Disney Inline Marathon Cancelled????

[Robert]

Received this email today. It was forwarded to me from a visitor:

From: WDW Sports [mailto:wdw.sports@disneysports.com]
Sent: Tuesday, August 14, 2007 2:26 PM
To: xxxxxx,xxxx
Subject: Re: General Sports

Dean,

Unfortunately, we have decided to cancel the Inline Marathon in 2008.

Disney Sports

....................

Has anyone heard anything about this?

[panch0]

Great! Now we'll definitely have no races in this neck of the woods!

Recently I looked up the race on their "Endurance Series" and did not find the Inline Marathon! Geez! I'll write them an e mail!

[Jim Larson]

Is this true???

...if so.......WOW!

Guess it doesn't do as good as they think it does? Maybe they will listen to the skater on the next one. We are the ones that know how to make this event bigger and better!

But it must be a secret, because we don't know who to talk too or who's listening?

[The Major]

Maybe that will bring more people to the Texas Road Rash. To bad. Disney could have made this a huge event. I agree with Jim. They didin't seem to want to listen to the needs of the skaters, rec or competitive. Actually they probably did listen and decided that it wasn't worth trying to address those needs. Easier to just cancel they way of Long Beach. Bummer.

[Jim White]

But it must be a secret, because we don't know who to talk too or who's listening?

Disney has had booths at several other races, staffed with their presonnel; they have made known the names of their home office staff. Disney is a business, and many of the skater's suggestions don't meet business needs. I agree with Greg's conclusion that they decided it wasn't worth while. Some of the more vocal skaters haven't been especially supportive of Disney.

There are other Florida races, including, I believe, the upcoming Miami Marathon, the West Palm group of races, the Tampa Classic group of races. Also there are some in Georgia. True, they aren't run exactly as everyone wants, nothing can be, but people who really want skate races will support them. The challenge now is to support the races that are. And anyone who knows how to make them better, put those ideas into action.

[Jim Larson]

Jim, nice points but, people tried to make Disney better, but no one wanted to help the cause. Yes they may have had people at events with Booths or whatever, but that wasn't a suggestion booth, it was an event booth for advertisement.

As long as that race has been going on, there has ONLY been I think ONE GOOD year and that was the first one! People tried to make it better. But with no help on the other side, it's best that it just be cancelled.

Perfect place for a nice big race and also to be a success in likes of DULUTH, ST PAUL, LONG BEACH, US 10K, NY 100k,......all the races in Wisconsin and Minnesota, you also have races up in Trexlertown PA, nice race series. Plus the indoor events that have outdoor along with it.

Maybe it's best they just cancelled it. Wasn't worth it anyway!

[Tahiti girl]

I disagree that it wasn't worth it. Yes, the price was a little steep but after all, it is Disney.
It was great fun skating through the world and over the various surfaces...parking lot, cobblestones, cement, trolly tracks,and the infamous boardwalk! Technical course but really fun!
It was also very nice waiting for the sunrise, which coincided with the race start. The skaters appeared happy cause they were at Disney. A lot of other skaters wished they were there, too.
It was a race that everyone wanted to do, even if they didn't finish.

[zoraster]

If the race is being canceled, they sure are not keeping the skaters updated. The website is still active:

http://disneyworldsports.disney.go.com/ ... age&bhcp=1

Although there is no registration setup, so that could be a clue.


Scott

[Jim White]

Until a race offers registration, it's not firm, IMO. But I haven't seen anything official that it's been cancelled, just an email, and I get many faked emails daily. But some aren't, like today I got one offering me millions of dollars, like that an African tribe chief left to his lover's niece when he committed suicide, and the niece has chosen me to give her money to because......well she didn't say why but I'll know soon because I sent her $1500 for a plane ticket so she could explain to me in person, when she gives me the million dollars. I sure am lucky!

Tahiti girl, must agree with you, hundreds of skaters thought this race was worthhile enough to come to from across the country, moe skaters than all in North America, except a couple. And skaters kept coming, year after year.

[ldskater]

If this is true then I'm sorry it has been canceled.

I have to differ with some of the opinions here about them not listening to the skaters or organizers. The year after it rained they moved the race from May to Aril to try and get it out of the rainy season. They eliminated most of the boardwalk that people complained about. If they eliminated the entire boardwalk logistically I believe it would have made it much more difficult to get the race to go through the parks which is the draw for the majority of most people. Remember the majority of the skates are recreational skaters and are there for the enjoyment and camaraderie of it. Same as any of the other big races; the rec skaters are the majority.

In years past there were a lot more wet spots from sprinklers. Last year they did turn off the sprinklers except for one and unfortunately it happened to be on the boardwalk.

Last year it was more expensive because Easter was at the same time, but that would not always be the case. If I remember my religion correctly Easter is a moving target. As far as any date goes, Disney has to look at all the events they put on and pick a date that best suits all of the events and teh availability of the facilities.

After talking with some of the organizers last year I found out some of the other things they did to make the event more skater friendly was where we had to go up the curb to get to the sidewalk they put asphalt down so it was an easy transition and after the race they would tear it out. If you’ve ever been to the parks on a regular day you would see big poles in the ground which were removed for us so we could skate through some of the entrances and exists.

We do need to remember that putting on a race is a business and if the return isn’t there then there will be no more race. The year it was cancelled due to rain left a bitter taste in everyone’s mouth but I don’t recall seeing all the negativity on all the message boards when people couldn’t get to Duluth in 2001 and couldn’t get their money back. I know people will say it is two different circumstances but when it all comes down to it when you sign up for a race and you can’t get there or it’s been canceled there are no refunds.

[BWI-Sheldon]

Oh well, there goes my whole skating careere. Disney is the only race that I have any chance on going to. There are no other races that logisitly work out for me except maybe St. Paul, but the financial burden is too great to justify for a family.

[The Major]

Oh well, there goes my whole skating careere. Disney is the only race that I have any chance on going to. There are no other races that logisitly work out for me except maybe St. Paul, but the financial burden is too great to justify for a family.

There is a whole race series http://www.easternseasboardseries.com right up the road from you just North of Philly. You could drive there on race day, no problem. That's 5 races you can do. You don't always have to bring the family to go to a race. It's just one day. I love my family but if I had to bring them to every race, I wouldn't be racing much either.