Marathon Weekend 2024

[Z-Knight]

I really don’t want to be cynical but I had a long conversation with a cast member at DHS on Saturday - she was chatting with me because I was wearing last year’s marathon jacket. She worked checkout the morning the expo opened. She said it was insane - almost everyone at the start was checking out with 2 of every size of the Dopey jackets. She said that they were supposed to ask who they were for and of course, everyone had a story of friends or family. They were very strict about enforcing the max of 2 of each item but they know they are reselling . Some transactions were well over $1000 and her average transaction value for her shift was $750. $750 on average! With this type of demand I just don’t see Disney cracking down more than they are doing now (I know - I said I didn’t want to be cynical).

If runners could get the Merch they wanted, I wouldn’t care about resellers. I really think the only solution is to allow runners to pre-order the merch for any race they are registered for and there should be pictures. I know Disney wants to build suspense but all that does is hurt the people (runners) who are spending money on races, resorts, park tickets AND merch. Allow pre-orders and I think everyone would be happy. (And no bundles unless it’s optional and discounted!)

i agree...i will be sending that screenshot to runDisney and ask them to please do pre-orders and/or post-orders. Yeah they made their money during expo but they also left thousands on the table because so many people didn't get to buy and hence these resellers are cashing in huge. hell, i will send pics of the figment pin prices on ebay currently at $250 on multiple listings - that is crazy. At least those are set prices and not bids, but this jacket i screenshotted is based on bids - thats insane, a 900% markup and 2 days still left in th auction.

sigh - i hope they listen, but i fear they are so lazy that they won't. hell look at the coast-2-coast medal - pure laziness.

 

[Disneyhanna]

I really don’t want to be cynical but I had a long conversation with a cast member at DHS on Saturday - she was chatting with me because I was wearing last year’s marathon jacket. She worked checkout the morning the expo opened. She said it was insane - almost everyone at the start was checking out with 2 of every size of the Dopey jackets. She said that they were supposed to ask who they were for and of course, everyone had a story of friends or family. They were very strict about enforcing the max of 2 of each item but they know they are reselling . Some transactions were well over $1000 and her average transaction value for her shift was $750. $750 on average! With this type of demand I just don’t see Disney cracking down more than they are doing now (I know - I said I didn’t want to be cynical).

If runners could get the Merch they wanted, I wouldn’t care about resellers. I really think the only solution is to allow runners to pre-order the merch for any race they are registered for and there should be pictures. I know Disney wants to build suspense but all that does is hurt the people (runners) who are spending money on races, resorts, park tickets AND merch. Allow pre-orders and I think everyone would be happy. (And no bundles unless it’s optional and discounted!)

Wow, that is so horrible. I didn’t see anyone grabbing two when I got in for group 1, granted there weren’t many left but everyone seemed to just grab for themselves. Seems all the resellers are platinum. When I checked out pretty late (I wandered around over an hour) the CM was like wow you’re so lucky you found one! I was like yeah I was here at like 9:45 (and was in line before 9:10)!

 

[Tymeece]

I can not say it definitively. But either you registered really late (like when it randomly opened after POT submission cutoff) or something went wrong with your POT verification. Go to your registration profile on runDisney and take a screenshot of your submission of a POT on your account. If you do end up getting assigned in the last corral (likely if not a late registrant based on the bib number), then you'll need to pick up your bib and then go to runner's relations at the expo. Have the screenshot of a correctly submitted POT with you and very nicely request being moved to an appropriate corral. If runDisney finds the error was on their end, then they will move you up. However if there was an error in your submission somehow, then it gets iffy whether they'll be able to help you. Runner's relations can take a bit of time so plan on it taking a bit and stay kind as much as possible. Errors happen sometimes.

I was able to show proof of time at the expo and they moved me to the correct corral.

 

[StarGirl11]

Well getting home to Houston today is a nightmare. Flight keeps getting delayed over and over because of weather. My parents, who flew in from Sacramento, are headed home also and were flying through the smaller Houston airport. Their flight is also delayed several hours. They are missing their connection. Due to the college football championship in Houston today, no avails able flights tonight or tomorrow. So when we eventually get back to Houston, will have to pick them up and they have to stay with us until Wednesday, the first day they could get a flight back. Always a fun way to close out a Disney World trip. Lol.

Ooh I feel for your parents my Dad was flying back after driving all of my racing stuff out to prevent another airline damaging my chair into Hobby. And even coming east it was a mess. Flight landed 2 1/2 hour delay. Combine all of this mess and a nasty accident on I-10 (way home for us) and some of my own plans for last pieces of prep for DL got messed with.

Did get them done today thankfully.

Sorry they had to deal with that.

