2017 Disney Princess Half Marathon Weekend

[Ariel484]

Wait--what is the proper way to attack the slope of the roads?? Those overpasses that go uphill and slant are tough. Please advise, Ariel484.

XOXO--my old knees

I try to get all the way to the top of the slope...seems like the ground is flatter there!

Has anyone ever purchased the New Balance shoes at a race? What was your experience? Pros/ cons?

Yes, I just bought the Haunted Mansion shoes in WDW last month. They will open the NB Virtual Queue the night before day 1 of the expo, I think it's normally at 7PM EST for runners. You'll need your bib number if you want a spot for Day 1 of the expo. Only runners can sign up for day 1 of the expo...non-runners can start signing up for day 2.

You get into the queue and sign up for a spot - they'll give you a group number and return time. Then the day of your return time they will send you a text message when it's your turn. Now, I missed my return time by about an hour - they ended up texting me an hour earlier than what I was originally quoted (in fact I was sitting on the plane taxiing at MCO!), but that didn't matter - they said that as long as I had proof that I was signed up for that day (my group number or whatever it was) that I was good. I checked in and they took my number and checked it on an iPad. A NB rep took me into the expo and helped me pick out my shoes. It was very nice - the expo was super crowded but I was able to just walk right in and bypass the huge expo line with my NB guy.

So I would highly recommend signing up for the queue if you want shoes. I'd also recommend trying on the same model locally BEFORE the expo so that you have an idea of how it fits and what size you want. Signing up for the queue enabled me to buy, I think, up to 4 pairs of shoes so I actually bought the Space Mountain ones there too, even though I'd just signed up for HM (ended up returning the Space shoes, I may get them later though). You can also buy other stuff in the NB booth while you are there.

More info here...this is where sign-up will take place but it's not updated yet for Princess: http://www.nbvirtualqueue.com/

 

[ryansstitch]

SQUEEE!!!! I'm in G for GSC! Submitted POT from a 1:10 10K and gave an estimate of 2:35 for the Half.

Me too! So glad! I got injured last summer and am just wrapping up PT! now I'm going to be running the half at the end of first trimester! So glad I've got a cushion of time, cause who knows what joy my morning sickness will become during that race...

 

[ryansstitch]

While I'm out running a 10 miler, you all are getting corral placement.
Woke with a sore throat yesterday morning, but was determined to get this in. So with my head cold I went out. Bonked at mile 9 and walked the last mile, and recovery has me on the couch horizontal. Time to go look at waivers.

Got my corral, but will not being running that fast this year. Too many visit to see the new granddaughter and moving and I haven't put in the training. And magic band came today.

I know the feeling, my training has been hot or miss with injury and pregnancy...

 

[ryansstitch]

Corral C for me for the Glass Slipper Challenge! I am so excited!

Wow! That's pretty awesome!

 

[ryansstitch]

So, I know this might be somewhere in the last 100+ pages on this thread, so forgive me for not sifting through it all, but what were the on course entertainment/character opportunities like last year? I don't mind being forwarded to a blog or something if no one wants to describe it, lol

 

[joan4mickey]

So, I know this might be somewhere in the last 100+ pages on this thread, so forgive me for not sifting through it all, but what were the on course entertainment/character opportunities like last year? I don't mind being forwarded to a blog or something if no one wants to describe it, lol

On course entertainment changes from year to year. Every mile will be a cute mile marker with the gun time. There is usually a band in the first mile or so and then on the highway to MK a group of "heroes" you know all the dudes. Then there has been a character, maybe Sophie, last year right before MK parking lot and then in the evil processes in MK parking lot. At the TTC the asian kids that beat their drums, awesome, and also crowds of people cheering. In the MK, Buzz near the Buzz ride, Alice charters, rotating, near tea cups, rotating princess before we go through castle. I have seen Tiana in New Orleans area and Toy Story character in Fronttierland. Once back stage another character. Music on the lonely road after back stage. Mickey and golf cart near GF as well as Mary Poppins characters. The army guy, I hate him, others love him, just after mile 10 on the long swooping on ramp. then comes the three "hills" overpasses and onto Epcot. There is usually a character in Epcot. After the race they have photo ops with backdrops in the staging area. Forgot rotating character at finish...Donald, Mickey , Goofy etc. Typed this fast without proofing...so figure it out. Haha.

 

[ryansstitch]

On course entertainment changes from year to year. Every mile will be a cute mile marker with the gun time. There is usually a band in the first mile or so and then on the highway to MK a group of "heroes" you know all the dudes. Then there has been a character, maybe Sophie, last year right before MK parking lot and then in the evil processes in MK parking lot. At the TTC the asian kids that beat their drums, awesome, and also crowds of people cheering. In the MK, Buzz near the Buzz ride, Alice charters, rotating, near tea cups, rotating princess before we go through castle. I have seen Tiana in New Orleans area and Toy Story character in Fronttierland. Once back stage another character. Music on the lonely road after back stage. Mickey and golf cart near GF as well as Mary Poppins characters. The army guy, I hate him, others love him, just after mile 10 on the long swooping on ramp. then comes the three "hills" overpasses and onto Epcot. There is usually a character in Epcot. After the race they have photo ops with backdrops in the staging area. Forgot rotating character at finish...Donald, Mickey , Goofy etc. Typed this fast without proofing...so figure it out. Haha.

Thanks for typing this and I think I got it figured out! Just wanted to get a feel for the possibilities as I have never seen it fully described.

