What's your least favorite RunDisney Race Weekend?

[Lola_Stark42]

When did you last run Princess? They have changed the corralling so that there are more, smaller corrals, and I think that does help with the course crowding. Don't get me wrong though, still crowded!!

2014 was the last year I ran it. So that was the first GSC weeeknd. I wanted to run it again so I signed up this year. It may turn into an every few years race for me.

 

[Dis_Yoda]

You know, part of me is shocked Wine & Dine isn't getting more dislike after the changes made as I know that upset a lot of people.

 

[courtneybeth]

I've only run the Disneyland races and have to give the "no love" to Tinkerbell. Not my favorite theme and the weather hasn't been great. Plus WINGS AND TUTUS EVERYWHERE, usually 3-4 wide.

It's hard to pick a least favorite race. I like Avengers because it's the forgotten race by Disney, but boats low crowds for ease of running and a great course.

To each his own.

 

[Ariel484]

You know, part of me is shocked Wine & Dine isn't getting more dislike after the changes made as I know that upset a lot of people.

I'm pretty disappointed in the Wine & Dine changed. I won't sign up again until the DHS construction is over (hopefully the course will get way better).

 

[cavepig]

Can't really vote as out of the ones I've done I can't pick a least favorite (Marathon, Wine & Dine morning, Disneyland that are listed is all I've done). Princess is my least favorite theme at WDW and Superheroes tied with Tinkerbell at Disneyland but I would still do them if I could.

 

[Ariel484]

Yeah, I think this is a hard one for me to vote for (which is why I haven't voted). I can't ever see myself doing Avengers because the theme just does not interest me. I would possibly do a Star Wars race at some point, but if I were going to pick one rD weekend each year there are others I'd pick over a Star Wars race because the themes appeal to me more...

 

[jeanigor]

Yeah, I think this is a hard one for me to vote for (which is why I haven't voted). I can't ever see myself doing Avengers because the theme just does not interest me. I would possibly do a Star Wars race at some point, but if I were going to pick one rD weekend each year there are others I'd pick over a Star Wars race because the themes appeal to me more...

I am not a huge Star Wars or Avengers fan. I like them, but they aren't someone that I wait for a photo with (in the parks or during a race). That being said, the enthusiasm from the fans that come out along the course and cosplay their favorite characters and such, is outstanding. That alone is a reason for me to do the Avengers or Star Wars Light Side over the DL Half.

 

[derekleigh]

Cannot vote as I've only done Marathon weekend.However, we've have officially booked our villa and it will overlap Princess Weekend so....... As a guy in a women-themed/aimed event, I am hoping to register for the GSC and be placed in an earlier corral (I have a 1:54 half). So how is the Princess weekend for guys?

 

[Ariel484]

Cannot vote as I've only done Marathon weekend.However, we've have officially booked our villa and it will overlap Princess Weekend so....... As a guy in a women-themed/aimed event, I am hoping to register for the GSC and be placed in an earlier corral (I have a 1:54 half). So how is the Princess weekend for guys?

I can't remember if they still do this, but there are no men in Corral A...maybe even not in Corral B, I can't remember for sure (FTR: I totally do not agree with them corralling like this).

Men also cannot win awards for the half. You'll be outnumbered for sure (90% women based on previous years results) but men are still more than welcome to run!

 

[IamTrike]

Cannot vote as I've only done Marathon weekend.However, we've have officially booked our villa and it will overlap Princess Weekend so....... As a guy in a women-themed/aimed event, I am hoping to register for the GSC and be placed in an earlier corral (I have a 1:54 half). So how is the Princess weekend for guys?

I am a guy and I did princess with my wife a couple years ago. At that point it was still the old corral system with a smaller number of corrals. I would have been assigned corral A based on my time that year and a (1:54 would have been A or B that year too.) The earliest guys were able to start was corral C. Had I been running by myself that would have been a pain, but I was running with my wife who started in C so it was fine. It wasn't my favorite race but I don't have the vitrol towards it that some have expressed. I know from talking to other female friends that have run it that, they felt that the overall vibe was more one of competition and less of encouragement than during other Disney race weekends. I didn't experience that though. All the groups we bumped into in the corrals seemed friendly and there were a fair number of other groups with men in them. I'd say probably 10-20% of the runners were men.

