Star Wars weekend 2019 won't have an open SWGE though so not sure what you mean by that. They obviously aren't selling that weekend all that well either.
Since Galaxy's Edge will not be open for Rival Run weekend 2019, I can easily see WDW guests that are also runDisney participants and Star Wars fans who do not visit every single year waiting for Star Wars Galaxy's Edge to open. If a visit every few years is their most realistic option, then I can see waiting until it's open. Without races, I visit WDW every 3-5 years. So if I'm looking on the horizon, I would easily delay a bucket list Disney race into a year when certain things I want to see (ie Galaxy's Edge) will be open.
Maybe I'm completely wrong, but I think the Kessel Run virtual component goes away as soon as they decide on the future of west coast runDisney whatever decision they make.
I could see SW weekend having a bigger draw next year, especially if the course goes through SWGE.
I can't believe a Star Wars race won't go through Galaxy's Edge. Maybe an entirely new 5K course to boot. Disneyland moved their Darth Vader race tunnel from between DCA and Disneyland to near where Galaxy's Edge will be once the location was announced.
I think one thing that would help is switching the themes up. I love Star Wars and Marvel, but there’s only so much you can do with that before it starts getting stale. Same thing with Princess. I’d love to see a villains themed race and a race weekend that’s just generic Disney. They could use any of the Disney classic movies for medals and I’d be pumped.
I really think this is a major reason why they started changing up the medals for all races every single year.
Of course as soon as we thought that, they went and announced the Star Wars Rival Run. Just a slight change in theming and being able to get the Kessel medal pulled us right back in.
I think if runDisney races come back to the west coast, then the Star Wars races one each coast will revert to Light Side vs Dark Side.
One would argue WDW weekend is generic Disney with the Fab 5 and Dopey.
Absolutely. And I think it will stay that way for years to come. Maybe they'll alternate 5K character themes, but otherwise I don't see them changing 10K and Half themes. Goofy and Dopey are self explanatory for their challenges, and Mickey is not going anywhere for the marathon theme. That leaves Minnie and Donald who are likely too popular to remove them from that theme in favor of some random Disney movie. For the most part, all the other race weekends (including on hiatus Disneyland races) more or less encompass the most popular Disney or Disney owned films on the whole.
I think, gross generalization here, that social media drove exposure to the idea of rD races, got lots of folks who otherwise had no interest in running to try it out, and some of them loved it and have carried on, while plenty of others found out they hate running/don't have time in their lives for training/moved on to some other pursuit/etc. and have left the rD participant pool.
Absolutely. I know people who ran a 5K and decided never again. My first half ever was at Disneyland. It was not a fun experience, but rather a learning one. I came back for the next year mostly because I knew that Coast to Coast would work with my schedule so I concluded that I could tolerate two more races to earn that medal and get a trip to WDW out of it. After that point, I could stop running. But then I actually had fun in those 2 races. I can easily see where people who tried it once and didn't have the fun experience would move on to other pursuits.
I think because of the time and expense for a runDisney Race, and the amount of training for a full marathon, a lot of people look at it an think. We'll if I'm gonna do Goofy I might as well do Dopey and get all bling.
That's me.
I think it depends on what the individuals want from their experience. As a one and done or destination type race, I think Dopey carries the day. I think it can change if you are looking at making the weekend a routine thing.
See above. If runDisney Star Wars returns to Disneyland in January, then I'm choosing it as my number one race priority for the year every single year. As 2019 may be my only marathon weekend visit, I came to believe that if I can complete the marathon, I can complete Dopey so I may as well go for the whole thing.
That stupid spectator package is one. I also remember the absolutely ridiculous "Welcome Party" they had for the 2015 W&D which was probably a worse way to spend money than just wiping yourself with it and dropping it in the porta potty. I feel like I'm missing some from over the years but I would have to go back and do some Googling.
They used to have a pasta party at Disneyland, but it was really expensive for what you received I felt. They also did a night before the Star Wars 5K at Disneyland Star Wars party, but I think it wound up being a one and done.
Are you talking about the one at Disneyland Half for the Anniversary? I went to that one and felt it was way worth the money because all the big rides were open and you got a no-crowds viewing of Paint the Night. For $79 it was a steal.
I seem to think that particular one was actually a good price.
I've been wondering if a Goofy anniversary might drive a Dopey sellout for exactly that reason.
I think it could especially if the runner begins to perceive it as a bucket list item. My little sister currently believes that she's only going to run one marathon in her life. Namely at Disney World next month. So she registered for Dopey out of "go big or go home." She's not sure that she'll ever run a race at Disney World again because of the travel challenges.
I love running the RunDisney races, but I'm not really a runner.
I'm the same way. I've only run one non Disney race yet because it finished on the field at AT&T Park in San Francisco, that's why I chose to run it.
but most of the ones on my radar are RunDisney.
Same here. Unless I get substantially faster as a runner, then I easily see myself sticking to runDisney. Thus far, my efforts to substantially increase speed have met with pain, more pain, injury (which rest healed), soreness, and more soreness. I know that I can tolerate the current levels of soreness and still be fast enough for runDisney. But I'm not sure that I really want to push that speed if this as fast as I can get without feeling continual pain and soreness. RunDisney offers a great way for me to challenge myself physically without destroying myself because I can handle the slower pace it offers.