Marathon Weekend 2020

[DISRNR1000]

Maybe because of all the upsells lately, I was just getting paranoid when I read the announcement.

 

[Barca33Runner]

I just thought of something. The old race retreat used to have characters right? So maybe the new runners area will have characters for pictures as well. But there will still be characters outside of the paid runners area open to everyone just like in previous races.

I imagine this is the actual plan. Some “exclusive” characters that aren’t available to the hoi polloi or shorter wait times for ones that are being the draw. Just doesn’t seem all that value added.

In general, I’m just very interested to see how they try to make the parking lot seem special .

ETA: Sorry substitute “exclusive outdoor area” or “open-air runner experience” for parking lot in my posts. I think the magic is in the description.

 

[PrincessV]

I just thought of something. The old race retreat used to have characters right? So maybe the new runners area will have characters for pictures as well. But there will still be characters outside of the paid runners area open to everyone just like in previous races.

Yep, I coudl see that. Pay for shorter character lines and top-tier characters, or slum it in long lines and the B-Team.

In general, I’m just very interested to see how they try to make the parking lot seem special .

Velvet ropes? Bottle service? Porta-potty attendants?
Probably a bunch of glitter on the asphalt.

 

[camaker]

Yep, I coudl see that. Pay for shorter character lines and top-tier characters, or slum it in long lines and the B-Team.


Velvet ropes? Bottle service? Porta-potty attendants?
Probably a bunch of glitter on the asphalt.

No glitter for Marathon Weekend. They're going to hold that in reserve so they can add it to the Princess race retreat and call it a "themed upgrade" based on runner feedback!

 

[Disneyslowrunner]

No glitter for Marathon Weekend. They're going to hold that in reserve so they can add it to the Princess race retreat and call it a "themed upgrade" based on runner feedback!

Next thing you know they they will have tiered marathon pricing:
1) For the price of admission you can run along the backroads of WDW but no stops in the park
2) With an upgrade you can run in the parks but the route will not go by any major attractions
3) An second upgrade you actually get to run through Cinderella Castle and past the "purple wall."
4) With a third upgrade there will be characters along the route—but pictures are only allowed with the purchase of special wristband that costs $100.

Sorry for the sarcasm...but selling an upgrade to stand around a parking lot as an "open-air experience" just strikes me as beyond absurd.

 

[momandmousefan]

SAFD:
Running my FIRST half marathon (well, in a race anyhow)
Seeing my daughter run her first mile race
Date night dinner at Toledo
Getting to see SWGE
Post race dinner at Trattoria (+ a wine flight reward!)
Dinner with runner friends at Olivia's
(I guess we like to eat)
The new Illuminations show (the music brings back all the feels!)

 

[momandmousefan]

I am sure the “exciting changes” will rank right up there with the “mile 20 spectacular” from a few years back.

So, what was the 20 mile thing...I'm intrigued (as it was probably a disaster wasn't it?)

 

[Jason Bryer]

So, what was the 20 mile thing...I'm intrigued (as it was probably a disaster wasn't it?)

This was it:

 

[camaker]

This was it:

View attachment 438935

Unfortunately, that was not it. That was the Mile 25 celebration during the 25th anniversary marathon. The Mile 20 spectacular was a RunDisney event during the 20th anniversary marathon. I didn't see it, though.

 

[goingthedistance]

Mile 20 Spectacular in 2013 for the 20th marathon was a couple characters on a stage (Mickey and Goofy and maybe Donald?) and some kind of puppet things (like Sebastian and Mike Wazowski). It was definitely mile 20 but it was NOT spectacular. Disney over-hyped it and under-delivered.

 

[OldSlowGoofyGuy]

So, what was the 20 mile thing...I'm intrigued (as it was probably a disaster wasn't it?)

I did the 20th anniversary marathon with the 20 mile surprise and I'm not sure what it was. It was mostly an extra banner across the course and a few extra characters.

 

[Jason Bryer]

Unfortunately, that was not it. That was the Mile 25 celebration during the 25th anniversary marathon. The Mile 20 spectacular was a RunDisney event during the 20th anniversary marathon. I didn't see it, though.

Oops. I misread the original reference. I guess I didn't know about the 20th anniversary one.

Mile 20 Spectacular in 2013 for the 20th marathon was a couple characters on a stage (Mickey and Goofy and maybe Donald?) and some kind of puppet things (like Sebastian and Mike Wazowski). It was definitely mile 20 but it was NOT spectacular. Disney over-hyped it and under-delivered.

