Castaway Cay 5k official runDisney event.. My Musings

Earlier I posted all the official important info about the upcoming runDisney Castaway 5k connected to Marathon weekend in January.. A part of me though is wondering, why is Disney suddenly taking a free 5k and slapping a price tag and a bunch of swag on it? Will this become a regular event? Will the cruisers not entered still be able to do the free version that cruise or are they sadly not getting the option to do the CC5k? As a previous Castaway 5k walker the I am scared that if this one does great, Disney may get the idea that each cruise to the Cay's 5k should become a for-profit item with limited entry and time limits etc. Walking that 5k was a fun thing to do because I was not running it. I am not a runner and oh wow it was hoooot and humid that day and though I am from an area that is usually hot and humid I was still blown away by the 8am-ish  humidity levels last July when we did the race.
Here's to hoping runDisney and DCL don't decide to take a possible once a year thing and spin it into another "book it at X many days out for Y cost" event.

Disney Announces Inaugural Castaway Cay Challenge

(I originally posted this over on TMSM.com)

From our Friends at runDisney!!! A new race!!!
Are you ready to set sail on a Disney Cruise? Today, we are excited to invite you to join us at the Inaugural Disney Castaway Cay Challenge during the 2015 Walt Disney World® Marathon Weekend presented by Cigna!

This inagurual event will combine any eligible race during Walt Disney World Marathon Weekend plus the Disney Castaway Cay 5K during the January 12 sailing from Port Canaveral, FL on the Disney Dream, hosted on Disney Cruise Line’s private island, Castaway Cay! Complete both races within the pacing requirements and you’ll earn the Inaugural Disney Castaway Cay Challenge Medal in addition to your Walt Disney World Marathon Weekend and Castaway Cay 5K finisher medals.
Which races are eligible, you ask? Any race that includes a distance of 5K or longer. So, complete the Marathon, Half Marathon, 10K, 5K, or either of the Goofy and Dopey Challenges, and you’re eligible to enter the Disney Castaway Cay Challenge!
The race fee will include a race bib, t-shirt, 5k Medal, Challenge Medal and a post race refreshment. There will also be exclusive activities designed for runDisney guests, plus featured menu items and special merchandise, just for the cruise! The entry fee does not, however, include your cruise booking, which will have to be made separately through Disney Cruise Line.
Challenge registration opens Friday, May 23 at Noon ET. Complete details, including registration and booking procedures, are available now on the Walt Disney World Marathon Weekend page at www.rundisney.com/disneyworld-marathon/#castaway. We hope to see you sailing away this January during Inaugural Disney Castway Cay Challenge!

From the official event page:

Disney Castaway Cay Challenge

Disney Cruise Line 4-night Bahamian Cruise January 12-16, 2015, following Walt Disney World® Marathon January 7-11, 2015
Disney Castaway Cay 5K January 14, 2015
Registration opens May 23 at Noon EST!
From Parks to Paradise, join the first-ever Disney Castaway Cay Challenge!
The all-new Disney Castaway Cay Challenge is an ultimate running adventure, combining one magical 5K event or longer during the 2015 Walt Disney World® Marathon Weekend (January 7-11, 2015) with a Castaway Cay 5K on Disney Cruise Lines’ private tropical island in the Bahamas the following week. On Monday, when Marathon weekend is over, set sail on board the Disney Dream for a 4-night Bahamian Cruise from Port Canaveral.  You’ll sail to Disney Castaway Cay for your 5K run along sandy white beaches, past swaying palms and sparkling turquoise lagoons, with magical Disney moments to surprise you along the way.  It’s a runner’s paradise in a spectacular island oasis.  Best of all, as a runDisney guest on board the Disney Dream, you’ll receive VIP treatment with exciting activities, special merchandise offerings, and featured menu items.
From parks to paradise…and a dream getaway on board a magical cruise! Be one of the first to earn your Disney Castaway Cay Challenge Inaugural Finisher Medal!
Go to Disneycruise.com to book your January 12th, 2015 cruise aboard the Disney Dream today, then register for the Castaway Cay Challenge on Active.com on May 23 at Noon EST. Use the promotional code RUN at the time of booking your Disney Cruise Line vacation. Be sure to enter your Cruise reservation number when registering for the race.

Castaway Cay 5K Highlights

• 3.1 mile course through Disney Castaway Cay, Disney Cruise Lines’ private island in the Bahamas
• Course runs past sparkling lagoons, the harbor, and white sandy beaches
• Surprise Disney magical moments and entertainment on-course

Castaway Cay Participants Receive:

• Castaway Cay Challenge Inaugural Event T-Shirt
• Commemorative Castaway Cay 5K Finisher Medallion* **
• Commemorative  Inaugural Castaway Cay Challenge Finisher Medal for participating in one Walt Disney World® Marathon Weekend 5K or longer event PLUS the Castaway Cay 5K* **
• Post-race refreshments
• Exciting Activities and access to Special Merchandise on board Disney Cruise Line
• Featured Healthy Menu Options on board Disney Cruise Line

