Marathon Weekend 2024

[Herding_Cats]

2023's event guide came out on 12/16 (with slightly incorrect course maps leaked ~ a week before) 2 weeks and 5 days before the expo
2022's event guide came out on 12/6. That was 4 weeks and 2 days before the expo.
2020's event guide came out on 12/12, which was 3 weeks and 5 days before the expo.

2023's W&D event guide came out on 10/19, 2 weeks before the expo
2022's W&D event guide came out 10/18, 2 weeks and 2 days before the expo.

Anyone want to guess what day we are getting the event guide?

Sometime between the 15th and the 20th? That seems so far away, and also terrifyingly close at the same time.

We should also be getting previews of the SS medals in the next couple of weeks, based on last year's early-December timing.

 

[PrincessV]

Re: MagicBands… I refuse to pay for them, so when my old free ones stopped working, I just stopped using them altogether. It’s been WONDERFUL!!! I always got a key card for room entry, anyway, because half the time my MBs wouldn’t work to open the door and/or parking gates - I still get them now because half the time the phone app also fails to open the door/parking gate. I just open the app before boarding rides with on-board PPs and leave it open with my phone screen locked - pics come through every time, whereas MBs were pretty hit or miss. I never used MBs to pay for anything in the first place, so no loss there.

Just throwing it out there, in case this is helpful To anyone on the fence about MBs!

 

[accm]

One of the disadvantages of switching from an apple watch to a Garmin is that now I can't use my watch as a magicband. So I begrudgingly got one for our last trip, and was annoyed at having to wear two things on my wrist, and also having to deal with my kids bands, because they refuse to wear it for more than 30 seconds at a time.

 

[marty3d]

Re MagicBands: Found our MB’s from 2022 were struggling at W&D this year for ride photos. Luckily they picked up my phone and Disney was able to turn around a bunch of missing pictures pretty quickly (3 days after I reported them). I use my Apple Watch for park entry/ lightning lane etc but I may end up splurging on new bands next time as not everyone in the family has a watch and we like to get the in ride pics. (Also the Apple swatch doesn’t work for those pics anyway)

 

[nancipants]

One of the disadvantages of switching from an apple watch to a Garmin is that now I can't use my watch as a magicband. So I begrudgingly got one for our last trip, and was annoyed at having to wear two things on my wrist, and also having to deal with my kids bands, because they refuse to wear it for more than 30 seconds at a time.

Do you have an iPhone? If so, you can load Magic Mobile on your phone as well.

 

[accm]

Do you have an iPhone? If so, you can load Magic Mobile on your phone as well.

I know, but I prefer the simplicity of having it on my watch. I think the easiest solution would be to just leave the kids at home

 

[Herding_Cats]

I think the easiest solution would be to just leave the kids at home

it 1000% is the easiest solution. Last MW was the first 'adults-only' Disney trip DH and I had taken, and it was sooooo different than when we go with kids (and BIL/SIL and their 3 kids) we couldn't stop talking about it.

 

[The Expert]

One of the disadvantages of switching from an apple watch to a Garmin is that now I can't use my watch as a magicband. So I begrudgingly got one for our last trip, and was annoyed at having to wear two things on my wrist, and also having to deal with my kids bands, because they refuse to wear it for more than 30 seconds at a time.

If you can find a slapband MB, the puck comes in a removable silicone holder that slides off the band. It fits on the Garmin band! When I don't want to wear two bands, I have a few of these that I can just pop on my Garmin.

 

[camaker]

One of the disadvantages of switching from an apple watch to a Garmin is that now I can't use my watch as a magicband. So I begrudgingly got one for our last trip, and was annoyed at having to wear two things on my wrist, and also having to deal with my kids bands, because they refuse to wear it for more than 30 seconds at a time.

I found a MagicBand puck holder on Etsy that slides onto my Garmin band. It works great, especially for race mornings.

 

[Tymeece]

First time staying at WL for MW, how does the family get to spectate for Full/Half? Do they have to take a bus to EPCOT or do they run buses to MK in the morning?

 

[BigEeyore]

First time staying at WL for MW, how does the family get to spectate for Full/Half? Do they have to take a bus to EPCOT or do they run buses to MK in the morning?

They are probably going to have to get on a race bus early with the runners and then can do the monorail to MK if they are wanting to spectate there.

 

[accm]

it 1000% is the easiest solution. Last MW was the first 'adults-only' Disney trip DH and I had taken, and it was sooooo different than when we go with kids (and BIL/SIL and their 3 kids) we couldn't stop talking about it.

We went for Wine and Dine 2021 without our kids, and it felt so weird to not have to worry about bedtimes and meals and carrying snacks

I found a MagicBand puck holder on Etsy that slides onto my Garmin band. It works great, especially for race mornings.

Oh that’s a great idea. I already have a puck, so I’ll just need the holder!

 

[WillRunForPizza]

We went for Wine and Dine 2021 without our kids, and it felt so weird to not have to worry about bedtimes and meals and carrying snacks

I don't know what you're talking about; I need all of those things for me

 

[Herding_Cats]

Getting to be last chance for charity bibs. These typically go very fast.

 

[cburnett11]

but I usually don’t run Disney for time (although I did run the Princess Half I ran for time, and it is my PR!!)

My half PR is randomly from 2022 marathon weekend in the middle of Dopey. You just never know.

 

[cburnett11]

This was my key learning from Marathon Weekend 2017 where we sat around at Hurricane Hannah's in shorts and t-shirts in 65+degree weather on Friday afternoon only to have the half cancelled 12 hours later due to severe storms followed by marathon temps in the mid-30s with wind chills down into the 20s.

2017 marathon still holds my personal record for the longest I’ve worn gloves and a beanie in a race. I may have actually worn tights too as it was quite cold.

 

[marty3d]

2017 marathon still holds my personal record for the longest I’ve worn gloves and a beanie in a race. I may have actually worn tights too as it was quite cold.

I didn't start tossing layers until Frontierland - and I still own the "throwaway" running pants I had only planned to wear in the corrals.

I had terribly under packed for the weather - ended up buying a running jacket in the Merch tent at 4 am. It was a different world for Merchandise back then!

 

[Z-Knight]

2017 marathon still holds my personal record for the longest I’ve worn gloves and a beanie in a race. I may have actually worn tights too as it was quite cold.

i bought a new Columbia jacket before that race and wore it the entire time..finished in like 4:20hrs with a fully soaked jacket, but i was not gonna toss a brand new one away. and yes it was damn cold

 

[Disneyhanna]

I didn't start tossing layers until Frontierland - and I still own the "throwaway" running pants I had only planned to wear in the corrals.

I had terribly under packed for the weather - ended up buying a running jacket in the Merch tent at 4 am. It was a different world for Merchandise back then!

I am with you on accidentally keeping throwaway clothes. My local thrift store does 70% off clearance pretty often and so I often pick up quarter zips or hoodies for $3-5. With the intention of tossing them away at races...only to decide to keep them instead. I had to start buying uglier throwaway clothes so I wouldn't be so sad to toss them

 

[Herding_Cats]

I picked up sweatshirts at Costco today for $5 each. 2 for me, 2 for DH. He’s usually warm-blooded, so it might turn out to be 4 for me