Can I Survive another 11 days in WDW w/ Disney-Resistant Husband? *11/25 SURPRISE!!**

[cdotla]

Just bookmarking my spot!!Sounds like a great trip so far. We have stayed at both OKW and SSR, while I like that SSR has a true counter service, love the feel of OKW better. The rooms are definitely bigger at OKW. Can't wait to hear all about it.

Thanks so much for joining, and for your comments on OKW. I certainly can't wait to get down and experience it myself!

Sounds like great plans. I hope it's a wonderful trip. You made me feel a little better I post my pre-trip for my nov trip already and I know it was crazy early but I was excited. So your a month a head of mine made me feel better.

As far as I am concerned, it is never too early to plan a trip to Disney!

Page 4 already What is this... The party started without me???? All is well though, I am here now so you may proceed!

Ok all kidding aside, absolutely love to go to WDW in October, it's one of my favourite times of the year to visit. However, because of skating competition schedules, looks like the only time we will be able to make it there this year is at the end of August Definetly not ideal, way too hot but I figure that end of August WDW trip is better than no trip!!! DD doesn't know yet, I told her we were not going this year! Can't wait to surprise her!

Yay for your August trip! You are quite right...an August trip is most definitely better than no trip. Plus, I expect you will experience some pretty low crowds in late August, which hopefully will more than make up for the hotter weather.

Hi Trish!!
Hurray for another trip. I think you all will have a great time! looks like we overlap as well. Fun, fun. Can't wait to hear about all your plans!!

Hi Mary! Thanks so much for joining! Another October traveller...yay! I think there is already quite a group of us, isn't there? Who wants to organize a Dis Meet?

 

[TinyDancer]

I'm here!
I can't wait to hear all about your plans for your next trip. We will be there a month before you, and my best friend and her family are joining us also, I think it will be a ton of fun!

 

[Lovemy3babes]

I loved your last TR so am definitely in for this one! The plan looks great!!

 

[2xcited2sleep]

Oh, my "Jimmy" Deen. I am hoping he'll be back this October but who knows. He and his wife headache are expecting their 2nd this spring so who knows. Gosh I adore that man. Maybe I'll make one of his recipes for dinner tonight...

 

[TanzUnited99]

I found your last TR when you were towards the end but am looking forward to hearing it from the start this time, as well as your PTR!

Congrats on booking OKW and BCV (especially after enjoying your time there on your last trip)!

 

[Disney Geek]

Giving you a little bump while not so patiently waiting for an update

 

[cdotla]

I'm here!
I can't wait to hear all about your plans for your next trip. We will be there a month before you, and my best friend and her family are joining us also, I think it will be a ton of fun!

Thanks for joining in! September and October are great months to visit, especially with friends!

I loved your last TR so am definitely in for this one! The plan looks great!!

Wonderful! Welcome!

Oh, my "Jimmy" Deen. I am hoping he'll be back this October but who knows. He and his wife headache are expecting their 2nd this spring so who knows. Gosh I adore that man. Maybe I'll make one of his recipes for dinner tonight...

Too funny Christine! I have to try that chicken dish he made us...well, us and 30 other people. It was so yummy!!! I still haven't tried out that cookbook of his we bought either.

Hopefully he will be there for your weekend and mine in October this year. Wouldn't that be nice?

I found your last TR when you were towards the end but am looking forward to hearing it from the start this time, as well as your PTR!

Congrats on booking OKW and BCV (especially after enjoying your time there on your last trip)!

Thank you so much! And thanks for joining in!

Giving you a little bump while not so patiently waiting for an update

Things have gotten a little off track lately...but I should have an update shortly!

 

[cdotla]

The Wine & Dine Half Marathon

Without a doubt, the Wine & Dine Half Marathon is what Chris is most looking forward to this trip. It will not only be his first Disney race, but it will also be the first race he has done outside our local area.

Chris started running back in 2007, at over 40 years old. Apart from track and field in grade school, he had never been a runner. However, it appears that he was made to run. I have dabbled in running myself, and know the commitment that it takes. Unfortunately I have never been successful in sticking with it on a long-term basis. That feeling that you get when you are tired, exhausted, cramping and your legs hurt...when the real runners rise to the challenge, push through it, and go to new personal bests....well, I don't like that feeling too much. Chris, on the other hand, seems to have an innate ability to overlook pain, discomfort and tiredness and keep running. At a pretty decent pace to boot.

For the last year or so, he has been running almost without exception 6 days a week. He doesn't follow a program, has never taken a course, always runs alone, and doesn't have a Garmin, or for that matter, any kind of watch. He just runs until he feels like stopping, which these days tends to be 10 or 11 mile runs.

In his two most recent Half Marathons from October 2010 and February 2011 he clocked in at 1:31 for each. I think his times were within 30 seconds of each other. He is determined to be under 1:30 for his next half.

