2019 Disneyland Paris Marathon Weekend

[LdyStormy76]

Can I sign up for this race WITHOUT staying at a Disney hotel?

You are able to do the race without staying on site as runDisney Paris will open up ‘bib only’ sales in the spring. However, this past year the 36k challenge and the 5k sold out in a few hours and people reported having purchase issues with having a race in their cart and then being told it was unavailable when they went to pay; the 31k challenge and 10k sold out the next day and the half the day after that. They did offer additional bib only sales, with limited quantity, at least twice over the summer. Right now it is only bib-hotel-park ticket packages that are available.

 

[Karin1984]

I just called to make my reservation with AP discount, and it appears that tomorrow the room only discounts open. So I will call back.
But in the meantime, I asked the CM on the phone about how it works with the restaurants as I missed out on booking Inventions last Run Weekend. I called at opening 2 months before and I got the message that all spaces were booked already by hotel guests.
He couldn't really explain it, but he said, just call the regular reservation line and they can try to call the restaurant directly and if it's just 2 people, they might be able to squeeze you in.
As I wasn't in the mood for big discussions about Disney Operations, I thanked him for his information and hung up.

I just now made a fake hotel booking online for April and indeed already got the option to book the Sunday character brunch at Inventions, but I was extremely shocked to see that they charge 30 euro per person extra to make a reservation in advance! A Sunday Brunch in April pre-paid costs 99 EUR per adult, while the normal price is 69 EUR! I'd love to have a special meal during the run weekend and I'd love to do the character brunch at Inventions, but not for this price.

 

[olafLover]

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[Karin1984]

Yes, I just came her to tell the room only discounts are open! I just booked SQL with GF, the 36K for my husband (he really regretted not doing the half this year after he saw in what shape people were who to sign up ) and the 10K for me. If my physical therapy goes well (I had a hard time walking after the 5K last year due to an injury, but the injury is cured (because of physical therapy) only need to strengthen the mussels), I might also sign up for the 5K and maaaaaybe make it 36K (if that is even possible)

Was it you who snatched away the last standard GF rooms? ;-)
I just called and in both Sequoia as NPB the standard club level rooms were sold out. And as the difference between the next category in these hotels was only 25 euro p/p I decided to go for NPB with Lake View. To try something new.

No, they aren't upcharging the booking in advanced, they've upcharged the brunch as of somewhere in oktober.
But I'm annoyed it's possible, because when I booked my birthday trip they told me it wasn't

Hmmm... I took a look at the menu, and there it still says 69 euro A bit disappointed, but we'll find another place.

 

[olafLover]

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[Karin1984]

Nope, both GF and CC only had lake view left when I called. For only 2 nights CC was 28 euro's cheaper (for 3 nights the difference was huge!!) so we're going with GF lake view.

Still want to go for the brunch on my birthday trip. Just did a fake booking and it does indeed show up as an option now... Might have to call again to get that sorted (or just wait a month and get a regular reservation)

I think we'll just go for the buffet restaurant in NPB for Sunday. I really enjoyed how we approached the day of the half, we cancelled going to the park for the parade and the fireworks. We just relaxed in the room / lounge, and took extra time for dinner without leaving the hotel. Maybe we will go for Walts for Sunday.

 

[KenyaSierra]

Thinking seriously about doing this weekend in 2019 to celebrate a big birthday. What’s worked for people in terms of overcoming jet lag- how many days in advance did you arrive? Coming from the west coast if that makes a difference. Thanks!

 

[CDKG]

Thinking seriously about doing this weekend in 2019 to celebrate a big birthday. What’s worked for people in terms of overcoming jet lag- how many days in advance did you arrive? Coming from the west coast if that makes a difference. Thanks!

Flying from the west coast typically means a red eye. I struggle to sleep on the plane, so on my day of arrival, I am a zombie. I have started taking melatonin when I travel east and that really helps. (I recommend trying it before you leave home to know how it may affect you.) On day two I usually feel much better and by day three or four I am good to go.

 

[CassieRuns]

Hey guys! I want to do the Castle to Chateau challenge but I'm using the upcoming Princess Half for my first run. Does this mean that I have to wait until I have completed it and have the proof of time to register for the challenge in Paris? I've never run the Paris run but decided to do it as I live in Germany so it's just a quick flight over.

 

[LdyStormy76]

Hey guys! I want to do the Castle to Chateau challenge but I'm using the upcoming Princess Half for my first run. Does this mean that I have to wait until I have completed it and have the proof of time to register for the challenge in Paris? I've never run the Paris run but decided to do it as I live in Germany so it's just a quick flight over.

If runDisney Paris does the same thing in 2019 as in 2018 then here is what will happen.

1. Between now and mid April you are able to book the bib-hotel-park package. If you just want the bib then you have to wait until spring when ‘bib only’ sales occur, and the challenge bibs go very quickly.
2. Sometime in a June or July you will receive an email requesting that you complete the race registration process. At this this time you will need to upload the completed medical certificate and the certificate of completion from the Walt Disney World race. You also submit proof of time during this process (be aware that their corralling system is no where near as good as in the States).
3. Once you have uploaded the necessary forms and completed race registration everything is reviewed and you will receive an email stating that your registration has been completed and your medical certificate and certificate of completion have been accepted.
4. In July or August pre purchase items are announced. Pins and photopass for the most part.
5. Despite communication stating that you will receive the bib pick up vouchers and pre paid merchandise vouchers a week before the race plan to receive them 18 hours before the expo opens. Know how to convert them to a pdf from your tablet or phone so you can hopefully have the hotel concierge print them. If not plan on spending hours in line waiting to print at the expo.

Hope this helps.

