Apologies for the placeholder and replace -- this is the most updated info that's been received ... just wanted to pull some names out, in an effort to keep everything semi-anonymous on a public board like this. We do have an incredibly active Facebook group discussing all of this, so if you want to DM me I can send you the link and add you.
ANYWAY.
To put things into more perspective, at some point yesterday there were a group of us on a RunDisney group on Facebook that got kinda lambasted about talking about conspiracy theories related to Light Side and Tink - and, frankly, it's pretty much in line with what we talk about here.
So, like I've posted earlier - I started reading the minutes from Orange County City Council meetings, and in talking with some friends ... we felt like there were some loose ends that could easily be tied up and maybe lead us to a little bit of information if we just directed the right questions to the right people.
My friend took it up today to start making a few calls and sending a few emails to city council members in Orange County. I have another friend that manages charity registrations who reached out to people today. And, myself, I reached out to my contacts at Active and a couple other entities to get information - ANY information.
I've posted much of this earlier, so it will look familiar ... this time around, some names have been redacted AND there is a little more information added. Here goes!
-- My friend was able to speak with a member of the
Disneyland Public Affairs team directly about Light Side Weekend. She was willing to speak briefly and concisely about Light Side Weekend, and this is what she said:
1. The delay in the announcement of a registration time is due to something entirely internal that she cannot disclose and has nothing to do with Anaheim. "This has nothing to do with the city and is completely internal."
2. Disneyland (or runDisney) has not filed any application for any permits with the city of Anaheim or any other city. "We have not applied for any permits for our 2018 races as of yet."
3. She could give no timeline as to when an announcement might take place.
4. "The minute we have something we will post it to the (runDisney) website."
... So, that just brought our group to believe that the RunDisney boilerplate of "permitting issues" is a ruse. This is backed up by the trend of RunDisney and Anaheim races - the permits for road closures have always been filed 30 days before race weekend, and not by Disney themselves but by CalTrans and signed by the Director of Public Works. They are presented on a portion of the agenda that is immediately approved without the city council hearing what the measure is and entails.
With that behind us, my friend kept emailing and calling council members.
Later this evening, he received the following return voicemail (he TOTALLY screens ...):
"Hi, this is Councilwoman [REDACTED] for the Anaheim District (inaudible). Thank you so much for reaching out to me. The reason, the marathon is not going to be canceled. The Star Wars will still happen next January. And the only reason that the registration is not open as of yet is because there's a little bit of snafu with IT. So just keep getting in there. It will take place. I have been assured by people from Disney that the marathon will continue. So if you want to keep up with me periodically, that would be great. .... (she left me her number) thank you for reaching out. We'll see you in January. Bye. Bye."
He also received the following information via phone call or email:
- A reporter who covers Anaheim said he checked with Anaheim City Hall. He said someone there told him they had not received any request for a permit to close city streets regarding Star Wars Light Side Half Marathon or anything like that. So it appears to be on Disney's side. He said he left a request for comment with his contact at Disney.
- An aide for another councilperson called me back seeking more information on my request for information.
I've spoken with one friend that works with a charity group and she decided to call the race group they contract with directly and ask if charity partners could give back their purchase of bibs without penalty because now it's becoming too difficult to sell bibs and they were told that any returned bibs would be refunded as long as they are surrendered by the existing deadline.
Another friend - also in the charity sector - plans to meet with the director of Spectrum Management, the entity that serves as race director and handles all the race weekend logistics for Disneyland races - tomorrow afternoon in an attempt to get more details on charity bibs and to what EXACTLY seems to be the hold-up with Light Side.
So. What can we glean from this?
It's not Anaheim, Orange County or permitting that's holding the race up. It's purely RunDisney/Disney and some internal issue.