This sounds better than the 25th anniversary special.

 

[roxymama]

Found this online...

 

[Barca33Runner]

Re: Mile 20 Spectacular

It wasn't so much what it was (which, as the above photo illustrates, wasn't a lot). It was the hype train that rD had built up around it. You would have thought they resurrected Walt and that he'd be on the course handing out lifetime passes and personalized illustrations to every runner as they passed.

ETA: Also, it was hot that day and as one of the last finishers I don't remember the characters being on stage anymore, just the large puppets.

 

[jmasgat]

You would have thought they resurrected Walt and that he'd be on the course handing out lifetime passes and personalized illustrations to every runner as they passed.

You mean that didn't happen? I guess I just hallucinated it.

(Your quote was the funniest thing I've read all day)

 

[Sleepless Knight]

I just thought of something. The old race retreat used to have characters right? So maybe the new runners area will have characters for pictures as well. But there will still be characters outside of the paid runners area open to everyone just like in previous races.

For this year, race retreat had Mary Poppins, Bert, and penguins before the Half Marathon and Hades, Pain, and Panic before the Marathon each with themed backdrops. The fab 5 plus Dopey were not at Runners Retreat. About the only way I would purchase the new "special" area would be if they announced ahead of time who the "special" area characters were and I like the movie/characters enough to justify it. And since most of my favorite movies/characters are already easy to meet in the parks, even that might not be enough for me.

I'm intrigued (as it was probably a disaster wasn't it?)

Still doesn't sound as bad as the special gift for legacy runners before the 5th Wine & Dine Half Marathon. A spatula. And not a special 5th anniversary Wine & Dine spatula. Just a plain old boring spatula. Like this one.

 

[CDKG]

Just booked with a tour company for the Disneyland Paris 2020 36k challenge! I'm excited not just for Castle to Chateau but this will be my first trip to Europe.

Yay! I already booked my package for the 36k too. I ran the inaugural half in 2016 (I skipped the 5k and they didn’t have any challenges the first year) and have been waiting for the 5th anniversary race ever since!

Your first trip to Europe, how magical! Where are you planning to visit besides Disneyland Paris?

 

[Neon Cactus]

Yay! I already booked my package for the 36k too. I ran the inaugural half in 2016 (I skipped the 5k and they didn’t have any challenges the first year) and have been waiting for the 5th anniversary race ever since!

Your first trip to Europe, how magical! Where are you planning to visit besides Disneyland Paris?

That’s awesome! I’m at the Cheyenne and they’re going to see if they can get more rooms at Sequoia Lodge. I’m doing 3 nights there and then after the Half, I’m going into Paris and have about 2 1/2 days. I really want to see Versailles and then the Eiffel Tower, probably the Louvre too. I would love to see the Loire Valley castles but, even as ambitious as my sightseeing usually is, I don’t think I’ll have time. Probably the same goes for Normandy. I’m open to suggestions too!

I’m very lucky though. I have enough miles for air and one of my good friends from college used to work for Pixar for years and just left for Illumination. They’ve sent her to Paris to work on a movie and she has an extra room where I can stay post-Disney.

 

[Grumpy_42K]

FYI, the map for the 20th Anniversary WDW Marathon and that mile 20 surprise...
which happened to be running through the baseball stadium at WWOS.

 

[steph0808]

That’s awesome! I’m at the Cheyenne and they’re going to see if they can get more rooms at Sequoia Lodge. I’m doing 3 nights there and then after the Half, I’m going into Paris and have about 2 1/2 days. I really want to see Versailles and then the Eiffel Tower, probably the Louvre too. I would love to see the Loire Valley castles but, even as ambitious as my sightseeing usually is, I don’t think I’ll have time. Probably the same goes for Normandy. I’m open to suggestions too!

I’m very lucky though. I have enough miles for air and one of my good friends from college used to work for Pixar for years and just left for Illumination. They’ve sent her to Paris to work on a movie and she has an extra room where I can stay post-Disney.

My brother and I did a day tour or Normandy when we were in Paris in 2012. Up early and on the train to Caen, the guide picked us up at the train station, tour of the Caen war museum, then a bus tour around several Normandy beaches, then back to the train station and a ride back to Paris. Was it a long day? Yes! Was it totally worth it? 10000%