 

[CassieRuns]

If runDisney Paris does the same thing in 2019 as in 2018 then here is what will happen.

1. Between now and mid April you are able to book the bib-hotel-park package. If you just want the bib then you have to wait until spring when ‘bib only’ sales occur, and the challenge bibs go very quickly.
2. Sometime in a June or July you will receive an email requesting that you complete the race registration process. At this this time you will need to upload the completed medical certificate and the certificate of completion from the Walt Disney World race. You also submit proof of time during this process (be aware that their corralling system is no where near as good as in the States).
3. Once you have uploaded the necessary forms and completed race registration everything is reviewed and you will receive an email stating that your registration has been completed and your medical certificate and certificate of completion have been accepted.
4. In July or August pre purchase items are announced. Pins and photopass for the most part.
5. Despite communication stating that you will receive the bib pick up vouchers and pre paid merchandise vouchers a week before the race plan to receive them 18 hours before the expo opens. Know how to convert them to a pdf from your tablet or phone so you can hopefully have the hotel concierge print them. If not plan on spending hours in line waiting to print at the expo.

Hope this helps.

This is SO HELPFUL!!! Thank you so much!!! So wait... if registration is not completed until the Spring; does that mean that it’s just a deposit if I book a package now? Or should I expect to pay in full for everything?

Thanks so much for your help! I find this process more complicated than the Florida races...

 

[Dis_Yoda]

This is SO HELPFUL!!! Thank you so much!!! So wait... if registration is not completed until the Spring; does that mean that it’s just a deposit if I book a package now? Or should I expect to pay in full for everything?

Thanks so much for your help! I find this process more complicated than the Florida races...

For the packages - it’s like 50% with everything due in February so I just paid it off when I bought mine

 

[LdyStormy76]

This is SO HELPFUL!!! Thank you so much!!! So wait... if registration is not completed until the Spring; does that mean that it’s just a deposit if I book a package now? Or should I expect to pay in full for everything?

Thanks so much for your help! I find this process more complicated than the Florida races...

Like @Dis_Yoda, I paid in full when I booked the package so that I would not have a second international phone call. I do not recall if it was pay the bib in full and a deposit for everything else or if it as a deposit on everything with the balance due by a certain date. What I do remember is spending 20+ minutes on hold and then the CM had to put me on hold again to figure out how to get the 36k challenge race package and the Castle to Chateaux option to come up.

Registration is a bit more complicated than Florida races. The event is only a few years old so runDisney Paris is still trying to fix what is not working while hopefully not breaking what is while applying the fix. The other issue is the differences in laws governing races; for example, in the US no medical certificate is needed to register for a half marathon but it is a mandate in France.

 

[Dis_Yoda]

Like @Dis_Yoda, I paid in full when I booked the package so that I would not have a second international phone call. I do not recall if it was pay the bib in full and a deposit for everything else or if it as a deposit on everything with the balance due by a certain date. What I do remember is spending 20+ minutes on hold and then the CM had to put me on hold again to figure out how to get the 36k challenge race package and the Castle to Chateaux option to come up.

Oh, from the sound of that, I'm glad I worked with Get Sports!

 

[Novatrix]

Unlike Dis_Yoda and LdyStormy76 I didn't pay in full when I booked my room/bib/tickets package through the disneyland paris phone number. I only needed to pay a 15% deposit immediately and the balance was automatically charged to my credit card in August.

At the time, because it was during a "book 2 nights, get 2 nights free" promo it was much cheaper than Getsports. It did take about half an hour to book everything, but I called the Florida booking line and then was transferred to Disneyland Paris so I would not be charged international call fees. The cast member who handled my booking didn't seem to have issues adding castle to chateau or the challenge, but I may have lucked out and got someone who had to do it for another guest before.

 

[Karin1984]

Weird how it works for different markets. Whenever I call for a reservation, I always pay a 10% deposit. But maybe that's for room only?
I pay the rest of the amount via the website, latest a month before arrival.

 

[lisatav]

Following along. My boyfriend really wants to do the half together so we can get the Castle to Chateaux. Reading all this makes me very overwhelmed. One of the reasons I like the Florida races is because I know what to expect. Has anyone ever done the race and stayed elsewhere than a Disney hotel? We have a ton of Marriott and Hilton points we are hoping to use for this trip.

 

[Karin1984]

Following along. My boyfriend really wants to do the half together so we can get the Castle to Chateaux. Reading all this makes me very overwhelmed. One of the reasons I like the Florida races is because I know what to expect. Has anyone ever done the race and stayed elsewhere than a Disney hotel? We have a ton of Marriott and Hilton points we are hoping to use for this trip.

What is it exactly that makes you overwhelmed? You will only learn what to expect by doing.

I don't believe Hilton has a hotel near Disney, there is in downtown Paris of course. Marriott has Marriott's Villeage d'ile-de-France. According to the website there is a shuttlebus (not for free), but I would inform before booking if they will have transportation that early for the runs. The half marathon starts at 7 a.m.

I have stayed at Kyriad the first 2 times, which is a good neighbor hotel, but there were some small issues with breakfast and buses in the morning and with the buses after the run, therefore we decided for last year and this year to stay onsite. Walking to the start instead of worrying about making it on time and buses, it gives a more relaxed start of the day.

 

[Kyle4858]

Has anyone stayed at Sante Fe or Cheyenne and have pro/cons to speak about either (for a run Disney weekend i.e. walking distance to start/finish areas or rooms too small/dated)? While I would love to stay at the "Disneyland Hotel" for my first Disneyland Paris trip/RunDisney weekend; I found the prices for the package deals for these hotels to be quite reasonable.

-Kyle

 

[olafLover]

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