Disneyland Half Marathon 2024

[sandam1]

WAFDL: do you plan on seeing any nighttime events (Fireworks at Sleeping Beauty Castle, WoC, F!), or, because of time, are you going to try and sleep early?

100% YES!!! Nighttime shows are the things that I enjoy most out of virtually every park that I go to and I'm very excited to see everything that DL has to offer. I'm going to take advantage of "only" doing the 10K and half - and the quick commute between the parks and hotels - to burn the candle at both ends. I can push through for two early morning wake-ups.

My only question is whether we are going to spring for the add-ons (dinner packages or dessert parties) to get a better view. If anyone has strong opinions on this, I'm looking for advice.

 

[AZMermaid]

WOC dessert party is great!!

 

[sandam1]

WOC dessert party is great!!

Would this be a good "celebration Sunday" event? Or would I be better off doing the DL fireworks that night? (assuming that Sunday night count as a weekend night?)

 

[AZMermaid]

Would this be a good "celebration Sunday" event? Or would I be better off doing the DL fireworks that night? (assuming that Sunday night count as a weekend night?)

I think it’d be a great treat for Sunday. You get an actual seat which is huge! Plus desserts, meat/cheese and drinks.

Edit- I mean its a huge deal, not that the seat is huge haha

 

[DLFun]

I love the responses for the question last week! A lot of fun discussions all around!

This is one that comes back and forth with me and my wife, so I'll throw this one at you:

WAFDL: do you plan on seeing any nighttime events (Fireworks at Sleeping Beauty Castle, WoC, F!), or, because of time, are you going to try and sleep early?

For me, I want to try, as I've never seen any of them, and with how relatively easy it is to get back to my hotel on Harbor, we should get back at a "reasonable" time to sleep.

I have been to DL many times and Fantasmic and World of Color are two of my favorites to see! I don't plan on going into the parks the day before the half. I plan on having a leisure day hanging out in Downtown Disney, the GardenWalk and maybe go to The Outlets at Orange (very close by and a nice shopping venue). I will have an early dinner and then back to my hotel to try to sleep. This is my first runDisney event and I know the start time is going to be early. I will shut down Disneyland all the other days I am there, but day before half I hope to have an early night. This is my plan, but I know things can always change.

 

[nekonekoneko]

I have been to DL many times and Fantasmic and World of Color are two of my favorites to see! I don't plan on going into the parks the day before the half. I plan on having a leisure day hanging out in Downtown Disney, the GardenWalk and maybe go to The Outlets at Orange (very close by and a nice shopping venue). I will have an early dinner and then back to my hotel to try to sleep. This is my first runDisney event and I know the start time is going to be early. I will shut down Disneyland all the other days I am there, but day before half I hope to have an early night. This is my plan, but I know things can always change.

My family is a go go go family, so we want to do things. Being holed up in a room with nothing planned is anathema to us.

The one thing we're seeing already is how close the hotels on Harbor are to the Esplanade, and if the start line is walking across The Esplanade through DTD, then we really don't need to be out of the hotel room until like 4am? That sounds like a dream compared to everyone traveling to Epcot at the same time.

I really want to try and see the nighttime shows. We leave the day after the half, so we'd have to try and shut down the park, and wake up crazy early the next morning.

 

[Deisell78]

WAFDL- I have no idea what that acronym stands for so if someone can please enlighten me ha ha, but I'm assuming it means the post has nothing to do with the race.

So it turns out I may possibly be heading to the parks that day after the race, if I do, any chance Splash Mtn. will still be around then, or likely will be closed?

 

[jolinda]

The one thing we're seeing already is how close the hotels on Harbor are to the Esplanade, and if the start line is walking across The Esplanade through DTD, then we really don't need to be out of the hotel room until like 4am? That sounds like a dream compared to everyone traveling to Epcot at the same time.

You don't have to be out of your hotel room at 4 am, that's way too early for a start time of 5:30. I don't remember what time we used to head out but I know we didn't wake up before 4 am.

