Dopey Challenge and illness???

dfb

Mouseketeer
Joined
Jan 3, 2009
DD running Dopey Challenge this week. First Disney event.

She completed 5k & 10k no problems but hasn't felt well last couple days which evolved into a 102d fever this afternoon.

Asked if she could complete later via a credible timer/ club, etc.

Was told no. She would get all medals anyway but would not qualify or receive medals for Goofy or Dopey. I asked about defferrment last year due to WX. Was told that was different. ????.

Any past experiences to share or suggestions?

She runs local and regional runs all the time. Completing the challenge would have normally been no problem. This has always been a goal. Choosing this year due to the anniversary. She had also planned to make it a coast to coast but they CNX the west coast runs this year.
 
In all my years of following Disney races and through my dozens of other friends who run them, I have never heard of being able to complete later. Deferrals don't really happen anymore. I'm afraid this will need to be chalked up to bad luck.
 
She's not going to be able to complete later (Disney has never allowed this) nor to defer. I hope she felt well enough to give it a go this morning.
 
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This isn’t something they do.

And they don’t defer anymore. I don’t know what WX is, but no more deferrals.

Disney is along the very few races where a medal is given even if you don’t finish. So if she started the half and starts the full she should get those medals. But she will not get the challenge medals if she doesn’t finish.
 


This isn’t something they do.

And they don’t defer anymore. I don’t know what WX is, but no more deferrals.

Disney is along the very few races where a medal is given even if you don’t finish. So if she started the half and starts the full she should get those medals. But she will not get the challenge medals if she doesn’t finish.
 
Sorry WX means weather. It was my understanding the 2017 run had one or more events cancelled due to weather. All runners got their medals, still qualified for challenges: Goofy, Dopey and coast to coast. This event someone missed 5k due to flight schedules. Lady at runners relations said it look he would get a deferment. So I'm new to this but sounds like deferments exist... depending???

Moot point for DD. She ran anyway. Not best time 14:10 pace but not bad for running sick. Hope she can hang in there for the full this AM.

Best of luck to all!!
 
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I think the difference was Disney cancelled the race so different rules applied than the races going on as scheduled. I know several that missed the 5k due to weather and were told ‘to bad’ for counting towards Dopey so go figure
 


Sorry WX means weather. It was my understanding the 2017 run had one or more events cancelled due to weather. All runners got their medals, still qualified for challenges: Goofy, Dopey and coast to coast. This event someone missed 5k due to flight schedules. Lady at runners relations said it look he would get a deferment. So I'm new to this but sounds like deferments exist... depending???

Moot point for DD. She ran anyway. Not best time 14:10 pace but not bad for running sick. Hope she can hang in there for the full this AM.

Best of luck to all!!

Oh gosh I should have gotten that, sorry.

Last year the Half was cancelled out of a huge amount of caution bc of lightning. I believe it didn’t end up happening at the time of the race, but it was while the volunteers would have been setting up 3 hours before the start.

Out of kindness, rd did the above. They do NOT do it when the race is held but you can’t do it.


They’d had the last wine and dine *nighttime* half turned into basically a 10k because of storms, and the year before that it rained hard on us during that whole race. They just keep seeing what weather can do, so they went super cautious last January.
 
Run Disney issued each of my friends a refund for missing the Half because their flights out of the northeast canceled during winter storm Grayson. I know deferments are gone and it’s not “something they do,” but they’re periodically generous.
 
Run Disney issued each of my friends a refund for missing the Half because their flights out of the northeast canceled during winter storm Grayson. I know deferments are gone and it’s not “something they do,” but they’re periodically generous.

That’s the first I’ve heard of that. Excellent. Kind.

It’s still not a deferral. Those aren’t in their toolbox anymore.

But yes, on an individual basis they can choose to help. Best to email rather than call. It’s generally done for huge things, not just being sick.
 
Thanks all for the info.

