I thought I was one-and-done for Princess.
Then my cousin LOVED the 5K and, frankly, running with her was awfully nice. We hit 2.5 miles in and wanted to go around again.
Apart from some runner etiquette issues on the 10K course, I didn't mind that event, either.
(walk RIGHT
run LEFT
do NOT stop in front of people
do NOT jump in front of others for a photographer and wave your arms in the air)
So now cousin is wanting to do the 5&10 like I did this year. Which means maybe I'll do the same or maybe I'll toss in that other run as well.
Oh gracious.
So in the past, has registration filled up before it becomes open to the public
DVC/AP registration doesn't fill the races. It fills the % allotted to early registration.
The 10K and GSC are the more popular events of the weekend, and tend to sell out first. Though PHM sold out the first day, it was within a couple of hours, not like immediately.
FWIW there were bibs to GSC, and one or two even for the Half, something like 2 weeks before the run. TAs and charities were still selling them very late in the game.
I already have my Active account set up for my son, but I'll go ahead and set one up for me too. I think I'll get myself registered for the GSC first, then get him registered for the kids race. My husband will be on baby duty so no running for him!
Your son doesn't need an account; he can be registered under someone 18+.
1. If you're just starting out, I highly recommend the Couch-to-5K training plan. It has you do run/walk intervals over 8 weeks (I think)...3 runs per week.
But of course there are umpteen C25K programs out there. Not all focus on walk-run.
3. People won't agree with me on this, but I'd also recommend doing a half marathon - NOT as part of a challenge - before GSC. might take some of the pressure off going into the challenge already knowing you can do a half.
There's nothing wrong with training for more than what you're signed up to do.
After the Wine and Dine last year, I still haven't fulfilled my half marathon bucket list.
Might I recommend doing a Half that isn't Disney? There are soooo many of those.
When I think about the GSC it seems like alot of running in two days.
It does.
A friend's ex is a running coach who was asked to chime in one the challenges. He noted that Disney sure does name most of their challenges with words that give you an idea of how smart the challenges are to do...Dumbo, Dopey, Goofy...
Never done a HM and the more I think about it the more I get freaked out about being able to do both.
So do some Half Marathons.
Will want to fit it in before we get winter again here. Don't want to do a HM in the snow
Last year's Princess 5K was literally freezing cold. The January marathon weekend half or full in 2010 had sleet at the start. You've got to train for *whatever*.
Some people are saying that 20% of those who started *did not finish* this weekend. It's been theorized that many had troubles because the weather kept them from training. If you're going to do a February run, you have to keep training through the winter weather.
Where is everyone thinking of staying for the races? I have other trips planned for 2017 so part of me thinks I should go for something a little more cost-effective...but I'd also REALLY like to stay on the monorail. Decisions, decisions...
Monorail only ran for the HALF this weekend.
I booked Bay Lake because they'd had it running for all the runs previously, but about a month out they let us know it wasn't running for the 5 and 10K. Such a bummer.
The last time I did Princess was in 2011...the pull to get merchandise wasn't so crazy then.
Also...
Disney put out the pix of the merchandise VERY late this year, which meant we barely had time to look at it. So people wanted everything, just in case they wanted the items, if that makes sense.
The employees were causing the frenzy by telling people, even in the first 2 hours of the first day, that things were GONE, would not be restocked, that they were totally out. Yuck.
I don't think it's all the fault of the runners...
Is it a really bad idea to stay off property? We never, ever stay on site. It's just WAY too expensive for us. Plus, this trip we'll have my parents and my brother and sister in law, and my 2 year old nephew. So 7 of us, total. We're making a family vacation out of it
We were going to rent a house in Windsor Hills for all of us to share. I realize we'll have to leave the house with lots of extra time the morning of the race, but that's fine.
We were up at Universal for the January weekend 5K last year, and it was perfectly simple to drive in. I drove in earlier for volunteering and DS and DH took a cab in time to get to their corral. I chickened out and booked a room at AOA for the night before the Half, while keeping our Universal room, but I would have survived if I hadn't. I just didn't *want* to get up even earlier, a second morning.
*edit* Just thought about this - if we used points for a race weekend, I'd probably end up going for the cheapest option, so Saratoga or Old Key West. Do they include race transportation, or are DVC resorts not included in the resort transportation to race stuff?
For Princess (and January and Dark Side) ALL Disney resorts are hosts, including DVC resorts.
This is actually my plan for the Princess race next year if we can find out the theme ahead of time. Glass slipper challenge is happening no matter what, but if for some reason we're Belle, I'm doing that 5K for the amazing plastic medal that'll feature her.
You're wondering if we'll find out the theme before registration? There is no way this will happen.
The story, characters, and overall vibe of the movie didn't resonate with me. Merida great figure for some girls, but she isn't the princess for me - she just rubbed me the wrong way - and I cannot articulate what it is that makes me feel that way. Some ladies like Rapunzel and Merida - I choose to like Belle and Ariel. That's what is so great with all of these movies and characters. There's enough variety that everyone can have their own favorites 
