Great news today, everyone. runDisney races are back at Walt Disney World. Even more exciting? runDisney in-park races are starting THIS YEAR!
While many runDisney fans have been speculating that an announcement from runDisney would like come soon, most of us assumed that runDisney races would be back NEXT YEAR. Today’s announcement is exciting news for runDisney fans everywhere and indicates a more accelerated return to normalcy for runDisney races at Walt Disney World.
runDisney Races are back in 2021
A big surprise for many runDisney fans, the first race to return to Walt Disney World is the 2021 Disney Wine & Dine Half Marathon Weekend. The Wine & Dine Half Marathon Weekend is November 4 – 7, 2021.
This year’s theme is Wickedly Delicious, focusing on popular Disney villains. The weekend will feature a 5K, a 10K, and a half marathon. In addition, the weekend will also offer a Disney Two Course Challenge for those participants that want the challenge of completing both the 10K and the half marathon. I’m a big fan of the 10K/Half Marathon challenges, and am very excited to see this challenge as a part of the Wine & Dine weekend.
Photo: runDisney
The weekend will wrap up with a Post Race Party for participants and their families at EPCOT. The party will feature exclusive after hours access to the park and the International Food and Wine Festival.
If you’re interested in planning a trip to Disney for the runDisney Wine & Dine Half Marathon Weekend, I recommend taking action QUICKLY. Email me at brooke@disneycastledreaming.com and I’d be happy to put together a no obligation quote for you.
Disney’s Wine & Dine Half Marathon Weekend
Registration opens for the general public on July 13, 2021 at 10 am EST.
Club runDisney Gold and Platinum registration opens July 6, 2021 at 10 am EST.
While we haven’t received confirmation yet, we expect that DVC members and Annual Passholders will also have access for early registration. We will update with a specific date and time as soon as we have it.
Pricing
5K $95
10K $135
Half Marathon $215
Two Course Challenge $360
Post Race Party $89
*Note: These are early registration prices. Prices will increase by $10 on August 10, 2021.
Walt Disney World Marathon Weekend
Many runDisney fans had high hopes that in park races would be returning to Walt Disney World for January 2022’s Marathon Weekend. I’m so happy to report that Walt Disney World’s Marathon Weekend has been officially confirmed for January 5 – 9, 2022.
Fans can expect Marathon Weekend to focus on the 50th Anniversary of the Walt Disney World Resort. I’m hopeful there will be lots of special entertainment and merchandise celebrating the big 50th!
Marathon Weekend will include a 5K, a 10K, a half marathon, and a full marathon. Also back is the Goofy’s Race and a Half Challenge, for those participants that want to do the half marathon AND the full marathon (and MUST be Goofy to do so!). And for the REALLY committed (or maybe they need to be committed? Just kidding!) the Dopey Challenge is back. The Dopey Challenge includes the 5K, the 10K, the half marathon AND the full marathon.
runDisney Goofy Challenge
We are already seeing a TON of reservations for 2022–so many Disney fans have been eagerly awaiting Disney World’s return to normal. With runDisney races back, we expect Marathon Weekend reservations to pour in. If you’d like a no obligation quote for your runDisney Marathon Weekend, please reach out to brooke@disneycastledreaming.com.
Registration
Registration opens for the general public on July 27, 2021 at 10 am EST.
Club runDisney Gold and Platinum registration opens July 20, 2021 at 10 am EST.
While we haven’t received confirmation yet, we expect that DVC members and Annual Passholders will also have access for early registration. We will update with a specific date and time as soon as we have it.
Pricing
5K $95
10K $135
Half Marathon $195
Marathon $195
Goofy’s Race and a Half Challenge $390
Dopey Challenge $600
Disney’s Princess Half Marathon Weekend 2022
It’s no surprise that the race weekend built for Disney princesses from all over the world will return once again to Walt Disney World now that runDisney races are BACK live in the parks. A great entry point for beginner runDisney participants, Disney’s Princess Half Marathon Weekend is scheduled for February 24 – 27, 2021.
New for 2022: the first morning will feature Disney Princess Sunrise Yoga in front of Cinderella Castle, before the theme park opens. How fun does THAT sound?
The theme for the 2022 Princess Half Marathon Weekend will be courage and kindness. Men are welcome to participate, but the Princess Half Marathon Weekend focuses more fully on women, girls and the female experience. The Disney Princess Half Marathon Weekend will feature a 5k, a 10k, and a half marathon. The Weekend also features the Disney Fairy Tale Challenge (my favorite!) for those participants that want to do both the 10K and the half marathon.
runDisney Princess Half Marathon Finish Line
It’s a great opportunity for a girls’ weekend, a sisters weekend, a mom/daughter weekend. If you’d like help planning your Disney Half Marathon weekend, please email brooke@disneycastledreaming.com.
Registration
Registration opens for the general public on August 24, 2021 at 10 am EST.
Club runDisney Gold and Platinum registration opens August 17, 2021 at 10 am EST.
While we haven’t received confirmation yet, we expect that DVC members and Annual Passholders will also have access for early registration. We will update with a specific date and time as soon as we have it.
Pricing
Sunrise Yoga $95
5K $95
Enchanted 10K $135
Half Marathon $210
Disney Fairy Tale Challenge $355
Surprise! runDisney has a NEW Race in the Family
All the big runDisney announcements from this morning included a new race in the lineup. runDisney Springtime Surprise Weekend is scheduled for March 31 – April 3, 2022. Disney has stated that each race season, the fourth weekend will be the Springtime Surprise Weekend. Each year, the race themes and distances will be different.
So essentially, this weekend is replacing the Star Wars race weekend? Perhaps they are planning to rotate several different themes through this particular race weekend, depending on what film or theme park properties they want to promote in a particular year? I guess we will find out.
They tell us that this weekend will be “as much about the smiles as it is about the miles” and beginner racers and veteran racers alike will be welcome.
We have no other information about this event at this time. Hmmm. Very mysterious. Registration will like open in the fall, but we have no dates, distances, prices or themes yet.
Health and Safety
With runDisney races back in our lives, an obvious first question for many is, “What will the health and safety protocols be?”
The answer to this question is evolving. Disney is saying that they will defer to the information they receive from scientists, vendors and sponsors, and will make decisions in the best interest of their guests, vendors, park guests, and cast members as each race weekend approaches.
It is possible that face coverings MAY be required or that other health and safety protocol measures may be in place at race time.
As more information becomes available for each race weekend, I will share it with you.
Virtual Races are Sticking Around
In the not-so-surprising news category, Disney has announced that Virtual Races are NOT going away. Racers from all over the world will still be able to participate in runDisney races from wherever they are, even if they can’t come to the parks to join in the fun.
The in-person runDisney races generate millions of dollars in revenue for Disney, and they have learned from the Covid runDisney experience that they can make even MORE money by opening the races up to a virtual audience. I fully expect Disney to continue offering the virtual races, and to perhaps even expand their virtual offerings as time goes on. They can operate the virtual races with much less overhead and get a lot of fan participation. Races like these build additional fan loyalty, and of course, can lead to additional in park race participation, which adds to to resort revenues overall, in addition to runDisney dollars.
I think the virtual races are brilliant, and since runDisney is not foolish and they want ALL my money, they will continue for every runDisney in park race for the forseeable future.
If you’d like to learn more about Virtual Races (and why I love them), please read runDisney Virtual Races.
Registration Dates for Virtual Races
Disney’s Wine & Dine Half Marathon Weekend: July 16, 2021 at 10am EST
Walt Disney World Marathon Weekend: July 30, 2021 at 10 am EST
Disney’s Princess Half Marathon Weekend: August 27, 2021 at 10am EST
It’s True. runDisney races are BACK at Walt Disney World.
I’m so excited I can’t hardly stand it. runDisney races are truly exceptional experiences for runners and walkers alike. The race course is filled with themed mile markers, race entertainment, characters and photo opps. Logistically, no one does it better. There are SO MANY portapotties! (Ok, I don’t love the portapotty experience, but when ya gotta go, you are so grateful they are there). I can’t even put into words racing through the theme parks themselves. It’s AMAZING. Fast runners will be in the parks at sunrise (or even before) and that’s a heart stopping, never forget it moment. Slower runners or walkers (like me!) will enter the parks much later and find their paths lined with park goers cheering them on (also a heart stopping never forget it moment.
runDisney WDW Marathon, January 2013 (Photo: MarathonPhoto)
The adrenaline rush that comes from lining up at the starting line with thousands of other races is amazing for any big race…but for a runDisney race, it’s magnified somehow. The energy just crackles through the air. There are fireworks and Mickey Mouse for goodness sakes! And whenever your energy is flagging, there will be something or someone on the course to boost your spirits and get you going again.
runDisney It’s All About the Bling photo: Vicki and David Arndt Photography
How about you? Are you excited that runDisney races are back in the Walt Disney World parks? What race or races are YOU registering for?
I may need to partner with a venture capitalist to support my runDisney addiction. {sigh}.
Hope to see you on the runDisney race course!