I don't think I've posted here yet. Hi everyone! My first runDisney race was Princess in 2014, followed by Avengers the same year. Princess is still my only east coast race -- the start times are just too early coming from the west coast. I ran the Avengers half and Gauntlet challenge every year, including one year I had to walk the whole thing because I was still recovering from a broken foot. I'm still hoping they come back so I can collect all the infinity stones.

For this race I talked 6 other friends from three different states into joining me. We all got into our chosen races! Four of us including me are running the 10k, two the half, and one just along for the ride.

On March 4 I was downhill skiing, fell, my bindings didn't release, and I heard a pop from my knee. I wasn't in a lot of pain but my knee buckled sideways when I tried to stand up. I had to be rescued off the mountain and all that. My anterior cruciate and medial collateral ligaments are both completely torn. I'm currently in a small brace and able to walk short distances, but I need surgery. That's scheduled for Apr 21.

It's a good thing the race is so far away!

 

[Naomeri]

WAFDL- I have no idea what that acronym stands for so if someone can please enlighten me ha ha, but I'm assuming it means the post has nothing to do with the race.

So it turns out I may possibly be heading to the parks that day after the race, if I do, any chance Splash Mtn. will still be around then, or likely will be closed?

W(endesdays)A(re)F(or)D(isney)L(and)
it’s just an optional weekly question to keep the thread active between now and the race weekend, and for us to get to know each other and learn things. This week’s question was about going to fireworks/other nighttime shows during race weekends.

In regards to your question, there’s no way to know when DL will start their redo of Splash, unfortunately

 

[nekonekoneko]

You don't have to be out of your hotel room at 4 am, that's way too early for a start time of 5:30. I don't remember what time we used to head out but I know we didn't wake up before 4 am.

I don't think I've posted here yet. Hi everyone! My first runDisney race was Princess in 2014, followed by Avengers the same year. Princess is still my only east coast race -- the start times are just too early coming from the west coast. I ran the Avengers half and Gauntlet challenge every year, including one year I had to walk the whole thing because I was still recovering from a broken foot. I'm still hoping they come back so I can collect all the infinity stones.

For this race I talked 6 other friends from three different states into joining me. We all got into our chosen races! Four of us including me are running the 10k, two the half, and one just along for the ride.

On March 4 I was downhill skiing, fell, my bindings didn't release, and I heard a pop from my knee. I wasn't in a lot of pain but my knee buckled sideways when I tried to stand up. I had to be rescued off the mountain and all that. My anterior cruciate and medial collateral ligaments are both completely torn. I'm currently in a small brace and able to walk short distances, but I need surgery. That's scheduled for Apr 21.

It's a good thing the race is so far away!

Oh I hope your knee gets better! Thankfully, there's time for it to heal.

And good to know that 4am is still too early to get out for the races. I was assuming a 5 am start, like how they're doing it in Florida, now.

 

[DisneyParrothead]

Right now the start times are TBD. When I did the Tinkerbell 10K in 2016, I woke up a little before 4, and was able to take my time walking to the start line. Then I got in line for the portapotties since that's my race morning routine. I didn't feel rushed or anything, and I didn't feel like I did too much walking to get to the start line. Certainly not the 2 miles the half marathoners and full marathoners have to do.

 

[fatmanatee]

Oh I hope your knee gets better! Thankfully, there's time for it to heal.

And good to know that 4am is still too early to get out for the races. I was assuming a 5 am start, like how they're doing it in Florida, now.

This made me realize that they haven't actually set a start time for these races. If I recall correctly both coasts had 5:30 start times at one point right? I was probably out the door a little after 4 when I was doing these, was driving over and had to deal with the parking garage lines. I can see RD being a bit more aggressive about telling people when they should be leaving their hotels or arriving though.

 

[nekonekoneko]

This made me realize that they haven't actually set a start time for these races. If I recall correctly both coasts had 5:30 start times at one point right? I was probably out the door a little after 4 when I was doing these, was driving over and had to deal with the parking garage lines. I can see RD being a bit more aggressive about telling people when they should be leaving their hotels or arriving though.

