Running Universal

[Savagekids]

Well, this looks interesting. I'd love to do a Harry Potter 10K with my middle schooler.

 

[bumbershoot]

Well, this looks interesting. I'd love to do a Harry Potter 10K with my middle schooler.

The potter section is so tiny (tiny in Orlando, too, but at least they have two) there’s no chance of such a thing. Not even a 5k would fit in there. (And that’s not even taking the extrke unlikelihood of it even being allowed to be themed to Potter into consideration.)

Size is the reason for the course that’s been described for this.

 

[Neon Cactus]

When I did the 5k in 1995 at Universal Studios, they had a 10k, but it was just two loops of the course. They have such a small footprint of land that it would be difficult to do a 10k (not to mention serious hills). I'm not sure if their agreement with Rowling would allow the licensing for a Harry Potter themed run, but if so, they could do a 5k through the park like they're doing now. Even better would be a 10k that would start in Universal park, run down to the backlot and out one of the gates where it's less than half a mile to Warner Brothers and run through their studio. Logistically, an agreement between the two studios would never get approved, but it would be cool to run through two studios.

 

[dodukes]

For anyone wanting the swag, I just saw through a post on facebook that they have a Virtual Race! I signed up, its $49 for the virtual minon 5k and they mail you the medal , bag, something else etc. Thought I'd mention for any minion fans out there.

ETA: Link https://www.runninguniversal.com/minion-5k-virtual-race

 

[bumbershoot]

For anyone wanting the swag, I just saw through a post on facebook that they have a Virtual Race! I signed up, its $49 for the virtual minon 5k and they mail you the medal , bag, something else etc. Thought I'd mention for any minion fans out there.

ETA: Link https://www.runninguniversal.com/minion-5k-virtual-race

Thank you for the info.

That’s kinda frustrating, as this run’s logistics for me are kinda difficult, and if I’d known they would end up doing a virtual I might have gone that way to begin with.

 

[ANIM8R]

For anyone wanting the swag, I just saw through a post on facebook that they have a Virtual Race! I signed up, its $49 for the virtual minon 5k and they mail you the medal , bag, something else etc. Thought I'd mention for any minion fans out there.

ETA: Link https://www.runninguniversal.com/minion-5k-virtual-race

Thanks for posting that - my wife will be very happy! She looooooovvvveeeessss the Minions.

 

[Sleepless Knight]

I just saw through a post on facebook that they have a Virtual Race!

That's good to know. While the minions don't interest me enough to sign up for this, Universal has some other movie properties I would definitely register if I can't make it to Universal itself for the race itself. And for those who love the minions, I'm glad they now have a virtual option if in person wasn't going to work out for them.

 

[dodukes]

^^^ Yes, we LOVE the minions but obviously flying out to Cali for a 5k was not reasonable (although I secretly did look into it!!). So virtual was the next best thing, plus the medal looks really cool and I even got my DBF signed up, so that was a plus, he LOVES the minions even more than me LOL and i'm pretty sure we can pick up the t-shirt after the fact on ebay (like everything else these days).

 

[Neon Cactus]

^^^ Yes, we LOVE the minions but obviously flying out to Cali for a 5k was not reasonable (although I secretly did look into it!!). So virtual was the next best thing, plus the medal looks really cool and I even got my DBF signed up, so that was a plus, he LOVES the minions even more than me LOL and i'm pretty sure we can pick up the t-shirt after the fact on ebay (like everything else these days).

Yeah, I keep questioning why am I flying to LA for a 5k? But I did get really cheap airfare and had a free Hilton weekend night I needed to use and Universal Hilton is expensive enough to justify it and a perfect location. Plus, I just love running through theme parks.

 

[dodukes]

Yeah, I keep questioning why am I flying to LA for a 5k? But I did get really cheap airfare and had a free Hilton weekend night I needed to use and Universal Hilton is expensive enough to justify it and a perfect location. Plus, I just love running through theme parks.

No need to justify!! LOL I totally looked at flights as well but really couldn't justify it as we have a vacation this weekend and one in june, not cheap so I thought well, let me let it be! LOL maybe Orlando will do one. But I would totally be right there with you! Now knowing that someone else from here is going would have to totally cool to take the cross country trip. I think my flights (from southeast coast) were like 3xx but the timings weren't what i wanted so I just opted to pass. But let us know how it goes!! It looks like such a fun race, with minions out at the course. There was also some VIP package that looked really neat to add -on.

