Input requested from recent CC 5k runners!

[Shir Kahn]

For anyone who has run the 5k at Castaway Cay recently, how early did you get off the ship? The first time I ran it back in 2015, we got off the ship early, ran the 5k and were walking back to the ship as everyone else got off. I've read reports that say that this no longer happens, because people were signing up for the 5k and then heading straight to the best spots on the beach instead. I've also read that they've been a bit disorganized with some runs, causing the runners to get off the ship well after everyone else. I want to do the 5k, but I'm worried about losing a large chunk of beach time. I only get 1 day of island time every few years, so I want to make the most of that! I was thinking about maybe signing up for the 5k and judging how fast things seem to be proceeding and just bowing out if it looks like it's going to take too long, but I was wanting to hear what other people have experienced recently!

 

[chiefdragon]

Following....interested in this as well.

 

[BlueRibbon]

I went on the Feb 25 Dream Cruise, and have to say that I was a bit disappointed with how late everything happened for the CC 5K. My last cruise was in 2011, and I remember being off the boat at 7:30, and back on before anyone had left the ship for CC.

This time however, we met in Evolution at 8am where there were about 200 people(the Princess half marathon was the previous weekend). Crowds, plus rain delayed the start by at least half an hour.

All said and done, my daughter and I were back at our stateroom at 10am, and the rest of our family had already gotten off the ship and were at Pelican Bay!!!

Given that I don't do this cruise often, the next time, I'll probably skip the 5k so I can spend more time with my family.

 

[FSU Girl]

I’ve never run it but DH does each sailing. This past sailing as different for him, normally he’d meet up on the ship and then they’d head to the race. This time the meeting spot was at the 5k start on the island. I believe he got to get off the ship slightly before the rest of the ship, but not by much. He was done and back on the ship before 10am

 

[TheSpooph]

Just for my own understanding, what time do you ‘normally’ get off the boat if you’re not a runner? Is it significantly before 10am?

 

[FSU Girl]

Just for my own understanding, what time do you ‘normally’ get off the boat if you’re not a runner? Is it significantly before 10am?

If you plan on walking? I think you’d be finishing the race after 10. DH runs pretty fast and he wasn’t done until probably a half hour before 10 or so. It would depend on your pace.

 

[TXAg83]

My DDs and I were going to run it in a couple weeks. But we have an excursion at 9:45. Doesn't sound like we'd make it. We are all runners, so we should be able to do it in less than 25 minutes, but we were thinking we'd be off the ship before 8.

 

[FSU Girl]

My DDs and I were going to run it in a couple weeks. But we have an excursion at 9:45. Doesn't sound like we'd make it. We are all runners, so we should be able to do it in less than 25 minutes, but we were thinking we'd be off the ship before 8.

We did an excursion at 11am and had plenty of time to make that, but I wouldn’t risk doing anything before that it would be cutting it close

 

[CM Dad]

If you want to do an early 5K on Castaway Cay, do one of the races at WDW Marathon weekend and then register for the Castaway Cay Challenge, https://www.rundisney.com/events/disneyworld/disneyworld-marathon-weekend/events/challenges/. You will get off the Dream while still dark. It will not be a free race, like every other 5K on CC. If you really want to, you can do the paid 5K race as well as the the free on on that day.

 

[bumbershoot]

The first time I ran it back in 2015, we got off the ship early, ran the 5k and were walking back to the ship as everyone else got off.

Fwiw even back then your experience didn’t always happen.

I did the 5k in 2013, 14, and 15. Since we had a double dip and four cruises total, I think I did it 5 times, but one of those was the paid one mentioned above.

The ONLY time we got off before others was the paid one. For all the others we were disembarking and walking to the start, along with non-participants starting their day.

 

[Shir Kahn]

Thanks for the info all!

 

[mycutiepatooties]

We met in the theatre as a huge group and listened to a cast member who talked about the course, water etc. then we were herded off the ship at the same time as other guests headed for the beach. It was chaotic and not well organized but the amazing medal made it worth it. This was last summer in June.

