2011 Wine & Dine Reviews

[stampingoddess]

I did the W&D last year but passed this year for a number of reasons, including issues with last year's race. My chief complaints were..

1. Huge wait for bag check pick up- post race I waited in line 45 minutes to get my bag

2. Post race party was so crowded you could barely move and the lines for food and drink were outrageous.

Just wondering if these were improved. Anyone who has done both, I'd love to read your comparisons.

 

[ultramickeymouse]

I did the W&D last year but passed this year for a number of reasons, including issues with last year's race. My chief complaints were..

1. Huge wait for bag check pick up- post race I waited in line 45 minutes to get my bag

2. Post race party was so crowded you could barely move and the lines for food and drink were outrageous.

Just wondering if these were improved. Anyone who has done both, I'd love to read your comparisons.

Didn't do bag check as read last years issues so can't speak on that.

Disappointed with race as party was like 2008 Tower of Terror. Oversold and long lines for booths. Will not be back for a while. Too much on making money than taking care of runners/walkers. Not worth the premium entry fees. Save your money!

 

[Disneyland_emily]

Overall I wasn't impressed with the race-

Very little (IMO) course entertainment which made for little diversion and the lack of "clap and cheerers" made it even more noticeable... The course was very tricky with lots of inclines, terrane changes and sharp corners esp in the dark. Most big issues had auditory queues but it was a much tougher course to run than expected..

Saw a lot more people collapse, fall and toss cookies than any race beforehand...

Was not impressed there was no "Finish Line" just a clock and a few cutouts...

Thought the whole "comp beverage" thing left lots of room for abuse as the voucher was taken far sooner than beverage received... and I would've loved a juice option as I don't drink Beer and caffeinated soda wasn't what I wanted at 1:30am...

I didn't go to the after party as the idea of walking world showcase and eating didn't seem appealing at all (and had to be at work at 8am..)

Bag Check went super smooth as well as the rest of the "Post Finish" process

I honestly doubt I'll ever run the race again instead will focus on the other WDW events...

 

[ultramickeymouse]

Overall I wasn't impressed with the race-

Saw a lot more people collapse, fall and toss cookies than any race beforehand...

Was not impressed there was no "Finish Line" just a clock and a few cutouts...

I would agree about the finish line as you heard a voice and around the corner, there you were. No a typical WDW/DL race finish line. It was an after thought.

There were a lot more injuries from falling due to dark spots and uneven paths/walkways. Hopefully nobody broke anything!

 

[jenjacobs]

I did leg 1 of the relay and I honestly didn't realize I crossed my finish line in the transition area till after I had already crossed. I was hoping for signage like 400/800 meters to go so I could have sprinted to the finish. My section of the race was fine but I couldn't pick up my pace the last 1.5 miles as I had hoped because once we got into AK the route condensed down and was very congested.

Entertainment was a bit sparse. I noticed some of the "clap and cheer" volunteers texting on their cell phones rather than encouraging racers.

I was nervous about bag check since I read it was a nightmare last year but I waited less than 10 minutes so I was pleased.

Because I did leg 1 I got to Epcot early. It was not too crowded and I enjoyed a glass of wine in Canada and food in China and Mexico. We left at 2:00 am as it was starting to get crowded and we were tired. It was my first Disney race and I did enjoy it. I signed up for the Princess 1/2 at the Expo so I'm excited to see how it compares.

 

[JimB.]

Personally I thought it was fine. I had no trouble with the bag check or pickup. I thought the buses to WWoS (even though I am still not thrilled with that whole set-up) was much more efficient than last year.

I do agree that the finish line was a bit............... I guess "understated" would be how I would describe it. A bit more "Hoopla" would have been nice. But this years finish was 1000% better than last years.

When I have volunteered at WDW Marathons in the past as a bike medic, I have seen people take a header in the dark there also. With all due respect I don't think that is a valid criticism for this race alone, but I did not see any race course injuries due to the dark myself.

I did not feel like the party was oversold. I never felt like a Vienna Sausage in a can (like last year). There WERE lines at some of the food booths, but it IS Disney. Lines are a part of life. I did not have a wait for ANY attractions.

