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runDisney

Upcoming Walt Disney World® Resort runDisney Event Presale

Year after year, runDisney continues to be the premier destination race series that delivers magical moments to last a lifetime. First time runners and experienced endurance athletes alike enjoy spectacular runs through Disney theme parks on some of the most magical courses on Earth!

With 4 themed weekends that take place at Walt Disney World® Resort in Florida (races at the Disneyland® Resort in California have been temporarily suspended), there’s a race experience that’s perfect for each member of your family! Marathon or half marathon races headline each runDisney weekend, but other offerings include 10Ks, 5Ks, Kids Races and a runDisney Health & Fitness Expo. And of course, each race has it’s own bling! The more races you complete, the more coveted finisher medals you’ll earn! There are also challenge medal that are awarded to runners who complete more than one race during a race weekend!

Don’t miss out on the fun! And now for a limited time, you can book your stay and secure your Race Registration (bib) for three upcoming events before they go on sale to the general public!

2020 Walt Disney World® Marathon Weekend Presale
Walt Disney World® Resort ~ Jan. 8-12, 2020

2020 Disney Princess Half Marathon Weekend Presale
Walt Disney World® Resort ~ Feb. 20-23, 2020

2020 Star Wars™ Rival Run Weekend Presale
Walt Disney World® Resort ~ Apr. 16-19, 2020

 

Select from one of these two great offers:

Contact your Magic Maker® today! Availability is limited!

Request a Quote


Upcoming runDisney Event and Registration Dates

If you aren’t familiar with runDisney races, they are family-friendly running events that are held at the Walt Disney World® and Disneyland® Resorts. Ranging from 5K to marathons and even kids runs, the races are a creative way to bring new runners to the sport by utilizing the popularity of Disney Parks. It’s a perfect match! So perfect, in fact, that runDisney has become one of the largest race organizers in the United States – both in terms of the number of races and runners. Each year more than 200,000 runners participate in a runDisney event!

NOTE: Due to construction, all runDisney race weekends at the Disneyland® Resort have been placed on hiatus beginning in 2018 – including the associated Coast to Coast Race Challenges.

Below is a listing of the upcoming runDisney events. Planning for registration is just as important as planning for the event itself as some races sell out within hours!

Walt Disney World® Marathon Weekend
Jan. 9 – 13, 2019 │ Walt Disney World® Resort
Registration currently open – limited availability

Disney Princess Half Marathon Weekend
Feb. 21 – 24, 2019 │ Walt Disney World® Resort
Registration currently open – limited availability

Star Wars™ Rival Run Weekend
Apr. 4 – 7, 2019 │ Walt Disney World® Resort
Registration currently open – limited availability

Disney Wine & Dine Half Marathon Weekend
Oct. 31 – Nov. 3, 2019 │ Walt Disney World® Resort
Registration opens Mar. 19, 2019 at 10am Eastern

Walt Disney World® Marathon Weekend
Jan. 8 – 12, 2020 │ Walt Disney World® Resort
Registration opens Apr. 16, 2019 at 10am Eastern

Disney Princess Half Marathon Weekend
Feb. 20 – 23, 2020 │ Walt Disney World® Resort
Registration opens Jun. 4, 2019 at 10am Eastern

Star Wars™ Rival Run Weekend
Apr. 16 – 19, 2020 │ Walt Disney World® Resort
Registration opens Jul. 16, 2019 at 10am Eastern

Contact your Magic Maker® travel professional for additional information!

‘Star Wars™ Half Marathon – The Dark Side’ Announced for Walt Disney World® Resort

After a successful first Star Wars™ Half Marathon Weekend this past January at the Disneyland® Resort, runDisney participants have been hoping for a similar event to hit the East Coast. This morning, runDisney announced a second Star Wars™ Half Marathon Weekend would be added, but this time things will be focused on the dark side!

