2017 Disney Princess Half Marathon Weekend

[Ariel484]

Hi All! Planning on registering for the Princess Half on July 12 (my 1st ever!) and have a couple questions!
1. Can anyone tell me more about the jacket that you preorder? Cost? Style? Worth it?

Just looked in my account - jackets are available in sizes S-XXL in men's and women's cuts. the cost is $90.94, but you would need to pay Active.com fees so I think the total cost would be more like $97ish. In the past I think reviews across the board have been that the jackets run small.

Style...hard to say. It's normally a Champion-brand full-zip jacket, so it's performance/wicking fabric. They won't release a picture of it ahead of time. There will be other jackets available for purchase at the expo.

Worth it is also hard to say. For me, it's not worth it and I don't want to order something I cannot see ahead of time. I bought a jacket at the Dumbo expo last year and never wear it, and I bought a Dopey jacket last year as well (on eBay for $30 NWT, booyah) that I never wore and ended up selling. If you think it's something you'll wear and something you're excited about, then the value is there for you.

One thing to keep in mind - if you pre-order the jacket and don't like it, you CAN return it at the expo. You won't get the Active.com fees back, though. You can also return and re-buy the jacket if you're an AP holder/DVC member and apply your discount. Not sure if this works with Disney Visa? Again, the discount doesn't apply to Active.com fees. You can do this with ALL pre-order merch.

2. At 12pm EDT, where is the best place to access the sign-up link? Facebook page? Email? Will active.com have it pop up?

Many places! runDisney.com, runDisney's Facebook/Twitter, here, etc. Lately runDisney has been posting the Active links on their site a few minutes before noon, but the links aren't live yet. So you wait and refresh, refresh, refresh until it's live.

3. Port Orleans-RS or Coronado Springs?
TIA for your help!!

Tough one. Both have race transportation and multiple bus stops inside the resort and you're 100% dependent on the buses to get to the parks...PORS is closer to Epcot (and thus the race start/finish lines) and has the boat to Disney Springs, but Coronado is closer to the expo. Personally I think I'd give the edge to Coronado because I love the room decor and they have gelato right there. But I'd really, REALLY want a room close to the lobby!

 

[courtneybeth]

What hotels do you guys recommend staying at.... we're going to book our reservation today since a cast member friend suggested that staying off property can be a literal nightmare for logistics.

We were looking at: Pop Century and all of the All Stars.

Is one better than the other in regards of logistics with the event? Any personal recommendations?

 

[SarahDisney]

What hotels do you guys recommend staying at.... we're going to book our reservation today since a cast member friend suggested that staying off property can be a literal nightmare for logistics.

We were looking at: Pop Century and all of the All Stars.

Is one better than the other in regards of logistics with the event? Any personal recommendations?

We did All Star Sports for Princess Weekend 2015 and Pop Century for Marathon Weekend 2016. I'd say definitely Pop Century. It's closer to everything - it's right near WWOS (super fast to get to/from the expo), and trips to/from Epcot for the races were also pretty easy.
All Stars aren't terrible, but they're not in the same class as Pop Century.

 

[joan4mickey]

I have stayed at Pop, the all-stars, coronado and Port Orleans-FQ. I think the best is Port Orleans-FQ. Perhaps the more expensive hotels are better, I just can't justify spending that much on a room I only sleep in.
The All-Stars are ok and better than they used to be. You will share a bus for the expo with the three, but you will also share a bus for the expo at Pop with the one across the lake, sorry can't remember the name. And FQ shares an expo bus with PO. They have had their own buses on race morning. I think it comes down to how much you will spend on a room and how much time you will spend at the resort.

 

[SueInBoston]

What hotels do you guys recommend staying at.... we're going to book our reservation today since a cast member friend suggested that staying off property can be a literal nightmare for logistics.

We were looking at: Pop Century and all of the All Stars.

Is one better than the other in regards of logistics with the event? Any personal recommendations?

I don't know if one is better than the other but I stayed at Pop this past April for SW and it was great. Bus transportation was good, love the decor, room was good size. We are using DVC points this trip but in the future if I have to do non DVC, I would definitely pick Pop again.

 

[Tinkerbelle's Mom]

Super excited I signed my 15 year old DD up for the Princess 1/2 (we are DL AP holders). Shes been running for years with a program called Girls on the Run and finally aged out but not coaches the youngest kids. When that ended she started running 10ks with the Tinker Bell 10k being her first in 2015. Then in 2016 she ran her first 1/2 - once again the Tinker Belle Weekend. We are local to DL so those are the easiest races.

