Dopey & WDW Marathon Weekend Lessons Learned

[daisyamy]

I learned last year - my time is "money" when it comes to the Expo, so it's worth it to me to pay for the Race Retreat for one day to get in, get my stuff, and get out without a wait.

I totally agree. I bought race retreat for the marathon only, and it was well worth it. I had no stress at the expo...except figuring out where the race retreat wristband pickup was. If I ever participate in Marathon weekend again, I would buy race retreat again as long as it gave early expo access.

I didn't use the race retreat itself that much on marathon day. In the morning, I ate my usual pre-race meal in my hotel before leaving for the race, so didn't eat any of the offerings at the retreat. I was there for maybe 10 minutes to drop off my gear bag before walking to the corrals. I finished the marathon at 1pm, which was when the race retreat was supposed to close...luckily they kept it open until 2pm so I could have a late lunch before leaving the finish line area.

 

[ChattaDIS]

They have both. One of the Expo vendors, Lasting Commemmoratives or Fond Memories Graphics always has a tent post- race offering medal engraving. There's also a RunDisney tent with leftover merchandise set up after the marathon, as well.

They need to have something similar to what NY has for marathon Monday. I can’t imagine buying the finisher/ I did it stuff pre race. There is a huge run on the jackets there so I think it would be similar at Disney.

 

[Ariel484]

I'm going to guess there may have been some upset vendors this year with the official merchandise in a different building and losing one of the big draws to the main vendor floor. Only individual registrations for the Half and Full had anything registration related to draw them to that building, so Dopey, Goofy, 10K and 5K runners could have easily avoided it. Not sure how sales went for vendors overall, but it was the easiest time I've ever had walking through that building by a wide margin. It certainly wouldn't surprise me if certain vendors didn't feel they got the traffic for which they paid.

I was pretty upset with the lines on Wednesday, and I still maintain they should have been able to get people through the packet pickup portion faster, but the rest of the weekend was very manageable. If they can figure out a way to handle day 1 they would have a lot more happy runners.

This is definitely the reason they wouldn’t want to do it and as long as they are selling out races they don’t have to.

What truthfully surprises me from A RD perspective is that they don’t have a finishers tent post race or on Monday where you can get the finishers merchandise, your medal engraved etc. I think they leave a ton on money on the table with that.

I would 100% pay extra to not have to go to the expo. Not sure how much I’d be without willing to pay, but like @Keels said time is money.

 

[FFigawi]

I'm going to guess there may have been some upset vendors this year with the official merchandise in a different building and losing one of the big draws to the main vendor floor. Only individual registrations for the Half and Full had anything registration related to draw them to that building, so Dopey, Goofy, 10K and 5K runners could have easily avoided it. Not sure how sales went for vendors overall, but it was the easiest time I've ever had walking through that building by a wide margin. It certainly wouldn't surprise me if certain vendors didn't feel they got the traffic for which they paid.

I was pretty upset with the lines on Wednesday, and I still maintain they should have been able to get people through the packet pickup portion faster, but the rest of the weekend was very manageable. If they can figure out a way to handle day 1 they would have a lot more happy runners.

I don't think the expo lost much business. For everyone who was in and out this year, there were people like me happy to see the rD stuff in a separate building. I skipped the expo last year because the line to get in was horrendous. I liked being able to shop without the crowds this year.

 

[Keels]

I don't think the expo lost much business. For everyone who was in and out this year, there were people like me happy to see the rD stuff in a separate building. I skipped the expo last year because the line to get in was horrendous. I liked being able to shop without the crowds this year.

Also with a made-for-you 48.6 Beer in hand, if I recall correctly!!

 

[Barca33Runner]

I don't think the expo lost much business. For everyone who was in and out this year, there were people like me happy to see the rD stuff in a separate building. I skipped the expo last year because the line to get in was horrendous. I liked being able to shop without the crowds this year.

I was the same. Liked pretty much everything about the setup other than the day 1 bib pickup line. This was the first year I bothered to walk around inside the expo because I could actually move. Wasn’t sure if that was positive or negative for the vendors, could see it going either way.

