Marathon Weekend 2024

[Z-Knight]

@SAFD

The Hunchback of Notre Dame

Currently that's the movie that represents my life situation, so I essentially identify with Quasimodo, except uglier and possibly slower. I ought to change my avatar.

 

[Herding_Cats]

Priceline is having a decent sale on rental cars. I'm now down to about $400 for a standard SUV. Smaller cars are cheaper!

for how many days? We need an 8-day rental, and adding on that extra day over a "weekly rental" is really hurting the price. I'm booked on points for $555 right now for a full-size car, and that price is just gross.

 

[becauseimnew]

Last year I was able to get one when I went the expo Thursday afternoon. As much as I hate the fee, I went ahead and paid it as I don't want to risk it. (I dont think I'll make till Friday this year). When can you attend the expo?

I'll be going on Wednesday.

 

[Grabnar]

Q: How does Expo work? This is my first in-person event. Do you book a time in advance or can I just show up?

 

[azrivest]

I'll be going on Wednesday.

If you really want it, I'd buy it in advance.

Your ability to get the items you want will depend on your arrival time at the Expo on the Wednesday based on which VQ you get and on how much merch they really have to stock the shelves.

Some items, especially pins, ran out super quickly at W&D (even before the general public could access the Expo). Don't think it was so bad for clothing items however.

I think I'm going to buy the Spirit Jersey in advance just cause I'm tired of the chaos of that first Expo morning.

 

[Baloo in MI]

Q: How does Expo work? This is my first in-person event. Do you book a time in advance or can I just show up?

It just depends on what your plans are. If you are going in to pick up bib and shirt, maybe check out the runDisney merch and the expo but have no expectations of making purchases, etc. Then you can go later in the day when it is less busy and you will not need to get a spot in the virtual queue (at least it has been that way the past couple years). But if you are wanting to get into the runDisney merch area early to make some purchases or you simply need to get the expo done early in the day then you will need to get a spot in the virtual queue. And you need to do that at a specified time on the first day of the expo. It will be all laid out in the digital guide. Others might be able to provide better details, but I believe the queue time was like 8:30am on the first day of the expo?

 

[jrsharp21]

for how many days? We need an 8-day rental, and adding on that extra day over a "weekly rental" is really hurting the price. I'm booked on points for $555 right now for a full-size car, and that price is just gross.

Yea, I noticed that there has been a spike for rental cars that week. I have National Emerald Club through work and never have had any issues booking a rental car. I usually get a really good rate also. Since we have six people coming in at the same time, I booked a mini van a long time ago. Our departing flight time changed to a few hours later. I went to go make the update on my reservation and when I did, it said that there were no mini vans available if I updated the time change. So I just left it and will turn in the mini van a few hours later than I originally stated on my reservation.

 

[MissLiss279]

I can’t remember what reports I saw for W&D. Were people able to pre-purchase items and then return and re-buy with their AP discount?

I think I may have seen that people were able to do this in the past, but not at W&D?? I may be mis-remembering.

ETA: I do see on the pre-purchase items, that it says they are non-refundable.

 

[Herding_Cats]

Q: How does Expo work? This is my first in-person event. Do you book a time in advance or can I just show up?

It just depends on what your plans are.

Yes. This.


IF YOU ARE GOING TO THE EXPO ON WEDNESDAY:
Last MW, the VQ opened at 7:30am. You ONLY need to join the VQ if you are going to the expo on WEDNESDAY and want to go in to the rundisney-specific merch building....which is the first building on the right when you walk in. You join the VQ the same way you would join for GotG or Tron, via the app. (W&D was 8:30 this year, so check the guide/email from rundisney about that.) We had a very low VQ number last year (15 or so?), and weren't out of the rundisney merch building until 11:30. VQ groups were called well into the afternoon on Wednesday. Expect it to be pretty busy, as a lot of people just hang out waiting for the VQ group to be called. They even had to add switchbacks for the race bib building last year on Wednesday because it was so busy.


If all you are doing is picking up your bib(s) and shirt(s), and checking out the 3rd party vendors, you do NOT need to join the VQ. If you are running Dopey, your shirts and bibs have historically been in the same building (the building on the left, after the baseball field) but all other runners will pick up their bibs in the building on the left, and then go to the 2nd building on the right to get their shirts. This is also the building with the 3rd-party vendors, and where you can exchange your shirt for a different size (pending availability.)

IF YOU ARE GOING TO THE EXPO ON THURSDAY-SATURDAY:
You just walk in. There's no VQ. Be sure to check the event guide for the operating hours since they get progressively shorter as the weekend goes on.

OTHER THINGS WORTH NOTING:
-There are character pics, and the big race distance number sets for pictures in the rundisney merch building. On Wednesday, you access these after you go through the vq/line to get into the building. (This is a great chance to get a picture with Dopey, as the lines for him can be very long during the race.)
-Around the hub, there will be large signs/backdrops with artwork for each of the races (plus goofy/dopey) that you can take pictures with.
-Pace-group information is at the Galloway booth in the 3rd-party expo building, along with a display of the weekend's medals and upcoming race medals.
-You enter the "BIBS" building from the lower right, and exit on the upper right corner (in the pic below.) You MUST have your bib in order to pick up your shirts, as they use a tear-strip on the bib to note that you have picked up your shirts, and to know which size(s) to give you.
-You enter the 3rd-party Vendor building from the top (the side toward the soccer fields.) This also had a switchback last year on Wednesday.
-You can get your rundisney refillable beer cup at the expo, from one of the beer carts that are found inside the "gate" (you'll see it, don't worry) that's just past the hub area. If you put your cup in your gearcheck bag on race morning, you can take it to the beer tent after your race.