Happy Dreaming,
Brooke
Ready to Plan Your Next Disney Vacation? I’m ready to help! Email brooke@disneycastledreaming.com
runDisney recently announced that the Walt Disney World Marathon 2021 races and the Princess Half Marthon 2021 races will be transitioned from regular runDisney events to runDisney virtual races.
In our last runDisney post, we discussed the runDisney experience that runDisney racers experience at regular runDisney events. To check out that post, please click here.
Today, we are going to discuss runDisney virtual races. We’re going to explain what virtual races are, and how to participate if you choose to. We’re going to talk about the pros and the cons of virtual races. We are also going to share the pricing for upcoming runDisney virtual races, and share our past experiences with virtual races.
What is a Virtual Race?
Virtual races have been around a long time in the race community, but runDisney didn’t jump on the virtual race bandwagon until a few years ago (2015).
Basically, a virtual race is a race that you agree to complete on or by a certain date. You don’t run this race at a fixed location with hundreds or thousands of other racers, and you don’t have access to common race logistics, like water tables and porta potties. You can complete the distance in your neighborhood, on your favorite trail, or even at home on your treadmill.
A lot of runners and long distance walkers use virtual races as part of their training for other “in person” races.
Virtual Races as Training Events
For example, when I was training for the half marathon and marathon races, I would often sign up for a virtual half marathon or a virtual 10K during my training. This would help incentivize me to complete some of my longer training runs, and bonus, I would get some BLING for my medal collection. In addition, most virtual runs benefit a charity–at least part of your registration fee goes to support a particular charity.
It’s a heck of a lot easier to talk yourself into that final 14 mile training run (or walk) two weeks before the big race if you’ve got a cool medal coming to you at the end of it!
Seasonally-themed virtual races can be fun challenges too. One virtual race that I do every year is A Christmas Story 10K. There is a actual physical race every year in Cleveland, OH to benefit the A Christmas Story house and museum. The physical race is usually the first Saturday in December each year. This race was one of the first races I found to offer a virtual option. Registration for this year’s virtual race is $55, and includes the official A Christmas Story run shirt, a themed medal, a custom bib.
Advantages of a Virtual Race
The biggest advantage of a virtual race versus a “regular” race is that a virtual race is less intimidating. There is less pressure, and less stress associated with a virtual race. Of course, this can also be a negative: it’s really easy to blow off a virtual race, too.
But a virtual race can be a terrific entry into road racing. It’s a way to challenge yourself to train for a specific distance, and to complete that distance on a specific date and within a specific time. It’s really personally satisfying to set a goal and achieve it, and a virtual race is a terrific way to learn to follow through. Training for and completing a challenging distance is a terrific boost to your self esteem, and road races (virtual and otherwise) have inspired thousands of people to get in shape and start walking or running.
A road race with hundreds or thousands of other competitors is exhiliarting and emotional. It’s kind of hard to explain, but there is something really amazing about training for months for an event, and showing up with your fellow racers. A runDisney event takes that to a whole other level, as we discussed in The runDisney Experience.
The Fear Factor
However, a road race with hundreds or thousands of other races is VERY intimidating. Maneuvering a crowded route with lots of other racers can be challenging and even scary if it’s your first time. A virtual race gives you the chance to get your feet wet, so to speak, and do the race without the crowd and the pressure. You can prove to yourself that you CAN DO IT!
Economics
And of course, virtual races are SIGNIFICANTLY more economical than road races. Especially big races like runDisney events. With a virtual event, the race organizer doesn’t have to coordinate logistics, like volunteers and water stations and first aid. They don’t have to coordinate with the city or town to close roads or have police officers along the route. They don’t have to provide porta-potties and finish line parties. As a result, a virtual race is usually a fraction of the equivalent BIG race. Again, a good way to test yourself, learn that you CAN do it–without the big price tag. (Or travel expenses, if you would be traveling to the event, as with most runDisney events.)
Race Where You Want
Another HUGE benefit of a virtual race? You race where YOU want to race. Want to complete the race in your local forest preserve? Go for it. Want to do the race by circling your home block while pushing your kid in a stroller? Absolutely. Want to complete the race on your treadmill in your basement? You can do it! The beauty of a virtual race is that it is completely flexible. Indoors, outdoors. On the street, on a sidewalk, on a trail. In your living room or on your local track. However YOU want to complete the distance, it’s completely up to you.
Flexibility
Planning to run your race outside, but on the planned day, it’s pouring rain? Two choices: Put on raingear and run it anyway or postpone your race until tomorrow. In a “real” road race, you don’t have choices like that. Again, you have to be careful that you don’t let virtual race flexibility turn into “forgetting” to do the race altogether–but even when your goal is to complete your race on a certain day, you still have some flexibility. In a regular runDisney race, if you have a family emergency and need to cancel your trip, you miss the race, and lose your money. With a virtual race, you move the race to next weekend.
This can also be helpful if you miss a couple of weeks of training due to illness or injury. With a regular runDisney event, you would just have to suck it up and do the best you could–potentially risking getting pulled from the course because you are unable to finish, or are too slow. With a virtual race, you can just move out your planned race date a couple of weeks, and get right back on track with your training. Be careful not to use excuses or lack of effort as a “back door” escape route. BUT, if you are serious about your race, but an illness or injury sets you back? You can recover sensibly, without overtraining and still complete your race.
How to Find Virtual Races
In years past, finding virtual races with medals was fairly easy. With Covid-19, virtual races have become even MORE popular.
I usewebsites like The Virtual Run Challenge to find races when I want to do a virtual race. I also really like Gone for a Run. Big sites like Runner’s World also now include information about virtual races.
Most virtual races are based on the honor system. They are assuming you are a grown up and that you will complete the distance you say you will when you are supposed to. The medals are not withheld until you can “prove” you completed the race. While I have seen a few exceptions to this, most virtual races are handled using the honor system (including runDisney virtual races).
Some virtual races do require you to report your times, and others require you to report your race finish on social media to qualify for your medal.
Some virtual races also give you flexibility on the “when”. For example, I’ve done quite a few “turkey trot” themed virtual races that needed to be completed sometime during the week of Thanksgiving, or even “anytime” during the month of November.
2020 and Virtual Racing
This year, the Covid-19 has decimated the regular racing season. Most races nationwide have been cancelled completely. Some race vendors, however, have decided to offer their events virtually.
Some big races that are offering virtual events this year include:
Boston Marathon
Air Force Half Marathon
Flying Pig Half Marathon
NYC Marathon
San Francisco Marathon and Half Marathon
runDisney Wine and Dine Half Marathon Weekend
Run Rock N Roll
runDisney Walt Disney World Marathon Weekend
Hot Chocolate Race Series
runDisney Princess Half Marathon Weekend
And there are a lot more big races choosing to go virtual this year. If there’s a race you normally run, or have been interested in running, check out that race’s website–you might find they have a virtual option this year.
We, of course, have no idea if any of these bigger “mainstream” races will continue to offer virtual races in the future. But if you have always wanted to do one of these big races, this might be your year!
runDisney Virtual Races
runDisney’s initial foray into virtual racing began a few summers ago. runDisney decided to offer a virtual race “series” during the summer months. No doubt this was primarily a financially motivated decision, but it also kept runDisney front and center with its’ audience. In addition, I think these races served to attract a new audience to runDisney, with the hope of migrating them to the onsite runDisney experience in the future.
Each summer there were three virtual 5K races offered–one in June, one in July and one in August. You could register for one, two or all three. If you did all three, you were completing that summer’s race challenge, and would get a fourth medal indicating your had finished the challenge.
This summer’s (2020) races included the Mad Tea Party 5K, the Space Mountain 5K, and the Haunted Mansion 5k. Each race was priced at $40, and included a digital race bib, a digital “toolkit”, a digital finisher’s certificate and a finisher’s medal.
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If you wanted to do all three races, you could sign up for the Virtual Challenge for $145. This included digital race bibs for all three races, three finisher’s medals for the three races, plus a fourth “challenge” medal. The challenge racers would also get a downloadable finisher’s certificate and a special Virtual Series keepsake.
I honestly don’t think runDisney ever intended to do anything more with virtual races than these summer “fill-in” virtual races. As with anything else runDisney, the pricing for these summer virtual races was on the high side, compared to other virtual races.
Typical virtual races tend to be priced anywhere from $10 – $30. Large races like Rock N Roll are higher; however, for 5Ks, these runDisney virtual races are a bit overpriced (in my opinion).
(Photo: runDisney)
Covid-19 and runDisney Virtual Races
In a regular runDisney race year, runDisney fans have the opportunity to participate in four race series at Walt Disney World. These race series include:
The Walt Disney World Marathon Weekend (January)
The Princess Half Marathon Weekend (February)
The Star Wars Rival Run Weekend (April)
Disney Wine & Dine Half Marathon Weekend (November)
In 2020, the Star Wars Rival Run Weekend was cancelled completely due to the Disney World closures. The Disney Wine & Dine Half Marathon Weekend, scheduled for November 5-8, 2020 was switched to a virtual event several months ago.
