Marathon Weekend 2024

[jmasgat]

SAFD: All my RD trips to WDW have been solo with the exception of one. And as much as I keep telling myself that I should hook up with people to do things together, the fact is that I like doing what I want more than that. I have also done one non race trip to WDW solo--my 40th birthday I went to Food and Wine Festival.

The one thing that does suck is doing some of the rides solo.

The only ride I have ever felt self-conscious doing alone is Teacups (I suppose it looks a little sad to see one person spinning around like a nut)....but I still did it!

 

[Naomeri]

SAFD: All my RD trips to WDW have been solo with the exception of one. And as much as I keep telling myself that I should hook up with people to do things together, the fact is that I like doing what I want more than that. I have also done one non race trip to WDW solo--my 40th birthday I went to Food and Wine Festival.

The only ride I have ever felt self-conscious doing alone is Teacups (I suppose it looks a little sad to see one person spinning around like a nut)....but I still did it!

I’d much rather do Teacups alone—then I don’t have to worry about making someone else sick with my mad spinning

 

[Z-Knight]

sorry this hits deep - I hate solo trips. that's all. sorry.

 

[BikeFan]

SAFD: I've never done a solo trip, but I've really enjoyed some of our recent trips which have just been my wife and me. Of course we love our kids dearly and have many magical memories of trips with all four of them in the past and hope to have more in the future, but they're all in college or beyond now and don't join us for every trip anymore. We've done MW with as many as 20 friends and extended family, and that's been great fun, but just doing it as a couple is also nice - a whole lot less planning and stress is a welcome break from those hectic big-group weekends!

 

[MissLiss279]

I'm pretty low maintenance, so I didn't need housekeeping, especially with the odd hours. This led to a "wellness check" by a cast member who insisted on forcing his way into the room,
I don't know if this is some kind of policy, or just a rogue cast member up to no good, but be aware of it.

I’m pretty sure this is policy. It is talked about some on the DVC boards because there isn’t regular mousekeeping, but they are still supposed to check the rooms everyday - usually by coming in to get the trash.

I am curious about this though (because on the DVC boards it is also mentioned about them just coming in after one or two knocks) - do people not normally set the door lock that can only be opened from inside the room as soon as they enter? Is that something that mainly I just do? Maybe it is because I travel a lot solo, and I feel a bit safer that way…

 

[Naomeri]

I’m pretty sure this is policy. It is talked about some on the DVC boards because there isn’t regular mousekeeping, but they are still supposed to check the rooms everyday - usually by coming in to get the trash.

I am curious about this though (because on the DVC boards it is also mentioned about them just coming in after one or two knocks) - do people not normally set the door lock that can only be opened from inside the room as soon as they enter? Is that something that mainly I just do? Maybe it is because I travel a lot solo, and I feel a bit safer that way…

I always lock all the locks on my door because of the safety checks—I’ve had them show up when I’m just getting out of the shower, and since I leave my clothes out on the bed instead of in the bathroom with me, that could get real awkward, real fast

 

[Herding_Cats]

I’m pretty sure this is policy. It is talked about some on the DVC boards because there isn’t regular mousekeeping, but they are still supposed to check the rooms everyday - usually by coming in to get the trash.

I am curious about this though (because on the DVC boards it is also mentioned about them just coming in after one or two knocks) - do people not normally set the door lock that can only be opened from inside the room as soon as they enter? Is that something that mainly I just do? Maybe it is because I travel a lot solo, and I feel a bit safer that way…

Yes. This became policy after the incident in Las Vegas in 2017. It seems that generally they try to do these checks when no one is in the rooms (so they aren't disturbing guests) but that isn't always possible for obvious reasons.

@Mr_Incr3dible it definitely wasn't some CM doing anything untoward or looking for a situation to take advantage of, just someone doing their job.

 

[Mr_Incr3dible]

Yes. This became policy after the incident in Las Vegas in 2017. It seems that generally they try to do these checks when no one is in the rooms (so they aren't disturbing guests) but that isn't always possible for obvious reasons.

@Mr_Incr3dible it definitely wasn't some CM doing anything untoward or looking for a situation to take advantage of, just someone doing their job.

Good to know. Again, just rather unsettling how insistent the guy was in trying to enter.
As for setting the door lock: I do at night, but probably didn't since I was going to be awake, never imagining someone trying to get in.

 

[Mr_Incr3dible]

I don't recall seeing an email with medals before, but I got one for this year, and since I don't think I've seen them posted, thought I'd share.
Apologies if this has already been posted.

 

[Barca33Runner]

I’ve never really had an issue going on attractions solo. When my groups are odd numbers of people I’m the 3rd, 5th, 7th, etc. wheel (in life as well as Disney) so I’m used to doing things on my own or, in the case of Disney, getting paired with someone random. While I enjoy hamming it up for pictures when with my family, I make sure I’m not ruining someone else’s photo when I’m solo.

