Official 2020 Star Wars Rival Run Weekend - CANCELED

[DurangoJim]

They just don’t want to announce it now and overwhelm the operators at Disney. They’re trying to flatten their own curve.

 

[Disney at Heart]

We got an email from Shades of Green today that all reservations before April 16 will be canceled and refunded and no new reservations would be made from now through then. We were supposed to arrive on the 14th, so DH emailed to ask if they are canceling our whole reservation or just the 14-15th, but no answer so far. So we may need to cancel the last part ourselves. (or do they really think that the parks could be open by then - the day before the expo???)

Also, the Lake Hartwell Dam Run (5k/10k) in Georgia, which was on May 2, is now officially canceled. DH and another are co-race directors. It has been a staple for over 40 years with only one cancellation in all that time (for lightning). It runs across the Lake Hartwell Dam, so it is under the US Army Corps of Engineers, who have a federal directive to cancel all activities on their property for the next 60 days. It has been my POT race for WDW half marathons for the last couple of years, so I am sad because I will miss helping with the planning and preparation and because I won't be able to run it!

 

[Krandor]

They just don’t want to announce it now and overwhelm the operators at Disney. They’re trying to flatten their own curve.

Agreed. I think there will be a new announcement this weekend after they finish closing the resorts.

Honestly at this point I'm just ready for them to cancel it. I'd rather know so I can adjust my disney planning for January and shift my running training to PTRR in July.

 

[smctopia]

Hello, I am new on here but I joined to follow what is going on with the Star Wars races. If the race gets postponed until later in the year, does that mean that the people who only signed up for the virtual will get their medals shipped later? Last year mine was mailed the weekend of the race. With the virtual ending on March 31, will runDisney still ship them after that date or wait?

 

[Jsciv]

Hello, I am new on here but I joined to follow what is going on with the Star Wars races. If the race gets postponed until later in the year, does that mean that the people who only signed up for the virtual will get their medals shipped later? Last year mine was mailed the weekend of the race. With the virtual ending on March 31, will runDisney still ship them after that date or wait?

Nobody really knows. At this point we all assume that the race is going to have to be canceled or postponed, but exactly what accommodations will be made for racers (both in-person and virtual) aren't known as this sort of thing has never happened before.

 

[TisBit]

I still think Disney is in a "wait and see" mode for everything. There is so much out of their control, I don't think they want to commit to anything, including cancelling the race. I think a lot just depends on the parks and right now that is not in their control because of the state of emergency. Disney does not want bad press, so unless the Governor is ok with them opening, they won't. They also won't open the parks if the restaurant/bar closure continues, it would not make sense. As for the race many, many people have already cancelled their flights and reservations and have no intentions of running. IF they can reopen the parks on April 1, you may see them do multiple options for runners. This is happening with many races around us, they can either defer to next year, run virtually and pay to have stuff shipped or show up for the race (if that is still an option based on the current situation April 1st). If they cannot open the parks, most likely you will see the first two options only, which will be run virtually or defer to another race.

But, in the end, it isn't in their control right now. The above scenario makes the most sense of why they don't want to cancel right now. Plus, even if they plan cancel the race, it will send a signal to others that the parks are NOT by then and cause even more cancellations in April and May.

 

[Krandor]

Hello, I am new on here but I joined to follow what is going on with the Star Wars races. If the race gets postponed until later in the year, does that mean that the people who only signed up for the virtual will get their medals shipped later? Last year mine was mailed the weekend of the race. With the virtual ending on March 31, will runDisney still ship them after that date or wait?

nobody knows but I bet they’d go on and ship them so they don’t have them taking up space fir 6 months. They likeky already have medals and shirts (and if they don’t that may be a concern by itself)

 

[BuckeyeBama]

So, rD releases a statement saying that they will release a statement when they have something to say.

 

[Krandor]

So here is a related but different question.

over the last few years, rundisney has shifted from having lots of corrals to having a few corrals and doing mini-waves.

Whenever rundisney has their next race do you think they will continue this "a few large corral" method or go back to "more smaller corrals" in light of everrything going on. I'm thinking that at least for a bit going back to more samller corrals would be the better choice.

 

[FFigawi]

It might be the better choice, but I don’t see that happening. It’s easier for them to have larger corrals with a wider time spread and use mini waves to combat congestion.

 

[TisBit]

I don't think it matters the size of the corral, it would be different if they used more space to have them in. So, sure do smaller corrals and spread them further down the road from each other, but if you put X number of people in X number of square feet, it doesn't matter how many barriers you have between them. It only affects the crowds further down the course as those runners disperse.

 

[bumbershoot]

So here is a related but different question.

over the last few years, rundisney has shifted from having lots of corrals to having a few corrals and doing mini-waves.

Whenever rundisney has their next race do you think they will continue this "a few large corral" method or go back to "more smaller corrals" in light of everrything going on. I'm thinking that at least for a bit going back to more samller corrals would be the better choice.

It’s all the same people in the same basic space.

 

[BuckeyeBama]

20,000 waves, 1 runner in each!

 

[Krandor]

It’s all the same people in the same basic space.

Good point. Just one of those questions that crossed my mind when thinking about what things could be like after.

 

[SarahDisney]

20,000 waves, 1 runner in each!

Yes!!!! I would always get to hold the tape for my wave!

 

[LandoBlanco]

Universal Hollywood cancelled their race on 4/26

 

[Krandor]

Universal Hollywood cancelled their race on 4/26

Yeah as soon as disney announces extension to the closing this race is done (I'm still expecting this weekend).

It's not happening but at think the question now is when and where is the announcement coming from.

 

[1lilspark]

for those that JUST did the virtual my friend got her Chewie medal today

 

[mckinsey]

I read this morning that Universal just cancelled their race weekend that was scheduled in late April. Come on, runDisney, time to make an informative announcement - not just the non-announcement from a few days ago!

 

[AgentMama]

I read this morning that Universal just cancelled their race weekend that was scheduled in late April. Come on, runDisney, time to make an informative announcement - not just the non-announcement from a few days ago!

Unfortunately, I think they're just continuing to hold this close while decompressing other issues. Sadly, lack of transparency is what breeds insecurity and distrust, and they don't seem to be appreciating the unease they're creating within their customer base. I've gone ahead and cancelled all plans I have associated with this weekend and will figure out what to do with whatever RD offers under the cancellation that seems inevitable at a later time. I'm trying not to hold this against RD, but when I compare it to the transparency and communication of other vendors that are associated with other travel plans I've had to rearrange, it's hard not to feel negatively.