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Disney World Marathon Runner Comments
Back to Disney World Marathon Information & Reviews
Course 4.1 
Organization 4.3 
Spectators 4.0
Number of comments: 818 [displaying comments 161 to 171]
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C. S. from Pittsburgh, PA
(3/28/2010)
 "NOT worth the price" (about: 2009)
4-5 previous marathons
| 1 Disney World Marathon
COURSE: 4 ORGANIZATION: 1 FANS: 3 The coarse is OK, and running through the parks is enjoyable, but there are a lot of back roads in between the parks. The race is the MOST expensive one I have seen so far. And it is the only organization (I've seen) that does not allow transfers or refund for injuries. They also do not let you transfer the entry few towards next year. The fee is ridiculous for running and you don't even get discounts for park tickets. NOT WORTH IT. | |
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M. V. from Boston, MA
(3/22/2010)
 "Why Is Everyone Letting Disney Skate?" (about: 2010)
2 previous marathons
COURSE: 3 ORGANIZATION: 1 FANS: 2 I know from past work that the mere mention of 'Disney' brings a smile to people's faces. But let's get real, folks. Disney treats these races a a pure profit-making activity. There is SOOOO much more they could have done to make the race more comfortable despite the cold. The water stops were treacherous, I know several people personally that fell and were injured. Why? Disney got caught with their pants down. The only thing they could think to do was put beach sand down. Ever play that shuffleboard or bowling game with the metal puck in a bar? Remember the resin you put down? That's what the sand did. The most egregious lack of concern was post-race. Both days, there was nowhere for runners to gain temporary shelter from the freezing temps and wind to change out of their wet clothes. My friend got Stage 1 hypothermia after the half, it was my turn after the full. I learned later there was a warming tent, for an extra charge of course, but I didn't see any indications of where it was. And can someone explain why they made us walk 15 minutes to the monorail entrance, while the trams sat idle? How much does a tram driver make? And THEN made us pass through Epcot's bag check security to get on? I understand the lines got to be 90 minutes, with no shelter from the cold and wind. Heck, they even had the nerve to still be charging for coffee and hot chocolate! The next day, they announce a price increase for 2011. If the lack of preparedness had been in Chicago 2007, we all would have been outraged. Oh, wait, we were! :) Well, same thing here. No, Disney couldn't control the weather. But they did control how many of my $275 they put in their pocket. On a weekend like we had, it's time to buck up and say, 'OK, this year's going to be a little less profitable' to protect the brand. They didn't, and based on the glowing reviews I'm seeing, it seems you're willing to let them skate. | |
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k. c. from Fort Myers, FL
(3/17/2010)
 "bumper cars" (about: 2010)
6-10 previous marathons
| 4-5 Disney World Marathons
COURSE: 3 ORGANIZATION: 4 FANS: 3 I have participated in Marathon Weekend since 2006 - 2006 was awesome because it was my first Disney Half; 2007 was great too, since I ran my first full marathon; 2008 was so crowded; andI didn't run in 2009 because of the crowds. I ran this year's half in Disney (2010), and I think there are just too many walkers and picture-takers. It was like "bumper cars" the entire run. Maybe it was the weather - 29 degrees with snow, ice and rain, plus 25 layers of clothing - that slowed people down, but, I don't think I will run next year 2011! I was very frustrated with my finish time. It was so crowded!! They should have a walkathon! | |
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J. K. from New York
(2/24/2010)
 "Great Race" (about: 2010)
2 previous marathons
| 1 Disney World Marathon
COURSE: 4 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 5 I loved this race. My only complaint was the cold weather and there is nothing the organizers can do about that. Lots of stuff was going on, there were great aid stations, the organization was fantastic, and everything was typical Disney. When I was having a hard time at about mile 24, there were great spectators cheering me on by by name. | |
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Gary Korner from Nazareth, PA
(2/10/2010)
 "You never forget your first" (about: 2010)
1 previous marathon
| 1 Disney World Marathon
COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 5 This was my first marathon ever and it won't be the last. I can't wait to do it again. I teamed up with the Clif Bar pace team and had no problem reaching my goal. I was a little disappointed by the race photos. I wish I would have stopped a little and posed for some. The bands, DJ's, hot air balloons, cheerleaders, and people on stilts and trampolines were incredible. I didn't even realize the miles were ticking away. Now if only they could control the weather. | |
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M. D. from Eaton, Colorado
(2/8/2010)
"Disney is great fun if you know what to expect!" (about: 2010)
11-50 previous marathons
| 6+ Disney World Marathons
COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 5 Disney 2010 was my 12th marathon and my 6th Disney Marathon. I enjoy the Disney Marathon very much and plan on running it again in 2011. I thought I would touch on some items that I have not seen mentioned much in other posts. Enjoy where you are! The Disney is a family event and that is the focus. They want families to come and participate in a number of races over the weekend. They also want you to visit the parks, purchase Disney merchandise, and stay awhile; don't forget that. The half and full marathons being on different days allows runners to bring the family and support each other during their events. I did not believe I would like the split days when they changed to that format, but it was really a fun experience. The Disney Marathon is also unique in that you will see many runners wearing their medals while visiting the parks after the race, which makes it easy to strike up running conversations while waiting in lines. Be prepared for any weather! Always be prepared for all types of weather and bring discardable clothing. The bag check for Disney