Longtime fans of our Instagram account will notice the variety of runs we participate in. Central Florida is home to a fantastic set of races (shout out to Track Shack!), but here’s a truth not a lot of people know, both of us moved to Orlando having literally never run a race in our lives. RunDisney changed that.

We’ve seen local 5ks and fun runs before, but we never thought to participate. Like we mentioned previously, it wasn’t until we moved to Orlando that we saw RunDisney races as an attainable goal.

Note: Due to COVID-19, RunDisney has made adjustments. As a result, we have tried to keep this guide as up-to-date as possible.

Why listen to us?

RunDisney races are what truly got us into running. After years (and so many races!) later, we’re still running strong thanks to our RunDisney experience. We’ve learned a lot over the years including tips, tricks and what not to do.

If running a RunDisney race is something on your bucket list, but you just don’t know where to start, this guide is for you. We’ve broken everything down from training, to race day, recovery, planning and everything in between.

The purpose of this post is to prepare for RunDisney races, but a lot of the information here translates to non-Disney races as well. This article (like a race!) can seem daunting at first, but just take it one chapter at a time, go slowly and you’ll be done before you know it.

Here’s our plan of attack:
Chapter 1: Choosing Your Race Distance
Chapter 2: Choosing Your RunDisney Race
Chapter 3: Registering For Your RunDisney Race
Chapter 4: Before You Train
Chapter 5: Training
Chapter 6: RunDisney Race Weekend
Chapter 7: Conclusion

Chapter 1: Choosing Your Race Distance

You’ll find races around the world for all kinds of distances, but RunDisney sticks with the distances you’ll see most often: 5k (3.1 miles), 10k (6.2 miles), half marathon (13.1 miles) and marathon (26.2 miles). As if races themselves aren’t challenging enough, Disney also incorporates challenges into the weekends as well.  Each race distance has its own quirks and uses different strategies to complete.

5k’s

5k’s are the shortest distance for a RunDisney race and one of the most common distances you’ll see anywhere. This a great distance for beginners because it’s a lot of work to complete without jumping into the deep end right away.

10k’s

A 10k may seem like it’s only a three-mile jump from a 5k, but it’s more significant than it sounds. Starting with a 10k may be ok if you’re already athletic and trust yourself to keep moving for that long of a time, but we wouldn’t recommend it for the beginner.

After running all kinds of races at all kinds of distances, we’ve determined that we actually like 10ks the best. Six miles is far enough to consider the race difficult without taking three or more hours to complete. However, your mileage may vary (well not the ACTUAL mileage, but you know what we mean).

Half Marathon

Now we’re getting into the heavy stuff. We don’t recommend this for a beginner at all. In fact, we wouldn’t recommend this to anyone unless they’ve had at least one 10k under their belt. Going from three to six miles is drastic enough, but to jump from six to 13 is a whole ‘nother animal. Half the battle for a half marathon is simply continuing forward for that long. A half marathon takes about three hours to complete for the average person.

Challenges

We’ll take a break from traditional distances to talk about challenges. Race challenges are when you complete multiple race distances over the course of a few days. You’ll find challenges in all kinds of races, but RunDisney has a few staples. The first is the 10k/half marathon challenge you’ll find across all their races. The second is the Goofy Challenge consisting of the half marathon and full. The final is the Dopey Challenge. (We’ll get to Dopey in a bit).

Challenges are a lot of fun to do, and you get an additional medal and t-shirt for it, but they take some strategy to complete.

Story time: Tyler was the first one of us to attempt a challenge and failed miserably at it. He had never run a 10k before and was excited to challenge himself to see how far he could go. He ended up going the entire six miles without ever walking (a feat he’s never repeated) and felt immensely proud. However, when the half marathon started the next day, he was completely shot. He would tell his body to run, but it simply wouldn’t listen. He ended up finishing the race, but it was the hardest race he’s ever done.

The moral of that story is as much as you want to when it comes to a challenge, you HAVE to take it slow and be mindful of the large distance to come.

Full Marathons

This is it. A full marathon is one of those things that everyone in the world knows about, but only a select percentage have actually completed. 5ks and (to a point) 10ks can be completed without any REAL training, but simply completing a full marathon is a task and it’s something you need to absolutely train for.

The good news about a RunDisney marathon, as opposed to other well-known runs like Boston’s or Chicago’s, is the barrier of entry is much lower and the atmosphere surrounding it is much less intense. But that being said, it’s still a 26.2-mile journey. Training for a marathon is best done via a training program or app and should include both running AND weight training.

