runDisney Princess Half Marathon Weekend

#Medal Monday! Basking in the Afterglow of Princess Weekend

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There is a newly-minted batch of Disney Princesses in town! Congratulations to everyone who participated in the 2023 Disney Princess Half Marathon Weekend!

The weather was fantastic and it was a picture perfect race weekend. Well, not all of my pictures were perfect, but they are, at least, entertaining.

I hit the expo early on Thurdsay to try to beat most of the chaos. I was lucky I was able to do that because for some folks, it was a long, drawn-out day. I spoke with someone who joined the Virtual Queue when it opened at 8:30, but she did not get a shopping window for about 4 hours.

There was lots to do and see at the expo, including Cinderella’s coach! I was excited to get a pic, but slightly bummed that I missed out on getting the pic with her footmen and the glass slipper, which got there a little later. Oh well, c’est la vie.

Since I was “only” doing the 10K this time around, I had some time to enjoy Disney and had a day at Disney Springs followed by an incredible dinner and fireworks from the California Grill at the Contemporary Resort. I spent Friday at Epcot. This time I was the one getting shut out of the virtual queue for Guardians of the Galaxy, but got incredibly lucky with a last minute lunch reservation at Space 220, so I was all smiles. (And really, really stuffed!)

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Saturday was race day for me, and I completely lucked out and got a placement in corral C. First time for everything, I guess, and now I know that it’s actually possible to get so lucky! Also lucky was my running buddy Stacia, also starting in corral C. I usually end up in the back with the Balloon Ladies and scared formy life, but this time I was able to take it a bit more relaxed. Before the race I was able to snag a selfie with runDisney legend Jogging Jack Sparrow, and Stacia was interviewed by Riley right before we launched. I was surrounded by celebrity!

Stacia and I were really in sync on pacing and intervals, and it felt like a match made in heaven! It was definitely Belle’s day and I was in good company in my yellow ballgown. At some point I was intercepted by another runDisney celebrity, The Trooper Dude, also dressed as Belle. He was in the middle of a livestream and interviewed me while we were running on the topic of “Who wore it better?” I think I won on the technicality that I don’t have facial hair.

I’m used to doing full challenge weekends, so running just the 10K felt like a breeze. I was sorry it was over so soon.

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So I am still trying to get a good jump shot. I have not yet perfected it. What I did perfect is the art of “Mike Wazowski-ing” myself. This one was just too good not to share.

So after the miles and the smiles there wasn’t much left to do but say goodby and bolt to the airport for my same-day flight, but I did manage to grab a pic of THREE runDisney celebrities in the same place – The Trooper Dude, Jogging Jack Sparrow, and THe Muscle Mouse. Proof that they are not the same person!

The Trooper Dude, Jogging Jack Sparrow, The Muscle Mouse

A Princess Wears the Crown

Sadly, I had to miss the Half Marathon, but a huge shout out to the overall winner, Neely Gracey of Denver, Colorado. She beat the entire field (including the boys!) to finish in 1:15:55. That’s an astounding accomplishment, and only the third time a woman was the overall winner. You rock the kingdom, Neely!

Photo Credit: Elisa White, runDisney

I’m sad it’s over, but so glad I got to take part in the 2023 Princess Half Marathon Weekend! Were you there? Drop a comment and tell me how much fun you had!

Princess Weekend Merch Preview

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We’re counting down the days to Princess Half Marathon weekend, and now we know what merchandise will be up for grabs at the expo. As a reminder, access to merchandise on day one of the expo (Thursday, Feb 23) will be via virtual queue, so plan ahead! You need to be within 45 miles of Wide World of Sports to snag a spot in the queue.

These items will be with the race merchandise in the Advent Health Arena:

And for the Princesses that need a bit more bling for their Pandora bracelets:

I’m pretty sure I don’t need any more jackets or shirts, but I have an eye on the ears! What do you think? Drop a comment and let me know what’s on your shopping list

2023 Princess Half Marathon Weekend Course Maps are Here!

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Calling all Princesses!! That magical moment is almost here!

