Official WDW Marathon Weekend 2013 Thread

[ColleenG]

Who else is thinking about staying at OKW or POFQ and walking to the corrals??? I was going to do POFQ but now I'm thinking about a studio at OKW (hopefully near the Hospitality House).

Liz, I am hoping to stay at OKW in a studio too, hopefully near the hospitality House too. Still have to book and commit to sign up for the marthon.

 

[stitchfan18]

Here's my question: I've read that there are often really obscure characters that they bring out to fill up the course. Villains, older movies that didn't do so well, etc. I have a 4 yo daughter who's really, really, really (really!) into having autographs for all the characters. I know you can take pictures with the characters on course but are you able to get autographs too? Does anyone have any examples of "outside the mainstream at the parks" characters that they've seen?

There are lots of common characters mixed in with some less common characters. It's generally about a 50/50 mix between common and not as common characters. As far as autographs go, I've seen someone with their autograph book once, and it was while in line for Duffy Bear which you can see in the park, so I can only assume they were trying to get all the autographs. I quickly passed because it made the line a lot slower, but Duffy did agree to the autograph, I don't know if other characters did beyond that.

 

[liznboys]

Normally I wouldn't care so much, as we usually stay in the parks all day. But this time we'll be traveling with a baby and coming back to the resort every afternoon for nap time. I don't want to spend hours waiting for a bus doing this, especially after being spoiled with such good bus service at POP last time.

Oh I see. I just noticed your pregnancy ticker in your sig (congrats! )
If I were planning to go back for naps every afternoon I would want to stay as close to a park as possible. Our favorite park is MK and we LOVE the location of Bay Lake Tower. It's the best being able to walk to and from MK! And I know people love the Epcot area resorts because of walking to EP and HS. Good luck deciding!

...

I just bought the book on my Kindle last night and read a few pages. I dreamt about running a marathon last night, does that count as training???

I read an article once about dreaming of running and it actually helping you to be a better runner. Here's a link, not sure if this is the same article but it explains it: http://www.runnersworld.com/article/printer/1,7124,s6-238-267--12332-0,00.html

"Another way to influence dream content is through lucid dreaming, a practice that involves training yourself to become aware you are dreaming without waking up. Once you learn this technique, you can shape your dream, because your awareness allows you to dictate what happens. "Maybe you want to work on lengthening your stride, so you dream that you are jumping over hurdles," says Dominick Attisani of the Lucidity Institute, a Palo Alto, California, organization that teaches the technique. "Or you could work on your speed by turning into the bionic woman."

Lucid dreaming may sound fanciful, but Attisani says athletes who rehearse skills in a dream can perform them better upon awakening because they're strengthening the neural pathways between brain and muscles. Even though your muscles appear still during a dream, experiments have shown that your brain is firing messages and the muscles are responding. For instance, Lucidity Institute researchers have asked subjects to make a fist while dreaming. They don't make the full movement, but electrical impulses are recorded in their hands, indicating that the muscles have responded.

Lucid dreams can also provide a mental boost. Athletes can conjure up a scene where they beat a competitor, giving them confidence to actually do it. "It helps you get past that tape recorder in your head that says you can't do something," Attisani says. What's more, when athletes have lucid dreams, Barrett says they tend to feel unusually happy, which can be channeled directly into a workout. In 2001, Barrett studied collegiate swimmers who had lucid dreams. All reported feeling elated upon waking and they posted faster times at future practices.

"I have this feeling of freedom and joy," says Martin Spies-Sweetland, 43, a German track-and-field athlete, adding that later, when he is awake and is running, this positive charge helps him run faster. He says it's also helped him improve his long jump. "It occurred to me in a lucid dream how important it is to bring the hips up," he says. "I never realized that before. So I applied it to real life, and it improved my performance." Spies-Sweetland is a father of three who doesn't have time to train as much as his competitors. But he says lucid dreaming gives him an advantage: "I consider it my personal secret of training.""

 

[liznboys]

Liz, I am hoping to stay at OKW in a studio too, hopefully near the hospitality House too. Still have to book and commit to sign up for the marthon.

Hi Colleen! Well, for those of us thinking of doing this... I posted a thread on the DVC boards and it turns out that the studios near HH are already going for marathon weekend. Apparently as of this morning the Friday and Saturday nights were still there, but Sunday night is gone. (And I need the Sunday night, drat.)

