Marathon Weekend 2023

[nekonekoneko]

I rented a car this past January, when prices were crashing. Oh my goodness, I loved being in total control over where I want to be, (mostly) when I want to be. I can't go back to using Disney transportation.

I'm staying off-site this upcoming trip, so I pretty much need a car, now. So I'm good!

 

[steph0808]

I actually just booked a rental car last night. It is not in the terminal, which isn't as convenient, but it is $300 cheaper, so I'll deal! We go to Denver a lot to visit my brother and all car rentals are off terminal there, so I'm used to that process.

Doing the Mears bus for four of us would have been slightly cheaper, but oh well. I miss the Magical Express!

I liked having a car with the kids, even just to go off property for a dinner that did not cost an arm and a leg.

 

[nekonekoneko]

I actually just booked a rental car last night. It is not in the terminal, which isn't as convenient, but it is $300 cheaper, so I'll deal! We go to Denver a lot to visit my brother and all car rentals are off terminal there, so I'm used to that process.

Doing the Mears bus for four of us would have been slightly cheaper, but oh well. I miss the Magical Express!

I liked having a car with the kids, even just to go off property for a dinner that did not cost an arm and a leg.

Just be careful with some of these off-site rental agencies. They have reports of trying to high-pressure you into buying their supplemental insurance, which, when renting with most credit cards, makes their add on mostly worthless. They'll try and upsell you, and, since you're now off-site, you can't really go anywhere if you say no. So hold firm if you don't want any of their 'upgrades"

 

[Bree]

Thanks to a suggestion years ago on the Budget Board, I use AutoSlash.com when I'm renting a car. They track price drops too which I greatly appreciate so I don't have to constantly check myself.

 

[Baloo in MI]

Good Morning runDisney All-Stars! It is time for this weeks‘s Sundays are for Disney.

Today’s Question:
Do you have a favorite WDW park, if so which is it? If you were bringing a friend to WDW for the first time what park would you take them to? Is it the same?


My favorite park is Epcot. It has my favorite quick service - tacos de barbacoa at La Cantina. I love how it has both an old school feel and is also updating so much recently, and I am so excited about the new Guardians ride! There are lots of little things that I love - Club Cool, watching the manatees, hearing the Seagull’s “mine! mine! mine!”, etc. But it is World Showcase that makes the park for me. I just love what a unique experience that it is and how it makes Epcot more than just a theme park. I will be happy for all the fences to come down as the new projects become complete That is for sure! But if I were bringing a friend to WDW for the first time and could only take them to one park it would have to be Magic Kingdom. A trip to WDW is not complete until i have walked down Main Street USA in the crisp morning air! Have a good week everyone!

 

[accm]

SAFD: it’s the cliche answer, but MK is my favourite park. It just feels the most magic to me, and walking down Main Street always gives me warm fuzzy feelings. I wish Disney would bring back the atmospheric entertainment that they had pre closure.
If I were bringing a friend for the first time, I’d definitely be taking them to MK for the same reasons as above. Even though I don’t like Enchantment, there’s nothing quite like ending a Disney day by watching fireworks over Cinderella’s castle!

 

[HangWithMerida]

Today’s Question:
Do you have a favorite WDW park, if so which is it? If you were bringing a friend to WDW for the first time what park would you take them to? Is it the same?

My favorite park is AK. The theming is so immersive throughout the park. Also, all the big trees and shady little nooks and winding paths. It also contains some of my favorite rides and has some of the more interesting park food. But, if I were bringing someone for the first time, you have to do MK. It is Disney in a nutshell and it to beat that first walk down Main Street.

 

[lookingforsunshine]

SAFD: I am a MK girlie for sure! Especially during Halloween time… my absolute favorite. I did really enjoy my time at DHS this past trip though— it had been a long time since I’d been there. And I feel like I haven’t spent enough time at DAK either to really speak to it.

 

[DisneyParrothead]

My favorite park is EPCOT but if I was bringing someone completely new it would be MK. You have main street, the castle, fantasyland, all of it.

 

[azrivest]

My favorite park is AK. The theming is so immersive throughout the park. Also, all the big trees and shady little nooks and winding paths. It also contains some of my favorite rides and has some of the more interesting park food. But, if I were bringing someone for the first time, you have to do MK. It is Disney in a nutshell and it to beat that first walk down Main Street.

HangWithMerida beat me to the answer

My favorite park is also AK, cause I think it embodies the "theming" of theme park the best of all 4. And you can't beat EE: best ride at WDW.

