Disneyland Half Marathon 2024

[AmericanItGirl]

You can even think about the walk to corrals at Epcot for the full and most half marathons. It's like a solid 1.5-2 miles from the parking lot or bus drop off. The walk from most hotels around DLR will be shorter than that, some much shorter.

Second this. I’ve only done one WDW half (Princess), but the walk from where the busses drop you off to the first corral isn’t much shorter than the walk across the esplanade to the corrals (if the layout is the same as before, the corrals are literally right next to the pre-race area, which makes it really convenient for the last minute bathroom stop, getting extra pins, etc.). Most people just walk from their hotels, so the walk is generally quite lively with people in running costumes getting hyped up.

 

[DisneyBelle27]

You can even think about the walk to corrals at Epcot for the full and most half marathons. It's like a solid 1.5-2 miles from the parking lot or bus drop off. The walk from most hotels around DLR will be shorter than that, some much shorter.

I had a lovely 4,957 steps by the time I lined up for the WDW Half this past January, lol.

WAFDL - this will only be my 2nd ever trip to DL and the bf's first, so I definitely want to do the nighttime shows! My plan is to fly in Friday evening (from the east coast - makes those race start times so much better than WDW!) and not do parks until Sun and Mon, so I hope we get to see all the shows!

 

[TarynM]

WAFDL - My friend and I are probably going to skip the nighttime shows since DL is our home park and we've seen the 100th shows already. Since we're only running the 5k and 10k AND we won't have our kids, our hope is to book a nice dinner Saturday night.

 

[DisneyMountainWoman]

WAFDL: So my thoughts do the WOC dessert party on Sunday night. We get seats! Friday night watch fireworks from hotel which is a the new pixar hotel. They have a good viewing area. Saturday no night show... get a good night sleep before the half.

 

[DisneyMountainWoman]

So just got my Dumbo outfit in!!! I am wearing the same costume for a local zoo race in May (colfax half). I will be soo shiny!!!

 

[Z-Knight]

*twitch*

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I was there on the 25th anniversary (Disney World) - I have grainy pictures of that castle but I literally do NOT remember it at all. That was my first visit ever.

 

[furiated]

One thing with the fireworks at DL is that they can be cancelled due to high winds. I don't know if I'd say it happens a LOT, but even as a non-local, I've had it happen to me multiple times. So I'd advise against leaving fireworks until your last night and only having one chance to see it.

 

[DopeyRunner486]

One thing with the fireworks at DL is that they can be cancelled due to high winds. I don't know if I'd say it happens a LOT, but even as a non-local, I've had it happen to me multiple times. So I'd advise against leaving fireworks until your last night and only having one chance to see it.

They only have fireworks on the weekends right now anyways. They do projections only during the week.

 

[nekonekoneko]

Stupid question: is Wondrous Journeys the only show that can have fireworks? Like F! and WoC don't ever have anything splodey?

 

[DopeyRunner486]

Stupid question: is Wondrous Journeys the only show that can have fireworks? Like F! and WoC don't ever have anything splodey?

WoC will have fire but not really pyro. F! might have some quick bursts but nothing big, I don't remember off the top of my head.

 

[LilyJC]

Stupid question: is Wondrous Journeys the only show that can have fireworks? Like F! and WoC don't ever have anything splodey?

Fantasmic does have smaller fireworks that can actually be seen/heard across the park. WoC only adds smaller fireworks for special events - definitely not the norm over there.

 

[nekonekoneko]

Fantasmic does have smaller fireworks that can actually be seen/heard across the park. WoC only adds smaller fireworks for special events - definitely not the norm over there.

Ok, cool! So F! and WoC are shows with fireworks, but WJ is fireworks with projections (if that makes any sense)?

 

[LilyJC]

Ok, cool! So F! and WoC are shows with fireworks, but WJ is fireworks with projections (if that makes any sense)?

Well that’s definitely a possibility for the off season weekend shows, but you might want to think of it as a projection show with fireworks just to manage expectations. Unfortunately our fireworks are often canceled, sometimes even mid-show. But the projections will continue!