So now I'm wondering if I should book a regular studio and hope for a good location... The resort is so big and to end up at the back would add distance and time to walking to the corrals on the race mornings!

Here's a great map of OKW with some extra coding:
http://www.disboards.com/showpost.php?p=40826645&postcount=7

Buildings 11-14 and 23-26 are guaranteed close to HH. But Buildings 62-64, 15 and 16 look close, and 17-22 and 27-29 don't seem too bad either. It's those 30-56 Buildings that I wouldn't want...

 

[roomthreeseventeen]

If you have the money, you may want to try booking a DVC property through Disney and not DVC. I booked our 1 bedroom at AKV just this past weekend by calling the WDW-IRUN line.

 

[liznboys]

If you have the money, you may want to try booking a DVC property through Disney and not DVC. I booked our 1 bedroom at AKV just this past weekend by calling the WDW-IRUN line.

I don't have the money. Lol But yes, you're right, if one does they could go that route! I'm planning to use my DVC points. That's great you're all booked, I can't wait to be so I can stop thinking about it! BTW, we're taking a family trip this summer and staying at AKV (Kidani).

 

[roomthreeseventeen]

I don't have the money. Lol But yes, you're right, if one does they could go that route! I'm planning to use my DVC points. That's great you're all booked, I can't wait to be so I can stop thinking about it! BTW, we're taking a family trip this summer and staying at AKV (Kidani).

We're staying at Jambo, mostly because I cannot get enough of that lobby.

 

[liznboys]

We're staying at Jambo, mostly because I cannot get enough of that lobby.

Oh yes, love that lobby! We will be over there at Jambo for Boma dinner and breakfast and I'm sure some trips to Mara.

 

[Ariel484]

Does the Pasta in the Park event sell out? And where do they usually it? Thanks!

I have no idea where the party is, but I remember it selling out pretty late for 2012, just like the races.


***SHAMELESS PLUG***

I'm putting up a trip report from Marathon Weekend 2012...if anyone's interested, here's the link. I ran the full and took lots of pictures.

 

[BernardandMissBianca]

I read an article once about dreaming of running and it actually helping you to be a better runner. Here's a link, not sure if this is the same article but it explains it: http://www.runnersworld.com/article/printer/1,7124,s6-238-267--12332-0,00.html
[/COLOR]

Very cool!!! I felt like I had run a marathon when I woke up. I was exhausted and my legs were sore.

 

[sunshine girl]

***SHAMELESS PLUG***

I'm putting up a trip report from Marathon Weekend 2012...if anyone's interested, here's the link. I ran the full and took lots of pictures.

Thanks for including the shameless plug, I am really interested in reading marathon trip reports! I'll check yours out!

 

[mrs cinderella]

mrs cinderella - I think JB's wife, Jenny, actually designed the training programs in that book. I've used them for many half and full marathons. I thought they were good. I used Jenny's training program for the Goofy and really liked it. Very manageable!

This is so good to hear!! Maybe Goofy will be in our future...the very distant future!

I just bought the book on my Kindle last night and read a few pages. I dreamt about running a marathon last night, does that count as training???

Well, I was just going to say that dreaming about a marathon should definitely count as mental training, and I saw the post with the article from liznboys. Guess I'm more scientific-minded than I thought! I hope you like the book; I loved it, especially since everything is so practical.

Does anyone have tips/ideas for training to get used to the humidity? Here in West Texas, we are sooo the opposite of humid; if having negative % humidity were a thing, we'd have it! I'm really concerned that we'll do all this training and get to Florida and die the second we walk out the door. We were there this past September for our honeymoon and while I know it was nowhere near as humid as it could be, there were a couple days I thought I was going to melt right there in the happiest place on earth! So if there's anything we could do to help acclimate ourselves, I would love to know about it. Or is humidity not such a big deal in January and not worth worrying about?

 

[ronnmel]

Oh I see. I just noticed your pregnancy ticker in your sig (congrats! )
If I were planning to go back for naps every afternoon I would want to stay as close to a park as possible. Our favorite park is MK and we LOVE the location of Bay Lake Tower. It's the best being able to walk to and from MK! And I know people love the Epcot area resorts because of walking to EP and HS. Good luck deciding!
[/COLOR]

Thank you! We can only afford the value or a few of the DVC renting, so that's why I was looking at OKW (and AK Villa, and BWV). But anyway, since we can't book anything before the fall, who knows what will be available by then. Staying at BLT is a dream of my DH though!