*The number of registrations for the 2015 Walt Disney World® Marathon Weekend races and the Castaway Cay 5K is limited and subject to availability. To be eligible for the Castaway Cay Challenge runners must enter their cruise reservation number at the time of registration for a 5K or longer 2015 Walt Disney World® Marathon race event. All races are subject to age eligibility requirements and capacity limits. All race registration fees are non-refundable. Runners must complete both races within the 16-minute mile pacing requirements and must have an official time for each race to receive the Disney Castaway Cay Challenge Finisher Medal. Runners deferring any 2015 Walt Disney World® Marathon Weekend 5K or longer races will not be eligible for a Castaway Cay Challenge Finisher Medal. Events/races may be subject to delay, change, or cancellation for inclement weather or other safety concerns.
** A reservation on the January 12, 2015 Disney Dream 4-Night Bahamian Cruise is required in order to participate. It is recommended that you register for your Disney cruise PRIOR to registering for the Castaway Cay Challenge. Cruise Line reservations must be booked by August 1, 2014 or your Challenge Reservation will be forfeited. If your Disney Castaway Cay Challenge spot is forfeited for any reason, the race fee is non-refundable. Please refer to Disney Cruise Line for cruise refund policies.  

Disney Infinity Live Event reveals Marvel is coming to Disney Infinity 2.0 Fall 2014

Today Disney Infinity hosted a live event on Google+. Plugged as a "join us for a webcast as we unveil the latest chapter of Disney Infinity" the event kicked off at 10am PST and spent the first 20 minutes showing videos of Infinity characters dancing to the game's theme song, while 3000+ people sat and anxiously waited for 10am.

The event started with a montage of Disney creators, animators and writers explaining how Infinity's goal is to have players continue the story of characters we love while being creative in a whole new way.  Suddenly Nick Fury took over the event by webcast! It seems though the  info about Infinity he had was classified so Agent Coulsen (Clark Gregg himself) from Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.  was sent to the live event to run the show and introduce "Agent" Jimmy Pitaro the President of Disney Interactive who went over the current results of the game. Pitaro notes that we all know when kids play they create their own worlds controlled by their imaginations, and Infinity aims to emulate that while living up to the great Disney heritage of memory making. Since it's release 3 million starter packs have been sold since launch, and $500 million is estimated global sales in it's first year.  According to the NPD Group in the US Disney has out sold it's competition and continues to grow, and interactive gaming toy sales rose 79% last year. The goal of Infinity though was to great an interactive community, which they do with weekly toy box challenges, where the best submissions are pushed out as free content on a weekly basis. To date 10 million toy boxes have been downloaded. 60% of players time is spend in Toy Box mode.

With the concept that the system would continue to grow, they are now ready to announce Disney Infinity 2.0. With the second version coming in Fall of 2014 they knew they wanted to expand on the Disney universe. The addition of the Marvel character and stories have made the creators rethink game play by creating new experiences that match the characters qualities.
The Avengers, Spiderman and Guardians of the Galaxy will be in this add on.  Marvel, the Marvel Universe and Disney collaborated on this project. One thing separates Marvel characters from other super heroes, they are regular people with real life problems, and their humanity makes them relate-able.  The Infinity add on is another huge leap in the Marvel universe.

Part of the development for Infinity 2.0 is to create a bigger and better game but also listen to the players and their ideas. All of the Infinity 1.0 figures, power discs, toy boxes, and base are compatible with Infinity 2.0. In Fall 2014 the new 2.0 start up kit will come with three figures, but there will also be new toy box games.
Six new game figures were unveiled. From the Avengers there will be Ironman, Hawkeye, Captain America, Black Widow, Thor,  and Hulk and a game piece to open the game levels. There are more than a dozen new Marvel and Disney characters coming to the game.  80 new power discs with new options like team up, costume changes, while the original disc options for new environment disc and new vehicles (including motorcycles) will still exist. The games will be multiplayer. PS2, WiiU, Xbox360, PC, Android, and now PS4 and XBOXONE will be support Infinity 2.0

In 1.0 Metroville was the largest play-set footprint wise. Marvel's city will be four times bigger with Avengers and popular city buildings in the platform.  Special skills and combat, and character locomotion, and attributes and skill tree will be improved in 2.0. There are two modes of locomotion hover and forward flight, with the ability to fight in them, also a super jump feature has been added. Hulk and Spiderman will have the ability to wall crawl. Characters will be able to be upgraded to 20, and you can select the items you want to upgrade through the skill tree.

The newly expanded Toy Box mode has structured play added to it with game box game discs. Usability will be simplified to let players feel like master builders. The brush system allows you to spread out the area you want to create. Builders have been added to move around the toy box area to build for you automatically, and their work can be edited by the player. In 1.0 you couldn't really build inside a structure, but in 2.0 you will be able to add doors and unlock and create rooms to customize. You will even have a "home" that let's you store and display all your customization and trophies. In 1.0 the toy box had no structured play, but in 2.0 there will be toy box games discs in the starter kit for two structured toy box games.  There is now a template option that lets you connect all the logic options that work in the area created and it allows you to create a mini game quickly and easily, all of these will be multiplayer.

Interesting things learned during the event:
It seems the Marvel artists think that Hydra run Dancing with the Stars
The Marvel Universe is coming to Netflix in 2015
More Disney Infinity 2.0 will be unveiled at E3