In past years, runDisney fans also had four opportunities to race at Disneyland. The Disneyland races were stopped after January 2018 due to construction and logistical issues with the City of Anaheim (home of Disneyland and California Adventure.)
Because Disneyland and California Adventure in California do not have the substantial amount of real estate owned by Disney, the Disneyland race routes included a lot of distance through the city of Anaheim itself. Conversely, in Florida, even the full marathon is routed exclusively on Disney property, and all logistics (volunteers, support, porta-potties, water stations, etc.) are managed completely by Disney.
The Disneyland races have been eliminated “until further notice.” At this time, it appears unlikely that the races in California will return any time soon. Hopefully, I am wrong about that as I really want to complete the runDisney Coast to Coast Challenge. This is completing a runDisney half marathon or marathon on both coasts in the same calendar year.
Disneyland Paris
Disneyland Paris also hosts a runDisney race weekend most year in the fall. These runDisney weekends include a 5K, 10K, kids races, and a half marathon. The 2020 runDisney Paris weekend was originally scheduled for September 24-25,2020. This race weekend has been postponed until Fall 2021. We don’t have exact dates yet, but runDisney has not transitioned to virtual races for these races in France.
Note: There is a Castle to Chateau Challenge for runDisney racers that complete a US runDisney half marathon or marathon and the Disneyland Paris half marathon in the same calendar year. Maybe a future bucket list item?
Walt Disney World Marathon Weekend 2021 Virtual Races
runDisney’s premier event every year is the Walt Disney World Marathon Weekend. For more than 25 years, the first or second weekend each January has meant the WDW Marathon Weekend for runDisney participants and fans.
The 2021 Walt Disney World Marathon Weekend was scheduled for January 7-10, 2021. The original schedule included:
WDW Race Expo Wednesday January 6-10, 2021.
WDW 5k Race Thursday January 7, 2021
WDW 10K Race Friday January 8, 2021
WDW Half Marathon Saturday January 9, 2021
WDW Marathon Sunday January 10, 2021
Walt Disney Marathon Weekend 2021 also included two multi-race challenges.
Goofy Challenge: Complete the WDW Half Marathon on Saturday January 9, 2021 AND the WDW Marathon on Sunday January 10, 2021
Dopey Challenge: This one is a DOOZY. Complete ALL FOUR WDW RACES on consecutive days. The 5k, the 10K, the Half Marathon AND the Marathon–all four races must be finished in order to receive the Dopey Medal.
Disney has converted all the Walt Disney World Marathon Weekend 2021 runDisney race events to virtual races. Registration is currently available (as of October 16, 2020) for all WDW Marathon Weekend events and challenges.
Pricing
If you are interested in registering for one (or more!) of the 2021 Walt Disney World Marathon Weekend events or challenges, here is how the pricing works.
Walt Disney World 5K
This virtual 5K (3.1 miles) is promoted as a “fun run” for the whole family. If you register for this virtual event, you have two options: Magic and More Magic.
Magic Option: $40 (plus a 6.6% platform service fee)
Commemorative Finisher Medal
Digital Bib and Finisher Certificate
Digital Race Tool Kit featuring printable mile markers
Digital Goodie Bag
Virtual Playlist
More Magic Option: $79 (plus a 6.6% platform service fee)
Commemorative Finisher Medal
Long Sleeve Event Tech Shirt
Digital Bib and Finisher Certificate
Digital Race Tool Kit featuring printable mile markers
As you can see, the only difference between the two options is the shirt. With the Magic Option, you do not receive an event shirt, with More Magic, you do. Disney’s race shirts are decent in my opinion. Generally they are of a nice lightweight tech fabric, and stand up to frequent washing. I think the women’s sizes tend to run a little small.
I am all about the bling, so the medal is the main motivator for me personally, but I find I do wear my race shirts fairly frequently, especially when training. Your mileage may vary on this. I think $30 is a bit high for a race shirt; however, it’s not like Disney t-shirts in the parks are any cheaper. It’s pricey because it’s Disney. If you like the race logo (pictured above), and want an orangey-yellow (probably) long sleeved shirt with that logo on the front, you will want the More Magic Option.
Walt Disney World 10K
This virtual 10K (6.2 miles) is a really good distance for the runDisney beginner. Most of us can do 3 miles fairly easily–its a challenge to build up to 6, but not as intimidating as a half or full marathon. If you register for this virtual event, you have two options: Magic and More Magic.
Magic Option: $49 (plus a 6.6% platform service fee)
Commemorative Finisher Medal
Digital Bib and Finisher Certificate
Digital Race Tool Kit featuring printable mile markers
Digital Goodie Bag
Virtual Playlist
More Magic Option: $99 (plus a 6.6% platform service fee)
Commemorative Finisher Medal
Long Sleeve Event Tech Shirt
Digital Bib and Finisher Certificate
Digital Race Tool Kit featuring printable mile markers
Digital Goodie Bag
Virtual Playlist
runDisney 2021 WDW Marathon Weekend 10K
Again, the only difference between the two options is the shirt. With the Magic Option, you do not receive an event shirt, with More Magic, you do. This shirt will likely be a black shirt with the 2021 10K logo on the front. They could go gray with this one, though.
Walt Disney World Half Marathon
The half marathon is 13.1 miles. This is my personal favorite distance. Long enough to be challenging, and to really necessitate that you train for it, but not so long that the training takes over your life. 😉
If you register for this virtual event, you have two options: Magic and More Magic.
Magic Option: $59 (plus a 6.6% platform service fee)
Commemorative Finisher Medal
Digital Bib and Finisher Certificate
Digital Race Tool Kit featuring printable mile markers
Digital Goodie Bag
Virtual Playlist
More Magic Option: $118 (plus a 6.6% platform service fee)
Commemorative Finisher Medal
Long Sleeve Event Tech Shirt
Digital Bib and Finisher Certificate
Digital Race Tool Kit featuring printable mile markers
Again, the only difference between the two options is the shirt. With the Magic Option, you do not receive an event shirt, with More Magic, you do. This shirt will likely be a blue shirt with the 2021 Half Marathon logo on the front.
Walt Disney World Marathon
The marathon is 26.2 miles. This is a very challenging distance, and will take 5 – 8 hours to complete for most runners or walkers. It requires a LOT of training and commitment. However, it is an achievement that only a very very small population has achieved, and is a major accomplishment for the racer!
If you register for this virtual event, you have two options: Magic and More Magic.
Magic Option: $65 (plus a 6.6% platform service fee)
Commemorative Finisher Medal
Digital Bib and Finisher Certificate
Digital Race Tool Kit featuring printable mile markers
Digital Goodie Bag
Virtual Playlist
More Magic Option: $120 (plus a 6.6% platform service fee)
Commemorative Finisher Medal
Long Sleeve Event Tech Shirt
Digital Bib and Finisher Certificate
Digital Race Tool Kit featuring printable mile markers
Digital Goodie Bag
Virtual Playlist
runDisney WDW Marathon Weekend Marathon
Again, the only difference between the two options is the shirt. With the Magic Option, you do not receive an event shirt, with More Magic, you do. This shirt will likely be a blue shirt with the 2021 Half Marathon logo on the front.
Goofy’s Race and a Half Challenge
Show your Goofy side over two days of running (or walking) and 39.3 total miles. Complete both the half marathon and the full marathon on two consecutive days.
If you register for this virtual challenge, you have three options: Magic, More Magic, More Magic Goofy.
Magic Option: $129 (plus a 6.6% platform service fee)
3 Commemorative Finisher Medals
Digital Bib and Finisher Certificates
Digital Race Tool Kit featuring printable mile markers
Digital Goodie Bag
Virtual Playlist
More Magic Option: $179 (plus a 6.6% platform service fee)
3 Commemorative Finisher Medals
Long Sleeve Event Tech Shirt (Goofy’s Race and a Half Challenge)
Digital Bib and Finisher Certificates
Digital Race Tool Kit featuring printable mile markers
Digital Goodie Bag
Virtual Playlist
More Magic Option: $275 (plus a 6.6% platform service fee)
3 Commemorative Finisher Medals
3 Long Sleeve Event Tech Shirt (One for each race + the Goofy’s Race and a Half Challenge Shirt)
Digital Bib and Finisher Certificates
Digital Race Tool Kit featuring printable mile markers
Digital Goodie Bag
Virtual Playlist
runDisney virtual races Goofy Challenge
It’s important to understand that when you register for the Goofy Challenge, you are registering for TWO races, the half marathon and the full marathon. The challenge includes the registration for both races plus the challenge itself. So you will get all three medals: one for each race you finish, plus the medal for the challenge.
The only difference between the three options are the shirts. With the Magic Option, you do not receive an event shirt, with More Magic, you receive one shirt–the Goofy’s Race and a Half Challenge shirt. With the More Magic Goofy option, you will receive all three shirts: the half marathon shirt, the full marathon shirt AND the Goofy’s Race and a Half Challenge shirt.
