The New *Official 2013 Disney Princess Half Marathon Thread*

[Mamasmurf227]

I added up what the costs are going to look like for us and I started crying.

That is EXACTLY what happened at my house yesterday.

On our last trip, our youngest was free because she was only 2. So, between additional park tickets and the race expenses it's a whole lot of $$$

 

[longhorns2]

I hear yall on the costs! I just planned out a "surprise" trip to DL this summer which is eating into my funds for the Princess. I quickly had to budget out if I can make up the money by Feb. Good news: Yes, yes, I will! YAHOOOO!

Hoping my sisters will come out for the race this year- if they do, then we can do the Poly again and split the costs. If not, it looks like Value city for me (with a roomie.) Which is FINE, but I got a pixie dusted upgrade to the poly last year and it's going to be hard not to go back!

I was preplanning my ADRs as well ... ha ha ha. Nothing like advance planning!

 

[tinkeramy]

That is EXACTLY what happened at my house yesterday.

On our last trip, our youngest was free because she was only 2. So, between additional park tickets and the race expenses it's a whole lot of $$$

It really is. But you would be surprised at how much $20 bucks here, $20 bucks there really adds up if you stash it away routinely! I'm using a savings acct at our credit union which is definitely out of my way - makes me less tempted to use the $$ I'm saving for other things! I've seen some people make a "Disney Jar" and keep it in their house, but I KNOW I would dip into it for silly stuff so I'm much better off depositing this stuff in an inconvenient acct!!! I'm a preschool teacher, so any gift cards I might get for end-of-year gifts or Christmas is going into the fund, too. Completely painless way to save. Finally, I would let fam/friends know (tactfully, of course!) that a Disney gift card would be a great idea if they wanted to get you a gift for something!!! You can use them at WDW hotels, pay for your park tickets with them and of course use them anywhere in WDW. I've heard of folks buying them periodically when they get groceries and stashing them away so that you don't feel the pain all at vacation time!

 

[Cripey]

It really is. But you would be surprised at how much $20 bucks here, $20 bucks there really adds up if you stash it away routinely! I'm using a savings acct at our credit union which is definitely out of my way - makes me less tempted to use the $$ I'm saving for other things! I've seen some people make a "Disney Jar" and keep it in their house, but I KNOW I would dip into it for silly stuff so I'm much better off depositing this stuff in an inconvenient acct!!! I'm a preschool teacher, so any gift cards I might get for end-of-year gifts or Christmas is going into the fund, too. Completely painless way to save. Finally, I would let fam/friends know (tactfully, of course!) that a Disney gift card would be a great idea if they wanted to get you a gift for something!!! You can use them at WDW hotels, pay for your park tickets with them and of course use them anywhere in WDW. I've heard of folks buying them periodically when they get groceries and stashing them away so that you don't feel the pain all at vacation time!

The BF and I are trying the "disney jar" method right now for our trip down in September for the ToT 10 miler/F&W festival. We are normally at WDW/DL at least 3-4 times a year so we try to choose only one of those trips as a "splurge" and spring for a deluxe hotel...this year it's the Spetember trip for the splurge...which we never do because we spend so much extra at the F&W fest! (and it's totally worth it!!!) So, I have a Mickey Mouse tin that had cookies or something in it that someone gave me at Christmas and we've each been putting a pre-determined amount in it on each pay day. I was really worried we (ok, I!) would dip into it too, but so far we've been really good about it and it really is adding up surprisingly fast! Most of the time I even forget it's there. We decided if we were diligent enough then it would just turn into a habit and we'll just continue to do it year round now. Hopefully it works because I have expensive race plans coming up ...ToT 10 miler end of September...then throw the cost of Christmas in there...then Tink in Jan and Princess in Feb. The airfare alone makes me cringe. We're hoping to give the new Art of Animation a try in Feb for Princess, but we'll see how that pans out.

 

[longhorns2]

My method is similar to Amy's. We have a random old BOA account that us never touched. Its only open because I'm too lazy to get DH VA check moved over. So his tiny disability check goes to Disney. Any extra gift money we get goes in that account.

I also ask for Disney gift cards at Christmas. Totally adds up! I should be getting a small raise here this month and plan on putting that direct deposited to the Disney fund. We are talking small. Real small. Non profit work small. Lol. But it will add up for Disney.

