runDisney Travel Provider ??

[DznyGrlSD]

Completely new to runDisney events...

I'm tossing around the idea of going for the Wine/Dine 5k & 10k in 2017. I'm on the rundisney page and they're talking about a runDisney Travel Provider - what is that? who is it? do you get anything special through them that you wouldn't through your usual travel agent?

 

[Greenlawler]

Well we use one for the DL races but they no longer work with the WDW races.

We have used Get Sports

Back when the races were harder to get into, the biggest thing we got was inside track on registrations and Disney hotel reservations. Discounted park tickets and every once in awhile another perk or two but it depends on the year. One year we got a free ticket, one year nice travel bags, other years we got tickets to the pasta party for free, or got a discounted entry to another party, etc...

Our usual travel agent cannot match the discounts that our DL travel provider can get. Travel providers can offer runDisney discounts on a grander scale. Not on the race registrations but in sheer amounts of rooms and hotels.

 

[dreamfinder]

The travel providers basically agree to buy a block of rooms, and then get a set number of bibs to go with those rooms. Sometimes the prices on the rooms are pretty good as they don't want to be stuck with unsold rooms that they need to pay for. But other times the prices are rack rate. Kind of like if a wedding/convention offers rooms at at certain hotel in conjunction with their event. They may be heavily discounted, or they may be rack rate. You may get a small trinket from working with one of the travel providers, but its usually about getting the guaranteed bib. As @Greenlawler said, it's not as important as it had been, but if a given race sells out quickly, it's another option to get a bib.

I'd suggest looking at what some of the travel providers are offering for the upcoming races, and see how it compares to if you did it youself.