Star Wars™ Half Marathon – the Dark Side Weekend will take place April 14-17, 2016, at the Walt Disney World® Resort. In addition to the Half Marathon, the weekend’s events will include a Star Wars™ 10K, Star Wars™ 5K, Kids Races, and the Dark Side Challenge (Star Wars™ 10K on Saturday and Star Wars™ Half Marathon on Sunday). Participants can also accept the Kessel Run Challenge by completing the Star Wars™ Half Marathon missions on both coasts earning them a commemorative “Coast to Coast” medal inspired by the Millennium Falcon starship.

The original Star Wars™ Half Marathon Weekend, which will return in January at the Disneyland® Resort, will be rebranded as the Star Wars™ Half Marathon – the Light Side but registration for that event has already sold out.

Race registration for Star Wars™ Half Marathon – the Dark Side Weekend opens Sep. 22 (Early registration starts Sep. 15th for Annual Passholders and DVC Members)! Like all runDisney events, this one is expected to sell out quickly so mark your calendars!

Contact your Magic Maker® for additional details!

 

runDisney Event Registration Tips

Every runner is aware of the preparation needed to compete in a race. You can’t just lace up your shoes and go run a marathon! You have months worth of preparation to make sure you are conditioned both mentally and physically and have everything you need to compete.

With runDisney races, that preparation starts with registering for your event. Because these events are so incredibly popular, it’s not uncommon for some races to sell out within hours of registration opening! Your window of opportunity to register for these events can be small, so we have a few tips for you to make it as pain-free as possible.

  • View our listing of upcoming runDisney events and note the registration date and time for the race you are interested in.
  • Because registration requires an active.com account, we suggest you visit the site before registration opens and create one if needed.
  • Because the registration process asks some personal details, it’s easiest for you to fill out the form for yourself. Even if you are participating as a group, it’s best (and quickest) for each of you to register on your own.
  • On registration day, keep an eye on runDisney’s twitter account (@runDisney) for the registration link to be posted as soon as registration opens. This will be your quickest way to access the registration form.
  • If you’re lucky enough to make it right into the queue, you only have 15 minutes to complete your registration before your spot is given up to another person. If you receive an “on hold” message, the queue is full but continue to check back as spots may still open up.

After you receive your registration confirmation, then you can focus on your race preparations and let our expert Magic Makers® handle all the rest of your planning!

Let Disney’s Princess Half Marathon Weekend Begin

Princess Half CollageThis weekend, you can expect to see more tiaras and tutus at the Walt Disney World® Resort than normal!

One of the largest women-specific running events in the nation, the 5th Disney’s Princess Half Marathon Weekend, kicks off today! More than 36,000 runners are expected to participate in this weekend’s races. Participants this year represent all 50 states and over 30 countries!

Disney’s Princess Half Marathon Weekend is made up of several events – the Mickey Mouse and Minnie Mouse Royal Family 5K and runDisney Kids’ Races on Saturday, Disney’s Princess Half Marathon on Sunday, and the Disney Fit for a Princess Expo at Disney’s Coronado Springs Resort.

runDisney is a series of events that provides runners unique opportunities to run through Disney theme parks. Each year, more than 100,000 running enthusiasts participate in runDisney events. Off to Neverland Travel® has helped many guests plan runDisney trips in which they earn Disney-themed medals, experience legendary Disney entertainment and guest service, and ultimately celebrate their accomplishments with a Disney vacation!

Upcoming runDisney events include:

  • Expedition Everest® Challenge – May 4, 2013
  • Disneyland® Half Marathon Weekend – Aug. 30 – Sep. 1, 2013
  • The Twilight Zone Tower of Terror™ 10-Miler Weekend – Oct. 4-5, 2013
  • Disney Wine and Dine Half Marathon Weekend – Nov. 8-9, 2013
  • Walt Disney World® Marathon Weekend – Jan. 9-12, 2014
  • Tinker Bell Half Marathon Weekend – Jan. 17-19, 2014

Contact your Magic Maker® today for more information on participating in an upcoming runDisney event.

Good luck to all our guests, Magic Makers®, and their families participating in this weekend’s races! Run swiftly, safely, and have fun!

2013 Disneyland® Half Marathon Weekend To Include New 10K Race

runDisney has announced the addition of the Disneyland® 10K to their list of events for the 2013 Disneyland® Half Marathon Weekend which will take place Aug. 30 – Sep. 1, 2013.