 

[The Expert]

Seems all the resellers are platinum.

I'm going to watch and document at DL. I'm pretty sure the TOS for Platinum state they can kick you out for buying to resell.

On my flight to SNA, and MCO was pretty empty this morning. The security line for pre check at 8am was showing 8-10 minutes.

 

[Mr_Incr3dible]

The DW and I are regulars for music bingo at a local bar and grill. We went last night and I’m in my Goofy shirt. One of the other regular groups is at a nearby table and one of the women walked by in a new Disney shirt. I was about to say I was just there when she spoke up and said she just did the Dopey, and is about to head to California for the DL races.
Very small world.

 

[dobball23]

I'm still in the post-Dopey depression, and will likely be there for a while. Marathon Weekend is the only race weekend I've done, so I have at least a year until I'm back for more. Here were some of my highlights from my fourth Dopey (2018, 2020, 2022, 2024) and fifth marathon (2023 standalone)...

• My wife and I live in PA, but we spent about three weeks in Florida for this trip. We drove to my parents' place in Fort Myers and I got 13 runs in there before heading to the Expo last Wednesday.
• My mom spent Marathon Weekend with us while my dad watched the dogs in Fort Myers.
• We rented DVC points and stayed at Old Key West for the first time. It was good for this non-parks trip, but the bus situation is not ideal should we stay there for a parks trip. Our room was towards the end of Miller's Road, a little bit of a distance from the Hospitality House when I was trying to save my legs.
• I don't run a lot of races, so I enjoy running fast at Disney and seeing the characters and entertainment as I pass vs. stopping.
• I have only run 5K and 10K races as part of Dopey. But I keep getting faster! I set PRs in both this weekend at the age of 43.
• It was great to meet many of you at Friday's meet-up at Hurricane Hannah's. My wife is better in social situations, so you'll all likely remember her more! Sorry I didn't make any pre-race meet-ups. I'm too anxious to get to my corral so I can be right at the front. (on that note, I didn't like the massive queuing up for the opening of the corrals this year)
• When I knew there was a possibility of the HM getting shortened or canceled, I knew I was going to run the "extra" miles. When I left my room on Saturday morning I knew I was going to run the extra miles. My plans changed while I was in the corral. I decided to run the 7+ miles a little bit faster vs. running the extra miles.
• I also set a PR in the marathon. I had never run every step in a marathon and I did this time! And mile 26 was my fifth-fastest mile of the entire race. The pouring rain even distracted me while running through the Blizzard Beach parking lot. Interestingly, I finished about 100 spots further back than last year, despite a faster time by about a minute.
• We ate at Olivia's, Sanaa, Hoop Dee Doo and Three Bridges. And we bought way too many Gideon's cookies to bring home with us.

I love the camaraderie of Marathon Weekend and all the conversations I had with fellow Guests, runners and cheerers. One of my favorite parts of the weekend was going back out to watch runners outside of Hollywood Studios after I was done with the marathon.

We drove home straight through Monday night into Tuesday morning, arriving ~5:30 a.m. I slept for about 90 minutes and then went to work. After the early wake-up calls and overnight driving, I'm not sure I'll actually know what time it is for another week.

Time to look forward to the next trip!

 

[Surferboy567]

Official numbers for marathon weekend are released and finishers certificate.

 

[PrincessV]

At risk of beating a dead horse, or at least sounding entirely too “we told you so!”… that scary weather yesterday? Is EXACTLY why the half was cut short. It was the same type of storm with the same potential to be awful or pass by relatively without issue. I was home yesterday watching the tornado warnings pop up over and over, and at one point radar showed two possible tornadoes at once, each less than a mile from my house. In the end, I never had more than some wind gusts and a short round of hard rain - but I was very glad to be sheltered.

 

[Surferboy567]

Something isn’t right with these official numbers. The 10K number isn’t right.

10K: 1 hr 23 I recorded

According to Disney: 2 hr 13

EDIT: It appears they used the clock time instead of net. Track shack has the correct numbers finishers certificate doesn’t.

 

[GreatLakes]

I really don’t want to be cynical but I had a long conversation with a cast member at DHS on Saturday - she was chatting with me because I was wearing last year’s marathon jacket. She worked checkout the morning the expo opened. She said it was insane - almost everyone at the start was checking out with 2 of every size of the Dopey jackets. She said that they were supposed to ask who they were for and of course, everyone had a story of friends or family. They were very strict about enforcing the max of 2 of each item but they know they are reselling . Some transactions were well over $1000 and her average transaction value for her shift was $750. $750 on average! With this type of demand I just don’t see Disney cracking down more than they are doing now (I know - I said I didn’t want to be cynical).

