Official 2019 Star Wars Rival Run Weekend

[vinotinto]

Regarding the crowds - for our schools in GA we are on spring break that first week of April (as I am sure many other school systems are!) so I am thinking crowds will be moderate to heavy.

We are in GA too and this is why we are going to WDW that week. 1st Week of April is always our Spring Break. Fortunately, this year does not coincide with Easter, so I am hoping for lower crowds than last year. That first week of Aprl last year saw wait times comparable to the week between Christmas and New Year's: https://www.easywdw.com/easy/blog/a...-times-and-what-it-might-mean-for-the-future/

 

[michigandergirl]

Regarding the crowds - for our schools in GA we are on spring break that first week of April (as I am sure many other school systems are!) so I am thinking crowds will be moderate to heavy.

Yep, it's spring break for many Michigan schools too. When I found out that Star Wars weekend fell within our spring break this year, that's when I pulled the trigger on a family WDW trip. The parks will be busy, but I think it will help that it doesn't coincide with Easter, and with good touring strategies, it will be manageable.

 

[Nole95]

We are in GA as well, and with spring break falling during race week, we could not pass up Star Wars race weekend. Coming in Wedneday to Monday.

 

[evre13]

I obviously don't have kids because I totally forgot about spring break being that week of the year -- it seems so late! I'm hoping that it isn't too overcrowded, but my friends and I are also there for over a week/planning on largely avoiding the crowds on Saturday before the race. Maybe that will help?

 

[Mr. Drauer]

I’m certainly looking forward to lower corral sizes! This past January was the first time I ever felt like Cone Alley was manageable and I know it has to do with the lower numbers. It certainly wasn’t because I was running them faster!

I’ve never done this race weekend before. Are there any points on course that have the reputation that Cone Alley does? I am guessing the area from HS to Boardwalk could be bad depending on when you are coming through.

Yeah - the walking path can be like cone alley at some points, and there is a water station along there that can make for some crowding. At times in the past they had only a single lane in the AK parking lot when heading toward the entrance, but it was opened up wider for F&W this year. The sidewalk near the bus station at AK is only 4 feet wide for a little bit too. You only have one lane on the road (Osceola Parkway) for a stretch too. I never feel crowded though, like cone alley is.

 

[JediLeia]

The only reason my wife can come along (and run the 5k) is that it's spring break week for her community college here in California.

I work at a California community college and our spring break isn't until the week before Easter. I guess we're all on different schedules!

 

[SheHulk]

With Princess over we're next Star Wars fans! Trying to keep the excitement up, I'll throw a question to the crowd to try to get some action on this thread:
Are you doing a race during Star Wars weekend more because you're a Star Wars fan, or more because you're a general runDisney fan and don't really care about Star Wars, or because you love both running and Star Wars equally, or for some other reason? In other words, are you primarily a Star Wars fan who will run a race sometimes, or a runner who happens to have signed up for a Star Wars race?

For me it's both. I am definitely a runner, I run multiple half marathons a year, and have run a few marathons (all full marathons at Disney). But Star Wars was a HUGE part of my childhood. I was a kid when the original movies were released. I had all the action figures, and the Darth Vader head collectible holder for all said action figures. When Empire Strikes Back was released they had a guy in a Darth Vader suit at my local mall that you could get pictures with, like an evil Mall Santa. This was unprecedented for a movie release in the 1970s/80s. The hype was INSANE for that movie at that time. Of course I pestered my parents until they let me get the picture with Darth Vader. I never ran the Dark Side races because I wasn't motivated to travel for a race that was only about the bad guys. And not motivated to travel all the way to CA for a half marathon. So I'm excited to participate this year. I hope they keep the "Rival Run" theme going forward.

 

[Guidman]

Both, I certainly grew up with Star Wars before running but they're two of my main hobbies now. I probably run 6-8 races a year now. I was born right after the OT so I missed it but I grew up in the time when the Expanded Universe started to take off. A lot of those books really grew my love for Star Wars. I'll be honest, I didn't know about runDisney until I found out about the Star Wars races. Very glad now that I've discovered it and the community around it.

Happy to be coming back for a third-go-round.

 

[bphilb]

With Princess over we're next Star Wars fans! Trying to keep the excitement up, I'll throw a question to the crowd to try to get some action on this thread:
Are you doing a race during Star Wars weekend more because you're a Star Wars fan, or more because you're a general runDisney fan and don't really care about Star Wars, or because you love both running and Star Wars equally, or for some other reason? In other words, are you primarily a Star Wars fan who will run a race sometimes, or a runner who happens to have signed up for a Star Wars race?