The new race will take runners on a course through Disneyland® Park, Disney California Adventure® Park, and the surrounding Anaheim area. Participants of this timed race will receive a finishers medal designed especially for the 10K.

Just like at all runDisney events, there will be an opportunity for runners at every level to compete during the 2013 Disneyland® Half Marathon Weekend. The weekend’s events include the Disneyland® Half Marathon, the Disneyland® 10K, a Family Fun Run 5K, and Kids Races. For those advanced runners, be sure not to miss the Dumbo Double Dare. Available to a limited number of runners, they will run both the Disneyland® 10K on Saturday and the Disneyland® Half Marathon on Sunday – 19.3 miles total! The efforts of those runners finishing the Dumbo Double Dare won’t go unrewarded. They will receive a special finisher medal to celebrate their accomplishments!

Registration for all of the Disneyland® Half Marathon Weekend races opens on January 22, 2013. This is always a popular event at the Disneyland® Resort, so be sure to contact you Magic Maker® now to start planning!

 

Disneyland® Half Marathon Weekend Races:

  • Disneyland® Family Fun Run 5K – Saturday, Aug. 31, 2013 – 5:30am
  • Disneyland® 10K – Saturday, Aug. 31, 2013 – 6:15am
  • runDisney Kids Races – Saturday, Aug. 31, 2013 – 10:00am
  • Disneyland® Half Marathon – Sunday, Sep. 1, 2013 – 5:30am

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Discounted Room Rates for Disney’s Princess Half Marathon Weekend

Ladies, here’s your chance to prove you have the commitment, perseverance, and determination to be a true princess! runDisney’s women’s focused half marathon course will take you through the Magic Kingdom® and Epcot® Theme Parks on your quest for royalty in the “Most Magical Place on Earth!” Whether running solo or with a group of your closest friends and family, past runDisney participants will agree that every mile ran in a race at the Walt Disney World® Resort is a magical one!

But don’t let that royal treatment end at the finish line! Stay at one of the Walt Disney World® Resort Hotels and enjoy accommodations fit for any queen or princess! Just a few of the onsite benefits include Disney’s Magical Express® Airport Transportation, Extra Magic Hours, and legendary Disney hospitality.

And as an extra bonus, Off to Neverland Travel is offering discounted room rates at select Walt Disney World® Resort Hotels for Disney’s Princess Half Marathon Weekend. Availability of these discounts are limited, so contact your Magic Maker® today to reserve your spot.

Booking Window:

Oct. 5, 2012 – Jan. 14, 2013 (or while availability lasts)

Offer Details:

Save 10%-25% on your stay for  Disney’s Princess Half Marathon Weekend at select Walt Disney World® Resort Hotels. Available Resorts include:

  • Disney’s All-Star Music Resort
  • Disney’s Port Orleans Resort – French Quarter
  • Disney’s Wilderness Lodge
  • Disney’s Contemporary Resort
  • Disney’s Beach Club Resort
  • Disney’s Saratoga Springs Resort & Spa
Stays may be extended to arrive before or depart after Disney’s Princess Half Marathon Weekend, but are based on Resort availability.

Be sure to ask your Magic Maker® how you can save by adding discounted tickets and one of Disney’s Dining Packages. Not participating in the Disney’s Princess Half Marathon Weekend? No problem! You can still enjoy the magic of the Walt Disney World® Resort with these discounted rates.

Request a Quote

Discount Terms: All rates are subject to availability. Offer cannot be combined with another offer or discount. Advance reservations required. Additional room types may be available at a discounted rate, but are based off of availability. Each room containing more than 2 adults (ages 18+) may be subject to an additional fee of $10-$25 per person per night. Deposit amount equal to one night’s stay plus taxes will be due at the time of booking. Disney Dining Plan and Discounted Ticket options are available for an additional fee – please ask your Magic Maker® for more details. Any cancellations made after booking will incur a $50 cancellation fee, per room, on top of any fees charged by the supplier.  Ask your Magic Maker for exact details as cancellation fees from the supplier vary based on type of room/package booked.

