The Disneyland Half Marathon is a timed event with a 16 minute per mile pace requirement. Anyone not able to maintain the respective paces may be picked up and transported to the finish. You may be picked up at any point along the course for not maintaining pace. The ChronoTrack timing system will be used for this race.
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“Hi Ho Hi Ho, it’s off to run we go!”
Disney, the uber-company which owns Marvel, Lucasfilm (aka Star Wars), Pixar and is responsible for some great family films and wonderful theme parks, has also become quite the upcoming player in the marathon game. With numerous races each year at Walt Disney World in Orlando and at Disneyland in Anaheim, Mickey and Minnie Mouse seem to lace up their running shoes almost every other weekend.
This past Sunday (of Labor Day Weekend), Disney staged the 9th annual Disneyland Half Marathon Weekend (which also included a 10K, 5K and other family events). Amidst the heat and humidity of summer’s final “unofficial” weekend, over 15,000 runners donned their respective Disney costumes or mouse ears and lined up to “Let It Go” (yes, they played the song again and again) at the “Sweatiest place on earth.”
REGISTRATION/PACKET PICK-UP
Registering for Disney events is a race in its own right, as the runs sell out in a matter of hours (and sometime minutes for the combo races). If you want to sign up for a Disney race you best be parked at your keyboard with credit card in hand anxiously counting off the seconds before registration officially opens. And if you’re fast enough on the draw to successfully register, be prepared to risk having your bank account “Frozen” due to disappearing funds. Disney races are expensive. Really expensive. As in the most expensive you’ll probably find for a race… by far.
Registration for the half marathon starts at an astronomical $195 (I guess one of the upsides of it selling out so fast is the price never has a chance to go higher). For those who want to run the “Dumbo Double Dare” (which is a 10K on Saturday followed by the half marathon on Sunday) be prepared to drop a budget crushing $320. Disney is known for high prices, but I know of more than one runner wondering if the a race is worth paying double what you would at most other half marathons simply to have the race “Disneyfied” (more on that in bit).
As for packet pick-up, Disney has their expo scheduled at the Disneyland Hotel the days before the race. And be forewarned, runners must pick up their own bib/tech shirt as you are not allowed to send a friend/family member in your stead and there is no race day pick-up. The expo itself is very well set up; Disney is a master when it comes to organization and crowd control.
I’ve heard stories of the expo being incredibly crowded, but I found it pretty easy and quick to navigate thanks to the great organization. Fortunately, they didn’t charge for expo parking at the Disneyland Hotel (I was given a paper waiver by the attendant for 30 minutes… I stayed over an hour). Parking is a bit limited there so you might find it better to park at Downtown Disney, pay the parking costs (rather high) and make an afternoon of it.
Oh, and the expo is decent with a respectable number of various vendors present, a few photo ops set-up (Disney loves the pics) and numerous speakers for those who want some race info. Have I seen bigger and better expos… yes. But, the expo had all of the necessities and a few cool accessories I hadn’t seen before. And yes, there is a separate section for Disney race merchandise.
TRANSPORTATION/PARKING
Since Disneyland is a tourist destination, there are plenty of hotels available for those who want to stay down in Anaheim the night before their respective races. And given the pre-dawn (5:30am) start times, it’s not a bad idea to grab a hotel to save yourself some a.m. driving. As for me, I did motor down from LA the day of the race (yup, I left at 3:30am) and it was a pretty easy drive (one of the few times you won’t find traffic on the I-5). Like the rest of the commuting masses, I had to pay $17 to park in the Disney lots, which is rather pricey and in keeping with Disney charging a pretty penny for everything (given the high cost of the race, you think they’d give a break or discount for parking).
FYI, another plus for going the hotel route is that many had shuttles to take you to and from the start line (although some hotels charge for parking in their lot anyway, which makes it a wash) or you can just hoof if there, using the walk as a warm-up.
T-SHIRT/MEDALS
Disney prides itself on having great bling and cool shirts. For those running the Dumbo Double Dare, you’ll not only get a medal for each race, but a bonus medal, not to mention additional medals should you be participating in Disney’s Coast-to-Coast Challenge Program. Careful, getting all of that Disney bling can cause neck injuries if you try to wear it all at once and channel your inner “Flavor Flav” (but most consider the risk worth it).
