Happy Haunted or Jungle Jingle?

[CoryBelle21]

Hi all,

I could use some help turning a major disappointment into an awesome adventure. Sorry for the long post.

My best friend and I decided to prepare for her May wedding by taking up running. As an incentive, we planned to go down and run the Disney Princess Half Marathon together as sort of a bachelorette celebration. We’ve been training since January with that goal in mind. However, when I reminded her that registration opens this week, she told me that she couldn’t really afford to go this year. She asked if I wouldn’t mind waiting another year so that we could run it for the first time together. I can’t blame her (weddings are expensive), but I was heartbroken.

After a couple hours of pouting, I decided that I still deserve a Disney vacation and I can afford it. I’ve always thought about taking a solo trip and it’s been years since I’ve been to the Food and Wine Festival. Here’s the perfect opportunity to do both while celebrating my late-October birthday. Then I noticed that the 5Ks that accompany both the Tower of Terror 10-Miler and the Wine and Dine Marathon still have space available. It would be nice not to put off my first Disney race for a full year and still allow the Princess to feel like a major accomplishment in 2015.

So, which race would you choose and why: the Happy Haunted Trail Run or the Jungle Jingle? Keep in mind that I’m a new runner, it will be my first Disney race, and I’ll be traveling solo for the first time. I’m planning to take a 9-10 day trip and want to experience the F&W Festival.

Here’s the list of pros I’ve come up with for both races:

Happy Haunted Trail Run
• Lower crowds, according to TouringPlans.com
• Costumes and villains
• I could put the race towards the beginning of my trip and pig out at the festival for the rest of the week.

Jungle Jingle
• Race through a park rather than through ESPN (is that accurate?)
• Not racing at night or on difficult terrain
• Christmas decorations might be up (which I’ve never seen)
• I could upgrade my 10-day tickets to an annual pass and use it on the F&W trip I’m planning to take with my dad next year.

Any thoughts or advice would be greatly appreciated.

 

[Syrreal]

I don't have any info about Haunted except that it is at ESPN instead of a park, but I did Jingle Jungle last year and might do it this year again. It was a really nice run and I enjoyed it. It's early in the morning and you have the whole day to play in the parks and hit food & wine. We ended up at the parks till 2 am the next morning (and were way slap happy by then LOL)!

 

[Ariel484]

I haven't done either race yet (signed up for Jingle Jungle right now) but personally I think I'd go with Jingle Jungle purely due to it being run through a park. Being able to upgrade your tickets to an AP that you can use later also seems like a huge bonus, and you'll still have the weekend to check out Food & Wine.

I'm not sure how many Christmas decorations will be up by then...I know a big draw of running the Wine & Dine Half is running through the Osborne lights, but I'm not sure if the rest of the parks will be totally decked out just yet.

Not a bad decision to have to make! Either way I'm sure you'll have a wonderful time.

 

[erinna]

I did both last year -- and 100% recommend Jungle Jingle over Haunted! Haunted is a trail run (sorta) so you're going on non-running surfaces. You're in ESPN (yawn!). There were very few photo stops (although the Haunted Mansion gravediggers were cool). I'm doing it again this year b/c I'll be down for ToT anyway, but I wouldn't be doing it otherwise.

As for Jungle Jingle: you're in Animal Kingdom. For me, that's second only to MK for fun parks to run. The characters have their holiday outfits on. (These pics make fun holiday facebook profile pics!). The road is better for running.

About the only clear "win" for Haunted was the medallion was cuter.

Hope this helps.

 

[JennyDrake]

I have not done the ESPN run, but have done 2 at AK and LOVED them.

P.S. I so understand the disappointment factor. ((hugs)) I did my first half ever last year at F&W and could not wait to go back and do it again this year, but in January I ruptured my Achilles and will not be cleared to even start running until August...so I signed up for the 5k instead! And a GF was going to do the 5K w/ me that is in conjunction w/ ToT 10 miler (I fantasized being able to do both), but she backed out. So chin up and lace up your shoes and have a great time!

 

[AThrillingChase]

I don't have a lot to add here and I am sure you made your decision by now, but, if it makes you feel better, I am also in a similar position!

I am also a new runner and decided a disney race would be my first as an incentive. I went back and forth between the haunted and jingle 5k's, but decided on the jingle jungle 5k so that I could check out food and wine. I am also going solo for the first time and have an AP (I went on a family trip earlier this year and want to go back for my bday next year, so I couldn't convince people to go that many times with me!). But I thought F&W was perfect for my first solo trip, since it eliminates a lot of the need to do TS meals. I saw that the WISH groups sometimes have meetups so that is what I am looking for now and how I came across this post! (if anyone can direct me btw that would be amazing because I am lost in the huge search results!)

If you haven't done it yet, my only tip would be if you decide to upgrade to AP, I don't think you can upgrade the discount rundisney tickets since they are specially priced. I am not 100% positive though so you may want to look into it. GL at whichever race you decided on!

 

[manhattan]

Originally I had thought about doing the Happy Haunt, but then realized it is the same weekend as a fundraising dinner that I am a host on. So I went to check out the Jungle Jingle - and its sold out????? I had wanted to volunteer at one of these events as well. Guess I have to replan my next trip.