Marathon Weekend 2023

[striker1064]

Lately it has been early to mid October.

I'm shooting for a late October marathon. Checks out.

 

[1lilspark]

5k Chip & dale
10k Horace & Clarabelle
Half Donald & daisy
Full Mickey & minnie
still call goofy “goofy” but add Pluto to key art medal
Same for adding snow to the design of dopey for a true pair theme

 

[BigEeyore]

SAFD: Planning on my 3rd Dopey because I'm a sucker for anniversary years! My 16 year old daughter wants to do the half with me, and I'm going to talk my 13 year old into doing the 5k with me. I will see if I can convince my husband to do the 10k with me.
Already booked a 1BR at AKL. Honestly I am kinda undecided about doing parks every day - I currently have an AP but it expires in September, and the way things have been I don't know that I will renew. I'm sure we will do some park time but not sure if that will be every day.

 

[Herding_Cats]

I'm shooting for a late October marathon. Checks out.

For the 2022 races it was that the race had to be run by 9/30 and time submitted by 10/12.

 

[Barca33Runner]

SAFD: I’m not sure whether and for what I’ll be looking to sign up. At some point I want to get my redemption for Dopey. I’ve even restarted my journal here in anticipation of preparing for and earning my registration.

But, I’m disenchanted with the state of the parks right now. This January was my least favorite trip in relation to the parks that I’ve ever done. They were crowded, Genie+ is bad, CMs are doing their best but they aren’t being put in a position to succeed, construction is moving at a snails pace, attractions are being closed for refurbishment or breaking down with alarming regularity. In short, there was less magic than ever before.

I know my sister will be signing up for Dopey to keep her perfect active. My niece and nephew are also excited about doing the 5k and 10k. So the likelihood is I’ll want to be down there and will probably run something (I feel marginally better about the races than the parks) but I’m not sure what.

 

[michigandergirl]

SAFD: I would love to run Dopey one more time, but there are so many things up in the air right now, I'm not feeling confident I can make MW 2023 work. Money has been tight the last couple of years due to home improvement projects, plus any spare money has been going toward a couple of upcoming trips I've been saving for years for (a family trip to Mexico and a 15 day trip to Europe with my oldest son). Due to those trips, plus wherever travel baseball takes us this year, I may not have much vacation time left to spare.

BUT don't count me out yet, we'll see how things shake out...

 

[fatmanatee]

SAFD: my brain says “absolutely not” but my heart says “eh… maybe?”. It’ll probably be a no for me since I’m running NYC in November. I do want to get back and run something again (not sure if it’ll be Dopey and there’s my brain saying no again), preferably with things being more normal than they were for 2022. Good chance for 2024, we'll see.

Anyway, more than likely I'll be spectating 2023 from here.

 

[sandam1]

But, I’m disenchanted with the state of the parks right now. This January was my least favorite trip in relation to the parks that I’ve ever done. They were crowded, Genie+ is bad, CMs are doing their best but they aren’t being put in a position to succeed, construction is moving at a snails pace, attractions are being closed for refurbishment or breaking down with alarming regularity. In short, there was less magic than ever before.

Have you ever thought about doing Universal instead? It might be the more relaxed change of pace that you are looking for.

This past January, it was very freeing to be able to say "hey, we're going to the parks for a couple of hours" and, when my energy started lagging, pulling the plug on the rest of the day to head back to the hotel. No ADRs or LLs to worry about. Because we had bought annual passes for the same cost as 3-day tickets, I had no problem on our arrival day (Wednesday) just heading to the parks to get a quick dinner and catch the night. We did a lot less park time over the course of the race weekend than I thought we were going to, but that was okay because we were able to hit the parks hard the following Monday and Tuesday.

Plus Universal is undeniably cheaper than Disney - both in ticket prices and hotel costs - particularly over a longer trip.

Just something to think about...

 

[BikeFan]

SAFD: I'm running Dopey again. Always Dopey. All the medals, all the races, all the miles! I love it. I wish there were more of these sorts of multi-race, multi-day challenges in running. We've already booked OKW, and waiting to see who from our family and running club will be joining us.

But, I’m disenchanted with the state of the parks right now. This January was my least favorite trip in relation to the parks that I’ve ever done. They were crowded, Genie+ is bad, CMs are doing their best but they aren’t being put in a position to succeed, construction is moving at a snails pace, attractions are being closed for refurbishment or breaking down with alarming regularity. In short, there was less magic than ever before.

This past Marathon Weekend (2022), we did the races and no parks, mostly for the reasons you cited. This is the second time, out of five marathon trips, we've skipped the parks. Looking back, it was still a great trip. We hung out at the resort, resort-hopped to a few others, met up with friends, and generally had a nice, relaxing time. Not going to the parks really didn't hurt the whole experience at all. If you're not enjoying the parks now, maybe that might work for you? Plus, with what tickets cost these days, that's another expense to save.

