Marathon Weekend 2022

[camaker]

Was coming on here right now to ask the same question. I am getting ready to book my flight in. The flight I was looking at has me arriving on that Wednesday at 1:30pm. It seems like that would be plenty of time to get over to the expo before 8pm. But with way things are going in the airline industry, kind of has me nervous coming in that same day. Wondering if I shouldn't try to fly out the night before.

They have put verbiage on the site strongly indicating that race morning pick up wouldn’t be available this year. It’s been available in the past, but was pretty widely abused. I wouldn’t suggest counting on it being available. I’ve gotten to the point that I fly in the day before I need to go to the expo, just to be safe. These races and trips are just too expensive for me to take the risk of missing out by cutting arrival too close.

For checking in for the run, is there anyway to designate someone to pick up your race bib for you? Or do you have to personally pick it up? I am running the Dopey and my wife the half marathon. She was hoping there was a way to designate me to pick up her stuff ahead of time.

This has always been a strict no since I’ve been doing RunDisney (2016). You have to pick up your own packet. The only exception being that parents/guardians can pick up packets for minors.

 

[NewYKRunner]

SAFD: Just go. Even if you don't feel like it, just go, just start, and most of the time you'll end up enjoying it. Some days you will finish and not get into it at all but those days are far and few between I find.

 

[GreatLakes]

For checking in for the run, is there anyway to designate someone to pick up your race bib for you? Or do you have to personally pick it up? I am running the Dopey and my wife the half marathon. She was hoping there was a way to designate me to pick up her stuff ahead of time.

As @camaker mentioned above this has always been a strict no and I don't see that changing.

 

[DanaVonSchweet]

I just saw that Epcot will be hosting an after hours post race party for Wine & Dine participants. It looks really fun! What are the chances they do this for marathon weekend?

 

[runningDisneygirl]

I just saw that Epcot will be hosting an after hours post race party for Wine & Dine participants. It looks really fun! What are the chances they do this for marathon weekend?

They always have that for Wine and Dine! Not a thing for Marathon weekend. Probably way too many people

 

[brent02139]

Was coming on here right now to ask the same question. I am getting ready to book my flight in. The flight I was looking at has me arriving on that Wednesday at 1:30pm. It seems like that would be plenty of time to get over to the expo before 8pm. But with way things are going in the airline industry, kind of has me nervous coming in that same day. Wondering if I shouldn't try to fly out the night before.

Just FYI, I've moved our flights back a day, and since our airline already has changed the flight times, it was no cost to move +/- 1 day. Now just for us to book an extra night at the hotel. In the end, we wanted this to be a good experience, it's my wife's first marathon, and wouldn't want anything to go wrong. And like you said, airlines are not stable right now, and it's not like it's solved within a week or month.

 

[Sara W]

Just FYI, I've moved our flights back a day, and since our airline already has changed the flight times, it was no cost to move +/- 1 day. Now just for us to book an extra night at the hotel. In the end, we wanted this to be a good experience, it's my wife's first marathon, and wouldn't want anything to go wrong. And like you said, airlines are not stable right now, and it's not like it's solved within a week or month.

I’d book that one night soon before Disney extends the block on 1 night bookings!

 

[rubybutt]

SAFD: Just go. Even if you don't feel like it, just go, just start, and most of the time you'll end up enjoying it. Some days you will finish and not get into it at all but those days are far and few between I find.

Oh to be like you.....

 

[PrincessV]

Question for my fellow slow runners out there: Do you use any nutrition other than standard gels/honey stingers/ etc when you are running FAR far? I am thinking through logistics for marathon day, and I feel like I may need something to eat by mile 19 or 20. So far, I've been ok with just my chews and whatnot, but I'm wondering if I just start trying out half a bagel or something like that.

Nope: gels only for me. I always eat breakfast an hour or more before a long run: toast w/ peanut butter and a banana. But only gels while running. I tried real food and it was a PITA to carry, and my stomach prefers gels.

 

[SheHulk]

Question for my fellow slow runners out there: Do you use any nutrition other than standard gels/honey stingers/ etc when you are running FAR far? I am thinking through logistics for marathon day, and I feel like I may need something to eat by mile 19 or 20. So far, I've been ok with just my chews and whatnot, but I'm wondering if I just start trying out half a bagel or something like that.

I asked a similar question in the Running Thread a few weeks back and got some good responses, if you want to look back. I've been experimenting with peanut butter filled pretzels in training. The benefit for me is that the salt encourages me to drink a little more, which I need encouragement doing.

 

[*DisneyDreamer]

Seeing the Wine and Dine course maps is making me excited for January! I’ll be really curious to see if they have to modify the course for the half. My sister sent me a tweet about construction on the overpass bridge the course usually goes over to get back to Epcot, from World Drive to Epcot Center Drive. I can’t find any info on how long that will be going on, so if it’s still under construction in January, I wonder how the half will get back to Epcot.

