Disney World: Magic Kingdom & Epcot, Revisited

The best part about RunDisney races?  You turn it into a vacation.  Anna and I visited the Magic Kingdom and Epcot the day before our race, and it always brings back Disney nostalgia from my childhood!

Magic Kingdom, Main Street

We both have a couple of favorite rides in common.  We immediately went to the Haunted Mansion, then Splash Mountain.  Super fun, even as an adult... because let's be real, Disney is magic!

Splash Mountain

Anna and I probably both love Epcot's World Showcase more than anything on the property.  We both have a travel bug, and so we spent the most of our time in that park.  My favorite part?  When we stopped for champagne and macarons in France.

We met up with a couple of other groups of runners/supporters for dinner in Italy, at Via Napoli.  I had pasta, but when I tried my friends' pizza I knew that I wish I'd gotten that.  Carb loading is the fun part of pre-race prep after all.  Two girls I know, both M's, were back for a repeat of Princess too, so it was good to spend time with them.  We were all connected through the Army, and our paths cross every so often!

Isn't Epcot beautiful at night, too?

After the race, I rejoined my friends for breakfast Akershus Royal Banquet Hall.  We ate from the buffet and the hot egg/potato/meat plate they brought, all while enjoying time with Belle, Aurora, Cinderella, Ariel, and Snow White.  I hadn't seen the princesses in ages, so I enjoyed that a lot!

My friends M & M are on the right, and I made a new friend in H on the left!

Overall, it was one heck of a girls' weekend.

Disney World: Port Orleans Resort French Quarter

When Anna and I went to Disney World for our 2016 Disney Princess Half Marathon, we wanted to stay on a Disney resort property to take advantage of the buses and convenience.  After all, we wanted to visit the parks too!  After a bit of research, we landed on Port Orleans Resort French Quarter, a "moderate" Disney resort.

Isn't it gorgeous?  The whole thing has a New Orleans feel, from the characters and decor to the overall ambience.  First off, we had the best ever cast member, Natalie from Niagara University, help us at the front desk.  The cast members have great costumes, and ever since The Princess and the Frog, the New Orleans characters and themes are even more relevant.  (This is one of Anna's favorite Disney flicks, and we both love the French Quarter in New Orleans.)

As for the rooms, they were fine. We had a room with two queen beds.  The room in general was pretty standard and basic.  The bathroom (toilet/shower) was tight and tiny, and we did have a dirty washcloth hanging out upon arrival.  But the dressing area/vanity was large, perfect for two girls sharing a room, and the bed linens, while not brand new, were clean and comfy.  I slept like a rock!  So overall, the rooms were just what we needed, and very quiet and peaceful too.

The pool area was large and looked fun!  Again, I liked the smaller size of this resort because it meant less walking between points of interest.  Everything was close to the pool, bus stop, lobby, restaurants, etc.  In addition, you could actually park pretty close to your room, which seemed so unlike a resort, right?  BONUS!  Easy access to our car.  They even gave us free late checkout for 1pm, because it was available for our room specifically.

While my main point of reference is Disney's Grand Floridian (reviewed here), I did notice that as you move away from the Deluxe resorts, the characters and themes get stronger and more cheesy.  But I think that's to be expected, and I don't think it's off-brand because it's Disney!  More magic, right?

My biggest regret?   Not spending more time at this resort!  We visited the lobby, and Sassagoula Floatworks and Food Factory for a dinner, (and beignets!) but I didn't run on the grounds (or take a carriage ride!) and get over to the Riverside resort, nor did we take the ferry to Disney Springs, the rebranding of Downtown Disney.

See, beignets!!!

But we did pose with the alligators!

I would stay here again without thinking twice!

Do you have a favorite Disney World resort?

2016 Disney Princess Half Marathon

I did my first half marathon, the Disney Princess Half, back in 2012.  My friend V ran with me the whole way.  So when my friend Anna set her sights on doing a half, we registered last year for the Princess.  Even registration was a whole different ballgame from my first RunDisney race just a few years ago; if you want to run, you have to be ready to register online the minute the race opens (6+ months before the event!) because these events sell out quickly.  It's like trying to buy Adele concert tickets, but for masochists who want to run all over Disney creation.

At the Expo

We drove in from Tampa the Friday before the race, and the following morning we picked up our race packets first thing.  I love the RunDisney expos because the shopping, while expensive, is awesome!  My favorite booth this time was Raw Threads, which had some adorable Disney-themed shirts.

And, like any RunDisney race...  we started in the dark with an obscenely early wakeup.

That said, it was fun to run this stretch of land again.  It was my 3rd time completing the run from the start near Epcot, to the Magic Kingdom, as you also cover that stretch during the full marathon.  We grabbed a quick selfie on Main Street, because it's one of the best parts about running these races.  If you do a RunDisney race, I highly recommend submitting a proof of time that allows you to start in earlier race corrals; if you start further back, I noticed it gets a lot more congested, and at some points you really can't even weave in between folks!

Overall, we were successful!!!  We pushed through those 13.1 miles, and we triumphantly earned those beautiful medals.  It was warmer than past Disney races I've done, but no big surprises really.

I don't know if I will do the Princess again... it has gotten to be a very congested race, and there were some catty folks out there on the course.  (Where was their Disney spirit?)  I think if I do another half, it would be something different, like a Disneyland race of the Indianapolis Mini.  RunDisney puts on a great race, but the masses (15,000 26,000+!) make it a bit chaotic and planning-heavy.

I did get to see some other friends during the weekend!  I caught brunch at Epcot after the race with my friend M and her crew.  Check out the picture below, what a great group of people!  THAT is how you do a RunDisney race right.  Anna and I had her boyfriend to cheer us on too, and the more the merrier definitely held true.

Do you have any questions about running a RunDisney race?