Official 2019 Star Wars Rival Run Weekend

[BuckeyeBama]

Ok guys, I need you to get me excited! We have cancelled our WDW Marathon trip and decided to run this challenge instead. It will be DD28 and I. She just got promoted to manager of her own Starbucks, so changing stores, plus just moved to a new house and doesn't have time to train for the Marathon. But we didn't want to give up a Disney race completely. We have already done Princess (not a fan) so we thought this was the perfect time to do Star Wars! We have wanted to do this one for a while anyway. But I'm a little bummed about missing marathon weekend so I need you guys to tell me how awesome this race is!

The best thing about this race is the weather. April, in Orlando, the weather is amazing.

 

[PrincessV]

What kind of outfits do they wear for the 5k? Is it more costumes or more running attire?

I've alwyas made costumes out of running clothes.

Ok guys, I need you to get me excited! We have cancelled our WDW Marathon trip and decided to run this challenge instead. It will be DD28 and I. She just got promoted to manager of her own Starbucks, so changing stores, plus just moved to a new house and doesn't have time to train for the Marathon. But we didn't want to give up a Disney race completely. We have already done Princess (not a fan) so we thought this was the perfect time to do Star Wars! We have wanted to do this one for a while anyway. But I'm a little bummed about missing marathon weekend so I need you guys to tell me how awesome this race is!

SO FREAKING AWESOME!!!!! 100% tied with Marathon week as my favorite race event. ALL THE STAR WARS ALL THE TIME!!!

 

[Kazrak]

Ok guys, I need you to get me excited! We have cancelled our WDW Marathon trip and decided to run this challenge instead. It will be DD28 and I. She just got promoted to manager of her own Starbucks, so changing stores, plus just moved to a new house and doesn't have time to train for the Marathon. But we didn't want to give up a Disney race completely. We have already done Princess (not a fan) so we thought this was the perfect time to do Star Wars! We have wanted to do this one for a while anyway. But I'm a little bummed about missing marathon weekend so I need you guys to tell me how awesome this race is!

Okay, great things about the Star Wars Rival Run Weekend:

Star Wars photo opportunities. Want a photo in the Death Star trash compactor? The Wampa cave? With the Emperor himself? Here you go. (Can't guarantee any of these, but I've seen them all.)

Race launch to the music of John Williams.

Lasers. Lots of lasers. Might even get a trench run.

Amazing Star Wars costumes. It'll be hard to top the 2017 Light Side Half, where it felt like half the women (and more than a few men) were wearing Leia costumes, but I'm looking forward to see what my fellow runners can do.

Epcot Flower and Garden festival. Because you aren't running the whole time you're there.

Warmer weather than January. (Not always a _good_ thing - 2017 Dark Side Half was too warm. Nice for the rest of your time at the park, not as great for running.)

 

[sunshine girl]

Ok guys, I need you to get me excited! We have cancelled our WDW Marathon trip and decided to run this challenge instead. It will be DD28 and I. She just got promoted to manager of her own Starbucks, so changing stores, plus just moved to a new house and doesn't have time to train for the Marathon. But we didn't want to give up a Disney race completely. We have already done Princess (not a fan) so we thought this was the perfect time to do Star Wars! We have wanted to do this one for a while anyway. But I'm a little bummed about missing marathon weekend so I need you guys to tell me how awesome this race is!

I'm curious, what didn't you like about the Princess race??

I did the Star Wars half for the first time last year. I really enjoyed it!! The huge number of Star Wars characters and costumes was entertaining, and I liked the course. I think it's a smaller race than Princess (but don't quote me on that). You don't need to be a huge Star Wars aficionado to have fun and enjoy the theme (for example I haven't seen the last big Star Wars movie or any of the spinoff movies/tv). But I think it helps if you enjoy Star Wars at least a little.

I also LOVE going during Flower and Garden! It's like a mini food and wine, with topiaries. April is a pretty time of year to visit, everything is blooming and green.

 

[michigandergirl]

What kind of outfits do they wear for the 5k? Is it more costumes or more running attire?

I am planning to get matching Star Wars shirts for myself and family to wear - I can't wait to see the eye rolls I'm going to get from my two teenage sons about this!

 

[michigandergirl]

Ok guys, I need you to get me excited! We have cancelled our WDW Marathon trip and decided to run this challenge instead. It will be DD28 and I. She just got promoted to manager of her own Starbucks, so changing stores, plus just moved to a new house and doesn't have time to train for the Marathon. But we didn't want to give up a Disney race completely. We have already done Princess (not a fan) so we thought this was the perfect time to do Star Wars! We have wanted to do this one for a while anyway. But I'm a little bummed about missing marathon weekend so I need you guys to tell me how awesome this race is!

Yay!!! Glad you two are joining the party. I am not doing Marathon Weekend either (FOMO is real) and this will be my first SW weekend, so I don't know how they compare, but I'm pretty sure we won't be freezing our butts off in the corrals in April!

Edited to say ditto on Flower & Garden Festival.

