Marathon Weekend 2021

[jennamfeo]

There are no boats at DL tho...

Why do I even bother with you?.......

 

[disneydaydreamer33]

SAFD: There are so many "quintessential Disney" experiences, but the one that gets me every time is a nighttime entertainment show. There is something so special about watching the fireworks after a full day in the parks. I recently helped a friend plan her first trip to Disney, and she kept discounting making room in her schedule for "Happily Ever After." She loves Disney movies and music like I do, so I told her it would be worth it. After she came back, she said it was her favorite part of the trip! Nobody does a show like Disney!

 

[rteetz]

Why do I even bother with you?.......

Because I am amazing.

 

[bearybubba]

DH has decided to run his one and only full marathon as part of the Dopey Challenge 2021! I'm super excited for him. I'll be doing the 5K and ChEar Squad for the other races!

 

[YawningDodo]

SAfD: Well...in terms of what would I do with a WDW newbie, I've actually thought about it a lot! I like what was said about not building any one experience up too much. When we get to the parks we'll take it as it goes. How we get to the first park, though...I've thought a lot about that. My first WDW trip was an offsite trip, so every time we went to MK it was a choice between boat or monorail. Getting dropped off at the park entrance by bus is not how I think one should arrive at MK for the first time. Since our first park day will be the day before the marathon, when I need to go to the expo anyway to get my race packet, my plan is to hop the bus back to the Poly instead of our own resort and make the walk to the TTC so my housemate's first time seeing MK can be from the deck of the ferry, same as it was for me two decades ago.

 

[hotblooded]

SAFD: I’d take them on a Run Disney trip. Marathon Weekend 2018 was boyfriend’s first time at WDW in about 20 years, and now he’s in full enabler mode. Even begging to go back for MNSSHP this year. Last week, out of nowhere, he asked about calling ahead of the online room booking date to make sure we get a room at Pop Century for marathon weekend 2021. They say converts are the most zealous, right?

 

[BigEeyore]

There are no boats at DL tho...

Maybe not like that, but there are boats in Pirates of the Caribbean (which I half seriously argue that Disney World does not have) and It's a Small World. Plus, you can run around Donald's Boat in Mickey's Toontown. So Disneyland has boats from a certain point of view. . . .

Not to mention it has THE boat...the Mark Twain. The Columbia is pretty cool. And DL has submarines.

And don't forget the cutest boat ride anywhere - Storybook Land canal boats! Also there are those canoes you can paddle around the Rivers of America too!

 

[Sleepless Knight]

DH has decided to run his one and only full marathon as part of the Dopey Challenge 2021! I'm super excited for him. I'll be doing the 5K and ChEar Squad for the other races!

Before my first marathon I wondered if it would be my only marathon. Famous last words those turned out to be.

And don't forget the cutest boat ride anywhere - Storybook Land canal boats! Also there are those canoes you can paddle around the Rivers of America too!

How could I have forgotten Storybook Land. It's quintessential Disneyland and even moreso during the holidays because Disneyland takes the time to decorate the attraction with Christmas trees, lights, wreaths etc. I went on the canoes once. Never again. Not so much fun when you wind up with a group of teenagers who believe they were put on this earth to splash each other and not actually row the canoes. It was a miserable experience.

 

[lhermiston]

Good morning, runDisney all-stars!

I hope everyone is faring well and staying healthy. In light of recent events, our very topical Sundays are for Disney is: what would you do with a fully functional, but totally empty Disney park? Assume all the rides are working automatically, restaurants are stocked, surfaces are decontaminated and fireworks shows go on as scheduled.

I’d have two goals: get a crazy amount of empty park photos, particularly MK at sunrise and during HEA. I’d also throw a big party for my friends and fellow runDisney all-stars in the hub. Good tunes over the speakers, food off the grill, coolers stocked with drinks. It’d be a blast.

Have a great week, everyone!

 

[CDKG]

In light of recent events, our very topical Sundays are for Disney is: what would you do with a fully functional, but totally empty Disney park?

I think you are on the right track with your answer. While it would be great to ride my favorite attractions with no line and enjoy my favorite park foods and drinks, photographing the parks empty would be the real prize! I love photography, especially when I travel. But, I really don’t like people in my shots. I prefer architecture and its details. I would spend most of my time photographing every inch of the parks and attractions!

 

[FFigawi]

Good morning, runDisney all-stars!