In his last two Half Marathons, Chris was plagued by cold and weather. In October he faced extreme winds and didn't wear gloves and was bothered by freezing hands throughout the race. In February, he ran in blustery winds and rain. I am guessing weather won't be an issue for him at the Wine & Dine.

While I obviously won't be aiming to keep up with him, I had been quietly considering running the Half myself. Of course, with just a little over 6 months away, I would have to start training immediately, especially since I have been rather inactive as of late. However, after thinking about it, talking about it with Chris, and thinking about it some more, I finally decided not to do it.

I have already participated in a number of Disney races....all 5ks. Since I have never stuck with running long enough, I have never run more than about 4 miles at one time. Plus, I have been inactive for a long time now. While I know that I could physically finish the race at a 16 minute per mile pace, even if I had to walk (which you need to do in order not to be swept from the race), I would prefer to do my first half after I had trained adequately enough to be able to run most of the course. Going from couch to a half marathon in 6 months, while do-able, is probably not completely advisable.

However, the main things that are holding me back relate more to the logistics of the trip.

First, the race is at night - starting at 10pm. Which leaves the issue of who would look after the kids if Chris and I are out running a Half Marathon, which for me would likely be until the wee, wee hours of the morning. While I suggested using the babysitting service, Chris is not keen on that at all, and I have to respect that. Plus, that night we will be in a studio at the Beach Club, with the result that I really don't know what the babysitter would be able to do in the room while the kids were sleeping. So that option is out.

It would have been great if we had connecting rooms with Graham and Andrea, as we simply could have left the kids with them. Unfortunately, at that point we will be in our studio units at the Beach Club, and it does not appear that any of the studios connect to one another (as they only connect to 1 bedroom units).

Obviously then, childcare would be a major concern if I wanted to participate in the Half.

However, the main thing holding me back from running/walking the Half is the consequences that it would have for our trip. While I eventually want to run my first Half Marathon at Disney, the thing that I am most looking forward to on this trip is walking down Main Street USA on October 1, 2011, Walt Disney World's 40th Anniversary. I can't wait to see what events or ceremonies ultimately get planned by Disney to commemorate this special event. And even if they don't do much, we know the folks from WDWCelebrations will be there to fill in the gaps. Plus, Lou Mongello will be broadcasting live from the park that day. It is going to be a very big day, and I want to enjoy it as much as I can. Unfortunately, the Half Marathon is scheduled for that evening at 10pm.

One of the best pieces of advise to runners about to run a Half Marathon (particularly their first Half Marathon, and first major race), is to stay off your feet and relax as much as you can the day of the race. Clearly, this will not be possible for me on October 1, 2011. I will be up early to be at the Park well before park opening, and plan to take in as much of the festivities as possible. We will also be showing our close friends, Bryn and Devin the Magic Kingdom for the very first time. I expect this day will be one of the most memorable days I have ever spent at WDW, and I want to be able to fully enjoy it and participate in all of the celebration events without having to worry about running a Half Marathon that night.

So, after careful thought and consideration, (and after asking myself a dozen times if I really had a legitimate excuse not to do the run, or if this was yet another instance of my classic "putting exercise off until tomorrow" excuses), I finally determined that for a variety of reasons, this just isn't my time to run my first Disney Half. It is still on the to-do list however, and I am also committed to getting back into running again, so I haven't completely let myself off the hook.

One of the other things that ultimately convinced me not to do the Half was the fact that Katie & I could participate with Andrea and Bryn in the Disney Family 5k Fun Run through the Magic Kingdom that morning before the Park opened. I have already participated in a number of Disney 5k runs, but none of those courses have ever run through the Magic Kingdom. Last year I watched the video posted by Dave Parfitt on his participation, along with his daughter, in this event. Here is the link here...doesn't it look fun?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O-rQb-b55AQ

I showed this video to Katie and to Andrea and Bryn, and we all got super-excited to do the race.

Last month we even purchased matching Tinkerbell costumes for the girls to wear during the run, and were even in the process of cooking up ideas for costumes for us mommas to wear!

Unfortunately, there was always a nagging suspicion in my mind that the Magic Kingdom might not want a 5k Family Fun Race blowing through 1 hour before park opening, especially if they were planning on doing some special events for the 40th Anniversary. In fact, although the 5k race would start at 7am, and we would likely be finished by 7:45am, I was still a little concerned about whether we would have enough time to head to the washrooms and get cleaned up in time for the special events, (either official or fan-based) which I expect will likely be starting that morning around 8am.

I was hoping that Disney would simply hold the 5k the next day - on Sunday - instead.

When the Wine & Dine Half Marathon registration opened not that long ago, suspiciously there was no information posted on the 5k, only the promise that details would be "coming soon".

