Princess Weekend 2022

[alon86]

Hey hey fellow royals!

I'm interested in hearing what everyone is doing around the race weekend? Anyone have any special experiences, ADRs, park days, massages, spa days booked? DATW?

For my part, my only "special" thing is WBG for my post-HM brunch, and 'Ohana for my post-HM dinner. And of course HH on Saturday

I do have two park days booked for Friday and Saturday but intend on keeping it really mellow.

This may sound totally insane but we have a VIP tour booked on Sunday - after I run the HM. My SIL and her son are coming to WDW for the first time that weekend to join my fam of 4, and we've always wanted to do the VIP tour. We start at 12:45, plan to hit the big rides at HS, Epcot and MK, and will break at 4pm for dinner at Space 220 (!) and end the tour at MK VIP fireworks viewing area at 7:45. I might die. Will I die?

 

[Naomeri]

This may sound totally insane but we have a VIP tour booked on Sunday - after I run the HM. My SIL and her son are coming to WDW for the first time that weekend to join my fam of 4, and we've always wanted to do the VIP tour. We start at 12:45, plan to hit the big rides at HS, Epcot and MK, and will break at 4pm for dinner at Space 220 (!) and end the tour at MK VIP fireworks viewing area at 7:45. I might die. Will I die?

VIP tours get to skip the lines, right? You’ll probably be fine with walking, it’s standing still that’ll kill you. Just make sure that you set the pace and don’t push it too much.

 

[sandam1]

Can someone please provide details on how my friend can spectate me for the 10k? We are staying at Dolphin, so I thought she could just walk over to the area of the Boardwalk and watch me pass by, but I'm hearing that maybe areas would be blocked off and it's not as easy as it sounds?

She is also adamant about coming with me to the start and staying there until I finish. Is that insane??? At what point would we be separated at the start? (like what time do I enter the corral??). I"m expecting to be in the last corral.

My best friend (who is the best support system around) spectated for Marathon Weekend. For the 10K, she was able to get fairly close to the runners (i.e. she could easily see me and I could easily see her) at the start. This is as opposed to the half marathon where she was on the other side of the highway from where I was. One thing that we did this year that made things easier was that we both had light up/colored bands that we wore at the start so we could spot each other since it is still very dark at 5 a.m. We also kept in touch via text as to where I was and where she was.

The finish area is the same for all of the races and there are bleachers right there so she should have a good view of the finish. After the finish, you have to get your medal (yah!), pass the medical tent, get your race box (food) and water/Powerade, and then walk to the reunion area where you can meet up. If you think of it, having a pre-designated place to meet up afterwards is a good idea. I can't tell you how little you want to see the text "I'm by the big white tent" after you've just run a 10K and there are about six big white tents.

Just to set expectations - you should be heading to your corral/into the runners only area about 30 minutes (at least) before the race starts. More if you want to extra time ahead of the balloon ladies. It can take up to an hour to start all of the runners. There will be many start groups within each corral so you will need to let her know where you are and when you are starting. The spectators can hear/see the fireworks go off with each group.

My friend has been there for all three of my runDisney weekends and, for some reason, is totally game for getting up in the middle of the night and going to watch. If your friend is willing, by all means LET HER! I can't tell you how valuable that support system is.

 

[JJ2017]

My best friend (who is the best support system around) spectated for Marathon Weekend. For the 10K, she was able to get fairly close to the runners (i.e. she could easily see me and I could easily see her) at the start. This is as opposed to the half marathon where she was on the other side of the highway from where I was. One thing that we did this year that made things easier was that we both had light up/colored bands that we wore at the start so we could spot each other since it is still very dark at 5 a.m. We also kept in touch via text as to where I was and where she was.

The finish area is the same for all of the races and there are bleachers right there so she should have a good view of the finish. After the finish, you have to get your medal (yah!), pass the medical tent, get your race box (food) and water/Powerade, and then walk to the reunion area where you can meet up. If you think of it, having a pre-designated place to meet up afterwards is a good idea. I can't tell you how little you want to see the text "I'm by the big white tent" after you've just run a 10K and there are about six big white tents.

Just to set expectations - you should be heading to your corral/into the runners only area about 30 minutes (at least) before the race starts. More if you want to extra time ahead of the balloon ladies. It can take up to an hour to start all of the runners. There will be many start groups within each corral so you will need to let her know where you are and when you are starting. The spectators can hear/see the fireworks go off with each group.

My friend has been there for all three of my runDisney weekends and, for some reason, is totally game for getting up in the middle of the night and going to watch. If your friend is willing, by all means LET HER! I can't tell you how valuable that support system is.

Aw - this really got me excited and a bit emotional! Thank you!!!!

 

[lookingforsunshine]

I just entered a contest to win a Challenge Bib. If I win, I will go! Ha. Wish me luck.