OK, I’ll be completely honest. Between the Dopey afterglow, the exhillaration of Disneyland registration and the utter triumph of securing a Space 220 reservation for my daughter’s birthday, I haven’t put a ton of brainpower into Princess Weekend. That doesn’t mean I’m not excited, I’ve just been focused on other things.

But realigning my focus… OH MY GOODNESS Princess is just two weeks away!!! Reality is necessitating a slightly different approach for me this time, but I will be there, and I am just as excited as always. This time I’ll be running only the 10K and sprinting to the airport from the finish line. I’m not running the 5K, but I’ll be spectating (a very lucky first for me!), and I get to share the whole experience with a dear friend from the Walt Disney World College Program just 30 (cough, cough) short years ago. I’m also hoping to connect with another dear runDisney friend at the race…and you. Yes, you. More than ever I know that the runDisney family is my family. You get it, you get me. Please say hello if you spot me! I’ll be Belle. That makes it easy, right?

Full disclosure, this is my first Princess weekend. It’s probably the most expensive week of the year to travel from my cold little corner of the country to Orlando. I’ve heard many wonderful dreamy things about Princess weekend. I have also heard ugly, snarky things about Princess Weekend. I figured that the only way to know for sure is to try it out for myself. So, I stalked airline pages for months (no joke) trying to find an airfare that would also alow me to fulfill my obligation to the utilities companies, and finally found a fare that was not completely unreasonable. Truth be told I would have stayed for the half marathon, but prices jump hundreds of dollars between Saturday and Sunday departures. So, if this runDisney lifestyle is to be mine, living where I do, some sacrifices must be made. Maybe I’ll finish the Fairytal Challenge another time.

But you’re not here to hear me whining about spring break airfare. You want the maps. I get it. Spoiler Alert: Nothing new to see here. Courses are identical / super close to other courses we’ve seen this season.

Princess 5K

As usual, we start at the back of the Epcot parking lot and skirt around the edge and through some industrial / cast parking lot stuff for the first mile. It’s OK. You’re so pumped and so busy trying not to get stepped on or step on someone else, it doesn’t matter that there’s not too much to look at.

We enter Epcot between Mexico and Norway (with a lovely whiff of garbage just before park entrance). I predict there will be a character stop with and epic line right at the entrance.

Straight ahead, the lagoon will present endless photo ops, and hopefully lit for the occasion. (We know that the “water tacos” are being retired at the end of Harmonious’ run, but I think they should still be there for Princess.)

From there it’s a lap around the World Showcase Lagoon. Expect another character stop in France (Belle???? Just a prediction, no inside intel there).

Most likely another character stop between UK and Canada, and then back into Future World. There’s a nice photo op with Spaceship Earth as you cross the bridge.

Swing around the future Journey of Water, run past the Jammitors (maybe?) and a quick jaunt backstage behind Cosmic Rewind until you see the choir, the finish line, and salvation.

Princess 10K

There’s a whole lot of road at the start of this race, but I’d rather get that out of the way early, TBH.

From the same start line, we turn left instead of right and get really intimate with the Reedy Creek (for now) highway system very quickly.

It’s not till somewhere after mile 3 that we can even start to smell the parks. The first park is Hollywood Studios. If you’re looking for an immersive experience, this won’t be it. It’s more of a taste of the park than a full bite. We run up Sunset Boulevard, past Tower of Terror and abruptly take a left on Hollywood Boulevard and leave. Full stop.

The next part of the course is one that many dread. The path to the Boardwalk is narrow, and if you’re not in the lead pack, probably won’t be running. There are many walkers here. Trying to run might actually be dangerous. Keep your eyes open and adjust to course conditions.

Once we get past this half-mile bottleneck, we navigate the Boardwalk and then enter Epcot through the International Gateway.

Finishing up around the past UK and Canada, it’s back into the Future World for the same finsih as yesterday.

Princess Half Marathon

Let’s be real a second, (Hamilton) this is the race everyone is waiting for. Everyone dreams of running through the castle in a gown. OK… maybe 75% of the world’s population does. This might be your opportunity. If you’re in corral A or B.

