Future runDisney Events

[PrincessV]

I'm feeling weirdly optimistic today, so here are my current thoughts:

Things are changing VERY quickly here in the FLA. I fully expect a return of fireworks/nighttime shows/parades by mid-summer. More resorts are coming on-line shortly, and I expect to see others open by early fall. (POR may remain closed the longest, but I would not look to that as an indicator against anything else returning: it has a ton of rooms and has a history of staying closed when overall crowd levels are down.)

In general, Floridians are pretty hyped to "get back to normal." The good or bad of that is absolutely debatable, but that's the prevailing emotion, so I see no issue with being able to get enough participants and volunteers to pull off live racing. Adequate staffing is a problem for WDW right now, but I don't really think that would impact races, especially with the return of the CP.

Outdoor masking is gone, so that impediment is alleviated. Social distancing at 3' isn't really social distancing at all, so I don't see that as an obstacle, either, especially by, say, January, at which point I think there will be no social distancing outdoors.

I'm not convinced it really takes that much time for rD/Track Shack to prep for a WDW race. They've done a gazillion of them, so it's not like they don't have any experience and plans already in place - they already know course layouts, logistics, have specs and suppliers for barriers/signage, etc.; they won't be starting from scratch. They've been doing the virtuals, so they have medal and shirt manufacturers and in place and working, and they've had sponsors onboard, too - neither of those should be an issue to bring on quickly. WDW has a contract in place with Orange County Sherriff, so I doubt it takes terribly long to work out the OCSO needs for races. Back in my early rD days, I could still register for races a few weeks out from race weekend; I just do not believe everybody needs a year to plan & book hotels. I think 6 months would suffice, so I'm thinking maybe an announcement within the next few weeks.

 

[BikeFan]

Love that optimism!

 

[Baloo in MI]

These are some very well thought out arguments for and against. Mine is much simpler. People want “normal” back, whether it be MW or fireworks or reopening of more resorts and restaurants. I believe any and all opportunities presented to the public for more “normal” at Disney will be gobbled up. And that means long term profit for Disney. The company is hemorrhaging money. It just makes sense now that things are becoming safer

Plus I really want to run Dopey!!!!

 

[Grabnar]

I think 6 months would suffice, so I'm thinking maybe an announcement within the next few weeks.

There's 2 mental deadlines I've been keeping in mind. If dates are going to open, it'll be before one of these:
1) 6/17/21 -- 29 weeks before 1/6/22 - start date for Galloway's Dopey training plan
2) 7/10/21 -- 180 days before 1/6/22 - Dining reservations open

 

[PrincessV]

There's 2 mental deadlines I've been keeping in mind. If dates are going to open, it'll be before one of these:
1) 6/17/21 -- 29 weeks before 1/6/22 - start date for Galloway's Dopey training plan
2) 7/10/21 -- 180 days before 1/6/22 - Dining reservations open

One hitch in there: dining opens at 60 days now. It's possible that may change, of course.

 

[Krandor]

I'm feeling weirdly optimistic today, so here are my current thoughts:

Things are changing VERY quickly here in the FLA. I fully expect a return of fireworks/nighttime shows/parades by mid-summer. More resorts are coming on-line shortly, and I expect to see others open by early fall. (POR may remain closed the longest, but I would not look to that as an indicator against anything else returning: it has a ton of rooms and has a history of staying closed when overall crowd levels are down.)

In general, Floridians are pretty hyped to "get back to normal." The good or bad of that is absolutely debatable, but that's the prevailing emotion, so I see no issue with being able to get enough participants and volunteers to pull off live racing. Adequate staffing is a problem for WDW right now, but I don't really think that would impact races, especially with the return of the CP.

Outdoor masking is gone, so that impediment is alleviated. Social distancing at 3' isn't really social distancing at all, so I don't see that as an obstacle, either, especially by, say, January, at which point I think there will be no social distancing outdoors.

I'm not convinced it really takes that much time for rD/Track Shack to prep for a WDW race. They've done a gazillion of them, so it's not like they don't have any experience and plans already in place - they already know course layouts, logistics, have specs and suppliers for barriers/signage, etc.; they won't be starting from scratch. They've been doing the virtuals, so they have medal and shirt manufacturers and in place and working, and they've had sponsors onboard, too - neither of those should be an issue to bring on quickly. WDW has a contract in place with Orange County Sherriff, so I doubt it takes terribly long to work out the OCSO needs for races. Back in my early rD days, I could still register for races a few weeks out from race weekend; I just do not believe everybody needs a year to plan & book hotels. I think 6 months would suffice, so I'm thinking maybe an announcement within the next few weeks.

I think we'll get an announcement in the next few weeks about when in-person races will resume but not so sure that is going to be MW (I say 60/40 it isn't). Yes trackshack has done a lot of these before but the issue isn't so much just pulling those plans back out but in the fact disney is a massive organization and lot of depeartments have to sign off on things to pull off something especially something as big as a marathon. I also don't think they can just re-use the courses from last year because a lot of those were based around current construction in epcot which is different now plus there were isues with the typhoon part of the marathon course so that needs to be rethought. At this point you have to get courses approved by disney management (multiple departments) certified and all that. It takes time especially for a long race like the marathon.

Honestly I think MW having well a marathon makes it less likely to be the first race back because there is so much more required to pull that off in staffing, park planning (need all those "crossing areas") and so forth. Because of the work required for a marathon vs a half I'd actually put princess at higher odds to be first back then MW but my money is on the april race.