Dopey Challenge
Show your Goofy side over two days of running (or walking) and 39.3 total miles. Complete both the half marathon and the full marathon on two consecutive days.
If you register for this virtual challenge, you have three options: Magic, More Magic, More Magic Dopey.
Magic Option: $225 (plus a 6.6% platform service fee)
5 Commemorative Finisher Medals
Digital Bib and Finisher Certificates
Digital Race Tool Kit featuring printable mile markers
Digital Goodie Bag
Virtual Playlist
More Magic Option: $275 (plus a 6.6% platform service fee)
5 Commemorative Finisher Medals
Long Sleeve Event Tech Shirt (Dopey Challenge)
Digital Bib and Finisher Certificates
Digital Race Tool Kit featuring printable mile markers
Digital Goodie Bag
Virtual Playlist
More Magic Option: $275 (plus a 6.6% platform service fee)
5 Commemorative Finisher Medals
5 Long Sleeve Event Tech Shirt (One for each race + the Dopey Challenge Shirt)
Digital Bib and Finisher Certificates
Digital Race Tool Kit featuring printable mile markers
Digital Goodie Bag
Virtual Playlist
runDisney virtual runs Dopey Challenge
It’s important to understand that when you register for the Goofy Challenge, you are registering for FOUR races: the 5K, the 10K, the half marathon and the full marathon. The challenge includes the registration for all four races plus the challenge itself. So you will get all five medals: one for each race you finish, plus the medal for the challenge.
The only difference between the three options are the shirts. With the Magic Option, you do not receive an event shirt, with More Magic, you receive one shirt–the Dopey Challenge shirt. With the More Magic Dopey option, you will receive all five shirts: the 5K shirt, the 10K shirt, the half marathon shirt, the full marathon shirt AND the Dopey Challenge shirt.
Princess Half Marathon Weekend 2021 Virtual Races
runDisney Princess Half Marathon Weekend events have introduced thousands of women to the world of competitive racing. runDisney created the original Princess Half Marathon to attract female racers. In fact, men are not allowed in the first two corrals. The Princess Half Marathon Weekend also welcomes men, but it is definitely skewed more toward women. A lot of women have chosen the runDisney Princess Half Marathon as their very first long distance event.
The 2021 Princess Half Marathon Weekend was scheduled for February 18-21, 2021. The original schedule included:
Princess Half Marathon Weekend Expo February 18-21, 2021.
Princess 5k Friday February 19, 2021
Princess Enchanted 10K Saturday February 20, 2021
Princess Half Marathon Sunday February 21, 2021
The Princess Half Marathon Weekend 2021 also included one multi-race challenge.
Fairy Tale Challenge: Complete the Enchanted 10K on Saturday February 20, 2021 AND the Princess Half Marathon on Sunday February 21, 2021
Disney has converted all the Princess Half Marathon Weekend 2021 runDisney race events to virtual races. Registration is currently SOLD OUT (as of October 16, 2020) for all Princess Half Marathon Weekend events and challenges.
Pricing
If you are interested in registering for one (or more!) of the 2021 Walt Disney World Marathon Weekend events or challenges, here is how the pricing works.
Princess 5K
This virtual 5K (3.1 miles) is a great race to do as a family. If you register for this virtual event, you have two options: Magic and More Magic.
Magic Option: $40 (plus a 6.6% platform service fee)
Commemorative Finisher Medal
Digital Bib and Finisher Certificate
Digital Race Tool Kit featuring printable mile markers
Digital Goodie Bag
Virtual Playlist
More Magic Option: $75 (plus a 6.6% platform service fee)
Commemorative Finisher Medal
Short Sleeve Event Tech Shirt
Digital Bib and Finisher Certificate
Digital Race Tool Kit featuring printable mile markers
The only difference between the two options is the shirt. With the Magic Option, you do not receive an event shirt, with More Magic, you do. If you like the race logo (pictured above), and want turquoise (probably) short sleeved shirt with that logo on the front, you will want the More Magic Option.
Enchanted 10K
This virtual 10K (6.2 miles) is my recommended distance for the runDisney beginner. Most of us can do 3 miles fairly easily–its a challenge to build up to 6, but not as intimidating as a half or full marathon. If you register for this virtual event, you have two options: Magic and More Magic.
Magic Option: $49 (plus a 6.6% platform service fee)
Commemorative Finisher Medal
Digital Bib and Finisher Certificate
Digital Race Tool Kit featuring printable mile markers
Digital Goodie Bag
Virtual Playlist
More Magic Option: $89 (plus a 6.6% platform service fee)
Commemorative Finisher Medal
Short Sleeve Event Tech Shirt
Digital Bib and Finisher Certificate
Digital Race Tool Kit featuring printable mile markers
Digital Goodie Bag
Virtual Playlist
Again, the only difference between the two options is the shirt. With the Magic Option, you do not receive an event shirt, with More Magic, you do. This shirt will likely be a lavender shirt with the 2021 10K logo on the front.
Princess Half Marathon
The half marathon is 13.1 miles. This is my personal favorite distance. Long enough to be challenging, and to really necessitate that you train for it, but not so long that the training takes over your life. 😉
If you register for this virtual event, you have two options: Magic and More Magic.
Magic Option: $59 (plus a 6.6% platform service fee)
Commemorative Finisher Medal
Digital Bib and Finisher Certificate
Digital Race Tool Kit featuring printable mile markers
Digital Goodie Bag
Virtual Playlist
More Magic Option: $108 (plus a 6.6% platform service fee)
Commemorative Finisher Medal
Short Sleeve Event Tech Shirt
Digital Bib and Finisher Certificate
Digital Race Tool Kit featuring printable mile markers
Digital Goodie Bag
Virtual Playlist
Again, the only difference between the two options is the shirt. With the Magic Option, you do not receive an event shirt, with More Magic, you do. This shirt will likely be a rose colored shirt with the 2021 Half Marathon logo on the front.
Fairy Tale Challenge
Rise to the Royal Challenge with two days of running (or walking) and 19.3 total miles. Complete both the Enchanted 10K and the Princess Half marathon on two consecutive days.
If you register for this virtual challenge, you have three options: Magic, More Magic, More Magic Princess.
Magic Option: $115 (plus a 6.6% platform service fee)
3 Commemorative Finisher Medals
Digital Bib and Finisher Certificates
Digital Race Tool Kit featuring printable mile markers
Digital Goodie Bag
Virtual Playlist
More Magic Option: $154 (plus a 6.6% platform service fee)
3 Commemorative Finisher Medals
Short Sleeve Event Tech Shirt (Fairy Tale Challenge)
Digital Bib and Finisher Certificates
Digital Race Tool Kit featuring printable mile markers
Digital Goodie Bag
Virtual Playlist
More Magic Option: $232 (plus a 6.6% platform service fee)
3 Commemorative Finisher Medals
3 Short Sleeve Event Tech Shirt (One for each race + the Fairy Tale Challenge Shirt)
Digital Bib and Finisher Certificates
Digital Race Tool Kit featuring printable mile markers
Digital Goodie Bag
Virtual Playlist
It’s important to understand that when you register for the Fairy Tale Challenge, you are registering for TWO races, the 10K and the half marathon. The challenge includes the registration for both races plus the challenge itself. So you will get all three medals: one for each race you finish, plus the medal for the challenge.
The only difference between the three options are the shirts. With the Magic Option, you do not receive an event shirt, with More Magic, you receive one shirt–the Fairy Tale Challenge shirt. With the More Magic Princess option, you will receive all three shirts: the 10K shirt, the half marathon shirt, AND the Fairy Tale Challenge shirt.
Join Me for runDisney Virtual Races?
PhotoPass Magic Shot Minnie Mouse with Linda
This year, my mom and I decided we wanted to train and complete a runDisney Virtual Race together. Mom is a pretty regular walker, but she’s never participated in a race event. She also hasn’t ever covered a distance of more than 5 miles. I’m an inconsistent walker lately, but I have completed several half marathons, including the Walt Disney World Marathon Weekend Half Marathon a couple of times. I’ve also done both a 10K and a Half Marathon on consecutive days and really enjoyed that challenge.
So mom and I are registered for the 2021 Virtual Princess Half Marathon Weekend. We will both be completing the Enchanted 10K “Virtually”.
I’m doing the Fairy Tale Challenge, which means that after Mom and I complete our virtual 10K on Saturday, I will go on to do the Half Marathon on Sunday. I’m pretty excited to get back into the training groove and it will be super fun to do it with my mom. She winters in Arizona, while I will be in Chicago, so we’ll be training together “remotely”. Seems pretty appropriate in these Covid times, doesn’t it. I’m hoping we might be able to do the races physically in the same place (Arizona preferably, haha), but it’s too soon to tell.
We will be keeping you posted with updates on our progress both here, on our YouTube Channel and on Instagram. Please make sure you are following us, so you don’t miss any updates! If you’ve registered for any of the WDW Marathon Weekend or Princess Half Marathon Weekend events and would like to connect with us during training, please reach out to brooke@disneycastledreaming.