 

[dbb727]

anyone else obsessively checking for the event guide to be released? Do we think they are gonna wait til the exact 30d mark….or later??

 

[SheHulk]

anyone else obsessively checking for the event guide to be released? Do we think they are gonna wait til the exact 30d mark….or later??

My guess is Monday, thats about 30 days out from yoga.

 

[azrivest]

anyone else obsessively checking for the event guide to be released? Do we think they are gonna wait til the exact 30d mark….or later??

Same, I'm guessing sometime beginning of next week. As @DopeyBadger said, around Jan 24th would be a good guesstimate.

 

[DopeyBadger]

And because it's ALMOST that time... A repost from about a year ago.

Here's the historical Temp+Dew during some race times at Disney World that weekend.



For those unfamiliar with Temperature + Dew point, it's a method I like to use to make different "conditions" translatable. Not all 75F days are equal. Additionally, not all 100% humidity days are equal. Temperature + Dew point takes both of these into account. The higher the T+D, the more of an impact it will have on your pace.

For me, I've found that my ability to convert my training potential into race performance is mostly the same at a T+D of 120 or less. In and around T+D of greater than 120 is when I see a significant shift in my abilities.

So based on the historical weather for Princess Weekend on Feb 26th and 27th:

Ideal (T+D of <100) = 3/20 (15%)
Good (T+D 100-120) = 8/20 (40%)
Ok (T+D 121-130) = 3/20 (15%)
Not great (T+D of 130-140) = 5/20 (25%)
Bad (T+D >140) = 1/20 (5%)

One thing to note is again how FL weather can change on a dime. Feb 26th, 2020 was Ok conditions, and then the very next day was Ideal. Similar in 2014. Whereas 2012 was the reverse.

 

[sandam1]

Aw - this really got me excited and a bit emotional! Thank you!!!!

It is a very special experience to share with your friend.

 

[SheHulk]

Just coming here to complain that, like for many of us, the weather forecast here is sooooo cold for the foreseeable future! Half kicking myself for signing up for a February race, half congratulating myself that I gave myself a reason to force myself to run through the dead of winter. And set up travel somewhere warm that weekend.

 

[Naomeri]

Just coming here to complain that, like for many of us, the weather forecast here is sooooo cold for the foreseeable future! Half kicking myself for signing up for a February race, half congratulating myself that I gave myself a reason to force myself to run through the dead of winter. And set up travel somewhere warm that weekend.

I was just complaining on The Running Thread about it being really cold and windy outside when I need to run 10 miles

 

[JJ2017]

Just coming here to complain that, like for many of us, the weather forecast here is sooooo cold for the foreseeable future! Half kicking myself for signing up for a February race, half congratulating myself that I gave myself a reason to force myself to run through the dead of winter. And set up travel somewhere warm that weekend.

So cold. Losing all motivation.

 

[SheHulk]

So cold. Losing all motivation.

You can do this! Bundle up a little more! But I get it, it’s hard for me to get out there too. Listening to a Disney playlist helps get me amped up to train for the race.

 

[alon86]

Just coming here to complain that, like for many of us, the weather forecast here is sooooo cold for the foreseeable future! Half kicking myself for signing up for a February race, half congratulating myself that I gave myself a reason to force myself to run through the dead of winter. And set up travel somewhere warm that weekend.

Totally. I am in Massachusetts and there have been too many single digit mornings recently. I try to move my schedule around so I run in the afternoon (with a high of 25!) but I also joined a $10/month gym and I've been on the treadmill few times now. Not looking forward to 8, 9, 10 miles on a treadmill tho.

 

[JJ2017]

You can do this! Bundle up a little more! But I get it, it’s hard for me to get out there too. Listening to a Disney playlist helps get me amped up to train for the race.

I asked my hubby to go on a walk to me bc the sun was shining and it got up to 22 degrees from 9 this morning. He walks faster than I run! So at least he pushed me to walk 2.5 miles and we averaged a 15 min pace. I’ll take that!

 

[missposh]

Any thoughts on whether or not more virtual bibs will become available this close to the race? I figure they won’t, but I have a friend who was asking about the virtual Challenge (which is now sold out) and didn’t know how much hope I should give her about her chances.

 

[azrivest]

And I was coming here to complain about the road conditions...

Running on asphalt, wet or dry? Yes
Running on hard snow that crunches under your feet with the cold?
Running in brown muck that makes you feel like you're running in quicksand? Just nope

 

[striker1064]

Running on hard snow that crunches under your feet with the cold?

The best! We don't have any significant snow for at least the next week and I'm kinda sad about that.

 

[HangWithMerida]

Y’all being miserable cold means I actually have cold temps that I love and rarely get. When I went out yesterday it was 38F with a feels like of 28F, clear skies, sunny - just the most amazing running weather. Still doing shorter recovery runs post HM last Sunday and I wished I had been able to go farther but knew I would regret it, so kept it short and easy and just enjoyed the whole thing!