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Disney World Marathon Runner Comments
Back to Disney World Marathon Information & Reviews
Course 4.1 
Organization 4.3 
Spectators 4.0
Number of comments: 818 [displaying comments 361 to 371]
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A. V. from Newark, DE
(1/14/2008)
"What a "HOT" race!" (about: 2008)
3 previous marathons
| 1 Disney World Marathon
COURSE: 4 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 3 I just completed my 1st Disney Marathon. I will write about MY personal experience and observations. I hope this will give someone thinking about this race another perspective. The Expo: The expo can get crowded at certain times, especially when locals are getting off work. I went on Friday around 3 p.m. and while there were a lot of people, most were there to pick up the half-marathon packets. There was no lines to pick up the marathon packets because they were at separate tables. As I was leaving (430 p.m.), I noticed there was a line to actually get inside the facility itself. It seems that Disney was pretty selective on who or what is sold at the expo because there were some things I just couldn't find, such as a PowerBar, etc. The packets contained nothing more than a few brochures, 1 mini Clif Bar, and a mini Sharpie marker. The shirt is good quality technical tee; however, I was expecting a cotton tee, so I ordered a large because they usually shrink. Now I just have a BIG shirt to wear around the house. The volunteers were GREAT. The Start: Waking up at 230 a.m. wasn't really that bad considering you're basically tossing and turning all night. I left my resort at 3 a.m. and met up with a few other runners at one of the resort bus stops. It's then that you realize there are people who have traveled much farther than you. It probably wasn't until 345 a.m. that a bus came to pick us up. The first couple of buses were completely full but don't worry - they will send a bus to pick you up. One thing that seemed to be in sync was the bus transportation over the 3 days I was there. Arrived around 4 a.m. at the staging area. The stage and live band were great. Basically this is setup in a very large parking area with plenty of room. You have food, medical aid, etc. After about 1 hour, it's time for runners to start heading towards the corrals. This is about a 10 to 15-minute walk along some service road in the near dark. A tip for the men: don't worry about waiting in line to use the bathroom at the staging area. There are PLENTY of places to go along the walk to the corrals and you won't be alone. Plus it's dark. The wait really wasn't so bad at the corrals and I thought there were plenty of room, at least in Corral B. The fireworks at the start were awesome! The Course: Temperature at the start was around 68F and pretty humid. As the sun rose the temperature would eventually make it up to 75F. I actually found that it was cooler outside the parks - where we weren't running between large crowds that made it feel much warmer. Everyone was starting to mention how soaked in sweat we were around mile 3. It's a pretty flat course, however there are some inclines inside the park and going over highway overpasses. I believe the last is just before mile 20. Spectators were along some main roads and throughout the parks. There were more than I had expected after reading previous race reports. The music was plentiful, with either bands or speakers at every quarter mile in the isolated back roads between Magic Kingdom and Animal Kingdom. Water/PowerAde stops were always fully stocked and ready except for one near the beginning. Food at various stops and Clif Shots. The sponge was a nice touch around mile 17. I thought the candy bars kind of made my stomach turn, going through Hollywood Studios (formerly MGM studios). Plenty of bathrooms inside the parks to use and porta-potties along the course. I really didn't have a problem with some of the isolated sections because most races have those and it was nice to see some of real Florida. We did see an alligator on the side of the road; I believe it was between miles 21-22. Everyone was taking pictures. The last miles back through Epcot had tons of crowd support and motivation. ALL the volunteers were GREAT! Finish: The finish was fine; there were tons of room to spread out and lots of people waiting to take chips off your shoe for you. The 15th anniversary medal is awesome! I was thankful for the cold can of Diet Coke that was being passed out. There was plenty of water and PowerAde, and I saw some fruit and some type of pound cake. I can't really remember anything else because I skipped it. I had to run to the buses to catch a flight home. The wait for the finisher picture was very minimal because there were several lanes and you pretty much had to pass through before exciting. However this is just your standard finisher picture, not with Mickey or any other character. The buses were lined up according to resort, and again it was a 10-minute ride back. My overall weekend was "OK." I had some issues with the resort I stayed at (Coronado Springs) and everything was very expensive. However, the race itself was GREAT. I wouldn't run it again because I like to try different races but I wouldn't discourage any others. If you love Disney, then this race is for you. | |
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T. S. from Hurlburt Field, FL
(1/14/2008)
"Disney knows how to throw a marathon" (about: 2008)
11-50 previous marathons
| 1 Disney World Marathon