Training Plans with Weekly Coaching
If you are thinking about completing one of the runDisney virtual races for next year, I have several “Couch to …” training programs that you might be interested in. My programs are designed to take you from sedentary to completing a full 10K, Half Marathon or Marathon. I firmly believe that if you take it slow and give yourself 3 – 4 days per week, anyone can go the distance!
Photo: MotoPhoto
My training programs include weekly email coaching and encouragement. I can also personalize your program with specific dates and additional text or email accountability and coaching. Available programs include:
Couch to 5K Walking
Couch to 5K Run/Walk
Couch to 10K Walking
Couch to 10K Run/Walk
Couch to Half Marathon Walking
Couch to Half Marathon Run/Walk
Couch to Marathon Walking
Couch to Marathon Run/Walk
I also have training programs for the various runDisney challenges, including the one I’m doing, the 2021 Virtual Fairy Tale Challenge. If you’d like more information on these programs, please contact me at brooke@disneycastledreaming.com.
Happy Dreaming!
Brooke
Ready to Plan Your Next Disney Vacation? I’m ready to help! Email brooke@disneycastledreaming.com
P.S. Did you know that as your Disney travel agent, I can get access to runDisney race registrations as part of a runDisney vacation package as far as 11 months before the race? Contact me at brooke@disneycastledreaming.com to learn more!
Last week, runDisney announced that the 2021 Walt Disney World Marathon Weekend and the 2021 Princess Half Marathon Weekend races are being transitioned to runDisney virtual races. These races have been sold out for months, and there are thousands of disappointed runners and walkers that will now have to miss out on the runDisney experience.
Check out our YouTube video below to see last week’s breaking news update.
Before we get into the runDisney virtual race experience, let’s talk about the “regular” runDisney race experience.
The runDisney Experience
The first runDisney event I ever saw in person was the Walt Disney World Marathon back in 2011. My husband and I happened to be visiting Animal Kingdom the morning of the WDW Marathon that day, and we had no idea the race was going on. (What can I say…we were a little oblivious!)
As we approached Expedition Everest, cast members directed us to the side of the pathway to allow marathon racers to pass through. There were a few racers that “hopped out” of the race to grab a quick ride on Expedition Everest, which we thought was amazing and fun. We stood and watched marathon racers come through the park, literally paralyzed by fascination. I was stunned to see a blind runner, tethered to a guide runner by a bungee cord. There were runners and walkers of all shapes and sizes.
I hated running in school. My father was a runner, and I remember him frustratedly trying to “teach me” to run when I was in junior high, in hopes that I would learn to love it like he did. (Never happened!). I had NEVER aspired to be a runner, nor had I ever considered a long distance run of ANY kind. (Seriously, the one mile requirement in high school was WAY too long a distance for me!)
The Fire is Lit
But something happened to both my husband and myself that day as we watched the runners and walkers traverse Animal Kingdom in what we would learn later was approximately mile 14 of the 26.2 mile course throughout Walt Disney World. A fire started in both of us to someday be able to participate in one of these massive events. We wanted to run (in my husband’s case) or walk (in my case) a long distance race! I’m still not exactly sure how it happened, but I can tell you that I got very emotional watching those racers, and it was like something clicked inside me.
The next year, we registered for the runDisney Half Marathon for WDW Marathon weekend. Unfortunately, during my training, I screwed up my knee and we were unable to race. Back in those days, Disney would still allow you to cancel or postpone a race registration, so we deferred to the following year. We still took our Disney vacation, and watched racers in both the Half Marathon and the full Marathon races. The fire grew even stronger, and we knew the next year we would for sure be there to race. And you know what? We were!
runDisney WDW Marathon, January 2013 (Photo: MarathonPhoto)
Our First runDisney Experience
My husband completed the full marathon in January 2013. The heat was stifling that day, with temperatures rising to over 93 degrees during the last few hours of his race. He walked most of it, since he had trained with me, and with my knee issues, running was out of the question. It took him almost 8 hours to finish but he did it. It was an amazing moment, and I was so incredibly proud of him!
2013 WDW Marathon FRANK IS A FINISHER!
I also walked in the marathon, but got pulled just after I left Animal Kingdom because I couldn’t maintain the required pace of 16 minutes/mile. I completed almost 15 miles and was very proud of myself, even though I was disappointed to have been pulled from the race.
We realized in the fall as we were training that with my knee issues, I would not be able to go the full marathon distance. When that happened, I had tried to change my registration to the half marathon, but Disney no longer allowed changes, refunds or deferments. So I participated in the marathon, but completed just over the half marathon distance.
runDisney WDW Marathon, January 2013 (Photo: MarathonPhoto)
Frank and I stayed together until mile 11. I encouraged him to go on because I was starting to slow down, and wasn’t sure how far I’d make it before they pulled me from the course. I didn’t want his race jeopardized. As I was entering Animal Kingdom, I saw him on the path exiting Animal Kingdom…that was a pretty exciting moment.
Advantages of a runDisney Event
These events are HUGE. Each race has approximately 25,000 participants. The participants are divided into groups or “corrals” to determine when they will start the race. The faster runners start in the earlier corrals, while the slower runners and walkers get placed in corrals farther back. Participants are required to submit a time from another sanctioned event if they want to be placed in earlier corrals.
Jan 13, 2013 WDW Disney Marathon, 20th Anniversary Photo by Preston Mack / WDW photo
runDisney has been hosting these events at Walt Disney World for more than 25 years. They have them down to a science at this point. They have TONS (thousands, seriously) porta potties brought in and stationed at various intervals throughout each race. There are lots of water stations throughout the race.
runDisney Porta Potties (Photo: Brooke Hudson)
I’m a “back of the packer”, which means I am usually walking towards the back of the race crowd by the last half of the race. I’ve done other big races since that first runDisney event, and I’ve run into issues with water stations being out of water and closed down before I ever got to them. That would never happen with a runDisney event.
Welcoming to Walkers AND Runners
The best thing about the runDisney experience is that the required maximum pace (16 minutes per mile) makes these races doable for runners AND walkers. These events are terrific milestones for people trying to get off the couch and into a walking or running routine. There are thousands of examples of runDisney participants that have lost tons of weight in pursuit of runDisney dreams. These races are beginner friendly, as well as lots of fun for experienced racers as well.
runDisney 10K January 2014 (Photo: Marathon Photo)
There are some important things to keep in mind. runDisney welcomes EVERYONE, regardless of size, speed or talent. However, if you are unable to maintain a pace faster than 16 minutes per mile, you will be pulled from the course. While these events are beginner friendly, you DO need to train for these distances. Don’t think you can just show up and run 14 miles (or 26 miles!) without training, and be able to finish, let alone keep the pace. That is dangerous and inconsiderate of the other racers around you.
Courtesy and Race Ettiquette
Also, if you know you are moving slower than those around you, keep to one side, and don’t walk or run more than 2 people wide. Faster runners sometimes get frustrated with slower walkers or runners in front of them, especially in the beginning of the race when so many people are still congested together. Try not to let it intimidate you, but also be respectful of those around you. If you are slowing down or stopping, try to make sure you aren’t doing it directly in front of someone else. Try to get out of the way if you can.
Having said that, I personally think a runDisney event is a SUPER goal to shoot for if you are working on adding walking or running to your fitness routine, or if you are working on weight loss.
I’m planning to train for and complete the virtual Princess Fairy Tale Challenge in February, and will post periodic updates on the blog with my progress.
Weight Loss on Vacation?
Let’s face it, unless you are super good about making healthy choices, most Disney vacations are going to include a lot of treats. While you walk a lot on any Disney vacation, it’s usually NOT enough to burn off all the extra calories from those Mickey Bars and margaritas.
However, run 20 or 30 miles during your vacation? You’ll definitely come out ahead on the weight loss front. 😉
Entertainment and Photo Opps
By far, one of the best things about the runDisney experience is the entertainment sprinkled throughout the course. There are characters at various intervals of the race course. You might see parade floats. There is often music or a band playing. There are signs in some places, and each mile marker is colorful, large and encouraging.
runDisney Castle pic during the race (Photo: MarathonPhoto)
For the shorter races, the 10K and the Half Marathon distances, you race through Epcot and the Magic Kingdom. For the full Marathon, you race through all four theme parks. There is nothing like running up Main Street towards Cinderella Castle with 25,000 of your fellow Disney fans. I get emotional just thinking about it. It’s quite a moment!
It’s All About the Bling Baby
runDisney has beautiful medals! They are always of high quality and heavy. The really fun thing about the runDisney experience and runDisney races is that most racers wear their medals into the parks as they tour after the races. With most other (non Disney) races, you get the medal at the end of the race. You go home, hang it up (or shove it in a drawer, your mileage may vary) and that’s it.
Brooke and Frank show off our medals at the Magic Kingdom (Photo: Disney Photopass)
With runDisney, you wear your medal for a couple of days around the parks. I get the impression that elite runners think this is a silly practice. And let’s face it, for the runners that barely break a sweat, complete the race in 2 hours or less, and have a room FULL of medals, it probably it. But for most of us regular joes? We worked really hard for that medal, and it’s really gratifying to be able to show it off for a bit. Cast members and even other park guests will often express congratulations and it’s very uplifting and gratifying.
