You thought it was long last year ?!?
This will add about 2 hours total. Not much. The run last year was a total of 4 hours with 2 breaks for lunch and the castle. I don't consider a half day long, this will be more like 10 am to 5pm, a good day of driving. Just plan to take the whole day off. You have plenty of time to ask for it off in advance and also, college is over by then. No excuses.
If you want to cut out, do what you want. But ask Kingpin and Plato when they left early, they missed out on a ton of fun road, probable the best part !
Plan to take the whole day off everyone. -B.