Disneyland Half marathon...anyone?

aya619
aya619 Posts: 27 Member
in Fitness and Exercise
Has anyone done the DisneyLand half marathon (in SoCal) or considering itfor this September?
I really want to but $150 is a lot of money, especially since I hear that it does NOT include admission into the park or even a discounted rate into the park.
If anyone has done it--is it worth it for the experience of running at Disneyland or is it over rated/overpriced? How is the course--flat for the most part? is it entertaining? I'd like to hear the experiences, even from the other Disney Races ;)
I want to but money to travel, hotel, and Disneyland entrance is a lot of money. Three coworkers/friends signed up and want me to do it too. But it looks fun!

Replies

  • aya619
    aya619 Posts: 27 Member
    Oops I used the search button FIRST before posting this Topic and nothing in the last 3 months came up, but Just saw someone posted before me the same thing! I can't seem to delete this one....
  • dustyhockeymom
    dustyhockeymom Posts: 537 Member
    I registered for this race today. It will be my first, so I can't answer any of your questions but I am so looking forward to it.
  • aya619
    aya619 Posts: 27 Member
    Awesome! Is this your first half? I googled some pictures from the past and it looks like fun, I am never ever one to dress up-but hey its Disneyland--its brings the kid out in me.
  • Pebble321
    Pebble321 Posts: 6,423 Member
    No, but I wish I could!! I can't quite imagine spending the money to fly to the US (from Australia!) plus all the costs, just for a race



    (though our dollar is very strong at the moment, that would help..........



    Nope, can't see the husband falling for it!)
  • sydney_loves_pink
    sydney_loves_pink Posts: 2
    Hi, that sounds fun and interesting. I would love to try that out sometime.. :):smile:
  • aya619
    aya619 Posts: 27 Member
    No, but I wish I could!! I can't quite imagine spending the money to fly to the US (from Australia!) plus all the costs, just for a race



    (though our dollar is very strong at the moment, that would help..........



    Nope, can't see the husband falling for it!)
    Just make the trip seem to be about visiting California and all of its atttractions, then tell him since you are out there already, might as well burn the vacation calories off in a half marathon ;) hey you never know!
  • Pebble321
    Pebble321 Posts: 6,423 Member
    No, but I wish I could!! I can't quite imagine spending the money to fly to the US (from Australia!) plus all the costs, just for a race



    (though our dollar is very strong at the moment, that would help..........



    Nope, can't see the husband falling for it!)
    Just make the trip seem to be about visiting California and all of its atttractions, then tell him since you are out there already, might as well burn the vacation calories off in a half marathon ;) hey you never know!

    His sister lives in New York, so California is only a hop and a jump away from her.... if we do visit her I'm definitley going to try to work in a cool race like this one! Or one of the Rock and Roll ones, though I'd rather do Disney.
    I probably have to convince him that I can run a half marathon at home first, I'm registered for one in 2 weeks time but I'm injured, so it looks as though that won't happen. September is plenty of time to get better though!!
    I'm going to file this idea away for "some time" :smile:
  • Leanne3552000
    Leanne3552000 Posts: 395 Member
    No, but I wish I could!! I can't quite imagine spending the money to fly to the US (from Australia!) plus all the costs, just for a race



    (though our dollar is very strong at the moment, that would help..........



    Nope, can't see the husband falling for it!)

    I'm from New Zealand and It's one of my life goals to do the Disneyland Half marathon. It would be an expensive trip but well worth it I feel. Great holiday anyway
  • wbgolden
    wbgolden Posts: 2,066 Member
    $150 is a lot of money, especially since I hear that it does NOT include admission into the park or even a discounted rate into the park.
    That's a ton to pay for a race. And you get no perks? Maybe the race bag has a Disneyland coupon????

    It's been a LONG time since I've been to Disneyland but even then it was over $40 (early 90s lol) to get in for a day. So you're sitting at $190 if you want to run and have one day in the park? Plus hotel, churros, and other more boring snacks...