DisAdvantages of a runDisney Event
The biggest disadvantage of runDisney events? The price. I’m not saying it’s not worth it, because they are amazingly well organized events. The race logistics (water stations, porta potties, race entertainment) are second to NONE. The medals are always beautiful, and the race shirts are always high quality with fun runDisney themed designs.
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But these are expensive events. In the early days, racers also got a one day theme park ticket as part of their race registrations; that is no longer the case and race prices are higher than ever. Race prices range from around $90 (for 5k races) to $225 (for Marathon). If you want to do a challenge that includes 2 or more races, challenge prices START at $340 and go up from there.
Vacation Expenses
And of course, unless you live in the Orlando area, you’ve got the added expenses of a Disney vacation. Not that I object to those expenses, because hey, Disney vacation. But this is definitely a more expensive race weekend that say, going to Chicago or St. Louis for a Rock n Roll Half Marathon, know what I mean?
Crowds
As I mentioned above, thousands of runners and walkers participate in these races. Even though the races are split into corrals, and each corral starts a few minutes later than the last, there are still hundreds of racers in each corral. During the first few miles of the race, the course is fairly congested, and serious runners often complain that they aren’t able to get to the speed they want to race at due to the congestion.
RunDisney Main Street runner traffic (Photo: Frank Rodriguez)
These events also welcome a lot of first time racers, who may not be familiar with race etiquette, and may not understand the need to move to one side to allow faster racers to pass them. They may not understand that they should not race in “packs” and block faster traffic behind them.
I tend to recommend that racers do these races for the fun, the experience and the camaraderie, rather than to pursue a fast time or a personal record time. As with anything else, your attitude determines your joy in anything, and if you allow yourself to get frustrated with slower racers or the congestion, you will not enjoy the runDisney experience nearly as much.
Wearing Out Your Legs
The challenge of a runDisney vacation, especially if you aren’t a hard core runner, is that you need to plan your trip so that you DON’T wear out your legs walking around the parks (or the race Expo) prior to your race (or races!) In 2014, we did both the 10K race on Friday and the half marathon on Saturday. We walked WAY too much on Thursday and Friday, so by Saturday night, I was DYING. (My husband never seems to wear out though. Not sure WHAT his secret is!)
It’s really hard to be at Disney World and NOT want to walk all over and visit your favorite attractions. If you can afford the time (and the hotel costs), I highly recommend you save park touring for AFTER your races (and maybe allow a day for recovery in there somewhere!).
The runDisney Experience
To summarize, the runDisney experience is so much fun, and honestly, can be life changing. I love every Disney vacation, but our runDisney trips have been among my favorites.
Now that you have a good understanding of the runDisney experience, it’s time to talk about runDisney’s virtual events. In the next post in this series, we will discuss how runDisney virtual events work, the costs, how to register, and what to expect if you decide to do a virtual runDisney event.
Happy Dreaming!
Brooke
Ready to Plan Your Next Disney Vacation? I’m ready to help! Email brooke@disneycastledreaming.com
It’s time for another Disney Parks News Update. In this week’s report, we discuss Governor Ron DeSantis’ decision to move the State of Florida to Phase 3. This removes capacity restrictions on theme parks, restaurants and bars throughout Florida. We also discuss Disney’s announcement that they are laying off 28,000 employees from their theme parks division.
We also report on changes to entertainment at Walt Disney World in the coming weeks. In addition, there was fireworks testing going on after hours and the ongoing refurbishment at the Polynesian Villages Resort. Finally, we give you an update on runDisney’s virtual race registrations and report a parade sighting on this week’s Dancing With the Stars.
Please check out this weeks Disney Parks News Update below.
For those of you that prefer reading, here’s the written version of this week’s Disney Parks News Update.
Disney Parks News Update
Florida moves to Phase 3
Florida Governor Ron DeSantis officially moved Florida to Phase 3, effectively lifting Covid-19 restrictions on theme parks, restaurants and bars. The state is no longer issuing fines for failure to comply with mask regulations, and is no longer restricting capacity.
Disney released a statement, essentially stating that they will continue to adhere to their reopening plans, and continue to exercise caution and above and beyond safety protocols. As we mentioned last week, Disney has been quietly increasing capacity in its theme parks; however I would not expect any drastic or sudden changes in response to the Governor’s actions.
Disney Lays Off 28,000 Employees
Yesterday, Disney announced upcoming layoffs of 28,000 employees from its theme parks division. While many Disney theme park employees were furloughed following the closure in April due to the Pandemic, this announcement is a major blow to theme park employees both hoping to be brought back to work soon, and those currently working in the parks.
Disney’s official statement cites California’s failure to allow Disneyland to reopen as a major factor; however, the travel industry as a whole has been VERY hard hit this year, and it may take years for it to fully recover. Sea World, Universal and other Florida theme parks have also been announcing layoffs, just not quite this large.
Our hearts go out to all the employees that will soon learn they are among the 28,000. This has been such a difficult year for so many, and this giant layoff by one of the worlds largest corporations is certainly an indicator that no one is immune from the pain, not even the happiest places on Earth.
Fireworks Testing
In the “good news” category, there was some after hours testing of Fireworks over at EPCOT a few nights ago. The testing went on for several hours. Most likely, this is Disney testing the new nighttime show for EPCOT, Harmonious. Harmonious was originally scheduled to be added to EPCOT this summer or fall; however, it is more likely that it will be added in the spring. This new show is supposed to be the biggest and most technical of any of the nighttime Epcot spectaculars, and it is likely that months of testing lie ahead before the show is released to guests.
When fireworks DO return to Disney, I do think EPCOT is a great candidate for the first shows as it is more spread out and will allow for more disbursement of crowds and less congestion. However, fireworks shows like Disney does are very expensive and I highly doubt they will resume until the parks are returned to normal capacity and the hotels are all back open and full of guests.
Magic Kingdom Attraction Closures
Magic Kingdom announced a couple attraction closures this week. The Liberty Square Riverboat and Tom Sawyer island will be closed from October 5 through at least Jan 21 2021 for refurbishment. This may mean that the Rivers of America will be drained during that period, although that is not confirmed.
Liberty Square Riverboat (Photo: Disney Parks)
Polynesian Villages Resort Refurbishment
Last week we discussed that the Polynesian Villages Resort will be closed until next year as it is getting refurbishment. At that time Disney had not released any concept art.
Disney has now released this concept art for the new entrance and Port Cochere for the Polynesian Villages Resort. Further, Disney stated the resort will reopen in Summer 2021. The Polynesian’s 50th anniversary is October 1 2021, and it seems the refurbishment is designed to coincide with that anniversary as well as with Walt Disney World’s 50th Anniversary, also October 2021.
Concept Art: Polynesian Villages Resort (Concept Art: Disney Parks and Resorts)
The statement released by Disney with the new art stated that the new entrance will feature a bold new facade that will complement the longhouses throughout the resort. Disney also stated that the gardens and fountains are getting refurbished as well, with new dramatic lighting elements, and new chandeliers, inspired by glass floats, fishing nets and bamboo. The new outdoor chandeliers will match the existing chandelier in the resort lobby and bridge the two spaces.
Disney World guests can still access the Grand Ceremonial House and its operating retail and dining venues during the refurbishment project.
I think this is preliminary art is a good sign. The Polynesian’s ground entrance has always been a little underwhelming, and it looks like Disney is finally fixing that, and making it more worth of this beautiful resort.
The Grand Floridian Orchestra
After 32 years, Disney has ended the run of the Grand Floridian Orchestra. This six piece orchestra has entertained guests at the Grand Floridian from high above the lobby for years, and is beloved by many.
Grand Floridian Orchestra (Photo: Disney Parks)
While the Grand Floridian remained closed to guests when the parks reopened, the Grand Floridian Orchestra was performing several times per day over at Hollywood Studios in the Beauty and the Beast theater as the Disney Society Orchestra.
The Grand Floridian Orchestra announced a few days ago that their final Walt Disney World performance will be at Disney’s Hollywood Studios on Saturday October 3, 2020. Disney’s official statement was pretty brief and vague, but seemed to indicate that it was time for a change at the Grand Floridian.
Grand Floridian Orchestra (Photo: Disney Parks)
More likely, the cut is budget related, and is a troubling indicator of things to come. In March, many of the entertainment acts featured throughout EPCOT World Showcase found their contracts canceled. I am very concerned that we are losing, perhaps permanently, that “extra” entertainment that is part of what makes Disney parks so very special.
Entertainment Coming to Hollywood Studios
However, there is some good news on the entertainment front. At Hollywood Studios, we have some entertainment coming back very soon. For the First Time in Forever: A Frozen Sing A Long Celebration is returning to Hollywood Studios on October 5, 2020.
For the First Time in Forever: A Frozen Sing-a-long Celebration (Photo: Disney Parks)
Disney has stated that there are no changes to the show, other than minor staging and audience seating to allow for social distancing.
