2025 Wine and Dine

[DisneyMountainWoman]

Ohh and I booked a private photopass in MK, I asked for fall and castle pics in one if she could and she delivered! Ohh and she was dealing with the rain too. So even harder job. She now took my most fav pics.

 

[lookingforsunshine]

This is why it was better when W&D fell on the time change weekend, that extra hour of sleep on half marathon day was nice

I liked it better this way- I was always so stressed about my alarm with the time change and with the humidity, the extra hour of running in the dark was nice.

Way fewer "I Did It!" backdrops in the reunion area.

There were a lot fewer (before there were maybe 12? and now 8?) and the set up was different. I definitely waited longer than usual.

I liked the course and didn’t find it nearly as crowded as I have experienced on the MW/PW half course this year, but maybe I was just in a better spot. I started in C and my average pace was something like 15:57 with all the stops. I liked that the course felt different and the park time. I also don’t hate Blizzard Beach (being there in the dark is nice, haha). I am not a fan of the three on ramps into EPCOT because the camber kills me on the first one especially, but it seems like they are necessary since they’re used so often.

Overall, it was not my best race but October has been hard. I need to get myself together for Dopey for sure or I am going to be suffering. I also didn’t love that this trip was both Halloween and then a non-Halloween themed race weekend. Disney Halloween is my favorite thing ever, so it just felt weird to sort of split this trip up. But I’m grateful I got to go, and I managed to bring some Halloween vibes into my costume (Lady and the Tramp carved pumpkins). I’m curious if they’ll theme W&D around Halloween next year if it’s earlier again since DLR is going away.

 

[Disneyhanna]

I also didn’t love that this trip was both Halloween and then a non-Halloween themed race weekend. Disney Halloween is my favorite thing ever, so it just felt weird to sort of split this trip up.

This felt so weird!!! Honestly forgot it was Halloween.

 

[DianaMB333]

deleted

 

[Naomeri]

I liked it better this way- I was always so stressed about my alarm with the time change and with the humidity, the extra hour of running in the dark was nice

That's a good point about the extra time in the dark, I forgot about that benefit of not having the time change on race morning

 

[jmasgat]

A veritable s--tshow getting out of MCO tonight due to T storms. Flight 4+hours delayed (and counting) and Lyft pricing to get to airport was jaw dropping. Should have left earlier like I was considering. I'll be lucky to be home by 2 am.

 

[DisneyMountainWoman]

A veritable s--tshow getting out of MCO tonight due to T storms. Flight 4+hours delayed (and counting) and Lyft pricing to get to airport was jaw dropping. Should have left earlier like I was considering. I'll be lucky to be home by 2 am.

Man it was soo bad... we started off by walking to the terminal cause of power outage...
We loaded on the plane and air pilot said we are slowed because of weather and not enough air traffic controls and then it was full stop no one flying out.... And we were just sitting there for ever... our pilot timed out... eep... but he lives in Houston soo he stayed on to fly home and really worked to get us out of Orlando on the small window that happened. We then made it into TX... had to deboard the plane... and switch out crew... then get back on... now to Denver. Originally suppose to get home at 5:30 pm... landed 12:30 am did not get home till 1:30 am... and I have to work today.... Happy we at least made it out unlike many other people... but that sucked.

 

[Zutroy]

I liked it better this way- I was always so stressed about my alarm with the time change and with the humidity, the extra hour of running in the dark was nice.

In Florida, the trade off is that humidity drops once the sun comes up. It’s not unusual for it to be 99% humidity in the morning, and then drop to 74% as soon as it gets light. I really prefer the extra hour of sleep with slightly less humid conditions. This weekend was super swampy. I was sweating standing in the corrals before the race even started.

 

[DisneyMountainWoman]

Ohh I got a survey for rundisney, I wrote about crowding and pinch points specifically the run in and out of blizzard beach and then I talked about how the post party is pretty lacking.

 

[DisneyGamer11]

I was in Corral C, with my first time submitting a POT, and I'd say my congestion experience was B+ (compared to let's day D's or F's in the last few for me). Maybe I got lucky, because I started at the beginning of a wave, but the only congestion I had was the beginning highway going to Epcot. The dreaded Boardwalk/HS path was more open for me than it was ever in the past, and both the miles inside HS and highway miles were very open for me.

 

[FlyingDonut]

I loved the soundtrack! I hadn't heard the big band versions of several Disney songs (it's a small world being the best). This was my first FL race, is that normal, or was because of the 50s theme for the half? It seemed like more than what you get just standing outside Hollywood Studios, and they definitely played a few on the course not just at HS.

I thought some of the character stop locations were weird. Mandelorian in HS and the Frozen Friends in Epcot were hidden. (I was in A so a line hadn't formed, but that also meant there wasn't as much of a line to clue me in that there was someone there until I no longer wanted to backtrack.)

