Another question! I have severe social anxiety and though I'm determined to do do the race even though I know there are some crazy crowds, I want to be prepared. Could anyone fill me in on what the crowds are like during, before, and after the race? I've never run a half marathon before either so I'm wondering if I'll be okay during the race. I'm very nervous about people seeing me when I'm running. There isn't a big cloud of judgement hanging over the runners, is there? These probably sound like dumb questions but any information could be really helpful in my avoiding a panic attack.
Oh, and I really want to get pictures with some characters during the run! Meeting them is wry quick, right? A picture and then you're on your way?
Yes, this race has very large crowds, but the vibe is very positive, if that makes sense. I've run this race twice all by myself, and never once did I feel judged for being alone. Most everyone is so focused on running their own race, that the judgmental vibe is almost nonexistant (at least in my experience, but I've grown pretty used to ignoring stuff like that, so maybe my radar is turned off).
This year, there were roughly 25,000 participants, divided between 16 corrals, so that averages to about 1,563 people per corral, so yes, you'll be surrounded by a lot of people at the start. If you're feeling anxious, there's nothing wrong with hanging towards the back, though the volunteers do urge people to fill in all available space. Even if you start in the back, it has no effect on your start time, since your race time doesn't begin until you cross the start line and your bib activates the tracking. Since it's early morning, you also have the cover of darkness for most of the time in the corrals, and for the first few miles depending on when you start.
In my experience (and correct me if I'm wrong anywhere, my memory is a little fuzzy), the race was most crowded between the start line up to MK, then it thinned out once exiting MK, then picked back up in volume around mile 11 to the finish. So you have a good stretch of about 3-4 miles where there's not as many runners around you. I'm not one for stopping to get pics with the characters, unless there's no line whatsoever, so the only character pic I've gotten along the race route was with Elastigirl at mile 11 in 2013. If I remember correctly, Captain Jack Sparrow and the Black Pearl are at either mile 2 or 3, so that's pretty early on, and most people stop to take a pic with him then, rather than stopping on the way back (since you pass by that spot on the return). I'd rather wait and get a pic with him in daylight anyway, but again, I'm not one for stopping, lol. Other heavy character spots are mile 5(ish) with the villains, then inside MK with the princesses (they're scattered about, with Cinderella, Tiana, Mickey & Minnie most memorably from this year), and I remember there being a long line for Belle around mile 6 or 7 in 2013, but I don't remember seeing her in 2014 (she must have been on break).
This is going to sound really weird, but I get a thrill seeing the green army man from Toy Story at mile 12. For some reason, he pumps me up so much, and seeing him is my trigger that I'm on the home stretch. Then seeing the Fairy Godmother and all the cast members with their mickey hand gloves yelling "high four!" in Epcot kicks in my afterburners and I'm shredding toward the finish. And that gospel choir just before you round the bend for the finish line as you exit Epcot is one of the most uplifting sounds in the world!