Magic Kingdom is the first “big event” during the half marathon, at just 4 miles in. I’m going to be 100% honest with you. Four miles from the start is not enough time for the pack to thin out. This is basically the same course that was run during Marathon Weekend, and through the castle, the pack slowed to a dead walk. Dead. I’m sorry, but unless something is dramatically different for this race, I think the same thing will happen.

So… my advice… for whatever it’s worth, slow down, enjoy the walk. Take pictures. Make friends. This might be your once-in-a-lifetime.

Once you pass the castle, you can duck out to the left quickly for a PhotoPass photo. Do it. Jump.

After the castle euphoria, it’s a slip through Liberty Square & Frontierland. And then many, many, highway (road) miles to return to Epcot. There will be some stuff to see, some friends to make, and one of those “death circles” (highway ramps).

But finally you’re back in the Epcot vicinity. It looks like we’ll be entering the park somewhere near Journey into Imagination. Then we skirt the pit (maybe a glimpse of Te Fiti?) and pass (possibly) Jeff Galloway and (possibly) the Jammitors towards (definitely) the siren song of the golden-robed choir, and that blessed finish line. Then you get that fantasy medal. Or medals. It’s all totally worth it,

I am super pumped to finally be part of Princess Half Marathon Weekend, even if in a small capacity. I hope everyone has wonderful, magical runs. Drop a comment to tell me what you’re looking forward to the most!

It’s Back! Coast to Coast Challenge Returns in 2024!

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I know I am not the only one who is excited to finally have the opportunity to not only run a race at Disneyland, California, but to get the coveted Coast to Coast medal! These were discontinued several years ago when Disneyland races were put on pause. I’m really hoping to add “all the medals” to my wall, and this is a giant leap forward!.

So what is Coast to Coast?

Simply put, Coast to Coast is a medal runDisney runners earn if they run a long race (10 mi+) at both Disneyland and Disney World in the same calendar year.

Runners do NOT have to register for the challenge; it’s automatic. (What’s that… no separate fee? Like really? Disney passed on a money-grab opportunity? Huzzah!)

So besides money, why is this tricky?

There are two factors (other than OMG I’m running races two weeks in a row?????) that look really important to consider right now:

  • Walt Disney World Marathon Weekend (Florida) and Disneyland Half Marathon Weekend (California) races are back-to-back in January, 2024. Yup Florida is January 3-7 and California is January 11-14. If you want to do both, you’d better be able to have 2 weeks in the bank or be willing to accept a really chaotic remote work schedule.
  • Registration for the Disneyland races is soon… SOON! Club runDisney members start their registration on Feb 7; general registration is on Feb 14. No time for general registration has been announced yet. I’m presuming it won’t be 10 a.m. ET just since they should be catering to the Pacific Time audience, but that is only my opinion. I’ll post more when I know it.
    • Keep in mind that it has been years since there has been a Disneyland race. If you thought Dopey 2023 registration was bad… you ain’t seen nothin’ yet. I predict instant bloodbath.

So what else do I need to know?

  • There will be two different versions of the C2C medal offered. One for those who complete a race during Marathon Weekend first, and one for those who complete a race at Disneyland first. Do we know the difference? No. Did runDisney make it clear that the medal for those who complete the Marathon Weekend first (thus doing back-to-back weekends) is special to 2024 ? Yes. Is that the money grab? To get marathoners to sign up for Disneyland one week later? Maybe.
  • You can only get one C2C medal per year. If you run Marathon Weekend then Disneyland, there’s your medal. No double-dipping if you head back to Florida for Princess.
  • Virtual races will not qualify. This makes perfect sense to me. The point of the medal is to go to California and then go to Florida. If you do it all on your treadmill, where’s the challenge in that?

So which races qualify?

