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Apr 29, 2024

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 61 to 71]

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Tommy Brown from Land O' Lakes, FL (1/29/2013) "3 Year in a row and I'll be back!!" (about: 2013) 6-10 previous marathons \| 3 Disney World Marathons COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 5 This was my third straight WDW Marathon. Finished in the top 25 this year. The course officials do a great job keeping the start relaxed and fun. Not like big-city marathons with swat teams patrolling the corrals. The Expo speakers series is delightful, but poorly attended. Bill Rodgers and Desi Davila meet and greet was great there. Even talked to Billy right before the start at the start line!! Please take out the WideWorldSports section that was added, way too many turns in that part of the race!! Got wacked by one of the Hensley Brothers in Cinderella's castle. B. Hensley watch out, I'm bringing sharper elbows next year. Overall my favorite marathon in the world's happiest place. I've run Boston and I like WDW better. Much better. The weather was perfect, but I live in FL and am used to a little heat in winter.
C. L. from Mesa, AZ (1/24/2013) "Run Disney has become Walk Disney" (about: 2013) 50+ previous marathons \| 6+ Disney World Marathons COURSE: 1 ORGANIZATION: 1 FANS: 4 I must have been at a different race than some who have posted here. For me it started at the EXPO, boy oh boy talk about too many people trying to get into a small venue. I was lucky to grab my stuff and get out alive. I actually enjoy going around to the various vendors but you could not do anything but be pushed and shoved to the exit. The WDW Marathon was already too crowded at 18,000 runners so what does Run Disney do but add another 7000 runners for a total of 25,000. Yes indeed 25,000 runners on a course that could not handle the 18,000 in years prior. Clearly Run Disney should be renamed Walk Disney as walk is what I had to do a lot of given the crowding on the course. Be warned this has become a walk not a running race and is for and about the Purple People walking three and four abreast and the like. I have nothing but respect if even by walking you are off the couch. The problem now is this race attracts so many walkers and is so narrow at so many locations you will get bottled up. At least in the past you could run in the grass and weave you way past most of the problem children but with the entry up to 25,000 you don't have a chance. None of the Disney races have ever been about a PR given the large number of walkers in these events. Disney races have always been about fun and a more relaxed pace and just go with the flow. The problem is now I feel like a salmon trying to swim upstream for 26.2 miles. The folks at Walk Disney have managed to even remove the fun out of this event and make it a struggle. No more for me until they reduce the numbers.
R. K. from North Carolina, USA (1/23/2013) "Do not expect a Personal Record" (about: 2013) 1 previous marathon \| 1 Disney World Marathon COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 5 This was my first marathon and it was definitely a good one for first timers. For the 2013 marathon it was very warm pushing 90 by mid morning. If you were not in Corral A or B this was not a good thing. Disney handled it very well with frequent water stops with lots of volunteers. This marathon was crowded. If you have a certain average pace you want to keep you should mentally add 30 seconds - seriously. There are many bottlenecks along the way and a lot of people. On the flip side there is entertainment and cheering crowds the whole way. Never a dull moment. There are also a lot of people who stop for photos and walk the whole distance. Even if you jog the marathon you will place in the top 30%. The race starts early and I had to wake up at 4AM. We left the hotel about 4 mi from Epcot at 4:30 and got there at 5:00PM. Plenty of time to get there and into your corral even if you are in A. I have only one complaint. There was no hand sanitizer in the porta-johns. I hate porta-johns until I need one and waking at 4AM you are going to need one. I caught a stomach virus and it had to be from that. Bring a small bottle of hand sanitizer!