 

[rteetz]

I was the same. Liked pretty much everything about the setup other than the day 1 bib pickup line. This was the first year I bothered to walk around inside the expo because I could actually move. Wasn’t sure if that was positive or negative for the vendors, could see it going either way.

The more I see people talk about the expo (outside of the Dis) I get the impression that less people went into the expo floor than normal so I would think it was negative for the vendors. We of course wouldn't really know unless we got to speak with an actual vendor.

 

[camaker]

The more I see people talk about the expo (outside of the Dis) I get the impression that less people went into the expo floor than normal so I would think it was negative for the vendors. We of course wouldn't really know unless we got to speak with an actual vendor.

I actually enjoy the non-RunDisney vendors at the Expo. It's an opportunity for me to check out new or unusual items and get discounts on items that I normally can't through my local running stores. This year I went looking specifically for a new RooSports pouch and pair of calf compression sleeves. At DLH I impulse purchased a new Garmin at the Expo. I think it's runners like me that they count on coming through the Expo. That being said, I would totally skip it if resort bib pick up were available. That's why I don't think they can make that an option without killing off the Expo, not to mention that they want to sell the rD merchandise en masse, too.

 

[Poutine]

I invited non-runners to stay with me. I usually stay in a room alone. The problems were:
1) they didn't go to bed at my preferred 830pm...but when they had to get up early for their flight miraculously had lights out at 8pm...
2) I'm a light sleeper, they snore...and I can't sleep through that. Tried using my headphones as a buffer bit also still be able to hear my alarm. Got less than 4hrs each night that is not including waking up multiple times.
3) had to change by the bathroom each morning.
4)drama a whiny, spoiled 7 year old and immature father (my brother)


Had an early flight to Orlando, in which only had 2hrs of sleep the night before flying down, so I started exhausted

I'm going back to being antisocial and having a room to myself.

 

[LdyStormy76]

I'm going back to being antisocial and having a room to myself.

As much as my husband regrets not being there for my first half marathon I completely agree with you. Not having someone else in the room made the nights and mornings much easier.

 

[Dis_Yoda]

I invited non-runners to stay with me. I usually stay in a room alone. The problems were:
1) they didn't go to bed at my preferred 830pm...but when they had to get up early for their flight miraculously had lights out at 8pm...
2) I'm a light sleeper, they snore...and I can't sleep through that. Tried using my headphones as a buffer bit also still be able to hear my alarm. Got less than 4hrs each night that is not including waking up multiple times.
3) had to change by the bathroom each morning.
4)drama a whiny, spoiled 7 year old and immature father (my brother)


Had an early flight to Orlando, in which only had 2hrs of sleep the night before flying down, so I started exhausted

I'm going back to being antisocial and having a room to myself.

While my mother joined us on this trip - she had her own room for reasons like this. I know how my husband is before races and can adjust accordingly to not annoy him.

 

[cavepig]

Lesson learned I learned in 2016 with Dopey & getting sick eating at Pecos Bills before the full, so taking that lesson of watching where/what I eat into this weekend I was good to go for the full (not so much currently as I did pick up a bug of sorts after the race though luckily but no food illness).

Go to the expo later if possible, which I know is hard for Dopey's but Friday afternoon was nice & not insane.

We also learned that going into spectate can be a little crazy, so allow extra time. We caught the end of the half (wanted to see more but didn't realize how much extra time it took with the half going on.) Bag check seemed extra hard core checking bags.

Always try on race shirts as sizing can be messed up or they do put wrong shirts in bags.

I liked the new setup but was there Friday afternoon. I have no idea how the vendors faired with the new setup, but My family helped the vendors out...there were just 2 of us running (non-residents) but my older brother's whole family (FL residents, none of them running) came with us to shop the vendors, getting a few different items at various booths. It was pretty crowded Friday afternoon at the vendor booths, but who knows how much business they did. But like the potato booth I'm not sure how they benefited at all from setting up.

 

[kywyldcat03]

I know one thing. If there had been a vendor there with a truckload of gloves and sock hats they would have made a killing! I ended up going to a ski shop 20 miles away to find a sock hat. Everyone else was sold out.

