And if so what did they do with the medals and fees? I’m hoping there’s no need to cancel the SW races in April but am curious what Disney would do if they were cancelled due to the virus.
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Has a race ever been cancelled in advance?
- Thread starter durangojim
- Start date
The half marathon & kids races during the 2017 Marathon weekend were cancelled, due to weather. @dreamfinder, did they award medals? Did registered runners have to pick them up or did runDisney mail them? Did you get a refund?
Figment82
Well-Known Member
You had the choice of a deferral to another race within the next year, a refund of the entry fees onto a gift card, or you could have switched to the full marathon. They awarded medals - I picked up mine in person at the expo that afternoon since I’m local, and ran the 13.1 miles in my neighborhood that morning after the storms rolled through. I do believe they mailed them if you were not able to make it to the expo.
dreamfinder
Well-Known Member
This would be a different beast than when they have cancelled before. The 2017 Half Marathon cancellation was a night before thing due to incoming massive storms. I suspect they would do refunds, but probably only if the resort itself closes. I don't imagine they would cancel the races if the parks are still open.
As @Figment82 said, there were a few options. Yes, you could still get the medal. Those of us running Dopey or Goofy were given the medal when we finished the full. You could do the transfer to the full, I seem to recall them actually having more people take them up on that than they could accommodate and had to cut people off. Pretty gutsy to make the jump from a half to a full with only 24 hrs notice, but people did it.
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Simba’s Mom
Active Member
They awarded medals? We were there and DH was signed up for the half marathon. He thought Disney really treated the runners VERY well. He said that when he went over to pick up his gift card, they even had a wide variety of characters there. That way, people hoping to get their picture taken with the characters during the race, even though the race was cancelled, they could still get their picture taken. But he never mentioned a medal. Maybe it was a different line-he did say that CMs announced that if you just wanted the gift card, they could do it and you wouldn't have to stand in line. Guess he took his gift card and left.
Rteetz
Well-Known Member
Yes runners were able to go to ESPN WWoS on Saturday to get their medal and Dopey or Goofy runners got their half medals on Sunday after the Full.
What was really crazy and a total disregard for safety is that some of the registered runners still ran on WDW property even with the hazardous weather.
Rteetz
Well-Known Member
There were tons that did and most did it after the weather had passed so not really a disregard.
Is Disney liable for them getting hit by lightning since they ventured in their own to run at the same time the race was cancelled?
Rteetz
Well-Known Member
I would think not and not everyone went out at the same time as the race. I know many who went later in the morning.
None at all. Disney's not liable for people stupid enough to got out in a severe storm. Plus, it would be waiving around the waivers each runner signed accepting liability.
Rteetz
Well-Known Member
I would like to note that the storm wasn't of the same severity across the entire property.
It came through us up here in NW FL earlier. Tornado warnings.
Rteetz
Well-Known Member
Not to downplay it, yes runDisney made the absolute right call but some people complained about the cancellation after the fact because they did experience much more than some rain. I know for myself I don't recall any tornado warnings at Saratoga Springs.
Simba’s Mom
Active Member
Yes, I remember some of them running past our balcony. In all honesty, I felt very bad for those who’d signed up, then trained for the Dopey, only to have 1/4th of it canceled. They really wanted to EARN that medal. There were people who stood on corners with water, applauding the runners, etc. I guess the word just got around via social media. But doing 13.1 miles on a treadmill would have been safer.
And I’m officially blind, I guess. When I asked DH about the medal, he gave me a dirty look and said “It’s hanging right there with the others”.
Swissmiss
Premium Member
From what I recall reading at the time, the decision to cancel the race had to factor in the safety of the volunteers and race staff setting up the race - and that the weather conditions were too dangerous to allow the race set up to occur. I seem to remember reading that by morning, the dangerous conditions had passed so that those that chose to run around parking lots had bad weather but not dangerous weather. But perhaps someone who was there (I was not) could confirm if what I recall reading was true.
dreamfinder
Well-Known Member
At the point most of them were out running it was fine. We actually had to take our DS to urgent care the night before, so not having to wake up at 3 after being out late with that worked out well. But between being out late, and then him not sleeping well, I recall being up around 2,4 and 6, and at 2 & 4 it was really nasty, lightening and such, and was clearing out by 6. It wasn't safe for runners & volunteers to be staging pre race start, but most of the time the actual race would have been held it wasn't that bad.
Brian White
New Member
I'm wondering this too. If they cancel the Rival Run would they just move our registration to 2021.
I'm ok with that as long as they still send out the medals. My wife and I really want the Ahsoka medals!
Brian White
New Member
Me too. Perhaps they'll just move "everything" to next year. Medals and all.