Marathon Weekend 2017!

[rteetz]

I'm thinking that they just didn't bother to read my e-mail and hit a button to send me a form response. I think it's pretty clear what I was expecting from them:

"Dear RunDisney,
I have not yet received the gift card refund for my entry into the cancelled 2017 WDW Half Marathon. Do you need any further action from me to issue the refund? I was a Dopey Challenge runner, so I thought the gift card was to be sent automatically per the e-mail you sent on 01/07/17. Here is my information:"

Exactly, it is a form response however with the confusion lately they probably still want you to know that the tickets are an option.

 

[camaker]

Exactly, it is a form response however with the confusion lately they probably still want you to know that the tickets are an option.

Perhaps. But given their increasing inability to communicate coherently and accurately through most any medium, I'm disinclined to give them the benefit of the doubt at this point.

ETA: When you have sent out multiple form e-mails to individuals and they respond to you with a direct request, sending another form e-mail requesting information already given is not appropriate.

 

[Chunkytfg]

Finally relented and emailed them about our 'automatic e-giftcards'!!

Now just need to sit back and wait for a response

 

[Mulan2]

Has anyone received their half medal through the mail yet? I am still waiting for mine.

 

[DHSsenior007]

Has anyone received their half medal through the mail yet? I am still waiting for mine.

Nope, still waiting on mine too!

 

[jAcKs_x0]

For the challenge participants, this was the second email I received regarding refund options, after the first email that stated we only had the option of gift cards or MYW tickets.

Dear Jacqueline,


Thank you for contacting us about the cancellation of the Walt Disney

World Half Marathon.


Please accept our sincerest apologies that we are unable to fulfill

Option 3 as requested. We have reviewed these requests with our

runDisney Leadership, and they have received the utmost considerations.

In the interest to fairness of all Challenge participants, we are unable

to offer a transfer to a future Half Marathon event to our Challenge

participants.



We still encourage you to select from one of the following two options:


- Option 1: A full refund, minus ACTIVE.com fees, for the cost of the

race registration in the form of a Disney Gift Card. Please note, the

Disney Gift Card is not accepted for payment for runDisney race

registrations.


- Option 2: Two complimentary 1-Day Magic Your Way Tickets with Park

Hopper Option, valid for use on any future visit to the Walt Disney

World Resort. The tickets do not expire and may be used during regular

operating hours. Please know, complimentary tickets cannot be upgraded

nor can they be applied toward a package to meet eligibility

requirements.


At your convenience, I encourage you to respond directly to this

message, clearly indicating the recovery option you would prefer.


Jacqueline, I look forward to your reply.


Sincerely,


The runDisney Team

Guest Experience Services

www.runDisney.com

Email: runDisney@disneysports.com


I asked to speak to a manager because I explained my situation: I am a cast member so the MYW tickets are useless and I do not find $180 worth of things/food to purchase a valuable exchange considering they will defer regular "half" participants but not "challenge" ones. While I completely understand that they could have given us nothing in return, I'm quite frustrated at their lack of continuity between half participants. I also understand the challenge in deferring people from a challenge to a future half, but I wish there were a solution.

 

[Tina S. O.]

I've been lurking for a long time while preparing for the Disney Half Marathon, but never signed up to post anything. I just wanted to share that our cancelled half marathon was transferred to the Princess half marathon next month! That was best case scenario since we've already put in the training and can keep it up for another month. But I had zero expectations that it would be available since it's been sold out forever and it's only a month away. But surprise, surprise. I just thought I'd share in case anyone else had requested that race and hadn't heard back yet.

 

[camaker]

If anyone Goofy/Dopey runners have been waiting for the automatic gift card to be sent, I suggest you send an e-mail to RunDisney. I finally gave up waiting last week and e-mailed them. Their responses implied that they'd been waiting for me to make a decision on which refund option I wanted. It seems that in the confusion around challenge runners just getting gift cards and then being presented with options to choose from the "do nothing and get a gift card automatically" referenced in their early e-mail is no longer happening.

 

[Ariel484]

The Marathon Weekend Dooney & Bourke bags are on the Shop Disney Parks app.

 

[mbwhitti]

The Marathon Weekend Dooney & Bourke bags are on the Shop Disney Parks app.

That's a first. Glad I didn't LOVE these because it's easy to pass. Still love my Marathon weekend 2015 Dooney the best. Mr. Whitti is happy I didn't love this one either. My mom went over and talked to the CMs selling the bags for like 10 minutes... I've created a Disney Dooney monster with that one. She's gone on three trips with me... each trip she comes home with a new Dooney... wonder where I get it from, lol.

 

[Ariel484]

That's a first. Glad I didn't LOVE these because it's easy to pass. Still love my Marathon weekend 2015 Dooney the best. Mr. Whitti is happy I didn't love this one either. My mom went over and talked to the CMs selling the bags for like 10 minutes... I've created a Disney Dooney monster with that one. She's gone on three trips with me... each trip she comes home with a new Dooney... wonder where I get it from, lol.

Yeah, the bags from the 2016 Avengers Half Marathon weekend are there, too. They even have the race weekend hang tags. Must not have been a big seller for them.