Kami K. from Corpus Christi, TX (1/23/2013) "FUN!" (about: 2013) 50+ previous marathons \| 1 Disney World Marathon COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 5 Goofy's Race & a Half Challenge Disney World, Orlando, FL January 12 & 13, 2013 I ran the Goofy's Race and a Half Challenge which consists of running the Disney Half Marathon & Full Marathon on consecutive days. I flew into Orlando on Thursday, 10 January, & stayed in Disney's All Star Music Hotel for four nights. The complimentary express shuttle service from & to the airport was provided by Disney. The packet pickup & Disney's Health & Fitness Expo were in ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex. The packet pickup was efficient. As a Goofy's Challenge participant, I received three long-sleeved technical shirts for running the half, full, & both. There were a large number of vendors in the Expo. At 3:00 AM on both Saturday & Sunday, I took the shuttle from the hotel to the start zone in the Wonder Parking lot at Epcot. There was a long walk from the start zone to our corrals. Both races started at 5:30 AM. Donald Duck, Mickey Mouse, & Goofy were present at both starts. There was some firework as each corral started the run. On both days, temperature ranged from low 60s to low 80s. The 5:30 AM start was helpful, as it began to warm up quickly once the sun was out, which made the second half of the marathon tough. The half marathon course consisted of running on World Drive to the Magic Kingdom Park, running through Tomorrowland & Cinderella Castle, returning to Epcot, & running through Future World to the finish line. There were nine water/sports drink stations & Clif products were distributed at mile 9. A large number of volunteers, Disney characters, & music bands made it a fun-filled journey. The Donald Duck Finisher's Medal was very nice. The first seven miles of the marathon were the same as the half marathons. After leaving the Magic Kingdom, we ran around the Walt Disney World Speedway where a large number of antique cars were awaiting our arrivals. We then ran through Disney's Animal Kingdom, ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex, Disney's Hollywood Studios, Disney's Yacht & Beach Club Resort, Epcot, & crossed the finish line. The Mickey Mouse Finisher's Medal was very nice & a bit heavy! And the coveted Goofy Medal was icing on the cake! There were 21 water/sports drink stations; bananas at miles 11.5 & 18; Clif products at miles 15 & 19; wet sponges around mile 17; & chocolates between miles 22 & 23. There were plenty of entertainment & the opportunity to take photos with Disney characters throughout the course. There were a very large number of cheerful volunteers staffing the aid stations. There were 23,126 (13,128 female, 9998 male) half marathon finishers. The winning times were 1:05:26 (overall male), 1:14:56 (overall female), 1:14:23 (masters male), & 1:25:23 (masters female). There were 20,679 (10,618 female, 10,061 male) marathon finishers. The winning times were 2:21:16 (overall male), 2:48:30 (overall female), 2:25:26 (masters male), & 3:22:14 (masters female). I did not take either race seriously & had the most fun running/jogging them. I treated the half marathon as an easy warm-up run for the marathon. I treated the marathon as an easy jogging tour of Disney's theme parks & made a large number of stops to take photos with Disney characters along the course. This was my 97th marathon.
j. b. from Kentucky (1/22/2013) "overall very well done and exceptionally organized" (about: 2013) 3 previous marathons \| 1 Disney World Marathon COURSE: 4 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 5 Most of the positives and negatives have been hit, but just to add or reiterate a few: -Great organization considering the crowds. Plenty of restroom facilities. Lot of aid stations (I would say more than needed- having a water station at mile .75 was odd but better too many than too few). -The course did have some narrow points, however the biggest negative was the roughly .5 mile segment past the waste water treatment plant around mile 15. The smell was less than pleasant except as encouragement to keep running & to run faster. -Considering the heat, aid stations with sponges & ice were much appreciated (as was the spectator around mile 19 with the pretzels- thanks!) -The course had lots of highway running as expected, but Disney did a good job of getting in all the parks. The segment through the Animal Kingdom was particularly enjoyable. The live animals on the course were a great high point. -Lots of spectators throughout the parks/course. Plenty of music & entertainment throughout. Some of the characters were particularly entertaining & were quite comical. -The mile 20 'spectacular' didn't overwhelm me. But the characters throughout the race were nice. However, it would have been nice to have a couple at the finish for those who didn't want to stop for pictures & would rather them post-race. -The buses to the start were great. Very orderly. Staying at a resort hotel is a must. -The expo was crowded & the shirts ran overly large. However, Disney exhibited their spectacular customer service through providing another set of smaller sized shirts via mail, a week after the race, at no charge. -For those into the medals, the 20th anniversary medal was second to none. The Donald medal was also quite nice, as was Goofy.