I think (IMHO only) that this race had a LOT of people that thought this would be a nice fun race to try their first 1/2 & were not adequately prepared. Although I KNOW I am probably unfairly stereotyping some people, I saw numerous people that were out for a Sunday stroll and not a race & in no physical condition to take this on. Maybe that's why there was a lot of "cookie shooting" seen by some. I personally saw none (or perhaps they were just pointing away from me).

All in all I thought this year was a significant improvement over last year. My BIG complaint is that I just wish the flippin' thing would start EARLIER. A 10 PM race is just WAY past my bedtime!! Maybe just 1 hour? 90 minutes would be great.

I can't think of any reason to not come back ('cept for the late bedtime!)

 

[Danhockey04]

I was in corral A, so I never really experienced any of the crowds, the roads and paths were all wide open. However, I felt that this was the hardest race to do, I never got into a groove and wanted to take the ferry from DHS to EPCOT. The after party for me went great, there was no lines for every booth and rides. We left at around 1:40, noticing it was getting crowded, but being in the park and enjoying the party before midnight was nice. I never use bag check, my girlfriend always comes with and she holds my stuff.

 

[Rupert B Puppenstein]

This race was more for spectators than runners. My other half was happy as a clam to have no wait at the food booths, get stuffed and then ride attractions over and over (many by himself). As far as the race, I don't know why it couldn't be earlier like around 6 pm or 7 pm since it started around DAK that closed at 5 pm. Waiting nearly 3 hours at Wide World of Sports was a bit much. Baggage check was speedy and I was happy with the volunteers and although the entertainment wasn't plentiful I still appreciated it. The course was dangerous in several spots as the lighting was horrible. I actually tripped on a part of the sidewalk going by the resorts. The piece was raised but there was no clue of that so I avoided all cracks after that. There was no music by the resorts but speakers were there so evidently they had a cutoff for noise. It was a challenging course and I have never seen so many sick and injured runners. The afterparty was okay but crowded. You could move around fine but there were lines for everything which I expected. I was still a le to get the cheese soup that I wanted so I was happy. It was far too late to eat a ton or ride attractions.

All in all I thought it was okay. Osborne lights were neat as well as many of the floats and the volunteers/cast were fantastic. I would move the race up a little earlier, add the sneak preview of the WD to a runner benefit so that we can enjoy the food before the race. Offer a dinner or something for runners so that more are better prepared. There were too many sick and injured people which Disney has some responsibility for. Test out the course beforehand at the same time to better spot less obvious hazards and mark those with glowing paint, lights and volunteer warnings. Have more medical personnel from mile 9 and on when runners were starting to have serious issues. Didn't see many at that point. I am typing on my iPhone so I can't be as detailed but I really want to see this become a more successful race so I hope that the racing group considers all of our suggestions. I will be back next year as I have committed to running all the half marathons and the full. But if I hadn't, this race would probably be off the list and I would just visit the festival instead. It is a lot safer!

 

[ultramickeymouse]

To me, the trickier sections were AK where narrow pathways caused runners to the side where uneven and unknown problems lie.

Being the whole race in the dark is naturally going to have more problems than other races that only start in the dark. Being later and more tired in the wee hours of the morning would cause people to drag their feet and thus more prone to tripping/falling. My 2 cents worth.

Disney has races for all types of runners/walkers. This race doesn't suit me but may fit everyone else. We are all an experiment of one!

 

[FireDancer]

I did the race last year and not this year so I can't speak for the differences. I think the issue with people getting sick is that a lot of runners don't run at night so they don't time their pre-race meals well. Combine that with the heat and humidity (up north we are already in fall running mode which means 50's and 60's not 80's and high humidity) and you have a bad combination. I saw more people in the bushes last year than at every other race I have cone combined.

My biggest issues last year were the over-sold party and crowds, the course through DHS (way too many turns), and the weather (I don't like running halves in temps over 60). The last one they can't do anything about really. I didn't think the rest of the course was that bad really and enjoyed the run through AK. I don't really care about the entertainment on the course but it was a bit odd with so few spectators but I've also done a few other races that had stretches with few or no spectators. The Akron half I did last weekend had a total of about 5 people over one three mile stretch.