Another bit of good news about the RunDisney marathon is that as long as you’re above the minimum 16 minute per mile pace, it’s possible to simply walk the entire thing; which plenty of people do. If this is the case, the best piece of advice we can give is to train yourself to just be on your feet for seven or eight hours at a time.

Starting Waves and Balloon Ladies

Your race-day strategy depends a lot on your starting wave and how much distance you have in front of the balloon ladies. When you pick up your bib at packet pick up, you’ll notice a letter and number on your bib with your starting wave. These used to be called corrals and they were designated by letters. Once RunDisney returned to in-person races following its break due to COVID, they switched to starting waves. Regardless of the name, they still operate the same. They are based on your anticipated finish time and will greatly determine how you run your race.

The reason your starting wave is so important is that it determines how far ahead you’ll be from the dreaded balloon ladies. The balloon ladies are a group of RunDisney volunteers who maintain the race’s overall pace of 16 minutes per mile. They are the last ones to start the race and as long as you’re ahead of the balloon ladies, you’re good to go. But once the balloon ladies pass you, you get swept.

You don’t want to get swept.

Getting swept means you’re taken out of the race, put onto a bus and driven to the finish line. While that sounds like a good way to warp to the end, being swept means you can still receive your race medal, but if you’re participating in any challenges, you DO NOT get your challenge medal.

The best way to guarantee yourself a good starting wave is to run another race before your RunDisney race and submit your final time either during or shortly after registration. Be sure to keep in mind the deadline to submit your time.

Chapter 2: Choosing Your RunDisney Race

RunDisney puts on four races throughout the year in Orlando, each with their own unique theme. Other than the added race for marathon weekend, each race features the same distances and for the most part follow the same routes.

Walt Disney World Marathon Weekend

RunDisney’s first race of the year occurs every January and its overall theme is…running. This race is the most boring in terms of theming, but it offers the most variety of distances, has the most variety of characters and has the best weather.

If you’re looking for a more “classic” running experience, but still want to see the Disney World properties, this race weekend is for you. There are significantly fewer runners in costumes, fewer gimmicks and less overall craziness during marathon weekend than in other races. It is a great way to run distraction free.

Marathon weekend also boasts the best running weather of all the races. Not a lot of people believe Orlando gets cold, but during the early mornings of January, it can get pretty cold here. It’s not outside the realm of possibility that the high for race day is in the lower-to-mid 50’s(F). Temperatures that cool are annoying and uncomfortable when you’re standing still, but it’s near-perfect weather for running. It’s also the least likely to rain.

Dopey Challenge

Marathon weekend also boasts the most extreme challenge in all of RunDisney, and perhaps all of racing. The Dopey Challenge is where you run a 5k on Thursday, a 10k on Friday, a half marathon on Saturday and a full marathon on Sunday.

That’s 48.6 miles over the course of only four days.

However, as daunting as it is, it’s entirely doable and is done by hundreds of people every year. We could write an entire article on the Dopey Challenge alone, but the basic training plan for Dopey is to take it EXTREMELY slow. Consider walking the entire 5k and most (if not all) the 10k. Pick up the pace a bit for the half to get your body ready for the full, and take the full as slowly as you feel comfortable.

Dopey may sound scary, but you get a king’s ransom of stuff! You’ll get six shirts and six medals (including the Goofy Challenge, which is completing the half and full) once all is said and done. And don’t forget the wicked amount of bragging rights you’ll have!

Princess Half Marathon Weekend

Occurring every February, Princess weekend celebrates running as well as the lovely ladies that make up the Disney princess line. Everything this weekend is princess themed. From the characters and race shirts to the medals and costumes, you can’t go anywhere without seeing something pink, sparkly and royal.

Seeing other runners in costumes is half the fun of RunDisney races and Princess weekend is the first marathon weekend where the costumes are out in droves and over the top.

There are fewer things in life as depressing as being passed in a race by a guy dressed as The Little Mermaid, but you, too, can experience this during the Princess weekend.

The challenge for this weekend is The Disney Fairy Tale Challenge (formerly The Glass Slipper Challenge) and consists of running the 10k on Saturday and the half marathon on Sunday.

Star Wars Half Marathon Weekend

We’re sad to say that our favorite race weekend has unfortunately been retired. Its last race was in 2019. It was canceled in 2020 and 2021 due to the COVID-19 pandemic. RunDisney announced in summer 2021 that this race weekend will be reimagined in 2022.

We were lucky enough to be living in Orlando and running races in 2016 when RunDisney announced the inaugural Star Wars Dark Side Challenge, and we’ve run the race every year since.

As a Star Wars nerd, Tyler couldn’t be any more at home. Star Wars characters, trivia and references abound throughout the race weekend. If you’re a fan of the movies, this is a must-do race.

