Solo for DL HM Weekend - Which special experience should I try?

[roselark]

I will be travelling solo to the DL Half Marathon weekend. (I will be doing the Dumbo Double Dare plus the 5K!) I am a frequent WDW traveler (3 times a year on average), but have only been to DL twice and the last time was 3 years ago.

I am going to try and keep my expenses minimal on this trip, but I do want to splurge on one special experience. I am thinking either the Fantasmic! dining package or the World of Color Dining Package. Is one better than the other? Would anyone recommend something other than these two?

 

[kim3339]

I've never done the packages, but a few things to try are lunch or dinner at Blue Bayou. It's a restaurant inside Pirates! And another is at the very least, a stop in Carthay Circle for a drink; you can also eat there if you end up doing the WOC package. The bar in there is beautiful!

It might be hard w/ the races early in the morning, but they're debuting a new nighttime parade and fireworks show for the 60th, so definitely want to catch those if you can. Another thing to try, and someone can correct me if this isn't an option any more, but 1st thing in DL, check w/ the Main Street Station to see if the Lily Belle car is running that day and ride around the park in it. It's a private car and you have to go the full trip around the park, but you'll be off your feet which will be a plus. I saw rumors they were changing that to a perk for Club 33, just don't know whether they have starting doing that yet.

 

[roselark]

I have definitely been wanting to try Blue Bayou! Food looks amazing! It would definitely be my choice if I end up with the Fantasmic! package.

I am staying an extra day, so will have all day Monday at the parks (as well as most of Sunday after the Half).

 

[jina]

If I was going on my own (no husband, no 5 yo) and I was doing 3 runs in 3 days, I'd probably be going to bed way too early to make WOC or F! so I'd probably end up doing one of the DL tours as a special splurge. Yes, it involves some walking but it would be so cool to see some behind the scenes stuff about DL or DCA and still get to bed early enough for those 5am race starts! I'd probably go after one of the races so I'd be wearing a finisher's medal which would be a great ice breaker for meeting others on the tour. Someday.... (clearly I'm very jealous!!)

https://disneyland.disney.go.com/events-tours/

 

[roselark]

A tour is a GREAT idea! I would love to do the Walk in Walt's Footsteps tour.

Are F! and WOC easily enjoyed without one of the dining packages? I do still want to catch at least one of them. I will have Sunday and Monday evenings to view them.

 

[kim3339]

Are F! and WOC easily enjoyed without one of the dining packages? I do still want to catch at least one of them. I will have Sunday and Monday evenings to view them.

Yes, you can watch them w/o the dining package. There is a FP for both. WOC has color sections and you just go to the color your FP gives you and I think Fantasmic is a similar set-up, but haven't done the FP yet so not 100% on that.