COURSE: 4 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 4 Excellent marathon. Show-stoppers include: early start time, lack of bathrooms at the start (strongly recommend you take care of your business well before the lines start forming), long runs from one park to another, and the size of the expo. As with all marathons, some show-stoppers exist. I've run 12 marathons (8 USA/4 international), and no question, Disney World Marathon was the best. Overall, this is a family event, so take your family. Finishing medal - outstanding. Water and food along the route - OUTSTANDING. Support from volunteers: BETTER THAN OUTSTANDING!! If I'm not deployed next year, I plan to run again. | |
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K. B. from North Carolina
(1/14/2008)
"FUN RACE but no PR here" (about: 2008)
2 previous marathons
| 1 Disney World Marathon
COURSE: 4 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 5 This was my third marathon and really a fun one. Great organization, awesome fans. Incredible running through all four parks. Even got to see some of the "behind the scenes" stuff. The highway running didn't bother me (except for the banked on and off ramps). There were a couple long stretches on lonely highways but I was able to "zone out" then and get into a rhythm. Seemed like just when I needed a boost, I was entering a park to be cheered on by awesome fans and volunteers. It was a hot one this year, so staying on top of the fluids was a challenge. The cold sponges at 21 (I think??) were the best thing I have ever had handed to me during a marathon. The gospel choir coming around the corner to the finish was so inspiring and the crowd was AMAZING!!! Then to cross the finish and have the nicest lady come up to me with my medal and a big hug and congratulations was the icing on the cake. I agree that post-race food could have been better. I had had enough oranges and bananas by that point. But the food and drink were plentiful and the volunteers could not have been nicer. I entered the race hoping for a PR, but several bottlenecks kept me jockeying for position until well past the halfway point. It was so much fun, though, that I forgot about the PR and just enjoyed the ride. Thanks, Disney, for a great time! | |
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Rebecca Gill from Madison, Ga
(1/14/2008)
"Disney Marathon is a 5-star event!" (about: 2008)
1 previous marathon
| 1 Disney World Marathon
COURSE: 4 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 5 First marathon ever. Everything went smoothly from packet pick up to finding which corral I needed to be in to start the race. Course was well-lit for the dark beginning. Volunteers were abundant. Water stops and PowerAde stops were everywhere. Chocolate at mile 23 was wonderful. Entertainment along the route and running through many parks made time fly. Medical tents provided much needed Biofreeze and other needs. only downside was narrow paths in places, which led to several unexpected slow-downs. Very positive experience. | |
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B. T. from Baltimore, MD
(1/14/2008)
"My first marathon" (about: 2008)
1 previous marathon
| 1 Disney World Marathon
COURSE: 4 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 5 This race was everything I could have wanted for my first marathon. Easy course, great spectators, and the terrific experience of running through the Disney parks along the way. I can't say enough good things about the spectators and volunteers; they were so motivating and kept me running when I wanted to quit, especially those along the last mile and a half through the Swan and Dolphin around to Epcot. I am so grateful to the lady on the bridge who said, "A mile and a half from this spot." It was just what I needed to hear to finish. Negatives: The expo was so overcrowded that I couldn't really enjoy it. I just wanted to get out as quickly as possible. Also, I really wanted to buy some cool merchandise for the marathon, but there was very little selection of Disney Marathon apparel (I even went to Downtown Disney to look and didn't find anything good there). Finally, that stretch of the course that does a U-turn on Osceola Parkway - UGH! This is a GREAT race for beginners. This was not only my first marathon, but my first race of any kind, and I felt like it went so well. Thanks Disney... I can't wait to try the Goofy Challenge next year! | |
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P. L. from Charlotte, NC
(1/13/2008)
"great race; expo is less than a Disney experience" (about: 2008)
11-50 previous marathons
| 2 Disney World Marathons
COURSE: 4 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 5 The volunteers are great the entire way, not to mention all those who help with the expo and parking. The course is good, except for the long haul to and after Animal Kingdom - long and boring. The Disney Characters are always great to see. However, for 15 years of doing this, you would think that Disney would have a much better expo and enough logo wear for those that are interested in purchasing.... Instead, there was limited selection by the 2nd day of a 3-day expo (unless you were running Goofy - then there was more than enough... go figure). Congratulations to all those who did Goofy!!! What a great accomplishment - and a great idea and extra push for the crazies. | |
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A. A. from Lafayette, IN
(1/13/2008)
"What a great race" (about: 2008)
6-10 previous marathons
COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 5 This was my first time running the Disney Marathon and it was a really great experience. My wife and I ran it together and it was a lot of fun to run through all the parks with her. The course was easy, the fans were awesome, the water stops were plentiful, and the food during the race helped out a lot. In my opinion, the only thing they could improve is the post-race food. I wasn't into eating more fruit after the race. I wanted something more substantial, like a good sandwich. | |
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H. N. from Logan, Ut.