Wine and Dine Half Marathon Weekend

Taking inspiration from the Epcot International Food & Wine Festival, Wine and Dine is a food and drink-themed race. There isn’t nearly as much theming and crazy costumes in this race than in Star Wars and Princess, but slightly more than Marathon Weekend. Most characters and costumes are centered around food in some way. Expect lots of Ratatouille and Beauty and the Beast “Be our Guest” references.

While Wine and Dine isn’t our favorite of the race weekends, it’ll always hold a special place in our hearts because it was the first half marathon we ever attempted.

Wine and Dine was the last weekend to get a challenge and now has Disney’s Two Course Challenge. Like the other races, it consists of completing both the 10k and a half marathon.

The final unique aspect of this race is that race participants get to attend a private party in Epcot on Sunday evening.

Chapter 3: Registering for Your RunDisney Race

So you’ve worked out which distance you’d like to run and you know which race you want to participate in, now you just have to go through the process of signing up.

And, unfortunately, it is a process.

Regular Sign Up

Sign up begins by checking the RunDisney website for the sign-up date. Be warned, the sign-up date is a good eight months or so before the actual race. Once you’re assured of the sign-up date, mark it in your calendar and set a reminder.

It’s also important to note these races are pretty expensive. Most local 5ks run in the $30 – $50 range. However, it’s not uncommon for a RunDisney 5k to cost around $90. The 10ks and half marathons are in the hundreds, challenges will run you a little over $300 and the Dopey Challenge is more than $600! Now, you get a lot of really cool swag for all this money (more on that later) but it’s worth noting RunDisney races are a lot of fun, but they aren’t cheap.

Once the dates are announced and you’ve saved enough money/sold a child to sign up, the next step is setting an alarm for registration day (it’s noon Eastern). RunDisney races are incredibly popular and have been known to almost instantly sell out in the past. There’s no guarantee a race will sell out, but if you have the ability to immediately sign up it’ll only increase your chances to get the race you want.

Challenges and 5ks sell out first and have the greatest chance to sell out almost instantly. The 10ks and halfs are the most likely to stay open for a few days/months after signup.

The first step in the process is to get in line to sign up. RunDisney races attract thousands of people around the world and the sign-up time for them is (mostly) the same across the board. You’ll probably have to wait a good 10 minutes or so before you can even proceed to the registration screen.

Once you’re into the main site, you’ll fill in all the relevant information. They’ll ask basic information like your name, address, if you’ve raced with Disney before, etc. It’s during this step that RunDisney will ask you to submit a previous race time for your corral placement. Don’t worry if you haven’t done a race for time yet, you can come back and fill this out later. (Just be sure to know when the deadline is)

Once all the information is filled out and you’ve paid you’ll receive your confirmation email. You did it! You’re doing a RunDisney race!

AP and Alternate Signups

In the past, Disney Annual Passholders (APs) enjoy a lot of extra perks around the parks, including with RunDisney. Unfortunately, as of the 2021 Wine and Dine Half Marathon Weekend there is no longer early registration for APs.

In the past, there were alternate options for signing up if a race was completely sold out. You could sign up via a travel agent or run with a charity. As of the 2021 Wine and Dine Half Marathon Weekend, these options were not available, but that’s not to say they won’t return in the future.

Chapter 4: Before You Train

Congratulations! You’re well on your way to running a RunDisney race! You’ve chosen your distance, you’ve signed up and now you’re ready to train! But before we get there, let’s figure out exactly what you’re looking to get out of your race, as that will determine how your training goes, as well as some pre-training items to look into.

What are You Looking to Get Out of Your Race?

People run for all kinds of different reasons. Sometimes it’s for competition, sometimes it’s to prove something and sometimes it’s just for fun. Knowing what you’re looking to get out of the race goes a long way to determining how you’ll prepare for it.

Someone with more of a competitive spirit is going to want to train harder and look to get their body in tip-top shape. On the other hand, someone looking to just complete the race will prepare in a completely different way.

Make sure you know exactly what you’re trying to get out of the race before you create a training plan.

What to Wear?

One of the funnier reasons people give about starting a workout plan is that “it’s an excuse to go shopping!” That phrase may be played up as a sort of joke, but it’s not entirely inaccurate. What you’re wearing makes a huge difference to the comfort level you’ll have on race day. Everything from shirts and shorts to socks and underwear has an impact.

Shirts, Shorts, etc.

Breathability and moisture wicking are the most important aspects here. Being able to feel the wind through your shirt helps keep you cool, and moisture wicking dampens the fabric to keep you cool without it sticking to you as if you’ve been rained on. Common fabrics to look for are nylon, polyester, or Lycra.

