Star Wars Half Marathon Weekend 2021 (April 15-18, 2021) - Now Virtual Only

[ars0525]

Gasparilla is happening live in Feb (same weekend Princess would of been) as of now so take that at face value

I signed up for that back the end of June hopeful it would happen. Got friends doing the Ironman in Panama City in 2 weeks.

 

[Z-Knight]

i read a story that the Boston marathon will be making a 2021 decision in the next few weeks... i guess not surprising. I'm guessing that decision will have a huge impact on Star Wars... especially if they decide to postpone again.

 

[rteetz]

i read a story that the Boston marathon will be making a 2021 decision in the next few weeks... i guess not surprising. I'm guessing that decision will have a huge impact on Star Wars... especially if they decide to postpone again.

Size wise Boston and Star Wars are a bit different. Postponement or cancellation of it won’t help but I don’t think it’s a major factor. Track shack is working live races. Albeit smaller ones.

 

[Z-Knight]

Size wise Boston and Star Wars are a bit different. Postponement or cancellation of it won’t help but I don’t think it’s a major factor. Track shack is working live races. Albeit smaller ones.

my guess was not about size, but mostly about perception... like we guessed before that Disney would not want to be first for a race. and they would easily use Boston as an excuse if they could

 

[rteetz]

my guess was not about size, but mostly about perception... like we guessed before that Disney would not want to be first for a race. and they would easily use Boston as an excuse if they could

I think a lot of watching will be had with Space Coast.

 

[Novatrix]

I think a lot of watching will be had with Space Coast.

If Space Coast, or indeed Florida's policies on running races, was what Disney was watching, Marathon Weekend would've been a go.

Honestly, I get the impression Disney is looking less at what other races are doing and more at the optics of running large, group events until either the media stops running Covid-19 news on the 24/7 news cycle or a vaccine is available.*

*Note: If Disney offered these races right now, with similar set-up to Space Coast, I would run them. In fact, I will be running Space Coast despite needing to quarantine after returning to my state. I just don't think Disney's management wants to take on any negative, unsafe imagery while still trying to petition California to reopen Disneyland prior to tier 4.

 

[rteetz]

If Space Coast, or indeed Florida's policies on running races, was what Disney was watching, Marathon Weekend would've been a go.

Honestly, I get the impression Disney is looking less at what other races are doing and more at the optics of running large, group events until either the media stops running Covid-19 news on the 24/7 news cycle or a vaccine is available.*

*Note: If Disney offered these races right now, with similar set-up to Space Coast, I would run them. In fact, I will be running Space Coast despite needing to quarantine after returning to my state. I just don't think Disney's management wants to take on any negative, unsafe imagery while still trying to petition California to reopen Disneyland prior to tier 4.

Yes and no. Space Coast is far too close to make that decision. I’m not saying it’s the sole decision either. I’m sure they are watching though. Disney is definitely looking at optics and everything surrounding the virus.

I would run them as well and I think they could do it too but it certainly wouldn’t look good overall.

 

[PrincessV]

FL races in general seem to be "full" speed ahead (with limited capacity and COVID safety protocols in place.) Gasparilla, one of FL's biggest race weekends, is still planning to go forward with live races, though it will go virtual if things go back into shutdowns. That's usually the same weekend as PHM, so late-ish Feb. Clearwater Running Festival is still planning to hold live races in late Jan. Space Coast, Publix FL Marathon... I'm seeing FAR more races planning to carry on than cancel. Disney is actually the outlier at this point... but all of the races near me are also issuing the caveat that they may have to cancel last-minute, which I think is something WDW absolutely does not want to deal with.

 

[huskies90]

FL races in general seem to be "full" speed ahead (with limited capacity and COVID safety protocols in place.) Gasparilla, one of FL's biggest race weekends, is still planning to go forward with live races, though it will go virtual if things go back into shutdowns. That's usually the same weekend as PHM, so late-ish Feb. Clearwater Running Festival is still planning to hold live races in late Jan. Space Coast, Publix FL Marathon... I'm seeing FAR more races planning to carry on than cancel. Disney is actually the outlier at this point... but all of the races near me are also issuing the caveat that they may have to cancel last-minute, which I think is something WDW absolutely does not want to deal with.

I totally agree. As long as there are Covid precautions/restrictions and a chance things could cancel, Disney will continue to hold races virtually. At this point, we can't really compare them to other FL races like Space Coast. For Disney, there is too much risk that any negative effect from a large race gathering could impact current operations.

My guess is Boston will kick the can down the road until the Fall again like last year. With all the uncertainty in the current landscape, I don't see them committing to April.

 

[rteetz]

I totally agree. As long as there are Covid precautions/restrictions and a chance things could cancel, Disney will continue to hold races virtually. At this point, we can't really compare them to other FL races like Space Coast. For Disney, there is too much risk that any negative effect from a large race gathering could impact current operations.

