Will you or did you register for the runDisney Star Wars Half Marathon Weekend today? Did you take advantage of the early AP and DVC registration opportunity? Will this runDisney event sell out yet another famous race?
Like the Avengers race that recently opened up for registration and sold out in record time (less than 2 hours), I believe this race is going to sell out even faster. This has been the race everyone has been waiting for; however, there are more complications involved with the logistics of it.
First of all, it is the weekend following the marathon weekend. If runners are participating in the Dopey challenge, 4 races in 4 days, they will then have to fly to Anaheim prior to Friday to pick up their race packets to participate in the 5K beginning on Friday. It also means 3 more early wake up calls for the races. If you live on the East Coast that shouldn’t be too hard, but your body is recovering from Dopey.
Second, you will be eating up a lot of your vacation time in January if you are doing Dopey then Star Wars. For Dopey, you have to be in Florida by Wednesday to pick up your race packets and run the first race, the 5K on Thursday. The races end Sunday so if possible, you could fly home for a few days then turn around and head to California for Thursday.
Third, you’ll be spending more money on airfare and hotel and food. These are the consequences for registering for these races!
Fourth, Disney did add another challenge to the mix a month ago when they announced the Castaway Cay Challenge. This is the cruise that leaves the day after Marathon Weekend and sails for 4 days, arriving pack to port on Friday. You can still hop a flight to California for Star Wars, but you will miss the 5K. This is also an additional pricey race to add to your list within the first month of 2015. The price for the Castaway Cay Challenge is $65 but that’s the race only. You still have the $1000+ cost of the cruise.
There are some positives about all of this. If you are addicted to the bling, then you will go home with 5 medals if you participate in the Star Wars Challenge after marathon weekend because you will have the 5K, 10K, half marathon, Star Wars Challenge AND a coast to coast medal.
Is it worth it? It would be to me, but I really can’t fork out the cash for another race registration and travel expenses. runDisney marathon weekend is becoming the largest race weekend event in the country, and it does bring in economic activity to the area. The same is also true when adding a race weekend event to California. That is a positive impact of these races for the surrounding areas. But given the time of year and the costs associated with all of the races, I just can’t do them all.
I was a fan of Star Wars when I was young, but my kids aren’t into it yet. So even though I am not registering this year, it may be something that I’d show interest in the future. It also depends on if it will be back in the East Coast or if it will remain in Disneyland. For those of you registering today, may the force be with you!
Feel the same way 🙂