Well now she is wanting the coast to coast medal so she's running the DL Star Wars 1/2 in January and Princess 1/2 in February. Of course the girl just can't stop there. She figured since her first 10k and 1/2 were at Tinker Belle that her first challenge should be there as well. So hopefully I can get her signed up for that as well.

Whew - it's a lot of running but she loves it.

Looking at hotels right now. It'll be a quick in and out weekend for us as she's got school but it'll be fun!

 

[courtneybeth]

Thank you @joan4mickey , @SueInBoston , and @SarahDisney for the feedback thus far. It seems to be a consistent theme -- All Stars are good but it's worth the extra $10 per night to get that Pop Century room.

Let's see what the husband has to say tonight. We're going to book

 

[Keels]

@courtneybeth - have you looked into renting DVC points? You'd be surprised how affordable it can be to stay at Boardwalk or Beach Club if there is availability. My villa for Marathon Weekend isn't much more than what Pop is priced at right now for Princess.

But looking at prices - I'm probably going to be in the minority, but I'd stay at Coronado Springs before I'd stay at All Star or Pop.

 

[courtneybeth]

@courtneybeth - have you looked into renting DVC points? You'd be surprised how affordable it can be to stay at Boardwalk or Beach Club if there is availability. My villa for Marathon Weekend isn't much more than what Pop is priced at right now for Princess.

Thanks -- didn't consider this. We've done it a few years ago and we loved it. I think we may investigate and see what we can come up with!

 

[keahgirl8]

I feel like it may be a lot of things - price for sure is a factor and I think a lot of people want to do these races once and check them off the list. I especially think the repeatability factor is going away because the race weekends are all so similar now. Also, many people take one big vacation a year and the race weekends don't work super well with school schedules, or with some people's work schedules, so maybe that factors in?

I also think runDisney has been resting on their laurels for a bit now, and they're getting a little sloppy in some areas - people are starting to notice and take their money elsewhere.

Maybe people are waiting until next year - 10th anniversary of Princess weekend...???

Maybe????

Could be any or all of the above, really!

When Princess doesn't sell out in early registration ...
When Star Wars STILL isn't a sell out ...
When Dopey hasn't sold out yet, almost three months after registration ...

All of these are race concepts that were VERY popular in years past.

I think $75 for a 5K with a rubber medal and unisex cotton shirt is too much. Now, change it to a tech shirt and a metal medal in line with the rest of the race weekend, and I'm back in for paying the $75. You pay $20-30 more for three more miles of running, a metal medal and a nicer shirt.

I think you are right. To add to this, people just got fed up with the system. Wine and Dine 2015 was a complete disaster and I know they lost a lot of people, then in the end, they cut the race short and lost even more (not really WDW fault). The only thing that has sold out are the smaller distances, especially the 10K. Every race except for W & D have several options available, that definitely says something. Either they've priced people out or people just got fed up with the system. On top of that, hotels, tickets and food have sky rocketed in the parks. I want to do the 10K next year because I have done them all but after that, if prices keep going up, Gasparilla in Tampa is looking like a better option for that weekend.

Honestly...I'm still paying! I hate to say it, because I'm probably part of the problem. lol They have no motivation to change anything if people keep showing up and paying. Ah well!

Hi All! Planning on registering for the Princess Half on July 12 (my 1st ever!) and have a couple questions!
1. Can anyone tell me more about the jacket that you preorder? Cost? Style? Worth it?
2. At 12pm EDT, where is the best place to access the sign-up link? Facebook page? Email? Will active.com have it pop up?
3. Port Orleans-RS or Coronado Springs?
TIA for your help!!

1. I can't remember how much and I just saw it yesterday. Around $90 maybe? It's a pretty nice jacket and you don't have to worry about a tug of war in the expo to get one. lol It's a different jacket, but it's usually pretty cute! Do I think it's worth $90? Not really, but if you would have bought a jacket anyway, I'd do it. You can return it if you don't like it. It's a different design than the one at the expo and it is more of a general "weekend" jacket than race specific.
2. Someone will probably post it. I usually get it here or on Facebook. You can get it from the runDisney page though as well.
3. Riverside all the way! Though I've never stayed at Coronado. That one is beautiful from the outside!