I liked the late start time and am glad it isn't earlier. I know it is a long time to wait at WWoS but if this year was like last year there was a big group of WISH folks to pass the time with. I might make it back down for this race next year but I won't know until summer. I haven't even thought about 2012 races yet.

 

[EWR2AUS]

I did all of the ToT 13Ks and also did the Wine & Dine half last year. I thought, overall, this was the best of the Disney night races.

On the positive side, the post-race bag check was much, much more efficient than last year and I thought the addition of a changing area was very smart. The after party in EPCOT was much much better than last year. While there were some lines, the lines were much more manageable than the disaster that was last year's party.

On the room for improvement side, the bus transportation to the start was better than last year but it was still far from perfect. We got in line at Beach Club at 7:45 and waited almost 45 minutes for a bus. When our bus left, there were still people waiting. I don't understand why Disney doesn't have a cast member at each resort reporting on the line and also walking the line to update people on the next bus, that they have plenty of time, etc.

On the negative side, I thought the finish line was very underwhelming. Its like they forgot to put it op or something. Reading names is fine, but I for one need that visual marker to run across!

All in all, much better than last year but I hope there will be further improvements next year.

 

[Rupert B Puppenstein]

The buses did seem a bit interesting. My other half was at Epcot and said that the buses and runner drop off areas were insanely busy. I caught a resort bus with my group fairly early so we waited more than others at WWOS. They loaded the corrals a bit late presumably because of all the bus issues. It would be nicer if they actually started the race at Epcot to allow for parking, monorail and bus transportation.

As far as the finish line...I was shocked by it. At Disney they usually make it well known that you are close to the finish line and provide entertainment like the choir, etc. that help push you through that last part. This time, the only evidence was crossing tracking devices.

I think that most of the gripes are going to be from those of us that don't finish in the 1 hour to early 2 hour time frame and that weren't relay runners. The group that really needs the push to finish are those outside of that and if entertainment cannot be provided past a certain hour due to resort guests, the course needs to be moved. MK couldn't be included because of MNSSHP and I understand that. But, there have to be better options that include finishing inside of Epcot rather than outside of it. Disney races are marketed for beginners so they need to consider them. If this race was my first Disney race, it probably would have been my last. But, luckily I know that the other races are a lot better. I did love the Wine & Dine aspect though...there was some real delicious food!!

The volunteers were what made the race for me...they are always the best at Disney!

 

[jbucci]

I just had to put in my 2 cents. Overall I really enjoyed the race and plan to be back next year. We ran last year and saw lots of improvements in this year's event. The weather this year was beautiful! It was significantly cooler and less humid than last year which was really nice.

We had no problems getting to WWoS from Beach Club, but we did leave early having learned from the bus fiasco last year at Boardwalk. We got on the bus at about 7:15 with no wait. There was a backlog getting into WWoS because they could have traffic moving in only one direction at a time causing lots of waiting. I think this is where the bus issues start and needs to be fixed in the future. Once there they had a DJ and characters, so passing the time at WWoS was fine and relaxing. I also found a nice group of WISHers, so it was good.

The corrals were set off in 5 minute waves and they seemed to stick to the timing very well. I was impressed they had fireworks for the wheelchair start too. So often the wheelchair athletes seem like an afterthought which is not fair to them. The start was good with no real congestion from B corral.

I thought the entertainment along the course was good. They had a band, lots of characters on stilts wearing lights, characters, and floats from the Electrical Parade. It did get crowded running through Animal Kingdom, but I run a Disney race fort the experience, not to set a record time. I personally loved AK. You ran through a pathway of these giant inflatable glowing things that looked sort of like teeth. There were castmembers cheering and lots of music and characters. The footing was a bit uneven, but if you were careful and a bit slower it was not a problem.

The stretch back to DHS was a bit lacking in entertainment and crowds and was the toughest part of the race for me, but was nice and wide and let me make up time from the relatively slower region in AK. A few dark spots on the way but the major stuff was always marked well. I did not see people having trouble or tripping. DHS was also filled with music and castmembers cheering. The course here was very twisty and turny and I got really disoriented (and I know my way around that park). We got to run on the Lights, Motor track and be on the jumbotron as well as run through the Osborne lights.

