Official 2016 Princess Half Marathon Thread

Anyone know if I order commerative Items during the presale and don't like it or (most likely) doesn't fit (can't fit a 2x now so I'm just hopeful thinking... Can I return it?
 
Anyone know if I order commerative Items during the presale and don't like it or (most likely) doesn't fit (can't fit a 2x now so I'm just hopeful thinking... Can I return it?
I have heard that you can return stuff, yes. Make sure you bring a printout of your payment information.
 
I priced out rooms this week. Last year I booked two rooms at Pop for 4 of us and then added the AP discount when it was released. I think that the rooms ended up $550 each, roughly. We are adding a night this year and there are three of us instead of 4. One room at Pop is $1100. Yikes!

We really loved Pop last year, but I decided to just book OKW with my DVC points. One room (2 queen beds and a kitchenette) was only 80 points. Seems like a steal compared to the value rooms.

It would be nicer to have the second room, but since its just me my DD and DM I think we can make do.

I am a bit worried about convenience of traveling from OKW. Anyone have any experience of being there for race days? or for getting to the Expo? I'm wondering if it might be worth it to rent a car? Not for getting to the races, but to the expo and parks and DTD.
 


I priced out rooms this week. Last year I booked two rooms at Pop for 4 of us and then added the AP discount when it was released. I think that the rooms ended up $550 each, roughly. We are adding a night this year and there are three of us instead of 4. One room at Pop is $1100. Yikes!

We really loved Pop last year, but I decided to just book OKW with my DVC points. One room (2 queen beds and a kitchenette) was only 80 points. Seems like a steal compared to the value rooms.

It would be nicer to have the second room, but since its just me my DD and DM I think we can make do.

I am a bit worried about convenience of traveling from OKW. Anyone have any experience of being there for race days? or for getting to the Expo? I'm wondering if it might be worth it to rent a car? Not for getting to the races, but to the expo and parks and DTD.

That's why we are booked at Shades of Green! The price at the value was more than I wanted to pay. I'm hoping that the military discount for 2016 will be released soon so maybe I can get a Disney resort for close to what I'm paying at SoG.
 
I am a bit worried about convenience of traveling from OKW. Anyone have any experience of being there for race days? or for getting to the Expo? I'm wondering if it might be worth it to rent a car? Not for getting to the races, but to the expo and parks and DTD.

Don't drive to the expo. Parking can be awful and in my experience for TOT, W&D, and two January marathon weekend experiences, can involve long annoying waits to get into the lot.

All resorts onsite are hosts and will have good bus service to the expo. When you leave the expo you might have to wait for your bus, or for your bus to fill, but somehow that wait hasn't felt too long to me.

DTD I'd take the boat unless it's freezing. If freezing I won't go to DTD because it can get even colder there with all that water.
Parks I drive because I like driving. Races I'd take the race transportation.

I'm all over the place. :)
 


Don't drive to the expo. Parking can be awful and in my experience for TOT, W&D, and two January marathon weekend experiences, can involve long annoying waits to get into the lot.

I've heard/read this a LOT for the expo and race days. I live in East Orlando and friends coming in town will be staying at my house. Does anyone know if we drive to one of the resorts, would we be able to use their transportation to the events? Or if anyone else lives in Orlando, do you know the best public transportation that could get us there? I just moved here a couple weeks ago, so I don't know much of the area yet.
 
Booked our room today. Got us into the Poly in a studio on DVC points. So excited to stay there, will be my first time. Slowly checking off all the DVC properties. Now all that is left is flights. Then all I have to worry about is training!
 
I've heard/read this a LOT for the expo and race days. I live in East Orlando and friends coming in town will be staying at my house. Does anyone know if we drive to one of the resorts, would we be able to use their transportation to the events? Or if anyone else lives in Orlando, do you know the best public transportation that could get us there? I just moved here a couple weeks ago, so I don't know much of the area yet.

I personally would feel comfy going to one of the resorts with HUGE parking lots, like Pop or AOA. Park there then take the bus to the Expo. I would not park at a deluxe resort with a smaller lot, or a place where the lots are spread out in the "living" areas with just a small front lot, like OKW or SSR. But Pop and AOA I'd be OK with. Or another Value, but I think Pop/AOA are pretty close to WWoS anyway.


