Official 2018 Star Wars Dark Side Weekend

[TinkerBellLiz]

I'm a little nervous about how the courses might change. When my husband and I walked along the Boardwalk to Hollywood Studio Path - it was heavily boarded and more narrow than normal. You also have to go into former bus lanes in order to get back on the path. It will create problems.

It was like that for Wine and Dine 10k, only 4 or 5 could walk next to each other. Then there was the bottleneck of the full moon setting behind a Tower of Terror impromptu photo op right there too.....

 

[Dis_Yoda]

It was like that for Wine and Dine 10k, only 4 or 5 could walk next to each other. Then there was the bottleneck of the full moon setting behind a Tower of Terror impromptu photo op right there too.....

I did Wine & Dine 2017 (the 10K) as well. There is even more construction now than then.

 

[PrincessV]

I keep hearing horror stories from other race weekends about the expo and other things.... is wine and dine really that much smaller then marathon, princess and dark side?

Both W&D and DS are smaller than marathon or PHM weekends... at least they have been so far. The only craziness at expos is the first day, when you've got people needing bibs, etc. AND eBay shoppers all converging at the same time. I just went to the PHM expo on the afternoon of the second day and it was quiet and nearly empty.

Found it...the 2016 10K started in Epcot and within a couple of miles, the runners hit the pathway going from Epcot to Hollywood Studios.

Last year, rD started the 10K at the Transportation Ctr and it looks like the reversed the direction of running on the pathway (to the same direction as the marathon course).

I guess it worked out better in 2017...I haven't seen any negative reviews yet.

It did! The first year was so bad, between the course and ending at WWOS, I was hesitant to register again, despite being an avid Star Wars fan. Last year was 100% better on all counts: the courses were fantastic, parking was easy, entertainment was amazing. Two thumbs way, way up!!

I'm a little nervous about how the courses might change. When my husband and I walked along the Boardwalk to Hollywood Studio Path - it was heavily boarded and more narrow than normal. You also have to go into former bus lanes in order to get back on the path. It will create problems.

That was under construction for the marathon, too, and it was fine. It's always tight and slow through there, but I didn't find it any worse than other races when there was no construction.

 

[FlashAM7]

It did! The first year was so bad, between the course and ending at WWOS, I was hesitant to register again, despite being an avid Star Wars fan. Last year was 100% better on all counts: the courses were fantastic, parking was easy, entertainment was amazing. Two thumbs way, way up!!

I just went down a wormhole of googling the 2016 Dark Side course map and other course maps lol. With my first Run Disney race being the 2017 Dark Side 5k, it's hard to imagine finishing anywhere other than Epcot.

I also just saw there was a Tower of Terror 10 miler?! I wish I would have been into running when that was going on.

 

[Bree]

The TOT 10 miler was on my bucket list then they ended it

I keep hoping that they’ll bring it back after all the park construction is done. Probably just wishful thinking though.

 

[PrincessV]

I also just saw there was a Tower of Terror 10 miler?! I wish I would have been into running when that was going on.

The TOT 10 miler was on my bucket list then they ended it

I keep hoping that they’ll bring it back after all the park construction is done. Probably just wishful thinking though.

I did TOT 10 all three years it was around... it was pure hell and I swore off any more before they canceled it, lol! Late Sept/early Oct. here in FL is still summer and the heat was brutal. One year a freak cold front blew through mid-race: that was the only pleasant one. I also determined that I am not a night race person, so I'm sure that factored in to my experience, too.

 

[MickeyMinnieMom]

The TOT 10 miler was on my bucket list then they ended it

I keep hoping that they’ll bring it back after all the park construction is done. Probably just wishful thinking though.

It was my first rD event and we LOVED IT!!! I would do it again in a heartbeat if it came back. It was insanely humid and pretty hot... even for the 5K that same morning which we did as well. Even with that, LOVED IT!!

And I would personally take hot and humid over wind chill warnings like we experienced one WDW Marathon weekend -- never again -- not chancing that extreme cold. I left Quebec for a reason!!

 

[disneymath]

Have never been to WDW in spring ... what should we expect weather wise for the SW5K? (For comparison, past trips have typically been in August.)

 

[PrincessV]

Have never been to WDW in spring ... what should we expect weather wise for the SW5K? (For comparison, past trips have typically been in August.)

Warm, hot even, but not quite like August. The nights still cool down some in April, but the sun is strong and humidity can be high. As you look as forecasts near race time, look at the low for the day before: that will be your start time temp.

 

[Sleepless Knight]

Have never been to WDW in spring ... what should we expect weather wise for the SW5K? (For comparison, past trips have typically been in August.)

Last year, they warned us that the weather the day of the Half would be warm and to drink lots of water and slow down. But that was about it. While it was certainly warm, it was nowhere near as bad as I expected.