The part by the canal was really congested and you had to go at the pace of those around you. I don't see how Disney can fix this problem and again it comes down to doing a Disney race for the experience and not sweating a few minutes on the clock. Crowd support was good through Yacht and Beach then a quick run backstage behind Epcot for the finish. The finish was a bit strange because it was around a few turns and a bit anticlimactic, but lead to a much better finishers area than last year.

Bag check was smooth and out in the fresh air. They had a men's and women's changing tent which was a nice addition. The free drink at the end was a bit unusual and not well monitored. You could easily have taken several drinks without anyone noticing. They had Bud and Bud Light and Coke products.

The after party was much better with all of Epcot open. There were no lines for anything in future world and we rode Soarin 3 times as well as Test Track and Mission Space (not the best idea after a race it turns out). The only place I saw someone sick was at Mission Space, but medics were right there helping him. The lines for food along World Showcase were long but not as bad as last year and seemed to move pretty fast. If you got tired of the crowds you could always go to the front of the park. They had characters out along World Showcase and in the Character Spot near the middle of the park. I do agree the party should last longer to give the runners more time to enjoy it, especially the runners starting in the later corrals. One other nice change was that instead of getting a food coupon, everyone got a $10 swipe card that could be used anywhere Disney git cards are accepted so you did not have to use it at the party or even on race night.

Sorry this got long-winded but I really enjoyed the race and thought it was well run and that they really tried to fix the issues from last year. I love fall at Disney and Food and Wine Fest, so this is the perfect event for me. Running at night is not for everyone, but if you have a small, early dinner it really is not a problem. I saw far fewer people getting sick this year and many more enjoying themselves.

 

[rizzobob]

Hi All!

Congratulations to everyone who ran!

This was my first half marathon. I have been nervous and full of questions and am so happy to have finished. I had a great time and will definitely do a Disney race again. I am happy to have completed my goal and hope to continue running.

That being said, I think there are a few things that could have been better. I stayed at POFQ. The pick up said between 7 and 8 or 8:30, I believe. A friend of mine got to the lobby before 7 and was at WWoS before 7:20. I got to the lobby at 7:20 and I did not get to WWoS until just after 9. We stood in a line in the POFQ that wrapped around the lobby and then around the food court before headed out the other end. Then we sat in the bus line forever. I had enough time to tape my friends knee (3 pieces of tape), check my bag and stand in the port-o-potty line. At that point, the corrals were already lining up. I was not allowed to take a picture with Minnie or Mickey and didn't have any time to warm up. I do not know if this is common, but I cannot imagine that it is.

There does need to better lighting on the course. Especially on some of the roadway between AK and HS. There was an exit ramp that was especially dark (IMO) and a few stretches of road that could have been lit better. I thought AK was lit pretty well with the "dino eggs" along the way. I was actually tripped between the two parks on an exit ramp and ended up having to walk (hobble) the last 2+ miles because of it. I thought there was going to be more character pics along the course with ASI photographers too. I was hoping for more character pics, rather than the light up people....but I may have just had different expectations having never done one before.

Once I got to the after party, it was after 1:30. It was very crowded in the Showcase. I had been at Epcot Friday afternoon until close and I don't think it was any less crowded. I did not get to Future World to see there. Maybe everyone was where I was...lol.

s far as bag check, I walked right up and handed off my bag or picked it up. I did not wait at all. I was probably close to the last one dropping of though since we were later.

All of that aside, I am so happy that I have completed my first half. Overall, I had a great time (am bummed about no pre-race Mickey picture), and will be back. I think most people would agree. Everyone I have spoken to that had done both years thought that Disney had greatly improved the race and were happy to have done it again.

Michele

 

[figment82]

I had a rough time with this race - my last half was in May and I was sick for most of the summer, so I pretty much did no training whatsoever after that, other than some short walks and one 8 miler.