DD completed the Dopey challenge. Took her 6:20 on the full... ill. I think she was planning on about 6 hrs but that included time with characters. That was the plan before getting sick. The 6:20 was with no character stops. She did take some pics though. Although I think due to being sick she didn't have as much fun as she would have well, I know she is happy she stayed with it and proud of her accomplishment. We to are very proud of her and glad she stuck it out. She's been a fighter since she was born.

When I went to runner relations, I was looking for options in case of illness. No real options were given. I understand some scenarios are going to fall into the "too bad" or "that's the breaks" category. The answers we got at the runners relation desk were inconsistent and misinformed. There was more of a concern of getting done by 7PM than addressing our concerns. Most responses were geared to simply getting us to leave.

For those that indicate no deferments exist, what exactly are you referring to as a deferment? Were they used in the past? What we were told was describing what you might call a deferment or maybe an excusal?? Maybe an exercise in terminology?

I am asking to get a better feel for future runs if she chooses to do so. Some of the things we learned this time conflict with what's posted on their rules.

This was gonna be a one time thing for DD with the added event of a coast to coast challenge. Obviously that won't happen this year since the runs have been cancelled at Disneyland. But she may still want to do this when they restart the races.

Thanks again for any info.
 
Thanks all for the info.

DD completed the Dopey challenge. Took her 6:20 on the full... ill. I think she was planning on about 6 hrs but that included time with characters. That was the plan before getting sick. The 6:20 was with no character stops. She did take some pics though. Although I think due to being sick she didn't have as much fun as she would have well, I know she is happy she stayed with it and proud of her accomplishment. We to are very proud of her and glad she stuck it out. She's been a fighter since she was born.

When I went to runner relations, I was looking for options in case of illness. No real options were given. I understand some scenarios are going to fall into the "too bad" or "that's the breaks" category. The answers we got at the runners relation desk were inconsistent and misinformed. There was more of a concern of getting done by 7PM than addressing our concerns. Most responses were geared to simply getting us to leave.

For those that indicate no deferments exist, what exactly are you referring to as a deferment? Were they used in the past? What we were told was describing what you might call a deferment or maybe an excusal?? Maybe an exercise in terminology?

I am asking to get a better feel for future runs if she chooses to do so. Some of the things we learned this time conflict with what's posted on their rules.

This was gonna be a one time thing for DD with the added event of a coast to coast challenge. Obviously that won't happen this year since the runs have been cancelled at Disneyland. But she may still want to do this when they restart the races.

Thanks again for any info.

I'm glad your daughter was able to complete the races. There were a lot of runners ill during this race weekend. A "deferral", which I think is the same as your "deferment", is basically a transfer of an entry from the current race to the next year's race. RunDisney used to offer a limited number of deferrals for each race weekend for a fee. However, those deferrrals were offered and "sold out" usually a month or so prior to the race weekend.

I don't think deferrals have ever been offered as an individual option during a race weekend as a result of injury or illness. The situation with last year's weather cancellation was very unusual. Unfortunately, the general rule is that if you come into a race weekend injured or get sick just prior/during you are out of luck. On rare occasion, RunDisney might make an exception in the form of a partial refund, but deferring to another year or race weekend is pretty much no longer an option. They are pretty clear during registration that entries are non-refundable.

I'm interested to hear what exactly they did that was contradictory to their policies. The last caution I'll throw out is to make sure that you talk directly to a RunDisney employee in these situations. There are a lot of volunteers manning the different booths and stations during the race weekend and they may not be fully versed in policies and options. That doesn't preclude contradictory information coming from RunDisney folks, as many on here can attest, but it does increase your likelihood of a correct answer.
 
I'm glad your daughter was able to complete the races. There were a lot of runners ill during this race weekend. A "deferral", which I think is the same as your "deferment", is basically a transfer of an entry from the current race to the next year's race. RunDisney used to offer a limited number of deferrals for each race weekend for a fee. However, those deferrrals were offered and "sold out" usually a month or so prior to the race weekend.