Compression is also popular because it helps you in a slightly different way. The moisture wicking and breathability will still be there, but the form-fitting nature of the clothing compresses the veins and increases circulation. The most popular form of compression is compression leggings or socks. Medical research has proven that compression around the legs increases performance.

Check out this site for a more exhaustive breakdown of running fabrics and why they help.

Shoes and Socks

We’ve already mentioned compression socks as a way to increase blood flow and help your muscles, but if you’re not concerned about cramping, a good pair of fitness running socks will do the trick. It’s important to have the right socks because blisters can happen in an instant and they are hard to deal with and get really annoying as a race goes on.

Even if they aren’t compression, the tighter the sock is around your foot the better. The more the material swishes back and forth, the more it rubs against your skin and tears it. If the weather is cold enough to merit thicker/taller socks, our advice is to double up on socks and wear your thin socks underneath the thicker ones.

Keeping Warm and Keeping Cool

Everyone knows how important it is to keep cool during races, but not everyone is aware of how important it is to keep warm beforehand. Every RunDisney race begins well before the sun comes up and finishes well after. This makes planning your clothing options difficult because it’s likely to be very cool before the race starts, and very hot when it’s completed. Which do you dress for?

The answer is to do your best to dress for both.

You need to try and find a way to stay warm during the 90 minutes or so you’re sitting around before the race starts, but not be overheated during the race. There are plenty of ways to do this, here are a few we’ve tried or seen in our time as runners:

1. Steal an airline blanket: They’re pretty rare nowadays, but if you can nab one of the blankets they give you on an airplane, you’ll be able to wrap up in it.
2. Wear layers, then check your bag: Every RunDisney race features gEAR check. This is a clear bag where you can securely store valuables while running the race. You can wear sweatshirts and sweatpants while waiting, and at the last possible minute ditch them and check them before the race.
3. Wear layers, then just chuck it: This is the most used option during races. Head over to Goodwill or Wal-Mart and buy the cheapest sweatshirt/long sleeve you can and wear it while waiting. Once the race starts, simply take off your extra clothing and throw it on the side of the road. If you’re concerned about how wasteful that seems, don’t worry! Disney volunteers collect all discarded items and donate them.

Costumes

One of the greatest sources of entertainment during the races are the costumes. A costume’s creativity is usually only matched by its humor. Running while being surrounded by costumes is fun, running while wearing one is an entirely different animal (or princess, or superhero…).

Unless you‘re going for a minimalist design, a costume is going to require you to wear or hold something that could impede your movement or affect your time. Neither of those are necessarily a bad thing if you’re just trying to have fun and be silly, but if you’re looking for a personal best time then a costume probably isn’t for you.

Chapter 5: Training

It’s important to start this chapter off by saying neither of us are doctors, medical professionals, sport technicians, nutritionists or anything of the sort. Any change in diet or training should be consulted with a doctor or someone way more educated than us. All we can do is offer tips based on our experience and a limited amount of Google searching.

Now that that’s out of the way…

There are very few people in this world who can just wake up and run a race, and even those people will tell you God-given athletic talent can only take you so far. Whether it’s your first race or your hundredth, getting your body into shape is important. But where do you start? This is a hard question for many running rookies, and although we aren’t doctors, we do have some tips from our experience.

Start Early and Go Slow

You sign up for RunDisney races well over half a year in advance, meaning there’s plenty of time to start your training regimen. If the most you’ve run in the last year is 50 feet chasing the ice cream man, why should you try running three miles right off the bat? The answer is you shouldn’t. It’s more important to get your body used to moving than it is to get it moving fast.

It’s easy to say that on paper, but how do you implement it? That’s where our next tip comes into play.

Use the C25K App

This app is an absolute lifesaver. The title is short for “Couch to 5k” and it’s designed to take you from sitting on the couch to running a 5k, in just three months. The workouts are scheduled only three times a week and slowly build up your conditioning so you can run a 5k. There are plenty of free versions of this app and it’s what we’ve used to train for years.

If you’re really ambitious or looking to upgrade your running distance, there is a C210k app out there as well.

Don’t Forget Strength Training Too

Running is more than just endurance. Or rather, it’s more than just getting your heart and lungs pumping. The toll a race places on the muscles in your legs and lower back is just as great as the heart and lungs. To combat this, vary your training up between running and lifting weights.

A good way to work all your muscles is to find a gym that offers fitness classes. These classes are designed to give a full-body workout but aren’t necessarily intended to build your muscles like a bodybuilder. It’s also a good way to provide some variety to your training.