 

[lindsey]

I have a question. My DH and I will be arriving on Thursday, and my Son and family will arrive on Friday. DIL will be running the 1/2 on Saturday morning. We have Wyndham Bonnet Creek reserved for Saturday - Saturday. Do you think she will have time to run the 1/2, get back to hotel to shower and change before checkout? I'm looking at AofA family suite for Thursday and Friday.

 

[JCH]

Okay, I need help! I have 9 adults coming for Marathon weekend (whole family!). I think a 2 bedroom villa at Old Key West is our best option. Sister wants a Treehouse Villa. They are the same price and both available. What would you do???

 

[snickerboo]

Has anyone stayed off-property for the full marathon or is this just a no-no? Will parking even be open early enough on race day? We usually stay at Windsor Hills (for non-marathon visits to the mouse).

I'm still just thinking this one over. I had hoped to do this race in 2012 but life circumstances had us move accross the continent in 2011, and my training suffered.

 

[dreams91]

[QUOTEDoes anyone have tips/ideas for training to get used to the humidity? Here in West Texas, we are sooo the opposite of humid; if having negative % humidity were a thing, we'd have it! I'm really concerned that we'll do all this training and get to Florida and die the second we walk out the door. We were there this past September for our honeymoon and while I know it was nowhere near as humid as it could be, there were a couple days I thought I was going to melt right there in the happiest place on earth! So if there's anything we could do to help acclimate ourselves, I would love to know about it. Or is humidity not such a big deal in January and not worth worrying about?[/QUOTE]

Are you running the full or the half? I ran the half last year and since it starts so early in the morning, I didn't notice a problem at all. It was a tad chilly even. However, I know the next day for the full, it was certainly warming up for people!

 

[dreams91]

I have a question. My DH and I will be arriving on Thursday, and my Son and family will arrive on Friday. DIL will be running the 1/2 on Saturday morning. We have Wyndham Bonnet Creek reserved for Saturday - Saturday. Do you think she will have time to run the 1/2, get back to hotel to shower and change before checkout? I'm looking at AofA family suite for Thursday and Friday.

Depends on how quickly she can run it. I ran the half at a very slow pace last year and finally made it back to my room at the Poly (just a monorail ride away) around 10:30 I think it was.

 

[FFigawi]

Does anyone have tips/ideas for training to get used to the humidity? So if there's anything we could do to help acclimate ourselves, I would love to know about it. Or is humidity not such a big deal in January and not worth worrying about?

This is definitely not something I'd worry about, especially not now. The weather for marathon weekend can range anywhere from below freezing (Disney on Ice 2010, for example) to the 70s and anywhere in between. Just train however you can and be prepared to adjust your planned pace and time for the conditions on race day.

I have a question. My DH and I will be arriving on Thursday, and my Son and family will arrive on Friday. DIL will be running the 1/2 on Saturday morning. We have Wyndham Bonnet Creek reserved for Saturday - Saturday. Do you think she will have time to run the 1/2, get back to hotel to shower and change before checkout? I'm looking at AofA family suite for Thursday and Friday.

I don't see why not. Most people will be done with the half by 9 or 930 on Saturday morning, which should leave plenty of time to get back to the hotel before having to check out.

Has anyone stayed off-property for the full marathon or is this just a no-no? Will parking even be open early enough on race day? We usually stay at Windsor Hills (for non-marathon visits to the mouse).

The lots are open early, and there are a lot of people who use them. Getting in to the lots can sometimes be a hassle because of all the traffic, but having a warm car to sit in if the weather is lousy isn't all bad.

 

[VernRDH]

Has anyone stayed off-property for the full marathon or is this just a no-no? Will parking even be open early enough on race day? We usually stay at Windsor Hills (for non-marathon visits to the mouse).

I'm still just thinking this one over. I had hoped to do this race in 2012 but life circumstances had us move accross the continent in 2011, and my training suffered.

We are staying off property this time, and I admit I am a bit worried about the drive and parking. But with 7 of us, the house rental was WAY cheaper than 4 hotel rooms, even at a Value. And at least 2 of us are running each day, so by marathon day, DH should have it down pat!!