Running at Disneyland

[dragitoff]

I'm heading to Disneyland next week for a business trip....Oh it's a tough job. I'm scheduled to do a 14 miler while I'm there. I've searched for routes and the best I've come up with are 2 options....

The loop around the Disneyland Property which is approximately a 3 mile loop. I can do that almost 5 times to get the desired distance.

The Santa Ana trail which I could do the entire distance on.

I'm leaning towards the Disneyland loop because I will not have a car and everything I've heard is you'd need one to get to the Santa Ana trail safely. Normally, I'd hate doing such a short loop, but since it's a brand new place and I can see Disney stuff along the way, I'm thinking it wouldn't be so bad.

I'm looking for some clarification from Disneyland experts as well as possible suggestions for other possible routes.

Since I'm marathon training, I do not want to stop and go alot at red lights and intersections. I prefer to keep moving. As a converted run/walker, having to stop makes me want to walk and I don't want to do that again.

I've walked from the Disneyland hotel to the convention center a few times before and best I remember the sidewalks are usually runner friendly (especially early in the morning). Are there any areas I need to account for? Is it pretty flat?

I appreciate all the help I can get! Thanks!!!!

 

[kim3339]

If you're going to stick to loops around the park, you could add a block or so. If you're going down Harbor towards Katella, cross over Katella to the next block which is Orangewood, you would turn right (like you would Katella) and run to West(only 1 block so no lights) and turn right again. West turns into DL Drive once you cross over Katella. From Katella to Orangewood is 1/2 so you'd add 1 mile so the loop would be 4 miles instead of 3. That part of Harbor has hotels as well, and it's residential-ish from Orangewood to West and then hotel-ish on West. I usually stick to the loop, b/c I haven't had to run more than 5 down there yet, but you could also check out usatf.org. They have a map it section and you can look up other courses people have ran.

As for the terrain w/ the loop, there are some under/overpasses. An underpass on DL Drive going under DTD, a long overpass right after that and when you turn on Ball there's another overpass. When you turn on Harbor there's 1 more over almost right away. But after that and down Katella it's flat. I've done the DL/Tink races and run it so many times, I don't think they're steep, but I've run in San Francisco a lot so I used to bigger hills than an overpass and they don't bother me that much. But if you haven't done any hills yet and have done just flat terrain, it'll be a good workout.

And you'll see people out there and it's really runner friendly. I went out about 5:45 a few weeks ago on a Fri, just a loop like you did and was fine. Down Harbor and Katella it's really well lit b/c of all the hotels. Also their bus stops are well lit so you won't have a problem seeing even though it's dark.

 

[dragitoff]

If you're going to stick to loops around the park, you could add a block or so. If you're going down Harbor towards Katella, cross over Katella to the next block which is Orangewood, you would turn right (like you would Katella) and run to West(only 1 block so no lights) and turn right again. West turns into DL Drive once you cross over Katella. From Katella to Orangewood is 1/2 so you'd add 1 mile so the loop would be 4 miles instead of 3. That part of Harbor has hotels as well, and it's residential-ish from Orangewood to West and then hotel-ish on West. I usually stick to the loop, b/c I haven't had to run more than 5 down there yet, but you could also check out usatf.org. They have a map it section and you can look up other courses people have ran.

As for the terrain w/ the loop, there are some under/overpasses. An underpass on DL Drive going under DTD, a long overpass right after that and when you turn on Ball there's another overpass. When you turn on Harbor there's 1 more over almost right away. But after that and down Katella it's flat. I've done the DL/Tink races and run it so many times, I don't think they're steep, but I've run in San Francisco a lot so I used to bigger hills than an overpass and they don't bother me that much. But if you haven't done any hills yet and have done just flat terrain, it'll be a good workout.

And you'll see people out there and it's really runner friendly. I went out about 5:45 a few weeks ago on a Fri, just a loop like you did and was fine. Down Harbor and Katella it's really well lit b/c of all the hotels. Also their bus stops are well lit so you won't have a problem seeing even though it's dark.

Thanks for the great info. The place I'm doing my long runs at now is a City Riverwalk. It's about 5.5 miles there and back. The front end is pretty flat but the last mile or so is pretty hilly (with one pretty steep one) so you hit those hills for 2 consecutive miles. I'm not overly concerned with some hills. I just didn't know if that route would be alot of ups and downs due to highway overpasses, etc...

I wanted to make sure I stuck with routes that I wouldn't have to stop at intersections for. I want to keep running continuously. I'm a huge baseball fan and had originally mapped out a route that would take me to Angels Stadium; however it looked like I would have an issue with stopping alot that way. That's why I was leaning to the loop. Did your modified route allow for that? This will be my first California running experience. The last time I was there 2 years ago, I was 55 pounds heavier and not a runner.

