Marathon Weekend 2023

[The Expert]

@Ariel484 Love that video! It was DH's first marathon as well as Disney's. He was one of the ones wearing a black sweatshirt and tennis shoes! LOL Can we get Roger Rabbit on the course this year?

Motivation? At 67 1/2, I just think of all my friends who can't run anymore because of arthritis/blood pressure problems/heart issues/diabetes/knee and hip replacements, or who have passed away, and I count my blessings! Then I just do it, much more slowly than most of you, but I am blessed to be able to keep moving. I don't have time goals anymore. And, yes, the heat and humidity are awful right now. That makes it much harder! I am looking forward to cooler fall weather, the W&D races and the Goofy Challenge!

I officially second that Roger Rabbit request!
And while I'm a little behind you at 51, my motivation is the same. I have family members with weight issues, clogged arteries, knee replacements, relying on scooters just to get around the parks. I love them dearly, but do NOT want to be in that situation when I'm their age. I watched their sedentary lifestyles growing up and am the first and only one in my family who has done any kind of conscious and consistent physical fitness in my adulthood. I'm also hoping to set a good example for my nieces and nephews when I'm still tour guiding their kids around the parks in the next few decades.

See you on the course @Disney at Heart !

 

[Baloo in MI]

Good Morning runDisney All-Stars! It is time for this week’s SAFD:

Today’s question: Name something your experience in one of the parks that is distinctly Disney for you?

For me it is the music on Main Street. It is always exciting to see the Walt Disney World Sign or get to the resort, etc. But for me there is just something so special about walking down Main Street on the first day of vacation and hearing the music. It nostalgia and anticipation wrapped together. I always like to take that first walk nice and slow to take everything in, until the hub, then rush off to a ride.

 

[Kerry1957]

Walking up Main Street is certainly a great answer although, even with my hearing aids, I unfortunately take in little of the ambient music throughout the parks. One experience that is ultimate Disney to me is Carousel of Progress. It's the attraction that brings me back to the earliest days of WDW and I love the narrator talking about Walt's inspiration behind it. Yes, it's dated, but to me it has an old school vibe that you don't find much of left in the parks.

My family just rolls their eyes when I announce that I'm going on it. They usually skip it, unless they want the 21 minutes to chill down and rest.

A second off beat answer is the "monorail" at the Orlando airport. I have been on trains, trams, light rails, bullet trains, autobahns, subways, etc. all over the world, but I know my Disney vacation has started when I get on the airport train.

 

[The Expert]

A second off beat answer is the "monorail" at the Orlando airport. I have been on trains, trams, light rails, bullet trains, autobahns, subways, etc. all over the world, but I know my Disney vacation has started when I get on the airport train.

LOL yep! I always thank Buddy for welcoming me with his recorded announcement.

 

[FFigawi]

SAFD: For me, it’s not a moment in the park, but rather one just outside it - the moment the Mickey lights up in green as your pass gets validated. That’s always the start of a great experience.

 

[Naomeri]

SAFD: for me, it’s all the friendly CM faces wishing me magical day (or whatever nice thing they say) as I go through the tapstiles and just the feeling of being welcome in the magic

 

[Barca33Runner]

SAFD:


I think of the above moment (or Silvio in the Sopranos imitating it) all the time in regards to Disney. Even thinking of the moment I turn down Main Street and see the Castle, or walk into my resort, or hear the stretching room audio, or load onto Splash Mountain, or start my morning at Epcot getting a Palmier at Les Halles makes me forget the long queues/Genie+ nonsense/prices/frustrations of past trips.

Disney is still a happy place and there are so many ways that the good outweighs the bad and those things are all distinctly Disney for me.

 

[lookingforsunshine]

SAFD: Hmmm… I think my answer would have to be Mickey’s Philharmagic. I am a 90s baby so I grew up with some of the classic animated films and their music, and Philharmagic just exudes all of that happiness for me. I love how it embeds the Fab 5 with those movies.

My other answer would be the Memento Mori shop outside Haunted Mansion. Memento Mori translates to Remember You Will Die and the juxtaposition of that phrase and Disney just gets me. Even though Disney is associated with happiness, a lot of its stories involve a lot of darkness and I have always found that interesting and not talked about much. We talk about it a lot in the Children’s Literature course I teach.

 

[striker1064]

SAFD: The ambient music at Animal Kingdom. They play it on the buses, too. I just love it.

 

[nekonekoneko]

SAFD: Not necessarily in the parks, but on the way to the parks. It's getting on the monorail, and right before taking off, you hear those famous words:

 

[DisneyMountainWoman]

SAFD: Mickey ice cream bar, the ones they sell in the store is just not the same. There is just something about eating one of them in Disney that is just Disney too me. I must always have one at Disney.

 

[DisneyParrothead]

SAFD: before Main Street is walking under the train station and those tunnels that have the attractions posters.

 

[Herding_Cats]

SAFD: for me it’s all about the castle. Most recently it’s the instrumental music they play while everyone is filling in “all available space” for the fireworks. Something about it had really gotten me the last 3 times we’ve gone.

And the castle all lit up….yeah. That’s a hard one to beat.

 

[Bree]

Oops

 

[Bree]

Thank you all! Corral H is exactly where I should be based on the shared data and my current abilities. When you are used to being in corral C by Disney standards, corral H seemed like a big step down but that chart lines up with my current abilities. Planning to just enjoy the experience as much as I can!

They updated my corral. I asked for H and they put me in G Maybe H is full??? I will just drop back since the pace group I need will be in H.

 

[gosalyn_mallard]

SAFD: Fantastic for me. Love the music with Mickey directing the water fountains.

 

[rubybutt]

Registration Opening soon!?!?!?!

EDIT: Nevermind. Straight to sold out.

 

[rubybutt]

This sucks. I have a GF reservation that I have had since 11 months out. I just need the 2 bibs! I have started my training but I don't want to get to big mileage without the certainty of a Dopey. I might have to just rent out the reservation...... That irritates me.

 

[GuinnessRunner]

SAFD: I think it's three different things for me depending on circumstance. If going to a resort first upon arrival, pulling up and hearing "welcome home" always puts the smile on my face. For the parks, it has to be coming out of the tunnel under the train station in MK and seeing the castle. It's the same thing that draws me back to the races on MW (well not the only thing...). Finally, it's listening to my kids excited chatter and seeing their smiles when we get in line for our first ride of the trip; doesn't matter what ride it is.

 

[Geographilia]

Disers.....What other multi-state HM's are you aware of?

The Mississippi River Marathon series has the full and half options from Lake City, Arkansas, to Greenville, Mississippi. The half starts just before the bridge which is the only elevation change of any real sense on the entire course.

https://msrivermarathon.raceroster.com/