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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 721 to 731]
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A Runner from Ft. Lauderdale, FL
(10/27/2002)
"Need bib for 2003!!" (General Comments)
COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 5 I have tried every way to get into this race. If for some reason anyone is unable to run, please e-mail me at AmandaMo22@bellsouth.net, I would LOVE to buy your bib from you!!! Thanks | |
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A Runner from Upstate, NY
(9/27/2002)
"7 out of 10" (General Comments)
COURSE: 4 ORGANIZATION: 4 FANS: 1 There seems to be an awful lot of negative comments. I've run it 4 times, I'm going back in '03. Let's put it this way: They didn't have a problem filling a 22,000 runner field for the '03 race did they? On the downside: You will spend 90 bucks to get in. You will get up early, you will stand in your corral for 60-90 mins. It will be dark, it might even be very cold. The start is crowded. There are essentially NO spectators to speak of, some employees here and there and a few park earlybirds who are unsure why all the joggers are running through the castle. The course is flat to the extent it can actually be a drawback (you never change muscle groups). It's boring in between the parks, sometimes painfullly so. Yes, the T's suck & the expo could (should) easily be double the size. On the plus side: The race combines the two things near and dear to so many of us: running & Disney. That combination alone makes it a good sell. It's a great excuse to take the family to florida in January. The entry fee is indeed high. However if you can afford to take the family to Florida in january then you can swing the 90 bucks. The volunteers are helpful & organization better than you might expect with 20K runners to manage. The start (with characters and fireworks etc.) is more of a send-off than at your typical marathon. Aid stations are plentiful. As was mentioned the course is flat, good in that it doesnt beat you up. No heartbreak hill there. The medals are great and age group awards decent. The kids runs are as you might expect with Disney, superb. Combining the marathon experience with the Disney experience means theres something for every family member. Few if any marathons can offer FAMILIES what this race can. This event is clearly designed for FAMILIES, meaning it might not be the race for a 2:15 stud looking for cash and a OT qualifier, but if your looking to take the wife and kids to see the mouse and need a good reason to do so, here is one. Much of this race simply has to be experienced; you can only experience it by going and I would suggest to most anyone that they give it a try. | |
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A Runner from Brighton, MI
(9/20/2002)
"'Greatest place on earth' made for MANY memories" (about: 2002)
COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 5 Disney World holds so many memories for our family anyway, it is so great to have run my FIRST Marathon there.... in a reasonalbe time (for me). The 'crowd support' and scenery is excellent. | |
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Andy from Fort Lauderdale Fla
(9/17/2002)
"Nice to say you have been there:(" (about: 2002)
COURSE: 2 ORGANIZATION: 4 FANS: 2 Would never recommend this race! Will not go back! Well aside from having to stand in the cold for 90 minutes prior to the start, and not being able to mingle with family and friends before the race, it does not get much better. I have run the Marine Corps Marathon 3 times. There were sites to see and lots of fan/crowd support. This was not the case at Disney. I ran through back lots and waste treatment areas with tiny-to-no crowds, it is just not worth what Disney is asking for. The negative signs about not finishing and never making it are not very motivating. | |
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A Runner from Minneapolis, Minnesota
(9/15/2002)
"Half Marathon - It could be so much more" (General Comments)
COURSE: 3 ORGANIZATION: 2 FANS: 1 This was my first serious half marathon after a diagnosis of fibromyalgia. I was so excited to overcome my physical challenges at DisneyWorld for Team Diabetes. I thought the expo was fine, although it was my first one. I agree that the goody bag lacked the goodies that Disney could have offered. The course was flat and dull, and the entertainment promised along the course was non existent. The Villain signs amused me, but I also felt that their humor was lost on the majority of the participants, and that they were less than uplifting. However, my one shining moment was entering the World Walkway at Epcot just prior to sunrise. The torches around the lake were blazing, and all the countries had their twinkling lights on. There was some inspirational music playing loudly and the scene was beautiful, and I was so grateful that I had regained the physical ability to participate in this event. That moment will remain with me forever, and for that moment alone, I will someday return to the overpriced, under spectated, boring course event. | |
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A Runner from Oklahoma
(9/4/2002)
"Animatronic Pirates at the water stations..." (about: 2002)
COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 5 I've noticed this marathon taking a lot of criticism by folks. Well, it's not warranted. Granted, the whole 'gotta-be-on-the-bus-at-4am' thing rather sucks...but hey, it's a bunch of flippin' idiots that can't ever be on time for sh*t that makes rules like that necessary. Trying to organize 15,000 people takes just a little effort and when 3,000 of those (even with the 4:30am deadline) STILL show up 7 minutes before the race start, it causes chaos...The organization was very good. The aid stations were super. The volunteers were the best I've seen (thank you people for standing out in the cold rain serving up goodies to all of the unappreciative whiners below). The course is interesting, and was as flat as you can get. And the weather (though it rained this year) is usually ideal. I'm a middle-of the packer and there was support all the way. Good crowds in several spots and lots of high fives. Once again, thanks guys for coming out in the rain! Oh yeah, there aren't really animatronic pirates at the water stations. Some of the runners looked like animatronics come the 23, 24th mile though.... | |
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Becky from Baltimore, MD
(9/4/2002)
"Awesome Marathon..." (about: 2001)
COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 5 I have run two marathons and a half marathon. Disney was by far the best. The course was fast and flat, the route was through four different theme parks, and had lots of spectator and character support. There were multiple medical stations, and many, many water stations. | |
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A Runner from Ottawa, Canada
(7/24/2002)
"A pleasant first marathon experience" (about: 2001)
COURSE: 4 ORGANIZATION: 4 FANS: 4 This was my first marathon and so I have no relative comparisons to make to other marathons. I can say what I liked and dis-liked: Pros: Running through the parks and getting to see 'back-stage' -We wore our cool medals to the parks for a couple of days afterward and were routinely spotted by Disney staff and congratulated. -Registrations was incredibly smooth -Disney Transportation moved us wherever we needed to go (except for a certain 26.2 miles) very efficiently -Great crowds at the finish and in a few other areas -They did a super job of keeping the park-go-ers off the course -WDW is a pretty cool place to be to celebrate such a big personal milestone Cons: -Having to be on the bus from the hotel to the course by 4 at the latest. This is insane and it was cold. -Sitting around with no entertainment (I thought this was Disney) for nearly 90 minutes in the parking lot while we froze and waitied to start running. -Awful signs placed by Disney Villians, telling us we'll never make it. -Lack of water late in the course for slow runners. There's a mall next to the park. Go buy some water! -Similarly, some of the late med. stops had nothing left. They offered us vaseline for a sore muscle. -Sparse crowds for most of the lonely parts of the run. -Very anti-climactic finish -Pretty pricey -Rain (I know this is not Disney's fault) -I heard Zip-a-dee-do-da an awful lot of times! -Running through the Animal Kingdom did not feel safe as the terrain was very bumpy and it was wet. -The back-side of the Animal Kingdom, where we ran a couple of miles, smelled like the back-side of something funky. | |
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A Runner from Dallas, TX
(6/19/2002)
"Great for your first marathon" (General Comments)
COURSE: 4 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 5 I've read all of the other comments...some of the negatives are justifiable, but others, well...you can't control things like weather. One of the coolest things is running through all five parks but to do this means there are stretchs of highway or park roads that are boring. Not many courses offer non-stop views, crowd support, etc. Besides, I enjoy the cammaraderie of the other runners more than having some unknown spectator cheering for me. It is a great 'event' marathon...but a super-serious runner concerned only about times, etc. should probably skip this one: I'd hate for you to run into me when I stop for a picture with Mickey! | |
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A Runner from Palm Coast, Florida
(5/4/2002)
"Have run it 5 times and never again" (General Comments)
COURSE: 3 ORGANIZATION: 2 FANS: 2 I hate to admit it, but I have run this marathon 5 times in a row. The first time cost me $65, the last time cost me $80, and in 2003 they will charge $90! Floridians for the most part know that Disney is about grubbing dollars anyway it can. Along the course there were signs telling you that you could not make it all the way to the end, and this year they cheaped out big time on the finisher's book by listing only the top runners in each age category. It is appropriate that runners enter the theme parks by the back lots, so you get a bird's eye view of the facades, which includes the paid staff cheering for you in their costumes. After running Boston for the first time this year and being reminded what outstanding, excited crowds look like, I've decided not to pay people to cheer for me anymore. |
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