Official Wine & Dine 2018

[FlashAM7]

In my opinion, the race weekends are a little too similar to one another. I realize that not everyone feels the same, but I don't feel the pull to do multiple race weekends like I used to. Overall, I prefer morning races, but I LOVED the couple of nighttime Wine & Dine races I did - the atmosphere just wasn't the same to me when they made the switch to daytime. And every other race weekend is a morning race, so it's disappointing to me that there are now zero nighttime options.

I do think that they made these changes (boosted capacity, made the weekends 5K/10K/half marathon format, added additional purchase options like early expo access) with profit in mind. They make more money if they over 5K/10K/half marathons as opposed to just the Expedition Everest 5K or just the Tower of Terror 10-miler...more runners can run, so more money made the expo, hotels, etc.

As for the surveys - I took a couple of their post-run surveys and thought some of their questions were worded in such a way as to get them the answer they wanted...

I completely agree. Yes the theming is different, but there are very few differences between the races. If they did as little as just changing up the course routes, it would feel different. Other things they could do would be to have different things along the course to freshen it up a bit... Add things like wine and cheese stops for Wine & Dine weekend, for example.

 

[Ariel484]

But that's another way of saying they did it based on customer demand... there's demand enough to fill up entire 5K, 10K, half weekends. Those other races were by definition under-serving then.

For awhile yes, I agree that that demand was there. I don't know that it is anymore - not consistently, at least - for any of the race weekends except for Princess.

Like I said, what those changes mean for me is that I just won't do multiple race weekends anymore. I'd rather have the unique experiences, but I'm not a Disney bean counter.

I completely agree. Yes the theming is different, but there are very few differences between the races. If they did as little as just changing up the course routes, it would feel different. Other things they could do would be to have different things along the course to freshen it up a bit... Add things like wine and cheese stops for Wine & Dine weekend, for example.

Like...I feel my body would react poorly to this, yet I think it's an amazing idea.

 

[FFigawi]

Like...I feel my body would react poorly to this, yet I think it's an amazing idea.

It could be a shorter version of the Medoc marathon, which really is 26 miles of wine and cheese stops.

 

[chiisai]

It could be a shorter version of the Medoc marathon, which really is 26 miles of wine and cheese stops.

This would end up being a meander-athon for me... lol... I like it.

 

[Keels]

FYI - dunno if this has been mentioned yet, but Raw Threads Club members received an email today that RunDisney will not be giving them an allocation of bibs for Wine & Dine this year ... no idea if this is going to be the same for all race weekends going forward, but just beware that a previously easy way to get bibs after a sold-out registration is not an option for W&D this year.

 

[Dis_Yoda]

FYI - dunno if this has been mentioned yet, but Raw Threads Club members received an email today that RunDisney will not be giving them an allocation of bibs for Wine & Dine this year ... no idea if this is going to be the same for all race weekends going forward, but just beware that a previously easy way to get bibs after a sold-out registration is not an option for W&D this year.

Interesting. I'm sure that will upset some of the Raw Threads Members!

They still haven't even announced the dates of the F&W for 2018.

Wonder if there are changes afoot!

 

[Keels]

Interesting. I'm sure that will upset some of the Raw Threads Members!

They still haven't even announced the dates of the F&W for 2018.

Wonder if there are changes afoot!

Right? I thought the Flower & Garden Festival book would have F&W dates, but it doesn't.

I know that Raw Threads really struggled to sell their allotment of bibs last year (I bought 5K and Challenge through them like a month out or something ridiculous like that), so I wonder if that has something to do with it.

Here's the exact email:

 

[rteetz]

I signed up through a travel agent when runDisney doing packages this past week. I’m at Pop and am in for the challenge!

 

[Calfan]

Just saw this from DVC on FB

 

[Keels]

Ooooooh, and they paid to actually sponsor the ad. That's bold.

Personally, I feel like registration for this year will go about as quickly as last year (meaning, not sold out until the very end). But I've been wrong before!

 

[PrincessV]

Personally, I feel like registration for this year will go about as quickly as last year (meaning, not sold out until the very end). But I've been wrong before!

I tend to agree - I just can't see any good reason for a quick sellout. Which spells TROUBLE for me, as my plan is to "just" register for the half... but that only works if the 10K sells out before my resolve weakens!

 

[Kerry1957]

No surprise after seeing the DVC FB blurb a few posts up, but it's after 12:00 and the AP signup has not started. Will wait for Thursday.

 

[disneysteve]

So for those who have done the 5K, do you find that most people are doing it for fun or are many people actually running who care about their time? Can you even do it if you care about your time with that big of a crowd?

If you do run for time, can you finish the race and then go back to the photo spots and character meets or can you only do those while you are on the course?

 

[sunshine girl]

No surprise after seeing the DVC FB blurb a few posts up, but it's after 12:00 and the AP signup has not started. Will wait for Thursday.

I noticed this too - I am still getting the Annual Pass general page when I click on the links. (No matter what browser, mode, cleared cache, etc. I use!)

 

[rteetz]

So for those who have done the 5K, do you find that most people are doing it for fun or are many people actually running who care about their time? Can you even do it if you care about your time with that big of a crowd?

If you do run for time, can you finish the race and then go back to the photo spots and character meets or can you only do those while you are on the course?

If you are doing a 5K for time you can but it might be harder if you are not in corral A. You will likely do a lot of weaving if you are going for time in a later corral.

As for characters they have meet and greets before and after the races. Characters on course can only be met during the race and you cannot go back to them after you’ve finished even if the race is still going on.

 

[disneysteve]

If you are doing a 5K for time you can but it might be harder if you are not in corral A. You will likely do a lot of weaving if you are going for time in a later corral.

As for characters they have meet and greets before and after the races. Characters on course can only be met during the race and you cannot go back to them after you’ve finished even if the race is still going on.

Thanks, Ryan. I've never done a race where I wasn't focused on getting the best time I could. I guess I need to relax for this one and enjoy the whole Disney experience. That will be something different for sure.

 

[rteetz]

Thanks, Ryan. I've never done a race where I wasn't focused on getting the best time I could. I guess I need to relax for this one and enjoy the whole Disney experience. That will be something different for sure.

Disney races are definitely different experiences than local races.

 

[PrincessV]

So for those who have done the 5K, do you find that most people are doing it for fun or are many people actually running who care about their time? Can you even do it if you care about your time with that big of a crowd?

If you do run for time, can you finish the race and then go back to the photo spots and character meets or can you only do those while you are on the course?

Iv'e started various WDW 5Ks from A and from the back - absolutely, one could race for time from A, maybe even B, but the 5K is the one distance I think it would be very, very difficult to race from time any further back. Not impossible, but HARD. Because, yes, sooo many of us are out there taking it slow and enjoying all of the scenery and photo stops, which just slows down the whole course!

There usually are characters at the start/finish area, but you only get one shot at the on-course options. Once you finish, you can't restart and run the course again.

 

[FlashAM7]

So for those who have done the 5K, do you find that most people are doing it for fun or are many people actually running who care about their time? Can you even do it if you care about your time with that big of a crowd?

If you do run for time, can you finish the race and then go back to the photo spots and character meets or can you only do those while you are on the course?

As others have somewhat stated, the runners in the earlier corrals will care about their time, as those are the more "serious" runners. Once you get further back, those are where the more "fun" crowds tend to be.

 

[RunningPrince]

Ooooooh, and they paid to actually sponsor the ad. That's bold.

Personally, I feel like registration for this year will go about as quickly as last year (meaning, not sold out until the very end). But I've been wrong before!

That must be why the prices have gone up for the challenge...to pay for the ads...