 

[nekonekoneko]

Why did I think today was Tuesday? Sorry about that!

WAFDL: This week's question is going to be piggy backing off this week's SAFD question. What do you think will change between either the races in 2017 until now, or what do you think will be different between WDW and the DL races?

I know nothing about the DL races, but I hope that they still have more time in the parks than the WDW versions. I'm just wondering what Disney and The City of Anaheim will do for the half

 

[DisneyParrothead]

WAFDL: I really anticipate the merchandise to be a S* show at DL this time around. Before, the official race merchandise was its own kiosk in the vendor expo and not in its own building. I have no idea where they're going to hold it, but given the absolute explosion in popularity for official race merchandise, that's my #1 item.

I recently found my booklet for Tinkerbell 2016, and the 5k and 10K had so much more park time. I think for the 10K we did a mile on the highway to loop around from the DL hotel to the front of DL, where we were taken in backstage. Here's an online screenshot.



The half marathons went through Anaheim, but residents and groups, high school bands, etc turned out in droves to cheer the runners on.

I think my favorite rD weekend was Tinkerbell because the 10K course was so great.

 

[DisneyMountainWoman]

WAFDL: So with the one Disneyland race I did everything was just soo chill and easy compared to WDW. So I suspect the big change will be that it will not be chill and easy any more. Especially the merch!! I am also hoping we get to run through some of the new areas like Galaxy's Edge or Avengers campus.

 

[Desdemona924]

WAFDL: So with the one Disneyland race I did everything was just soo chill and easy compared to WDW. So I suspect the big change will be that it will not be chill and easy any more. Especially the merch!! I am also hoping we get to run through some of the new areas like Galaxy's Edge or Avengers campus.

I'm betting we'll run through Avengers Campus. Or at least it's likely. They used to run through Bug's Life and I saw elsewhere someone point out that Avengers didn't really change the pathways.

WAFDL: I am hoping that DL remains as laid back as it was in the past. However, I think this first one back will not be a good indicator of how it may be in the future. Between pent up demand for the DL races and people who really want the special coast to coast, I think people will basically be crazed animals, at least at the expo.

I remember one weekend (2016 Avengers I think) I did where we got to the expo later in the day and, based on WDW, expected the official merch to be swamped, with a line. Nope, we walked right in and were able to casually stroll and there a nice amount of everything available. A nice surprise after our first runDisney experience, which was 2015 Wine & Dine where people were going nuts for merch and there was a ridiculously long check out line, and it wasn't even early in the day.

 

[FFigawi]

WAFDL: I share the concerns about the DL races losing their laid back vibe. They’ve had more personality than the WDW races, which have always seemed more corporate to me. The size of the field probably has something to do with that, as does the smaller size of DL as a whole. I hope they don’t lose that feeling.

 

[DisneyParrothead]

WAFDL: I share the concerns about the DL races losing their laid back vibe. They’ve had more personality than the WDW races, which have always seemed more corporate to me. The size of the field probably has something to do with that, as does the smaller size of DL as a whole. I hope they don’t lose that feeling.

I think one of the reasons why DL seems more chill is the proximity of the parks to each other. At least I know I can do a pretty good morning of rides at either park, and then head back to my hotel to rest my legs. I don't feel as much pressure either to get Genie+ every day either. I might do it the first day, and if I feel like I don't need, I won't get it the rest of my trip. DL's rides are those that move people quickly, and if the lines are moving, it's a lower wait time.

 

[rowan1813]

WAFDL - I, like everyone else, expect the official race merch to be an absolute nightmare and things to sell out like lightning. To that end, I hope Disney is preparing for that and ordering a lot of merch but I also know Disney so I'm not expecting it.

I hope the races will be similar to the last ones. The 5K and 10K for Half Marathon weekend in 2017 were fantastic. Both courses were all on property, (this was when DLR was fighting with Anaheim and wanted as much of the races on property as possible), and there was just so much positive energy everywhere. I will be interested to see what the finish area looks like. In the past one of the locations has been the DTD parking lot which is under a lot of renovation right now/they keep changing things and it's purpose so that will be interesting to see what changes occur in regards to that.