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Star Wars Half Marathon Weekend - The Dark Side
- Thread starter HolleBolleGijs
- Start date
Congrats on joining us crazy rD folks!
Book your resort, now. Your choices may be limited, it's a very popular race weekend. I'm DVC, so I stay at Boulder Ridge or Copper Creek.
Where you stay is going to depend on what's available and your preference. I would, though, stay away from the All Stars and Pop Century, mainly because they attract the large tour groups and are noisy, crowded zoos. The race will either start at MK or Epcot parking lots. Buses run from all Disney resorts to/from the Expo and to/from race start and finish. If a moderate is your preference, select either Port Orleans - no construction. Deluxe - any of the Epcot resorts or MK resorts. Avoid AKL just because it's so far away from everything but AK. Keep in mind you need to be on the bus from your resort to your race by 4:00am. And do not leave on Sunday, if you can. You want time to rest, recover, celebrate and walk around showing off your medal in the parks.
The Expo runs Thursday through Saturday afternoon. You need to attend the Expo to pick up your race bib, shirt and any pre-ordered merchandise. And the SW Expo is crazy, especially the merchandise areas. So if you didn't pre-order one of the bundles with race pin and magnet, I would. There may be none left by the time you arrive. I would consider arriving at WDW no later than Friday. The Expo closes at 3:00 pm on Saturday and if there's a delay in your arrival and you can't get to the Expo by then, you are SOL. You won't be allowed to run without your bib. And bibs won't be available at the race staging area.
Good luck! And we'll see you in April.
WOW, so much of information. Thank you very much. I am glad i found this forum. I am at final stage of raising money for Kai Jeremiah Foundation. They promised me they will get discounted resort deals, but they just got back to me saying they do not have any resort for this year. Which is so unfortunate. I was trying to weigh my pros and cons of not staying in resorts? and find myself airbnb around Disney, and book myself cab for early hours. still unsure... would anyone recommend that?
Also i was thinking to leave Sunday around 7pm to Miami, as i already booked my accommodation there. I do not have plans to visit parks. lets see, i do not want to spend too much $$ on resorts lol
RunningKoen
Well-Known Member
this is the main reason for this challenge. Maybe because they already have the medals ordered and decided to make some money out of it.
That's unfortunate about the hotel. Yes, people drive to the race starting areas and park. Not sure about taking a taxi and where you would be dropped off. With the road closures for the race, traffic is a nightmare. I'd make sure your taxi picked you up no later than 3:30 am to allow for plenty of time to get to the drop off point. And you may have quite a walk to security and the corrals. You want to have time to get through security, warm up, take a bathroom break before heading over to your corral. They want everyone in their corals by 5:00 am.
I assume you will take an Uber back to your resort from the race if not staying on property. By the time you finish the Half, Epcot may be open. Parking will be extremely limited. You will have to walk all the way over to the park entrance from the finish line area to get to the taxi/Uber drop off point - they won't let any transportation but the race buses to the staging areas. Is this your first runDisney race? I can understand wanting to hold down costs, but your going to have to pay for taxis/Uber to get to ESPN (where the Expo is held) and then the race Sunday morning. For a first timer, getting to the places you need to get to, on time, with all the road closures, can be overwhelming.
I think they knew after Tinkerbell that Super Heroes would be the last Anaheim race for awhile. They're not going to order medals until registrations close. Which certainly would have been long before that race.
RunningKoen
Well-Known Member
Ordered might not be the case. Planned and designed might be, as they did had the light side announced, and included kessel run info at both light and side side race pages.
I'm sure the Half medal was in final design, if not finished. And the Kessel just gets tweeked each year. The Millineum Falcon is the Millineum Falcon.
Yes it is my first runDisney race, i took First order challenge. So i am doing 10k and 21.1k. I agree about the back and forth and also the walks pre and post runs. That is why weighing all my options. I was also thinking to rent the car for the event, but i dont know if i want to take the hassle of driving on the race day, that might just add up the stress.