 

[mahipp]

Here's a blog post I wrote about saving for the Princess. I have a separate savings account and I am putting a regular amount each paycheck. As a Floridian and an annual passholder, I'm lucky that I don't have to worry about airfare.

Coffee or Castle? Finding the cash to run the race...

 

[Qltrgrl2]

I second and tips/tricks to make this trip more affordable. I still really want to run it this year, but the budget/vacay days will be much tighter than this year because..drumroll please...I got engaged last week!

It's tough because I don't really want to fly down, just do the race, and come home. If I don't get some park time, it's really not worth it to fly all the way down to Fla just to run. So, we'll see how I can make it work. But I'm tired of sitting out on this race, I've missed it two years in a row!

Congrats on your engagement! That is wonderful news and so much planning now for you...good luck with the wedding but try to get to the Princess half, a really fun race!

 

[ColleenG]

I pick up Disney gift cards every so often too. Target even sells them now in $25 and $50. If you have the Target card you get 5% off. Not a lot, but every bit helps. I usually get them to use for tips for our table service meals. The points I get from my Disney Visa helps out too. I usually use that for souveniers.

 

[WsPrincess]

Here's a blog post I wrote about saving for the Princess. I have a separate savings account and I am putting a regular amount each paycheck. As a Floridian and an annual passholder, I'm lucky that I don't have to worry about airfare.

Coffee or Castle? Finding the cash to run the race...

I love your blog post. I wish I had the self control to give up my Starbucks. I am a gold card carrying Starbucks addict. Though I have cut down to no more than 2 times a week (it is bad when they have my drink down by the time I get to the register right?)

Maybe I will offer to sub for summer school and use that money for it.

 

[TinyDancer]

Count me in! I have been lurking for a while and have leaned a lot from you ladies!
I used to run pre-kids and have completed a few 5k's. When I was pregnant with my second child I developed a rare heart condition called PPCM (peri-partum cardiomyopathy) which basically means that for no other reason other than I was pregnant, my heart started to enlarge and not pump enough blood. I was on bed rest for 2 months with LOTS of doctors visits and hospital stays. My baby girl was born perfectly healthy in Novermber of 2009 but it took me 18 months for my heart to go back pre-baby. Then it has taken me another year to emotionally get to where I am not scared out of my mind to exercise. I have been to the cardiologist to inquire about doing this 1/2 marathon and we did another echo and a stress test and all was well! I still have odd symptoms sometimes, but he feels confident that they are benign in nature.
SO! Here I am I have been "trying" to get back in shape by running and have been nervous but very thrilled to take back control of my body. I am writing this to tell my long story in a short nut shell but also to educate women because some physicians are unaware of this condition and it puts women at risk of even death if not treated properly. Maybe I will dress as the "Queen of Hearts" from Alice in Wonerland. So excited to be "officially" making this my goal!

I have a friend that had this condition also. She is doing very well now, but of course she can't have any more babies.
I admire you for giving this a try! It's very inspiring!!

I have a Disney fund jar also. Right now it's going towards my October trip, but immediately on return I'll start saving for February!!

Has anyone made their resort reservations yet?

 

[Mommy to Two Princes]

I am a huge pre-planner...
My plan is to run (jog) hard until I get to MK. My question is, will I see the same characters that I missed in miles 1 through 6 on the return trip, or do they rotate out characters?

 

[cantwaitvaca09]

I am a huge pre-planner...
My plan is to run (jog) hard until I get to MK. My question is, will I see the same characters that I missed in miles 1 through 6 on the return trip, or do they rotate out characters?

Yes and No,
You will see some of the same on the way back

 

[Mamasmurf227]

After running the numbers again and discussing with hubby: I'm in!!

I do have a Disney Jar, and I'm hopeful that between that and our Disney Visa rewards that we'll have enough to cover the hotel, which will help.



My current plan involves a few 5K's this spring/summer. I'm planning on doing a 10K at the end of September and then start training for the 1/2 from there.

Anyone who has used a 10K time for placement, if you wouldn't mind sharing, what was your time and where were you placed?

 

[Cripey]

After running the numbers again and discussing with hubby: I'm in!!

I do have a Disney Jar, and I'm hopeful that between that and our Disney Visa rewards that we'll have enough to cover the hotel, which will help.



