Magical Miles: My runDisney Weekend Experience

Day 1: Checking in at the expo

Our first stop was at the ESPN’s Wide World of Sports complex to pick up our race bibs and participant shirts. The process can be a little confusing because they split it between two buildings, but since this is a race series where thousands of people participate, it’s pretty easy to go with the flow. We made our way to the Field House, showed our photo I.D. and registration confirmation to a friendly volunteer inside and picked up our bibs quickly. Pro-tip: Be sure to fill out your Waiver online in advance. This saves you a lot of time. Afterward, we made the short walk to the next building to grab our participant shirts. Again, runDisney is very organized, with clear signs so that you know where to go and which line to get into based on your shirt size at the time of registration.

This building also houses the expo, which is full of vendors focusing on everything from race day fueling to accessories for your running costume — they even have professionals there who will tape runners to help avoid injury. I’ve bought two visors here in the past because who doesn’t need a purple sparkly visor to go with their Evil Queen running gear? I usually hit the expo mid-day, so I grab a quick snack and drink to tide me over until dinner. Before checking out the race day map, my friend and I stop for some K-Tape, extra fueling (Honey Stingers and Clif Bloks). The courses don’t change much, but they added a second “hill” to the half-marathon course this year. And by hill, I mean on-ramp. It’s also worth noting that the only races that go through the Magic Kingdom castle are the half and full marathons. So if this is your goal, be sure to train.

Once we grabbed our few last-minute essentials, we headed over to the massive stadium, which housed all the Disney race merchandise. Typically, I pick up a race-themed spirit jersey or t-shirt that says, “I did it!” However, sizes were limited since we went mid-day and not on the first day. I had been monitoring the merchandise design releases online, as well as the Virtual Queue (on the first day), but ultimately decided there wasn’t anything I had to have.

Though I’m a local now and a Disney Annual Passholder, I opted to stay on-site this time. Being immersed in the “Disney bubble” with other runners excited to be there helps my race morale and all the other benefits, including coach bus transportation to the expo and Epcot starting line. My friend and I checked in at the Caribbean Beach Resort, dropped our bags off at the room and walked over for a quick dinner at the Centertown Market. The food was delicious, and I can’t say enough about the BBQ mayo on their smoked turkey and gouda sandwich. This was my first time staying at this moderate resort, and the theming was perfect. It was relaxing and felt very beachy, despite being in Central Florida. Another perk was the proximity to the Skyliner, which you can take to both Hollywood Studios and Epcot. Our room was in the Martinique building, across the lake from the Riviera Resort stop. We could hop on, take a quick ride and catch up on life. The relaxed vibe was just what we needed for our early bedtime.

Day 2: Race Day

We had a very early wake-up call at 3:30 am. The Disney races start at 5 am, but you line up in the corrals much earlier, and our goal was to be there at least an hour in advance because we were in the last corral and wanted to make sure we were toward the front. Caribbean Beach has several internal bus stops, so we could walk out of our building and wait at the Martinique stop. It wasn’t marked very clearly, so we walked over to the main building and grabbed the bus there. However, we later learned that the coach busses will pick you up at your respective stop. We boarded the bus in our running costumes (Snow White and the Evil Queen) and made our way over to Epcot.

Anyone who has ever done a Disney race probably comments on the vibes. The positivity and encouragement I’ve experienced at these runs is second to none. When I started my running journey, my goal was just to finish the 10K. I had such a runner’s high afterward that I eagerly signed up for a half marathon (and then a second half marathon after swearing that I was one and done after ending up in the medic tent at my first half-but that’s a story for another day). I don’t think it’s a coincidence that the three most significant races of my “running career” have all been with runDisney. The costumes, camaraderie and representation of all body types and abilities keeps drawing me back.

After making it through security and over to our corral, we waited for at least an hour and a half before starting the race. The “hurry up and wait” of it all is my main complaint about the races, but once we made it to the start line and the adrenaline rush kicked in, I forgot all about that. Along the route, there are many character stops, often bringing out characters that you don’t always see in parks. This is a real perk for any Disney fan. Since this was the Princess Half Marathon, there were stops for Anna and Elsa, Rey from Star Wars, Jasmine, Belle, etc. However, a few of my favorites were Mushu, Vanellope von Schweetz and Donald Duck (dressed as a knight). It’s also worth mentioning that depending on your corral and pacing, many of these character stops may have long lines. We opted not to stop, but stood off to the side and quickly took selfies with the characters in the background. Disney does a great job of keeping the energy up through the race. You’ll encounter DJs, taiko drummers, local marching bands and even a gospel choir. But nothing beats the feeling of running up Main Street and through the castle. I’m happy to say I finished this half marathon with a PR and did not end up in the medic tent.

We returned to our room at Caribbean Beach, and unfortunately, it was too cold to hit the pool. So we got dressed and took the Skyliner down to check out the Pop Century Resort. Over the last few years, I’ve stayed at five or six different Disney World Resort hotels, and I can’t say enough about the benefits of choosing a moderate resort on the Skyliner. Not only is Pop Century on the line, but it’s also one of the more affordable resort options and has fun theming for kids. After stopping by the gift shop there, we took the Skyliner back to the Boardwalk area and enjoyed dinner at Beaches & Cream. This restaurant is casual, with a retro diner feel. The grilled cheese and tomato soup is delicious, as are the onion rings. But what they are most known for is their Kitchen Sink dessert, which serves four! I opted for a caramel sundae and my friend enjoyed a delicious brownie a la mode. It was the perfect way to end our weekend.

If you love Disney merchandise and want the best selection, try to join the virtual queue on the first day of the Health & Fitness Expo. If this doesn’t work with your travel plans, then I’d recommend taking the resort-sponsored busses over there right after you check-in.

You can’t go wrong with any of the resort hotels, but transportation options are something to consider if you are planning on doing any of the runDisney events. For example, if you are planning to do the Princess Half Marathon like I did and want to avoid riding a bus, consider staying at one of the monorail resorts like the Grand Floridian, Polynesian, or Contemporary. This location is also great for any family members who want to cheer you on from Main Street.

For longer races, they recommend you have a minimum training pace of 15 minutes per mile, and you must maintain a minimum of 16 minutes per mile for all race distances.

Costumes are a must, but just be aware of the rules and restrictions around what you can wear. This is to ensure an enjoyable race for you and for the safety of the other runners.

This trip report is part of our ongoing series on active travel. In need of further inspiration? Check out my guide, Girl’s Getaway to Door County, Wisconsin.