Yes, Yes and Yes! I guess I might say no if you were opposed to running a race in general but you could walk one and still have a great time! You should definitely sign up for the most magical race weekend on Earth at Walt Disney World® Resort where your favorite classic Disney characters are the hosts! With race distances for all skill levels, including Kids Races, a 5K, 10K, Half Marathon and Marathon, participants will enjoy special Disney entertainment on course and earn one-of-a-kind Disney finisher medals. Plus, runners can take on race challenges to earn even more bling. Whether you're a beginner or a veteran runner, everyone can experience the magic of running through Walt Disney World® Resort!
Registration for the 2019 Disney World Marathon Weekend opens up on April 17 at noon (ET) or 11am (CST). You need to plan ahead and know what you want to do because it sells out QUICK and is non-refundable. So only sign up if you're sure you want to do it but be sure to sign up that day!
For Race Weekend:
The Expo - you must pick up your packet YOURSELF. I know a lot of races allow you to pick up other people's packets but not this one. So plan to be in Orlando the evening before the race with enough time to pick up your packet before the expo closes. I heard the the expo was quite crowded the evenings before the 5K and 10K but on the evening before the Half, it was practically empty. Here are some pics of the expo that evening:
Race Morning - We stayed at the Contemporary which was AMAZING for convenience. Monorail resorts are perfect since the start line is at Epcot and you are taken right there. Each Disney resort has buses dedicated that morning for the race so even if you don't stay on the monorail, you'll be good to go.
Plan on getting there EARLY. Our race start time was 5:30am. The latest they recommended being on the monorail was 3:30am. I hate to cut things close so we headed out of the room by 3am. It's a long walk from the monorail or bus drop-off to the corrals so you want to leave plenty of time! Yes, we did have to stand in the corral for years it seemed before the race started but at least we didn't miss it! We were in one of the last corrals so we didn't cross the start line until close to 6:30am. You do have to be a little bit careful on food and drink that morning. Don't drink so much that you have to leave the corral to use the restroom but of course don't let yourself become dehydrated!
The best parts of the race? Running through the parks, of course!! If you're like me, prepare for a few tears as you hit the parks. The Half goes through Magic Kingdom and ends at Epcot. The Full goes through all four parks (which is enough to make me plan to do this some day even though I had promised myself a few years ago to never run a full marathon again)! I didn't stop for PhotoPass photographers but I tried to look like running is easy for every photographer that I saw! I also snapped some shots as we ran with my phone - wish I had done more of that.
Costumes - you've really got to dress up! But there are rules. Check out runDisney's website for the full set but basically you can do whatever won't get in your way or anyone else's way and no masks. We saw some great ones but it was an off year since it was so cold. I think a lot of the best ones were covered up with layers! The easiest is to dress as a character but still in running gear like Ryan (Yoda) and I (Rapunzel) did.
Medals - Wear them in the parks the following days! You'll enjoy the glory as everyone congratulates you and makes you feel like the rock star that you are...
Post Race - I would recommend planning an easy day on race day. I was pumped to go eat my favorite breakfast at Tusker House post race so had made reservations for our entire family. We made it on time but it did put a bit of stress on me to make sure we got there. The race takes longer than you think due to stopping for pics, crowds and busy transportation. I skipped a lot of the set up photo ops with characters since I knew we were on a time crunch. Next time I won't have a set schedule after the race and I'll stop for all of those pics!
My only other advice is to be prepared for the unexpected. Yeah, I know - how can you prepare for that? Well for one, plan on any type of weather. We FROZE before the race since we were expecting to have warmer temps. Mid 30s is pretty miserable when you're wearing shorts and standing hours before you reach the start line. I would wear layers that you can toss if you warm up. Discarded clothing is collected and given to charity after the race so you can feel good about tossing it aside.
For the best race possible... Train! Even though it's the most fun race I've ever run, it is still a long distance and you can get hurt if you're not ready. Enjoy yourself - you most likely won't set a personal record on a Disney race. But I can tell you that you won't care. So. Much. Fun. Just be forewarned that this race will ruin you for any other races you plan to run!! Nothing compares.
Check out how much fun these people had when we watched the Full race at Epcot. They had stopped for drinks near the finish line. We saw a ton of people doing this - don't worry about finishing quickly and enjoy yourself!! Also, be sure and wear your MagicBand so that you can just charge food/drinks without carrying money. Of course, you'll have to wait until the parks open to be able to do this but on the Full race you'll be running well after the parks open.
Here are some tips to help you on registration day. PLEASE give me a shout if you think you might want to register and I can be available that day for info or help...
Before registration day - sign up for an account on Active.com - the registration system that runDisney uses. This way, you will save time entering basic information.
Be at your computer a few minutes BEFORE registration opens and open your browser window to Active.com and make sure you’re logged in.
Once the time arrives, the registration link will appear on the runDisney page (may need to refresh a few times). Click on it and you will be taken to Active.com. By having logged into your account earlier, you should already be logged in and ready to go. Select which race you are registering for. Here’s when a few different things could happen:
- You might be instantly directed to the registration page.
- You might be sent to a virtual waiting queue. If so, do not hit back or close your window! This is what I saw when I registered last year - the wait time was only a few minutes for me.
- You might see ON HOLD by the race you want to sign up for. If this happens, DON’T PANIC, just keep hitting refresh and trying again since there’s a good chance it will reopen.
- You might see SOLD OUT. Don't let this happen to you! Be on time to register!
I would love to visit with you about your personal situation and talk about the races in more depth. Of course, along with race information, I can plan and book your entire trip for FREE! Give me a call!!