I did the wine and dine as a relay last year, and I have to say the race was VASTLY improved from what it was last year. I didn't check my bag either year, but I was with people who did and they had no problems getting it this year. I got in line at Port Orleans Riverside at 7:30 and there was absolutely no line/no wait (I know the experience at other hotels was not good. Last year we got on at Boardwalk and we barely made it).
I liked that they gave the $10 gift card instead of the drink and food ticket like they did last year, since both years I had no desire to eat or drink at the after party by the time I was done - this year I got to use my card later.

I walked the entire race (which was always the plan) at a 16 minute mile pace and was in corral D, so I was one of the very last people to finish. I have to say that the volunteers were great the whole way, still cheering to the very end and knowing that we were struggling and needed encouragement.

I thought there was a lot more entertainment along the course. Its very different than January because it's nighttime - they have to use characters that can be seen at night, and I think that limits things a lot. However I especially felt there was a lot of music along the road, where it felt like one DJ had no sooner finished then the next one started. On the other hand, I wish there had been a bit more diversity in the music. I don't know the names of the songs but the same song they played over and over again at the WWoS was on just about every time I passed a new DJ. I was so excited when we got anywhere that played something that wasn't 2010-ish technopop dance music. (I feel old just saying that - but I WAS walking with my dad. You should have seen the grin on his face when Margaritaville or Bruce Springsteen or the theme to Hogans Heroes was on!)

I like the course, but I was surprised by how difficult it was - it felt like there were a lot more hills than the route in January, albeit shorter ones. I didn't have any problems with the lighting, though - I thought they did a good job of adding extra lights at Animal Kingdom (there were definitely more than there were during Expedition Everest in May!) and everywhere else felt well-lit as well. Maybe this was just easier on me because I was walking.

I tanked around mile 8 and felt like I needed to throw up from then on (and eventually did gag, off to the side in the bushes, by the Boardwalk). However, this was entirely my fault - I didn't eat a decent breakfast because we rushed to Magic Kingdom for the 40th (Dole Whips count, right??) Then I had a healthy lunch of salmon and couscous for lunch that was decent sized, and just a little pb&j for dinner and a banana before the race. I couldn't bring myself to eat more at either lunch or dinner, I was too worried I would feel sick, but if I consumed 1300 calories the entire day it was only because of the Dole Whip!

I thought the weather was perfect - it was much cooler than I was expecting for an early october race, and there was not much humidity at all compared to last year.

My one huge negative was that the finish line was still terrible this year, albeit differently. There was more celebration at mile 13 than the finish. In fact, I think we stopped early because there were several ramp-things to cross and we thought the first one was the finish, but then there was another one later - without the sign, we couldn't tell when we were done. I thought the weirdness was due to how late a finish we had, but it sounds like there was no place for spectators no matter when you finished.

I totally agreed with the decision to move the finish to a different spot than last year, but I decided it wasn't worth it to walk into the park at 2 AM for the party when it probably would have taken me the entire hour to even get over to the world showcase for the food. I wish there was some way to end in the world showcase, or at least closer to it.

Also, it was silly to me that EVERYONE had to take the trams to get to their vehicle, whether car or bus. The lines were insane, and we had to walk really far from the finish to the trams. Why couldn't they move the buses to the front of the park when the race was done? There was no reason for them to be way out in the lot where the cars were parked.


I also know they were VERY strict about the pace, which I expected up until mile 9 but I thought once you got into Hollywood Studios and weren't out on the roads anymore they would let up. I talked to some people that got swept at mile 10.5, soon before exiting hollywood studios. I can't imagine going 10.5 miles and not being able to finish when you know the boardwalk is right around the corner - but i guess the volunteers need sleep too!

Overall, I really enjoyed this race. I'm not sure if I will do it again or not - after two years I feel like I've had the experience, but I also like having an excuse to go back for food and wine fest. But congratulations to everyone that participated!

 

[suzannews]

I did the 1/2 last year and the 2nd part of the relay this year.

Last year I was one of many with their heads in the bushes at Epcot getting sick. This is the only time I've gotten sick after a race and was determined not to repeat it again! I ate differently on Saturday and carried my own water bottle and drank from it everytime I passed a water stop. It seemed to work for me!

-Didn't do bag check either year so can't comment on it but it was really nice this year not to have to enter a building in the heat with no air moving to get through the crowds.