Finding the Right Shoes

A good pair of running shoes is an important part of running. Not all running shoes are created equal because not all runners are created equal. The ideal way to run is to be a neutral runner, running right down the middle of your foot. However, some people have pronations while they run, meaning they run on the inside or the outside of their foot.

Anyone can wear any shoe, and it’s not necessarily a bad thing if you have a pronation, it just means it helps to have a shoe designed to help with that. Those who run on the insides of their feet have an overpronation and need more support for the inside of their feet/arches. Runners with an underpronation angle toward the outside of their foot and need more support there.

How do you know which one you are? Head over to your local running store and ask for a gait analysis. This five-minute test (usually free) involves the store videotaping your feet as your run and playing it for you in slow motion. You’ll learn a lot this way.

It was through this analysis that Jessica found out she’s a neutral runner, and Tyler found out he has a wicked overpronation. This limits the kinds of shoes Tyler can by, but it greatly lessens the chance he will develop leg pain during a race.

Runner’s World has a great resource page about pronation and shoe choice that we recommend you check out.

Warm Up Races

Practice is one thing, but there’s no substitute for the real thing. Participating in just one 5k prior to your RunDisney race can make a world of difference. Running an actual race introduces you to things such as running in a crowd, pacing yourself, getting a handle on race distance, corrals and more.

We’re confident that no matter where you live, you’ll be able to find a 5 or 10k around you.

The more races you can run prior to your RunDisney event, the more confident you’ll be on race day. A huge part of completing these races is simply knowing you can. Finishing a race beforehand takes a lot of stress and pressure off you during the actual race day, freeing your mind to pay attention to costumes, characters and fun!

Chapter 6: RunDisney Race Weekend!

It’s finally here. You signed up eight months ago, trained and it’s now time to experience the magic that can only be found during a RunDisney race weekend. If it’s your first time, the experience can be a little overwhelming, but take it all in and enjoy!

The RunDisney Expo

Most major races have an expo where you pick up your race bib and t-shirts and provide you the opportunity to shop around for race-related merch or other promotions. We’ve seen all kinds of expos over the years and they all seem to have the same booths: local races; running apparel such as socks/shoes/shirts; running accessories like shoe beads, headphones, belts, gummies and the like; and food/alcohol vendors.

RunDisney is no different.

The week of the race you’ll head over to the ESPN Wide World of Sports complex for all your race needs. ESPN Wide World of Sports has a few buildings to visit, but don’t worry, there are plenty of signs and cast members to help you along the way.

Bib Pick Up

The first building you’ll visit is where you can print off your waiver if you didn’t bring one with you. The waiver has your bib number on it which will be what ultimately places you in your respective corral.

From the printing station, you’ll proceed to a large open space staffed with friendly volunteers ready to check you in. You’ll need an ID and your printed and signed waiver. Your local race may have packet pickup divided up by last name, but at RunDisney races bib pick up is divided up by your race and then by bib number.

If you are only doing one race, go to that specific area. If you are doing the challenge, challenge bibs have their own pickup spot (the actual challenge bibs are a different color than the others).

One quick note: if you are doing a challenge and a 5k, you’ll need to make two stops. One at the challenge pick up and one at the 5k.

Shirt Pick Up

You’ll get a shirt with your race registration (or multiple if you sign up for the challenge). There will be a tab at the bottom of your bib you can tear off and hand to the volunteer for your shirts. (Note, the shirts are usually in a different building from the bibs).

Jessica has volunteered at the shirt pick up before and a quick tip is to check your shirt when you pick it up. Is it the right size? Did you get the right kind of shirt?

Women’s shirts have a v-neck and are cut a little closer to the body than men’s. If you are doing a challenge, make sure you have all three different shirts. Volunteers are the ones who stuff the bags and they are only human, so there may be a chance you have two of the same shirt.

If you want a different size, you can exchange your shirts as long as they have availability. A word of warning, the women’s shirts, in particular, can run a little on the small side.

Also with your shirt, you will receive a clear plastic bag. Keep this! This is the bag you put your things into at the gEAR check during race day.

Race Merchandise

If there is one area of the Expo that is for sure going to be packed, it’s anything merchandise related. Beginning at the 2018 Star Wars weekend we were treated to an all-new merchandise buying experience that is a HUGE improvement over what it used to be.

Before then, the race merchandise inhabited a corner of the same expo hall the general merchandise was located in. This made an already packed space even busier. It also somewhat limited the amount of merchandise that could be sold because of space.

Now, race merchandise lives in its own building and it’s made a world of difference.

RunDisney really outdid themselves with this awesome space. There is so much merchandise! From race-specific clothing and the “I Did It” shirts, to Dooney & Bourke bags, ornaments, tumblers, magnets and so much more. Seriously, you can drop a lot of cash here very quickly if you aren’t disciplined!