Also coming soon to the animation courtyard is Disney Junior Play and Dance. These dance parties will feature a DJ playing songs and encouraging kids to dance. Disney Junior stars like Mickey Mouse and Vampirina will appear on stage during the dance party.
Pop Up Motorcades at Hollywood Studios
Pop up motorcades are coming to Hollywood Studios. These motorcades will allow guests to see their favorite characters safely, and provide photo opportunities. Much like the character cavalcades we’ve been seeing at Magic Kingdom, these themed motorcades will not appear on the daily schedule. This will discourage crowds from gathering to see a motorcade. These motorcades will pop up throughout the day.
Pixar Pals Character Motorcade (Photo: Disney Parks)
There are three different motorcades, all featuring custom colorful convertibles, powered by Chevrolet. Gotta love those sponsorships. The Mickey and Friends motorcade will feature Minnie, Mickey, Pluto and Chip and Dale. The Pixar Pals Motorcade will feature the Incredibles, Woody, Buzz lightyear and others. The Disney junior stars motorcade will feature Fancy Nancy, Doc McStuffins and Vampirina.
Disney Junior Character Motorcade (Photo: Disney Parks)
runDisney Virtual Race Registration Update
Last week we shared runDisney’s announcement that the 2021 Marathon Weekend and 2021 Princess Half Marathon weekend were both transitioning to virtual races, and that registration for the races was opening up for those races for a limited time.
Registration is currently still open for all the virtual races for both weekends, if you are interested. I don’t know how long registration will remain open, so I wouldn’t wait too long.
If you’re not familiar with a “virtual” race, basically you will run the race on the scheduled date, but you will run it in a location of your choosing, not on Disney property and without the porta-potties and water stations we rely on for major races. For marathon weekend, prices range from $40-79 for the 5K, $49-$99 for the 10k, $59-$118 for the half, and $65-$120 for the full marathon. The lower price includes a digital bib, digital race tool kit including mile markers, digital goody bag, virtual playlist. The higher price adds an event tech shirt.
The challenges are also available: Goofy (the half and full completed on consecutive days) is $129 – $275, and Dopey (all four races completed on consecutive days) is $225 – $480.
Pricing for the Princess half marathon weekend is very similar. We are posting a more detailed post about the runDisney virtual races tomorrow. Please check back to visit that post.
Disney and Dancing with the Stars
Finally, loosely tied to Parks news, it was Disney week on Dancing with the Stars. Host Tyra Banks sported Minnie ears and a Minnie inspired dress throughout the show, and every dance featured Disney songs.
Disney Week on Dancing with the Stars. Host Tyra Banks (Screenshot: Hulu)
The highlight for me was the inclusion of elements from the Main Street Electrical Parade during the beginning segment of the show. The “floats” were displayed and the little snail even drove around the dance floor.
The Main Street Electrical Parade Visits Disney Week on Dancing with the Stars (Screenshot: Hulu)
I’ve always loved this little parade, and was happy to see the floats and elements still exist. Hopefully we will all get a chance to see this beloved nighttime parade at a Disney park sometime soon!
Tune in Next Week for More Disney Parks News Updates!
We hope you have enjoyed this week’s Disney Parks News Update. Please join us next Wednesday for next week’s news!
Happy Dreaming!
Brooke
Ready to Plan Your Next Disney Vacation? I’m ready to help! Email brooke@disneycastledreaming.com
P.S. Looking for last week’s Disney Parks News Updates? Please visit our YouTube video here.
For all my runDisney compatriots out there, Disney has made available some runDisney travel packages for the next four big race weekends that include race registrations. A few of these include ADVANCE registrations, which means no holding your breath and going online at the first possible moment and hoping the servers don’t crash and worrying about races selling out.
These packages are limited, and have pretty small booking windows, so if you are interested, please reach out to me ASAP so I can get you either booked, or on my list to book.
Here are the basics: All packages MUST be booked between now and March 3, 2019. All packages will include race registrations. All packages have a travel window that includes the two week period around the race weekend.
2020 Princess Half Marathon Weekend
runDisney Princess Half Marathon Finish Line
If, like me, you are getting SO jealous of everyone heading down to Florida RIGHT NOW to run in this weekend’s Princess Half Marathon, you can get a jump on your plans for next year right now! Contact me today, and book a travel package for NEXT YEAR’s Princess Half Marathon (Weekend of February 21-23, 2020), and your package WILL include your race registration. Travel dates for this package can be between February 13 and March 1, 2020.
2020 Walt Disney World Marathon Weekend
runDisney Marathon Weekend 2014 It’s All About the Bling
WDW Marathon weekend always holds a special place in my heart, since Frank and I got engaged in 2013 after the Marathon, and we did the half in 2014 together as an engaged couple, cramming as many wedding planning activities into that weekend as we could! I remember being so worried about being able to register for that race, and having to go online from work…
Avoid all that drama, and book your trip and your race (or races!) in advance. The event dates for Marathon Weekend 2020 are January 8-12. Your travel window is January 1 – 19, 2020.
2019 Disney Wine and Dine Half Marathon
runDisney 2018 Wine and Dine Race Weekend BLING
I guess the Wine and Dine this fall didn’t want to be left out of all the fun, because Disney has included it in these packages, as well. The race weekend is October 31-November 2, 2019 (Halloween!!! How did I miss that???). The travel window is October 26 through November 8, 2019. How fun would it be to do a Mickey’s Not So Scary before the races start? So tempting….
2019 Star Wars Half Marathon – The Dark Side
StormTrooper Bling?
Last but certainly not least is this year’s Star Wars half marathon weekend in April. I’ve never done this set of races, but with the final Star Wars movie coming out later this year, it seems like this would be a good year to start! The race weekend is April 4 – 7, 2019, and the travel window is March 30 – April 12, 2019.
Contact Me Today to Book!
If you are interested in booking any of these runDisney travel packages with race registrations, please contact me at brooke@disneycastledreaming.com. Pricing will depend on where you want to stay, length of stay, and which races you plan to register for.
It seems as if there has been a lot of Disney Parks news over the last couple of weeks that is getting a lot of conversation. Just in case you haven’t visited the forums and witnessed some of the crazy debates happening, I thought I’d post a quick “wrap-up” of the biggest recent announcements.
runDisney Cancels Disneyland Races
Rumors have been going around for the last several weeks about this, and yesterday, runDisney made it official. They have cancelled ALL scheduled Disneyland races in 2018 and will NOT be scheduling races in 2019 or 2020, at least at this time. They will be refunding all race fees already paid for the races scheduled (and nearly sold out) that had already had early registration. Normally, there are four race weekends at Disneyland each year, with an estimated 25,000+ people per weekend. The races are usually held during slower season, and bring in a ton of revenue, both for Disney and the Orange County local economy.
Officially, runDisney is stating that all the construction happening at Disneyland/California Adventure for the next few years (Star Wars Land, new Hotel at Downtown Disney and The Disneyland Eastern Gateway) are the reason the races have been cancelled. The races usually go right through the parks; that’s part of the attraction, and runDisney states they are concerned that the quality of the race experience would be negatively impacted by the construction.
Rumors abound that the root of the cancellations, however, are at least partially the result of pushback from the City of Anaheim. At Walt Disney World, all races occur completely on Disney property. A significant portion of each of the longer races is on roadways outside the parks, but they are Disney owned roadways. At Disneyland, the parks are smaller, and the amount of property that Disney actually owns is much smaller. For this reason, Disneyland has never hosted a full marathon; the longest races hosted by runDisney at Disneyland have been half marathons. The half marathon has a significant portion take place on the streets of Anaheim, and requires a lot more coordination with city and county services. There have been some complaints in the last couple of years about the runDisney race series at Disneyland by seasoned runDisney participants, and lots of rumors that Anaheim is not happy that they don’t get a bigger slice of the Disney revenue pie. All we know for sure is what runDisney says in their official statement, which bases the decision completely on the Disneyland expansion construction.
I’ve never been Disneyland nor competed in a race there, but completing a Coast to Coast challenge is on my bucket list, and I’d targeted 2020 for that. Very disappointing for the thousands of runners that planned to race at Disneyland over the next few years, myself included. Obviously, with runDisney events at Disneyland cancelled for the foreseeable future, the Coast to Coast challenges are also cancelled. Officially, runDisney is using the term “hiatus”, so perhaps we will see these races return at some point in the future. runDisney makes a LOT of money for Disney with these events, so it’s hard to believe they won’t return to Disneyland in some form eventually, but who knows?
runDisney has stated there are no plans to cancel or change the runDisney events at Walt Disney World or Disneyland Paris.
The final race scheduled for Disneyland will be the Super Heroes Half Marathon Weekend taking place November 10-12, 2017.
How do you feel about this news? Are you affected? Will you plan a race at Walt Disney World or Disneyland Paris to replace a cancelled race at Disneyland?
