Packet Pick Up at Resort

[40-Something Kid]

My DDIL is running the Fairy Tale Challenge February 2018. She is in medical school in Erie, PA. There is no way she can get to Florida until late Friday night because of a scheduled exam. She will not be able to get her bib at the Expo for the 10K race. She and the rest of our party are staying at the Boardwalk Inn in a race package.

I heard there may be a way to get her bib sent to the resort. Has anyone done this? How do you do it?

 

[rteetz]

They did it as a test during dark side I believe. RunDisney no longer offers this and the only way to get your bib is at the expo.

It’s not recommended but runDisney will usually have emergency pick up at the race before it starts.

 

[bumbershoot]

They haven’t mentioned resort pickup.

Her only chance is to pick the bib up the morning of. Don’t bother contacting them about it. They will give you a very frustrating answer.

All she can do is show up EARLY, all ready and with her ID and printed signed waiver, and hope that the tent for Runner Relations will be there and have the bib(s). (I can’t remember if they had just the one bib for the challenge or two separate)

Then she’ll need to go to the expo later that same day (they will not be open at all on the day of the Half) to get her shirts. The schedule shows that they are only open until 3:30pm on Saturday, so she’ll want to schedule that early after the 10k.

 

[VAfamily1998]

I wish they would make it a permanent thing to have bibs/race packets sent to the resort. I would absolutely pay a fee for that. I have no interest in buying merchandise at the expo and it would really be a great convenience to not have to take several hours out of the middle of my day to go there and face the crowds.

 

[bumbershoot]

Alas, the vendors pay a significant amount to be at the expo, and want the chance of getting your money. Having the resort pickup bypasses the vendors and diminishes the value for the vendors to sign up.

 

[GreatLakes]

Alas, the vendors pay a significant amount to be at the expo, and want the chance of getting your money. Having the resort pickup bypasses the vendors and diminishes the value for the vendors to sign up.

And above is the reason why very few big races offer a way to bypass the expo.

Does Disney not allow for a third party to pick up your race packet any longer? I've never had to look that deeply into it but I thought in the past a signed release and copy of the ID of the person you were picking up for was all you need. If that is the case then a member of her party could get down early and get her packet.

 

[FFigawi]

And above is the reason why very few big races offer a way to bypass the expo.

Does Disney not allow for a third party to pick up your race packet any longer? I've never had to look that deeply into it but I thought in the past a signed release and copy of the ID of the person you were picking up for was all you need. If that is the case then a member of her party could get down early and get her packet.

They haven't allowed this in several years. If people keep using the morning emergency bib pickup for non-emergencies, that service won't be around much longer either.

 

[Keels]

They haven't allowed this in several years. If people keep using the morning emergency bib pickup for non-emergencies, that service won't be around much longer either.

For real.

 

[Ariel484]

For real.

I just did, like, a triple-take at your new avatar. My brain cannot handle it when people change avatars.

 

[Keels]

I just did, like, a triple-take at your new avatar. My brain cannot handle it when people change avatars.

 

[Ariel484]

It’ll be okay. We’ll all be okay.

 

[afan]

Alas, the vendors pay a significant amount to be at the expo, and want the chance of getting your money. Having the resort pickup bypasses the vendors and diminishes the value for the vendors to sign up.

True but I happily paid 14 something to have my hot chocolate run stuff mailed to me instead of having to go to the expo at Seattle Center on a Saturday and pay to park.

 

[dburg30]

True but I happily paid 14 something to have my hot chocolate run stuff mailed to me instead of having to go to the expo at Seattle Center on a Saturday and pay to park.

And that helped the vendors in no way, shape, or form, all it did was give the race more $$

 

[afan]

And that helped the vendors in no way, shape, or form, all it did was give the race more $$

The race makes money off the vendors and having an expo by charging for spaces. I wouldn't look or spend money at the expo anyway. The only thing I bought at wine & dine was race merch. We looked at some of it but it's not stuff we need, are interested in or wanted to spend the time with the crowd.

I don't see why it matters so much, the people that would use something like hot chocolate does or resort pick up are probably people with travel issues or that wouldn't spend money at the expo anyway. For what we pay to do some of these races it should be about options and convenience for the runner, not supporting the vendors at the expo.

 

[camaker]

The race makes money off the vendors and having an expo by charging for spaces. I wouldn't look or spend money at the expo anyway. The only thing I bought at wine & dine was race merch. We looked at some of it but it's not stuff we need, are interested in or wanted to spend the time with the crowd.

I don't see why it matters so much, the people that would use something like hot chocolate does or resort pick up are probably people with travel issues or that wouldn't spend money at the expo anyway. For what we pay to do some of these races it should be about options and convenience for the runner, not supporting the vendors at the expo.

It's a vicious circle, though. If the vendors don't have the runners coming through and making impulse (or necessary) purchases or the race can't guarantee them "x" racers coming to the Expo, vendors will stop paying the race for Expo tables. The race then has to raise prices to account for the lost income resulting higher prices for all runners.

 

[GreatLakes]

I've done the Hot Chocolate races, they have a very small expo. The bigger the expo the less likely it is that there will be a way to avoid it. It is just one of the truisms of running races in my experience.

 

[afan]

I've done the Hot Chocolate races, they have a very small expo. The bigger the expo the less likely it is that there will be a way to avoid it. It is just one of the truisms of running races in my experience.

I imagine the reason for that has to do with race side. If they have to pay for a big location to handle packet pickup then why not have an expo so the vendors/sponsors are paying for that space instead. Most races I've done have pickup at a running store and then booths after the finish line for sponsors etc. But you can't do that with thousands of runners.