We really recommend heading to the expo (and especially this part!) early.

The chances of an item or shirt size selling out aren’t as high as it was in years past, but some of these items (magnets, pins and ornaments specifically) are highly collectible and can go quick. If something is out of stock, don’t freak out. Ask a cast member if they will be restocking – even coming back an hour or two later will make a difference!

General Expo

The VISA Athletic Center is where the general expo takes place and it is a runner’s dream. If you forgot something at home, you are sure to find a replacement here. From apparel (check out our friends at RawThreads – they always an awesome booth!) to running belts and water bottles; you can seriously find it all here.

We’ve also picked up a few fun things throughout the year at these expos that have made our running lives a little easier. Running-specific socks, compression socks, magnets for your bibs, handheld water bottles to the all-important anti-chafe stick – it’s like the world’s biggest running-specific store.

If you are someone who uses KT tape, there are two booths that will tape you up. We’ve personally never tried KT tape, but know several people who swear by it.

There are also several booths that have medal displays for purchase. If this event is a bucket list for you, getting a shadow box display is a great way to commemorate your experience.

Expo Tips

Depending on how familiar with RunDisney events you are, you may have heard of some of the craziness that happens when the Expo opens. Long lines, people fighting for merchandise (yes, seriously) and merchandise selling out. We haven’t really experienced that side of the expo but it may be because of these tips.

1. Arrive at an “off-peak” time: The first few hours of the first day of the expo are going to be busy. Everyone wants to be the first one to get their bib and take a look at the RunDisney race-specific merchandise. If you want to go that first day, arriving around lunchtime or early afternoon will make for a much smoother and less hectic experience. We both work 9-5 jobs so we tend to go to the expos in the evenings, which aren’t too bad either.
2. Don’t arrive during the kid’s races: The kid’s races, while super cute, make for a pretty congested time. There are a lot of people descending on the ESPN Wide World of Sports complex at the same time.
3. Relax: Stop and remember how exciting it is that you are at a RunDisney event. Your whole weekend shouldn’t be ruined because you didn’t get that tumbler or tank top. Put everything in perspective and remember that while the expo is a lot of fun, the memories you will make from the races will be even better! Feel free to take in ESPN Wide World of Sports as well. Have a bite to eat or grab a beer and walk around the grounds.

The Day Before Your Race

A big part of your race day experience depends on what you do the day before your race. If you remember back to the story of how Tyler botched his challenge so badly, it was because he did way too much the day before. How you spend your day (and night) can have a huge impact on your race

Staying Off Your Feet

The main piece of advice we have is to limit what you do the day before your race. It’s extremely tempting to create an entire Disney vacation out of your weekend and spend all day at the parks, but do you really want to be on your feet at a theme park all day and then try and run three or six miles? If you know you can do that, then by all means. However, it might not be a bad idea to take it a bit easier instead.

This is a great day to spend some time by the hotel pool (if it’s not too cool out) or head out to dinner at Disney Springs, do a loop and come back. It’s also a great chance to check out some of Orlando’s activities that aren’t theme park related like visiting Sea Life Aquarium at Icon 360 or attempting an escape room.

Getting Plenty of Sleep

The best time to arrive to your RunDisney race is anywhere between 3 a.m. and 5 a.m. That’s a way-too-crazy time to be somewhere in the first place, but it’s not even taking into consideration when you have to actually wake up to do that.

Long story short: Get to bed as early as you can!

Excitement and adrenaline will eventually take over and eliminate any tiredness you might feel, but it doesn’t hurt to help your body as much as you can along the way.

Race Day

Race day is finally here! All your preparation and excitement is finally about to pay off! There are plenty of things to talk about to make race day the best day it can be.

Arriving to the Race

We are very lucky to live about 15 minutes from Disney, so we stay home and drive to the races. But when we first started doing RunDisney events, we lived further away and stayed on property. Staying on property definitely gets you into the festive atmosphere, but staying at home (if local) or off property doesn’t ruin the experience.

All on-site resorts offer transportation during the weekend to the expo and races. It’s a great perk to not have to drive, but we recommend arriving early. Disney does a tremendous job with logistics considering the sheer size of these events, but congestion is bound to happen. If you don’t want to stress out, early is better. If the buses start at 3 a.m. for example, be down there at least 15 minutes early.

If you’re staying off property, or at home and are driving in, it really depends on your comfort level. When we do a challenge, we usually arrive super early on the first day to get photos with the characters (more on that later) so we can arrive a little later on the second day.

Upon arrival, you will go through security. It’s similar to security at the parks. There are separate lines for those with and without bags. This part has always been a breeze for us.