They used to be 5:30, then WDW changed just the marathon to 5:00. Then every race, at least for MW, is now a 5:00 start.

For the buses, the first day, I'd go to the bus depot at 3:00 to see how many buses were waiting for the 5k. If they had a whole bunch lined up, the next 3 days, we wouldn't get to the depot until 3:30. If the buses were sparse, 3:00 it is.

Driving, I try to target getting to the Epcot tollbooth by 3:30, and then relax in the car a little until moving on out.

RD is rather aggressive in getting everyone on to the first bus if they could. They just don't want people complaining that they missed the start because of a snag here or there.

 

[DopeyBadger]

Per this website's information (link) from the 2017 Disneyland Half weekend, they had switched all distances to a 5:00am start time. Doesn't mean it will be the same for 2024, but does show that they similarly changed like WDW did.

 

[rowan1813]

WAFDL: Maybe? I doubt any of the evening entertainment will have changed between now and race weekend so I will have seen the new WOC and the fireworks by then so maybe. My friend that I am racing with and staying with has little kids so we may go back early to her place.

Just so folks know, more than likely the fireworks will be projection only during the middle of the week and will only incorporate the fireworks into the show Fri-Sun. They try to keep the noise down during the middle of the week for the surrounding communities unless it's the summer or a vacation time (like spring break or Christmas week). Always check the entertainment schedule though to make certain.

 

[Let's Get Kronk]

WAFDL: I've only been to DL once (last month), and the entire trip was during the week with park days on Tues-Thurs so I didn't get to see Fantasmic! or any fireworks. So, I am definitely planning on trying to score a dining package for F! one of the nights and trying to see the fireworks a different night. I did the WOC dessert party last month and I highly recommend it. It was amazing to have a nice director's chair to sit in and snack on desserts and booze while watching the show in a premium spot. And since I was alone, they placed three other "singles" at my table and we were all best friends when the show ended. It was one of the highlights of my trip.

 

[pluto377]

WAFDL: Not sure about nighttime shows yet. I really haven't done any DL research yet. Count me in as a solid maybe

 

[DLFun]

My family is a go go go family, so we want to do things. Being holed up in a room with nothing planned is anathema to us.

The one thing we're seeing already is how close the hotels on Harbor are to the Esplanade, and if the start line is walking across The Esplanade through DTD, then we really don't need to be out of the hotel room until like 4am? That sounds like a dream compared to everyone traveling to Epcot at the same time.

I really want to try and see the nighttime shows. We leave the day after the half, so we'd have to try and shut down the park, and wake up crazy early the next morning.

Yes! I am with you, I usually open and close Disneyland! I am not sure which hotel you are staying at, but when I stay at a hotel on S. Harbor I usually just walk over to Disneyland and it's very easy. I have not been to Epcot to compare, but I don't imagine you needing to take a shuttle to the start line if you are staying on S. Harbor.

 

[luv2cheer92]

My family is a go go go family, so we want to do things. Being holed up in a room with nothing planned is anathema to us.

The one thing we're seeing already is how close the hotels on Harbor are to the Esplanade, and if the start line is walking across The Esplanade through DTD, then we really don't need to be out of the hotel room until like 4am? That sounds like a dream compared to everyone traveling to Epcot at the same time.

I really want to try and see the nighttime shows. We leave the day after the half, so we'd have to try and shut down the park, and wake up crazy early the next morning.

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.

 

[AmericanItGirl]

Would this be a good "celebration Sunday" event? Or would I be better off doing the DL fireworks that night? (assuming that Sunday night count as a weekend night?)

After 2 runs and (assuming) 2 full days in the park, you’ll probably be appreciative of the seats offered as part of the WOC dessert party. I cannot speak as to the viewing for dinner package options for the fireworks, but you will likely be standing for fireworks, so I personally would do that on Saturday.