-HATE all the flashing lights, bright lights in your face and cop car lights swirling on the course both years. This really messes with my head and I think this was part of the reason I got sick last year. Going from dark with street lights to bright, blinding lights in my face does me no good.

-Finish line was better this year as far as how it was set up after you crossed with lots of room to walk and fresh air BUT...crossing the finish line itself was not very well marked (and once again had these huge white ball lights that were blinding) and very little spectator viewing. I refused to buy after party tickets for my husband and daughter after last years mess but I know thats what Disney wanted so people wouldn't and couldn't come to see you cross the finish line.

-LOVE the race shirt this year so much more than last year, LOVE the gift card instead of the sip and taste coupons that could only be used the night of, LOVE that I have one of each medal now hanging on the wall and will probably not do this race again!!

Just my opinions!

 

[ScoJo15]

Wow, kind of stinks to see the negative reviews but that's what makes us who we are...great to see the different opinions.

Having been there both years I can say that this years race, in my perspective, went very smooth!!

Yes, there is a wait at the beginning as there is in all Disney World races...you have to expect and know it going in...so the waiting around for a couple hours does stink, but I can totally deal with it as they do a pretty good job of having the DJ's set up at both starting areas (main one and relay).

Yes, the course is dark, but um...it's a night race!! I had zero issues at any part of the course...and in fact thought the volunteers did a remarkable job at shouting out "tight turn" or "watch your step" or "speed bump ahead". I didn't think any of the lights were annoying...I mean, if you don't want darkness but you don't want lights, then what exactly do you expect? I thought everything was well marked and lit where needed.

Was the finish line some elaborate set up? No...but it's a finish line. Sure, it would have been really nice for people to be able to see others finish...or even the 1st leg relay team members be able to see the 2nd leg finish...but I wouldn't make that a deal breaker on going back next year. Maybe Disney could move the finish line further out into the parking lot to better accommodate spectator viewing of the finish line?

Bag Check, post race refreshments, etc. all went very well.

The post race party did not get crowded until after 2am so that gave a solid hour and a half of wining and dining which I thought was awesome! Last year it was packed solid within the first hour so having a good amount of time at the party before it filled up was really nice. We were able to do multiple kiosk lines without waiting..and the restrooms were wide open for changing clothes.

All in all, I think Disney did a GREAT job of improving on the negative aspects of last year's event! I had a blast and would not hesitate to go back again next year.

 

[AmyBeth68]

Hi All...just back from WDW and the Wine & Dine race. Here are my observations having run both years. Last year I ran the Half Marathon, this year I ran the Relay so I may not have the same perspective or issues as others.

Things that were DRASTICALLY improved over last year:
1. Bus service: No long wait for us from Boardwalk this year. Last year we were in line for an hour.
2. Bag pick-up/finish line crowding/post-race food: MUCH better area for bag pick up. Finish line was not dangerous like it was last year (over crowded, confusing). THis year things were much better organized.
3. Party: Less crowded than last year, opening up FW was a huge improvement for crowd control. With that said we left the party close to 2 am when the crowds were definitely starting to swell. From midnight until 1:30 am it was really nice, short lines for the kiosks, lots of bathroom availability for getting changed etc.

Things that were the same from last year:
1. Long wait for race to begin, but I do expect that at all Disney races. Unfortunately due to road closures and logistics we will always have to sit around before races. I do feel this impacts you slightly more for an evening race, although I can't put a finger on why that is?
2. First 3 miles are pretty quiet, with the exception of some floats from the parade and a few groups of spectators. It's a bit of a slog to the Animal Kingdom...but I LOVE running the course through AK. They do a great job there, although you do have to watch your footing more than normal in that park. Still worth it though.
3. Lack of photographers in first part of course....they are simply not to be found with the exception of a few in AK.