 

[Dis5150]

Thanks guys! It sounds like a lot of fun! And I didn't know it was during Flower and Garden - that is awesome!

I'm curious, what didn't you like about the Princess race??

More so the people at the race weekend we ran (2016) that the race itself? Expo from H***! We were in the first 25 people in line and got in, got a tank I wanted, turned to go and got mobbed, shoved into the rack of clothes, "ladies" trying to rip the tank out of my hand, etc. Then the race itself - DD28 got cussed out by some more "ladies" for doing a walk break (they were running 6 across and we were on the side of the road). This person gestured wildly and smacked me in the face while telling us to get to the other side of the road. Things like that. Just a lot of overly entitled princesses behaving very badly. Did not make us want to come back for that weekend. @Keels am I remembering correctly that that was the year of the fight at the expo, one lady punching another lady and the cops were called?

 

[JennysSeven]

More so the people at the race weekend we ran (2016) that the race itself? Expo from H***! We were in the first 25 people in line and got in, got a tank I wanted, turned to go and got mobbed, shoved into the rack of clothes, "ladies" trying to rip the tank out of my hand, etc. Then the race itself - DD28 got cussed out by some more "ladies" for doing a walk break (they were running 6 across and we were on the side of the road). This person gestured wildly and smacked me in the face while telling us to get to the other side of the road. Things like that. Just a lot of overly entitled princesses behaving very badly. Did not make us want to come back for that weekend. @Keels am I remembering correctly that that was the year of the fight at the expo, one lady punching another lady and the cops were called?

Wow, that sounds really crazy! This will be my first runDisney event. I hope it's not like that!

Speaking of taking walk breaks, though, what is the proper etiquette for slowing down? I've only done 1 small (couple hundred participants) 5k so far, so crowding wasn't an issue. Is it like driving where you go faster on the left and slower on the right? Is there a hand signal or something for slowing down, or do you just look behind you and make sure no one is right there? I don't do intervals, but I will most likely need to take some walking breaks and don't want to cause any issues!

 

[Dis5150]

@JennysSeven Well it is supposed to be runners on the left, walkers on the right but it is so crowded you have to go to both sides of the road to walk. Just don't stop dead in front of someone. Raise your hand to signal you are stopping (I also call out "walking"), look behind you to make sure you aren't cutting someone off and try to walk on whichever side of the road you can easily get to.

I hope your experience is better than ours too! It was crazy!

 

[Kazrak]

More so the people at the race weekend we ran (2016) that the race itself? Expo from H***! We were in the first 25 people in line and got in, got a tank I wanted, turned to go and got mobbed, shoved into the rack of clothes, "ladies" trying to rip the tank out of my hand, etc. Then the race itself - DD28 got cussed out by some more "ladies" for doing a walk break (they were running 6 across and we were on the side of the road). This person gestured wildly and smacked me in the face while telling us to get to the other side of the road. Things like that. Just a lot of overly entitled princesses behaving very badly. Did not make us want to come back for that weekend. @Keels am I remembering correctly that that was the year of the fight at the expo, one lady punching another lady and the cops were called?

Wow. Yeah, that doesn't sound like anything I saw at the Star Wars Half. Can't say I blame you for not wanting to go back under the circumstances.

 

[drummerwife]

More so the people at the race weekend we ran (2016) that the race itself? Expo from H***! We were in the first 25 people in line and got in, got a tank I wanted, turned to go and got mobbed, shoved into the rack of clothes, "ladies" trying to rip the tank out of my hand, etc. Then the race itself - DD28 got cussed out by some more "ladies" for doing a walk break (they were running 6 across and we were on the side of the road). This person gestured wildly and smacked me in the face while telling us to get to the other side of the road. Things like that. Just a lot of overly entitled princesses behaving very badly. Did not make us want to come back for that weekend. @Keels am I remembering correctly that that was the year of the fight at the expo, one lady punching another lady and the cops were called?

You’re memory is perfect. The expo for Princess 2016 was an absolute disaster. I remember the fire marshall shutting the expo down until the crowds thinned out. I thankfully didn’t have the problems you and your DD had on course but I heard of other extremely rude behavior that happen that weekend. On the positive side, the 2017 Princess expo and races were so much better. All of the women (that I witnessed) were so nice and encouraging it really made the weekend most enjoyable.

 

[Keels]

@Keels am I remembering correctly that that was the year of the fight at the expo, one lady punching another lady and the cops were called?

Yup - 2016 was my one Very Special Princess Year and my Expo experience ended with one broad closed-fist punching another in the face over an armful of ill-fitting hot pink "Princess Up" jackets.

 

[PrincessV]

More so the people at the race weekend we ran (2016) that the race itself? Expo from H***! We were in the first 25 people in line and got in, got a tank I wanted, turned to go and got mobbed, shoved into the rack of clothes, "ladies" trying to rip the tank out of my hand, etc. Then the race itself - DD28 got cussed out by some more "ladies" for doing a walk break (they were running 6 across and we were on the side of the road). This person gestured wildly and smacked me in the face while telling us to get to the other side of the road. Things like that. Just a lot of overly entitled princesses behaving very badly. Did not make us want to come back for that weekend. @Keels am I remembering correctly that that was the year of the fight at the expo, one lady punching another lady and the cops were called?