I hope everyone is faring well and staying healthy. In light of recent events, our very topical Sundays are for Disney is: what would you do with a fully functional, but totally empty Disney park? Assume all the rides are working automatically, restaurants are stocked, surfaces are decontaminated and fireworks shows go on as scheduled.

I’d watch every show and performance without anyone standing in front of me, and spend time talking to every character and cast member for more than 15 seconds. Things you can’t do on a typical day.

 

[disneydaydreamer33]

SAFD: Oh man that would be a dream! I mean, I think I would do it all, because I could! Ride my favorite rides, watch the shows, take the pictures, and I agree with @FFigawi I would love to chat with CMs. They would probably be loving their day at work- I promise I wouldn't be a rude guest to them!

 

[shellott-hill]

SAFD: Although I do consider myself an introvert that loves his alone time and this premise would feed into my comfortable zone. I am thinking that an empty park would not feel the same to me. The interactions with everyone in the parks is what keeps me keep coming back. The love of Disney, the sharing of experiences, the ability to offer information to those that do not obsess over the Dis like we do.

I think it would be a fantastic idea to have all those that have participated in a RunDisney race and their families in the park together swapping war stories on what it took to get them to and through the race.

What about turning all four parks into a Disney Ultra! Make it an extension of what some people have been doing with their marathons today (i.e riding EE during your run). Have a set number of rides in each the park that you must experience. Run from ride to ride and park to park. Treat it like a scavenger hunt where you need to collect stamps/badges at each ride before running to the next.

 

[princesspirateandrunner]

SAFD: DH requests that I post his answer, which is to go drive the Jungle Cruise boats around and around.

 

[rteetz]

what would you do with a fully functional, but totally empty Disney park? Assume all the rides are working automatically, restaurants are stocked, surfaces are decontaminated and fireworks shows go on as scheduled.

I would explore behind the scenes, if I have access to see how rides work and what not I am going to take advantage of it.

I would also see places like Club 33 or the Castle suite.

 

[DIS-OH]

Spend the night in the Castle and then go for an early morning run around the MK!

 

[Baloo in MI]

SAFD: An empty park? I think it would be fun to just walk around and slowly explore every piece of the park. One of my favorite things is to enter the park at rope drop and get into Main Street as soon as possible to get views of an empty or mostly empty street and listen to the music. But I think after a little time i would want people in the park. For me part of the joy of Disney is to see the magic of the park in the eyes of others. I try not to be to creepy, but I love to people watch.

I hope everyone is safe and healthy out there!

 

[Neon Cactus]

I'd probably have a group of friends and then do a challenge to see who can ride more rides and see more shows across the four parks as possible. But like a lot of people, seeing the parks empty and enjoying the detail in the architecture would be great. My last trip I did Animal Kingdom After Hours for the first time and while I definitely loved Everest and Flight of Passage with next to no waits, walking through Asia and looking around and seeing it completely empty was one of my favorite parts. Also being able to explore a very uncrowded Pandora at night (I'd never been at night before that night), was amazing.

 

[Barca33Runner]

SAFD:

I don't know, a certain degree of crowds is part of the experience. There have been a couple times where I've been in MK late during MNSSHP and I've had the feeling that I'm doing something I'm not supposed to be doing because there was no one around. It's really eerie, particularly at night, if there are too few people in the parks.

Still, it would be cool to "turn off" the crowds at times. I'd love to be able to be front and center with no obstructed view for Happily Ever After. It's my favorite thing at the parks, so that would be the must do. Other than that I'd just be going around the parks seeing as many things as possible, doing attractions when the mood struck, talking with CMs and getting pics with characters, getting a better view of the parade than I have in a long time; you know, all the things. I think we underestimate how much we could get done in 12-ish hours with nothing to slow us down outside of our own pace restrictions (restrooms, food, etc.).

As long as we're in dream world, I'll request 65 degrees and sunny (warm enough for me to wear shorts and a t-shirt with the pace I'd be keeping but not too hot). The funny thing is, I'd be doing all the things I normally do in the parks for the most part, just more of them. There's a reason I do those things even when I have to wait, it's because I enjoy them.

 

[PrincessV]

SAFD: BT/DT in the early 90s lol! Okay, not technically empty parks, but I remember days when we didn't see another Guest in line or on a ride. I miss those days a lot. And I'd do now as I did then: sleep in, arrive late, ride every ride, eat whatever sounds good at whatever time it sounds good, close the park, and enjoy a slow walk to the exit.