(12/29/2007)
"Cannot wait to do this one again!" (about: 2006)
2 previous marathons
| 1 Disney World Marathon
COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 5 Lets be honest, shall we? What is Disney? Top quality. Creme of the crop. 200%. "Amazing" is all there is to say. How can running a marathon be any better? We gotta remember, 26.2 miles is no easy task. This was my 2nd marathon, and I was prepared for the difficulty. But I did not realize how much FUN I would have! The support was seriously perfect. They have what - 200,000 guests there during the day and they are all there to cheer you on?! That, as a runner, is exactly what you need... support. Plus, you're there with the classic Disney characters, and the amazing rides all around you! How can you beat running down Main Street U.S.A., to the Castle, later getting a "high-five" from Mickey himself? I would tell any first-time marathoner to do this one because you forget your running a million miles - you're just having fun at Disney World!! | |
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K. L. from Texas
(10/17/2007)
"What a great experience" (about: 2007)
2 previous marathons
| 1 Disney World Marathon
COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 4 FANS: 5 I ran the Goofy Race and Half Challenge to celebrate turning 40. It was an amazing experience. I will have to do it to turn 50 (at my kids' insistence). Being able to get pictures with characters along the way made the experience fun. My biggest complaint was the minimal food at the finish, but I just ran a different marathon that had NO food at the finish! An additional shirt for the Goofy Challenge would have been a nice touch. Answers to some criticisms: Weather: it was unusually hot; the previous year was unusually cold. The average for the location/time of year would be about perfect. I'm glad I ran Disney and not Chicago this year. Water: I feel for those in the late stages who did not get water, Disney shouldn't have let that happen. My experience with course support was excellent. Boring stretches of road: Those long stretches take you to all four parks, which was one of the coolest things about this event. Fans: The noisy crowd at the ticket/transportation center and Main Street in the Magic Kingdom was a highlight of the race. May races have long stretches with few fans. Early start: With the weather, I'm glad we didn't start any later. I think the early start is a logistical necessity of running a marathon through 4 theme parks that are open on those days. Left for the half at 3:00 am. Learned my lesson and left at 4:00 a.m. for the full. Expo: It seems they could improve the wait times to pick up packets. Just be prepared to wait. This is a fun race but is meant to appeal to Disney fans and tourists. It is not a bit-city run (NY, Chicago) or a scenic nature run (Big Sur), but it is a blast. | |
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Chip Gomien from Texas
(9/2/2007)
"A must-run for those who love to do just that..." (about: 2007)
1 previous marathon
| 1 Disney World Marathon
COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 4 FANS: 4 I ran my very first marathon last year at Disney, after running 6 different half marathons in 2006. When compared to these other events that I had participated in, the Disney Marathon took the cake. Yes, there was a wait to get your race packet. But other than that (which you should expect and then you won't be so disappointed), this race was the most fun run I have done to this day. People should not come to Disney to set a PR; they should come to enjoy the atmosphere and to just enjoy running. I enjoyed myself so much that I signed up for the Goofy the first day of registration and can't wait for these next 4 1/2 months to go by! |
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