 

[Neon Cactus]

Thanks! I'm excited about it. I thought about upgrading to VIP but I will find plenty of other things to spend money on there. My friend who lives there is doing it too, so if he's around Friday, depending on bib pickup times, I might talk him into going to Disneyland. Otherwise I'll "settle" for Universal Studios. I haven't been there in about 10 years. They're doing a nighttime projection show on Hogwarts Castle, so hopefully they'll extend that into May. If not, I'm usually done with Universal by 2 or 3 PM, so we're going to do something. Dodgers are playing that night, Avengers is at the El Capitan, so I could get my Disney fix that way, several members from Oingo Boingo are playing at a club in Pasadena (too bad Danny Elfman isn't one of them!).

I'm interested in seeing how Universal does a running event. And I'm really hoping it's successful and they push Disney to bring back the races in Disneyland soon!

 

[dodukes]

Thanks! I'm excited about it. I thought about upgrading to VIP but I will find plenty of other things to spend money on there. My friend who lives there is doing it too, so if he's around Friday, depending on bib pickup times, I might talk him into going to Disneyland. Otherwise I'll "settle" for Universal Studios. I haven't been there in about 10 years. They're doing a nighttime projection show on Hogwarts Castle, so hopefully they'll extend that into May. If not, I'm usually done with Universal by 2 or 3 PM, so we're going to do something. Dodgers are playing that night, Avengers is at the El Capitan, so I could get my Disney fix that way, several members from Oingo Boingo are playing at a club in Pasadena (too bad Danny Elfman isn't one of them!).

I'm interested in seeing how Universal does a running event. And I'm really hoping it's successful and they push Disney to bring back the races in Disneyland soon!

^ Funny about bringing them back, you want them back and I want Universal to extend this to Orlando!! Although it be great if Disney did get races back in CA as I've read a lot about them here and as I have never been to disney out west, it would definitely make me want to go, do a run and check out the park.

 

[Neon Cactus]

I think Universal Orlando would be a great place to do these events. It's definitely a lot flatter! I loved the 10k course at Disneyland.

 

[jennamfeo]

I loved the 10k course at Disneyland.

Best course I ever ran.

 

[Sleepless Knight]

Yeah, I keep questioning why am I flying to LA for a 5k? But I did get really cheap airfare and had a free Hilton weekend night I needed to use and Universal Hilton is expensive enough to justify it and a perfect location. Plus, I just love running through theme parks.

I thought long and hard about this race weekend. Eventually, I concluded that for me, this is not the year or the race theme to do it for. But I came close. Definitely something I would consider in a different year.

 

[bumbershoot]

Although it be great if Disney did get races back in CA as I've read a lot about them here and as I have never been to disney out west, it would definitely make me want to go, do a run and check out the park.

Ah, just go to Disneyland. No need to wait to see if rundisney decides to go back to anaheim.

I think Universal Orlando would be a great place to do these events. It's definitely a lot flatter! I loved the 10k course at Disneyland.

When they have their December cast and AP runs they have to really work to get a 5K into it. It would end up being just like at Disneyland, where anything more than that distance has to go onto city streets.

 

[bumbershoot]

@TheBacklot here is a good thread to ask about delivery of tickets purchased through runninguniversal!

 

[Neon Cactus]

They have packet pick up times now:

Packet Pick-up / Fan Package pick-up begins the Thursday before race day at Universal CityWalk™:

• Thursday, May 9 4:00pm - 8:00pm
• Friday May 10 2:00pm - 8:00pm
• Saturday, May 11 12:00pm - 6:00pm (only for Sunday's race)

 

[TheBacklot]

Thanks for the packet pick up times.

This'll be an interesting one as its their first 5K that I've seen. Saturday is sold out but I have no idea what their limit was. 10,000 runners? 5,000? No idea on capacity but it certainly has to be smaller than what Disneyland can accommodate. Apparently parking is free for the day before 5:30 a.m., corral opens at 5:00 a.m. so to ensure I'm in line to take advantage of the parking and get settled in, I'll have to be up at like 3:45 a.m. to get ready, then after the race they are opening at 8:00 a.m. and I'll be spending all day there. It already sounds exhausting lol

 

[Neon Cactus]

Yeah, I'm not sure what their limit is going to be. Only a week until I go out there. I am going to Universal on Friday. To get the cheap airfare, I have to fly back midday on Saturday, otherwise I'd stay and go after the race. I'm curious to see how the experience will be there. I'm excited for it.