Marathon Weekend 2017!

[lhermiston]

I'm booking Ohana for my post-marathon celebration on Thursday. Otherwise, I'm doing all QS (What's up, Columbia Harbor House?).

 

[Ariel484]

NEVER!!!!!

PS - when are we meeting for a drink at Trader Sam's???

I don't know yet, but that is definitely happening.

 

[Keels]

I don't know yet, but that is definitely happening.

"UH-OA ... UH-OA ... UH-OA-OA-OA"!!

 

[MeridaAndAngus]

Hi, everyone! Haven't been on the boards much in the last few weeks, but wanted to share some exciting news: I PR'ed my half marathon this past weekend! I managed to knock 6 minutes off my last half marathon PR from a year ago. I'm still a back-of-the-pack runner, but breaking 3 hours for my half marathon time was a big accomplishment for me. Honestly, the best part is knowing I have an updated proof of time to submit for the Goofy Challenge!

 

[Barca33Runner]

Hi, everyone! Haven't been on the boards much in the last few weeks, but wanted to share some exciting news: I PR'ed my half marathon this past weekend! I managed to knock 6 minutes off my last half marathon PR from a year ago. I'm still a back-of-the-pack runner, but breaking 3 hours for my half marathon time was a big accomplishment for me. Honestly, the best part is knowing I have an updated proof of time to submit for the Goofy Challenge!

Congrats on the PR. My first thoughts after hitting a PR are excitement about being able to update POT for Marathon Weekend so I can definitely relate.

 

[FFigawi]

I don't know yet, but that is definitely happening.

Why not meet every day for happy hour?

 

[Keels]

Why not meet every day for happy hour?

Well, I thought that was OUR plan!

 

[FFigawi]

Well, I thought that was OUR plan!

Of course it is! Unlike you, though, I've never met @Ariel484 and figured a good time to do so is over a tiki drink or three.

 

[croach]

This will be a first for me at Il Mulino (which is a big deal since I've been pretty much everywhere at least once) - but it works out best for our large party that won't all be going in to the parks that day, but they can still join us for dinner. The family style menu looked appealing.

I think I'm going to try Il Mulino for the first time too. Need a place to get some carbs and always good to try somewhere new.

Why not meet every day for happy hour?

Think I might try to hit it up on Wednesday night. I'm hooing to get off the plane, hit the expo, go to Sanaa, and then maybe throw in a drink or two at Trader Sams(staying at Poly so we'll see). Honestly I'm looking at park days and seeing where I can get drinks - Nomads has definitely gone on the list.

 

[croach]

Hi, everyone! Haven't been on the boards much in the last few weeks, but wanted to share some exciting news: I PR'ed my half marathon this past weekend! I managed to knock 6 minutes off my last half marathon PR from a year ago. I'm still a back-of-the-pack runner, but breaking 3 hours for my half marathon time was a big accomplishment for me. Honestly, the best part is knowing I have an updated proof of time to submit for the Goofy Challenge!

Congratulations!! That's awesome! And of course POT update is the most important.

 

[Ariel484]

Why not meet every day for happy hour?

Because I, sir, am a lightweight!

Of course it is! Unlike you, though, I've never met @Ariel484 and figured a good time to do so is over a tiki drink or three.

This can be fixed!

 

[Ariel484]

@croach SANAAAAAA YESSSSSS I want to go right now!!

 

[cavepig]

I'm booking Ohana for my post-marathon celebration on Thursday. Otherwise, I'm doing all QS (What's up, Columbia Harbor House?).

As for doing all QS, I recommend avoiding Pecos Bills, especially before any race...It was the cause of my food illness after the half before the marathon for me this past Jan, basically ruined my marathon. I recommend avoiding all those lovely condiment bars before races now as that was most likely the culprit. We do all QS too, it's not something I ever worried/thought about until this past January...so yeah just a warning that I like to put out all the time now so no one else hopefully suffers

 

[croach]

@croach SANAAAAAA YESSSSSS I want to go right now!!

I think it's really my only must do meal. Ok well I really want to get ice cream in France but that's not a meal.

 

[Ariel484]

I think it's really my only must do meal. Ok well I really want to get ice cream in France but that's not a meal.

Ice cream is a meal. Okay, not really, but yum.

 

[Barca33Runner]

I am still trying to get a handle on my group's trip for Marathon Weekend next year and kind of analyzing our park options since our window for booking ADR's is opening. We are going to be in Orlando from Wednesday, Dec. 28th-Monday Jan 9th. We won't be doing any parks on arrival or departure day and have crossed off Friday-Sunday, Dec. 30th-Jan. 1st, because the combination of weekend and Holiday seem like they will create nightmare crowds. Realistically, I know that we can't expect anything other than large crowds during the entirety of our stay but I am wondering whether any of the days offer any hope for being at least a little better than others. Specifically, does anyone have any opinions on whether Thurs., Dec 29th or Monday, Jan 2nd will offer much relief vs. the weekend crowds or should we expect the crowds to be almost/just as bad.

