Food & Wine Festival Questions

[DisneyDreamers2007]

I'm so excitedjust registered for my first Disney run Food&Wine Half Marathon!! My husband's going to do the run with me (this will be his first race EVER) so that makes it even more amazing I have a few questions and hoping someone could help me!

1) What is the Expo/After Party is like? At other race EXPOs and after parties there has always been lots of free swag and vendors, will this be the same?

2) I read something about the Osborne Lights being on last year during the run. Might not be the same this year, but anyone run last year that can confirm this?

3) Since it's a night run, how would/did you fuel or carbo load for the race?

4) Is there a Wine&Dine Half Marathon Disboard thread?

THANK YOU so much for any help in answering these questions

 

[momhmmx2]

Yay for you and your dh signing up for the F&W

Here is the disboard Link: http://www.disboards.com/showthread.php?t=2654069

There is an expo that starts on Friday and continues through Saturday with lots of vendors.

As far as the after party goes it is at EPCOT at the Food and Wine festival all the different country booths were open for tastings and beverages. This year there are supposed to be some rides open because last year it was just the WS and it was SOOO crowded Some people were never able to get their tastings or drinks due to the long lines. Disney sold so many tickets to the "exclusive" after party making it very difficult to even walk in parts of the WS. This year they say they are limiting the number of extra tickets to be sold and by opening some of the rides this hopefully will help with the crowds.

Not sure about Osbourne as I ran the relay last year and ran the first leg though AK

 

[donmil723]

Yes, the Osborne lights were on when we ran through DHS. I don't think all of them were up yet but enough to make it pretty awesome.

I ate a regular breakfast and lunch and then had a turkey sandwich in our room about 5 p.m. I felt a little hungry before the race. Next year, I'll probably bring an energy bar or some peanut butter and crackers to munch on around 8 p.m. and I used the GU gel throughout the race as well as the water/powerade provided.

Enjoy your race with your DH. My DH and I did the WDW Half in January together. It was an AWESOME experience to do it together even though his knee started to hurt about mile 6 and we had to walk from mile 7 on.

 

[runner_princess]

I did it last years as well, as my first half. The Osborne lights were the highlight of the course for me - especially since it seemed like we were in HS forever! Hopefully, the planned changes will help the flow of the afterparty - it was supercrowded with nothing to do but eat and drink.

 

[Joolish1313]

Thank you all for posting this. I was wondering the same thing!

 

[stampingoddess]

Have to agree with the others in hoping that the planned changes to the afterparty help. Last year I couldn't move it was so crowded. If Disney hadn't started sending waiters around with trays of beer I wouldn't have been able to use my coupons because the lines elsewhere we ridiculous! Luckily the nice waiter let me use BOTH my food ticket and my drink ticket for beer!

I'm passing on this race until they work more of the kinks out. Maybe I'll try again for the 5th anniversary.

 

[DisneyDreamers2007]

THANK YOU so much for answering my questions!! I hope they have the Osborne lights on again this year, that sounds amazing!! Good to know about the after-party too, sounds like they made some changes after problems last year hopefully this year will be much better. So excited about running with my DH this year & I so appreciate the Disboard community for giving me all the important details/encouragement!!