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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 491 to 501]
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S. P. from Atlanta, Georgia
(1/8/2007)
"Great race, but not-so-great expo" (about: 2007)
11-50 previous marathons
| 4-5 Disney World Marathons
COURSE: 4 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 5 This was my fourth Disney, which should show that I like it. The course is fun and easy, and the spectators are great, but the expo is not really so great. Due to security concerns, I did not bring gels (my quart-size plastic bag was already full). I thought I could get them at the expo, only to find no one had them. So I ended up driving around looking for gels. Nearby grocery stores were out of PowerBars by the time I got there. Luckily, I managed to find few left over packets of gels at a sports shop. The store clerk was wondering what was going on that weekend because people were coming in and buying up the gels! I should have remembered the fact that the expo at Disney is very limited. My fault. Last year I did the Goofy Challenge but they were out of Goofy goods by the time I got there Friday afternoon, and this time they were out of several T-shirts for "small." I would think that of all the places, Disney would be on top of that! Other than having a less-than-desirable expo, this is a good race. | |
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a. m. from Chicago
(1/8/2007)
"It was a warm one" (about: 2007)
6-10 previous marathons
| 1 Disney World Marathon
COURSE: 4 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 5 This was my first time for Disney, and it lived up to all the "billing." Well organized, well run and just plain fun. The weather is my only complaint: upper 60s at the start and increasing to the upper 70s and beyond by race end. The 100% humidity helped take your mind off the heat, however. The course is lots of fun when it winds through the parks but can get a little lonely on the Disney backroads. Specators, volunteers and workers were very friendly and encouraging, and aid stations well stocked and run. It was the hottest temperature they've had in 14 years so I can't hold that against them. It just made it really tough for us Northerners who've been training at or below zero. I would recommend this race to anyone looking for a fun marathon and a little vacation too. Marathon is done... now off to the vacation. | |
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I. d. from Orlando
(1/7/2007)
"2007 Badly planned" (about: 2007)
First Marathon
COURSE: 3 ORGANIZATION: 3 FANS: 3 It was a hot day this year (70's and 80's!) and it was well known in advance it would be. However our water stop had even less water than previous years and 2/3's of the way thru the day, we were out of water at mile 19. Runners swore at water stop workers, some runners saying that they had been without anything to drink for 4 miles, as other stops also were without any beverage or food. Whoever was in charge this year is a total buffoon. I worked the water stop and was witness to the anger and pain of the runners. Many of us even used all of our own supplies of drink and food for the runners. It's good that some people had brought their cars to the stop as their cars contained these supplies. The runners did understand that Mickey mismanagement was to blame, however they still were so mad and upset, they just had to let it out. I will never work another Disney marathon again, having seen this and also witnessed how the management treated a large group at our water stop, because they had brought their cars to the stop (like they had been doing for many years! I'll not go into it, but it was really embarrassing and the lady who dished out the abuse should be relinquished of her duties. I will go into it instead - this person told everyone that they would not get the one-day Disney passes that they were entitled to as volunteers for the water stop, because cars had been driven to the stop. This even affected people who had not brought cars, but had taken a bus to the site! This lady again exhibited all the intellect of a buffon. I hope management of Disney will severely admonish this person. | |
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M. F. from Longwood (Orlando-area) Florida
(1/7/2007)
"Ran the 1st Disney Marathon in '94; never again!" (General Comments)
4-5 previous marathons
| 1 Disney World Marathon
COURSE: 3 ORGANIZATION: 4 FANS: 2 I ran my first marathon in NYC in '92, and the inaugural Disney Marathon in '94. I've since run Marine Corps and others. I'd never again spend the effort to train for a marathon, just for Disney! The big-city marathons center on the runners; Disney is all about making money. The big-city marathons are a great experience; do one of those first, unless you've got other reasons to come to Disney. | |
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w. o. from Long Island, NY
(1/3/2007)
"Should end the race in the Magic Kingdom" (about: 2006)
