Pre-Trip George and Scott plan a family-free ToT Ten Miler trip

I guess you could say that the beginnings of this thread started in another Trip Report. Mine actually. In November of last year I took a trip to run in my first runDisney race, the Wine and Dine 1/2 Marathon. I finished the race, had a good time, got home, wrote up my trip report. Next thing I know, I get a message in my WDWMagic Inbox from @George

Scott,
I read the beginning of your trip report and it gave me an idea. Since my kids are school age, the Disney races aren't at good times, would you consider doing a half marathon or Tower of Terror Ten Miler with me? We could pick the exact dates and times later, since there are 4 or 5 options.
Thoughts?
- - George

With this, the seeds of a trip were planted.

We've had a few brief conversations via phone and PM to set some of the basics. We decided upon the Tower of Terror Ten Miler race, in October 2014, mostly because we're excited for the afterparty at DHS. We've registered for the race.

We've also somehow gotten the blessings of our spouses that this trip will be "solo". Just two gentlemen heading down for some wholesome fun, to run a 10 mile race through the WDW Property, to ride some rides, enjoy some of the fine food options, and have a good time enjoying the parks without kids slowing us down there to join us in the fun. I've even got my wife to let me put off telling my kids until just about a week before I leave for the race, so I don't have to spend the next 8 months with my children openly hating me.

What I thought would be fun though is if @George and I would make the plans for our trip out here in the trip report forum under a Pre-Trip heading. That way we can solicit the opinions of anyone who would be so inclined to read this little thread, and we can utilize the vast knowledge of our fellow WDWMagic fans to prepare a great short vacation.

So, to start off @George I think we firm up the dates. I'm thinking we fly down on Thursday, 10/2 and return on Monday 10/6. That'd give us a couple days in which we're not being asked to run ungodly distances where we can enjoy the parks. A day or two prior to the race, and a day or two limping around after the race.

I think the flight schedules open up soonish, so if you'd like to fly out of your local airport and meet me down there, or if you'd like to pop up to my place and stay on Wednesday night and we fly together out of Midway, that would work as well. If we did that, it would give me the added benefit of staging a faux kidnapping in front of my kids so that I can claim plausible deniability in knowingly leaving them to go to WDW.

 

[brifraz]

Got my ticket to the post race bash.
We can enter at 10:00 to watch the race and party afterwards until 3:30.

My wife did the race this past year and my daughter and I went to the bash at 10pm. Pretty much the whole park is open with villain meet and greets right at 10pm. You can't actually see the majority of the race, only the last mile goes through the park, so for the first hour or so, it is just the guests of the racers in the park. We did 6 or 7 attractions in that time and met with a bunch of characters (some unique ones, too). It is very cool.

 

[abeachchick]

My wife did the race this past year and my daughter and I went to the bash at 10pm. Pretty much the whole park is open with villain meet and greets right at 10pm. You can't actually see the majority of the race, only the last mile goes through the park, so for the first hour or so, it is just the guests of the racers in the park. We did 6 or 7 attractions in that time and met with a bunch of characters (some unique ones, too). It is very cool.

Awesome! Did they have lots of places open to get food and drinks?

 

[brifraz]

Awesome! Did they have lots of places open to get food and drinks?

A few, not a ton. We were mainly just meeting and riding until my wife finished the race. They definitely had a number of the kiosks open and I know we got a couple beers!

 

[abeachchick]

I can pick fastpasses in 5 days!!

 

[sshindel]

It's been a couple weeks since the thread has been touched, and I know you've all been dying to know my innermost thoughts on the upcoming trip. Really, I know it's been keeping you up nights. It hasn't? Pre-Trip reports are useless? You forgot this trip was even happening? This question joke is getting old?

Right now, if I look at my trip timer, we're sitting at 52 days left. I've still not broken the news to my kids. I still hope to avoid it. I want to talk my wife into letting me get away with "Daddy has a race" with no mention of where said race is. I'm not holding my breath on that one.

Where do we stand now? Well, 1st off, running this race is not going to be as easy as I originally thought. Early in July I had already built up to a 10 mile run, and did it at a halfway decent pace. Not the pace I was hoping for mind you, but I had plenty of time to get there. Then I had my first ever run-in with Plantar Fasciitis. I had of course been ignoring it to start with, but soon after it got too bad to continue on. I took a week fully off, tried running again, then took another 2 weeks off, riding my bike in the meantime. I've bought plenty of dohickeys meant to help, and with those, stretching, ice, etc, I think I've got it back to manageable. It's not gone, but I don't spend the entire day limping around after a run. So I'm now beginning to rebuild myself back up to the point where I hope I can actually just finish the race (instead of finish it under 90 minute which was my initial goal). Oh well.

Now that we're getting closer, I think a little bit of a plan is starting to come together as to how we think we'll spend our time.