Walt Disney World Will Welcome Dogs at Some Hotels
It was announced last Friday that some hotels at Walt Disney World are rolling out a pilot program this week that will allow guests to bring their dogs on vacation with them. There will be a limit of two dogs per room, and the dogs will be required to be leashed when outside the room and the dogs must have proper vaccinations (and, one would assume, proper documentation of those vaccinations).
Visitors who choose to book rooms for themselves and their dogs will pay an additional $50-$75 per night for the privilege, depending on the hotel. The fee is for extra cleaning, and additional amenities that Disney will be providing for those booking a “dog” room, including a mat, bowls for food and water, ID tag, puppy pads and plastic disposable bags and maps of green spaces for the dogs to exercise and presumably “do their business”. At this time, the hotels offering this option are: Art of Animation Resort, Port Orleans Riverside Resort, the cabins at Fort Wilderness Resort and the Yacht Club resort.
Most likely, this new option is in response to a growing trend in the travel industry to offer pet-friendly accommodations. Disney hasn’t released many specifics, but I’m assuming they have set aside specific areas at each of the participating resorts that will be “dog” rooms, and those rooms will be the only rooms that will allow guests with dogs, to help protect guests with allergies and phobias.
I was really surprised at the vehement response to the announcement, on BOTH sides. Many dog lovers are SUPER excited, and seem to have been waiting YEARS for this news. On the other side, many guests are worried that dogs will overrun the resorts, the resorts will be damaged and people won’t pick up after their dogs. They are worried about dogs barking and “ruining” the magic. They are worried that Disney will allow guests without dogs to unsuspectingly book a “dog” room and fall victim to allergies from residual dog dander. All manner of catastrophic worries have been put forth…While I understand the fears that people with extreme allergies and/or dog phobias have, I have a lot of faith in Disney. I believe the “dog” rooms will be kept separate and won’t be given to “unsuspecting” non-dog guest who might suddenly go into anaphylactic shock from traces of dog dander. For people with extreme allergies, the best-case scenario will be to avoid these four resorts. For the time being at least, these four resorts are the only ones allowing dogs. At least for now, I’m willing to withhold judgement and see how it goes.
For those guests who want to bring their dogs on vacation, but not share their room with their pets, “Best Friends Pet Care” has been a Disney property staple for years, and is a resort on Disney property for pets (NOT owned or operated by Disney). They offer discounts for Walt Disney World Resort guests.
NOTE: Service dogs have always been accommodated by Disney. Service dogs have always been allowed in the theme parks, on Disney transportation, and in Disney resort hotels.
What do you guys think? Are you excited to book a “dog” room at one of these resorts? Do you take vacations to get away from your pets or your neighbor’s dogs? I’d love to hear from you!
Disney’s Fairy Tale Weddings to be a Series on Freeform
I’m not sure how many of you saw the “Disney’s Fairy Tale Weddings” special that ran in May on Freeform (owned by ABC, which is owned by Disney), but it was a BIG success for the network, receiving the highest rating for any unscripted TV special on that network so far. Hosted by Bachelor alum Ben Higgins and his then-fiancé, Lauren Bushnell (they have since split), the special featured events at Cinderella Castle at the Magic Kingdom, Epcot, Animal Kingdom and Disney’s Wedding Pavilion.
[Note from an actual former Disney bride: the events shown were pretty expensive, over the top events, and the special didn’t really provide accurate information about the way Disney prices events, or the actual limitations imposed by Disney Fairy Tale Weddings in the real world. It was lovely to look at, and for couples dreaming of a Disney Wedding, certainly provided inspiration and fantasy fodder. Just know that they dangled a lot of very pretty carrots that your average couple would NEVER be able to afford.]
Following up on the success of the special, Disney has moved forward with creating a series that will focus on weddings and engagements at Disney Destinations around the world. So far details have been limited, but it sounds as if Disney may work with Disney Fairy Tale Weddings couples and perhaps “enhance” or “add magic” to their existing plans. Regardless of exactly what they are doing, I’m sure it will be lovely and a weekly infomercial for Disney Fairy Tale Weddings. I’m not quite sure how I feel about it; I was a little frustrated with the special, even though it was gorgeous.
But, obviously, I’m a fan of Disney Fairy Tale Weddings, and love thinking about my own Disney wedding, so I will definitely give the show a chance and see how it goes. The show is set to premiere in the spring and will run for seven episodes.
How about you guys? Will you watch the show?
Increased Partnership and Presence with Orange County Sheriff’s Department
For the fiscal year that began October 1, 2017, the agency that provides governmental services to Walt Disney World’s property has approved a multi-million dollar spending increase to hire Orange County Sheriff’s Deputies. This is the second year to see significant increases in this budget. Last year, the Reedy Creek Improvement District, which includes Disney cities Bay Lake and Lake Buena Vista, doubled its annual public safety budget from $7 million per year to $13.7 million, following the terrorist attack at Orlando’s Pulse nightclub. This year, the budget increased again to $15.8 million. While Disney and the Orange County Sheriff’s Department do not disclose how many deputies patrol the resorts for security reasons, the impact on resort guests is that you WILL see more police presence in and around Disney theme parks and resorts.
Unfortunately, we live in scary times, and Disney hosts millions of guests from all over the world every year. Disney is a symbol of America to many people worldwide and as such, is a potential target. Disney has long been a world leader in the area of security, and I suspect there are many security measures in place that are unseen that we will most likely never know about. Orange County Sheriff’s Department Deputies in uniform are more visible certainly, than many measures Disney has in place, but sometimes, more visual measures are necessary and help serve as a deterrent. Many guests argue this police presence “ruins” the magic, and I certainly understand that perspective. However, I am more concerned with the safety of my family and our fellow park and resort guests and will happily comply with whatever security measures are necessary to protect us, within reason. The presence of more police doesn’t concern me, although personally, I’m a fan of the invisible shield technologies in Star Wars…can we maybe get that?
How do you feel about the security measures in place at Disney? Do they make you feel safer or more insecure about your safety?
That’s I have for today for news and updates. I’m working on a vacation planning update that I’ll post later this week. We are down to less than thirty days now!!
Lots of excitement rang through the runDisney community this week as Disney revealed the bling they have planned for January’s Marathon Weekend at Walt Disney World. For those of you that don’t know, Marathon Weekend usually falls the first weekend in January, and includes several runDisney events, including a 5K, a 10K, a half-marathon and a full marathon. In addition, there are several special challenges that award medals for finishing multiple races that weekend. Finally, there’s the Coast to Coast medal, which you can earn by completing a runDisney long-distance race on both coasts in the same year.
There are many reasons to participate in runDisney events. The thrill, the companionship, the undeniable excitement of getting to see parts of the parks that few people get to see, the physical challenge, the excitement, the fireworks, the race shirts…all very good reasons.
Me? I’m STRONGLY motivated by BLING. I love the medals. I love the weight of them, I love the moment after you cross the finish line when they give you the medal. I love seeing them hanging on my wall. I love the bling. I’m not saying it’s the only reason to do a runDisney event…or even the MAIN reason I do them…but it’s a heck of a bonus.
So, even when I’m not participating in an upcoming race, I’m always very excited when the new medals are announced. I’d be MORE excited if we were doing the races this year, because these medals are pretty awesome, but I was still pretty happy with the pictures Disney released earlier this week.
January 2018 marks the 25th running of the Walt Disney Marathon at Walt Disney World. To celebrate, the medals this year a little extra special. Take a look:
Here’s a closer look at the marathon medal:
The center of the medal appears to be a spinner. For those of you that participated in the 20th anniversary marathon, you may remember that medal also featured a spinner. It’s a really nice touch and makes the medal EXTRA special.
Here’s the medal for the 10K:
Usually, the 10K features Minnie Mouse, but this year, Mickey is appearing on all the medals, again due to the anniversary. The Marathon is “his” race, but he’s cheering everyone else on, too!
Donald’s Half Marathon:
How cute is that? The half is my personal favorite distance so I have a special fondness for this one.
Here are the Challenge Medals:
You can win the Goofy Challenge if you complete both the half-marathon and the full marathon (indicating you’re a little GOOFY 😉). The Dopey Challenge includes all FOUR Marathon Weekend events: the 5K, the 10K, the Half and the Full Marathon. Because, as they say, if you do all four of those distances in a four day period, you’ve got to be Dopey! Just kidding. Those folks are AMAZING.
We won’t be able to participate in Marathon Weekend this January; it just doesn’t work for us financially right now, but I’m hopeful that we’ll be there in future years. It’s a great way to kick off the year, and, since we got engaged on Marathon Weekend in 2013, will always hold a special place in my heart.
So…How many of you will be bringing home one (or more!) of these medals? Do you love this year’s designs? I’d love to hear from you!
Happy Dreaming,
Brooke
*Note: All pictures are courtesy of DisneyParks.com
For all my runDisney compatriots out there, Disney has made available some runDisney travel packages for the next four big race weekends that include race registrations. A few of these include ADVANCE registrations, which means no holding your breath and going online at the first possible moment and hoping the servers don’t crash and worrying about races selling out.