For me it's both. I am definitely a runner, I run multiple half marathons a year, and have run a few marathons (all full marathons at Disney). But Star Wars was a HUGE part of my childhood. I was a kid when the original movies were released. I had all the action figures, and the Darth Vader head collectible holder for all said action figures. When Empire Strikes Back was released they had a guy in a Darth Vader suit at my local mall that you could get pictures with, like an evil Mall Santa. This was unprecedented for a movie release in the 1970s/80s. The hype was INSANE for that movie at that time. Of course I pestered my parents until they let me get the picture with Darth Vader. I never ran the Dark Side races because I wasn't motivated to travel for a race that was only about the bad guys. And not motivated to travel all the way to CA for a half marathon. So I'm excited to participate this year. I hope they keep the "Rival Run" theme going forward.

I'm running because it's runDisney. I enjoy Star Wars, but am far from a super fan. I know the series and the main characters but not a lot beyond that. I ran the Wind and Dine in November for my first ever half and got hooked. April was a good time frame for me to get back into shape and get to Disney for some spring sunshine. I am really looking forward to this though. I'm doing all 3 races and there seems to be some great photo ops and the Star Wars music is fantastic. It's getting close now.

 

[PrincessofAlderaan]

Both for me too! I’ve wanted to do a runDisney event since I first learned about the Princess weekend years ago, and I am a huge Star Wars fan. I completed c25k in 2016 and a runDisney race was one of my “someday” running goals.

We (my sister and I) finally chose to participate in this year’s Rival Run weekend because it’s also my birthday weekend! We’re both doing the 5k and I’m doing my first Half!

 

[baxter24]

Both for me as well! I have been a Star Wars fan since they re-released the original trilogy back in theaters in the 90s. I’ve wanted to do the Star Wars races since they first started but the timing never worked out until this year. Looking forward to something different. I’ve done marathon weekend and princess so looking forward to different courses and a Star Wars-centric atmosphere!

 

[Kazrak]

With Princess over we're next Star Wars fans! Trying to keep the excitement up, I'll throw a question to the crowd to try to get some action on this thread:
Are you doing a race during Star Wars weekend more because you're a Star Wars fan, or more because you're a general runDisney fan and don't really care about Star Wars, or because you love both running and Star Wars equally, or for some other reason? In other words, are you primarily a Star Wars fan who will run a race sometimes, or a runner who happens to have signed up for a Star Wars race?

I'm here because it's runDisney, although I am a big Star Wars fan. But I'm here more for the race than the Star Wars.

 

[aalvis]

Because it is runDisney and Star Wars! I have loved Star Wars since I can remember. I have been watching the movies during treadmill runs. I am getting super excited!

 

[maw]

I ran the first Darkside half - it was my first half! I totally ran this one because my husband said no more Disney trips for a few years, and I talked him into a running weekend just to get an extra trip. He's the big Star Wars fan although I enjoy it too.

I'm getting excited too!

And also, I am really stuck on costumes/shirts this year. I tend to wait until the last possible minute and was hoping not to do that this year!!

 

[RadekBonk]

It'll be our first Disney run, so that's the primary factor! We also saw the route the 2018 Star Wars run took and we think that's the best one for the half marathons that Disney offers. Fingers crossed it is the same in 2019!

 

[SheHulk]

It'll be our first Disney run, so that's the primary factor! We also saw the route the 2018 Star Wars run took and we think that's the best one for the half marathons that Disney offers. Fingers crossed it is the same in 2019!

I'm excited for the race route too. I've never run a half at Disney but just from looking at it yes I agree it does look the best. Definitely a factor for me in choosing which race to run this year.

 

[michigandergirl]

I also grew up with Star Wars and while I wouldn't say I'm a super fan, I've always enjoyed the movies and the characters. I've done Marathon Weekend twice and I've wanted to branch out and try other runDisney races, but the timing just never worked out until now. I run a lot of local races year round, but I love Disney races for many reasons - the biggest reason is the running costumes - so much fun to plan my own and I love to look at others creativity while running the races.

We leave in exactly 5 weeks!!!

 

[Kazrak]

I ran the first Darkside half - it was my first half! I totally ran this one because my husband said no more Disney trips for a few years, and I talked him into a running weekend just to get an extra trip. He's the big Star Wars fan although I enjoy it too.

Light Side Half was my first half. Dark Side was my second.

I really had a blast during the mini-trip for Dark Side; it's going to be a bigger production this time, since my wife and younger son are coming along to run the 5k, and I'm doing the Challenge instead of just the half. But, still looking forward to this.

 

[drummerwife]

The main reason for me is legacy status. While I like Star Wars I’m not a super fan. I loved going to the theatre to see the original Star Wars while I was in high school (yes, I’m that old) and the two sequels. I haven’t seen any of the new movies though so I’m horribly out of date.

 

[MissLiss279]

I’m also one of those who likes/enjoys Star Wars, but am not a super fan. I’m a fan of runDisney. Although, I would not call myself a super fan, I still have really enjoyed the last three years of the Dark Side races.