Official 2017 Tinker Bell Half Marathon Weekend!

[CaliforniaGirl09]

Ahh, sorry your daughter was disappointed with the race! I was thinking about it too and I'm kinda happy I did this race alone -- I personally enjoyed (most) of it because I've done other Disney races, but the lack of entertainment all around would've definitely made my friends question why I pressured them so much into signing up ...

Thanks! You pretty much exactly hit it. The race was fun, but I felt like she didn't get the full experience and didn't understand why I was so gung-ho.

 

[ZellyB]

Has anyone had Castle photos posted from the half? I think those are the only ones I'm missing - the others loaded so quickly! I think I just need to be patient...

We have some too from running through. We didn't pull off for a picture though.

 

[SueInBoston]

So bummed I missed the meet up, I fell asleep watching TV and next thing I know it was 5pm!!

Like most, I was disappointed with this weekend for the lack of characters and entertainment. The paid volunteers were great but there were a lot less of them on the course. Security was horrendous. I was thinking of running Pixar, but now leaning towards 'not' after this weekend. I just feel like rD is cutting way too much, they even cut out the 'I did it' banner on photopass, and the photographer only takes 1 shot so if you happened to blink...ooops.

 

[Davidg83]

We're the metal detectors done differently for tink vs light side? Detectors were in place for light side but not an issue.

There was only an issue leaving from the half when they were telling everyone to go through until some security told anyone wearing a bib to just come through. But that was leaving and therefore entering DTD.



Yep.

Before the race started I think it really depends on which direction you came from. Over by Paradise Pier they were using the wands on every person, and over by ESPN they were just checking bags and having you go around the metal detector. The big issue by ESPN was funneling everyone through a very narrow gate and walkway next to Earl of Sandwich after going through security. It created a huge backup.

After the race they were pretty much just letting everyone with medals on pass the medal detector when I was leaving.

 

[Ariel484]

I just feel like rD is cutting way too much, they even cut out the 'I did it' banner on photopass, and the photographer only takes 1 shot so if you happened to blink...ooops.

Sorry we missed you...sleep is a beautiful thing though!

I had to laugh at those "I Did It!" Paddles. I think they are so lame! It makes me think someone in tech support or whatever was too lazy to fix the banners (since people were getting the incorrect ones on their pictures) so they decided to slap some paddles in our hands.

Before the race started I think it really depends on which direction you came from. Over by Paradise Pier they were using the wands on every person, and over by ESPN they were just checking bags and having you go around the metal detector. The big issue by ESPN was funneling everyone through a very narrow gate and walkway next to Earl of Sandwich after going through security. It created a huge backup.

After the race they were pretty much just letting everyone with medals on pass the medal detector when I was leaving.

Yeah, for the 5K I went through regular bag check/metal detectors at Downtown Disney and that was fine. Afterward was a mess when they wanted us all to go BACK through security to get into Downtown Disney - eventually they just let runners go back through with no screening.

For the 10K, I walked out of the back of Paradise Pier to find screening right there - great! There was, what I thought was, a short line - but like David said, it was 2 people wanting everyone. I waited for 20 minutes to get through. No screening coming back.

For the half, that same Paradise Pier line was 3-4 times bigger than the day before so I ended up taking the advice of the security CMs to go to Downtown Disney - so much faster! I did encounter the narrow path but I was just glad not to have to wait to get wanded. Again, no screening coming back.

I'm not sure what they can do to change this in the future, since I don't see them installing metal detectors right behind Paradise Pier, but I'd highly recommend to any future racers to just go to Downtown Disney to get screened, unless the wanding line is *tiny.*

 

[Tinkerbelle's Mom]

Thank you to everyone for all the advice and encouragement you gave to my dd (16) through me, lol. She had an amazing run and finished in 2:22:24. That's a new PR for her.


She learned a lot about what it's like doing the challenge and knows how she will prep differently and handle her sleep differently next time.

Her only complaint about the course this year was the lack of entertainment/support/crowds out side of the DLR area. She said it made those miles much harder for her. She really pulls from the energy of the crowd as that is usually the miles she struggles with the most.