If it was just me, I don't know that I'd do princess by myself unless there were other extenuating circumstances, (I was going to be at Disney that weekend anyway, I really wanted the medal etc...) but I didn't have a bad time during the run. I just like other Disney race weekends better.

 

[Ariel484]

@derekleigh Google tells me Corral A and the Elite corrals are men-only for the half, based on last year's corrals. Sorry this pic is so huge! Not sure about the 10K since they don't release those ahead of time.

 

[derekleigh]

@IamTrike, @Ariel484 Thank you both for your input. If I had my choice, I wouldn't be running the Princess Weekend. However, the weekend works well with our vacation which also works well with my boys' school vacation. So.....not really a choice but rather a lack of options. It doesn't bother me as I'm looking to complete a rD 10K and do a 19.3 challenge so it I'm successful at registration, I'm good with it.

 

[Anisum]

So I wasn't trying to scare people off of Princess. I had a great time last year and would absolutely consider running it again. I love the women empowerment theming and greatly enjoy WDW and the on course entertainment provided but I felt Tink was much more enjoyable for me because of the lack of humidity and the overall interactions I had with other runners. I do think part of that stems from the fact that it's a smaller race. I am also of the opinion that you can't go wrong with any runDisney race (unless you work for runDisney in which case I would like to have a night run please and thank you) and you'll have a wonderful time. Just taken in the Disney magic and don't let anyone around you drag you down.

 

[ZellyB]

I can't vote either since I've only experienced marathon weekend and the ill-fated half of a half W&D of 2015. Looking forward to doing Tink in a few months to see how it compares.

I know it's not really a popular opinion, but the fact that they moved W&D to a morning race would actually make that more appealing to me. I'm not a good night runner, so much I love the theme and the after party idea plus the timing with Food & Wine, the racing of it at night was not appealing to me.

 

[DVCFan1994]

Poor Princess weekend! I have to say having done in 2014, 2015 and 2016, there was a definite drop off in the on course entertainment. The expo has generally been a mess each year. I have never gotten the merchandise I wanted, and I am always there in the early afternoon on the first day. I did not personally have course crowding issues, but I do recall lots of reports of poor etiquette from runners on threads in previous years. I was A/D last year and B/F the previous two years. That said, even though I am not a "princessy" person, I have still enjoyed enough I'd do it again. More likely than not I will do it in 2018, because I will be there that weekend anyway (its our school vacation week). Pretty sure I would be depressed to see everyone in the race stuff and not take part.

I voted for Wine and Dine, because calendar wise I can never make it work to travel then but always wanted to do it. Until they changed it to a morning race. Now, I really have no interest. I probably will do it eventually because I want to do all the races before my next decade birthday (8 years), but no rush on that one.

 

[Jackie Skellington]

I have run Star Wars Light Side (inaugural), Tinkerbell, the half of the half Wine & Dine and Castaway Cay. Unfortunately the one I liked least was Paris last year, but definitely not because of France! The park itself was quite disappointing with so many ride refurbs, lack of good food options (especially at the downtown area) and not a lot of unique (Paris) merchandise. I tried to go in with an open mind, knowing Paris Disney was not like the U.S., but we are definitely spoiled here in the states. The race had plenty of issues because it was inaugural with very, very long lines at the chaotically small expo. Not to mention the horrendously long wait at the start of the 1/2 (an hour wait) with no notifications as to when we were starting. The highlight of the 5k and 1/2 races were all the character stops through the parks and the enthusiastic CMs. I am hopeful and looking forward to reading reviews of this years Paris race and hoping they have all the issues sorted out, but for me I would never do that race again because the parks were disappointing big time!

 

[ReindeerMom]

I did the inaugural Glass Slipper Challenge in 2014 and, not only is Princess my least favorite Disney event, it is my least favorite race ever. The two women sitting behind me on the bus heading to the Expo discussing the contents of their babies' diapers in graphic detail pretty much killed the whole weekend for me. Yuck.

I am no Avengers fan, but I love running through Disneyland with the holiday lights up!