I don't think deferrals have ever been offered as an individual option during a race weekend as a result of injury or illness. The situation with last year's weather cancellation was very unusual. Unfortunately, the general rule is that if you come into a race weekend injured or get sick just prior/during you are out of luck. On rare occasion, RunDisney might make an exception in the form of a partial refund, but deferring to another year or race weekend is pretty much no longer an option. They are pretty clear during registration that entries are non-refundable.

I'm interested to hear what exactly they did that was contradictory to their policies. The last caution I'll throw out is to make sure that you talk directly to a RunDisney employee in these situations. There are a lot of volunteers manning the different booths and stations during the race weekend and they may not be fully versed in policies and options. That doesn't preclude contradictory information coming from RunDisney folks, as many on here can attest, but it does increase your likelihood of a correct answer.

I'm pretty sure the person we spoke with was rundisney employee. Blue rundisney shirt with RD badge. We did see the volunteers that were dressed differently. The conflict I saw was - as we were told there was no option to make up run at later time which is what we asked. We were told that we could put in a request to defer the run and would probably get all medals but not Goofy or Dopey. She couldn't say on the deferral and that a board would have to decide. She did say someone had missed the 5K due to cnx flight and she thought he would be approved. Asked if he would qualify for Dopey and Goofy and was told yes. We also spoke about the wx cnx of last year run and asked if those individuals still qualified for the Goofy and Dopey and was told yes. Based on what we were told it seemed there were exceptions to the rule requiring to complete all races with a minimum pace. Also the rule that states runs will be held rain or shine and would be delayed only for lightning. That run was cnx with all qualifying for all medals and challenges including coast to coast. She had also said there was no way to do a virtual run (even though we didn't ask for a virtual run) because they do not exist period. Although my oldest daughter (not the same one) had just signed up for a virtual 5K so she could win a Star Wars trinket for her kids.

We were told no one was there (nor could be reached) that could make the decision on our request. Was told they may stop by later and she would have them call. I went to the side and took a seat to wait in case someone did show up. After a few minutes the RD employee came over and said she got in touch with the person who made the decision ( the same person who was previously un reachable) and the answer was "no".

Left it up to my DD to run or not. Her fever broke that evening and she ran the remainder events.
 
Some of the things we learned this time conflict with what's posted on their rules.

The things you’re talking about involves them being extremely kind last year.

They broke no rules for your daughter.

If she had ended up NOT running and you had submitted the situation by email, it’s possible they would have refunded her something. It’s probable they would not.

But they absolutely would not have done so if she had crossed the start line if the race in question.

They did not have a virtual option for the 2018 January races. They do not have a virtual option for princess either. They do have a brand new virtual option *for a race that does not exist in real life*.

For those that indicate no deferments exist, what exactly are you referring to as a deferment? Were they used in the past? What we were told was describing what you might call a deferment or maybe an excusal?? Maybe an exercise in terminology?

You applied for *and paid for* the chance to skip that year’s race and be able to do it next year. It was for pregnancies, broken legs, etc. and it closed well before the actual event.

Also the rule that states runs will be held rain or shine and would be delayed only for lightning.

And that’s what happened last year at the half. Thunderstorms were slated for the time of the race and *for the time the volunteers would have been setting up*. If you don’t have it set up, you don’t have a race.

I volunteered for the January 5k 2015. Hubby and son participated. They showed up at about 4:30 and started their event at 5:30. I had checked in to volunteer at 2:30ish.
 
Actually during last years half, I do believe a storm came thru when LOTS of people would have been on the course. Your fast ones might have been done, but the mid / later pack would have been out there with all the volunteers etc.. They DIDNT call a 1/2 here in Columbus last year, shut down the course during the race, and LOTS and LOTS of runners were stranded on the course in a pretty nasty storm.. So, I'll always back an event for erring on the side of caution.
 

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