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Sep 18, 2024

Disney World Marathon Runner Comments

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Course 4.1

Organization 4.3

Spectators 4.0

Number of comments: 818 [displaying comments 181 to 191]

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Cary Blanchard from Sunrise, Florida (1/21/2010) "Nike+ course discrepancy" (about: 2010) 1 previous marathon \| 1 Disney World Marathon COURSE: 4 ORGANIZATION: 4 FANS: 5 This was my first half marathon. I loved Disney! The freezing weather left a lot to be desired - but there's no way to control that! My question is: My Nike+ sensor registered the race at 15.2 miles. I have not calibrated it per se, but it is usually pretty close. Did anyone else have this problem or is it my Nike+? - Cary
E. P. from Chicago, IL (1/20/2010) "A unique race, but does have logistical challenges" (about: 2010) 6-10 previous marathons \| 1 Disney World Marathon COURSE: 3 ORGANIZATION: 3 FANS: 3 This was my first and probably last Disney Marathon. Don't get me wrong - it is a fun race, and it is a unique experience to run through the parks. But I always like to mix it up, so I try not to run the same race twice. As many other people comment, the vast majority of the race is outside of the parks. Also, a lot of the race that is in/near the parks is in the back-of-house areas. Again, it is still fun. The race does start early (5:40 a.m.) and my biggest complaint concerns the logistics of getting to the start line, coupled with the multiple start lines. Disney is usually a mecca of convenience, but the long walk to the start and extreme pain getting to the Epcot lot could be partially rectified if multiple parking lots were used and the Downtown Disney lot were used. With the start being at the back of the Epcot park, your closest parking is actually at Downtown Disney; however, security will not let you access the start from that direction. This course also has the most twists and turns of any course I have ever run. It is very flat, so if you do not like hills, this one may be for you. There are plenty of water/PowerAde stations as well. Do keep in mind that central FL can be cold in January. At the race start in 2010, it was 29 degrees, and when I got back into the car after the race, it was still 29 degrees! This race will always hold a special place in my memory, as it was the first race at which I ran a sub 3:10, and where I got my first BQ. Viva Mickey and Minnie!
Grumpy Dwarf from USA (1/19/2010) "Another good and cold one complete" (about: 2010) 11-50 previous marathons \| 6+ Disney World Marathons COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 5 I have run Disney since '99 and I am always amazed at how some of the same comments appear each and every year. My thoughts: Before plopping down money on an entry fee of any marathon, LOOK AT THE MAP. It will give you a hint of the course. Yes, most of the Disney course runs on highways and back roads with very little park time. It can be boring, but short of moving the parks closer together for race-day, or transporting runners between parks, you will be running a lot of the race on long and somewhat boring roadways. I wonder if these same folks would complain that the Pikes Peak Marathon spent too much time going up or that NYC Marathon is too urban? Read the race material. Echoing a previous post, if the RD says to be on the bus by 4, do it. When it's cold, expect more auto traffic and the subsequent traffic snarls. A little more attention to detail prior to arrival would solve much of the "I'm late and they did not hold the race for ME" issue. Also, arriving a little early allows for time to relax and focus on the task coming up and to get a lay of the land. I think the RD went beyond the call of duty by allowing late arrivals a start. This year the RD issued emails pleading for folks to arrive early. Obviously, not all had email access. I, for one, am very thankful that the RD did not hold the race up for traffic. Disney is flat; yes, there are overpasses and underpasses, and a couple of gentle rollers, but compared with most races, it is pancake flat. There is less than a 60-foot elevation difference around the course. This year was dang cold Sorry; Disney cannot go, "Bipity bopity boop" and have perfect weather every year. Want a long, cold wait? Run NYC in 28F start temps. Disney does spoil a few with the VIP tent. It had openings until the 15-day forecast started to lock in on a cold weekend, and then it filled quickly. Want a pre-race pampering? Head to Houston, where the convention center is open and race capacities are held down to keep it from being overcrowded. Yes, the race is early. But the RD must get traffic permits for the race, and the GM of the Magic Kingdom wants to keep paying guests from being inconvenienced. So the race must clear before the park opens. Simple math then points at a 6 a.m. start or setting minimum pacing to a faster level. There are a few things that the RD could do better. Limit the race size to the 2009 limits to alleviate course crowds. Due to course crowding, he split the race from both the half and full held concurrently to separate days at an entrant level less than today's capacities. The race just cannot hold any more folks. Now I am waiting for the perennial "the course measures long compared to my Garmin and the RD must fix it or I will not return" comments.