 

[Keels]

Also, follow-up lesson ... don’t DATW and shop, as I’m here at packed-out Disney Springs trying to exchange four different things I bought in the way-wrong size or color.

 

[Dis_Yoda]

Also, follow-up lesson ... don’t DATW and shop, as I’m here at packed-out Disney Springs trying to exchange four different things I bought in the way-wrong size or color.

At least that is better than my drunken art purchases which can’t be returned.

 

[IamTrike]

They have both. One of the Expo vendors, Lasting Commemmoratives or Fond Memories Graphics always has a tent post- race offering medal engraving. There's also a RunDisney tent with leftover merchandise set up after the marathon, as well.

They need to have something similar to what NY has for marathon Monday. I can’t imagine buying the finisher/ I did it stuff pre race. There is a huge run on the jackets there so I think it would be similar at Disney.

I would love it if the replicated what either NY or Chicago does post marathon. It's not leftover merchandise. At Both NY and Chicago they have separate merchandise lines available with different themed merchandise that just shows up after the race. In NY it's in a popup shop in central park and there is usually a long line to get in. In Chicago it was in the Nike store after the race finished. In both cases its new t-shirts that they didn't have at the expo and it's other merchandise with "finisher" on it. I think Disney could really make a huge amount if they made this.

 

[IamTrike]

This is the back of the quarter zip I bought after my first by marathon

 

[ChattaDIS]

I would love it if the replicated what either NY or Chicago does post marathon. It's not leftover merchandise. At Both NY and Chicago they have separate merchandise lines available with different themed merchandise that just shows up after the race. In NY it's in a popup shop in central park and there is usually a long line to get in. In Chicago it was in the Nike store after the race finished. In both cases its new t-shirts that they didn't have at the expo and it's other merchandise with "finisher" on it. I think Disney could really make a huge amount if they made this.

Totally agre. Having done disney and nyc. Nyc gets it right. Marathon Monday in the park is a lot of fun and I think Disney really misses out with what they do

 

[Anisum]

I learned last year - my time is "money" when it comes to the Expo, so it's worth it to me to pay for the Race Retreat for one day to get in, get my stuff, and get out without a wait.

I thought to myself it couldn't be as bad as Princess and waited on purchasing the Race Retreat until it was too late to get it for the marathon. That's not a mistake I will make again.

I would like rDisney to go back to printed documentation. Their email had lots of info but I’m not a fan of being stuck to a screen to read things. I still read physical books too so I’m giving my age away. Disney used to actually mail out a package prior to marathon weekend and more printed documentation came at packet pick up. I like reading, making notes, underlining things. Old fashioned but it’s worked for thousands of years. My daughter and her friend actually found a discrepancy in the online documentation regarding shuttle times that shouldn’t happen in online or printed documentation. rDisney is saving thousands of dollars by providing only online documentation.

I don't think that they need to go as far as mailing out documentation but having both a digital and a printed copy would be nice. I find that runDisney often has discrepancies in their documentation though so I don't think having a printed copy would ensure it wouldn't happen. Still, I like reading through the packet much more than I like clicking on things to find the information I need.

 

[camaker]

[QUOTE="Anisum, post: 58689954, member: 553763"
I don't think that they need to go as far as mailing out documentation but having both a digital and a printed copy would be nice. I find that runDisney often has discrepancies in their documentation though so I don't think having a printed copy would ensure it wouldn't happen. Still, I like reading through the packet much more than I like clicking on things to find the information I need.[/QUOTE]

I am not a fan of the digital event guide from an informational delivery standpoint. I find it harder to navigate and locate information within than the old printed copies that they used to hand out. From an environmental stewardship standpoint, though, the electronic guides are hard to argue against. The printed event guides had a useful lifespan of 4-5 days. By going digital RunDisney has eliminated the paper and ink requirements for 40,000+ 20+ page booklets, not to mention the landfill space that won't be taken up by the guides after the event weekend. At this point, I've switched from hoping that printed material will come back to providing feedback on the content delivery mechanism in hopes of getting a more user friendly digital guide in the future.