But if I were bringing someone for the first time and we only had one park day, we couldn't not see the castle, so MK it has to be.

 

[Naomeri]

SAFD: my favorite park is HS—I like all the different areas, the variety of rides, and I love the big band versions of Disney songs that play (if I could get that added to my Disney playlist, I’d be overjoyed)

But if I were taking someone on their first trip ever, I would obviously take them to Magic Kingdom, nothing compares to emerging from under the train station and seeing Cinderella Castle down Main Street USA.

 

[GuinnessRunner]

SAFD: Put me in the MK camp as my favorite. More than any of the other parks, it represents to me all that I love about visiting Disney. From seeing the castle as you approach, coming through the tunnel under the train station at the entrance, walking down Main Street, the classic hub & spoke design, it just makes me smile every time I go. I will say that I like the rides at HS more, but I always get frustrated trying to get to places in that park, so MK wins.

 

[Barca33Runner]

SAFD: I’ve reached the point where I can have a great day at any of the parks and still wish I had more time.

I’ll give a slight edge to Epcot overall because it is the only park I can still enjoy when there are huge crowds. While I don’t need to go on attractions to have a good time at a Disney park the other three parks are more attraction focused and it stands out when doing any attraction will require a massive time commitment. Over time I’ve developed a pretty comprehensive expectation of what reasonable wait times are for each attraction. It’s demoralizing when all of them vastly exceed my internal value chart.

 

[nekonekoneko]

My favorite park is EPCOT but if I was bringing someone completely new it would be MK. You have main street, the castle, fantasyland, all of it.

I'll have to parrot @DisneyParrothead 's answer . I love Epcot with how diverse it is, and there's so many different things to explore and do. If I'm bringing a first timer, I'm taking them to MK. It's so iconically Disney. It's the closest park we have on this side to Walt's original vision. Most of the characters and theming of the park are taken from works that Wait had made during his lifetime.

 

[Livelovedance]

SAFD: My favorite parks are MK and HS. There's nothing like "walking right down the middle of Main Street USA" (that song comes to mind every time I go there). Even though there are so many things I love about MK, like @Naomeri, if I had to pick one it would be HS. The atmosphere, the music, the variety of rides, Fantasmic... so many childhood memories and new experiences bring it to the top of my list.

If I was bringing a friend for the first time, and we could only do one park, it would have to be MK. The castle is one of the first things that comes to mind when first timers think of WDW, so it's a must do.

 

[DisneyRobbie]

I’ve noticed my Apple Watch will capture my running cadence and display the cadence as my heart rate (my cadence is in the 160s and my HR will all the sudden jump up from 120s to 160s at a conversational pace). Is there any way to shut off the cadence tracker on Apple Watch?

 

[The Expert]

HangWithMerida beat me to the answer

My favorite park is also AK, cause I think it embodies the "theming" of theme park the best of all 4. And you can't beat EE: best ride at WDW.

But if I were bringing someone for the first time and we only had one park day, we couldn't not see the castle, so MK it has to be.

I'll third this!

 

[WillRunForPizza]

SAFD: I like different parks for different things. Epcot is a favorite for just hanging out and eating/drinking/checking out the entertainment in different countries. HS has the best rides IMO. I love the atmosphere at AK. And MK is quintessential Disney. So the park I chose for someone new to Disney would depend what kind of experience they're looking for!

 

[Disney316]

A couple weeks ago I posted a question about how to pace a half-marathon called for on my training plan for the full. Thanks to a pretty clear consensus here, I ran it today at what Mcmillian says is the equivalent half time for my goal marathon pace (9:15 half -> 9:44 full). Though my PR is faster than that, I literally didn’t think I’d be able to stick anywhere close to a 9:15 pace given what I thought was my current fitness. I figured I could drop back to making it a marathon pace effort if I just wasn’t feeling it. Amazingly, I was able to run a 9:14 average and was actually on pace to run under 2 hours (9:09 pace) until the last three miles which were quite hilly. Glad to say I finished right on target for the goal pace, though I ended up with a super annoying time of 2:00:54 (still fair to say 2 hours??)

TLDR: trust the training. You can do more than you thought.

 

[GuinnessRunner]

Amazingly, I was able to run a 9:14 average and was actually on pace to run under 2 hours (9:09 pace) until the last three miles which were quite hilly. Glad to say I finished right on target for the goal pace, though I ended up with a super annoying time of 2:00:54 (still fair to say 2 hours??)

Congrats on a grate race! Always nice to get that boost of confidence.