This year’s half marathon medal featured a large script “D” amidst the Disneyland castle and hung from a pretty multi-colored ribbon (kind of a throwback to Disneyland’s early days). It really is a nice medal. As for the tech shirts, each race featured a different design and color scheme. For the half marathon, the 2014 shirt was “pea green” in color and featured a very low-key image of the Disneyland castle (again, a retro-design celebrating Disneyland’s origin). At first I was disappointed with the shirt (especially give Disney’s typical gift for great design), but I have a feeling it will grow on me in time. And if you’re willing to spend some more bucks (try several more) you can always purchase one of the “I did it” shirts which feature a running Mickey.
COURSE
It’s a race through Disneyland, so what more do you need to know?
Quite a bit actually.
One of the big selling points of the various Disney races is getting to run through and around the parks, but it’s one of those things that looks a bit better on paper than when it comes to execution. The Disneyland Half Marathon features a fairly flat pseudo-loop course. You start out near the Disneyland Hotel and make your way off toward the parks. After navigating the streets and parking lots near Disneyland for a little bit, you hit the parks themselves starting around mile 2. First off, it’s the California Adventure Park, where you wind your way through the various streets. And I’ve got to admit that is was pretty surreal to run down the main drag of Radiator Springs (and I’m certainly no Lightning McQueen). After you do your trek through California Adventure, you make your way into Disneyland itself, heading down Main Street and meandering through Adventureland, Fantasyland, Tomorrowland and Toon Town before heading back out of the park.
All throughout the park there are numerous opportunities for runners to stop and take pictures, be it of Disney sights or with the costumed characters who are out in force. If you are selfie addict or love snapping race photos, then this is your slice of heaven. It’s one of the main reasons why the median race times at Disney races are so slow (people stop for umpteen photos with Maleficient, Mickey, the soldiers from Toy Story, etc). It can cause a bit of a chaos as the runners who don’t feel the need to take photos must dodge the runners who toss race etiquette out the window and make a beeline across the course the second they see Mike Wazowski and Sully waving. Of course, Disney races have their own flavor and most people forgive those caught up in the moment. In addition, many of runners are dressed in Disney-themed costumes (some of them are really spectacular); I myself ran the course sporting a pair of Mickey Mouse ears strapped to my cabeza.
And then there is the rest of the race…
People who think that the entire half marathon is run around in and around Disneyland might be in for a bit of a surprise. After mile 4, you leave Disneyland and the characters behind; from this point on, the race transforms into much more of a standard half marathon.
You actually spend the majority of the race running along the city streets of Anaheim. Sure there are bands and spectators, but the Disney “magical” touch is mostly absent from mile 4 until around mile 12 (when you make your way back toward the Disneyland Hotel). This is not to say the race is boring, just different. Miles 7-8 featured a parade of parked classic cars lining the street (and given my race performance that day, I would have gladly accepted a ride). And right around mile 9 you get to run near the Honda Center and straight into Angels’ Stadium for a lap around the field (complete with cheering fans in the stadium and images projected up on the jumbotron). From that point on, you continue your trek through Anaheim, eventually arriving back to the Disneyland area and finishing right by the Disneyland Hotel.
COURSE SERVICES
As you would expect, Disney’s course services are solid. From the organization of the start corrals (you must submit prior race times for corral placement) to the pre-race instructions (featuring energetic spokespeople projected on a big screen and a visit from Mickey and Minnie) this is where Disney shows off its expertise. The course itself featured numerous water/Powerade stops, all very well manned by volunteers, as well as a Clif stop at mile 9 where they handed out energy gels. Safety personnel and medical tents were present (and hopefully not utilized too much).
MarathonFoto was out there snapping pictures, although they seemed to be mostly positioned in Disneyland and at Angels’ Stadium (there were quite a few large gaps where no photographers were in my field of view). Mile markers were present for each mile (and quite large) and each had a digital clock to show the current “gun time,” which is nice.
FINISH LINE SERVICES/POST PARTY
Disney continues with their ability to make the masses comfortable and happy with a very well-organized finish area. After receiving your medal from the happy volunteers and being handed a bottle of water, you’re directed to the finisher’s photo area. You also receive your post-race snacks in a pre-packed box that doubles as a carry case.