K. T. from NJ (1/22/2013) "Overcrowded (Greedy Disney?)" (about: 2013) 6-10 previous marathons \| 1 Disney World Marathon COURSE: 4 ORGANIZATION: 3 FANS: 3 Disney waaaay oversubscribed this race. We ran a$$-to-face for the entire half and most of the full. 'Caution runners: Course narrows ahead,' was played over loudspeakers, and people laughed and asked, 'can it get more narrow?' Expo was an exercise in body-checking. Gripes aside, I've never seen so much entertainment along a course. It's worth doing once in your life. TIPS: Bring a camera - at each character stop they'll have a volunteer who will use your camera to take a pic, not just the official photogs, and some stops didn't have official photogs at all. Bring something that lights up - some cute flashing things for your shoes, or a mini-flashlight. You will thank me when you're in the pitch-dark porta potties, or on the pitch-dark stretches of the course. Adjust your sleep schedule - Especially if you're running Goofy, start waking up and going to bed 1/2 hour earlier each night after the New Year. You'll need to get up by 2:30 or 3:00 am for either race even if you're staying on property.
f. k. from New York, NY (1/21/2013) "My 5th Disney Marathon" (about: 2013) 11-50 previous marathons \| 4-5 Disney World Marathons COURSE: 3 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 5 This was my 5th consecutive Disney Marathon, and #13 overall. The Good: No one can organize two 25,000 runner races in two consecutive days like Disney. The organization was first class, not surprising when Disney had hundreds of staff along the course, and the volunteers, cheering squads and entertainment was awesome. Lotsa of aid stations with plenty of Powerade and water, some even poured bottles of Disani water on your head as it was very hot and humid on Sunday. There were plenty of portajohns at the runner's village and along most of the course and you could also use any of the real bathrooms in any of the parks. There were two gel stations along the course; I think one banana station and a chocolate station once you enter Hollywood Studios. Plenty of Disney character to liven up the course, especially the boring stretches of highway and roads. The finish area had plenty of water, Powerade, bananas, a snack box and other goodies even for some who finished 6:20 chip time. The bag check was easy and simply to navigate both before and after the race. Transportation from the finish was a breeze. Seeing my fellow on-line running buddies in person is always a highlight of the weekend. The Bad: With the 20th anniversary of the marathon, Disney decided to allow 25K runners for the race and this showed. The expo store ran out of many items when I got there on Saturday afternoon, the expo was really still crowded and the lack of any real giveaways sorta sucked. The crack of dawn wake up, 2:30 am for me, followed by a longish wait for a free shuttle bus and then a nerve wracking 30 minute ride through tons of traffic to the runner's village. I personally did not like the course changes as the first 14 miles featured a lot of congestion as the roads were very narrow and there were more runners. I could not keep a decent pace consistently and decided to just go with the flow instead of zig sagging around runners or walkers going 2-3 abreast. I also did not appreciate the steep decline as we entered the speedway as I thought it was dangerous, even with the announcements. I also did not like the run around the Wide World of Sports Complex or the baseball field as it was very boring and featured three different changes in terrain. The 20 mile celebration was also underwhelming based on the hype Disney put on. The Ugly: O. My. God. It was hot Sunday. The start featured temps in the 70s with high humidity and almost 85 degrees and humid when I finally staggered across the finish. Thank god a running buddy had bags of pretzels at mile 19 or I would have had a tougher time finishing. There was only one sponge station and no misting stations for the thousands of back of the pack runners. The course did not have a lot of shade, but that was expected if you had run the race before. I know Disney can't control the weather and it is up to each runner to gauge their physical condition and make adjustments based on their overall training, weather and race day conditions. I felt sorry for all the first timers who had nothing to go by when faced with the heat and humidity and may have been coming from cooler climates or been undertrained. At least some of us experienced runners knew to slow our pace, take walk breaks, and drink often and to toss any finishing goal out the window. My heartfelt thoughts go out to the two families who lost ones during the race. Final Thoughts and Tips: I hope Disney reverts back to the old course or cut out that sharp decline into the speedway, especially if they decide to keep adding more runners. I fear their aim is to increase the field to 30K for both the half and the full. Stay on property as it far more convenient getting to/from the expo and the races as Disney buses will take you back and forth for free. I wish Disney would bring back a free day pass to any one of the four parks to all runners. That was a nice perk in 2011. Finally, an ice bath never felt so good when I finally got back to my room.