That said, this race is why I always recommend a runner bring their own water/powerade/gatorade, et all. I've heard people say you don't need to bring your own water to a runDisney event because they always have plenty. Well, last year the first water/powerade stop was completely emptied out when I got there. Maybe my timing was perfectly wrong and they restocked after I went by, but they were out. Since I had my own, I wasn't worried. The rest of the stops did have plenty of water/powerade, but don't take any chances.

And when the temps in the afternoon hit high 90s later that week, I didn't complain. I was glad that those temps did not hit during race weekend.

 

[Bree]

I did TOT 10 all three years it was around... it was pure hell and I swore off any more before they canceled it, lol! Late Sept/early Oct. here in FL is still summer and the heat was brutal. One year a freak cold front blew through mid-race: that was the only pleasant one. I also determined that I am not a night race person, so I'm sure that factored in to my experience, too.

I live in central FL. I've never done a night race and I wish Disney would bring one back!

Have never been to WDW in spring ... what should we expect weather wise for the SW5K? (For comparison, past trips have typically been in August.)

It will be hot and humid. At least the race starts early at 5:30am!

Last year, they warned us that the weather the day of the Half would be warm and to drink lots of water and slow down. But that was about it. While it was certainly warm, it was nowhere near as bad as I expected.

That said, this race is why I always recommend a runner bring their own water/powerade/gatorade, et all. I've heard people say you don't need to bring your own water to a runDisney event because they always have plenty. Well, last year the first water/powerade stop was completely emptied out when I got there. Maybe my timing was perfectly wrong and they restocked after I went by, but they were out. Since I had my own, I wasn't worried. The rest of the stops did have plenty of water/powerade, but don't take any chances.

And when the temps in the afternoon hit high 90s later that week, I didn't complain. I was glad that those temps did not hit during race weekend.

I brought my own hydration during PHM a few days ago. I didn't in 2017 and regretted it. I need way more to drink than what they handed out on the course.

 

[cavepig]

Have never been to WDW in spring ... what should we expect weather wise for the SW5K? (For comparison, past trips have typically been in August.)

It was very humid to me last year. I wasn't ready for it coming from low humidty Spring weather in Nebraska. So, each race I was a sweatball instantly with the thicker air. Temps weren't insane though, it was warm but not Hot to me. Just very humid.

 

[KAT4DISNEY]

I thought last year was pretty comfortable and low humidity! Lol. Significantly better than 2016. And a little cooler than the previous year but that still meant low to mid 60s at the start.

 

[sunshine girl]

I also just saw there was a Tower of Terror 10 miler?! I wish I would have been into running when that was going on.

And it used to be the Tower of Terror 13K, before it switched to a 10-miler! ... I did both the first ToT 13K, and the last ToT 10 miler. I love the ToT medals.

 

[FlashAM7]

And it used to be the Tower of Terror 13K, before it switched to a 10-miler! ... I did both the first ToT 13K, and the last ToT 10 miler. I love the ToT medals.

Ugh Tower of Terror is my favorite ride. I wish I could have run.

 

[Sleepless Knight]

The menu and pictures of some menu items from the special food offerings for the Flower and Garden Festival

http://www.wdwinfo.com/disney-world/epcot/flower-garden-festival.htm#dining

I'm going to really enjoy this after the Half!

 

[disneymath]

Thanks everyone for the weather input ... there is a significant chance it will still be winter (snow on the ground etc.) in my neck of the woods well into April, so will definitely need to mentally prepare for the Florida humidity!

Thanks also for the bring your own hydration tip.

 

[kydisneyfans]

Definitely was humid last year.

At MM 11, I wasn't sure if I was even going to make it to the end, but had been on personal best pace. Slowed way down and maximized drink stops. Went to the medical tent at the end of the race and iced down pretty good. Felt much better.
I also carry water with me, you never know when you will need it in the middle of nowhere.

 

[PrincessV]

Speaking as a Floridian who runs all summer, the #1 thing you can do to manage running in heat is to SLOW DOWN! Really. Hydration is important, wearing light clothes is great, pouring water over your head is helpful, but slowing down to whatever pace feels comfortable and not caring what numerical value that might be is how I survive long runs when it's 95* and 100% humidity.

 

[camaker]

Speaking as a Floridian who runs all summer, the #1 thing you can do to manage running in heat is to SLOW DOWN! Really. Hydration is important, wearing light clothes is great, pouring water over your head is helpful, but slowing down to whatever pace feels comfortable and not caring what numerical value that might be is how I survive long runs when it's 95* and 100% humidity.

Slowing down is definitely the key training, racing and surviving in heat and humidity. @DopeyBadger has a spreadsheet showing how much to slow down based on the heat and humidity (temperature & dew point). Let me see if I can summon him to this thread to post it...

@DopeyBadger
@DopeyBadger
@DopeyBadger