D. W. from Gainesville, Florida (1/18/2010) "Fun, celebrated and big. A good first-timer's race" (about: 2010) 4-5 previous marathons \| 1 Disney World Marathon COURSE: 4 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 4 First, a few thoughts for people looking to possibly run Disney: -Read the race materials. This is a big race and the PDF's they email you have a lot of good info on how to run this race successfully and not get lost/confused. -I stayed at the Beach Club, which is an "Epcot area resort." This had the benefit of being at mile 24 on the course so that family could literally walk out back and see me if they wanted. Staying at these resorts, however, did not let me avoid the buses in the morning. The "International Gateway" that lets you walk into the World Showcase directly from the Epcot resorts is not open for runners to get to the staging area. -The buses start at 3 in the morning to take runners from the resorts to the staging area. They say that you must be on by 4 or risk not being at the start in time. I trusted them at their word (having almost missed other race starts), but there were plenty of stragglers coming in somewhat later. I would still recommend going ahead and getting there early to be sure. -The staging area consists of a stage with music, a merch tent (in case you DON'T have enough Disney gear), and the bag check. The bag check went smoothly; just remember that you must use the goody bag from the expo. You cannot check your own bag. -Porta-potties: abundant at the start and throughout the race. I waited about 5-10 minutes to do my business (as opposed to 20-30 at my last two races). -Walk to the start from the staging area: DON'T underestimate this walk. In the program, they mention the distance and time in the race materials, but I did not realize where it was, what they meant, etc. I thought it was another exaggeration to get people to hurry along, but there is a long (10-15 minute) walk before you get into corrals. I got into mine, but not in enough time to get to my projected race gathering, and so I was definitely behind when the gun went off. Negative points: -Bitter freakin' cold: It was 28 degrees at race start with a wind chill of 16. Now, if anyone could magically change the weather, it would be Disney, but they could have at least tried to rustle up a couple extra tents or a space heater or two. We went to the merchandise tent to stay warm and got booted for not buying stuff. Then we went to the bag check tent and got booted for blocking the area (which we were not doing). Then they gave up when we (and everyone else) went to other tents to huddle for warmth. People were using the exhaust from the flood lamps to heat up. Okay, three more facts (which are true) and then I'll shut up about the cold. 1. The water cups had frozen caps of ice, refreshing in Florida summers, not so much on a January race morning. 2. The water spilled on the road at water stops was freezing and they were salting the roads to keep us safe. 3. I kept a cotton sweatshirt thinking I would toss it after warming up, which I never did, so I ran all 26.2 in a cotton sweatshirt, which wicked sweat away from my poly under-layers and then FROSTED over on my chest! Okay, enough about the cold. -Given the treats on the course, the snacks at the end of the race were kind of skimpy. I've run races where you can have all of the PowerBars and protein shakes you want, but the best thing at this race's finish were the full bottles of PowerAde. Although, I admit that I don't really care that much about this, since after 26.2 miles, nothing is more glorious and tastes better than lemon-lime sports drink. -The course: I list it as a negative, but it's not really. Going through the parks is gorgeous, but that accounts for probably less than 25% of the race. Mostly it is on the roads connecting the parks, which are dull, Central Florida roads with overpasses and exit ramps serving as hills. It is excellent, however, that since Disney owns all of the roads, there are barely any spots where there are cars (just a couple of minor backlot spots). The arduous trek from the Magic Kingdom (about halfway) to the Animal Kingdom (about 5 miles) is pretty boring, and the only spot where I used my MP3 player. The water treatment plant we passed was a not-so-lovely scent of... well, let's just say it didn't smell very Disney. Positive