 

[The Expert]

Seeing the Wine and Dine course maps is making me excited for January! I’ll be really curious to see if they have to modify the course for the half. My sister sent me a tweet about construction on the overpass bridge the course usually goes over to get back to Epcot, from World Drive to Epcot Center Drive. I can’t find any info on how long that will be going on, so if it’s still under construction in January, I wonder how the half will get back to Epcot.

I'm here now and yes, the entire main parking entrance is closed off, and the detour is really confusing. I can't imagine they won't be done before holiday crowds hit.

 

[Herding_Cats]

Seeing the Wine and Dine course maps is making me excited for January!

SAME! It was really the motivational kick I needed to get back into training mode. And I really needed that kick.

 

[leaf44]

Do events ever reopen? I was going back and forth on doing the marathon and now I see I waited too long

 

[Baloo in MI]

Yes, at times they reopen for short periods. I would keep checking and often it is shared on here when people see it. Good luck!

 

[NewYKRunner]

Oh to be like you.....

Thanks to lots of support from my wife. She did the Dopey 2 years ago so I supported her as best I could for that and for previous runs she has done.

It looks like in 12 weeks it will be the 10k run day. It's crazy how fast it's coming.

 

[lhermiston]

Good morning, runDisney all-stars! We are 79 days away from the kickoff of Marathon Weekend!

It's shaping up to be a pretty nice day here in Iowa, but for this week's Sundays are for Disney I want to know what does your perfect day at Disney World look like? Assume park hopper if you'd like and that you've scored your ADRs. Maybe base it in reality somewhat, so you're probably not going to do ROTR eight times in a row or get the Keys of the Kingdom Tour led by Walt's cryogenically frozen head.

I think my perfect day would involve the half marathon in the morning, parking lot beers and heading back to POFQ to grab beignets for breakfast for my daughters and I. The four of us get ready to go and head to MK for the morning - Splash Mountain, Big Thunder, Haunted Mansion, 7DMT and Buzz Light year. Mid-morning snack is a giant cinnamon roll from Gaston's Tavern (my youngest's favorite). Maybe Splash and Big Thunder again before lunch at Columbia Harbour House.

After lunch we head back to the hotel for a couple hours at the pool. I swim a little and have a drink by the pool. Later in the afternoon, we go to Epcot where we ride SSE, Soarin' and Frozen and bum around the World Showcase (finding at least one snack) until it's time for dinner at Boma. We get there early to see the animals and then I stuff my face with seafood gumbo.

After dinner, it's back to MK. We snag a perfect spot in the hub for fireworks. I got grab some Sprites and a couple pretzels while we wait for the show to start. No one crowds us or sneaks in front of us at the last minute and I get a bunch of great shots with my camera.

Once the show is over and the crowd clears out, we just go our favorite rides as much as we can until it's almost park close. Then we grab a few dole whips, head to the hub, grab a bench and watch the Kiss Goodnight. Then we slowly make down Main Street and go rest up so we can do it again the next day.

Have a great week, everyone!

 

[Barca33Runner]

No one crowds us or sneaks in front of us

I thought we were supposed to base this somewhat in reality?

 

[Naomeri]

SAFD: I finish the half marathon (Princess, since that’s what I’m doing this season) upright and functional, and in a decent enough time that I could get a few photo ops along the way. Then I head back to the hotel for something breakfast-ish (which could be anything from pretzels and soda to a cupcake to Mickey waffles and bacon), a shower, and a short rest. Then it’s off to lunch at Beaches & Cream, followed by wandering around Animal Kingdom. I’d end the day with fireworks, probably at Epcot because it’s a lot easier to not have tall people in front of me there.

 

[Barca33Runner]

SAFD:

One of the reasons I love Disney is that a bad day at a Disney park is better than most days anywhere else. There are things I love to do in each of the parks and I can’t really jam all of them realistically into a single day without making it much more hectic than things need to be. Necessarily, one of the great things about a great day at WDW is doing things at my own pace.

Oddly, I love the rain. A nice 70-75 degree, overcast with occasional sprinkles/showers would be perfect. Nothing that would shut attractions down, but just the type of weather that could scare off the crowds a bit.

I would have very few musts. My preference would be for a day with extended hours where MK was remaining open for a few hours after fireworks. I usually like the one park, one day model. I could design a perfect day for myself around each of the parks, but I don’t think travel between the parks and the delays/stress associated would really fit into my idea of perfect.

So, I guess my one perfect day would be at MK. Arriving early, never rushing for anything, hitting all the attractions that I enjoy (so no Tomorrowland Speedway or Barnstormer), a cinnamon roll from Gaston’s, Peter Pan Float, Hand-dipped corn dog from Sleepy Hollow some point along the way, Festival of Fantasy (it, or a new parade, has to come back at some point, right? Right?), late lunch/early dinner at Crystal Palace (I’d need a proper meal, and this would be the best MK option for me), fireworks from the hub, and closing out the day riding for whatever time is remaining.

Hopefully, I’d have three more days afterward to have a similar time at each of the other parks.