Trip planned during Princess, should I participate?

[DisneyRunner2009]

My DH and I have a trip planned during Princess half weekend. I've done the races before, but have no current plans to participate. I would need to change our resort reservation to add a day or two. It has been a few years since my last runDisney event, so I have a few questions.

1. It looks like there is no early registration for AP or DVC, correct.

2. Do you need to submit a qualifying time to get placed in an earlier corral?

3. You get up early to make it to the start line. Can someone please refresh my memory, what time that was? Thank you.

4. If you fly in early the day before your event, do you think you can make it to packet pick up in time?

5. I know the 10K sells quickly, will it sell out this year?

I don't want to be sad seeing everyone with medals and shirts and wish I was involved. I just want to cover all the bases to make the right decision. Thanks.

 

[Kerry1957]

I think it will take me longer to write up these answers than it would for you to simply read through a few of the recent threads, but here goes...
1. Correct
2. Only for HMs and the Marathon. Times have changed to make it much more difficult to get an early corral (under 2:00 HM)
3. Races now start at 5:00am. Get up at zero dark thirty
4. It depends on what time your flight arrives and if it is delayed. There used to be some allowance for late arrivers to be able to pick up packet day of race but that has ended.
5. It will probably sell out very fast (as in less than an hour). Again look at the thread that lists the sell out times for the Princess 10K for the past few years. No one knows, but my guess is that the 2022 Princess will sell out quicker that past years.

I hope you decide to race, and are able to register. The hardest and most stressful part of the whole race weekend is registering. Read through the threads and be ready the moment registration starts (or a few minutes before)

 

[jmasgat]

My DH and I have a trip planned during Princess half weekend. I've done the races before, but have no current plans to participate. I would need to change our resort reservation to add a day or two. It has been a few years since my last runDisney event, so I have a few questions.

1. It looks like there is no early registration for AP or DVC, correct.

2. Do you need to submit a qualifying time to get placed in an earlier corral?

3. You get up early to make it to the start line. Can someone please refresh my memory, what time that was? Thank you.

4. If you fly in early the day before your event, do you think you can make it to packet pick up in time?

5. I know the 10K sells quickly, will it sell out this year?

I don't want to be sad seeing everyone with medals and shirts and wish I was involved. I just want to cover all the bases to make the right decision. Thanks.

1. Correct. They eliminated that.
2. Yes. It used to be for the half that the time was 2:30. But for W&D they have changed it to 2:00. Can't remember about the 10k.
3. Well race transport started around 3 am. Race start was at 5:30. It appears they may be changing the start time to 5, but no further details.
4. Yes. Expo usually ran til early evening. I think 7pm
5. I would expect so given it usually does, there is pent up demand and we haven't idea what numbers will look like. Of course, the only people with answers to this question are Run Disney and they never say.

 

[The Expert]

DO IT! This is exactly how I started with rD and with running in general. We had a DVC trip booked in 2016 and the second to last day was when the Princess 5K was scheduled. The races were one of the few Disney things I'd never done, so when I looked into it and found I could WALK, I was in. I registered, got a tutu and a Tink tank, then still almost bailed at the last minute due to the wakeup time. But I did get up and I am SO GLAD I did! I had so much fun that I immediately came home and started C25K. About half of my family decided they wanted to do the 5K with me the next year, and I ended up signing up for all three races in 2017. Also in 2017 I did Tink (and got Coast to Coast) and Paris (and got Castle to Chateau). So I suppose my post is both encouragement and a warning!!!

 

[sunshine girl]

I don't want to be sad seeing everyone with medals and shirts and wish I was involved. I just want to cover all the bases to make the right decision. Thanks.

If you enjoy Disney races and kinda think you want to do it, do it! If the pandemic has reinforced anything for me, it's that future race opportunities (and health) are not guaranteed. Take advantage while you can!

Skipping it might be OK with you given the logistics and time commitment, but... just a warning that you'll definitely feel it when you see everyone at the parks in their race bling!!