Yesterday, my worst suspicions were confirmed when the 5k details were released and it was disclosed that the race will no longer be run through the Magic Kingdom, but through Animal Kingdom. Drat!

I have already broken the news to Katie that we won't be able to do the race this year, and she was plenty disappointed. However, there will certainly not be enough time for us to do the race in Animal Kingdom, get cleaned up, and get over to the Magic Kingdom for 8am. Hopefully I can soon get her excited about some other things we have planned instead. Plus, I am sure her and Bryn will still have an opportunity to wear their matching Tinkerbell outfits in the Parks at some point during the trip.

So now, as it turns out, I won't be participating in either the Half or the 5k. However, looking on the bright side, this just allows me to focus more on enjoying and celebrating the Magic Kingdom's 40th Anniversary, which was the main reason that we chose the dates that we did for our trip.

 

[2xcited2sleep]

Sounds like a perfect Disney experience for Chris. I hope he loves it!!

You are making being in MK on the 1st sound so tempting... perhaps even a must-do. I am regretting a bit the dates I selected for later in the month. Oh well, I will have to live vicariously through you and the fantastic pictures you are sure to take and the fun tales I am sure you will tell!

 

[haleofafamily]

I don't know if I have ever posted on your reports, but I read your last trip report and am following along now. I enjoy reading about your Disney experiences and seeing the pictures of your beautiful family.

I had to finally chime in to say that you should try to do the Disney Princess Half Marathon as your first Disney half. I just got back from doing it last week and it was amazing! I am not a runner and have never been interested in the sport, but the enticement of doing a race at Disney World was enough to push me over the edge. The whole experience was one of the best of my life and I highly recommend it. I used it as an excuse to have a girls vacation with my mom and sister-in-law.

There is a thread on the WISH section about it. There are also videos on youtube that show quite a bit of the race.

Merci

 

[Queenofallthings]

Great update! You guys are going to have the best time! When we went with our best friends it was so nice to see it thru newbie eyes! Turned out they didn't love it as much as we do, but my BFF and I have often talked about going down in Nov/Dec to catch all the holiday magic.

Great that Chris is going to do the half marathon! I admire people who are that disciplined!!

Love the costumes for the girls...now when are we going to see the ones for the mommies

Hope your enjoying your weekend!

 

[ronnmel]

I'm glad that Chris has something that's truly for him on this trip.
And that 5K family race looks like so much fun! Running through a park, no matter the park, sounds like an awesome thing. Plus, you get to meet characters along the way! Hope you and Katie get to do one of those runs in the not-so-distant future.

All these talks of 5Ks and Half marathons on this PTR and others are making me want to run a 5K myself. I'm not a runner by any means, but fiance is. I think a Disney 5K would be a great motivator for me. Something to keep in mind for in a few years.

 

[SoonerGirl]

Kudos to Chris for his dedication! Don would love to be a runner, and his personality is much like Chris's, I know he would be one to push through the pain and thrive. But, he has really bad knees thanks to a motorcycle accident when he was a teenager, so he has to be content with his bike

I'm sorry the 5K won't work out for you and Katie, but that is always something you can put on the list for the future. I bet being in MK on that day will be amazing, I can't wait to live that through you!

 

[TanzUnited99]

Wow hope Chris enjoys his run - he sure is dedicated! It's a shame you do not get to do a run but at least you can enjoy the celebrations on 1 October!

 

[DrMomof3]

I'm so very jealous!
I keep trying to figure out a way for me to go that weekend but it isn't looking promising. That's awesome that Chris is running the 1/2!!!

Amanda

 

[MEK]

Wow - kudos to Chris for doing a race that starts at 10pm at night. I'm not sure I could do that, plus a 1/2 marathon to boot. I guess it makes sense since it will be more comfortable running weather and no crowds.

I support your decision not to run. The logistics seem impossible. And while I really enjoy running, I don't enjoy the stress of a formal run while I am on vacation. It takes a little of the joy away from it for me.

I really admire people who start running in later in life. I think its easier for men, but what fascinates me is that there are many people out there with untapped running talent. They will never know until they try.

 

[cdotla]

Sounds like a perfect Disney experience for Chris. I hope he loves it!!

You are making being in MK on the 1st sound so tempting... perhaps even a must-do. I am regretting a bit the dates I selected for later in the month. Oh well, I will have to live vicariously through you and the fantastic pictures you are sure to take and the fun tales I am sure you will tell!

Do you really want me to start convincing you why you *need* to be in WDW for the 40th Anniversary? Because I *can* you know! Even though you will be there a couple weeks later!

Are you sure you can't bump your dates up???? Or even swing down for a quick warm-up weekend? Do you have an extra DVC points kicking around? Wld LOVE to see you again!