A Race into the Fifth Dimension

This weekend, thousands of runners and their families have traveled to the Walt Disney World® Resort to take part in The Twilight Zone Tower of Terror™ 10-Miler Weekend. This runDisney event consists of three race – Twilight Zone Tower of Terror™ 10-Miler, the Disney Happy Haunted 5K Trail Run, and a runDisney Kids’ Races.

The Twilight Zone Tower of Terror™ 10-Miler is a reincarnation of a scarily popular 13K race that was last held in 2009. Kicking off tonight at 10p, it is one of only two runDisney races that takes place at night! Starting and ending inside Disney’s Hollywood Studios®, the course takes runners through the set of Lights, Motors, Action!® Extreme Stunt Show® and past the iconic Sorcerer Mickey’s Hat. Appropriately enough, the race finishes near The Twilight Zone Tower of Terror™ attraction.

After the race, runners and their families can enjoy a special Disney Villains Hollywood Bash where they can celebrate their recent accomplishment until 4a. Attendees will enjoy a live DJ, character meet and greets with Disney Villains, and many of their favorite Disney’s Hollywood Studios® attractions including Rock ‘n Roller Coaster® Starring Aerosmith and Toy Story Mania!®.

runDisney hosts many different events throughout the year at both the Walt Disney World® Resort and Disneyland® Resort. Earlier this year, our Magic Maker® Joe DeFazio shared his experiences from participating in a runDisney event. You can read all about it here.

For a list of runDisney events and details on how to get registered, contact your Magic Maker®.

Everyone’s a Winner at runDisney Events

Yesterday our Magic Maker® Joe DeFazio shared with us his experience participating in the Walt Disney World® Half Marathon. Participants in all of the runDisney events share common sentiments and continue to make the races an annual event.

At a runDisney event, there are only winners. Watch this video of the last place finishers at the 2011 Disneyland® Tinkerbell Half Marathon and see for yourself.

Ready to participate in a runDisney event? Contact your Magic Maker to check on availability for these upcoming events:

  • May 5, 2012 – Expedition Everest Challenge
  • Aug 31 – Sep 2, 2012 – Disneyland® Half Marathon Weekend
  • Sept 28 – 29, 2012 – The Twilight Zone Tower of Terror™ 10-Miler Weekend
  • Nov 9 – 10, 2012 – Disney Wine & Dine Half Marathon Weekend
  • Jan 10 – 13, 2013 – Walt Disney World® Marathon Weekend presented by CIGNA
  • Jan 18 – 20, 2013 – Tinker Bell Half Marathon Weekend – Disneyland® Resort

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Running at Walt Disney World® Resort – Making Each Mile Magical

by Magic Maker® Joe DeFazio

Donald Duck counts it down…3…2…1 and then with a flash of light and burst of fireworks that cut through the cool dark early morning, you are off.  Not quite the rocket launch that happens some 60 miles east of where you are running, but nearly as impressive.  This is the start of your race at the Walt Disney World® Resort.

I recently returned from running the Walt Disney World® Half Marathon and met several experienced runners and several more like me who were running their first race (and a few of the borderline insane who were running the Goofy Challenge – a half marathon (13.1 miles) on Saturday and a full 26.2 mile marathon on Sunday).  The opinions were unanimous – whether you are running your fiftieth or your first race, running at Walt Disney World® Resort is a great experience.

From packet pickup and registration to race completion, my experience running at the Walt Disney World® Resort was made easy and was filled with friendly smiles, shouts of encouragement and helpful cast members, runners and volunteers.    The “you can do it” atmosphere of the entire weekend envelopes you, something that was very meaningful to this very nervous, first time runner.

On race day, or should I say, way way way too early on race morning, transportation from the resorts to the race starting area begins at 3:00 AM and you need to be on a bus no later that 4:00 am to be able to start the race.  It may be tempting when reading this to want to stay off site where you think you could sleep a little later and just drive in quick and be at the starting area by 4:30 when they begin to stage runners.  Resist the temptation!