 

[jpholic]

Ohh I got a survey for rundisney, I wrote about crowding and pinch points specifically the run in and out of blizzard beach and then I talked about how the post party is pretty lacking.

I hope I get a survey.

My challenge races were fun. No crowding, didn't mind the BB tour (roller skating was entertaining), and finished the half before the sun came up. Weather was nice, PR'd my 10k by a good 90 seconds and that was with some stops and potty break. Paced with a friend on the half and got lots of super cute photos.

Question for the masses - the merch... was it side eye worthy, the new runDisney merch included? I went to the expo twice Thursday and late afternoon on Friday and saw a lot of merch still there. Maybe mesh isn't the trend they thought it was going to be? Also the rD tracksuit looking like something from a 1998 Winter Olympics. I feel like the merch should be the easiest thing to get right and they keep missing the mark, imo.

 

[DisneyMountainWoman]

I hope I get a survey.

My challenge races were fun. No crowding, didn't mind the BB tour (roller skating was entertaining), and finished the half before the sun came up. Weather was nice, PR'd my 10k by a good 90 seconds and that was with some stops and potty break. Paced with a friend on the half and got lots of super cute photos.

Question for the masses - the merch... was it side eye worthy, the new runDisney merch included? I went to the expo twice Thursday and late afternoon on Friday and saw a lot of merch still there. Maybe mesh isn't the trend they thought it was going to be? Also the rD tracksuit looking like something from a 1998 Winter Olympics. I feel like the merch should be the easiest thing to get right and they keep missing the mark, imo.

I wrote about the mesh merch miss too, lol.
I agree Blizzard beach was not bad actaully... not being at mile 20 something really helps. The issue was getting there and back... soo horrible. In marathon u have the whole road which really makes the difference.

 

[Zutroy]

I thought some of the character stop locations were weird. Mandelorian in HS and the Frozen Friends in Epcot were hidden. (I was in A so a line hadn't formed, but that also meant there wasn't as much of a line to clue me in that there was someone there until I no longer wanted to backtrack.)

I second this. I was also in A, and thanks to the leaked character list, was looking forward to Mando and Grogu. I ran right past them, and they were standing well off the course in the dark without any signage. By the time I saw them it was too late, since I didn’t want to turn around and run back to get a photo. It was almost like RD was intentionally hiding characters with how they were located.

 

[jpholic]

I second this. I was also in A, and thanks to the leaked character list, was looking forward to Mando and Grogu. I ran right past them, and they were standing well off the course in the dark without any signage. By the time I saw them it was too late, since I didn’t want to turn around and run back to get a photo. It was almost like RD was intentionally hiding characters with how they were located.

Same, I had no clue Mando and Grogu were there until I saw photos.

 

[Naomeri]

I second this. I was also in A, and thanks to the leaked character list, was looking forward to Mando and Grogu. I ran right past them, and they were standing well off the course in the dark without any signage. By the time I saw them it was too late, since I didn’t want to turn around and run back to get a photo. It was almost like RD was intentionally hiding characters with how they were located.

They did that earlier this year too (can't remember if it was MW or SS) hiding Mando way off the course, without a CM to point out the way

 

[fatmanatee]

Was Mando in GE? Going to have to be aware, wouldn’t be surprised if he’s also there at Springtime Surprise.

 

[bmr1591]

I hope I get a survey.

My challenge races were fun. No crowding, didn't mind the BB tour (roller skating was entertaining), and finished the half before the sun came up. Weather was nice, PR'd my 10k by a good 90 seconds and that was with some stops and potty break. Paced with a friend on the half and got lots of super cute photos.

Question for the masses - the merch... was it side eye worthy, the new runDisney merch included? I went to the expo twice Thursday and late afternoon on Friday and saw a lot of merch still there. Maybe mesh isn't the trend they thought it was going to be? Also the rD tracksuit looking like something from a 1998 Winter Olympics. I feel like the merch should be the easiest thing to get right and they keep missing the mark, imo.

Merch was bad in general. It felt like they just slapped on the race logos to everything. The words I’d use are “phoned in.” If you told me they were in a transition between designers and encouraged the new person to focus on Marathon because Wine and Dine was going to get what an intern made, I’d believe you. Last year’s was worlds better.

 

[DisneyMountainWoman]

Man the only time it is good to be in the back of the packers compared to u A list group... Mando was very easy to see since the line wrapped around and was super long. Lol. My 5 mile was 36 mins long because I waited for Mando... soo worth it. Sorry u guys missed it.

 

[Disneyhanna]

I would have missed the Mando line if there wasn't a CM stationed along the course saying that the line was back in that area. The line wasn't long enough to be seen yet. The Anna & Elsa line was hidden during the 10k as well, and again had a CM waving people to where the queue was. I don't think they're purposefully trying to hide those characters as much as they have them stationed off course a bit where there is enough room to wrap a long line around without disrupting the course. I waited 8 minutes for Mando but he took a break when I had one person in front of me, thankfully very short! The line at least doubled behind me when I left.