K. C. from Baltimore, MD (1/20/2013) "Most Memorable Race I've Ever Or Will Ever Run!" (about: 2013) 4-5 previous marathons \| 1 Disney World Marathon COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 5 In the spring of 2012, I decided that it would be a great idea to run the Goofy Challenge in WDW! I gathered friends and my husband and we planned the trip. First of all, the accommodations at the Art of Animation were excellent. On Friday morning we hopped on a bus specifically for the expo and had a quick yet relaxing ride. The expo was crowded but very well organized. I wish there had been a decent reusable water bottle for sale. On the race website it says that you should be ready to be picked up from your hotel by 4am. Wrong. By 4am there was a line that wrapped around my hotel of runners and spectators. I personally think spectators shouldn't be able to board the bus if the line is this long since spectators won't be able to see their runner take off at the start. At 4am each of the 27,000 runners looks alike. I incorrectly assumed that the marathon would be less crowded and arrived 10 minutes earlier and the line was longer. The races were amazing. I ran the 1/2 on Saturday and the full on Sunday. I know that marathon coaches would probably say to rest, however, I found that walking around all day kept my legs loose and got the acid out of them. The half started at Epcot, but between mile 4 and 5 you can see the Magic Kingdom. It still takes time to get to the castle since you have to run through parking lots. The staff had the castle all lit up and it looked amazing in the dark of the morning. As you are about to go through the castle, there are people playing horns. After you get through, if you head to your left, there are photographers ready to take your picture with the castle in the background. As you make your return trip to Epcot the roads have bands, comedy acts and more water and aid stops then are really necessary. The full marathon was similar to the half. There was ample entertainment. I've run a Rock and Roll race and these Disney races had far more music! There were DJs, marching bands and a gospel choir at the end! There were large kites, huge puppets, cars (old fashioned, fast and ones from the movie Cars), large cheering sections, green Army men, animals and more! No marathon I ever run will match up to the Goofy Challenge in WDW! I've already started planning for next year. I'm going to run the 5K and the Goofy Challenge for a whopping 42+ miles!
j. p. from Maryland, USA (1/20/2013) "Could be the best marathon ever" (about: 2013) 6-10 previous marathons \| 1 Disney World Marathon COURSE: 4 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 5 Came with the family, 2 Goofy runners, 1 1/2 and me the full to participate in the 20th run. I've run 9 other marathons and this has the potential to be the best. The Good: Disney knows how to organize and it showed. While the expo was jammed, it was packed full of great stuff, The pickup was easy and fast, swag was nice. The volunteers and spectators are 2nd to none, they are truly a force that keeps you moving forward, I humbly thank each and every one of you. Course is excellent, plenty of water, power aid, sponges, medical help to not ever have to worry. The entertainment along the way is great. After the race the support was fantastic, I was dehydrated and had 4 medics immediately helping me and they were great. Medal was word class, heaviest ever! Loved how when you wear your medal in the park after the race, your congratulated by the workers, it really makes you feel special The Bad; OK, you pay $175 and then they charge you for a beer! or a sandwich! in the runner area! No break if you run the Goofy. Comon Disney, please don't bleed us dry. Suggestion; The day of the marathon, if you go to any Disney park after you should automatically be fast pathed to the front. They did allow you in free on Monday if you ran, which is good, but it would be nice to get right in. All in all, this would be my suggestion for any 1st time marathoner. I plan on making it a regular yearly event, it was a blast.
J. K. from San Antonio, TX (1/19/2013) "A Magical Experience" (about: 2013) 11-50 previous marathons \| 2 Disney World Marathons COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 5 If I could only run one marathon each year, it would be this one. For me, the highlights included running around and through the lighted castle in the dark, running around the baseball field at ESPN's Wide World of Sports, running past characters each mile and singing along to the music, and high-fiving Goofy at the finish line. My favorite part is still running from Hollywood Studios to Epcot along the boardwalk, and then shooting through Epcot toward the gospel choir. It's hard not to smile the entire 26.2 miles. :) It was also great to run the Family 5K on Friday with my mom. :) I'm already looking forward to the 2014 Goofy Challenge!

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