Oh, and they also gave each runner wet cooling towels, a very nice and refreshing touch. You’re then directed through gear check and into the main staging area where you can meet up with family members, line-up for a massage or listen to the post race awards. Other races should send representatives for pointers on how to stage their post-race celebration.
RECOMMENDATION
So, the big question: “Is the Disneyland Half Marathon worth the extremely high $195 registration cost”? It’s a tough question to answer and best left for the individual to decide. If you love all things Disney, you’ll happily hand over your hard-earned dollars without batting an eye. There are some great aspects to the race (well organized, photo/costume opportunities, cool bling) and a smattering of disappointing aspects (feels very corporate, course is not the greatest once you leave Disneyland, congested course).
I’ve run the Disneyland Half Marathon twice (2009 & 2014) and I am glad I did it. I’m also signed up for the Avengers Superhero Half Marathon in November and the Star Wars Half Marathon in January… and that is a lot of money spent (almost $600 for just the three races without hotel, parking and souvenirs factored in), especially for running what is essentially the same course. It’d be nice to see Disney offer a “tour pass” like the Rock ‘n’ Roll series to save runners some cash. If not, I see limiting my Disney races in the future (probably just doing the Star Wars Half Marathon) and spending my money on other races that are a little more “cost effective.”
This was my first year running Disney and I was surprised by so many things.
The Expo: Geez that was insane. Parking was nightmare and the line to get the expo was just unreal. Picking up my bib was easy but trying to get around the expo was nightmare. I have never seen anything so insane before. The tech shirts were HUGE I mean HUGE and the line for shirt exchange was HUGE. I normally wear a medium and had to exchange for a small which is still too big. I gave up the expo went to lunch in downtown Disney and came back when the crowds died down around 3pm so I could at least see what the expo had to offer. They had lots of vendors and neat hings to see.
Race Day: After seeing the insane crowds at the expos I arrives 1 and 1/2 hours early for the race. Parking was super breezy and we headed straight for our corral. I looked behind me as it got closer to starting time and it was just a mass sea of people. I was near the front D corral which didn’t seem to bad. They put on a great show before the start with fireworks which I really enjoyed.
The course: The first part of course for the half marathon goes outside and then into the park. Wow, that was awesome. We took out time and stopped for pictures. The lines for characters went quick. I have been to Disneyland so many times before but I am always amazed at how much more of everything I see and notice while I am running. Then course then went onto the streets of Anaheim. Course support was just amazing. So many dancers, bands, water, food, spectators with signs it was just unreal. They had a car club with old cars lining the not exciting parts of the course and they were a lot of fun to look at. I was in awe when we ran inside Angels stadium, I think that may have been my favorite part.
It was very hot that day and even in the early morning hours nearing the high 90’s. This awesome lady with ice cold water in a chest with squeezing a sponge full on runners. It was so nice and she was even handing out Twizzlers!
The finish line really was amazing. They called of the runners names as you crossed and the medal is still the biggest one I have ever earned. They handed out little gourmet looking boxes stuffed with goodies and ice cold water. which was great. I can’t even begin to tell you how easy gear check was for both drop off and pick up.
It seemed like a lot of people stayed for an after party or to eat in downtown Disney I went home because it was hot and smelled bad. Getting out of parking was surprising easy too 🙂
I will defiantly run Disney again I am just hoping for a better expo experience next time.
Review for Disney Dumbo Dare
Packet Pick up – I stayed at a near by hotel (Marriott Anaheim) so we didn’t have to deal with parking. Our hotel offered a free shuttle for race participants, and for family and friends they had to pay so we walked over to the Toy Story Parking Lot and caught the shuttle there since it was free.
I went to the expo the last 1.5 hours so packet pick up was very easy. Absolutely no lines for bib pick up and t shirt pick up. I had to exchange my t shirts and there were only about 10 people or less ahead of me.
I heard the expo was madness earlier so glad I went later because everything ran smoothly and was able to see everything and buy Run Disney stuff with no stress.
10k – I dreaded the early start, but trust me you will be thankful later. It gets very hot there early so glad it started early.
