to the buses at WWOS? Took me three hours to get back to my car. If starting and finishing races at EP prevents that from happening again, I’m all for it!

 

[daisyduck21]

This is only my personal perspective as someone who drives, but the old point-to-point courses weren’t a lot of fun, logistically. There were some races that seemed to nail it, but there were plenty of others that were disastrous. Inaugural Dark Side, anyone? When the buses back to parking simply stopped running at a certain time, before everyone had finished and made it to the buses at WWOS? Took me three hours to get back to my car. If starting and finishing races at EP prevents that from happening again, I’m all for it!

Wow that sounds SO awful. I get the benefit of EP to EP, last year's course feel was just very "we're going to just run you around in a few random directions till you have enough mileage to finish through Epcot" for me.

 

[camaker]

This is only my personal perspective as someone who drives, but the old point-to-point courses weren’t a lot of fun, logistically. There were some races that seemed to nail it, but there were plenty of others that were disastrous. Inaugural Dark Side, anyone? When the buses back to parking simply stopped running at a certain time, before everyone had finished and made it to the buses at WWOS? Took me three hours to get back to my car. If starting and finishing races at EP prevents that from happening again, I’m all for it!

You mean the same inaugural Dark Side where they tried running from Epcot to WWoS, hitting the Epcot to DHS pathway before the field had spread out? Then had that weird dirt trail through the woods into WWoS to finish? That was an absolute disaster of a weekend that, fortunately, RunDisney seemed to actually learn their lesson from.

 

[marty3d]

You mean the same inaugural Dark Side where they tried running from Epcot to WWoS, hitting the Epcot to DHS pathway before the field had spread out? Then had that weird dirt trail through the woods into WWoS to finish? That was an absolute disaster of a weekend that, fortunately, RunDisney seemed to actually learn their lesson from.

Why do I have a vague recollection of running through the woods to WWoS? Did they do that another time? ToT 10 Miler maybe? I didn't run the inaugural Dark Side run. (Or I could be losing my mind and it wasn't at WDW)

 

[fatmanatee]

My one experience with one of the old courses was Dark Side 2017 and it seemed fine. That was also my very first WDW weekend and I had no understanding of race logistics (now? a small understanding).

 

[camaker]

My one experience with one of the old courses was Dark Side 2017 and it seemed fine. That was also my very first WDW weekend and I had no understanding of race logistics (now? a small understanding).

View attachment 747832

That course would've been fine because it finished at Epcot with the narrow stretch between Boardwalk and DHS coming at the end (miles 10.5-11.5) after the field had had time to spread out through most of the course.

Here's the 2016 inaugural course. That stretch was hit between miles 2 and 3 with little opportunity for dispersal of the initial runners. It was an absolute disaster if you weren't in an early corral, with many reports of runners being so packed in they couldn't even maintain a walking pace.

 

[Isabelle12345]

Good luck to everyone for registration tomorrow!!

 

[matt and beth]

That course would've been fine because it finished at Epcot with the narrow stretch between Boardwalk and DHS coming at the end (miles 10.5-11.5) after the field had had time to spread out through most of the course.

Here's the 2016 inaugural course. That stretch was hit between miles 2 and 3 with little opportunity for dispersal of the initial runners. It was an absolute disaster if you weren't in an early corral, with many reports of runners being so packed in they couldn't even maintain a walking pace.

View attachment 747834

The course does look fun running through three parks though and finishing at WWOS

 

[gosalyn_mallard]

Here's the 2016 inaugural course.

Wow, what an interesting course. The out and back to AK would be brutal!

 

[Bunkie1979]

Wow, what an interesting course. The out and back to AK would be brutal!

This was the first half marathon for DH and I! Hearing Duel of the Fates playing while you're running up off ramps was definitely motivating!

I'll never forget the woman who was running in front of us on the out to AK wearing a sign saying it was her 125th half marathon. We asked if it ever got easier - she replied with an emphatic "no!" What an inspiration!

DH and I were inexperienced with racing at the time, and very nervous about falling behind pacing. Needless to say, the running back from AK towards ESPN WWoS offered a very satisfying perspective that we were indeed well ahead of the balloon ladies! The gravel (off-roading) pathway into WWoS however, left much to be desired...

 

[Herding_Cats]

 

[kristenabelle]

Why do I have a vague recollection of running through the woods to WWoS? Did they do that another time? ToT 10 Miler maybe? I didn't run the inaugural Dark Side run. (Or I could be losing my mind and it wasn't at WDW)

I remember the same during ToT 10 Miler...woods & WWoS at night. Wild.

2017 was my favorite wine & dine course - loved running through Pandora & the Pandora-Africa bridge.

Happy registration day! Crossing all my fingers everyone gets what they want!

 

[marty3d]

I remember the same during ToT 10 Miler...woods & WWoS at night. Wild.

2017 was my favorite wine & dine course - loved running through Pandora & the Pandora-Africa bridge.

Happy registration day! Crossing all my fingers everyone gets what they want!

Ok - glad I wasn’t imagining things!

happy registration day! Good luck everyone! I’m aiming for the challenge for me and 10k for my son. Fingers crossed!

 

[1lilspark]

Hoping for just the 10k…. 5k as an added bonus if still open just cause I already have a costume for it lol

 

[Disneybuckeye]

Sign up starts at 10am EST correct?

 

[marty3d]

Sign up starts at 10am EST correct?

Yes

 

[Herding_Cats]

since there was just a big argument about this on social media (and some states have gotten rid of daylight savings time)
registration is at 10am DST.

Lest anyone be confused, that's the same as the time in New York (since that's what computers like to use to select time zones) OR, in just under 90 minutes from now.

 

[nancipants]

"I'm not going to register for a race. I'm not going to register for a race. I'm not going to register for a race."