 

[Karin1984]

We met in the theatre as a huge group and listened to a cast member who talked about the course, water etc. then we were herded off the ship at the same time as other guests headed for the beach. It was chaotic and not well organized but the amazing medal made it worth it. This was last summer in June.

In what way disorganized? Last February it was very organized, in my opinion.
We met in Fathoms, where people got their bibs, got the explanation about the course, where can you get water, and before where to drop off your kids etc.
We went off the ship as a group and walked towards the start, dropped off the kids along the way. We had to wait 5-10 minutes before we could actually start as the CMs needed time to set up the water stand.
At the end there were CMs waiting with medals.

 

[Jess_S]

I just did this on the fantasy last week. We were let off the ship at 8:30 with everyone else- no special place to meet beforehand. You had to figure out on your own how to get to the starting line. I had asked at guest services and shared the tram info with other runners. There was no formal start time. You just started to run when you got to the starting line.

I would agree it is not organized, but I still enjoyed it. It was nice to see a bit of the island and I enjoyed meeting other runners on the tram over.

 

[lklgoodman]

I just did this on the fantasy last week. We were let off the ship at 8:30 with everyone else- no special place to meet beforehand. You had to figure out on your own how to get to the starting line. I had asked at guest services and shared the tram info with other runners. There was no formal start time. You just started to run when you got to the starting line.

I would agree it is not organized, but I still enjoyed it. It was nice to see a bit of the island and I enjoyed meeting other runners on the tram over.

This is how it was on our cruise this past January on the Fantasy.

 

[Karin1984]

Strange that it can differ per ship, I was on the Magic.

 

[ajo]

This is how it was on our cruise this past January on the Fantasy.

Same for us on the Fantasy. It appears they have a different procedure for that ship.

 

[lilmc]

I was on the Wonder after Thanksgiving and we had a huge number of runners. One of the CM commented, “We have twice as many people on the Dream and we never run with this many. What is up with this group?” It took a long time to get off the ship after meeting in Azure. We were likely just minutes before everyone else or slightly simultaneous. Then it was just how fast you ran until we were on the beach. I brought my beach stuff with me and just changed in the restrooms. Why go back to the ship to shower when I’m just getting into salt water and sitting on sand?

 

[bumbershoot]

Why go back to the ship to shower when I’m just getting into salt water and sitting on sand?

I’ve gone back, I’ve rinsed off and changed at our cabana, and I’ve rinsed off and changed in the public restroom.

I prefer going back to the ship.

I sweat a lot. I don’t run in a swimsuit. I have to wear sunscreen. Changing and sunscreening the parts covered by running clothes isn’t easy for me giving the heat and sweat levels lol.

It feels far more luxurious to go back to the room and properly shower, dry, sunscreen, and dress for the beach. And my son and then-husband stayed on the ship for the 5k anyway (my son ran it on the cabana trip so it was just a matter of meeting the husband at the finish), so I gathered them together as well.

And frankly getting everything and everyone all ready for the day ahead of time was exhausting. And the way it worked with us is that I would, in fact, be doing all the prep work for them or it wouldn’t get done.

Easier for me to just let them work it out in real time once they woke up.

 

[mycutiepatooties]

We were on the Fantasy too. Only one screen in the main theatre worked so half of the audience in the couldn't see the course map well. The cast members said they didn't have enough cups so to hold your paper cup and run with it the entire time. Then the water jugs along the course (which you had to stop and tip forward while holding the button in and it slowly dribbled out) were empty by the time you got to the end of the course. There was really no start whistle...you just begin to run once you get to the start. At the end, there was no clock, finish line hooray or anything. Just grab a medal from a cast member and make your way out of the massive crowd. No one knew where to go or where the start/finish really was. We go to A LOT of races and this was the most disorganized one I've ever been to. Running while holding your cup was the worst! I wrote to Disney about this because it just doesn't live up to their standards and they do races so they know how to host them.