notes: -Excellent support: Some of it was sporadic, but running through the parks was awesome. The low point, as noted above, was from Magic Kingdom to the Animal Kingdom; but even back there, the Central Florida accordion squad was out performing. High school bands and cheerleaders were out, and there were several DJ's along the course. The final run is a counterclockwise loop through the World Showcase, and they use the speakers there to blast encouraging tunes. -Food and water: In a word, abundant. Two banana stops, two gel stops, a candy stop, and water what seemed like more than every mile. If you get dehydrated at this race, it is only your fault. Of course, there are plenty of first- or only-time runners of 26.2 on this course, so dehydration (also hyponatremia) are problems that they have got a special section in the race info about. You should read those if you are new to this sport. -The medals: Big, obvious, shiny, gold deals. No one here has any modesty about them either, which I think is fun. People wear them for days afterwards if they stay to do the parks, and it's a lot of fun to be walking through tens of thousands of people, many of whom ran with you, and it makes it so easy to strike up a conversation about something you love to do. I sat next to someone on Expedition Everest in Animal Kingdom who had her Goofy Race and a Half medal on, and she told me that by the time they came through the Animal Kingdom on race day, the park was open, so they asked the staff if they could ride the coaster. The staff put them at the front of the line and let them ride before they went off to finish the marathon! Plenty of other Disney-goers also ask about the medals, and it is fun to tell them about it. -Getting off of the couch of doom: Disney gets some disdain from some runners because it is slow and many people barely finish or walk most of the race. But you know what? They finish. This is more than we can say for a lot of Americans. Most of my family is talking about doing a race now, and so were people I talked to in the parks. Who knows how many of these will actually do a race, but who cares? Running as a sport/hobby/way-to-stay-fit gets a lot of exposure from races like Disney, and if that means just a few more people get off of the couch of doom and lace up, I am all for it and more than happy to share the road with them. Congrats to everyone who has their Donald, Mickey, or Goofy medals, and especially to everyone from 2010 who braved the bitter cold to earn them!
M. C. from Alabama (1/18/2010) "Great Marathon" (about: 2010) 11-50 previous marathons \| 4-5 Disney World Marathons COURSE: 4 ORGANIZATION: 4 FANS: 3 This was my 5th Disney Marathon. Unless you are in the front, don't look for a great time. If you are a fan of Disney, it is a great race just to run and enjoy the parks. You only spend about 9 miles in the parks, so be aware that you will be on the roads the rest. My only suggestions would be to change up the course every so often for a different perspective. Maybe have different routes through the parks or run parts in reverse. Also, do away with the out-and-back at mile 20-21, and put that mileage in more of the parks.
g. h. from Littleton, CO (1/18/2010) "Loved this race" (about: 2010) 11-50 previous marathons \| 2 Disney World Marathons COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 4 This was my 28th marathon, 2nd Disney World marathon (1995 previous) and my first Goofy Challenge. Weather was record cold: tough to wait in, but pretty good running weather. I was prepared, and brought lots of extra clothing, so no problem. Had no problem with buses getting to both races - an early rise, but not as long a wait as at NYC. Half marathon went smoothly. There was some rain, but not bad (1:52 finish). Congestion at the start of the marathon caused a slower start, but that may have helped in the end. Ran a negative split: 2:10 first half, 2:02 second half. Volunteers were great. Spilled water at aid stations turned to ice, but they were quick at drying it out. Aid stations with water and food were plentiful. Spectators were enthusiastic, although there were not a lot of them. Love the medals and shirts - really cool (you get 3 medals and 3 shirts for doing the Goofy). Liked the course a lot; last time I ran it, there was no Animal Kingdom park, so there was less highway time than before. Didn't find any of it boring. It was fun seeing the characters, the music throughout the course helped, and it helped to have the parks as landmarks marking your progress. Flat course, unless you want to consider a highway overpass to be a hill. A bit of a walk to the start, but not a surprise, and no complaint. Baggage was handled smoothly. I was actually surprised how well it went with so many people. Enjoyed lunch and a beer at the Rose and Crown post-race while watching the remaining finishers. Only Negatives: Very expensive entry, and expensive lodging (I paid about the same for lodging in Times Square for the NYC Marathon). Free coffee would have been nice, but I didn't expect it. Carry money with you for coffee before and a massage after. Overall, one of my best marathon experiences ever. Completing the Goofy Challenge was really a good feeling. I would definitely do it again.