I am so glad I stopped buying Dooneys...they are coming out with so many freaking patterns that it would be overwhelming (5 this year already!). I can totally see how your mom comes home with a new one for each trip!

 

[Z-Knight]

If anyone Goofy/Dopey runners have been waiting for the automatic gift card to be sent, I suggest you send an e-mail to RunDisney. I finally gave up waiting last week and e-mailed them. Their responses implied that they'd been waiting for me to make a decision on which refund option I wanted. It seems that in the confusion around challenge runners just getting gift cards and then being presented with options to choose from the "do nothing and get a gift card automatically" referenced in their early e-mail is no longer happening.

That's what i've been saying, maybe poorly. Basically, they expected you to tell them which of the 2 options you wanted because they can't read your mind, and then after the option is selected THEN everything is automatically done by them - i.e. they automatically send you the gift card if you selected that option. Before that nothing can be automatic because they don't know which option you want until you contact them.

 

[JohnFilipoff]

You have to email Disney. I too waited for my automatic e-gift card but I never received it. I emailed Disney. At first I received the standard automated response that it will take up to 10 days for them to get to my request. But about 5 days later I received my e-gift card. I think the initial communication was that it was going to be "automatic" for challenge participants, however I thought I read somewhere else that you had to contact them to let them know you wanted the gift-card.

 

[surfde22]

Finally relented and emailed them about our 'automatic e-giftcards'!!

Now just need to sit back and wait for a response

I looked at the guide again yesterday, and the verbiage about the gift cards going out automatically is now gone. I think @BuckeyeBama has a point in that they're hoping people forget. I sent them an email yesterday and had my gift card with in the hour.

 

[Z-Knight]

You have to email Disney. I too waited for my automatic e-gift card but I never received it. I emailed Disney. At first I received the standard automated response that it will take up to 10 days for them to get to my request. But about 5 days later I received my e-gift card. I think the initial communication was that it was going to be "automatic" for challenge participants, however I thought I read somewhere else that you had to contact them to let them know you wanted the gift-card.

Again, its only automatic if there is 1 option - but we had 2 options, so how can it be automatic? I assume it would only by automatic for 2 options if you never contact them and so as a final act they would automatically choose option 1 for you, but that likely wouldn't happen until weeks later.

 

[camaker]

That's what i've been saying, maybe poorly. Basically, they expected you to tell them which of the 2 options you wanted because they can't read your mind, and then after the option is selected THEN everything is automatically done by them - i.e. they automatically send you the gift card if you selected that option. Before that nothing can be automatic because they don't know which option you want until you contact them.

The problem was with RunDisney's communications. Their initial communication to us said explicitly that no action had to be taken and we would automatically be sent the gift card. I posted the exact verbiage from that e-mail earlier in a thread (not sure if it was this one). They added the option of park tickets after that, but apparently they forgot that they had sent out the "automatic" e-mail and didn't include clarifying instructions leaving people to guess whether the first e-mail still applied or whether contact was necessary.

 

[Chunkytfg]

I looked at the guide again yesterday, and the verbiage about the gift cards going out automatically is now gone. I think @BuckeyeBama has a point in that they're hoping people forget. I sent them an email yesterday and had my gift card with in the hour.

Sounds about right. Email response within 12 hours closely followed by the gift card! Now just to see if I can work out how to use $360 of gift cards on a store that doesn't want to let me select the option of posting to the UK!

 

[BwoZoo22]

As an aside to the current conversation...

Has anyone who pre-ordered the race weekend Tervis mug looked at the characters? Everyone EXCEPT DOPEY is on the mug. I was very surprised and disappointed. Bummer.

Also, received the special 2017 Marathon Weekend participant early registration link for the 2018 Marathon weekend in the standard runDisney email. Wouldn't have even noticed the early registration link if a friend hadn't mentioned it was there! But after 2016 W&D, Christmas, 2017 Dopey, and the 2017 W&D registration, I can't afford the Dopey registration right now!

 

[tmanaster]

Hi all!

First of all, I received my electronic gift card the day after I emailed them. I agree it was confusing because it seemed like they would send it automatically!

Also- finally had time to finish writing the 2017 Dopey Challenge trip report and posted it this morning. My husband and I were running the Dopey Challenge to celebrate our 20th Anniversary. You can read about it in the Dopey Challenge recap but we had an awesome time! And if money were no object, we'd be signing up again. Will camped at Ft. Wilderness and I will be posting what we thought of it on Friday.

 

[DHSsenior007]

I've been lurking for a long time while preparing for the Disney Half Marathon, but never signed up to post anything. I just wanted to share that our cancelled half marathon was transferred to the Princess half marathon next month! That was best case scenario since we've already put in the training and can keep it up for another month. But I had zero expectations that it would be available since it's been sold out forever and it's only a month away. But surprise, surprise. I just thought I'd share in case anyone else had requested that race and hadn't heard back yet.

I'm glad your race was successfully deferred! I was wondering if anyone else has received confirmation of their deferment? I'm trying to transfer to W&D 2017 and the last thing I heard is that they are working to see if they can get me in. That was this past Friday...