PREACH. #neverPrincessagain

Speaking of taking walk breaks, though, what is the proper etiquette for slowing down? I've only done 1 small (couple hundred participants) 5k so far, so crowding wasn't an issue. Is it like driving where you go faster on the left and slower on the right? Is there a hand signal or something for slowing down, or do you just look behind you and make sure no one is right there? I don't do intervals, but I will most likely need to take some walking breaks and don't want to cause any issues!

At WDW, the course can get VERY congested, and is very narrow at some points, very wide at others. Preferred etiquette is to walk on the sides and allow faster runners/walkers to have the middle... but it really comes down to being aware of your surroundings and doing what's safe at the time. If you look around and see that there are lots of people walking directly in front of you, and people running on either side, the safe way to take a walk break at that time isn't to cross over in front of the faster people in order to adhere to "walkers on the sides," but to tuck in behind the other walkers, KWIM? Raising a hand in the air before slowing down is really effective and appreciated as an alert! But yes, checking all around before making any moves is key.

 

[sunshine girl]

More so the people at the race weekend we ran (2016) that the race itself? Expo from H***! We were in the first 25 people in line and got in, got a tank I wanted, turned to go and got mobbed, shoved into the rack of clothes, "ladies" trying to rip the tank out of my hand, etc. Then the race itself - DD28 got cussed out by some more "ladies" for doing a walk break (they were running 6 across and we were on the side of the road). This person gestured wildly and smacked me in the face while telling us to get to the other side of the road. Things like that. Just a lot of overly entitled princesses behaving very badly. Did not make us want to come back for that weekend. @Keels am I remembering correctly that that was the year of the fight at the expo, one lady punching another lady and the cops were called?

HOLY MOLY that is insane. I agree that would make for a terrible experience! I've done almost 20 Disney races (including Princess halfs, but not the one in 2016) and I've thankfully never seen anything like this!!

 

[rteetz]

Ok guys, I need you to get me excited! We have cancelled our WDW Marathon trip and decided to run this challenge instead. It will be DD28 and I. She just got promoted to manager of her own Starbucks, so changing stores, plus just moved to a new house and doesn't have time to train for the Marathon. But we didn't want to give up a Disney race completely. We have already done Princess (not a fan) so we thought this was the perfect time to do Star Wars! We have wanted to do this one for a while anyway. But I'm a little bummed about missing marathon weekend so I need you guys to tell me how awesome this race is!

WHAT!? I'll miss you guys at marathon weekend but I am sure you'll love this one too.

 

[Keels]

Ok guys, I need you to get me excited! We have cancelled our WDW Marathon trip and decided to run this challenge instead. It will be DD28 and I. She just got promoted to manager of her own Starbucks, so changing stores, plus just moved to a new house and doesn't have time to train for the Marathon. But we didn't want to give up a Disney race completely. We have already done Princess (not a fan) so we thought this was the perfect time to do Star Wars! We have wanted to do this one for a while anyway. But I'm a little bummed about missing marathon weekend so I need you guys to tell me how awesome this race is!

UGH. Well if anything can get me to hang out at Star Wars Weekend again ... it's gonna be this.

 

[Dis_Yoda]

UGH. Well if anything can get me to hang out at Star Wars Weekend again ... it's gonna be this.

We just love your nicknames of Star Wars characters so its fun.

 

[Dis5150]

UGH. Well if anything can get me to hang out at Star Wars Weekend again ... it's gonna be this.

 

[Dis5150]

WHAT!? I'll miss you guys at marathon weekend but I am sure you'll love this one too.

I know! We are getting excited about trying a different race but we will miss you guys too (and all the marathon weekend people)!!

 

[mrsg00fy]

Thanks guys! It sounds like a lot of fun! And I didn't know it was during Flower and Garden - that is awesome!



More so the people at the race weekend we ran (2016) that the race itself? Expo from H***! We were in the first 25 people in line and got in, got a tank I wanted, turned to go and got mobbed, shoved into the rack of clothes, "ladies" trying to rip the tank out of my hand, etc. Then the race itself - DD28 got cussed out by some more "ladies" for doing a walk break (they were running 6 across and we were on the side of the road). This person gestured wildly and smacked me in the face while telling us to get to the other side of the road. Things like that. Just a lot of overly entitled princesses behaving very badly. Did not make us want to come back for that weekend. @Keels am I remembering correctly that that was the year of the fight at the expo, one lady punching another lady and the cops were called?

Yep. I ran that race weekend too. The expo was madness. I also was not happy with the merchandise experience. People getting very pushy. I left as I felt it would not be worth the trouble. But....I still am a sucker for the princess theme and I'm running it in 2019. I may do Star Wars too. Hotel room is booked....but I haven't bought the bib yet.