happens more than an hour before the start, so have clothing that you can just leave at the start and have layers you can discard if necessary. I always visit the closeout racks or thrift stores and look for warm clothing specifically to discard prior to the marathon if necessary. Make yourself comfortable prior to the start! Getting to the start! Read the provided pre-race materials and follow the instructions. I have stayed on Disney property and have ridden the buses to the expo and the race start. This makes getting to the start easy, but you also don't have the luxury of the shelter of your car before or after the race. Driving is easy if you start early. We drove in 2010 and stayed about 2 miles from Disney on Highway 192 and left for the race shortly after 3:00 a.m. and had no traffic issues getting to the parking at Epcot. I like to arrive early and sit in my car and eat and drink prior to the race. It also provides quick access to shelter or a complete change of clothes if the weather warrants it after the race. Please plan on arriving early if you are driving; it eliminates lots of stress on race morning. The early start! The first wave of the marathon begins at 5:40 a.m. and the sunrise in Orlando in early January is about 7:20 a.m., which means that you will be running almost 2 hours in the dark. The roads are wide but you have to watch for reflectors on the road surface and pay attention to speed bumps and other changes in road surfaces. The course! I am not as much into the scenic aspects of the course as I am the surfaces. The parks are fun to run through, but you will be running on concrete. The roads connecting the parks may be boring, but you can find asphalt to run on. Spectators! I dont care a lot about spectators cheering me on along the course, but it is nice to be able to have family come and see you a few times along the course. Disney has some tools on the website that will help you plan times and locations along the course to see your runner, and it works pretty well. | |
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C. H. from San Antonio, TX
(2/6/2010)
 "Well Organized, Fun Race" (about: 2010)
1 previous marathon
COURSE: 4 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 3 Overall, I had a great experience at the Disney Marathon. Pros: The race was well organized with PowerAde/water stops almost every mile. The medals were nice and the tech shirts were awesome. I did not go into this race expecting to be running most of it in the parks, so whenever we did enter a park I felt my mood lift tremendously. The course is very flat and there are plenty of aid stations and porta-potties along it. Bananas, raisins, Clif Shots, and candy were offered at various miles as well. Cons: The post-race food was not amazing (a banana, a bagel, and a muffin) and a lot of the course was on highways. Also, the start was early (5:50 a.m.) and the busses to the start stopped running at four. Knowing I had to wake up at two made me too anxious to sleep, so I pulled an all-nighter before the race. Overall, though, great race. | |
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J. S. from Silicon Valley, Ca
(2/6/2010)
"A most entertaining course" (about: 2010)
6-10 previous marathons
| 1 Disney World Marathon
COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 4 FANS: 1 How can running with Mickey not be fun?! Well, here's the downside: It's a 5:40 a.m. start, it's very crowded, and it's surprisingly dark in places. On the upside, it's fun the entire way, with Disney staff, often in character, adding great flavor to the otherwise sparse crowds. If you want speed, go somewhere else. But otherwise, it's the least tiring way to see all four parks in one day! | |
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S. B. from Appleton, WI
(2/1/2010)
 "Losing its luster" (about: 2010)
11-50 previous marathons
| 4-5 Disney World Marathons
COURSE: 4 ORGANIZATION: 4 FANS: 1 Ran the Goofy in 2010 and the marathon the three previous years. Disney is killing the golden goose. They jammed another 4,900 on the course this year and without doubt will try and shoehorn a few more next year. They have added runners/walkers every year that I have participated. The course is too narrow in many places to have that many people. The expo becomes a nightmare; don't go if you are clastophobic. This year I was late to the start due to a HUGE traffic jam getting into Epcot on Sunday. Add more people, but don't figure out how to handle them. Hmm. All said, I would like to return and do a fifth marathon and close the book on the WDW Marathon. Outside of the heavy camber of the road, it really is a unique run. Just don't ruin it with rampant greed; runners are passionate, but not suckers. | |
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M. R. from New York, NY
(1/31/2010)
"Didn't live up to the hype" (about: 2010)
4-5 previous marathons
| 1 Disney World Marathon
COURSE: 3 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 3 I, like others, was surprised at how much of the race is spent on highway roads in between parks. I understand that to reach all 4 parks, there is some necessary travel in between, but having "paid spectators" (in the form of Disney employees) cheering you on here just doesn't feel nearly as genuine as true supporters. Actual spectators are relegated to certain parts of the course, leaving many quiet times on the highway roads, and that was more of a mental challenge than I had expected. The 5:50 a.m. start time seemed excessively early. It did allow faster runners (I finished in 3:20) to get through the parks before the park guests entered, though, which was useful. It wasn't a terrible course, but my expectations from other comments did not line up with reality. I did Hartford, CT in October and knew there would be few spectators. I did Disney expecting "magic," but simply put, it's just another race. In minor other complaints, they ran out of medium-sized shirts, which only upset me because I thought that this is why you register your size. Race day was below freezing, but the course did not seem prepared for it. Water was freezing into ice patches at the aid stations and there was no salt to make it safer (though it's Florida, so I understand they aren't used to this). Taken together, it's not a bad race. But know that the race map is a little deceptive when you sign up! |
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