I took the free shuttle from our hotel (again saving a headache for parking) and got dropped off where the public buses drop off for the Disney parks so to get to the start line we had to walk past the Disney park entrances and through downtown Disney which was a good little warm up.
Corral Starts – Very confusing and disorganized. They told people to arrive 30 min earlier at the latest but all that did was have people squish like sardines until the start. No one really knew where to go until about 10 minutes before start they finally had us go to the corral starts but that was still a mess anyway.
Race – the race was pretty good. The first 2 miles were outside of the park, and after that we went through CA Adventure then over to Disneyland. They had some floats that you can take pictures with which was pretty neat. It was more a fun run. They had a good amount of characters out, but all had long lines so this race was not a PR type race.
Post Race – Loved my alice in wonderland medal 🙂 at the end they had water and snacks available as well as a place to take pictures and reunion spot.
Again glad it started early because it got hot fast.
Disney Half
Took the shuttle again
Corrals: more organized because we were able to go directly to our corrals rather than gather in one spot then walk over to another spot like the 10k. I know that was due to the 5k starting first so somewhat understandable
Route
I liked how we went through the two parks like the 10k so it was very scenic and fun at the beginning. When we exited out of the park it routed us towards the honda center so the sun was beaming in our faces for a few miles which was not fun at all. We ran around the Honda center and along the way they had classic cars which was pretty neat. After that we ran through the Angels Stadium with people cheering so was pretty motivating. After that we went back to the parks. The route was okay. Things that stood out was the run through the parks and the cars.
post race – love my medal and disney dumbo dare medal. Water and snacks provided just like before and again glad it started early.
I did the Disneyland Half Marathon in 2012 and it was a great experience. I loved it. Packet pick-up was easy, and I even bought some of the Disney merchandise at the expo. It was hard waking up so early on race morning, and the line to get into the parking structure took a while. I basically walked to my corral and started. The course was the most fun as it went through the parks for about three miles, with tons of characters out to take pictures with. The rest of the course was still nice, with the cheerleaders, dance groups, etc. cheering everyone on. Walking through Angels Stadium was also cool. At the finish, I high-fived Goofy and the photogs got a great pic of it, as well as a nice photo of me crossing the finish line.
In 2013, I signed up for the 10k instead of the half, figuring it’d be half the distance but just as much fun. Unfortunately, this was not the case. Parking for the expo was a mess… we were told to park at the convention center, which would have been a really long walk and it was super hot out. We luckily found a spot at Downtown Disney. My sister, who was doing the race with me, noted that there were nearby parking lots that were closed off… had they opened those for the expo, it would have been nice. Packet and shirt pickup went fine, but the Disney merchandise section was insane. They closed off the whole section because it was too crowded. So, no merch for me this year. The unisex race shirt was not flattering on me and had a too-small neck hole, but I wore it anyway. Race morning for the 10k was a bit disorganized. Cast members had all 10kers wait to the side, while the 5k went on. But we were supposed to be in our corrals by 5:45, and at that time we were still all standing around wondering what was going on. Some people started walking around to find the corrals on their own. It was very confusing. We did, however, eventually get released to the corrals. They were not monitored or sectioned off, though, so everyone was sort of jumbled up (we were in the back of the pack so I’m talking about corrals D, E, F and G).
I was a little disappointed at the lack of characters along the course. The start line had two people in Tweedle Dee-type outfits. No Mickey, no actual characters. The California Adventure section had Toy Story and Monsters U characters. The Disneyland portion had Alice in Wonderland characters. That was it. I was super disappointed that there were no princesses, no Star Wars, etc. The name of this race was “Disneyland 10k” but they really should have called it the “Wonderland 10k” from the start, I guess. And since there were so few characters, those that were there had long lines waiting for pics. The finish line had Minnie, Goofy, and Donald. No Mickey. I realize he may have been on a “break,” getting swapped out, so that might have just been bad luck.