Things I'd like to see improved:
1. Runners viewing area at the finish line! I think if you finish the race and wish to cheer on others, OR you wish to watch your relay partner finish the race, there should be a special area. Crowds of spectators were 10 deep and I couldn't get near the finish line viewing area. Now I could have walked to Beach Club area, but that's not really feasible.
2. Speaking of which...the bus loading area for the first half relayers is in a TERRIBLE location. The buses were on the OTHER side of the course, so that you had to cross THROUGH the poor runners who are heading into the AK. That is unfair to the people running IMO and just a horrible set up. I can't say that I have a better option, but it just felt unsafe and unfair to those running. You had to literally jump into the running path and run along with them and make your way to the other side of the road. Poor planning. Sorry to any runners who had to deal with us Relayers trying to get to our bus.


Overall Impressions
I will definitely consider coming back for a 3rd year to do this race. However, I must say that I enjoyed it far more as a Relay Team versus doing the Half. I could not enjoy the after party last year due to feeling very ill, which many others did as well since I witnessed people laying around on benches etc. I honestly felt worse after doing last years' half than I did after running Goofy. Go figure! I think it's difficult to fuel up properly before a late evening race, which leads to issues. This year it was a completely different experience. That, along with the improvements, have me looking forward to doing the race next year. I love this time of year...the weather is gorgeous in Florida and the F&W festival is so much fun.

 

[Rose&Mike]

We did the race last year and this year. I thought it was MUCH improved.

Both years we were in corral B and I thought the wave start made a big difference. It did not feel nearly as crowded as last year. Mike checked and our clock/chip times were only off by 2 minutes last year. This year they were off by 7, I think. Sure there were choke points, but that's what you get running through the parks and running through the dhs/epcot area. That's part of what it makes it an interesting race.

I thought the party felt less crowded this year, but we only ate at Mexico since I can't have most of the food at F&W.

As for people getting sick--we talked to a lot of people who thought they were going to get a pr for this race and the reality is night races are tricky if you are not used to running at night. Knowing what to eat before hand and respecting the heat and humidity takes practice. Sure it was cooler than last year, but how many people actually take long training runs at 10:00pm?

The bag check area was immensely improved. so much better. The buses--we left early to get to the race, so it wasn't too bad. The finish--I was really tired at this point so I didn't care--They said our names and we were happy.

My only disappointment--the website said wine at the finish and they only had beer and soda. I am g-f and can't have beer. And I didn't want a soda. So I was hugely disappointed. The food offered is not that great if you can't eat bread, and then there was only beer offered. I don't expect Disney to do anything special, but if they say they are going to offer it, then they should offer it. We talked to a manager and the little light bulb went off in her head when she realized that yes, Disney draws a ton of people with gluten allergies, and that was a good reason to have wine available.

Anyhow, we really enjoyed the race. It's mentally challenging and lots of fun. I loved running through two parks and I love running past my "home resort". How often do you get to run in a race past your "home"? If we don't do it next year, it will only be because the timing is off and not because we didn't enjoy it.

 

[jeanigor]

Got back late last night from Wine & Dine Weekend. Here are some of my thoughts:

•Getting to WWoS was a hassle this year. Unlike a previous poster, I got to the bus stop at Beach Club at 7:17 and waited 40 minutes for a bus to show up.

•Waiting in the field pre-race is extremely long. I'm not one to expend a great deal of energy dancing and bopping around before the start.

•There seemed to be a severe decrease in the amount of on course entertainment this year over last year. Especially toward the end. I was toward the end, but still under the 3 hour mark and it looked as if the entertainment had packed up and left.

•Bag check went far more smoothly this year over last year. Just like the other half marathons I have done with runDisney.

•There seemed to be lots of spots upon the course where the lighting screwed with the pace of the racers. There were quite a few places along the course where it seemed as if we were deer running directly into headlights. And there were still places that were nearly completely dark. Both instances caused severe slowing on the course.

•Lack of a finish line sucked. I knew I was close because I had my name read off (first time) but I missed the actual finish line to cross.

•I wasn't expecting beer or coke after the race. I was expecting beer or wine. Looking back, wine might not have been a good choice for me, but still they should offer what they advertise.

•I stayed in Future World and rode Soarin and Test Track. I didn't want food. I would have liked to see some characters, but opted for rides instead and they had left the Character Spot by the time I finished.

•I talked friends into doing this race this year. They were indifferent about it.

•Will I do it in 2012? Probably, but only because I want to be a Legacy Runner for something....