Marathon Weekend 2023

[Herding_Cats]

I just finished up our stay today as well! We managed to find 2 nights at the Poly (which will only leave the Grand Floridian for my resort “bucket list”) at the beginning and then it’s off the SSR for the rest of the trip. I’m excited. Now to figure out when in the heck I’m going to have time to train.

 

[SarahDisney]

ETA: Oh, and I'm still rocking a couple pairs of YurBuds. Corded. 10ish years old. I'll be very sad when they finally all die - I've never found anything as comfortable!

I'm jealous. I injured my yurbuds a few years back and never found anything nearly as good.

 

[Barca33Runner]

So far this year I am extremely disappointed in runDisney's support. Got very terse responses to questions regarding the registration fiasco even when I had over $3,000 of holds on my credit card for a week. I managed to get a half and full registration for myself and they won't combine them into a Goofy. This will be my fifth MW and is increasingly likely it will be last.

Unfortunately I think this has become widespread throughout the entire corporation and isn’t isolated to rD. There appears to be little support or guidance from above and it leaves front-facing representatives unable to help and burnt out and exasperated trying to diffuse situations for which they have no solutions. Best case scenario the person on the other end is disappointed in, but accepting of, the bad news. Worst case, they get screamed at. Not condoning bad treatment but I don’t think they’re being put in positions to succeed.

I think many Disney fans, myself included, have felt the erosion of the Disney experience (Magic, some may call it). I know they’re a corporation and it’s always about the numbers, but it’s much less ambiguous now.

 

[BigEeyore]

I think many Disney fans, myself included, have felt the erosion of the Disney experience (Magic, some may call it). I know they’re a corporation and it’s always about the numbers, but it’s much less ambiguous now.

100% agree - Disney used to bend over backwards and "go the extra mile" to make guests happy. Now it's just a shrug and a smile. Hoping for a change in corporate leadership that will lead to a return to better days.

 

[lukemorenus]

Excited that we added an extra day to our Dopey trip! (and it's weird to be arriving on Monday - so close to New Years)

 

[disneymomof8]

Here is the one I captured. I made sure I got part of the spinning circle!

thank you!

 

[disneymomof8]

Does this mean you’re also a Big Brother fan? That (and recently, Survivor) is my guilty pleasure. I spend so much time watching Big Brother I am thinking of getting a treadmill this summer and only allowing myself to watch while I am also watching.

I am looking forward to the new Paramount+ season of The Challenge. I have never watched the show before but a few of my favorite BB houseguests will be on it.

big survivor and BB fan too. i was just wondering if i’d like the challenge. sounds like i should start streaming now that Ozark is over!!!!

 

[GreatLakes]

SAFD:

Good Morning runDisney Allstars! Got a two part question for you all today. Do you like to run with music and/or Podcasts? And if you said yes what do you like to listen to; any recommendations?

I don't listen to anything when running outside. If I'm stuck on the treadmill I might listen to a podcast or watch a show but outside I listen to whatever is around me, not music or anything else. Having headphones in would ruin the run for me.

 

[disneymomof8]

he will find you - That's our resident running/training/weather/timing expert - he is really awesome, and usually is able to provide some sample running plans that he creates. Reach out to him with a message, or he may see the post and respond later in the day.

i’m looking for his wisdom for dopey training plans too! am i too new to able able to pm him? i see a lot of posts regarding his running plans. believe it or not, many wdw races over the years and i’ve actually never had a regimented plan.

 

[lookingforsunshine]

am i too new to able able to pm him

You need 10 posts to PM.

 

[RunWI1265]

So far this year I am extremely disappointed in runDisney's support. Got very terse responses to questions regarding the registration fiasco even when I had over $3,000 of holds on my credit card for a week. I managed to get a half and full registration for myself and they won't combine them into a Goofy. This will be my fifth MW and is increasingly likely it will be last.

You may have luck at the help desk at the expo. I have read of people who were able to get challenge recognition this past MW after speaking with the people there.


SAFD: I used to be a no earbud runner…when my routes were way more scenic and I loved taking it all in. Now I’m running early morning darkness through neighborhoods. Very boring. I listen to peloton run classes, but I’d rather be listening to podcasts. However, it is an absolute task to run a pod and the peloton app simultaneously so peloton it is.