Are you just doing 21.1?
I saw you guys are talking about Kessel race. Are you doing that too. LOL i might sign up. I didnt even know there was such a thing before today.
I'm doing all 3 races, the 5k, 10k and Half (these two as the Challenge). And the Kessel. And using my Princess Half as my virtual half marathon for the Kessel.
If you don't want to deal with driving to the races, then I'd take taxis. Which may end up costing more than renting a car.
How are you going to get to Miami?
Greenlawler
Well-Known Member
Were tettering. my whole family might come out
Everything's still open but the 10k
Very interesting. Sorry i didnt follow when you say you are using Princess half as vitual for Kessel?
Oh really? I thought Cab might be cheaper, considering paying for parking, gas, and rental cost. I am from Canada, so i dont know how things work in US.
I am still figuring out, maybe fly there if i find a decent price flight for the same evening, i am also looking at the greyhound bus, and Super Tour bus, which picks you up from resort (would come handy if i end up booking resort) and will drop me very close to my airbnb in Miami. My other option was to drive there, if i end up renting, but not sure how it will work in Florida dropping car at a different location. Its insanely expensive if i were to do it in Canada :-/
RunningKoen
Well-Known Member
For the virtual Half, you'll have to enter a finishing time at a special site. You'll get a finisher certificate, as with the other races.
Some people use a already planned race of 13.1 M to 'double' as their virtual half. They'll enter the time of that race, and will have made the 13.1M for sure.
Do I have to have another race time :-/ because i have no other race planned before Disney half in April.
RunningKoen
Well-Known Member
No, you can use training aswell. Use combined trainings if you dont make the 13.1M in one time.
Don't use any training at all.
The virtual race needs no proof. It's trust based.
Figment82
Well-Known Member
If you end up driving, I can tell you that it’s not a stressful experience at all, and if it saves you money and logistics from taking a cab/Uber, I’d encourage you to do it. I’m a local and drive over the morning of the race. As long as you know how to get to Epcot (where I’m assuming parking will be as it’s always there), just follow the hoards in and park.
If the start is at the TTC/MK parking again, you just take a bus from Epcot to the start. There are thousands doing the same thing and plenty of CMs and volunteers to guide you. If you end up going the cab route, you can get dropped off right at the TTC (my wonderful husband serves as my Uber and kindly drops me off then goes home to take a nap
).
Hope this helps!
If the start is at the TTC/MK parking again, you just take a bus from Epcot to the start. There are thousands doing the same thing and plenty of CMs and volunteers to guide you. If you end up going the cab route, you can get dropped off right at the TTC (my wonderful husband serves as my Uber and kindly drops me off then goes home to take a nap
).Hope this helps!
Most resorts make you pay for parking, Disney doesn't. When you rent a car in the US, the gas tank is full. You have to return it with a full tank, otherwise you're charged to fill it, at a price per gallon the car rental company sets. Fill up the tank before you return the car. Some companies may charge a relocation fee if you return the car to a different location. I doubt that will happen for Miami - lots of travel between Orlando and Miami. But all this you can verify with the rental car agency. And yes, there will be taxes, but nothing near what you would pay in Canada. One other thing, US car rental companies won't rent to drivers under 25.
It's an easy drive from Orlando to Miami. You just take the Florida Turnpike. It's a toll road, so be prepared to stop and pay a couple of dollars each toll plaza.
@Figment82, does your "Uber" driver remember if they charged you to park at either Epcot or TTC for the races - or do they just wave you through?
Just make sure to complete and enter by the March 31st deadline.
Figment82
Well-Known Member
Nope, there’s no one in the toll booths at that hour. At the TTC, the drop off is where the charter buses pick up - it’s off to the right side as you approach the TTC from the parking lot/sort of behind lost and found. You have a slightly longish walk to the start (~.7 mile).