ETA: the bonus of going there is that before or after the Expo you could eat at the food court at that resort! AOA's is especially nice IMO. If anyone likes a veggie burger, they have a homemade one that is deeeeelicious. DS loves their caprese sandwich. And they have a build your own pasta bar as well.

That way you are actually visiting the resort and not just using the lot. Visiting the resort is totally allowed.


Clarifying in case anyone missed my continued use of the word Expo...I'm talking about parking there for the Expo. :)

Not the races.
 
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That's why we are booked at Shades of Green! The price at the value was more than I wanted to pay. I'm hoping that the military discount for 2016 will be released soon so maybe I can get a Disney resort for close to what I'm paying at SoG.

I am going nuts waiting for the military discount. And praying it's not a repeat of Wine & Dine where there is no availability.
 
I was looking to sign my kids up for the 1 mile run-they only did the dashes last year. Does anyone know if they are done in the same place as the dashes are? I thought my friends said that for marathon weekend they are at a track? Is it reasonable to sign my kids up for Sat if I am doing the 10K on Sat?

I can't find my event guide from 2015 with all the times/locations etc.
 
I've never had an issue driving to any Expo at ToT or PHM as long as you are there early.
 
I've never had an issue driving to any Expo at ToT or PHM as long as you are there early.
We drove last year to get in line to register for a New Balance time and it was very easy to find parking. Of course, we were there well before the doors opened for either venue.

I'm not sure if it's possible to park in a resort lot to get transported to the race. At a 4:00a-ish arrival, would the guards allow just anyone in to park? That's why we stayed at AoA for two nights rather than drive in from Clermont for the 5K.
 
What is the best time to get to the expo? We are driving down from Deland on Friday morning and I'd rather wait until rush hour is over but we also probably won't be able to check into our hotel if we get there too early.
 
All signed up for the 5k! My first 5k ever!
Now I'm trying to get people to come with me cause I dont want to go alone.

I'm always up for meeting other runners! I'm doing the 5k & 10k and will be in the 10:01 - 11:00 timeslot. :)

Maybe a group of us can meet together before & after the race! Always great to have people to cheer each other on.
 
I am a bit worried about convenience of traveling from OKW. Anyone have any experience of being there for race days? or for getting to the Expo? I'm wondering if it might be worth it to rent a car? Not for getting to the races, but to the expo and parks and DTD.

I have had no issues parking at the expo for race weekend, I've been on Thursday and Friday. Both times in the afternoon 2-3ish. Easy in and out, might be a little walk from parking, but nothing horrible. I drove to all three races this year as well. Easy peasy. I went from the Boardwalk for the 5k and 10k, Beach Club for the half. Bus lines were sort of long and I'm impatient;) I'd rather be stuck in a car than waiting for/on a bus.

But I'm not sure I'd rent a car solely for these reasons. We have kids we take to dinners at hotels, and it's just easier to have a car for that, and we don't have to rent fortunately. My parents leave NH for the winter and head to FL, and we use one of their cars while at Disney.

I was looking to sign my kids up for the 1 mile run-they only did the dashes last year. Does anyone know if they are done in the same place as the dashes are? I thought my friends said that for marathon weekend they are at a track? Is it reasonable to sign my kids up for Sat if I am doing the 10K on Sat?

I can't find my event guide from 2015 with all the times/locations etc.

PHM is different from some other races, I know for instance WDW marathon weekend has kid races at track and field area of WWOS, but for PHM the races have been at the Epcot parking lots. Same finish line as the 10k. Depending how quickly you are done the 10k you might have a bit of a wait, but you could do both.
 
I don't know when it happened, but I just checked, and the 5K is sold out. (runDisney website still says 85%, but when you go to the actual registration page, it says "sold out")
 
I don't know when it happened, but I just checked, and the 5K is sold out. (runDisney website still says 85%, but when you go to the actual registration page, it says "sold out")

I recall this happening last year, not sure if it was the 5k or another event. If I remember right the prevailing wisdom was that Disney doesn't update their website percentages on weekends.
 
I thought my friends said that for marathon weekend they are at a track?

I managed to snag the 2015 guide from online (it appears to be a dead link right now) and for Princess they are at Epcot in the parking lot. Not at the Wide World of Sports complex (like they are for marathon weekend).

Last Princess it seems the 1 mile started at 8:45 and the dashes started at 9:15am.
 

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