Official 2018 Star Wars Dark Side Weekend

Yes you can but it's a separate registration. You can also preorder assorted memorabilia for any of the races as well.

Congrats on your first race! We loved Star Wars Weekend!

Thanks for the warm welcome! How quickly do the challenges sell out, typically? Which resorts should we look at staying in for our trip? This'll be our first ever Disney experience and we are bringing our 4 kids.
 
Thanks for the warm welcome! How quickly do the challenges sell out, typically? Which resorts should we look at staying in for our trip? This'll be our first ever Disney experience and we are bringing our 4 kids.
Darkside challenge sold out around March 14th this year, every year and challenge varies on sell out so who knows for any given year.
Art of Animation suites may be a good option for you since the suites hold 6, but all resorts will have bus transportation to the start and back from the finish. For racing I personally don't think it matters where you stay, so look at resorts that will hold you all and appeal to you both in theme and cost and if you want one suite or 2 rooms.
 
I am still waiting for light side before registering for this. It will just be me for the race, so I'm trying to keep it cheap with a friends & family rate. Anyone know about transportation from Disney Springs?
 
Thanks for the warm welcome! How quickly do the challenges sell out, typically? Which resorts should we look at staying in for our trip? This'll be our first ever Disney experience and we are bringing our 4 kids.
For racing I personally don't think it matters where you stay, so look at resorts that will hold you all and appeal to you both in theme and cost and if you want one suite or 2 rooms.
@808momof4 I agree with @cavepig - location doesn't matter for races at WDW, as all resorts will offer race transportation. You'll either need a room that will sleep more than 4 (suites, DVC villas, Ft. Wilderness cabins), or two rooms. I think your best starting place is at disneyworld.com - take a look at the various options and see what might work for your family. You may also want to check out the DVC section of the Disboards and consider renting DVC points.

I am still waiting for light side before registering for this. It will just be me for the race, so I'm trying to keep it cheap with a friends & family rate. Anyone know about transportation from Disney Springs?
There isn't any official race transportation form Disney Springs. Some of the non-Disney hotels there might offer it, but you'll need to ask them to be sure, I don't think any have in the past. In that case, your options would be: walk to SSR and get a bus there, rent a car, taxi/Uber.
 


There isn't any official race transportation form Disney Springs. Some of the non-Disney hotels there might offer it, but you'll need to ask them to be sure, I don't think any have in the past. In that case, your options would be: walk to SSR and get a bus there, rent a car, taxi/Uber.

Sorry to butt in here, but since I'm still debating about doing the W&D challenge (& would likely stay @ a DS hotel), I'm super curious about this. This thought had crossed my mind as an option, but I assumed that it would be 1) highly frowned upon, 2)possibly not too safe to walk through the area at such an early hour, and/or 3) whether there is any DS security patrolling the area that would stop you.

Has anyone actually done this? If so, would you care to share details?

I greatly appreciate all the info that you all provide! :)
 
Sorry to butt in here, but since I'm still debating about doing the W&D challenge (& would likely stay @ a DS hotel), I'm super curious about this. This thought had crossed my mind as an option, but I assumed that it would be 1) highly frowned upon, 2)possibly not too safe to walk through the area at such an early hour, and/or 3) whether there is any DS security patrolling the area that would stop you.

Has anyone actually done this? If so, would you care to share details?

I greatly appreciate all the info that you all provide! :)
I can't answer this with any authority, as I've never done it. The giant drawback to me is that it could be a loooong walk, especially if your resort is at the far end of Hotel Plaza Blvd. There are sidewalks* and it's all designed with pedestrians in mind, but before a race? I wouldn't want to do it. (Google map below)
*Except that it's all designed for folks to get to D Springs, not SSR - going through the back entrance to SSR, you'd have no sidewalk and be walking in the road.
upload_2017-6-21_11-1-49.png
 


I can't answer this with any authority, as I've never done it. The giant drawback to me is that it could be a loooong walk, especially if your resort is at the far end of Hotel Plaza Blvd. There are sidewalks* and it's all designed with pedestrians in mind, but before a race? I wouldn't want to do it. (Google map below)
*Except that it's all designed for folks to get to D Springs, not SSR - going through the back entrance to SSR, you'd have no sidewalk and be walking in the road.
View attachment 246248

Thank you for the map!

Last time I stayed at the Wyndham, I took the boat over to POFQ to check out the property and noticed the walkway leading to SSR. I hadn't been to that section of DS before (since it's kind of tucked away), and didn't realize the SSR walkway was that close. I didn't have a chance to venture over to SSR to check out the property.

I wonder whether one would be able to cross over the pedestrian bridge onto the DS side and take the walkway to SSR, or is the area on the DS side somehow closed off and/or patrolled by security once everything closes for the night. But from your map/description, it sounds like you'd walk along the sidewalk (or road) of BV Dr until you got the SSR entrance?