My sister was dealing with an injured foot that was acting up, so we did lag behind pace. I saw some people picked up in a golf cart and then dropped off near us (further up the course). There were three water stations. At the second one (around mile 3?), they had run out of cups! I realize we were at the end of the pack, but since this is Disney you’d think they’d be better prepared. You have a whole theme park full of cups! Volunteers were pouring water from 1.5-liter bottles into people’s mouths. My sister got water poured all over her face and shirt. =( I declined getting the same treatment. At some point after mile 4, they diverted us to the mile 5 marker, taking a mile off our path. I think that was a better option than actually sweeping us, so I appreciated that. My sister was limping along but trying so hard and she really wanted to get across that finish line.
And we did make it. We got our medals and were happy with that. But overall, yeah, disappointed. I had thought, “as long as we get a pic with a character, I’ll be happy!” But that didn’t happen due to the long lines and lack of characters. The photo company they used this time (Marathon Foto) also didn’t get as many good shots as last year’s (Brightroom). The finish line photos didn’t show any of the “Finish” sign or nearby characters… just looks like we’re walking down the street. As you can tell, I am basing this review more on the overall experience than on the running. If you just want to run a race, then sure, it’s fun to run in the park (though half the race is on the street). But the reason you do Disney races is for the other fun factors, and those were just not there this time around. They clearly put way more effort into the Half Marathon… the 10k did have cute Wonderland mile markers, but nothing else special. Knowing all this, I would consider returning for a Half Marathon in the future, but not a 10k.
To start out with a little background, I’m in my mid 40’s and I’ve only started running since 2006. However, I’m a “legacy” Disneyland Half’er and have been running them starting with the 2006 inaugural. This year, they offered a new 10K on Saturday, the day before the Half. In addition, if you sign up for and run both the 10K and the Half, you complete the Dumbo Double Dare. It’s a mini version of the Goofy’s Race and Half challenge in Florida. Knowing the Disney runs are more expensive, but wanting to challenge myself, I signed up for it.
Normally I would pick up the packet on Saturday, but since you have to use the same bib for both races (and there is no race day pickup), you MUST go to the expo on Friday. Most people (like myself) have to work, so 6-8pm was packed to the gills, and parking was challenging. However, Downtown Disney parking is free if you’re there for under two hours (big plus). Hopefully Disney will improve on this next year and allow packet pickups on Thursday as well.
The 10K was actually very enjoyable. Most of it is through the two parks, however about half of the course are boring backlots and an out-and-back to the Anaheim Convention Center. In my opinion they could expand the course within the parks, which is the entire draw of these races. Plenty of water stations were to be had. The weather this year was hot and humid, and I’m thankful for the 6:15am start time.
The Half ‘s course hasn’t changed much since 2006. Last year they added classic autos and muscle cars, which was a great idea – filling the gaps of some of the more boring parts of the Anaheim course from mile 6-9. Again, SO thankful for the earlier start time of 5:30am since it was muggy and already 74F. The sun kept threatening to break through the clouds, but didn’t until I was 2/3rd’s done.
The biggest neg for me was the cost. Not only did the Double Dare cost more than the 10K and Half combined (MORE than just an extra technical shirt and medal), but locals have to park in the Disney and Friends lot which is $16×2 races, another $32. The combined cost plus parking for the two-day event was a small fortune at $330.70. I liked the Double Dare, but I don’t like it $330 worth. I won’t be running it next year.
Visited expo in the afternoon on Saturday and anticipated crowds. Took a little time to park but considering the size of this race and that I got there when I did I have no real complaints. Lines weren’t too bad…even though they separate the bib pick up from the shirt pick up. Lots of great vendors, got everything I went for. Nice to hang out in Downtown Disney for awhile after. Stayed at the Hilton nearby so planned on walking race morning.
Disney has the super early start time of 5:30 am and though getting up in the wee hours was a little tough I thanked heaven for it later. It was already hot at 4am. This was my first Disney Run so I was really impressed by the way the set up the corrals and its super cool that they stick to trying to be sure everyone gets in the right corral for their run time. Other big events really should be more diligent about this. The first 4 miles thru Disneyland and CA Adventure was really fun and crowd support through the entire race was amazing. From Disney peeps to Boy And Girl Scouts to the car clubs to all the school bands and cheerleaders…not to mention the Latin dancers…I dont think there is ever a stretch without someone. For all of those people to be out there that early and into the later part in the heat was pretty amazing. Especially since the mid part of the course is nothing spectacular.