 

[Let's Get Kronk]

SAFD: I sort of did MW this past January solo, but I roomed with a friend from college and we spent a good chunk of the week hanging out so it was not exactly a solo trip. It was still nice to break off by myself when we didn't want to do the same thing and I really enjoyed people watching and taking my time to do what I wanted.

I DID, however, take a very solo trip to DL in February for four days and it was amazing. I had never done a trip completely alone before and I will most definitely be doing it again. The freedom to do whatever I wanted whenever I wanted could not be matched. Don't get me wrong, I love taking trips with my friends and family, but doing Disney alone was indescribably wonderful. I'm a go go go type of guy in the Disney parks and I had Genie+ every day of the trip and rode practically everything in both parks multiple times in three park days. I did lots of QS meals and also did sit-down meals by myself (which I had literally never done before) and loved every second. Blue Bayou table right by the boats was probably the highlight of my trip.

I will also be solo for MW this year doing Dopey. I am excited to have the freedom to do the odd schedule with no distractions/guilt, but my pocketbook is going to hurt because I decided to stay at YC. I am also solo for W&D and DL weekend, but will probably be meeting up with my running coach and group for all three trips at some point.

 

[Chasing Dopey]

SAFD: I've been to MK once on my own, last year when I was in town for a meeting and I had half a day to kill, and needed to pick up something for DD, anyway. (She's new. 15 months now.) It was weird and fun.

RE: PREVIOUS RANT ON SOLD OUT PRE-ORDER MERCH for Marathon Weekend:
So, I decided to do a little digging, and it turned out to be a good exercise as I'm working on getting a race director certification, anyways. Here it is:
From design approval to print: 2 weeks. Add time for shipping or really big orders, but only an extra week or two.
Volume: Unlimited. <---
Deadline to guarantee sizes: 3 WEEKS.
Gulf Breeze Apparel. And they said their major competitors are all roughly the same on the turnaround times. Really nice people, will use in the future. (Apparently Tervis is a difficult company to work with, and are the only ones to require 6 weeks lead time! Ha!)

So there it is.

 

[Herding_Cats]

SAFD: I've been to MK once on my own, last year when I was in town for a meeting and I had half a day to kill, and needed to pick up something for DD, anyway. (She's new. 15 months now.) It was weird and fun.

RE: PREVIOUS RANT ON SOLD OUT PRE-ORDER MERCH for Marathon Weekend:
So, I decided to do a little digging, and it turned out to be a good exercise as I'm working on getting a race director certification, anyways. Here it is:
From design approval to print: 2 weeks. Add time for shipping or really big orders, but only an extra week or two.
Volume: Unlimited. <---
Deadline to guarantee sizes: 3 WEEKS.
Gulf Breeze Apparel. And they said their major competitors are all roughly the same on the turnaround times. Really nice people, will use in the future. (Apparently Tervis is a difficult company to work with, and are the only ones to require 6 weeks lead time! Ha!)

So there it is.

Right. But runDisney also wants to drive those impulse buys at the expo, and force people into the building for all of the other merch that they'll have that's not available for pre-order. If they did unlimited pre-orders, there would be fewer people getting into the VQ, and "less demand" for stuff. Now, we all know that they sell out of many, many, many things. But how much of that is driven off of a state of perceived scarcity and I have to buy this now, because if I change my mind later and decide I want it, it'll probably be sold out. People are bonkers when they think someone else is going to get something that they will then be unable to get for themselves.

 

[PrincessV]

SAFD: ALL of my visits to WDW have been solo since my now-adult son stopped coming with me some years ago. I love it! I miss my son sometimes, but he’s happier not being there and that makes me happy for him. I go where I want, do what I want, when I want to. Sometimes I listen to podcasts or music while waiting in line or eating - that’s nice. I’ll also sometimes bring my Kindle and have lunch or dinner at a nearby resort whilst reading. My only annoyance as a solo visitor is when at busy times people save tables at CS places while the family gets food - 15 empty tables being saved for 30 minutes while I walk around with my food, unable to sit and eat. Not cool. Another reason I like to leave the parks for meals.

I’m local-ish and will sometimes catch up with Orlando-area Disney friends while I’m there, but they rarely are able to spend more than a few hours at a time at the parks, so I still get plenty of alone time. I spend more time visiting with rD friends during race weekends, but I still have plenty of solo time.

 

[PrincessV]

Re: hotel door locks - I flew as an unaccompanied minor a a lot as a kid, and one time was snowed in overnight at a connecting airport when I was 12 or 13. The airline put me up in an airport hotel: in my own room, but next door to two flight attendants who were in charge of helping me. They showed me how they, as solo female travelers, prop a door open while checking a room to ensure nobody’s hiding in it, and drummed into me to ALWAYS use all inside locks while in the room. They even showed me how to wedge a chair under a door handle if I ever find myself in a room with poor lock security. I’ve religiously locked every lock on a hotel room door since; it’s just second-nature now.