If runners could get the Merch they wanted, I wouldn’t care about resellers. I really think the only solution is to allow runners to pre-order the merch for any race they are registered for and there should be pictures. I know Disney wants to build suspense but all that does is hurt the people (runners) who are spending money on races, resorts, park tickets AND merch. Allow pre-orders and I think everyone would be happy. (And no bundles unless it’s optional and discounted!)

The solution for this is to allow blind pre-orders for registered runners only with the disclaimer you can't cancel it if you don't like it after it is released. That would allow for anyone to buy the jacket, distance specific I Did It shirts, cups, hats, whatever and not have to deal with the resellers and Disney could still make it a surprise.

This is a problem with a solution, RunDisney just doesn't care enough to implement one.

 

[fatmanatee]

Wow, that is so horrible. I didn’t see anyone grabbing two when I got in for group 1, granted there weren’t many left but everyone seemed to just grab for themselves. Seems all the resellers are platinum. When I checked out pretty late (I wandered around over an hour) the CM was like wow you’re so lucky you found one! I was like yeah I was here at like 9:45 (and was in line before 9:10)!

To add to the cynicism in this thread I think there’s an incentive with some Platinum members to resell to pay off the cost of the membership. It makes sense: pay the large fee so you can get the guaranteed registration and corral spot, and then it’s entirely possible that you can offset the registration for CrD AND your registration fees through reselling expo items. RD isnt helping by creating weak purchase limits.

 

[kps7795]

I really don’t want to be cynical but I had a long conversation with a cast member at DHS on Saturday - she was chatting with me because I was wearing last year’s marathon jacket. She worked checkout the morning the expo opened. She said it was insane - almost everyone at the start was checking out with 2 of every size of the Dopey jackets. She said that they were supposed to ask who they were for and of course, everyone had a story of friends or family. They were very strict about enforcing the max of 2 of each item but they know they are reselling . Some transactions were well over $1000 and her average transaction value for her shift was $750. $750 on average! With this type of demand I just don’t see Disney cracking down more than they are doing now (I know - I said I didn’t want to be cynical).

If runners could get the Merch they wanted, I wouldn’t care about resellers. I really think the only solution is to allow runners to pre-order the merch for any race they are registered for and there should be pictures. I know Disney wants to build suspense but all that does is hurt the people (runners) who are spending money on races, resorts, park tickets AND merch. Allow pre-orders and I think everyone would be happy. (And no bundles unless it’s optional and discounted!)

Have you sent an email to runDisney? I'm going to relay this conversation and ask that they have online ordering. If enough of us request online ordering, Disney might listen to us runners.

 

[Wendysofftoneverland]

Am I remembering correctly that the Jake from the Neverland Pirates photo stop was after the castle? I didn't get any castle photos and was hoping it was just that my bib number was partially blocked. I called Photopass support and they were searching the time frame I gave them of between Fantasyland and the Jake photo stop but they couldn't find anything Some people in front of me were throwing their hands out as they came through the castle but I was hoping I'd be in at least 1 castle photo.

 

[cburnett11]

Am I remembering correctly that the Jake from the Neverland Pirates photo stop was after the castle?

This is correct.

 

[jrsharp21]

This Disney trip just keeps on giving. Of the 8 people who were part of our party, 6 of us are sick in some form. Son has strep, wife has bronchitis, and I just tested positive for Covid. I am not bad at all, just a cough and some chest congestion. But you know what? Beside everything that happened over the trip, we had fun and already looking forward to MW 2025.

 

[marty3d]

This Disney trip just keeps on giving. Of the 8 people who were part of our party, 6 of us are sick in some form. Son has strep, wife has bronchitis, and I just tested positive for Covid. I am not bad at all, just a cough and some chest congestion. By you know what? Beside everything that happened over the trip, we had fun and already looking forward to MW 2025.

Hope you all feel better soon! Not the kind of souvenirs you want!

 

[cburnett11]

The whole marathon weekend trip was great. We stayed at OKW and did no parks this year. We mostly just ate, relaxed, and visited various resorts.... and did all the races.

Only real hiccup was our flight home. Was scheduled for 6:50pm departure from MCO last night and we left MCO at 2:49am this morning. A nice 8 hour delay to cap off the trip.

In hindsight, I should've just booked another night early yesterday and taken the first flight out this morning, but I wasn't overly confident the morning flight wouldn't be delayed and I certainly wasn't expecting more than 3-4 hours delay for our flight last night. I'm operating on 3 hours of sleep today, so I'm probably a bit giddy.

 

[nancipants]

Got a survey and this was one of the questions:

"How often during the race did you encounter unreasonable amounts of crowding or congestion?"

 

[garneska]

@camaker did you make it home?