Post race was well organized and uncluttered in my time group and overall smooth and easy.
I don’t know if I would do this run again just because of the overall expense and heat unless I am able to do the Dumbo Double Dare but I am glad to have done it!!
I have a special place in my heart for Disney running events. The 2007 Disneyland Half Marathon was my first half marathon and I have run this event every year since then. While I know these races can be very crowded and expensive, I have come away from every race with good, warmhearted memories and for that reason, I think they are worth the money once (and occasionally twice) a year.
The 2013 Disneyland Half Marathon was also the Inaugural year of Dumbo Double Dare where runners raced a 10K and the Half Marathon on 2 consecutive days (Saturday & Sunday). Both the Expo and the Half Marathon seemed to have worse organization and planning issues than in nearly every year I’ve run this race. Arriving at the Expo a day early was a terrible experience with the crowds. Race day was spectacular. The course support, from the numerous water stops to the amazing volunteers and spectators, was terrific. The course itself is mostly great – with a few exceptions. I posted a race recap on my blog: http://bit.ly/14hs5YN
This was my third year doing the Disneyland 1/2 Marathon and as always Disney puts on one of the top events, at least out of events I’ve run.
This year I did notice a couple of on-course improvements (classic cars along a pretty boring stretch of the course) but also some big downgrades post race (boxes of crackers and snacks instead of the standard bagels, bananas, etc). For the cost that Disney charges it seems a shame they would go the cheap route.
After seeing the jacked-up prices for the 2013 event I’m not sure I’ll be doing this event again, I will probably come back for the 10th anniversary though and get a unique medal unlike the last 2 years.
The Disneyland Half Marathon is a pretty awesome race. However, I have had better experiences from Disney races previously, which lowered my rating of this one to a B.
Registration is as simple as one can expect from the cluttered RunDisney website. The information given out in advance is handy, but I never received the email from them with my bib information or coral. I had to use a forwarded link from a fellow participant to search mine on their website.
Packet pickup is at the Disneyland Hotel. They separate bib pickup from the expo in a very inconvenient way. Signage is poor, and we wound up walking in circles since the employees there kept giving us wrong directions! The expo is pretty standard, but the best part was the display from Raw Threads – selling “Disney inspired” race wear. This is the ONLY TIME I have ever bought clothing at an expo.
We stayed at the Grand Californian, which is very convenient, but pricey. I would recommend staying at one of the neighbor hotels on Harbor and Katella and walking over. It’s barely a mile.
The course is as easy as one can get a 13.1 mile course down to. Disney asserts that there is a 16 min/mile pace but this is false. The pace requirement is only enforced through mile 10 or so. People finished at nearly 4 hours, which is a 18.5 min/mile pace.
The corals go off pretty quickly and very much on time in the beginning of the race. One pro of the Disney corraling system is that they don’t let first-timers into the earlier corrals. But this is also a problem, as faster first-timers are stuffed in the back with the walkers if they fail to produce a 10k time prior to the race.
One downside is that there seems to be very little organization of runners because I ran a 2:18, and had 1:45’ers in my corral. Meanwhile my 2:07 sister was in A!
Disney partners with the Cliff Bar Pace Teams here and they are pretty awesome. The 2:15 pacer was right on through mile 5, then I lost her 🙂
Big downside? LOTS of people running 3 across, through the narrow park streets with fair wings and other costumes. This is definitely one of those frustrating races where you are dodging around people!
Water stops are closer together at the end, which is great because the sun comes up towards that point. The 5:45AM start is definitely ideal due to the potential Labor Day Sun! The later corrals definitely feel it more. It seemed like some of my friends had participated in an entirely different race due to the heat/timing issues.
Disney and the city of Anaheim also do a great job keeping you entertained on the course. There are high school bands and cheerleaders stationed around the city. Angels Stadium is packed with girl scouts and boy scouts. There are rows of classic cars and mustangs as well.
Post race it’s crowded and we just got out of there as fast as possible.
Not as many charaters on the course as in Disney World either.
In true Disney Fashion, this was a success. The course was good, a little cramped coming in and out of the parks but they did the best with what they have. The staff was excellent. Good attitudes and the runner support is great. Lot of water stops and course entertainment. Cooling towels are awesome and they kept the ice packs coming for the treatment centers after the race. Lines were pretty long for the massage or trophy engraving but I guess that is expected.