 

[Z-Knight]

i’m looking for his wisdom for dopey training plans too! am i too new to able able to pm him? i see a lot of posts regarding his running plans. believe it or not, many wdw races over the years and i’ve actually never had a regimented plan.

definitely pm him... @DopeyBadger is a nice guy and a busy guy and a smart guy. i dont mean to offer up his services nonchalantly but he's always been willing to help people, so it cant hurt to ask.

 

[disneymomof8]

definitely pm him... @DopeyBadger is a nice guy and a busy guy and a smart guy. i dont mean to offer up his services nonchalantly but he's always been willing to help people, so it cant hurt to ask.

except i can’t figure out how to message him!!! maybe cuz i’m too new? i don’t have that button

 

[Z-Knight]

except i can’t figure out how to message him!!! maybe cuz i’m too new? i don’t have that button

you need 10 posts to do it... so just keep replying for a little and then you can. there. was a thread on one forum where you can post freely to get to 10 buy i dont recall where.. just keep posting till you get to 10

 

[huskies90]

So far this year I am extremely disappointed in runDisney's support. Got very terse responses to questions regarding the registration fiasco even when I had over $3,000 of holds on my credit card for a week. I managed to get a half and full registration for myself and they won't combine them into a Goofy. This will be my fifth MW and is increasingly likely it will be last.

I am very disenchanted with Disney's customer service right now on a much larger scale than just runDisney but this kind of service seems to be everywhere. Companies just seem to want do as little as possible and have their apps and technology provide all of their customer service. Disney made their name by standing above everyone else when it came to service. That doesn't seem to be the case any longer.

It is interesting that as soon as you contacted them and received a canned response, they probably sent you a survey asking if they resolved your question, correct? I got a survey after they gave me a canned response when I emailed them after getting my bib assignment for the TZTOT ten miler. I was put in the last coral even though I had a submitted POT 10K time of 42:53. And I asked if my POT was considered when my bib assigned was done. The canned email said:

"No start group changes will be made at the runDisney Health & Fitness Expo. Submitting a valid proof of time does not guarantee start group placement. Start groups are also based on group capacities and operational considerations. This policy is agreed upon at time of registration by all Participants."

What kind of ridiculous response is that? And no, that does not answer my question at all. As we all know, you can go to the expo and they will change it if they made a mistake - which they did in my case because they flagged my POT as a virtual race which was wrong. They changed my start group immediately.

It is like they are saying "let's do everything in our power to make you go away and not bother us." The email should have said something like "we understand that sometimes mistakes are made and we can review your case at the expo." Or something like that.

 

[DisneyParrothead]

I am very disenchanted with Disney's customer service right now on a much larger scale than just runDisney but this kind of service seems to be everywhere. Companies just seem to want do as little as possible and have there apps and technology provide all of their customer service. Disney made their name by standing above everyone else when it came to service. That doesn't seem to be the case any longer.

It is interesting that as soon as you contacted them and received a canned response, they probably sent you a survey asking if they resolved your question, correct? I got a survey after they gave me a canned response when I emailed them after getting my bib assignment for the TZTOT ten miler. I was put in the last coral even though I had a submitted POT 10K time of 42:53. And I asked if my POT was considered when my bib assigned was done. The canned email said:

"No start group changes will be made at the runDisney Health & Fitness Expo. Submitting a valid proof of time does not guarantee start group placement. Start groups are also based on group capacities and operational considerations. This policy is agreed upon at time of registration by all Participants."

What kind of ridiculous response is that? And no, that does not answer my question at all. As we all know, you can go to the expo and they will change it if they made a mistake - which they did in my case because they flagged my POT as a virtual race which was wrong. They changed my start group immediately.

It is like they are saying "let's do everything in our power to make you go away and not bother us." The email should have said something like "we understand that sometimes mistakes are made and we can review your case at the expo." Or something like that.

Put my company as one who came up with an app for customer service, and a third-party database for HR inquiries for employees. Frustration through the roof this season. Now they announced something like a $200M investment for the HR department to make things better.