  • Per the runDisney site, challenge or 10 mile races will qualify you in 2024. You must have a Florida and a California race/challenge:
    • Walt Disney World Half Marathon (FL)
    • Walt Disney World Marathon (FL)
    • Goofy’s Race and a Half Challenge (FL)
    • Dopey Challenge (FL)
    • Disneyland Half Marathon (CA)
    • Dumbo Double Dare Challenge (CA)
    • Princess Half Marathon (FL)
    • Fairy Tale Challenge (FL)
    • Springtime Surprise 10-Miler (FL)
    • Springtime Surprise Challenge (FL)
    • Wine and Dine Half Marathon (FL)
    • Two-Course Challenge (FL)

I personally am beyond exited. Can I pay for this? No clue. I’ll have to make some choices and beg my boss for a lot of time off. But I am ready to charge forward.

Is it bad that I am simultameously thinking “Castle to Chateau????”

runDisney FAQs: Top 10 runDisney Questions Answered

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Marathon weekend is around the corner! Although the event guide hasn’t been released yet, you can find answers to some of the most common runDisney questions here!

1. I registered but now I can’t run. Can I sell or transfer my bib?

This is hands-down the most asked question on the runDisney forums. It makes complete sense – to get a spot in a race you have to register nine months ahead of time. Sooo much can happen in that time. Injuries, pregnancies, emergencies, failure to train and a thousand more things can happen. Unfortunately the one-word answer is no. runDisney does not permit any transfers, sales or deferments at this time. Rules have changed over the years: long ago they offered deferments (I got one when I was pregnant half a lifetime ago), sometimes they have offered partial refunds via a gift card (not so much recently). The current policy is absolutely no transfers permitted. If someone were to run under someone else’s bib, the potential penalty is permanent ban from runDisney races – for both parties. Just. Not. Worth it. Not.

2. What’s the best Disney Resort to stay at on race weekend?

Honestly… the only parameter is budget. ALL the Disney resorts offer race day transportation. For most people that’s the crucial question, and the easy answer is take your pick. The Disney resort offerings go from almost afforable to “People can actually pay this??? Like, for more than one night???” At the low end you get a very acceptable motel room with coffee and a fridge. At the high end you get… I’ll be completely honest. I’ve never stayed at the high end. Rumor has it that it’s better.. and quieter. The “value” resorts are often full of school groups and the party crowd. But I will also be very clear, despite my insomnia, noise has never kept me awake at a value resort.

3. I am staying at [XYZ Disney Resort]. Do they offer race-day transportation?

See above. Yes, they all offer race-day transportation. There have been some rather frightening stories of bus drivers getting lost on the way to the start line. I know that sounds impossible, but there are many road closures on race mornings, so those could potentially be contributing factors. I do advise you to grab the earliest bu possible from your resort, if nothing more than for peace of mind.

There are also a few off-property hotels that offer race day transportation. I’d suggest doing a quick internet search, particularly for the hotels in the Disney Springs area. These hotels are the most likely to offer these packages.

The scary, scary Balloon Ladies

4. I am a new runner (or I am currently running 15-minute miles). I am so scared of the Balloon Ladies. Help.

Ok, this isn’t really a question, but the prospect of being swept has kept more than a few newbies and some experienced runners awake for nights on end. The much feared “Balloon Ladies” are the last to cross the start line and run at a steady 16-minute mile pace. They are the unofficial harbingers of the sweep. If you fall behind them, the race officials can pull you off the course and put you on a bus.

There are many factors that will impact whether or not runners behing the Balloon Ladies will actually be swept, including congestion on the course and where you are in terms of milage. While there are rumors out there that they can’t sweep you if you are in the park or just outside the park, that’s actually not true. Sweeping is completely at the discretion of the race officials. The only place you’re truly safe from being swept is at the finish line.

That being said, if you are able to run any of the course at all, a 16-minute walking pace, even for a few miles should be achievable for most. If you find yourself falling behind, just keep moving. There are no guarantees, of course, most people who have trained and keep moving have reported a succcessful finish.

5. I just bought these shoes, but I am not sure about them. Anyone else have the same experience?

I personally wouldn’t put a ton of faith in the opinions of well-intentioned Facebook commenters on particulars of running shoes for my body. Every shoe fits every person differently. Maybe if there’s some poor manufacturing issues you might get some confirmation on social media, but beyond that, I’d urge you to talk to a qualified fit specialist at a legit running shoe store.