The one thing I think could be better planned is the shuttle drop off and pick ups. We run at the Hotel side of the park yet have to walk all the way back through Downtown Disney and then get searched and go back through the entrance to the parks and then to the shuttle stops after we have run for 13.1 miles. It is kind of crummy but not enough to keep me from going back and doing it again…and again…and again.
My family and I ran in the Disneyland 5K in 2011 and saw the beautiful medals they gave out to all the half marathon finishers. I told myself I was coming back the following year to run in the half marathon to earn my very own “Big D” medal . One year later and I have accomplished my goal! A friend of mine who had run this race before told my husband and I it wasn’t a good race to set a PR because the course bottle necked in certain areas so we went into the race with that in mind.
Packet pick up was similar to last year’s event. It was very organized and they had a lot of Disney staff directing traffic flow. You went in and you went out. I had my bib in hand in a matter of minutes. I also needed to change my corral placement and it was very easy and quick to do at the runner relations booth. I showed proof and they moved me up one corral. After we got our bibs we were directed back upstairs towards the expo inside the Disneyland Hotel convention center. One thing you need to know about the technical tees they hand out for this event is that they only come in unisex sizes. So for those women who prefer a more fitted tee you should sign up for a smaller size. I registered for a small and it was still too big but in order to exchange it for an XS you had to get in line at another table and wait for someone to exchange their XS for a different size. I didn’t want to waste my time waiting in line so I kept my small sized tee. Not a deal breaker for me.
The expo had a lot of vendors on hand. They had a very long line at the kinesio tape booth for people wanting to get taped for free. I thought that was a nice touch. They also had several different vendors advertising other half marathons and selling tons of racing merchandise. The official RunDisney merchandise was located at the far end of the convention center so my husband and I made our way down there, picked up what we wanted to buy and paid in a matter of minutes. I was expecting long lines at check-out but thankfully it was not the case.
Race morning we walked from our hotel to the start line a few blocks away. The weather was perfect. It wasn’t too cold or too hot when we headed out at 4:30 a.m. Gear check was quick and easy and they must have had hundreds and hundreds of porta-potties available for runners. I’ve experienced painfully long lines at other races before so I appreciated RunDisney planning for the large numbers. By 5:15 we headed towards the corrals. The corrals were clearly marked and my own corral did not feel over crowded. I’ve been in other races where we couldn’t even get into our own corrals because there were too many people in there. My husband was in A and I was in C. They started the race with the wheelchair athletes first and then about a minute after them they released corral A. They said they would release a corral every five minutes and by the time I crossed the start line the clock read 11 minutes so I think RunDisney stuck to their guns about releasing the corrals on time.
The course itself was very entertaining. The first four miles looped you through California Adventure and then into Disneyland. It was amazing running through the parks and seeing the sights and getting cheered on by the employees. I heard people complain that the course was too crowded and too narrow through the park, and that may have been the case for those in the later corrals, but other than some slowing down in mile one the rest of the way through was mostly smooth sailing for me. I took quick pictures of the scenery along the way (the giant ferris wheel, the new Carsland, Sleeping Beauty Castle) and others stopped and got in line for character photos. I loved that we got to run through Sleeping Beauty’s castle and there were photographers at the end of the drawbridge snapping your photos as you ran by.
From miles four through eleven you ran through the city of Anaheim and past the Honda Center and into Angels Stadium. RunDisney had plenty of water/gatorade stations along the way and at one point they handed out energy gels. There must have also been thousands of spectators and cheer groups set up throughout the course. It was a nice touch having the oldies car show set up along the way with their owners cheering for you and I appreciated the good people of Anaheim coming out and showing their support. At one point I ran past 1972 Olympian Jeff Galloway and said hi to him. I thought it was amazing that he was out there running with us. At mile 9 we started our trek towards Angels Stadium. As you run into the stadium you are met by several hundred boys and girls scouts cheering for you, and then when you enter the field there were hundreds of spectators in the stands all cheering for the runners. It was a once in a lifetime experience to run on the outfield (of course, I snapped more pictures in the stadium) and a memory you will treasure forever. After the stadium you have three miles left to the race. Spectators, high school cheerleaders and bands were lined up along Katella Drive. By that point I was tired and sore and my muscles were cramping up so it was nice to have all that positive energy and support to give me that extra kick I needed to finish strong. At mile 12 you are at your last leg into the Disneyland parking lot and headed towards the finish line past Downtown Disney. There were bleachers set up with spectators along the way and people standing along the sides. I saw my husband waiting for me at the mile 13 sign and got so excited because I was one-tenth of a mile away from crossing the finish line. I finished the race smiling and only missed my personal best by two minutes. My husband actually ran his best race that morning improving his time by two minutes so I was very proud of him.