Not that I would dare to try it. I'm a rule-follower and wouldn't have the guts to board a race bus at a resort if I weren't staying there.
 
I wonder whether one would be able to cross over the pedestrian bridge onto the DS side and take the walkway to SSR, or is the area on the DS side somehow closed off and/or patrolled by security once everything closes for the night. But from your map/description, it sounds like you'd walk along the sidewalk (or road) of BV Dr until you got the SSR entrance?
Yep, exactly - there's a sidewalk on the far side of Buena Vista, and a crossover to DS, but no sidewalk once you turn onto Broadway. And I'm 99% sure there's a gate closing the path between SSR and DS when DS is closed. I encountered that during a stay at SSR when I was running in the early morning. I think Uber or a taxi would be MUCH easier and faster!
 
Yep, exactly - there's a sidewalk on the far side of Buena Vista, and a crossover to DS, but no sidewalk once you turn onto Broadway. And I'm 99% sure there's a gate closing the path between SSR and DS when DS is closed. I encountered that during a stay at SSR when I was running in the early morning. I think Uber or a taxi would be MUCH easier and faster!

Gotcha :thumbsup2 Thank you!
 
I'm so on the fence about this. I reeeeeeeally want to sign up for the Challenge. I'm already running PHM in Feb with some girlfriends but they both think I'm crazy to want to do the Challenge in April :) I guess I'm having issues with 1. running/being there alone and 2. running the challenge. Eeek!
 
I'm so on the fence about this. I reeeeeeeally want to sign up for the Challenge. I'm already running PHM in Feb with some girlfriends but they both think I'm crazy to want to do the Challenge in April :) I guess I'm having issues with 1. running/being there alone and 2. running the challenge. Eeek!

I did the Challenge + 5K alone last year and it was a wonderful experience! I was less stressed than having to worry about what other people needed to be successful that day. I made and worked my plan at my own pace. I would do it again alone in a heartbeat if any of my peeps bails on me.
 
I'm so on the fence about this. I reeeeeeeally want to sign up for the Challenge. I'm already running PHM in Feb with some girlfriends but they both think I'm crazy to want to do the Challenge in April :) I guess I'm having issues with 1. running/being there alone and 2. running the challenge. Eeek!
I did the 5K + Challenge with friends at Princess and then again alone at Tink weekend. The Princess trip was really fun, but I wanted it to be a great experience for my friends (who were essentially first-timers), so I walked a LOT more than I should have and went to bed way later than I should have. Again, a really fun trip, but I was pretty wrecked after the half.

In contrast, I loved having a solo trip for Tink - got to do whatever rides I wanted, eat wherever I wanted, and I was 100% in control of the schedule - so I did less walking and went to bed early. There are definite perks! And I totally think the challenges are doable if you're well-trained, the toughest part is waking up so early multiple days in a row (for me, at least).
 
Last edited:
I did the Challenge + 5K alone last year and it was a wonderful experience! I was less stressed than having to worry about what other people needed to be successful that day. I made and worked my plan at my own pace. I would do it again alone in a heartbeat if any of my peeps bails on me.

I did the 5K + Challenge with friends at Princess and then again alone at Tink weekend. The Princess trip was really fun, but I wanted it to be a great experience for my friends (who were essentially first-timers), so I walked a LOT more than I should have and went to bed way later than I should have. It was a really fun trip, but I was pretty wrecked after the half.

In contrast, I loved having a solo trip for Tink - got to to whatever rides I wanted, eat wherever I wanted, and I was 100% in control of the schedule - so I did less walking and went to bed earlier. There are definite perks! And I totally think the challenges are doable if you're well-trained, the toughest part is waking up so earlier multiple days in a raw (for me, at least).

Thanks! :)
 
I did the 5K + Challenge with friends at Princess and then again alone at Tink weekend. The Princess trip was really fun, but I wanted it to be a great experience for my friends (who were essentially first-timers), so I walked a LOT more than I should have and went to bed way later than I should have. It was a really fun trip, but I was pretty wrecked after the half.

In contrast, I loved having a solo trip for Tink - got to to whatever rides I wanted, eat wherever I wanted, and I was 100% in control of the schedule - so I did less walking and went to bed earlier. There are definite perks! And I totally think the challenges are doable if you're well-trained, the toughest part is waking up so earlier multiple days in a raw (for me, at least).

I was hesitant to go to my first race weekend alone but wound up really enjoying it for all the reasons @Ariel484 mentions. It is a different experience going solo but very fun. I didn't feel the least bid odd or out of place touring the parks alone or going to the races alone. In fact even When I travel with my race pal we run our own races. I've only done a few 10ks with her and one with my son. All others I ran alone.
 

GET A DISNEY VACATION QUOTE

Dreams Unlimited Travel is committed to providing you with the very best vacation planning experience possible. Our Vacation Planners are experts and will share their honest advice to help you have a magical vacation.

Let us help you with your next Disney Vacation!





Top