Running for Adventure
Has the clock struck midnight?
One of the highlights of RunDisney is that participants will get to run through at least one of the Disney parks along their race route. The magic of Disney is a powerful draw to those who might otherwise not be inclined to sign up for a race, let alone a half marathon. I mean, come on, who doesn’t want to wear a tutu and run through a Disney park in a Princess themed race? Disney was certainly motivation for me to sign up for a half marathon two years ago, and has been enough for me to continue to this day. RunDisney created an experience that you couldn’t get anywhere else with their Coast to Coast program, which allowed runners to earn an extra medal by participating in a half marathon at both Walt Disney World and the original house of mouse. Unfortunately, as with businesses that continue to expand, there will be a point in which dreams of expansion rock the basis for which they have created inspiration.
After months of anticipation, RunDisney made the announcement earlier this month that all race weekends at Disneyland will be put on hiatus beginning in 2018. This news had been speculation for some time within the race community due to the postponement of registration for the 2018 Star Wars Light Side Half Marathon Weekend and the lack of registration for the 2018 Tinkerbell Half Marathon Weekend. While the original postponement of 2018 Star Wars Light Side registration was not a surprise due to a possible renaming, when RunDisney did not announce anything until under 100 days prior to this race weekend it became an even bigger irritant. Making things worse, RunDisney had allowed participants from the 2017 Star Wars Light Side race weekend to pre-register for the 2018 race. You can see how a lot of runners were very upset that their money was essentially being ‘held hostage’ given the high cost of these races alone. Let’s just say the situation was less than magical for those involved. With the Disneyland races on hiatus, the pause button was pressed on both the Coast to Coast challenge and the Kessel Run Challenge. Those who had plans of a Coast to Coast medal in 2018 and had already signed up for the Walt Disney World counterpart were left in a bit of pickle. It’s safe to say that RunDisney brought this mess upon themselves due to their lack of communication; however, we can’t place the entirety of the blame on RunDisney itself. Let’s examine some of the other reasons for the deferment of Disneyland race weekends.
The successful coordination of these races has to do in large part with the ability to close roads for a particular amount of time. The time spent running through the parks is mainly prior to opening, thus not affecting Disney’s schedule. The biggest difference lies in whether or not the race route is on Disney property. In Florida, Walt Disney World houses four theme parks, two water parks, a shopping and restaurant district, and numerous resorts on a land size of about 43 square miles. Yes, that is about twice the size of Manhattan! In California, Disneyland encompasses two theme parks, a shopping and restaurant district, and three resorts on about 500 acres. It is very easy to see that, based on size alone, attempting to route a 13.1-mile race will inherently come with its own problems. While a half marathon and even a full marathon would be entirely on Walt Disney World property, only about half of that distance would be on Disneyland property. When these races stay on Disney property, it is much easier for RunDisney to control the entertainment, closures, and security that are required for each of these race weekends. As you can ascertain, every race at Walt Disney World is totally on Disney property. On the other hand, let’s look at Disneyland. The races, in totality, are not on Disney property, and therefore RunDisney has to work with the city of Anaheim in terms of closures, timing, and security. I have participated in two race weekends at Disneyland, the latter being in September of this year, and I can see the logistical challenges they face. The route throughout the city of Anaheim winds within neighborhoods and business areas and, despite the early start of these races, most roads are not able to be opened up until at least 9AM. We’re talking not only about the disruption of plans for those along the race route, but businesses in the area, traffic around the immediate area, and for those visiting Disneyland in any capacity due to the size of the property itself.
Working with the Anaheim City Council has to be a dual-beneficiary partnership for Disneyland as it sits to work. As Disney expands its operational footprint in Anaheim, the businesses and neighborhoods directly surrounding the property experience the effect. Disneyland is the major economical supplier in Anaheim, that’s a fact. The company brings in new hotels which bring in new business to the area. It’s a win-win, right? Not necessarily. Disneyland doesn’t have much room for expansion in Anaheim which has caused spill over to areas not on Disney property. One of the reasons the fireworks get cancelled so often due to wind is because of the proximity of the surrounding neighborhoods. In recent years, the city of Anaheim has started to fight back in regards to Disneyland’s expansion and namely, RunDisney races. The races usually have a start time of 5:30AM (on both coasts), but at this year’s Disneyland Half Marathon the start time was moved backward to 5:00AM for the possibility of getting people off the roads faster. Some speculated that with the postponement of the 2018 Star Wars Light Side registration, both RunDisney and the city of Anaheim were waiting until after the 2017 Disneyland Half Marathon to see if the earlier start would indeed pay off.
While both the size of the property and the concerns of the surrounding neighborhoods are factors, the underlying issue with routing a course on property is that of company expansion. With the construction of Galaxy’s Edge underway, Disneyland has recently announced a slew of other projects to include a Four Diamond Hotel that will boarder Disneyland Park. When the hiatus of the Disneyland race weekends as well as the reasoning was announced, construction was named as the main interference. Many were confused because the only real construction that seemed to be going on was that of Galaxy’s Edge, parking structures, and other projects out in the city of Anaheim. Construction seemed like a bland and vague answer for a decision that took months to announce; however, when Disney released plans for the Four Diamond Hotel, it was very easy to see that due to where it was situated any race route on property would be minimized and the experience wouldn’t necessarily be worth the price tag. I for one will admit that I don’t want to pay for and run a race at a Disney park where the view would be of construction. While it was very fascinating during the 2016 Wine and Dine Half Marathon to see the construction of the Floating Mountains in Pandora, I don’t think looking at the construction of a new hotel would as be awe-inspiring. I also understand the hiatus in terms of other construction projects throughout the park. Once Galaxy’s Edge opens, how cool would it be to run through that land during a Star Wars themed race? In my mind, this land will increase the available space on property to route a race and therefore allow us runners to spend more time running through the parks! Hopeful thinking, but who shouldn’t be optimistic? The goal of RunDisney is not only to empower and inspire, but also to give runners a chance to experience the magic that the parks and the world of Disney alike are based upon. Turning that corner on Main Street for the first time and running toward the castle, just wishing upon a star that dreams do come true!
Late last week, RunDisney released their 2018-2019 race schedule through the Star Wars Dark Side Half Marathon Weekend and it did not include any Disneyland race weekends through at least May of that year. There was some glimmer of hope that the races at the original house of mouse might come back in 2019, but the announcement quickly put those thoughts to rest. While this is unfortunate for those who live closer to Disneyland or wanted to participate in one of the challenges that span both coasts, I will continue to believe that when the races do come back they will be better than ever! I know some people do not like running in Florida, but I highly encourage those who have thought about participating in a RunDisney race weekend to consider those at Walt Disney World! I ran my first Princess Half Marathon is 2015 and I have now run a race in almost every single race weekend. Walt Disney World brings a different air to these races as well, small details like running around the World Showcase for one. The full marathon runs through all four theme parks! I have even heard some stories of running through Animal Kingdom just after it opens and riding Expedition Everest during the marathon. Now, who doesn’t want a Yeti thrown into their run? All in all, there might be some changes going on at RunDisney, but don’t let that stop you from feeling the magic!
Are you interested in RunDisney or running? Let’s talk! Combine you’re quest for adventure with the inspiration to run in a magical place. Follow me on Facebook or Pinterest today!
Caitlin DeLucio
is a travel professional with 101 Dream Vacations, she lives in Tennesse with her husband. They enjoy their quality time and making memories at Disney along with other destinations. Contact her today to start planning your next vacation.