Official 2016 Princess Half Marathon Thread

[Ariel484]

Spotted in this month's Runner's World magazine...

 

[Keels]

So, I went through a TA to get my GSC bib which means a 2-night minimum hotel stay. I don't need this, obviously, since I stay with family in Florida about 2 miles from Downtown Disney.

One of my closest friends is planning to register for the Half on general registration day - she wants her daughter to see her finish a half marathon (she used to run A LOT) and know that at one point, her mom was an athlete. Her and her daughter were planning to stay with me at my parents' house, but my family and I are planning to pay for the hotel room (and park tickets) in their name as a gift. This will be their first trip to WDW together EVER, and I want to make sure they get the full experience. It's been a rough couple of months for the two of them and the only thing my friend has really brightened up about is the thought of taking her daughter to WDW for the first time, meeting the Princesses and the whole thing. Her daughter has even offered her all of her Princess dresses if she needs them for the run. How sweet is that??

Since I have to go with a hotel, DVC is out. Because of distance to the parks (they're just in town for a long weekend - late Thursday night to early Tuesday morning, with the mom running the Half), I'm hesitant to book a Value resort. On the flip side, I don't have a really big money tree growing in my backyard, so I'm pretty much ruling out a Monorail resort.

Her daughter is headed to 1st Grade in the fall. She LOVES swimming, splash pads and the like. She also feels uncomfortable in "fancy" hotels (think Marriott or Hilton), where the room feels like "business. Like you should be at work!". I take that to mean, she likes a sofa vs. a desk in a room - and maybe even a patio or balcony.

Since I haven't stayed on-property since I stopped working for Disney in, oh, 2002 ... I know a lot of things have changed.

Transportation won't be an issue for race morning - my Mom and I will (both) be driving to the hotel, I'll pick up my friend and we'll drive to race parking. My Mom will stay with V, get her breakfast and then they'll come meet us at the finish line.

Hotel help, please?

 

[BriarRose59]

My daughters have stayed at both Pop Century and the Art of Animation and liked them both. We have DVC so when I'm there we stay at a DVC resort.

 

[kwelch10377]

Woohoo all set with registering today with a TA for the GSC. I got the 2nd to last bib. The first TA I talked was sold out of GSC, Half and 5k, only had 10k left but i reached out to a few more and they all had bibs left. So glad I decided to use a TA and don't have to worry that the Princess could end up registration for the WD.

 

[AmyLyn]

So, I went through a TA to get my GSC bib which means a 2-night minimum hotel stay. I don't need this, obviously, since I stay with family in Florida about 2 miles from Downtown Disney.

One of my closest friends is planning to register for the Half on general registration day - she wants her daughter to see her finish a half marathon (she used to run A LOT) and know that at one point, her mom was an athlete. Her and her daughter were planning to stay with me at my parents' house, but my family and I are planning to pay for the hotel room (and park tickets) in their name as a gift. This will be their first trip to WDW together EVER, and I want to make sure they get the full experience. It's been a rough couple of months for the two of them and the only thing my friend has really brightened up about is the thought of taking her daughter to WDW for the first time, meeting the Princesses and the whole thing. Her daughter has even offered her all of her Princess dresses if she needs them for the run. How sweet is that??

Since I have to go with a hotel, DVC is out. Because of distance to the parks (they're just in town for a long weekend - late Thursday night to early Tuesday morning, with the mom running the Half), I'm hesitant to book a Value resort. On the flip side, I don't have a really big money tree growing in my backyard, so I'm pretty much ruling out a Monorail resort.

Her daughter is headed to 1st Grade in the fall. She LOVES swimming, splash pads and the like. She also feels uncomfortable in "fancy" hotels (think Marriott or Hilton), where the room feels like "business. Like you should be at work!". I take that to mean, she likes a sofa vs. a desk in a room - and maybe even a patio or balcony.

Since I haven't stayed on-property since I stopped working for Disney in, oh, 2002 ... I know a lot of things have changed.

Transportation won't be an issue for race morning - my Mom and I will (both) be driving to the hotel, I'll pick up my friend and we'll drive to race parking. My Mom will stay with V, get her breakfast and then they'll come meet us at the finish line.

Hotel help, please?

Art of Animation is actually really nice for a value resort, but the mermaid rooms are small and the suites cost more than a moderate. Port Orleans Riverside Royal Guest Rooms would be my suggestion, based on the age of the little girl and the fact that the mom may be uncomfortable in a "fancy" deluxe hotel.

 

[Keels]

Art of Animation is actually really nice for a value resort, but the mermaid rooms are small and the suites cost more than a moderate. Port Orleans Riverside Royal Guest Rooms would be my suggestion, based on the age of the little girl and the fact that the mom may be uncomfortable in a "fancy" deluxe hotel.

OH. It's not the Mom (We'll call her J) that's uncomfortable in a "fancy" hotel - that's what she would prefer! Her Daughter (we'll call her V) is not a fan of "fancy" hotels.

 

[Ariel484]

If money were no object I'd say Yacht or Beach Club - best pool on property and a great location.

Port Orleans French Quarter or Riverside are great choices. And AoA and Pop...so basically what everyone else already said.

That's really nice of you to do for your friend.

 

[Keels]

If money were no object I'd say Yacht or Beach Club - best pool on property and a great location.

Port Orleans French Quarter or Riverside are great choices. And AoA and Pop...so basically what everyone else already said.

That's really nice of you to do for your friend.

OK. I was already thinking MAYBE Yacht Club - can you access the Beach Club pool if you stay at Yacht?