1 previous marathon
| 1 Disney World Marathon
COURSE: 4 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 3 I ran in 2006... and I am running again in '07. I enjoy this event very much. Thinking about the ending, it should really end running down Main Street.... | |
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M. S. from Champaign, Illinois
(12/25/2006)
"Wonderful for a first-timer!" (about: 2006)
2 previous marathons
| 1 Disney World Marathon
COURSE: 4 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 5 This race is the perfect race for a novice runner such as myself! It is well organized with a ton of water/food/medical stops along the route (not to mention actual bathrooms - not just porta-potties). The best thing about the race is going through all four parks with TONS of spectators cheering the runners on! I would recommend this to anyone, including both non-runners and non-Disney people, because it definitely has something for everyone! | |
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C. J. from Louisiana
(11/4/2006)
"Disney is a wonderful place!!!!" (about: 2006)
6-10 previous marathons
| 2 Disney World Marathons
COURSE: 4 ORGANIZATION: 4 FANS: 4 This was my second Disney run and it was much better than my first one. I didn't train enough for my first time. It was a great time; we spent the whole week there and had a blast. Just watch out for the cold fronts that decide to come in the night before the run. Oh my!! It was so cold. The run is flat and fast, everything was pretty smooth, and I would run it every year if I could!! | |
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W. W. from Northport, AL
(11/3/2006)
"Too early" (about: 2004)
11-50 previous marathons
| 2 Disney World Marathons
COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 3 FANS: 3 I have run 12 marathons, and Disney twice. Nice course, but far too early of a start. If you do not stay at a Disney hotel, prepare yourself for a short night's sleep. Basically, Disney wants us runners out of their theme parks ASAP on race day. | |
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Zora Luckett from Ontario Canada
(9/28/2006)
"If you like running through parking lots...." (about: 2006)
11-50 previous marathons
| 1 Disney World Marathon
COURSE: 2 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 2 I ran this marathon this year and I thought it did not deserve all the hype. We got there at 3 a.m. and it was so cold by the time we started running that my legs were gone.... | |
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L. M. from VA Beach, VA
(9/21/2006)
"Great Goofy, but with some kinks." (about: 2006)
6-10 previous marathons
| 1 Disney World Marathon
COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 3 FANS: 5 Did the Goofy Challenge and appreciated the flat courses. Running through theme parks was a blast and having the characters out on the course made the time fly. The vacationers that were staying on property even came out in the cold to cheer us on. The expo was small, disappointing, and did not have much Goofy merchandise. Why didn't they get some of the Goofy stuff from Magic Kingdom and bring it over to the expo? The park staff was not well informed about this event though it runs all over Disney property. We were misdirected to the expo by the Contemporary font desk clerk (told we needed park tickets to get there!). After explaining to another clerk what a marathon was and the purpose of the expo, a call was made and we caught the expo shuttle. (Keep in mind that the Contemporary was the headquarters for the marathon in past years.) Expo does not even compare to Cincinnati's Flying Pig expo. We stayed on property so parking was not an issue but sure felt sorry for the long line of cars coming on and off for the race. The monorail is a blessing after running Goofy. Disney needs to set up a pasta party for runners, especially since all their restaurants book up early and they want runners at the start by 4:00 a.m. Standing around at the start in 30-degree temps with wind was not fun, but we made friends in the little huddles that would crop up just for warmth. (Bring a thick, tall garbage bag to block wind and hold in body heat.) The half marathon was bottlenecked at the finish for the Goofy participants, which they should have anticipated. Stood in line for 15 minutes waiting to get the wristband changed, 10 minutes to get the medal, 15 more to get a finisher photo, and 15 more minutes in another long line to pick up our drop-off bags. Didn't bother with the line for food (had to get off my feet - maybe a different finishers chute for Goofy runners would help). Marathon finish was much better. They did call in additional massage therapist from Orlando to accommodate all hotel guests who had made appointments in advance. Sure hope they work out the kinks cause I would like to do this one again. This is one of the most expensive marathons in the states; just think it could be better for the money. |
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