Will the Half Marathon Still Be Going When the Parks Open?

[jlindley9]

We'll be in the parks on Sunday during the half marathon. DL has a MM, so it opens at 8. Will the runners still be going through the park at that point? If so, how does this affect the park experience for regular guests? Will parts of the parks be roped off and unavailable for us? Just want to know what to expect. Thanks!

 

[scion5220]

We'll be in the parks on Sunday during the half marathon. DL has a MM, so it opens at 8. Will the runners still be going through the park at that point? If so, how does this affect the park experience for regular guests? Will parts of the parks be roped off and unavailable for us? Just want to know what to expect. Thanks!

I am doing the race and I am slooooowww...so look for me out there still at that time!

The races do go through the parks and DTD so there may be roped off areas. In Florida they sort of do like a parade and hold people back and then allow them to cross over when there are breaks in the runners going by.

 

[scion5220]

Also, the race starts at 6am, but many participants don't cross the start line for a while after that. And there is an allowance of approximately 3.5 hours to finish after the last participant crosses the official start.

Therefore, some runners/walkers won't be finishing until between 9:30 and 10.

 

[jlindley9]

Thanks!

 

[Breyean]

I am doing the race and I am slooooowww...so look for me out there still at that time!

The races do go through the parks and DTD so there may be roped off areas. In Florida they sort of do like a parade and hold people back and then allow them to cross over when there are breaks in the runners going by.

Do they still go through DTD toward the finish? I did this race the first year and we did and it was a disaster trying to get back to hotels, etc. I did it again last year and they had changed the route into the finish so that it looped around PP and approached the parking lot finish area on the far outside of DTD, so we didn't run in DTD at all. Made it much easier to navigate afterward.

I know they changed the route again this year because of the CA construction, but I thought that would only impact the first few miles.

 

[Vexorg]

I don't know how long it'll take to get everyone started, but looking at the racecourse shows that the part going through the parks is at the beginning of the run, and the finish of the race is on Disneyland Drive via Katella Avenue. Hopefully this means that most runners will be done by the time the parks open, and disruptions to normal park visitors (of which, in spite of better judgment, I will be one on that day) shouldn't last too long.

Then again, if the traffic and parking situation in getting to the park is as bad as I'm hearing it could be, it could take a while to even get there in the first place.

 

[kim3339]

We'll be in the parks on Sunday during the half marathon. DL has a MM, so it opens at 8. Will the runners still be going through the park at that point? If so, how does this affect the park experience for regular guests? Will parts of the parks be roped off and unavailable for us? Just want to know what to expect. Thanks!

You should be fine in the park. We only are in the parks through the 1st 4 miles and like stated above, with a 6am start time, everyone will be out of the parks before 8. However, if you are walking down Harbor from the Katella direction, at the crosswalk entrance where the parking lot is, you will be help up until a break in the runners is open. We go through the parking lot area back to the PP Hotel and the DL Hotel. No more DTD running just along the service road in front of the DL Hotel.

The plus side is that Jamba Juice, La Brea and the Coffee Shop at the end of DTD will be open around 3-3:30 if you're up!

Seriously though, you should be fine and not have any problems.

 

[scion5220]

You should be fine in the park. We only are in the parks through the 1st 4 miles and like stated above, with a 6am start time, everyone will be out of the parks before 8. However, if you are walking down Harbor from the Katella direction, at the crosswalk entrance where the parking lot is, you will be help up until a break in the runners is open. We go through the parking lot area back to the PP Hotel and the DL Hotel. No more DTD running just along the service road in front of the DL Hotel.

The plus side is that Jamba Juice, La Brea and the Coffee Shop at the end of DTD will be open around 3-3:30 if you're up!

Seriously though, you should be fine and not have any problems.

Thanks for updating the DTD part...I did it the first year and that was part of the race. I am doing this one and the Tink in January and haven't studied the course maps that closely...I figure they will tell me where to go when I get to the starting line.

 

[kim3339]

Thanks for updating the DTD part...I did it the first year and that was part of the race. I am doing this one and the Tink in January and haven't studied the course maps that closely...I figure they will tell me where to go when I get to the starting line.

Yeah, we did DTD the 2nd year too and then they changed it all up. I think b/c of all the construction and changes in DCA. I miss it though, it was really nice having everyone going into the park cheering for you, especially when you're at the end of the race and need that extra charge. Now, we enter/run through the parking lot and around the backside of DCA to the PP and DLH.

Tink should be fun, I can't wait for it!! Plus we have a different course from the Labor Day one so that'll be exciting!