Tell Me About the Wine and Dine Half Marathon Finish Line Party

[musicmantrs]

Long title but I just booked the free dining so I can see my sister and her fiance run the Wine and Dine Half Marathon. Is the finish line party worth $64/person? I love Disney but for me it isn't about meet and greets so I don't see those as valuable - it's about commando, of course. Anyone know about the food served, ride wait times during it, etc...?

Thanks in advance and I can't wait! So glad Disney did the free Dining because I was right on the brink of not going.

 

[butiflfeet]

DH and I ran the Wine and Dine Half last year and it was a lot of fun! If you're just going for the party I'm sure you would be able to enjoy it even more than we did after running 13 miles

All of the Food and Wine Festival food booths were open along with places like the Rose and Crown bar. There was plenty of food and drinks to try all over World Showcase. By the time we finished the race and picked up our bags it was just after midnight and the park was pretty crowded, especially around the food booths and it was still a good time.

We didn't hang around any of the rides so I'm not sure how long the waits were for those.

 

[musicmantrs]

Thanks so much! Yeah, I couldn't even attempt that - I'm a DISer of size - I'm going to try the 5k jungle run that morning but may nap before we go to Epcot since it is so early. I do well just get through my 30 minutes 3 days a week from my couch to 5k program, couldn't imagine spending hours running.

 

[mountdew1]

When I did it the first year, it was a bit chaotic. The open attraction listing changed a few times, and then I recall what was actually open didn't match what they had listed. I'd wager it was akin to PM EMHs. They also had pretty much every musical group in World Showcase performing that night. Each group did 2 or 3 sets during the party, so you could pretty much walk one country in either direction to find something live.

All the F&W booths and stuff are open, and they also had extra waiters passing trays (you had to pay of course). I definitely got the impression that it was more about the food and drink than anything else in the park.

I don't recall there being any characters out and about, but they specifically have it mentioned on the site this year so they may have changed.

If you want to cheer someone on, that's really the only place to do it outside of sitting at the Beach/Yacht club piers. Pretty much everything else is closed to spectators.

 

[gopfans]

We ran it the first year and the after party was horrible. I know that they made some changes last year and some folks said it was better. The party and food lines were horribly long and crowded. We ended up not staying for it and gave away our food vouchers.

 

[CampbellScot]

my hubs and I are running the wine and dine half this year as well! I had also heard the first year had some inaugural bumps that needed to be ironed out. Reports of year two were better so I am really hoping that this year will be smooth sailing!!! For the runners and the party!!

 

[musicmantrs]

Thanks for all the great responses. I knew ya'll would be able to help, the google failed me on specifics.

 

[OrangeCountyCommuter]

Long title but I just booked the free dining so I can see my sister and her fiance run the Wine and Dine Half Marathon. Is the finish line party worth $64/person? I love Disney but for me it isn't about meet and greets so I don't see those as valuable - it's about commando, of course. Anyone know about the food served, ride wait times during it, etc...?

Thanks in advance and I can't wait! So glad Disney did the free Dining because I was right on the brink of not going.

nope!

And yes I paid for it last year. But that was because LOTS of my friends were running and I wanted to see them.

The Food and Wine kiosks are open. Last year the lines were long, but not as long as the FIASCO the first year. But they were longer then during a normal weekday.

Last year they did have the rides in Future World open. I rode Soarin early with no line, but once the runners got it it was crowded (and let's get real it was smelly... LOL! I run and after 13.1 miles I stink... I am not alone )

They have some special entertainment, but getting a schedule of who/where/what is basically impossible LOL!


(The first year was absolutely AWFUL! I ran the race and Disney screwed up SO many ways it's hard to imagine!!!! Last year was much better, but the party really is just not that great and it was NOT worth the price I paid )

 

[ChloroFiend]

We ran for the first time last year and weren't impressed. Lines for the food kiosks were exceedingly long. Seemed that runners were actually the minority.

We weren't too thrilled. I think we took a lap of WS and called it a night. We might have gotten one snack a piece, but that's a bit hazy.

The experience soured us on running W&D again.

 

[Woermazing]

My wife and I have run W&D the last two years. As others have noted, the first year the after-party was a fiasco. To sum it up, it was just too many people crammed into WS. Yes, I realize WS should be able to hold a lot of people, but that was the busiest I have ever seen it.

Last year was MUCH better. I don't know if they limited the number of tickets or what, but there seemed to be much more space to get around and the lines for food did not seem nearly as long as the first year. Probably less crowded and shorter lines than a typical weekend evening during F&W, so if you want to try the F&W kiosks, this is a great time to do it. As for rides, I know they had Soarin' open, and a few others (I think M:S and Maelstrom, and probably a couple more). We were able to walk right on to Soarin'. We probably could have ridden it for two hours straight without ever having to wait. I imagine most of the other rides were the same. It seemed like most of the attendees were focused on the food and drinks, so the rides were pretty empty. You said you don't care about meet n greets, but the usual WS characters are out. I specifically remember Aladdin and Jasmine in Morocco and Belle in France. I think there were no lines at either one.

For a more detailed description of the after-party, check out my wife's blog. The discussion of the after-party starts about 2/3 of the way down the page. http://www.runningonwaffles.com/2011/10/10/marathon-mondays-wine-dine-half-marathon-recap/

Just a note, the race finishes outside of Epcot, and the runners do not enter until after they have finished. So if you are wanting to see your sister and her fiance actually run, I don't think you can do that from the after-party. But it's definitely a great chance to celebrate with them after! Maybe someone else has experience with watching the race and can chime in on good viewing locations...