That being said in the magic of RunDisney races another adult runner on course stepped in and gave her encouragement when she needed it the most. Her and this runner had been passing back and forth for a while. The runner joked with my dd that they should run together for a bit - so they did. The runner was a mom who has a high school age kid (that won't do the races) and has a friend who is a Girls on the Run coach (the program my dd did that got her into running). She gave a ton of encrouagement to my DD and helped her through the wrost part.

That is why I LOVE RunDisney races. It never fails that some where along the route a fellow runner, usually a parent but not always, will give her some words of encouragement or just cheer her on. I know she's old enough to take care of herself on course but it makes this mom feel so much better that should she ever need help of any kind that there are fellow runners out there that would step in to help.

What made my day was when she told me she then paid it forward by doing the same thing a younger runner -- giving encouragement and helping them along. She said she didn't want to try it with an adult because she was nervous with how they might react.

 

[Ariel484]

Keep an eye on your email - I got a post-race survey.

 

[roxymama]

Hi all! I got ready too early but then the security line was long. I think it somehow helped my pre-race anxiety because I was "doing something." One past the final "bib check" I did my warmup jog from Corral D down to A gate and back to B. And the I quickly found @Ariel484 ...well she found me. So all in all my normal "standing doing nothing anxiety meltdown" was soooo much less this race.

I was super happy with the in park stuff because I'm a newbie and don't know any better. I stopped a lot for official and unofficial pic stops. Was then fine with not tons out on the streets because I'm so used to that in my home races. Would probably miss it if I had it last year.

 

[Ariel484]

Yeah, the outside-the-park stuff bothered me but didn't at the same time - like, I noticed that there wasn't much going on and was bothered by it because it was less than what I remembered from the Disneyland Half...but it was a beautiful day and I was well-trained, and everyone around me was pretty calm and quiet, so it just ended up being a really pleasant run for me. I run by myself at home without music so maybe that was good practice for this race.

If I weren't trained and was struggling (like I was at Princess) it would have been REALLY tough.

 

[roxymama]

Also my sister @AuntieBean cheered on every runner from start to finish at the hub. So you probably heard her or saw her. And my mom made the trip in her wheelchair. I'd say pushing it as much as I did "hurt" my chances at a better finish to my race (tired legs) but wouldn't trade those few extra minutes of leg freshness for how happy my mom was this weekend.

 

[bumbershoot]

I didn't go to Light Side.

Maybe someone could describe the metal detector placement for Tink, and how it caused such delays? I'm actually really wondering, and I'm having a hard time understanding.

For LS I would have sworn that we did the security stuff getting into DTD, then we exited the secure area to get to the pre-corral area, though there was some rudimentary checking if you had a real costume. No checks going into corrals bc I assume everyone had been checked on their way into DTD (and I imagine from the M&F area). The delays were on our way out of the start/end area going back into DTD, for the half at least.

So where was security set up for Tink?

 

[Tinkerbelle's Mom]

Also my sister @AuntieBean cheered on every runner from start to finish at the hub. So you probably heard her or saw her. And my mom made the trip in her wheelchair. I'd say pushing it as much as I did "hurt" my chances at a better finish to my race (tired legs) but wouldn't trade those few extra minutes of leg freshness for how happy my mom was this weekend.
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So glad your mom had a great time! Seeing this pic I realize my dd and I walked in right behind you to the area where you pay at The plaza inn, lol.

 

[jobo]

Maybe someone could describe the metal detector placement for Tink, and how it caused such delays? I'm actually really wondering, and I'm having a hard time understanding.

For LD I would have sworn that we did the security stuff getting into DTD, then we exited the secure area to get to the pre-corral area, though there was some rudimentary checking if you had a real costume. No checks going into corrals bc I assume everyone had been checked on their way into DTD (and I imagine from the M&F area). The delays were on our way out of the start/end area going back into DTD, for the half at least.

So where was security set up for Tink?

