The Goofy Challenge has long been reigning as the supreme runDisney challenge having runners run a half marathon on Saturday and a full marathon on Sunday. You get both of the race medals, plus the Goofy challenge medal. Sweet, we all love our bling, right? However, over the years people have been running the 5K that is held on that Friday, as well as the Goofy challenge, creating an "unofficial Dopey challenge". There is no extra medal from runDisney for doing this as this is not an officially sanctioned challenge, though individual runners have taken it upon themselves to create their own medal to commemorate their accomplishment.
However yesterday, pictures were posted of a pricing list for WDW Marathon weekend and along with the Goofy Challenge, an "official" Dopey Challenge and a brand new 10K race was listed.
::brain and wallet exploding::
People were going crazy for two reasons.
1) The Dopey Challenge is finally being recognized by runDisney and all us runners that like to challenge our boundaries in running, racing and get extra bling (let's not try and fool ourselves, we can be bling whores at times) while doing so, will jump at the chance to do it; especially if it includes the Disney magic we have grown to expect and love.
2) The price. It is cost prohibitive, even to many of the runDisney faithful who sometimes inadvertently end up running most of the races each year just because we love the themes and camaraderie that much.
The pricing list that was released for this race weekend was outrageous, in my opinion. runDisney is adding a 10K, I'm assuming because there has been enough requests and interest in having another race distance added to these weekends for people who want to be involved, but can't run half or full marathon distances. Also, I'm assuming after they saw the sign-up frenzy that occurred for the new 10K race during the Disneyland Half weekend in August, it was reason enough for them to introduce the idea to their Florida race weekends. However the new 10K was priced the same as the half and full marathon at $160! That's a crazy stupid price for a 10K, the most I've ever spent on a 10K was $60 and I even got a medal with that race. I understand that runDisney race pricing tends to be higher than most other race series, but $160 for a 10K? No thanks, I'll pass.
The Dopey Challenge price is $495 for the three races. ::picking jaw up off the floor::
Now it did not state which three races it would be, though the speculation is that it is either the original Dopey combo of 5K, half and full, or with the new race they are introducing, 10K, half and full. Regardless, the three races break up into $165 each if you divide the total price by three races, so my guess based on price point is that it is the 10K, half and full. That being said, there are still people that will run all four races (5K, 10K, half and full) and still make their own "unofficial" challenge. Now that Dopey has officially been taken by runDisney I wonder what people will call it. I say they call it the "Mad Hatter Chase", because you would have to be absolutely MAD to run 48.6 miles in 4 days.
Regardless of the above, this is all still speculation until there is an official release from runDisney, but still, there is A LOT of talk going on about this.
Question for you: Would you participate in this race weekend even with those price points? What do you think of the new challenge and addition of 10K race? Too much too soon?
The Disneyland 10k was only $95...not sure why the price would be close to double!! I think I would just stick with Goofy right now...unless I win the lottery or inherit an obscene amount of money...
ReplyDeleteTRUE STORY!!! The DL 10K was more affordable, in my opinion. In my crazy mind I could justify $95 for a runDisney 10K. But $160 for a 10K is loco. I think I would stick to the Goofy as well and cheer on the rest of the crazy people!
Delete:( It's getting so expensive. We budgeted for Goofy, and Goofy only. Sorry Mickey. ... I can't afford to support Dopey! That inaugural bling though. ... haha
ReplyDeleteThat's the terrible part of it. They know people want to be involved in innaugural events to become "perfect" at that race. They know how to get us.
DeleteI was wondering if you guys would be doing the Dopey since you were going to that race weekend already for the Goofy.
Ya.. Goofy is enough for us at this point.
DeleteThat price is way too high when you have to factor in travel. I thought the Dumbo Double Dare was too much, and I live a half hour from Disneyland! Unfortunately for the more budget minded runners, as long as people pay those high prices, Disney has no reason to make them more affordable.
ReplyDeletePrecisely. They will eventually pigeon-hole their audience to be mostly local people. I live in the PNW and travel there is expensive, then adding the race and registration fees on top of it all. It's at least $1000 per person just in travel and races fees alone, not even including costs while you are there.
DeleteThe rising costs will keep the runDisney faithful from running multiple races a year.
I wonder if this leak was planned so runDisney could get an idea of how people would react to the pricing. I agree that it is exceptionally high (I had a really hard time with Dumbo, especially having to shell out for both me and the hubby). My guess, or really hope, is that runDisney gauges the reactions and adjusts the prices. Granted, people will still probably pay for it, but the races won't sell out as fast.
ReplyDeleteThat is my hope as well, that they will gauge how people are reacting to the pricing and adjust accordingly. However we have seen a steady increase in pricing on races over the past couple of years. Even an increase from last year for 5K's, it is a $5 increase from the previous year. Which makes it incredibly spendy and prices out a lot of people when they have multiple members of the family running these races. :(
DeleteFOUR races in one weekend? I guess it's a way to step up the runDisney game & keep runners coming back especially since lots of folks have mentioned skipping WDWMarathon wknd in 2014 as they hold out for the 5th Anniversary Goofy bling in 2015. Marcia said she thought runDisney should grow one of the other race weekends and I agree, that seems like a better idea than cramming one more race into an already crazy week.
ReplyDeleteWith that said, I am very intrigued (although that many miles in only 4 days might kill me) but I'd have no idea how I'd pay for any of it...being a stay at home mom and all. Humm.
Well apparently the 10K price has dropped on the website just recently. So if you take the Dopey price and subtract the Goofy challenge price, the 10K and 5K price, it equals out. I'm thinking the Dopey Challenge is ALL 4 races. That's crazy, and leaves lots of runners up for injury.
DeleteAs fun as this challenge may sound and the lure of earning possibly 6 medals (if you get one for each race, the Goofy and Dopey medal) in one weekend, there is such a huge opportunity for people to push too hard and injure themselves or worse.