 

[bananabean]

Eh hem. There are supposed to be fireworks at each corral. My corral for the 10K last year had...nothing. Duds.

Haha! We must have been in the same corral. I'm still bitter!

 

[run.minnie.miles]

I'm in H!

See you there!

 

[miabellarose]

So I'm in Corral M. For the GSC, do I need to finish within the 16min/mile pace or just finish the 1/2 marathon? I'm trying to decide if I have time to stop for pics.

 

[Kender]

Another question about AP discounts. Does only a Disney World AP work, or does Disneyland as well for the Princess weekend? I have an AP for Disneyland, but if I won't get discounts with it, I'm not going to bring it with me.

Pretty sure it's WDW or Premier AP only, but can't hurt to ask!

DLR APs definitely get a discount on official merch at WDW based races and vice versa. At Marathon weekend 2016, though, it was only a 10% discount with my Sig+ instead of the 20% I get at DLR based races.

I'm not sure what WDW APs get at DLR based races so I don't know if the 10% I got was because of it being "the other coast's pass" or because WDW APs have terrible discounts in comparison to DLR APs (10% merch discount is the normal discount from what I was told for a WDW AP... although they are getting an increased discount rate for the 45th celebration).

 

[courtneybeth]

DLR APs definitely get a discount on official merch at WDW based races and vice versa. At Marathon weekend 2016, though, it was only a 10% discount with my Sig+ instead of the 20% I get at DLR based races.

I'm not sure what WDW APs get at DLR based races so I don't know if the 10% I got was because of it being "the other coast's pass" or because WDW APs have terrible discounts in comparison to DLR APs (10% merch discount is the normal discount from what I was told for a WDW AP... although they are getting an increased discount rate for the 45th celebration).

At Star Wars, the cashier did not honor my WDW pass for discounts on official merch. Said it was premier or Disneyland only.

So ... not sure what this means.

 

[hipporina]

Looks like we will be in M. I accidentally registered my older daughter with a different time estimate, so she is in J but will not actually go there. My younger daughter and I were registered together with the same estimate, and they put me in L and her in M, so I guess we will all go to M.

When I was looking at the corral map, it shows M at the front of the second row. Does that put you in a better position to see what is going on than L or does it matter? We did the inaugural Star Wars in DL (before it was even called Light Side) and they had video screens playing the movies before the race started, but there was nothing for those of us in the back. It was very frustrating. Is the Princess similar?

 

[WIFriendofFigment]

So if I'm assigned several corrals ahead of DH (D and G) is it better to move back to start with him, or should I start with my assigned corral and hold a place in line for a character picture and wait for him to catch up? Is phone service unreliable? Is it likely that he won't be able to find me?

 

[daisyamy]

So I decided to calculate how many bibs/people were in each corral for the half marathon. Apologies for the #math. Your results may vary based upon no-shows and people moving back corrals!

Corral Half-Bibs GSC-bibs TOTAL
Elite 21 11 32
A 260 200 460
B 295 205 500
C 593 408 1001
D 576 424 1000
E 563 437 1000
F 812 688 1500
G 799 701 1500
H 879 921 1800
I 1255 745 2000
J 1455 545 2000
K 1620 380 2000
L 1267 733 2000
M 1400 600 2000
N 1842 658 2500
O 1887 613 2500
P 1799 559 2358

Sorry the formatting is off. The first number is the number of half bibs, the second is GSC bibs, and the last is the total.

Good luck and have fun everyone!

 

[KateP85]

I'm in M, which has me finishing around 3 hours - about what I expected. I just hope I have time to stop and take some pictures! This is my first half, so I'll be nervous about being swept, but I'd love to get a picture or two.

It's all starting to feel real, I am so so so excited!

 

[Keels]

Question. The waivers for my daughter do not list her correct city/state, as she has moved since registration. Is this going to cause problems when she picks up her packet? Her ID will be her license for the state she lives in now, not the one she lived in at the time of registration.

You'll be fine - the only thing volunteers have to verify ID is your full name.

 

[pluto377]

Thanks everyone for the replies to my question! Glad I'll be able to (most likely) get a larger shirt size!

 

[MommaoffherRocker]

At Star Wars, the cashier did not honor my WDW pass for discounts on official merch. Said it was premier or Disneyland only.

So ... not sure what this means.

That's what I was told at DL too.

 

[Ariel484]

So I'm in Corral M. For the GSC, do I need to finish within the 16min/mile pace or just finish the 1/2 marathon? I'm trying to decide if I have time to stop for pics.

You just need to finish the 10K and half without getting swept.

Looks like we will be in M. I accidentally registered my older daughter with a different time estimate, so she is in J but will not actually go there. My younger daughter and I were registered together with the same estimate, and they put me in L and her in M, so I guess we will all go to M.

When I was looking at the corral map, it shows M at the front of the second row. Does that put you in a better position to see what is going on than L or does it matter? We did the inaugural Star Wars in DL (before it was even called Light Side) and they had video screens playing the movies before the race started, but there was nothing for those of us in the back. It was very frustrating. Is the Princess similar?

M will be closer to the front. They'll have more screens than Star Wars though.

So if I'm assigned several corrals ahead of DH (D and G) is it better to move back to start with him, or should I start with my assigned corral and hold a place in line for a character picture and wait for him to catch up? Is phone service unreliable? Is it likely that he won't be able to find me?

Phone service is pretty good. The text tracking is hit or miss.