You are not alone if you think I want no part in running a marathon. I was right there with you that year. Disney is amazing at everything they do, and RunDisney is no different. From when we checked into Disney’s All-Star Movies Resort to when we checked out, it was nothing but well wishes and congratulations.
The funny part was, in 2014, runDisney went a little Dopey. The first year they created the Dopey Challenge, the name says it all. Having just run his first marathon in October 2013, Kevin chose to skip the Dopey and stick with the marathon. The Dopey Challenge starts on Thursday before the full marathon on Sunday. Here is how it works; you run the 5K (3.1m) on Thursday, the 10k (6.2m) on Friday, the half marathon (13.1m) on Saturday, and the full marathon (26.2m) on Sunday. Yes, that is a total of running 48.6 miles in 4 days.
So, on marathon day, Kevin heads over to the starting point while I’m still in bed (Cinderella still needs her beauty rest). The race takes you through all four parks and the Wide World of Sports. With surprise characters along the way. Out of everything, Kevin was most impressed with seeing that day was a Captain Hook’s Jolly Roger and everyone in tow in the middle of the hwy. To this day, he still talks about that.
Marathon weekend at Disney is all about fun. One of my favorite parts of the day was how creative the runners were with their Disney-themed running gear. I saw everything from Tinker Bells with tutus to a man running with a marching band tuba. Some were even running through Epcot with turkey legs and drinks.
After Kevin finished running the marathon, we spent the rest of the day in the parks with him wearing his medal. It didn’t matter where we were; a Disney cast member said congratulations. That was such a magical experience. It is also a great time of year to visit Disney. The weather is fantastic in January, crowd levels during the week are low, with kids returning to school after the holidays.