Parking

If you are driving yourself, then be sure to check where you should park. Most of the time we’ve parked in the Epcot parking lot, but it can always change. Some races start in the Magic Kingdom parking lot but end at Epcot. If that’s the case, you will take a bus from Epcot to the Magic Kingdom.

There have been races in the past (inaugural Star Wars anyone?) where you parked where you started and then had to take a bus back from the end. This. Was. Brutal. When you are done with a race you just want to leave. So having your car at the end is the best even if it makes for a bus trip in the morning.

Character Meet and Greets

What’s a trip to Disney without meeting some characters?

Each race has characters available for photos prior to, and after each race. The lines can be loooong, but don’t stress out, they rotate the characters often enough and do a good job of keeping the line moving.

The characters are also available post-race as well, but only until a certain time. If you plan on taking the race slowly, you might want to bank on meeting the characters BEFORE the race more so than seeing them after. If you are doing a challenge, maybe split up the characters and try and do a couple each day.

The characters are themed to the race. For Star Wars you’ll meet Darth Vader, BB-8, Boba Fett and more. During Wine and Dine, Mickey and his pals are all dressed like cooks. For Princess, you guessed it – all of the princesses are out.

The lines may look long but they actually move pretty quickly. PhotoPass photographers are there ready to take a photo and a cast member can snap a few shots on a cell phone. If you are in a group, just hand over one cell phone and text the photo to everyone.

The character lines will close prior to the race starting and the cast members will let you know when the lines will close down.

DJs and Fun

Race mornings are a lot of hurry up and wait. You’ll rush to get to parking, just to wait for a spot. You’ll rush to get through security, just to wait in the parking lot. Characters, corrals…they all involve rushing to get to your designated place, then waiting around. Disney knows this and knows it can get annoying, so they do their best to entertain you while you wait.

Entertainment may vary from race to race, but the one thing they all have in common is the DJ. Disney’s DJ spins the tunes, interacts with racers, leads trivia and does everything in his power to take your mind off the upcoming race.

Going to the Bathroom

Thousands of people descend on the parks to do a RunDisney race, which means bathroom lines are always (always!) long. There’s no getting around having to wait to use the bathroom, so it’s best to use it strategically.

The best advice we can give is to use the bathroom as soon as you can when you enter the waiting area. When it’s that early in the morning, the lines will be at their shortest and it will give you one less thing to think about while your dancing/waiting to see a character.

After you’ve used the bathroom right away, the next piece of advice is to use the bathroom as closely as you can to when they call to line up in your starting wave. You may think you’re close to the race, but race time is still a good 45 minutes to an hour away.

It’s extremely difficult to get out of line to run to the bathroom and still come back in time to your exact spot. If you choose to wait, it might be a good two miles or longer before the first set of bathrooms shows up (and those lines will be long because of people who didn’t heed our advice!).

When you gotta go you gotta go…but sometimes knowing when to go is half the battle.

Starting Waves and Lining Up

Like we said earlier, the faster the time you submitted online from a previous race, the better your starting wave. Each starting wave is spaced out from the one in front of it and they all start with a bang. Literally. They shoot fireworks every time a group starts.

They’ll call for starting waves about 45 minutes or so before the race and it’s important to get there right away (this is why going to the bathroom earlier is so key).

Not only are the starting waves spaced apart, but there are mini waves within each one that are spaced apart as well. Getting to the front of your respective starting wave isn’t time-based. Make sure you get in early and weasel your way up there. You’ll be amazed at just how long five or ten minutes really is when it comes to racing.

Racing

This is what you’ve been training for and getting yourself ready for, it’s finally racing time. During the race you’ll see parts of Disney you’ve never seen before (The back entrance to Animal Kingdom!, The service roads to Epcot! A waste processing plant!), you’ll see characters both on and off the course and you’ll make brand-new friends. It’s a lot to take in, but it’s important to take it all in and have fun! Here are some quick tips to make your race the best it can be.

Pacing

Nine times out of ten you’ll start the race running or jogging in some form, but it’s important to remember your training at this point. Don’t put yourself out too early. It’s a marathon (sometimes quite literally), not a sprint. Don’t feel like you’re not doing enough if you’re already walking within the first mile.

Pacing is important and comes with experience. Disney puts mile markers at every mile so you’ll always know how much longer you have. Hopefully, you’ve run some prep races to get a handle on what you can do, but if not, when in doubt: walk.

Character Meet and Greets

Throughout the course, you’ll have the opportunity to meet some fun and unique characters. A lot of these characters you can meet in the parks, but some of them are exclusive only to the race.