Regareless of what it is going to be I do think an announcement is coming soon and at this point I'll take any announcement on in-person races returning so I can startv planning/training with confidence.

 

[EPCOT-O.G.]

I love all this feedback and discussion. I’d add a few others for the PRO column: the resumption of special events like whatever they’re calling the Halloween events, and the 50th.

ultimately, I think it comes down to how big of an advocate RunDisney has within the current and evolving corporate structure

 

[Herding_Cats]

Ny Marathon is going to allow 33k people. So...pro?

 

[Krandor]

Just got an email from lasting commemorative that they are getting rid of all their rundisney products by june 15th including all shadowboxes and the like. Cleaning out old inventory for new or contract expiring and they can't/won't extend it?

In light of all the speculation found it interesting. good news is if you want any shadowboxes or things they are 25% off between now and June 15th and then gone.

 

[EPCOT-O.G.]

NYC up to 33k is a very positive sign. Lasting Commemorative liquidating inventory doesn’t seem good, but have no idea if this is a regular thing they do.

 

[Z-Knight]

NYC up to 33k is a very positive sign. Lasting Commemorative liquidating inventory doesn’t seem good, but have no idea if this is a regular thing they do.

from looking at what's on sale at Lasting Commemoratives, it looks like a fire sale - everything runDisney must go. They got old medals for sale for bargain prices - you can get pink coast to coast from 2015 for like $30, or a regular one for $10!!! hell, ebay prices are usually $100plus. I'm not a perfect Dopey (didn't know about it till year 3), but I got the first two Dopey (2014, 2015) medals because I want to make a display with all Dopey medals going forward (sadly two of them I won't have earned).

 

[huskies90]

Great discussion. I find myself nodding my head at just about every post. As time moves on and as we see alot of stuff opening everywhere, my gut is saying that when rD races come back, it will not be 100% like MW 2020. Everything coming back is doing it one baby step at a time. So like NYC doing 33K is awesome, but it is still only a little over half capacity. The stuff coming back at Disney like the Halloween party, Festival of the Lion King, etc is coming back modified. I have a feeling runDisney will do a smaller race weekend first with modifications and/or limitations whenever they feel like they can pull it off. It is pretty much what everyone everywhere is doing. Who knows, maybe they can still pull off a modified W&D. But like most of you, I think W&D has about a 5% chance. MW is still 50/50 in my book...

 

[Onceuponamarathon]

There's 2 mental deadlines I've been keeping in mind. If dates are going to open, it'll be before one of these:
1) 6/17/21 -- 29 weeks before 1/6/22 - start date for Galloway's Dopey training plan
2) 7/10/21 -- 180 days before 1/6/22 - Dining reservations open

I thought the Galloway plan for Dopey started the week of 6/28/21. The last week of the plan is actually a week after the race, so you count back 28 weeks not 29. But someone pleasssse check my math.

 

[Krandor]

from looking at what's on sale at Lasting Commemoratives, it looks like a fire sale - everything runDisney must go. They got old medals for sale for bargain prices - you can get pink coast to coast from 2015 for like $30, or a regular one for $10!!! hell, ebay prices are usually $100plus. I'm not a perfect Dopey (didn't know about it till year 3), but I got the first two Dopey (2014, 2015) medals because I want to make a display with all Dopey medals going forward (sadly two of them I won't have earned).

Yeah it does look like a fire sale and since it is date driven and not "until out of inventory" tells me it is likely a contract reason (i.e. their rundisney contract ends on June 15th). The question is why is it not being extended? With no races on the calendar (and presumably no info from rundisney) did they not want to renew or with rundisney on hiatus is rundisney not doing a renewal (or could be the people who would handle a renewal are furloughed)? We all know worst case scenario but not even going too type it and risk manifesting it.

I earned all the Kessell Medals but those are probably by favorite medal disney has done so picking up another Kessel is very tempting.

 

[Grabnar]

I thought the Galloway plan for Dopey started the week of 6/28/21. The last week of the plan is actually a week after the race, so you count back 28 weeks not 29. But someone pleasssse check my math.

You're right, I didn't check the last week, just the total length.

 

[Krandor]

From a instagram, does look like the lasting commemeratives thing is their decision. They made a comment "We aren’t going away, but until there are races we will not be selling certain products at this time."

So it is from their side and not rundisney side. However on the con side it pretty much means either rundisney can't give them a date on races returning or it's a ways down the road and so renewing now doesn't make sense.

 

[PrincessV]

Just another thought: it wouldn't surprise me at all if rD opted to take what Lasting Commemoratives does in house. They have a long-ish history of doing that with other things...

 

[Krandor]

Just another thought: it wouldn't surprise me at all if rD opted to take what Lasting Commemoratives does in house. They have a long-ish history of doing that with other things...

Very possible. Their instagram makes it sound like this is their choice but it is possible if LC wants to do a new contract when races do return that rundisney decided nah.. we'll do it ouself.

 

[Baloo in MI]

runDisney say something!!!! Please! (eye twitches)

On that note, time to get ready to go on a run.

 

[jimrpa]

I still think there’s a chance for some kind of W&D to help kick off the 50th & W&D and continue moving things to normal. We’ve already seen Disney begin to reintroduce modified versions of other events like the boo think in place of mickey’s not so scary thing.