A. m. from Colorado (1/18/2010) "Cold, boring course... but great overall weekend!" (about: 2010) 4-5 previous marathons \| 1 Disney World Marathon COURSE: 3 ORGANIZATION: 4 FANS: 4 I was hoping for cold weather this year... be careful what you wish for!! :) The water was frozen in the cups and the roads near the water stops were ice sheets. I wore four layers of clothes to start and felt like I was going out for "extended deep sea diving!" Compared to marathons like Chicago, Marine Corps, etc., I thought the course was VERY boring - the most boring I have done by far - with extremely limited crowd support. (I don't blame people for not wanting to stand out in those freezing temps - kudos to the volunteers!) You barely see the Magic Kingdom or the animal park during the race. There are LONG stretches of freeway with brief peeks at the parks every so often. However, even with this, I have to say that the overall Disney experience for the weekend was great! We were going to stay off-site and got a reservation at a hotel on the monorail line at the last minute due to a cancellation. I would not do this any other way!! Stay on-site, and preferably at a hotel on the monorail line; it makes all the difference! Good experience overall - worth doing at least once!
P. C. from Jersey City, NJ (1/17/2010) "This race is fun - but a joke." (about: 2010) 6-10 previous marathons \| 1 Disney World Marathon COURSE: 3 ORGANIZATION: 1 FANS: 4 The race director or Disney need to sort out their traffic problems before putting on this farce again. I arrived for the marathon with 90 minutes to spare, and spent those 90 minutes in gridlock on Disney property. Closing down 4 lanes into 1 resulted in hundreds of people like me missing the start. I was livid. Others were livid. By the time I got to the start, it was being pulled down. For most people this is a destination race, and as such, it's very costly. To arrive and find chaos on the roads, with thousands of cars entering the car park through just one entrance, is not good enough. It ruined my day and that of many others. The course is in fact very dull. It's flat and you are running on roads for the majority of the course. Outside of the Magic Kingdom and Epcot, there is nothing to see. Incidentally, I ran the Goofy Challenge this year and the half-marathon was a better course.
c. 5. from Chicago, IL (1/16/2010) "Rocky start" (about: 2010) 2 previous marathons \| 2 Disney World Marathons COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 3 FANS: 5 I ran this marathon two years in a row now and I had a blast both years. However, this year, the traffic to the Epcot parking lot was BEYOND insane (2 hours in traffic - no joke) and caused me and several hundred other runners to be late to the start. After running from the traffic standstill (luckily a non-runner was in the car with me), across a field and through the parking lot, I was maybe 5-10 minutes late and came to a crowd of people waiting at a closed gate. There was no communication at all for awhile; everyone just stood there thinking the gate would open after the wheelchair participants passed by. Finally, one of the organizers came, told us to follow him back to the bag check area and then explained that we had to go a bit up on this road, cut through the woods, walk behind the spectators, cross through the wave of runners already at mile 5 and then go back to the starting line in order to run the race. It was the most ridiculous situation, really; yes, I understand that I was late and they aren't going to delay the start for a traffic jam. But a little more organization at the start for the late-comers stuck in traffic would have been preferred; precious minutes were wasted with no communication or direction and everyone just standing by the gate. That's why I took off for organization; the rest of the race was great, albeit COLD. With that said, it added more miles to my marathon and a bit more adventure to my start than I would have liked, but I still had fun and demolished my time from last year. I love this race, so I will go back next year but I will take the monorail or one of the buses from Disney property. I would suggest you do the same or, if you drive, leave your hotel well before 3:30 a.m.
m. s. from Vinhedo, Brasil (1/16/2010) "Great place; magic marathon" (about: 2010) 6-10 previous marathons \| 1 Disney World Marathon COURSE: 4 ORGANIZATION: 4 FANS: 4 Very cold weather, and no warm place to wait. Great marathon.

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