I have stayed at Pop, the all-stars, coronado and Port Orleans-FQ. I think the best is Port Orleans-FQ. Perhaps the more expensive hotels are better, I just can't justify spending that much on a room I only sleep in.
The All-Stars are ok and better than they used to be. You will share a bus for the expo with the three, but you will also share a bus for the expo at Pop with the one across the lake, sorry can't remember the name. And FQ shares an expo bus with PO. They have had their own buses on race morning. I think it comes down to how much you will spend on a room and how much time you will spend at the resort.

That's what a lot of people say. I actually spend quite a bit of time at the resort, especially when I go down there for a race weekend. It does definitely depend on the person! Hotels are one of my favorite things about vacation, honestly!

 

[Fire14]

Hi all. I'm doing my first Half and first challenge!!!! Current plan is to stay at Corondo ( running bud hasn't been here yet). I've done Princess weekend a few times, I've always enjoyed my stays at POP and POFQ. I personally really want to stay at PORS this trip but cost is playing a factor as it's already going to be pricey trip for us Girls and if the Theme turns out to be Belle I'm in BIG trouble, still trying to recover from Ariel theme last year. I tend to get to Expo early on first day and have a husband that can follow simple directions like we'd like these items in these sizes so he is big help in that area.

 

[DIS-OH]

Booked our flights on Southwest this morning!

Still waiting on AP room rates to be released!

 

[dcrunner]

What hotels do you guys recommend staying at.... we're going to book our reservation today since a cast member friend suggested that staying off property can be a literal nightmare for logistics.

We were looking at: Pop Century and all of the All Stars.

Is one better than the other in regards of logistics with the event? Any personal recommendations?

I have stayed in all of the All Stars - they are solid, and get the job done. I have never stayed in Pop Century, because I personally always felt the extra 10 bucks a night wasn't worth it for a hotel that is essentially the same, with a different theme. The two main benefits of Pop: 1) it is definitely newer (I think about 5-10 years newer - it was built in the early 2000s) and 2) they have their own bus for the parks, according to my friend. That alone could be worth it if you plan to go to the parks at all- the All Stars bus can be slow and crowded. Although it sounds like that doesn't apply for the race buses? The other resorts mentioned I think are objectively nicer, but they are also more expensive - so its just a matter of how much you want to spend!

Which also leads me to my own hotel question: Other than Pop or the All-Stars, I think my group would consider AoA, if we could get the cheaper Little Mermaid rooms (or enough of us agreed to share a suite). I know they have their own park buses- do they have their own race buses, or like Pop, do they share for the races?

Excited to sign up on the 12th!

 

[kathleen27]

Which also leads me to my own hotel question: Other than Pop or the All-Stars, I think my group would consider AoA, if we could get the cheaper Little Mermaid rooms (or enough of us agreed to share a suite). I know they have their own park buses- do they have their own race buses, or like Pop, do they share for the races?

Pop and Art of Animation share a race bus. They should have their own bus in the early morning of the race, but then share a bus on the return & for expo. I've stayed at art of animation the last 2 years and its been great for the buses. Expect a line on race morning, but it usually moves quickly (at least for the half), and other buses were waiting once one filled. The 2 resorts are next to each other around a lake, so its a very short distance. Those 2 stops are quicker than some of the spread out many stop mods.

 

[kathleen27]

Booked our flights on Southwest this morning!

Me too!

 

[courtneybeth]

We booked our flight home from the race since Virgin America was less than $150 per person. So we don't have a flight out... But we know what time we are leaving.

Waiting for a big Labor Day sale for the flight out. Come on, United. You know you want to!

 

[jaws19798]

Does anyone know if Shades of Green will be a host resort? Since it not technically a Disney property I wasn't sure. They have a great deal during that weekend, would hate to miss it.

 

[Ariel484]

Does anyone know if Shades of Green will be a host resort? Since it not technically a Disney property I wasn't sure. They have a great deal during that weekend, would hate to miss it.

...I want to say yes. I remember staying at the Grand Floridian during Marathon Weekend and we stopped at Shades of Green on our way to the expo. Maybe try to get more official confirmation than my fuzzy memory though

 

[Heartsturtle]

RunDisney's Instagram posted a pic of Belle & Beast with info about registration so I would say the theme is 1,000% going to be Belle! And don't make fun of me, but I got sort of emotional. I was a book worm growing up & loved Belle so much. I am definitely doing all 3 races and pushing myself to get all of that Belle bling!

 

[LindseyJo22]

Yeah, I just saw the Instagram post too - it really has to be Belle now or I think they will have a lot of annoyed people (including me). She is my absolute favorite so I'm thrilled. Already trying to plan a costume