My guess is Boston will kick the can down the road until the Fall again like last year. With all the uncertainty in the current landscape, I don't see them committing to April.

Per a few sources Disney was set for MW but made a quick change. Sponsors and medical teams were being prepared prior to the announcement. I truly think they could pull it off. Will they want too is the biggest question.

 

[OlieRow]

Per a few sources Disney was set for MW but made a quick change. Sponsors and medical teams were being prepared prior to the announcement. I truly think they could pull it off. Will they want too is the biggest question.

I hope that's the case!


I think what doomed MW was the uncertainty about how numbers will look after everyone gathers for various holiday events from Thanksgiving to New Years. At least around here, people have major quarantine fatigue and I predict many people won't make many changes to their family's usual traditions. Disney would face so much backlash if they either canceled last minute or went on with a race as cases are surging.

 

[sandam1]

I just set things out on the calendar and Jeff Galloway's challenge plan starts the week of Christmas. I just thought you'd like to know that.

 

[Z-Knight]

well... not good. Boston marathon just got postponed to no earlier than fall 2021

hoping this is mostly because people can't qualify for it right now... which is not same issue for star wars

 

[huskies90]

My guess is Boston will kick the can down the road until the Fall again like last year. With all the uncertainty in the current landscape, I don't see them committing to April.

well... not good. Boston marathon just got postponed to no earlier than fall 2021

Obviously, I am not surprised.

 

[pixarfan24]

More spots opened for Half Marathon & Rival Run Challenge w/Kessel, and of course the Kessel Challenge was had never sold out. I even clicked on the button to see if it would actually let me register and I could fill out my info. and everything.

 

[jpakstis]

well... not good. Boston marathon just got postponed to no earlier than fall 2021

hoping this is mostly because people can't qualify for it right now... which is not same issue for star wars

I think another big factor are the crowds. I don't know how many people on this thread have either run or spectated the Boston marathon, but the crowds, especially from Brookline to the finish line are immense. That's 5 miles of fans at a minimum 4-5 people deep packed next to each other. There are also large pockets of fans in areas all over the course (the start line, Framingham, Wellesley College, BC, especially) where the crowds get large as well. And there is no absolutely no way to enforce any social distancing/mask wearing, etc. I work with MA State Police troopers who have to work the race course and its just about impossible to police those crowds until maybe the last stretch down Boylston St. But even then that's when the crowds are at their highest.

The estimates are that the marathon draws around 500,000 spectators. Most of those people hang around all day and come from all over the country, even various parts of the world. And there are no "gateways" or entrances so its not like the state can enforce some sort of limits on crowds.

 

[Wendysofftoneverland]

Without getting too deep into the science weeds, everything I've seen from the experts says that availability of a vaccine is not going to make everything back to "normal" for a long time. My understanding is that it would take at least a year after a safe, effective vaccine is rolled out before we approach a point of mostly safe to resume pre-COVID activities, and masks + social distancing aren't going anywhere for a while. And even that assumes enough people get the vaccine to make it happen. I am, admittedly, something of a cynic, and if I'm logical about it, I'm not at all sure this race happens. But I'm an oddly hopeful cynic, so I'm not ruling it out, either! I actually think rD could hold a race pretty safely right now - but I also don't think they will because of the optics. How do you tell Guests they can't be ANYWHERE outside their rooms without a mask, but allow 5,000, 10,000 runners to not wear them and not have that look bad? Perception is everything right now... later? IDK.

I keep seeing people comment that they think masks will be required at Disney through the spring, which I wonder if it means the Star Wars race weekend will be cancelled. You have a point about resort rules. If you can't drive a golf cart or take a walk by yourself at Fort Wilderness without a mask, how could thousands of runners be maskless? Unless a mask is required to run.

Just curious when they would make the call to change it to virtual. Wondering if I should make some backup reservations for September to use my park tickets before they expire.

 

[1lilspark]

I’m guessing they will call it by the end of the month
FWIW a good 2/3 of the runners on the AOA/POP running path last Saturday had their masks in hand or pulled down unless they were passing the skyliner station or a cm (us included)

 

[fatmanatee]

Next several weeks are going to be huge in terms of making a decision but it doesn't look good. On the plus side we have actual vaccine news, but the bad news is basically everything else. I think (hope?) they can wait until January to make a decision.

 

[Sleepless Knight]

Next several weeks are going to be huge in terms of making a decision but it doesn't look good. On the plus side we have actual vaccine news, but the bad news is basically everything else. I think (hope?) they can wait until January to make a decision.

I think they wait to call it as last as they possibly can. It can't hurt to wait and see what happens on the vaccine front.