After I got my gorgeous “Big D” and I grabbed some refreshments and made my way towards the exit. Everything was so methodical with the volunteers handing out cool towels, drinks and boxes of snacks. I found my husband after I exited gear check and celebrated another run well done! All in all it was an amazing experience and something I will remember for a very long time. Great support from all the employees, the volunteers and the community along the entire 13.1 miles of RunDisney magic.
My husband and I ran the Disneyland Half Marathon yesterday. Well, ran is not quite the right word. We could NOT run at all in places because the course would funnel from wide open to very narrow and there were so many walkers. I am sure we ran more than 13.1 miles just dodging in and out of people. It was fun to run through Disneyland, but that part of the course was very short compared to how much running you do on the streets around Anaheim. We did run through the parking lot at the Honda Center, which took us to the bike path on the Santa Ana River Trail where we had to dodge bicyclists coming at us in the opposite directions – YIKES! The best part of the run was through Anaheim Stadium…again, I mean slow jog/walk because of so many walkers. The signage for the mileage was AWESOME. There was no double guessing how many miles you had run if you didn’t have a watch that measures distance. I carry my own water and nutrition, but there were plenty of water stations along the route, several of which had Powerade. One station had Cliff shots. The finish line was well organized, but there was NO shady place at the end for finishers to stand and have their pre-packaged assortment of food. (Oh, how I missed those orange slices and bagels). I did find one shady spot near the back of one of the gear tents, but when we went to stand there we were told that NO one could be in that area, so we took our stuff and quickly left – it was TOO hot out in the sun! The price is high for this race and then Disneyland charges $15 for parking on race day. They did not charge for parking on packet pickup/expo day. We wondered why they just don’t give you parking, or add a little more on to the race price and make parking part of the package. For all the other nice 1/2 marathon races out there that are WAY less expensive, I’d say this event is a one-time deal, just to say you have done it.
Love this race! Hate the price! I have done this race every year and it’s a very fun race. The course takes you through both theme parks, around the Honda Center, and through Angel Stadium! You actually run through the stadium and runners appear on the jumbotron! There are a few less than spectacular parts to the course. Overall, it’s a solid course. My only major issue with this race is the price.
I have participated in the Disneyland Half Marathon twice and had a great experience both times. The entertainment provided on the course is top-notch and running through Angels Stadium is a thrill. Even if you aren’t a Disney fan I would recommend this race.
I am very impressed with how organized Disney is with their races. It’s an early start, but a good time. If you are looking to PR be aware that there will be a number of runner on the course, that are not familiar with racing and may likely stop in front of you for a picture with Goofy. It would be better if more of the route was in Disneyland but it was cool running through the Angel Stadium and being on the big screen. Awesome medal, as always.
This was a great race overall. You get to run through California Adventure, as well as Disneyland for the beginning portion before running through the streets of Anaheim. Towards the end of the race, you run past the Honda Center, and then through Angels Stadium. Yes, you run through Angels stadium (Mile 10ish). The last stretch of the run puts you through California Adventure one last time and then through Downtown Disney to the finish line. The course support was great, there are local high school marching bands and cheerleading groups throughout the course. You definitely feel the support and cheering as you pass by them. The post race was also great, you receive a decent amount of goodies once you cross the finish line, and you are cheered through by Mickey Mouse himself.
The only thing that could be an issue is the weather. I have run this half marathon 3 times, and one time the weather was brutal! It was 99 degrees by the time I had crossed the finish line, and it was 8:30 am! It is something that you do not have control over, but definitely keep it mind.