My current plan involves a few 5K's this spring/summer. I'm planning on doing a 10K at the end of September and then start training for the 1/2 from there.

Anyone who has used a 10K time for placement, if you wouldn't mind sharing, what was your time and where were you placed?

I ran a 10k in 2010 to turn in for the 2011 Princess...I came in around 1:07 for the 10K and was placed in corral B for the race that year. I thought that was quite generous You never know though, if the cap for total participants keeps going up, that same time could land you further back in the pack. I ended up with a 2:32 time for the Princess that year, and that time landed me in corral C for the DL half the same year, I think corral B for Wine & Dine, and then Corral A for Tinkerbell this past January, so there's definitely some variance there.

 

[tinkeramy]

I am a huge pre-planner...
My plan is to run (jog) hard until I get to MK. My question is, will I see the same characters that I missed in miles 1 through 6 on the return trip, or do they rotate out characters?

I think on that stretch of road they will have the same characters. It's within the parks that I have noticed a rotation, but usually within a theme. For example, when you run by the teacups in the MK I have heard of any variation of Alice characters. On the road to and from Epcot, though, the 2 main ones I remember were Capt. Jack Sparrow and the group of Princes and they were there the whole time.

After running the numbers again and discussing with hubby: I'm in!!

Anyone who has used a 10K time for placement, if you wouldn't mind sharing, what was your time and where were you placed?

I submitted a 1:05 for 2011 and a 1:01 for 2012 and both those times got me in Corral B. My running partner used the same time for both (around 1:12); in 2011 she was in B but in 2012 she was in C, so, like Cripey said there could be a lot of variance depending on how many people are running.

 

[WsPrincess]

I have a friend that had this condition also. She is doing very well now, but of course she can't have any more babies.
I admire you for giving this a try! It's very inspiring!!

I have a Disney fund jar also. Right now it's going towards my October trip, but immediately on return I'll start saving for February!!

Has anyone made their resort reservations yet?

I kind of have. I have OKW booked since we are DVC members but as soon as we get to our 7 month mark I am going to try and switch to one of the host resorts (last year it was AKL, BC, BW or SSR). I am really hoping for pixie dust and Princess luck to get us into one of the Epcot resorts. If not, we will probably go with AKL.

And is SIL ends up running with me, we need a 2 bedroom so it might limit our choices.

 

[ColleenG]

I am a huge pre-planner...
My plan is to run (jog) hard until I get to MK. My question is, will I see the same characters that I missed in miles 1 through 6 on the return trip, or do they rotate out characters?

This year on the way back you could see the Pirates. Better to wait 1) shorter line, and 2) by then it's daylight. I think on the way back you could see the "guys". Just as you get into the TTC area or somewhere in there is the Villian Ladies. They were a lot of fun getting all bad @$$ with themselves and the runners. The step sisters from Cinderella were there and they were hysterical. Party Rock was playing and they were totally getting their groove on.

The line was long but they were so fun to watch.

 

[ColleenG]

Anyone who has used a 10K time for placement, if you wouldn't mind sharing, what was your time and where were you placed?

I turned in a 10K time of 1:09 and was in B too. Glad to hear you will be running with all of us! It is SO much fun!

 

[CRUIZEN MAMMA]

After running the numbers again and discussing with hubby: I'm in!!

I do have a Disney Jar, and I'm hopeful that between that and our Disney Visa rewards that we'll have enough to cover the hotel, which will help.



My current plan involves a few 5K's this spring/summer. I'm planning on doing a 10K at the end of September and then start training for the 1/2 from there.

Anyone who has used a 10K time for placement, if you wouldn't mind sharing, what was your time and where were you placed?

I ran the Princess last year and submitted a 10k time from a November race with a time of 56.28 and was placed in corral A- this was my first 1/2 and first 10k. I've been running for just over a year now and am going to attempt the Full in January and if I survive that I hope to do the Princess again in February. I had injured my foot just 3 weeks before the Princess so even though I was able to run most of it and finish I want to do it over again!

 

[Mamasmurf227]

Thanks for the replies, ladies. September will be my first 10K, and I expect that I'm probably going to come in somewhere 1:13. So, that gives me a good idea of where I'll be. So excited!