But then, they won't be visiting Animal Kingdom ... what about AKL?

I'd also like them to be close to MK, where we'll spend most of our time ... what about Wilderness Lodge?

Port Orleans and Coronado Springs are also on the list.

YC/BC, I will have to pay full rate - but the others I've mentioned, I can get discounted.

 

[drlaurafsu]

Riverside has a nice pool, royal rooms are fun too. We stay at riverside for longer trips and pop for busy short trips where we aren't spending much time at the resort. Food court at riverside is good.

I've stayed at some of the deluxe and they are great, but unless you think they are going to spend lots of time at the resort...it's really not worth it. If it's her daughters first time at Disney then I doubt they will spend much time at the resort. Maybe take the savings and do tea at GF for her as a break from MK one of the days.

 

[Ariel484]

OK. I was already thinking MAYBE Yacht Club - can you access the Beach Club pool if you stay at Yacht?

But then, they won't be visiting Animal Kingdom ... what about AKL?

I'd also like them to be close to MK, where we'll spend most of our time ... what about Wilderness Lodge?

Port Orleans and Coronado Springs are also on the list.

YC/BC, I will have to pay full rate - but the others I've mentioned, I can get discounted.

I love all of those resorts...so I'm no help.

But I can tell you that Yacht & Beach share a pool. Best location IMO because you can walk to Epcot and DHS.

Wilderness Lodge has a boat to MK, which is nice.

AKL is my favorite resort. Beautiful, unique and secluded - but you're dependent on buses to get everywhere, but you will have a car...

Love both Port Orleans and Coronado. Coronado is a conference resort so it's big and spread out, so make sure to request a building near the lobby.

That's all I got for now...

 

[Keels]

She wants to do ALL things Princess, so that means BBB, CRT, Akershus ... you name it. Thankfully, she's not super crazy about Frozen and prefers the "Original Girls".

I'm also super excited because this will be her first real theme park (she's tall enough for ALL the mountains!) and she's really big into musicals, so she'll just LOVE the stage shows (Beauty & the Beast, Little Mermaid ... and hopefully we can hop over for Festival of the Lion King, but AK isn't on the schedule right now) as well as the parades. We're even thinking of taking her to the luau at the Polynesian one night, if the schedule works.

This little lady (and her Mom) are such important parts of my life, I want to make sure this experience is the best!

I really wish I could justify GF, but I know V just wouldn't really enjoy it.

 

[Ariel484]

"All things princess" makes me think @AmyLyn hit the mark in suggesting the Royal Rooms at Riverside. I stayed there in November - Princess details galore. I'm not super into princesses but it was pretty cool.

 

[Ariel484]

Of course somehow I have no pictures of the room. But there are things throughout that the princesses have supposedly left behind...it's cool to spot the details. Disney did a great job with those rooms.

 

[AmyLyn]

OH. It's not the Mom (We'll call her J) that's uncomfortable in a "fancy" hotel - that's what she would prefer! Her Daughter (we'll call her V) is not a fan of "fancy" hotels.

oh! HAHA!! Well, in that case, I'd say either POR royal rooms, yacht club or AKL with a Savannah view! I think they'd be thrilled with any of them. I still think the little one would like the royal rooms the best

 

[Keels]

O.
M.
G.

@AmyLyn ... you are my hero. I just looked at the room photos for the Royal Rooms at Riverside. They're probably a little bigger than they need, but it's freaking perfect. V is going to go crazy! And her Mom will feel like the accommodations are top-notch.

 

[AmyLyn]

O.
M.
G.

@AmyLyn ... you are my hero. I just looked at the room photos for the Royal Rooms at Riverside. They're probably a little bigger than they need, but it's freaking perfect. V is going to go crazy! And her Mom will feel like the accommodations are top-notch.

LOL! Glad I could help. That's my daughter's favorite and she is the same age as V.

 

[Keels]

Like. Seriously. She could think she's sleeping in the castle for all she knows!

How have I never seen these rooms before? They should cost like a million dollars a night!

 

[FFigawi]

Like. Seriously. She could think she's sleeping in the castle for all she knows!

How have I never seen these rooms before? They should cost like a million dollars a night!

Don't give Disney any ideas...

 

[Keels]

Don't give Disney any ideas...

I've been giving them ideas about the DLH medals for months and they haven't listened! Clearly, I'm not on their radar!

 

[bumbershoot]

Because of distance to the parks (they're just in town for a long weekend - late Thursday night to early Tuesday morning, with the mom running the Half), I'm hesitant to book a Value resort.

She LOVES swimming, splash pads and the like. She also feels uncomfortable in "fancy" hotels (think Marriott or Hilton), where the room feels like "business. Like you should be at work!". I take that to mean, she likes a sofa vs. a desk in a room - and maybe even a patio or balcony.

Transportation won't be an issue for race morning - my Mom and I will (both) be driving to the hotel, I'll pick up my friend and we'll drive to race parking. My Mom will stay with V, get her breakfast and then they'll come meet us at the finish line.

Hotel help, please?

Given what she likes I would go with AOA, actually. I didn't find the LM room to be much bigger than our Royal rooms that we've had twice. And it's bright and cheery with a good pool. But there's nothing wrong with the Royal room.

You sure you want to drive? I assume that means there are two cars, or is your mom taking the bus with V? If there are two cars (or if you're always driving in and picking them up) it means distance is pretty much irrelevant when it comes to choosing a resort. We almost exclusively drive to parks (even MK) and haven't found it to be a noticeable difference from our resort to any given park.