I am asking from the perspective of a group of non-AP holders who will be looking to purchase tickets before we get down to Disney in an attempt to minimize some cost. Thanks for any help!

 

[Ariel484]

I am still trying to get a handle on my group's trip for Marathon Weekend next year and kind of analyzing our park options since our window for booking ADR's is opening. We are going to be in Orlando from Wednesday, Dec. 28th-Monday Jan 9th. We won't be doing any parks on arrival or departure day and have crossed off Friday-Sunday, Dec. 30th-Jan. 1st, because the combination of weekend and Holiday seem like they will create nightmare crowds. Realistically, I know that we can't expect anything other than large crowds during the entirety of our stay but I am wondering whether any of the days offer any hope for being at least a little better than others. Specifically, does anyone have any opinions on whether Thurs., Dec 29th or Monday, Jan 2nd will offer much relief vs. the weekend crowds or should we expect the crowds to be almost/just as bad.

I am asking from the perspective of a group of non-AP holders who will be looking to purchase tickets before we get down to Disney in an attempt to minimize some cost. Thanks for any help!

I'd highly recommend skipping the Magic Kingdom until at least January 2. Epcot is bigger and can handle the crowds a little better. Our pick for New Year's Eve was DHS and that wasn't bad at all - Animal Kingdom wasn't bad either.

You already know this, but making ADRs and FP+, and getting up early, helps TREMENDOUSLY.

 

[Barca33Runner]

I'd highly recommend skipping the Magic Kingdom until at least January 2. Epcot is bigger and can handle the crowds a little better. Our pick for New Year's Eve was DHS and that wasn't bad at all - Animal Kingdom wasn't bad either.

You already know this, but making ADRs and FP+, and getting up early, helps TREMENDOUSLY.

I'm aware of this and about half of my group is aware of this, but the other half...

At this point I know how many from the group will be there total, but because we are renting a house (rather than hotel rooms) we don't necessarily need an exact head count each night and there are a couple factions who between school and work are still determining exactly which days they will be in Orlando. I am trying to put together a bit of a snapshot for them with ticket pricing, character dining ADR realities, crowd issues, etc. to try to motivate them to figure some things out. I'm pretty flexible on everything and will be fine going to the parks anywhere from 0 times (which would be kind of a bummer) to every day (which would probably feel like a bit of overkill and definitely would on my wallet), I'm just trying to get some of my group who isn't as flexible to realize they are going to have to start making some decisions. Realistically, the character dining ADRs are probably the only decisions that might be a bit pressing at this time, but they need the rest of the info to make decisions on which days they might want to do ADRs. It's a super fun cluster-bleep of decision-making.

 

[Ariel484]

I'm aware of this and about half of my group is aware of this, but the other half...

At this point I know how many from the group will be there total, but because we are renting a house (rather than hotel rooms) we don't necessarily need an exact head count each night and there are a couple factions who between school and work are still determining exactly which days they will be in Orlando. I am trying to put together a bit of a snapshot for them with ticket pricing, character dining ADR realities, crowd issues, etc. to try to motivate them to figure some things out. I'm pretty flexible on everything and will be fine going to the parks anywhere from 0 times (which would be kind of a bummer) to every day (which would probably feel like a bit of overkill and definitely would on my wallet), I'm just trying to get some of my group who isn't as flexible to realize they are going to have to start making some decisions. Realistically, the character dining ADRs are probably the only decisions that might be a bit pressing at this time, but they need the rest of the info to make decisions on which days they might want to do ADRs. It's a super fun cluster-bleep of decision-making.

You can show them these pictures (I think I already posted them here but I'm too lazy to look) to highlight the importance of planning...

December 30...Epcot and MK. these are the only crowd shots I have.

 

[Prncspam]

I'm aware of this and about half of my group is aware of this, but the other half...

At this point I know how many from the group will be there total, but because we are renting a house (rather than hotel rooms) we don't necessarily need an exact head count each night and there are a couple factions who between school and work are still determining exactly which days they will be in Orlando. I am trying to put together a bit of a snapshot for them with ticket pricing, character dining ADR realities, crowd issues, etc. to try to motivate them to figure some things out. I'm pretty flexible on everything and will be fine going to the parks anywhere from 0 times (which would be kind of a bummer) to every day (which would probably feel like a bit of overkill and definitely would on my wallet), I'm just trying to get some of my group who isn't as flexible to realize they are going to have to start making some decisions. Realistically, the character dining ADRs are probably the only decisions that might be a bit pressing at this time, but they need the rest of the info to make decisions on which days they might want to do ADRs. It's a super fun cluster-bleep of decision-making.

I have a Mickey Mouse PowerPoint template you can use should you want to make a presentation for your group