 

[GreatLakes]

I think they'd have a full-fledged riot on their hand if they departed entirely from the Fab 5 as the basis for Marathon Weekend. Other than shuffling around the Fab 5s race assignments to accommodate Oswald's introduction, they've been very consistent with the theming. At least since I started in 2016, that is. I'd just prefer to see them throw an acorn to Chip & Dale and let them host instead of Oswald. They sort of got a chance with the ill-fated marathon relay, but they need a chance to host their own race! Find somebody suitably classic to pair with Pluto and all the races could go dual-host!

5k: Pluto + ???
10k: Chip & Dale
1/2: Donald & Daisy
Full: Mickey & Minnie

I wouldn't worry too much about the W&D theme weirdness spilling over to Marathon Weekend. Wine & Dine has a pretty robust history of inconsistent and hit/miss themes. They just missed this year from a coherence standpoint.

Ah, the good old marathon relay. I really would like to see that again but I think adding Dopey pretty much killed that dream. I suspect it was added to increase the number of people running the full and I would bet Dopey accomplishes that instead. Same thing for the free park day for people running the full. It was tried one year and never again.

I rarely pay attention too closely to the 5K and 10K for marathon weekend but don't those often change mascots? The half, full, Goofy, and Dopey are all pretty much set with their mascots.

 

[JAMIESMITH]

SAFD: I'm following this thread )and all the other race threads) despite having no immediate plans to visit WDW. I want to run my first Disney race in the next few years, but I'm honestly eyeing Marathon Weekend 2025. My little family will hopefully be in a better position to travel by then.

 

[camaker]

I rarely pay attention too closely to the 5K and 10K for marathon weekend but don't those often change mascots? The half, full, Goofy, and Dopey are all pretty much set with their mascots.

The 5k and 10k were repped exclusively by Pluto and Minnie, respectively, until Oswald nosed his way in first supplanting Pluto in 2019 before kicking Minnie upstairs to share marathon duty with Mickey from 2020 until now. Here are the specifics:

Year 5k 10k
2014 Pluto Minnie
2015 Pluto Minnie
2016 Pluto Minnie
2017 Pluto Minnie
2018 Pluto Minnie (Mickey was also on both)
2019 Oswald Minnie
2020 Pluto Oswald
2021 Pluto Oswald
2022 Pluto Oswald

 

[gosalyn_mallard]

I'd just prefer to see them throw an acorn to Chip & Dale and let them host instead of Oswald.

If Chip & Dale host a race, I will need to revise my SAFD answer! Couldn't miss that!

 

[gosalyn_mallard]

I wish there were more of these sorts of multi-race, multi-day challenges in running.

There's something about the multi-day challenges that I love too! I've done a Vacation Races challenge and have my eye on Lake Tahoe Trifecta, Gasparilla, and Flying Pig.

None of them are Disney though!

 

[1lilspark]

There's something about the multi-day challenges that I love too! I've done a Vacation Races challenge and have my eye on Lake Tahoe Trifecta, Gasparilla, and Flying Pig.

None of them are Disney though!

Gasparilla is fun…
I’ve done the 5k 4 years
The 15K/8K challenge 2 years (3 if you count last year’s virtual)
And my first half at this years

next year I’ll either try the half again or do the 15K/8K again unless I can coax a friend to run and if so might just be the 5K/8K challenge

 

[Princess KP]

SAFD: Planning on Goofy or Dopey (probably Dopey lol) and of course, DATW. I'll be staying at Boardwalk.

 

[DisneyMountainWoman]

SAFD

Good Morning runDisney All-Stars! It is Sunday, time for Sunday’s Are For Disney. Today’s question: Now that we have a date for Marathon Weekend registration, share what your plans are - what races do you plan to register for, where are you staying, going to be a big trip with family, a solo trip, going to parks/no parks, etc.

I am going to do my first Marathon. I am going with my mom as my cheering squad. My husband and son are staying home. We are dvc so already have book 1 bed room Club Level at AKL. Friday flying in doing Expo (what little will be left, this is the part I am most worried about.) Saturday chill day, disney springs and pool day at the resort. Then sunday run and park day at Magic Kingdom for photos. Then flying back Monday.

 

[DisneyMountainWoman]

Ohh also just finished the fairytale challenge and I am now even more excited to try my first marathon at disney!! I got the bug.

 

[kps7795]

Ohh also just finished the fairytale challenge and I am now even more excited to try my first marathon at disney!! I got the bug.

It was so much fun. I definitely empathize with having caught the bug. My daughter and I are running in the Tower of Terror Ten Miler and she already wants to do the HM next year. The bug bit me hard as I'm planning on signing up for the Goofy Challenge next January.

 

[lookingforsunshine]

I had a nightmare last night that I was trying to register for Dopey and the website had a thousand problems lol. The stress begins.