 

[Let's Get Kronk]

I can’t remember what reports I saw for W&D. Were people able to pre-purchase items and then return and re-buy with their AP discount?

I think I may have seen that people were able to do this in the past, but not at W&D?? I may be mis-remembering.

ETA: I do see on the pre-purchase items, that it says they are non-refundable.

The reports I got were that they stopped allowing people to do this. So, presumably once you pre-order merch, you are stuck with the price and they will not honor an AP discount after the fact.

 

[nekonekoneko]

for how many days? We need an 8-day rental, and adding on that extra day over a "weekly rental" is really hurting the price. I'm booked on points for $555 right now for a full-size car, and that price is just gross.

Mine is also 8 days, from 1/3 midnight to 1/11 midnight, though we're leaving 1/10 at like 4 pm.

Starting it 1/2 seems to jack up the price.

 

[Herding_Cats]

Mine is also 8 days, from 1/3 midnight to 1/11 midnight, though we're leaving 1/10 at like 4 pm.

Starting it 1/2 seems to jack up the price.

we are 12/31 - 1/9, and if I get rid of the 31st, it's about $360 right now. But adding on the extra 12 hours to include the 31st puts my at $515. That's $155 more. But they're points, and not "real money" and I don't want to have to deal with exchanging a rental car at the car care center, or pay a 1-way fee (which are anywhere from $56-300.) Prices have come down about $50 in the last 10 days, and I know I was still playing the cancel/rebook game in late December last year. I'm hoping to get down to about $400, but I'm not sure that's realistic.

 

[nekonekoneko]

and I know I was still playing the cancel/rebook game in late December last year.

I hear you. I'll probably still be playing the rebook/cancel game until my backside is in an airplane seat. Last year, I prepaid a rental car, and then the rates dropped to below my prepay rate, oh I was mad. I did contact Priceline, and they gave me a double refund, but still, lesson learned on that one.

 

[1lilspark]

SAFD If I had to pick just one and since Pixar counts I’ll go with coco

 

[Z-Knight]

@SAFD

The Hunchback of Notre Dame

Currently that's the movie that represents my life situation, so I essentially identify with Quasimodo, except uglier and possibly slower. I ought to change my avatar.

im sorry, i didn't mean to be a downer. Training is going poorly, life has been poor as well, but I'm healthy enough to do races such as this as one of the best places on earth and all I do is complain.

don't mind me...the best thing in my life is Dopey so as long as I can finish then life is good. People have much worse challenges in life and all of you likely have had tough journeys too, but we'll all finish and be better for it.

 

[RunWI1265]

Q: How does Expo work? This is my first in-person event. Do you book a time in advance or can I just show up?

In regards to merch if you are going Wednesday early-ish be prepared for people to behave badly. Because rD does not do a good job of maintaining adequate inventory levels people are VERY grabby and pushy. It’s quite a spectacle.

 

[Grabnar]

im sorry, i didn't mean to be a downer. Training is going poorly, life has been poor as well, but I'm healthy enough to do races such as this as one of the best places on earth and all I do is complain.

don't mind me...the best thing in my life is Dopey so as long as I can finish then life is good. People have much worse challenges in life and all of you likey have had tough journeys too, but we'll all finish and be better for it.

Same vibes here bud, my butt is still giving me all kinds of issues so I’ll be bringing up the rear. Life comes in waves, there are crests and troughs. Sorry you’re in a down spot, things will get better. See you at the finish line, we’ve got this.

And thanks to the advice from everyone, insanely helpful and should be stickied!! Do I need to join VQ if I’m picking up pre-ordered merch? I’ve heard about the madhouse on here before and think I got everything I wanted/could afford already.

 

[Z-Knight]

Same vibes here bud, my butt is still giving me all kinds of issues so I’ll be bringing up the rear. Life comes in waves, there are crests and troughs. Sorry you’re in a down spot, things will get better. See you at the finish line, we’ve got this.

And thanks to the advice from everyone, insanely helpful and should be stickied!! Do I need to join VQ if I’m picking up pre-ordered merch? I’ve heard about the madhouse on here before and think I got everything I wanted/could afford already.

Thanks. Sorry about the butt - and the unintended pun ("rear), which made me smile. I hope you get better by race day - we still got 6 weeks so crossing fingers.

I can't answer about the need for virtual queue for pre-ordered merch cause I haven't ordered any recently, so hopefully others can answer. But I wouldn't worry about it in all honesty - it's not terrible wait for anything other than if you wanted main merchandise and now with the queue system the wait is no longer standing in a long line.

 

[lukemorenus]

…and so it begins…

 

[PrincessV]

im sorry, i didn't mean to be a downer. Training is going poorly, life has been poor as well, but I'm healthy enough to do races such as this as one of the best places on earth and all I do is complain.

don't mind me...the best thing in my life is Dopey so as long as I can finish then life is good. People have much worse challenges in life and all of you likey have had tough journeys too, but we'll all finish and be better for it.

But also - you’re allowed to feel however you feel on any given day and some days just suck! Taking this opportunity to remind you - and myself, and anyone else who needs it - to allow some grace for feeling appropriately badly when things are going badly, with the additional reminder that they also won’t always be that bad.