6. I am trying to plan my race day nutrition. Should I bring my own fuel? What kind of hydration is available.

Shorter races like 5K and 10K generally have a number of water stops, but not much else. Half marathons will have Power Ade and some sort of fuel like Gu or Sport Beans. There are more options at the full marathon, which will also offer bananas and candy at some point. The course maps which are published a few weeks before the race will detail what’s available. If your nutrition is important, I suggest you check the course maps carefully. The last time I ran the full marathon there wasn’t a banana in sight until at least mile 9 and I was STARVING by then… it was way too late. I would have been wise to carry a snack with me.

7. I’m following [XYZ] program and I missed a run. What would you do?

We all miss runs, it happens. And rarely is it a reason to panic. I do think this is an area where crowdsourcing some advice can be helpful. You’ll find many experienced runners from numerous training programs stepping up to give advice. Ask away!

8. I missed out on registration. How can I run my race?

As we’ve covered in a previous blog post registration is a stressful and fast process that leaves a lot of would-be racers disappointed or empty-handed.

One option is to raise money for a designated charity. You can find participating charities on the runDisney site under Plan Your Trip> Travel Providers & Charities.

The other option is to stalk the runDisney site to see if registration will re-open for your race. It does happen from time to time, but as with initial regisration is likely to sell out quickly. Just keep checking or follow the Twitter account @runDisRegStatus which offers updates when races re-open.

9. I am staying at Disney, but not running a race. Where are there some good running trails?

Disney has actually published a list of places to run on property. You’ll be able to find options at most resorts. Some of the most popular ones include:

  • Around Seven Seas Lagoon at the Magic Kingdom resorts
  • Around the Boarwalk at the Epcot area resorts
  • Around Hourglass Lake between Pop Century and Art of Animation resorts. This one is particularly fun, because if you turn on your GPS watch while running, the trail will look like the shape of Olaf from Frozen!

10. What’s the best post-race watering hole / breakfast spot?

OK, so if you’re looking for a watering hole after a 5K or 10K, you probably need some help because you’l definitely be done by 9:00 a.m. That being said, you may be able to find some champagne at the finish line. A lot of folks are looking for breakfast spots after one of these races. Might I suggest Chef Mickey’s at the Contemporary Resort? No matter where you settle, make sure you have a reservation. Anything better than a resort food court may still need a reservation, particularly if it is character dining.

As for watering holes, there are two great options. If you have a park ticket, head over to Epcot to drink “around the world” and grab some pics with your medals. If you don’t have a park ticket, grab the bus from your resort over to Disney Springs. You can bar hop to your heart’s content and take in some live music at the same time. Whatever you decide, leave the driving to the Disney pros and have a well deserved blast!

Got more questions? Hit me up! Drop a comment!

Save the Dates! 2023-2024 Walt Disney World race weekends have been announced

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While we’re all eagerly awaiting the return of Disneyland races, we can start planning for Florida Races for next season.

  • November 2-5, 2023 Wine & Dine Half Marathon Weekend
  • January 3-7, 2024 Walt Disney World Marathon Weekend
  • February 22-25, 2024 Disney Princess Half Marathon Weekend
  • April 18-21, runDisney Springtime Surprise Weekend

Princess Half Marathon Weekend Medals Revealed

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I’m a bit late to the game in posting this, but runDisney has revealed the medals for the Princess Half Marathon Weekend!

Jasmine – 5k
Belle – 10k
Moana – Half Marathon

To be completely candid I’m not 100% in with the style of the medals for this one. I think it’s supposed to harken back to a Mary Blair look, but I’m not sure they nailed it. Of the three single race medals, I like Jasmine (5k) and Moana (Half) the best. There’s just something I’m not buying about the 10k Belle medal. Guess which race I am running? Yes. This particualar weekend I am only running the 10k. Oh well. Can’t win them all.