I’m also always very polite but clear with the room checks that I will not open the door to a stranger in while I’m in there. They’re welcome to wait until I’ve left the room and they can enter with their own key. I’ve never had an issue with that at any WDW resort.

 

[Chasing Dopey]

Right. But runDisney also wants to drive those impulse buys at the expo, and force people into the building for all of the other merch that they'll have that's not available for pre-order. If they did unlimited pre-orders, there would be fewer people getting into the VQ, and "less demand" for stuff. Now, we all know that they sell out of many, many, many things. But how much of that is driven off of a state of perceived scarcity and I have to buy this now, because if I change my mind later and decide I want it, it'll probably be sold out. People are bonkers when they think someone else is going to get something that they will then be unable to get for themselves.

Oh, they definitely love the scarcity thing, but in this context it's just cruel. Before anyone could buy a Boston Marathon jacket online, they would have an option to order one if they sold out. Good service.

For Disney, they only believe in limiting by volume, even though everything is already limited as they expire when the event is over. The secondary collector's market will take care of itself. (And these aren't collectibles. They are supposed to be commemoratives for the people who participate.) So instead of taking care of the runners, so they can commemorate the event and the work they put into it, they just don't care. Everything worth having is gone by the second day of the expo, much of it in the hands of resellers, not runners. Bad service.

 

[Mr_Incr3dible]

Re: hotel door locks - I flew as an unaccompanied minor a a lot as a kid, and one time was snowed in overnight at a connecting airport when I was 12 or 13. The airline put me up in an airport hotel: in my own room, but next door to two flight attendants who were in charge of helping me. They showed me how they, as solo female travelers, prop a door open while checking a room to ensure nobody’s hiding in it, and drummed into me to ALWAYS use all inside locks while in the room. They even showed me how to wedge a chair under a door handle if I ever find myself in a room with poor lock security. I’ve religiously locked every lock on a hotel room door since; it’s just second-nature now.

I’m also always very polite but clear with the room checks that I will not open the door to a stranger in while I’m in there. They’re welcome to wait until I’ve left the room and they can enter with their own key. I’ve never had an issue with that at any WDW resort.

Golf clap for using "whilst" in a posting.

Your comments about the chair made me remember the other thing to pack while traveling: a wooden wedge to use as a doorstop, and take a rubber doorstop in case the floor is tile. I often take a towel and stuff it against/under the door to the room, (1) to block hallway noise, and (2) to make it more difficult to open the door and provide time to react if I'm in there.

 

[DisneyParrothead]

Right. But runDisney also wants to drive those impulse buys at the expo, and force people into the building for all of the other merch that they'll have that's not available for pre-order. If they did unlimited pre-orders, there would be fewer people getting into the VQ, and "less demand" for stuff. Now, we all know that they sell out of many, many, many things. But how much of that is driven off of a state of perceived scarcity and I have to buy this now, because if I change my mind later and decide I want it, it'll probably be sold out. People are bonkers when they think someone else is going to get something that they will then be unable to get for themselves.

I don't pre-order since the sizing has been all over the place, so in a way if I truly want something, I have to go in person. So I have a pep talk with myself beforehand and ask how much do I truly want it, at those prices? If I don't want to pay from pre-order for non-clothing items, I'm hardly going to pay the same prices (or higher) on expo day.

 

[GreatLakes]

I've been solo a lot of times stemming from when I lived about an hour away but my most recent solo trip was MW 2022. We had a family trip planned but we had to push it but I was training for a BQ so I still went down and raced. I love solo trips. I can do what I want when I want and not have to worry about anyone else. I love Disney trips with my family and wouldn't want to lose them but I also love the freedom of an occasional solo trip.

There isn't anything I dislike about solo trips and my only advice is to not be self-conscious. If you want to do something do it. Don't skip a restaurant or ride because you feel weird being alone. No one will remember you 5 minutes after you leave.

 

[PrincessV]

Golf clap for using "whilst" in a posting.

Your comments about the chair made me remember the other thing to pack while traveling: a wooden wedge to use as a doorstop, and take a rubber doorstop in case the floor is tile. I often take a towel and stuff it against/under the door to the room, (1) to block hallway noise, and (2) to make it more difficult to open the door and provide time to react if I'm in there.

Yep, I keep a cheap rubber doorstep in my suitcase, too! I’ve only ever needed it once, but was glad I had it. And I do the towel thing a lot at WDW resorts, mostly because they leave a ridiculously large gap under the doors and I’m allergic to mosquitoes.