Tinkerbell or Disneyland half marathon?

Debbje

Earning My Ears
Joined
Feb 15, 2011
We're from Europe and 2015 will be our year to achieve some goals. One of them is run a Disney race. We will be doing this once.
Should we sign up for the Tinkerbell or the Disneyland half marathon?
 
Here are some considerations to help:

Tinkerbell
May 2015
Sign up less than a month away (August)
More women: field is slower but better corral placement for fast women
Probably relatively cooler weather
The half course in Jan 2014 was reported to be a little boring

DL Half
August 2015
Sign up not until January 2015
Faster field with no corral preference for faster women
Probably relatively warmer weather
Half course may include a run through the Angels baseball stadium

I hope this helps. -- Suzanne
 
We're from Europe and 2015 will be our year to achieve some goals. One of them is run a Disney race. We will be doing this once.
Should we sign up for the Tinkerbell or the Disneyland half marathon?

If you don't mind, perhaps you could describe your perfect race event. That would help guide recommendations.

A few preference examples might include:

-- Weather/temperature
-- Theme
-- Costume
-- Single race vs. race challenge
-- Participant atmosphere (a lean toward competitive vs. festive and supportive)
-- Pre/Post vacation interests (visiting the parks, resort pool swimming, off-property touring, length of vacation...)

Also, who will be traveling with you? And who will be participating, and in which race distances?
 
Here are some considerations to help:

Tinkerbell
May 2015
Sign up less than a month away (August)
More women: field is slower but better corral placement for fast women
Probably relatively cooler weather
The half course in Jan 2014 was reported to be a little boring

DL Half
August 2015
Sign up not until January 2015
Faster field with no corral preference for faster women
Probably relatively warmer weather
Half course may include a run through the Angels baseball stadium

I hope this helps. -- Suzanne

Great comparison!
 


We're from Europe and 2015 will be our year to achieve some goals. One of them is run a Disney race. We will be doing this once.
Should we sign up for the Tinkerbell or the Disneyland half marathon?

Are you just wanting to visit the Disneyland park for your Disney race experience, hoping to avoid heat and humidity issues of FL, or are those the only times that work with your vacation/holiday schedule?

I ask only because we feel we get a bit more bang for our buck with the WDW races in Florida. Running at Disneyland was still great, and it's a fantastic park to visit (much easier getting around being more compact). However, Disney doesn't like to extend characters or other Disney brand entertainment outside the parks on the streets of Anaheim, so while you still get all of that while running through the parks, you still have ~8 miles (62%) outside of the parks with fairly basic entertainment (cheerleaders, bands, boy/girl scouts, etc). In WDW, because you're running on roads Disney controls on their property, character experiences and other Disney elements are scattered all throughout the course.

You may have your reasons for targeting a California race, but I just wanted to throw that out there for your consideration as well in case you did have some flexibility to consider any of the races in Florida.

ONE LAST NOTE -- races have been selling out crazy quick over the past year. California races seem to go a little bit faster as well with smaller capacities than they have in Florida. You should try to register right when registration opens for whatever race you decide on, and especially if it is a California race! Best of luck to you!! :thumbsup2
 
We were to late for the WDW marathon and the princess half marathon. We are looking for the best disney run experience. If thats in WDW we will change our plans :D Our party is me 27 and my husband 30

This is what we are looking for:
There has to be a half marathon
the event has to be in 2015
no wine and dine

When we are in Anaheim we will go to the National Parks. In Florida we want to go to the parks (disney universal ect) and sightseeing.
 
This is what we are looking for:
There has to be a half marathon
the event has to be in 2015
no wine and dine


When we are in Anaheim we will go to the National Parks. In Florida we want to go to the parks (disney universal ect) and sightseeing.

Ah, with having missed Marathon Weekend and Princess, Wine & Dine would be the only other WDW race with a half marathon distance. With that excluded, the only other WDW races would be Expedition Everest Challenge in May (5k followed by a 'scavenger hunt') and Tower of Terror 10-Miler. Those and W&D all have after-parties included with the price -- we've had fun at EEC and TOT -- but they don't meet your criteria.

With that, you're back to looking at the California races and the considerations mentioned by other posters between Disneyland Half & Tinkerbell. To which I would add that there is also the Avengers half marathon in November of this year and presumably in November of next year, too. We're pretty excited about that 2015 prospect because we already were planning a November DL trip to see the holiday overlays they do for the park (Haunted Mansion redone as Nightmare Before Christmas, Small World gets a Christmas theme).
 


We were to late for the WDW marathon and the princess half marathon. We are looking for the best disney run experience. If thats in WDW we will change our plans :D Our party is me 27 and my husband 30

This is what we are looking for:
There has to be a half marathon
the event has to be in 2015
no wine and dine

When we are in Anaheim we will go to the National Parks. In Florida we want to go to the parks (disney universal ect) and sightseeing.

Some food for thought. I know you have said no Wine and Dine, but I have done, Tinkerbell, PHM, Disneyland Half, and Wine and Dine, and W&D is my favorite. I love running at night, and the course is pretty great too. Plus recovery food at the F&W Festival is great.....ok so it probably isn't the best actual recovery food, but it is great pig out food.
 
We were to late for the WDW marathon and the princess half marathon. We are looking for the best disney run experience. If thats in WDW we will change our plans :D Our party is me 27 and my husband 30

This is what we are looking for:
There has to be a half marathon
the event has to be in 2015
no wine and dine

When we are in Anaheim we will go to the National Parks. In Florida we want to go to the parks (disney universal ect) and sightseeing.

Are both of you planning to run?
How will your husband feel about a "woman-centric" race? Tinker Belle has A LOT more women running than men (but there ARE still men there!) If your husband is a very strong runner, and is used to being in the first corrals of races, he may be disappointed to learn that men are not allowed in the first corral for Tinker Bell.
 
Thank you for your comments. In our schedule fits the Disneyland half marathon better now, so we are trying to sign up for that one.
When we did some researching we saw that the w and d looks pretty cool to. I'm feeling a coast to coast challenge comming up
 

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