I didn't run the Light Side, however for the Tink, I came from Walnut and Katella through the parking lot to the back side of Paradise Pier. On the morning of the 10K the line wasn't too bad, it maybe took 10 minutes to go through. They only had two people with wands, but we were early enough (4:45). When I came the same way for the Half, the line was down to the end of the Paradise Pier parking garage. I walked up to the security gates next to the Disneyland Hotel where there was no one in line. It took me less then 5 minutes to walk up get through security and back.

After the race, the security to get back into downtown Disney by the ESPN was a mad house. I've never seen so many people. There were no lines, just a crush of people. I waited in the masses, until I could see runners heading down the far right side, so I followed and was able to walk straight though. But there was no signage for the runners only line at security checkpoint .

 

[roxymama]

The line for downtown Disney after the race was only about 3 people in front of me, so I wonder if I just totally lucked out in the right weird vortex. A few women def faster than me that I talked to in line said they got stuck for awhile. So maybe they opened up new lanes right when I got there. Either way I'm now thankful in hindsight.

The line through security on harbor entrance when we first got to pre-race was probably 20 min. So pretty long feeling.

 

[JulieODC]

Keep an eye on your email - I got a post-race survey.

Interesting!

Also my sister @AuntieBean cheered on every runner from start to finish at the hub. So you probably heard her or saw her. And my mom made the trip in her wheelchair. I'd say pushing it as much as I did "hurt" my chances at a better finish to my race (tired legs) but wouldn't trade those few extra minutes of leg freshness for how happy my mom was this weekend.
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LOVE this!!

 

[JulieODC]

A few random thoughts....

They did great with number of water stations - but I was pretty glad I didn't need to use the bathroom out in Anaheim as it seemed like there weren't many portopotties.

Also thought it was weird that the gu station wasn't manned - a runner in front of me grabbed at least one of each flavor - and it didn't seem like that had a ton (unless they had boxes to reload as needed).

 

[BOLTZPRIDE]

Maybe someone could describe the metal detector placement for Tink, and how it caused such delays? I'm actually really wondering, and I'm having a hard time understanding.

For LD I would have sworn that we did the security stuff getting into DTD, then we exited the secure area to get to the pre-corral area, though there was some rudimentary checking if you had a real costume. No checks going into corrals bc I assume everyone had been checked on their way into DTD (and I imagine from the M&F area). The delays were on our way out of the start/end area going back into DTD, for the half at least.

So where was security set up for Tink?

the corral entrance was a small walkway they created along the side of the movie theater, not by the precorral area. so the space inbetween espn and earls just became this choke point for people going to corrals and people trying to get to gear check. so for lightside you would only go thru dtd security once to go gear check/corrals . For tink you would hit the dtd security twice , once to go gear check then dtd again for the corral. for the 10k they used this space to hold people before the corrals opened, that was crazy . for the half they allowed people to wait in the movie theater parking area. I did the dland hotel security point and as i was walking by paradise pier in the corral shoot i felt very sorry for the people choosing to be checked by the wands. those security folks were going so slow and thorough with the wands.

security was just on high alert for some reason. after the expo on friday they made me open the cardboard packaging on body glide that i had got. When i run i use a hip belt and i remember light side they just kind of felt it. for tink they took the time to look in the small compartment.

 

[kirstie101]

Congrats to all you runners!!!!!!

 

[Hollysmum]

I've never done a race in Disneyland before and whilst I loved walking to the park and waking up later the queues to get through security, whilst understandable, were ridiculous! People must have missed their corrals for the half, I made my corral with minutes to spare and I left with plenty of time.

I liked the half marathon but I wouldn't do it again. There was far too much of the course outside the parks for me and there was nothing going on. I agree with the lack of porta potties outside the park too. When I collected my challenge medals it was all rather chaotic too.

On another note I also wish they gave out a nutrition bar like they did at Paris instead of just gels.

 

[courtneybeth]

@roxymama - Just saw part of your runner blog and race pic. YOU LOOK AWESOME! Congrats on an amazing race and now... you're a half marathoner