Strategy for Race Registrations

[poohs4me]

Does anyone have a good strategy for getting a race registration? I have considered an annual pass or the run Disney club or even a travel agent if I knew one. It seems registration is getting harder and harder to secure. Do you all have any thoughts on these methods? Thank you

 

[jmasgat]

Do we have thoughts? Ha!

So I wouldn't bother with Disney club--for me it's a non-value money grab. Getting an AP for just this purpose--also wouldn't do. That's a decision I would make solely on trip math/usage. A TA can be useful if you are prepared to buy a package. Their bib availability is pooled now, and I am not entirely sure that it is identical to what WD Travel offers. ( I have tried t go this route before and got different answers)

If you're going solo, I would just be online, logged into your Disney account on multiple devices to improve your chances of making it through the queue. Once in, don't delay. Get the registrations selected and paid for. Your registration isn't guaranteed until you checkout and pay, i.e. they don't hold it in your basket. Seems like the short distances sell out fastest, and on Marathon Weekend, Dopey as well.

If you're trying to get multiple people into an event, I have no good ideas. Also, if you want merchandise, I have no clue--but don't delay while in the registration process to decide. But I'm sure you'll get lots of responses.

 

[Dug720]

If you're going solo, I would just be online, logged into your Disney account on multiple devices to improve your chances of making it through the queue. Once in, don't delay. Get the registrations selected and paid for. Your registration isn't guaranteed until you checkout and pay, i.e. they don't hold it in your basket. Seems like the short distances sell out fastest, and on Marathon Weekend, Dopey as well.

This! For Marathon Weekend, I think it was the 3rd browser I got going that got in. (I did Firefox laptop, Safari phone, Chrome laptop, Firefox phone, and then a second Firefox phone - it was the Chrome that got in, so it’s clearly not first-come-first-served.

Have all your information right there - credit or Gift card and everything.

I have heard others say (it was a non-issue for me as I was on an “I hate running” break for 5 years until COVID shut the world down) not to worry about Proof of Time when your are registering as you can always go back and add it after you are registered, but those extra seconds to enter it when registering could mean the difference between getting in or not if you are on the bubble.

 

[Z-Knight]

Do we have thoughts? Ha!

So I wouldn't bother with Disney club--for me it's a non-value money grab. Getting an AP for just this purpose--also wouldn't do. That's a decision I would make solely on trip math/usage. A TA can be useful if you are prepared to buy a package. Their bib availability is pooled now, and I am not entirely sure that it is identical to what WD Travel offers. ( I have tried t go this route before and got different answers)

If you're going solo, I would just be online, logged into your Disney account on multiple devices to improve your chances of making it through the queue. Once in, don't delay. Get the registrations selected and paid for. Your registration isn't guaranteed until you checkout and pay, i.e. they don't hold it in your basket. Seems like the short distances sell out fastest, and on Marathon Weekend, Dopey as well.

If you're trying to get multiple people into an event, I have no good ideas. Also, if you want merchandise, I have no clue--but don't delay while in the registration process to decide. But I'm sure you'll get lots of responses.

Yeah, agree with much of this. Disney Club is way expensive and would only be useful if you had extra cash to burn. The TA used to be the best way to go, but now the move the the Pool system it is not a guarantee anymore - most luck you would have is if you are one of the first people to sign up the TA because they they would try to secure your bib first, but lots of TAs now have lots of people ahead of you waiting for their bibs first. The package requirements are not bad, unless you live near Disney already so don't need the hotels, etc.

As for the multiple devices on registration day - lots of people log in via their home wifi connection, you really need to use your phone off your home wifi and use the network instead, so not only are you on different devices but on different networks.

best merchandise is usually at the Expo - so you have to get there early on day 1 and wait in line

 

[poohs4me]

Thank you all. I am glad you have so many thoughts and impressed they are all very similar. I am very nervous about the whole process after this year.

 

[Kerry1957]

One bit of advice; if you are using multiple devices and/or browsers, do not start them all early. Many of us have had better success entering the queue moments after registration begins.

 

[Nina0126]

Also, if you want merchandise, I have no clue--but don't delay while in the registration process to decide.

I don't usually bother with pre-sale stuff because they don't have what I want in the configuration I want it in - lol - but: in theory couldn't you just log back in to your rD account and add merchandise later or does it make you join the queue again?

 

[Dug720]

I don't usually bother with pre-sale stuff because they don't have what I want in the configuration I want it in - lol - but: in theory couldn't you just log back in to your rD account and add merchandise later or does it make you join the queue again?

It appears I could still go in and order Marathon Weekend stuff, so I think you could go back in well after reg madness.

 

[Nina0126]

Slightly related: does anyone know if pre-sale merchandise can be partially returned? Example: a 3 item set but you only want to keep 1 or 2 of the items. Will they let you return what you don't want or do you have to return the entire set?

 

[Livelovedance]

I agree with the above comments. The runDisney club is a very expensive membership with little value for my current situation. I have an AP already, but I wouldn’t buy one just for early registration. If you’re not using it for it’s intended purpose it’s also very expensive, and the number of early registration spots is limited. I wanted to register for the princess fairy tale challenge during AP registration but it sold out before I was even able to get through the queue! I ended up registering for the 5K and then got into the challenge on regular registration day. (I’ve had similar situations happen to me with early registration before covid, so it’s not just a new situation this year)

Registering with multiple devices works for me. It helps if you also have devices with different browsers. In my experience, there’s no rhyme or reason as to why one gets in faster than another. My iPad was the winner this year.

My advice:
- Make sure you know your Disney account login information, or have it saved.
- Have your payment method ready. If using a gift card to pay, make sure it has enough on it to pay for your entire purchase.
- If you’ve never registered for a runDisney race before, do a little research on what the registration process looks like. If you’re familiar with the questions they’ll ask, you’ll be able to answer them faster.
- If registering for a race that requires proof of time, don’t enter your proof of time while registering. There’s an option to do it later. Every second counts.
- Don’t buy your merchandise while registering. You can do that after you’re registered.

(This is my advice based on what’s worked for me. Others may have different experiences and opinions.)

Good luck!

 

[Sleepless Knight]

It appears I could still go in and order Marathon Weekend stuff, so I think you could go back in well after reg madness.

So long as the merchandise item in question is still available, it can be preordered after the fact. In fact I forgot to preorder the Star Wars race weekend jacket with my initial registration on Tuesday and upon realizing that, I went in Wednesday and preordered it. Some items like MagicBands can sell out quickly.

Slightly related: does anyone know if pre-sale merchandise can be partially returned? Example: a 3 item set but you only want to keep 1 or 2 of the items. Will they let you return what you don't want or do you have to return the entire set?

The pre-order pin sets for each race or the race pin/I did it/medal replica pin sets are packaged together. Sometimes merchandise lasts until later in the expo and some stuff goes very quickly. I generally take the approach of if you want it, preorder it and then return it at the Expo or the resort if you don't like it.

 

[GreatLakes]

I think you are overthinking this OP. I don't know how the year of lost races will change things but it has been a while since you had to register within minutes of registration opening to get a spot even in a challenge. My only strategy for my last rD event (W&D challenge 2018) was to be online when registration opened and sign up. I didn't worry about having multiple computers or multiple browsers or being plugged into my router instead of on WiFi.