 

[OrangeCountyCommuter]

My wife and I have run W&D the last two years. As others have noted, the first year the after-party was a fiasco. To sum it up, it was just too many people crammed into WS. Yes, I realize WS should be able to hold a lot of people, but that was the busiest I have ever seen it.

Last year was MUCH better. I don't know if they limited the number of tickets or what, but there seemed to be much more space to get around and the lines for food did not seem nearly as long as the first year. Probably less crowded and shorter lines than a typical weekend evening during F&W, so if you want to try the F&W kiosks, this is a great time to do it. As for rides, I know they had Soarin' open, and a few others (I think M:S and Maelstrom, and probably a couple more). We were able to walk right on to Soarin'. We probably could have ridden it for two hours straight without ever having to wait. I imagine most of the other rides were the same. It seemed like most of the attendees were focused on the food and drinks, so the rides were pretty empty. You said you don't care about meet n greets, but the usual WS characters are out. I specifically remember Aladdin and Jasmine in Morocco and Belle in France. I think there were no lines at either one.

For a more detailed description of the after-party, check out my wife's blog. The discussion of the after-party starts about 2/3 of the way down the page. http://www.runningonwaffles.com/2011/10/10/marathon-mondays-wine-dine-half-marathon-recap/

Just a note, the race finishes outside of Epcot, and the runners do not enter until after they have finished. So if you are wanting to see your sister and her fiance actually run, I don't think you can do that from the after-party. But it's definitely a great chance to celebrate with them after! Maybe someone else has experience with watching the race and can chime in on good viewing locations...

Race finish has moved AGAIN this year and I think you may be able to see her finish in the parking lot outside of Epcot. Not 100% sure but I do know it's not ending where it did last year.

The big difference between year one and year two... they closed the park, threw everyone out and started over. year one folks just stayed. So you had guests who just thought this was some type of EMH, guests who figured out Disney was clueless and free loaded, people who thougth the party was something REALLY special (AKA as they REALLY upset) and runners. Then you closed ALL the rides, half the bathrooms etc. (Yes folks I changed behind a TREE, the lines to the restrooms were the longest I have ever seen, half the women's restrooms in World Showcase were locked!) I still haven't really forgiven Disney for that. They acted like "we never had a big event before so we are clueless" REALLY????

 

[mountdew1]

Just a note, the race finishes outside of Epcot, and the runners do not enter until after they have finished. So if you are wanting to see your sister and her fiance actually run, I don't think you can do that from the after-party. But it's definitely a great chance to celebrate with them after! Maybe someone else has experience with watching the race and can chime in on good viewing locations...

The current course map shows that the finish has been moved so it is more inline with where the finish is for the normal half/full marathon events, out in the front parking lot. So the runners will be entering over between Soarin/Imagination running through a small portion of FutureWorld between Innoventions and then exiting backstage over between the restrooms and in the park guest services. So you do have the ability to watch them in park. Or at the finish corrals themselves if you want to save the $64. Or at Yacht/Beach club.

 

[MinnieGolf]

My wife and I have run W&D the last two years. As others have noted, the first year the after-party was a fiasco. To sum it up, it was just too many people crammed into WS. Yes, I realize WS should be able to hold a lot of people, but that was the busiest I have ever seen it.

Last year was MUCH better. I don't know if they limited the number of tickets or what, but there seemed to be much more space to get around and the lines for food did not seem nearly as long as the first year. Probably less crowded and shorter lines than a typical weekend evening during F&W, so if you want to try the F&W kiosks, this is a great time to do it. As for rides, I know they had Soarin' open, and a few others (I think M:S and Maelstrom, and probably a couple more). We were able to walk right on to Soarin'. We probably could have ridden it for two hours straight without ever having to wait. I imagine most of the other rides were the same. It seemed like most of the attendees were focused on the food and drinks, so the rides were pretty empty. You said you don't care about meet n greets, but the usual WS characters are out. I specifically remember Aladdin and Jasmine in Morocco and Belle in France. I think there were no lines at either one.

For a more detailed description of the after-party, check out my wife's blog. The discussion of the after-party starts about 2/3 of the way down the page. http://www.runningonwaffles.com/2011/10/10/marathon-mondays-wine-dine-half-marathon-recap/

Just a note, the race finishes outside of Epcot, and the runners do not enter until after they have finished. So if you are wanting to see your sister and her fiance actually run, I don't think you can do that from the after-party. But it's definitely a great chance to celebrate with them after! Maybe someone else has experience with watching the race and can chime in on good viewing locations...

Thanks for the link! I've been looking for info on the half, and the blog is quite helpful!

 

[ChipandDaleFan16]

Hi everyone, I'm running the Wine Dine half this year. Does anyone know how long the character meet and greets last in the World Showcase? Last year, I was pretty far back in the corral placements and by the time I finished running it was 2am. I don't remember seeing Mickey at the finish line and the lines are the food kiosks were so long that I hopped on Spaceship Earth and called it a night. If the characters are still around past 2am, I might just look for them post race.

 

[zgirls]

I ran the 5K with my wife in the morning and then the 1/2 at night and we met up in the after party. It was my first time doing the event so I cannot comment on the 1st year.
The only problem I experienced was with crossing the runners to get to the WS, it was a joke and many, me included, found our own way across. They had only one small walkway that was not managed very well.
The party itself was awesome, we were there until about 3:30-3:45am, I started in corral A and finished in a decent time, not great due to an injury which prevented training for the month leading up to the race.
My DW is not a night owl abad we had a blast, the lines were ling but not ridiculous, we are able to get through all of the lines. We tried something at every food kiosk.
I had several drinks and we rode 3-4 rides.
For us, it was totally worth it and we will be doing it again next year due to the amount of enjoyment we had.