 

[kim3339]

If you want to stick w/ the nonstop, then stick the the loop around the parks. Adding Orangewood would add 2 lights. I'd say that early in the morning you could run across w/o stopping, but the Katella/Harbor and the Katella/West (DL Dr) intersections are 5 lanes and early morning employees so there are some cars in the road.

Heads up on the loop though, after you turn onto Ball from DL Dr., right before the overpass, there is a service road and a light. Not that you will have to stop there, I've never had to, but being a service road and early in the morning it's something to look out for.

 

[dragitoff]

If you want to stick w/ the nonstop, then stick the the loop around the parks. Adding Orangewood would add 2 lights. I'd say that early in the morning you could run across w/o stopping, but the Katella/Harbor and the Katella/West (DL Dr) intersections are 5 lanes and early morning employees so there are some cars in the road.

Heads up on the loop though, after you turn onto Ball from DL Dr., right before the overpass, there is a service road and a light. Not that you will have to stop there, I've never had to, but being a service road and early in the morning it's something to look out for.

Thanks for the tip. I live in a rural South Georgia town so I'm not used to running on busy LA streets. I didn't want to get to a place where there was more stopping than running. I've encountered that often while running out of town in new places. It's great for seeing new areas, but not so much when you're training and need to keep going.

 

[kim3339]

Just thought of another possible fun thing on your non-14 day. You said business, so not sure where you're staying, but if you're staying at 1 of the 3 resorts ~ Grand Californian, DL Hotel, or Paradise Pier, every morning they do a quick 2miler through DCA I think either 6 or 7am. You have to stay there to be able to do it, but if you are it's a fun short running oppurtunity.

And don't worry too much about the traffic! Anaheim is way better than LA Traffic, at least most of the time. Around the parks most of it will be on Harbor or DL Dr trying to get to the parking structure.

 

[dragitoff]

Just thought of another possible fun thing on your non-14 day. You said business, so not sure where you're staying, but if you're staying at 1 of the 3 resorts ~ Grand Californian, DL Hotel, or Paradise Pier, every morning they do a quick 2miler through DCA I think either 6 or 7am. You have to stay there to be able to do it, but if you are it's a fun short running oppurtunity.

And don't worry too much about the traffic! Anaheim is way better than LA Traffic, at least most of the time. Around the parks most of it will be on Harbor or DL Dr trying to get to the parking structure.

You have to be kidding me! I'm staying at the Grand Californian (happened to be a convention host hotel) so I can totally do that. I'm scheduled to do a 4 miler on Thursday. I will definitely do that while I'm there. Do they do it each day or just weekdays?

 

[dragitoff]

I called the concierge at the GC (where I'm staying) and they said they no longer do that. They now offer a power walk group that goes through the Downtown Disney and resort area.

Oh well, I guess I'll just stick to my loop which will still be pretty cool since it's going to be new to me.

 

[kim3339]

Sorry about that! I wonder why they aren't offering it anymore? Well, have fun anyways!

 

[indygirl99]

Sorry about that! I wonder why they aren't offering it anymore? Well, have fun anyways!

Kim they took the powerwalk group out of DCA when they opened carsland and changed the park hours at DCA. To be able to do the walk through DCA they have to be out at least one hour BEFORE the park opens and with onsite guests being able to get in as early as 7 am some days it is not feasable to do the walk through DCA.

DH and I did the powerwalk with Sally when we were there in September and she is a definate powerhouse. It was a great time and she kept us to a 15 min/mile pace and this was the week of the DL half. She is a wealth of knowledge about the parks and can keep up a dialouge and walk our legs off at the same time. She kept the pace to what we wanted. It was fun as a couple of the days it was just DH and I with her so we were able to try a few different pacing walks. Sally also varied the course each day so we were not bored with the same walk.

There were several groups running the same area as she was leading our walk so for someone who was wanting to run in the faster 8-9 min pace would have plenty of company.

 

[kim3339]

Too bad they don't bring that back when the hours change. That just seems like so much fun and even better than doing the race b/c there are less people. And that's cool that they had different groups at different paces. We're you able to go backstage at all or was it just around the park? Hopefully they bring it back, would love to do it at x-mas time when the family goes down.

 

[indygirl99]

Too bad they don't bring that back when the hours change. That just seems like so much fun and even better than doing the race b/c there are less people. And that's cool that they had different groups at different paces. We're you able to go backstage at all or was it just around the park? Hopefully they bring it back, would love to do it at x-mas time when the family goes down.

Kim No backstage at all. Bummer.

Sally said they are trying to get it back into DCA but they have it at the same time every day, 7am, and as long as DCA has early entry for onsite guests at 7am on the weekends they won't be able to go back into the park.

I still think it is worth it to go around the resort area and DTD and we will go when we are there in December. It is just a walk, no running, but Sally sure knows how to pack some powerfull strides and speed into that walk. Plus I love her knowledge. Maybe when we go for christmas they will have figured out how to get it back into the parks. I'm ready for some disney magic.