    No thanks. $200 will get me in to at least 3 races and all of them will benefit at least some sort of charity, because that's the only kind of race I enter. (This one does not appear to benefit anyone)
  • Wendyma1
    Wendyma1 Posts: 289 Member
    I've never heard of this race!!!!! I'm going to look into it! I live 6 hours away and am always in disneyland anyways (We have annual passes). Wow, how fun would that be!!!!
  • kbrogan78
    kbrogan78 Posts: 158 Member
    I am NOT a runner (yet) but I'm using the Disneyworld Princess Half Marathon in 2013 as the "carrot" to get myself jogging. Seriously, I'm starting from zero but running through Cinderella's castle while wearing a tiara is probably the only good reason I can think of to run 13 miles. :)

    I've enlisted several other girlfriends to run with me. We're going to make it a girls' weekend, which should be a lot of fun. Yes, it's a lot of money, but I figure for me it's probably a once in a lifetime event as well. Plus, with other friends coming, we can split the cost of the hotel and you can often get good deals for park admittance through travel agents or even through Costco.

    I'm game to join you in 2013, if you want to do it two years in a row! I'm in WA, so the trip down to Disneyland is fairly quick and usually pretty cheap.
  • tameko2
    tameko2 Posts: 31,634 Member
    $150 is a lot of money, especially since I hear that it does NOT include admission into the park or even a discounted rate into the park.
    That's a ton to pay for a race. And you get no perks? Maybe the race bag has a Disneyland coupon????

    It's been a LONG time since I've been to Disneyland but even then it was over $40 (early 90s lol) to get in for a day. So you're sitting at $190 if you want to run and have one day in the park? Plus hotel, churros, and other more boring snacks...

    No thanks. $200 will get me in to at least 3 races and all of them will benefit at least some sort of charity, because that's the only kind of race I enter. (This one does not appear to benefit anyone)

    Actually I think it benefits the Anaheim Community Foundation. And you can get a discounted ticket into the park although you have to call a number to find out about it.

    but mostly you get to run a course THROUGH the park, that is so awesome and fun! And there will be characters waving to you probably! (that's what it sounds like)

    If I thought I could run a half by then I'd do it but no, I don't think I can.

    As far as the course goes I've never DONE it obviously but that area is quite flat. If they make you run across west for some reason (which I think turns into Disneyland Drive? Maybe not) then there is kind of a hill but if you are just running through and around the parks and downtown disney its going to be relatively flat.

    Now on the OTHER hand I could run a 5k but that's 100 bucks, WTH.

    I think the high cost is basically the same thing toll roads do - they charge whatever price keeps the registrations down to a reasonable number.
  • tameko2
    tameko2 Posts: 31,634 Member
    Also OMG 5:45 in the morning NO. Never ever.
  • aya619
    aya619 Posts: 27 Member
    $150 is a lot of money, especially since I hear that it does NOT include admission into the park or even a discounted rate into the park.
    That's a ton to pay for a race. And you get no perks? Maybe the race bag has a Disneyland coupon????

    It's been a LONG time since I've been to Disneyland but even then it was over $40 (early 90s lol) to get in for a day. So you're sitting at $190 if you want to run and have one day in the park? Plus hotel, churros, and other more boring snacks...

    No thanks. $200 will get me in to at least 3 races and all of them will benefit at least some sort of charity, because that's the only kind of race I enter. (This one does not appear to benefit anyone)
    I usually only do races that benefit a certain causes too--and I know that It benefits the Anaheim Community Foundation, but not sure exactly what that goes towards.
    But you are right--that money could go to a few more races,however the costs of a lot of these races,especially half marathons are all about $80 or more in Southern California. These prices are getting crazy though!
  • brandyk77
    brandyk77 Posts: 605 Member
    I have ran it 2x and find it overpriced for what you get.
  • SueInAz
    SueInAz Posts: 6,592 Member
    I'm doing the 5K at the Tinkerbell event next weekend. For $99, it includes an evening entrance into the park. I decided I'd be ready for a half marathon at this time too late to sign up for the half so instead I ran the Rock N Roll Arizona half last weekend and had a blast.

    My sister has done the half at Disneyland for the past few years. I can tell you from dozens of trips to Disneyland that the course is almost flat. There might be some slight inclines but Anaheim has no real hills. I'm debating signing up for the Disneyland half marathon while I'm there next weekend. They should be offering a decent price.

    For those who are starting from scratch, I started running this past April, ran a 10K in October and the half in January. I've never run before in my life and I'm 45 years old. If I can do it, so can you!
  • dustyhockeymom
    dustyhockeymom Posts: 537 Member
    Yes it is my first half. I figured if anything was going to motivate me it was running in a Disney race. I am just starting out running, so this is a huge leap, but I am so excited. I know it is a lot of money, but I figured it was a bucket list type of experience and I am willing to pay for that.

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