 

[Herding_Cats]

It is interesting that as soon as you contacted them and received a canned response, they probably sent you a survey asking if they resolved your question, correct? I got a survey after they gave me a canned response when I emailed them after getting my bib assignment for the TZTOT ten miler. I was put in the last coral even though I had a submitted POT 10K time of 42:53. And I asked if my POT was considered when my bib assigned was done. The canned email said:

"No start group changes will be made at the runDisney Health & Fitness Expo. Submitting a valid proof of time does not guarantee start group placement. Start groups are also based on group capacities and operational considerations. This policy is agreed upon at time of registration by all Participants."

What kind of ridiculous response is that? And no, that does not answer my question at all. As we all know, you can go to the expo and they will change it if they made a mistake - which they did in my case because they flagged my POT as a virtual race which was wrong. They changed my start group immediately.

It is like they are saying "let's do everything in our power to make you go away and not bother us." The email should have said something like "we understand that sometimes mistakes are made and we can review your case at the expo." Or something like that.

This is similar to the "no race-day bib pickup" note in the event guides, etc. We know that there is day-of bib pickup for emergencies, and that it is unadvertised. The are absolutely putting the onus on the consumers to do the legwork to "fix" their own experience at this point.

 

[HangWithMerida]

This is similar to the "no race-day bib pickup" note in the event guides, etc. We know that there is day-of bib pickup for emergencies, and that it is unadvertised. The are absolutely putting the onus on the consumers to do the legwork to "fix" their own experience at this point.

While I understand where you are coming from on this, for races the size of rundisney and the sheer number of people traveling from out of town, I totally understand why they don't advertise emergency packet pick-up. It would 100% get abused. I can't blame them at all for doing everything in their power to get people to the expo in advance of race day. In fact, it's super nice of them to offer it at all. For the Houston HM/marathon, which is a similar size to a disney race, there is no race day pickup and no emergency pickup. Their version of emergency pickup is to allow a runner to pick up 1 additional bib for someone else but they have to have the other runners confirmation and a copy of their ID.

 

[Herding_Cats]

While I understand where you are coming from on this, for races the size of rundisney and the sheer number of people traveling from out of town, I totally understand why they don't advertise emergency packet pick-up. It would 100% get abused. I can't blame them at all for doing everything in their power to get people to the expo in advance of race day. In fact, it's super nice of them to offer it at all. For the Houston HM/marathon, which is a similar size to a disney race, there is no race day pickup and no emergency pickup. Their version of emergency pickup is to allow a runner to pick up 1 additional bib for someone else but they have to have the other runners confirmation and a copy of their ID.

Right. I'm just saying that when rD says "No day-of bib pickup" is similar to saying "No start group changes" because just like day-of pickup would get abused by people just trying to save money on flights/hotels/someone else grabbing a bib for [insert relationship here] if they didn't have language about start group changes being a non-option people would want to get those changed a ton also. But the above example of them incorrectly flagging a placement was able to be taken care of at the expo/runner relations.

 

[nekonekoneko]

Right. I'm just saying that when rD says "No day-of bib pickup" is similar to saying "No start group changes" because just like day-of pickup would get abused by people just trying to save money on flights/hotels/someone else grabbing a bib for [insert relationship here] if they didn't have language about start group changes being a non-option people would want to get those changed a ton also. But the above example of them incorrectly flagging a placement was able to be taken care of at the expo/runner relations.

A lot of this comes down to the onus of responsibility. If they advertise that there will be emergency race day pick ups available, then the onus is on runDisney to make sure the bibs are at the start line. If they say you have to pick it up at the expo, then the onus is on you to make arrangements if something goes wrong. Also, the vendors would hate it if a good percentage of the runners just said "screw it" and waited until race day to get their stuff.

It's similar to a canned response in terms of faxed room requests. If you didn't get your request, and go to the front desk, their canned response is "sorry, we didn't get the request." That puts the onus on whoever faxed it, the fax machines, etc. If their response was "we couldn't fulfill it," then the onus is on them to explain why your request was not honored.

It's been a way of shifting the blame, so that they don't look like the bad guy when things go wrong.