Fairy Tale Challenge – 19.3 Miles

The Fairy Tale Challenge medal (10K+Half Marathon) is an entirely different story. I am so in love with this medal. Its classy and elegant, and wishing it would be hanging on my wall in February. Oh well. Airfares during that particular week are just too steep for me. Flying home on Saturday after the 10k prevents me from needing to sell a kidney on the black market to fly home after the half marathon.

Either way, I’m so excited I’ll get the opportunity to participate in Princess Half Marathon Weekend! So which medals have you wishing on a star? Leave a comment and let me know!

FOMO Disney – It’s a Real Thing

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Anyone who has attempted to register for a runDisney race in recent memory knows that registration is a more competitive sport than the races themselves. You can count on the races filling up in under an hour (or much quicker) like you can count on death and taxes. We have seen races re-open periodically, and then fill up once again within minutes. Word of race openings tends to circulate pretty fast on Facebook, and there is a Twitter account that announces when races open up (@runDisRegStatus or https://mobile.twitter.com/rundisregstatus)

Usually when this happens there are a bunch of people that finally got the race they’ve been stalking, and a bunch of people that still didn’t get it. Either way there’s a mini shock wave of energy that spreads through the runDisney universe. As a participant in these runDisney social groups it’s so hard not to get caught up in the madness.

There’s something about being able to get your hands on a product or experience that’s hard to get, whether you need it or not that’s pretty addictive, and Disney sure knows how to generate the buzz and demand.

Case in point: I’m running all of the Wine and Dine and Marathon Weekend races this year. I made the conscious decision not to do all of the Princess weekend races. I’m *only* running the 10K that weekend. I don’t live local to Disney, and planning 4 (or more!) Disney trips for race weekends is really a budget buster. I’ve gotten pretty adept at managing airline credit card offers, low cost airlines, and travel club promotions. It’s a game to be won – but if I slip up I know I’ll spend my weekends delivering for Grub Hub instead of training. There are stakes involved (hopefully not steaks).

Airfares to sunny spots, particularly Orlando, can double or triple in the winter when schools are on vacation. Some days of the week are better to fly than others. Always try to fly (and also buy your plane ticket) on a Tuesday or Wednesday. But since that’s not always possible with work and school schedules, sometimes you just need to be smarter in your planning process. The one time of week I always avoid flying is on a Sunday – usually the most expensive day of the week to take to the air. A February Sunday flight out of Orlando might set you back as much as a flight to Europe, so plan wisely!

So… back to my story, I already decided not to run the Princess Half, which happens on a February Sunday. Assuming I needed to get home immediately after (which I would) might cause me to miss a mortgage payment. And yet… one day I see that the Fairy Tale Challenge (10K plus Half Marathon) is open. My irrational FOMO (Fear of Missing Out) takes over. The calculating planner in me gets body-slammed by the adrenaline junkie that sees the green “register” button available on the runDisney site.

Now in previous years, it seems that people were permitted to edit existing race registrations and upgrade to a Challenge if the Challenge was available. People who have done this reported that they had to email runDisney, maybe a few times, but minus a processing fee, they would be refunded for the original race and get the Challenge upgrade.

It seems they may have changed the rules because I didn’t have any edit/change race option available in my profile, and when I tried to register for the Fairy Tale Challenge, I got an error message and couldn’t proceed. I heard the “Womp-womp” buzzer in my head and the same time Gandalf scolded me, “You shall not pass!”

Thankfully, rational me took over again and took this as a sign from the running and financial gods that I needed to let this one go. It’s not just the race fee that I saved, it was significant extra travel expense, too. It was HARD, but I’ve made peace with it. I won’t call it a decision, because the runDisney website decided for me, but really, if I want to make it to Orlando for Springtime Surprise it’s for the best.

So what are our take-aways here?

  1. Fear Of Missing Out is real. It is expensive. You can overcome it.
  2. runDisney races DO re-open from time to time. Follow social media or the Twitter account to find out when races re-open.
  3. Make sure you have a plan in place for how to handle the race re-opening announcements. Don’t let the FOMO win.
  4. Don’t try to fly out of Orlando on a Sunday in February