The plan simply does not work – there are thousands upon thousands of runners all arriving at the same time and many of the normal roads used to get around the Walt Disney World® Resort are restricted, shut down or detoured for the race.  This leads to a looooong line of cars trying to get into the start area while the busses zip right in and drop off the slightly sleepy athletes.  For this reason above all others, I highly recommend you stay on site at the Walt Disney World® Resort if you are running.  You will get to the race on time (as long as you set that alarm clock) and when the race is over, the busses are lining up to take you back to your resort.

Disney does such a wonderful job making the race itself enjoyable and keeping you energized and motivated as you run.  Along your journey you will be greeted by the standard water stations filled with volunteers shouting encouragement but you will also encounter cheerleaders, marching bands, music playing and even Disney Characters!  You can stop and have your photo taken with Mickey (or others ) or strike a quick pose as you head up Main Street USA towards Cinderella Castle.  Along the way friends, family, volunteers and just plain great folks turn out and cheer you on.

Passing by the iconic Disney’s Contemporary Hotel, running through an otherwise empty Magic Kingdom® Park just before the sun rises and pushing myself through Epcot’s® Future World as the race is nearly over was an experience I soon won’t forget. I almost forgot the full Gospel choir that greets you just before you hit the finish line – uplifting, inspiring, special and memorable.

The memorable course and amazing support are the two top reasons I am glad I chose to run my first race at the Walt Disney World® Resort.  I have not mentioned the pre and post race entertainment – dance party style that gets you moving, wakes you up and after you run gives you a great place to celebrate with friends and family.   The race shirts, color coded to the race you are running, are very cool (literally and figuratively)and the souvenirs including trading pins are of course, are not only readily available but well designed.

Last, but certainly not least, the medal is something special.  A Donald Duck design for the half marathon finishers, a Mickey for the full marathon, and the special Goofy Design for those, well, goofy folks that ran both races!  These are not some cheap sheet metal punch out, they are heavy, shiny and you won’t want to take it off anytime soon.  In fact, you will see runners wearing them for the rest of their trip around the parks – I even spotted a couple on my flight home from Orlando!

A few tips I will offer to those of you thinking of running at the Walt Disney World® Resort.  For reasons mentioned before, Stay onsite – it is my #1 tip – it will help make your run  stress free from the start.

If it is cold the morning of the start, you may consider having a throw away seat shirt or something similar to wear.  After you start running and are warmed up, you can discard it roadside where volunteers will pick it up and it will be donated or thrown out.  You will be arriving between two and three hours before you actually start running – make sure you are getting yourself hydrated properly and keeping loose with plenty of stretching.   Don’t forget to use the restroom as close to your start as you can – while there are rest room stops on the course, they always have lines which will slow you down.

Before starting, you will be placed in a corral to wait for your start time (Disney starts the races in waves).  When your corral is moved into the starting position, if you want a good look at or photo of the starting platform with Mickey Mouse and Donald Duck, move to the left side.  Each starting wave has it’s own countdown and burst of fireworks, have your camera ready if you want to capture the moment.

After you start, keep to your plan and pace.  You are competing against no one but yourself – go for your goals and don’t worry if you are being passed – many will pass you and you will pass many others.  If you are getting tired, it’s OK to walk, you will notice many other doing it.  Keep hydrated along the way – don’t skip the water stations and take the opportunity to take in the scenery and grab a photo or two, Characters greets are great for this and to give you a quick breather if you need it.  Also, don’t forget to smile for the cameras!  There are photographers located all along the route.  You will get a chance to purchase photos from your race experience taken by them, so make ‘em look good.

Take a some time to enjoy the post race fun – music, food, shopping and make sure you stretch out after your race, rehydrate and keep moving during the day so you don’t get too sore.  Don’t forget to wear your race medal to the parks afterwards – it’s a great conversation starter!

Lastly, have fun.  Whether it is your first race or your fifty-first race, the Walt Disney World® Resort has a way to make it special for you and each mile magical.   Enjoy it, but be careful – you may find yourself planning your next runDisney Vacation before you leave your first! (I know I did).

For a list of runDisney events and details on how to get registered, contact your Magic Maker®.

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