I don't know if I have ever posted on your reports, but I read your last trip report and am following along now. I enjoy reading about your Disney experiences and seeing the pictures of your beautiful family.

I had to finally chime in to say that you should try to do the Disney Princess Half Marathon as your first Disney half. I just got back from doing it last week and it was amazing! I am not a runner and have never been interested in the sport, but the enticement of doing a race at Disney World was enough to push me over the edge. The whole experience was one of the best of my life and I highly recommend it. I used it as an excuse to have a girls vacation with my mom and sister-in-law.

There is a thread on the WISH section about it. There are also videos on youtube that show quite a bit of the race.

Merci

Yay for you for doing the Princess Half! And thanks for coming out to say hi!

I actually had a girlfriend who was down there to do it too, but she got injured and couldn't run. However, her husband (who I actually work with) ran it as planned and had a blast.

I will certainly one day be doing either the Princess or the regular January Half. Both look appealing to me for different reasons. I hope to get one or the other run before I turn 40 in 2 years time.

Great update! You guys are going to have the best time! When we went with our best friends it was so nice to see it thru newbie eyes! Turned out they didn't love it as much as we do, but my BFF and I have often talked about going down in Nov/Dec to catch all the holiday magic.

Great that Chris is going to do the half marathon! I admire people who are that disciplined!!

Love the costumes for the girls...now when are we going to see the ones for the mommies

Hope your enjoying your weekend!

Hi Queen! I think those costumes are going to have to wait until our next run. They were going to be the sort of thing that you would only really wear in a running event.

However, I have to get started on our costume planning for MNSSHP at some point!

I'm glad that Chris has something that's truly for him on this trip.
And that 5K family race looks like so much fun! Running through a park, no matter the park, sounds like an awesome thing. Plus, you get to meet characters along the way! Hope you and Katie get to do one of those runs in the not-so-distant future.

All these talks of 5Ks and Half marathons on this PTR and others are making me want to run a 5K myself. I'm not a runner by any means, but fiance is. I think a Disney 5K would be a great motivator for me. Something to keep in mind for in a few years.

I highly recommend a Disney running event. I have attended 3 and enjoyed all of them immensely. They are a lot of fun, and being an athlete certainly isn't required.

And yes, it is really great that the Half Marathon for Chris lined up so well with our trip dates. In fact, we have the MK's 40th, the Half Marathon, Food & Wine, and MNSSHP. How could you possibly improve upon that?

Kudos to Chris for his dedication! Don would love to be a runner, and his personality is much like Chris's, I know he would be one to push through the pain and thrive. But, he has really bad knees thanks to a motorcycle accident when he was a teenager, so he has to be content with his bike

I'm sorry the 5K won't work out for you and Katie, but that is always something you can put on the list for the future. I bet being in MK on that day will be amazing, I can't wait to live that through you!

Those men of ours sound more and more alike each day! I think they are soul mates in the making.

Wow hope Chris enjoys his run - he sure is dedicated! It's a shame you do not get to do a run but at least you can enjoy the celebrations on 1 October!

Thanks! In the end, I think it really is for the best that I sit the Half out this time. Plus, it is a great excuse for another trip down the road, don't you think?

I'm so very jealous!
I keep trying to figure out a way for me to go that weekend but it isn't looking promising. That's awesome that Chris is running the 1/2!!!

Amanda

Are you sure there isn't another medical conference taking place sometime that week in Orlando?

Wow - kudos to Chris for doing a race that starts at 10pm at night. I'm not sure I could do that, plus a 1/2 marathon to boot. I guess it makes sense since it will be more comfortable running weather and no crowds.

I support your decision not to run. The logistics seem impossible. And while I really enjoy running, I don't enjoy the stress of a formal run while I am on vacation. It takes a little of the joy away from it for me.

I really admire people who start running in later in life. I think its easier for men, but what fascinates me is that there are many people out there with untapped running talent. They will never know until they try.

I think it will be kind of fun for Chris to do the run at nite. It is just too bad that he won't be running with anyone to meet up with afterwards for the afterparty. I am still trying to come up with some way I can meet him at the finish line and attend the party with him. Lou will be broadcasting live, so during the run I would love to hang out everyone cheering on the runners.

 

[cdotla]

Nordstrom's Small World Clothing

Have you seen these? I think they are absolutely adorable!!! I just wish that my kids could still fit into these...so disappointed they only go up to size 6.

I can't wait to see these little outfits modeled in the Parks!

 

[Queenofallthings]

Those outfits are too cute!!!

 

[TanzUnited99]

Thanks! In the end, I think it really is for the best that I sit the Half out this time. Plus, it is a great excuse for another trip down the road, don't you think?

It definitely is a great reason to visit Disney again..though am not sure if an excuse is required!

I love the outfits collection - they all look soo cute