Seeing the characters is a lot of fun, but you have to be careful with timing. Characters are guaranteed to have a line, and that line is taking time off from your run and bringing you ever closer to the balloon ladies. This is why getting a good starting wave is so important, it’s so you don’t have to worry about little things like this.

Our recommendation for characters is to not do them if you’re in the last or second-to-last starting wave unless you are confident in your pace. If you’re any closer than that you probably could squeeze one or two in there, but you’d hate to have your race cut short just because you wanted to see Mike and Sulley.

Water Stops and Fuel

Hydration is extremely important during races, especially when you’re in Florida and the temperature soars above 80 degrees. RunDisney provides water stations about every mile and a half where you can get a cup of water and a cup of Powerade. We recommend getting both. If you bring your own water bottle, pouring stations are available to fill those up as well.

We’ve never done a RunDisney race where we skipped a water stop. Even if you aren’t tired, thirsty or crazy hot, you’ll still want to hydrate. If nothing else, it’s a great excuse to walk a bit. Sometimes when it’s especially hot, we just grab a cup of water to pour on ourselves or our cooling towel.

RunDisney has some type of fuel on the course for the half and full marathons. Over the years, what this fuel is has changed. They used to have GU and then moved to Jelly Belly Sports Beans. You’ll be surprised just how hungry you can get in the middle of a race. Whatever option your race has, don’t expect a full meal, but instead a great pick-me-up. If you have a stomach that can be easily upset, then you may not want to try one of this type of energy source if you’ve never had it before. There’s that old race adage – don’t do anything new on race day.  

After the Race

You’ve finally done it! You crossed the finish line, got your medal, got your water and snack box and are finally finished with your RunDisney race. Time to relax and celebrate, but the way you should relax and celebrate depends on the rest of your weekend.

Taking Time After the Race

The most important thing to do is take some time immediately after the race to recover. At the finish line, you’ll receive a bottle of water, a bottle of Powerade and a Disney snack box. The contents of the snack boxes have changed throughout the years but hardened RunDisney fans know that the cheese and chips are where it’s at. Find a spot in the parking lot near the finish of the race, sit down and enjoy your snacks and re-hydrate.

This is also a fun time to look around and see just how happy everybody around you is.

Once you’ve rested and recovered (or they’re closing the event for the day) it’s time to figure out what to do next, and what you do next depends on the rest of your weekend.

Heading to a Park

It’s extremely tempting to spend the rest of your race day at one of the parks. Plenty of people head home, shower, and walk around the Magic Kingdom while proudly showing off their medal. This is a great option if today’s race was your only one. However, if you’re doing a challenge, this isn’t the best idea.

Traversing six miles is going to be hard on anyone’s legs, and your legs need time to recover. If you immediately go from a 10k to the parks and then a half marathon the next day, you’re not going to have a fun time.

Remember the difficult half marathon Tyler did? Aside from running too much the day before, he also went to a park afterward and spent even MORE time on his feet. As boring as it sounds, challenge participants should spend the rest of their day off their feet and at their hotel. If you still need to feel like you’re still on vacation, try laying out by the pool or going to a movie.

Not doing a challenge? Then park away! Don’t forget to bring your medal in the park with you to get instant kinship with your fellow racers. Plus, it will impress all the people who didn’t run the race. Plus, take advantage of the PhotoPass photographers in the parks. They have a lot of fun helping you pose for pictures with your medals.

Chapter 7: Conclusion

We’re finally at the finish line!

After six chapters and plenty of information, we’re finally at the end of your RunDisney experience. It may be a bit late to say now, but this an intimidating-looking post about an intimidating weekend experience, but we want to tell you…

Don’t be intimidated!

RunDisney races are one of the most fun and rewarding experiences you can have. The events run like clockwork and are for people of all ages and skill levels. If you take nothing else away from this post, please remember this: Whether it’s your first 5k or your tenth marathon, there is a RunDisney race for everyone and everyone (even you!) can do one.

We have done four Star Wars Challenges, three Wine and Dine challenges, a Princess Challenge, one Dopey Challenge (!!!) and have volunteered four times. If there’s one thing we’ve learned while there are similarities across races, each is totally unique.

If running a RunDisney race is on your bucket list then, by all means, run a race. But if you have the opportunity (and let’s face it, the money) to do all four weekends, then we can’t encourage you enough.

Do a race to experience one. Do a race to dress up like a princess. Convince your favorite Star Wars nerd to do it with you just to see a guy running as Bossk behind a woman dressed as BB-8 who is talking to a guy dressed as Slave Leia. Come in November and party it up in Epcot during the race-only party. Come down and do it all!

And if you’re ever running next to The Orlando Duo, feel free to say hi.