Tower of Terror 10 mile or Wine and Dine 1/2

[WDWRids]

Trying to decide which race should be my first...help me out, please! (Will be able to run 1/2 distance)

Which is your favorite run and why?

 

[WDWRids]

Anyone?

 

[mirandaperez10]

Which is your favorite park? I would choose the one with the best sights and smells.

Faith, Trust, and..PIXIE DUST.

 

[bigtony777]

I have not run the TOT but the W&D is my favorite race of the many Disney and non-Disney races that I have completed. I love food and wine so the after party along with the weekend around the race is the best prize for a completed race.

 

[Waiting2goback]

I am signed up for the ToT race in October. It is my first Disney race. I am new to racing this year so I picked the shortest distance because the 1/2 felt too intimidating to me at the time. I now wish I went with the Wine and Dine. Having said that, some things to consider are what time of day you want to run. ToT is at night, I believe W and D is a morning race. As the previous poster said, the park and the after party might be a big part to it as well. The ToT from everything I am learning is VERY HOT AND HUMID. Last year's race was in mid 80's and like 90% humidity at the time of the race. People were puking afterward from being so dehydrated (something that has me concerned).

One other thing I have noticed is the ToT doesn't seem to be as big with the real serious runners. As I said, I am new to running. I am not tremendously fast. I ran a race for proof of time and based on my time and last year's corral placements I would be in the 3rd corral. The other races I wouldn't be close to the front. I would be more middle of the pack. So, I will be an early finisher in the ToT and start the after party before the huge crowds.

Also, how are you with crowds? The ToT has around 11,500 runners. I have heard the 1/2 marathons are closer to 25,000.

Hopefully that gives you something to think about. You might want to try listening to the Mickey Miles Podcast. The show covers everything runDisney. They don't have the best running advice but they do know the runDisney races very well.

 

[Ariel484]

Waiting2goback...I don't want to seem like I am picking on you but I do want to correct a couple of things for the OP.

I am signed up for the ToT race in October. It is my first Disney race. I am new to racing this year so I picked the shortest distance because the 1/2 felt too intimidating to me at the time. I now wish I went with the Wine and Dine. Having said that, some things to consider are what time of day you want to run. ToT is at night, I believe W and D is a morning race.

Nope. Wine & Dine is also a night race.

Also, how are you with crowds? The ToT has around 11,500 runners. I have heard the 1/2 marathons are closer to 25,000.

This is also not correct. The morning races (WDW Half and Princess Half) are big, but Wine & Dine is smaller (~14,500 runners last year).

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OP - I haven't run the ToT 10-miler year but I did run W&D last year and am running it again this year. Couple of things to think about...

1. Time of year - does early October or early November work better for you?

2. Theme - ToT will have Villians on the course and at the after-party, where W&D is more of a mix of characters on the course. This also ties into the swag (shirt, finisher medal) that you'll get.

3. After-party - ToT in DHS with Villains vs. W&D in Epcot with the Food & Wine booths

4. Courses - this, to me, is the biggest reason why I haven't run ToT yet. ToT starts at the Wide World of Sports and only goes through one park - DHS. Wine & Dine also starts at Wide World of Sports, but it goes through 3 parks: Animal Kingdom, Hollywood Studios (with Osborne Lights - unless those go away at some point) and Epcot.


I'm definitely planning on running ToT at some point but the W&D course seems better to me.

 

[Waiting2goback]

Waiting2goback...I don't want to seem like I am picking on you but I do want to correct a couple of things for the OP.

Nope. Wine & Dine is also a night race.

This is also not correct. The morning races (WDW Half and Princess Half) are big, but Wine & Dine is smaller (~14,500 runners last year).

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OP - I haven't run the ToT 10-miler year but I did run W&D last year and am running it again this year. Couple of things to think about...

1. Time of year - does early October or early November work better for you?

2. Theme - ToT will have Villians on the course and at the after-party, where W&D is more of a mix of characters on the course. This also ties into the swag (shirt, finisher medal) that you'll get.

3. After-party - ToT in DHS with Villains vs. W&D in Epcot with the Food & Wine booths

4. Courses - this, to me, is the biggest reason why I haven't run ToT yet. ToT starts at the Wide World of Sports and only goes through one park - DHS. Wine & Dine also starts at Wide World of Sports, but it goes through 3 parks: Animal Kingdom, Hollywood Studios (with Osborne Lights - unless those go away at some point) and Epcot.


I'm definitely planning on running ToT at some point but the W&D course seems better to me.

I don't feel like you are picking on me. I am a runDisney rookie myself so I don't know that much. I was simply trying to give the OP some things to consider so even though my info was not correct, and I said I wasn't sure when I put it, hopefully it did do that.

And, I promise I am not doing this just because you corrected me but the ToT doesn't start at WWoS. It starts in the parking lot of HS and ends in the park. It runs through WWoS but just doesn't start there.

Here is a link to a video of the race. This is 1 of 5 but once you click on this the other 4 will be on the side. I actually watched it. Seems boring but it gives a good idea what the course is like, what it's like running at night, etc... The 5th clip shows the end of the race. It's hard to hear but these people doing the video are in corral J, which is the last corral.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9OIfv7_4vyE

 

[Ariel484]

I don't feel like you are picking on me. I am a runDisney rookie myself so I don't know that much. I was simply trying to give the OP some things to consider so even though my info was not correct, and I said I wasn't sure when I put it, hopefully it did do that.

And, I promise I am not doing this just because you corrected me but the ToT doesn't start at WWoS. It starts in the parking lot of HS and ends in the park. It runs through WWoS but just doesn't start there.

ACK! You're right! D'oh!

I can't watch the video (at work) but the description below from runDisney.com obviously confirms what you're saying...

The Twilight Zone Tower of Terror™ is a nighttime road race that will end at The Twilight Zone Tower of Terror™ attraction at Disney's Hollywood Studios. Elevating the fun even more this year are a series of four gentle slopes dotting the course, and timing mats that let your friends and family track your progress. The course begins at Disney's Hollywood Studios® Auto Plaza entrance, then heads away from the park towards the Osceola Parkway westbound ramp, past Disney's Animal Kingdom®, back along the eastbound lanes of Osceola Parkway, and through Champion Stadium at the ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex as Disney entertainers and characters cheer participants along. The course returns to Disney's Hollywood Studios®, past Lights, Motors, Action™ Extreme Stunt Show, along the New York Street, past Mickey Sorcerer's Hat, and on to a spectacular finish at The Twilight Zone Tower of Terror™.

Timing mats are located at the 5K (3.1 mile) and 10K (6.2 mile) splits. Medical tents are located at 4.7 and 8 miles along the course.