Thursday we arrive, both @George and I fairly close together at MCO, so we'll ride together to WDW. We'll hotfoot it over to the MK to see if we cant share a smuggled-rum-filled Dole Whip with @ShookieJones before he has to head to the airport and finish his trip. We'll then spend our time hanging out at the MK. @George will decide to leave me in the Tiki Room as I tell him I plan on spending the next 5 hours sitting there watching the show. Since this is a Halloween Party night, we'll get kicked out of MK by 7 (unless security thinks I'm up to no good in my 4th hour of Tiki viewing and trespasses me early) and head over to Epcot for a couple hours in World Showcase (unless security again trespasses me for shouting obscenities throughout Future World).

Friday we are doing that which shall not be named. Heading to Universal with the hopes that Gringotts is open. We'll spend the day fraternizing with the enemy and then hope to run back to ESPN Zone in time to pick up our race packets. Likely dinner somewhere will be in order after that.

Saturday morning starts with breakfast with friends and then hopefully some Animal Kingdom goodness for a couple hours to catch the greatest hits before an early dinner to load up on energy for the race. A jaunt back to Wilderness Lodge for a few hours to nap/prepare and then it's off to the races. 10-miles later, we meet up with our cheering section to take Hollywood Studios by storm until they kick us out at 3am.

Sunday again starts as a breakfast with a large group of friends at Kona Cafe. A late breakfast that is. Nearly lunch. After that, a big group heads to Epcot to do the things I never get to do when I'm there with the young kids. American Adventure! O Canada! Eating and drinking around the world in massive quantities! Dinner and Illuminations will follow.

Monday is the day we leave, and in the middle of the day as well. I've never seen the MK rope drop, so I really want to be there in time to see it. Get a few hours of last minute MK time, likely spent all in the Tiki Room again, and then it's time to head out for the airport again. Hopefully with "Daddy's sorry he went to Disney without you" gifts in tow.

 

[Nemo14]

Yay!!!! I'm so excited.

As far as the plantar fasciitus is concerned, be very careful. I developed it a few years ago and thought it would go away if I just didn't give in to it, and i ended up tearing the Plantar Fascia (the day before my daughter's wedding) and had to wear an orthopedic boot for 5 months. Not fun at all!

 

[sshindel]

Yay!!!! I'm so excited.

As far as the plantar fasciitus is concerned, be very careful. I developed it a few years ago and thought it would go away if I just didn't give in to it, and i ended up tearing the Plantar Fascia (the day before my daughter's wedding) and had to wear an orthopedic boot for 5 months. Not fun at all!

I've been fighting the urge to just plow through it and ignore it for quite a while now, and in mid-July I just gave in and took the time off to try and get it to heal a little. Once August hit thought I realized I need to be able to run 10 miles in October and had to start back up. I'm doing a combination of Superfeet inserts in basically all of my shoes I walk/run any distance in, this sock support thing called Feetures I got from a running store at night and when I run, a Strassburg sock at night when I sleep, plus icing it a few times a day with a frozen Gatorade bottle (which actually works really well because it has ridges that help massage the arch/heel). I dialed the running WAY back and started biking more instead, and am slowly trying to build back up to 10 miles just in time for the race.
I don't want this to injure me permanently, but I wanna run that ToT race!!! Also I don't want to be wheelchair bound the next day in Epcot. I think @George might roll me into the World Showcase Lagoon, or even worse, The Seas with Nemo!

 

[Nemo14]

My injury came from a simple stretch to shut a light off, so just be very careful.

 

[sshindel]

My injury came from a simple stretch to shut a light off, so just be very careful.

I think that mine was slowly building over time. Thinking back I think the start of it was walking around downtown Chicago a lot with poor shoes. Then when I started training, I started training pretty hard, and what put it over the edge was some speed work that I was doing. It went from barely noticeable dull pain to limping basically after one interval workout.
I think that this year I'll focus on having fun during the race with little regard to the time. I'll want to be able to hang out and ride/eat/drink with you guys after the race!

 

[abeachchick]

Getting excited!!

Got my Mine Train Fastpass!!!!

 

[sshindel]

Getting excited!!

Got my Mine Train Fastpass!!!!

I didnt
The only time I could get it for the day(s) we were going to be at MK was Monday night at like 9pm, when I'll be back in Chicago.
I figure if I can't get it this time and the standby line is brutal, I'll be back in December with the family and I'll just give it my first try then.
I'm guessing I'll find a time when standby is low and give it a try though. Maybe right after rope-drop on Monday AM, when everyone is making a dash for Anna and Elsa standby tickets, I'll cut over to 7DMT instead.

 

[Tiggerish]

Count me in for the group Epcot tour on Sunday!

I haven't even started to think about plans for this trip yet. I did just renew my annual pass today, though.

 

[ShookieJones]

Thursday we arrive, both @George and I fairly close together at MCO, so we'll ride together to WDW. We'll hotfoot it over to the MK to see if we cant share a smuggled-rum-filled Dole Whip with @ShookieJones .

Looking forward to it...make sure we have enough Rum for 4 I'm going to most likely have my Buddy Ron with me as he and his family decided to join us last minute. He's more trouble than I am so now we REALLY may not make it back to the MCO for our trip home.

Can't wait to meet @George

 

[sshindel]

Looking forward to it...make sure we have enough Rum for 4 I'm going to most likely have my Buddy Ron with me as he and his family decided to join us last minute. He's more trouble than I am so now we REALLY may not make it back to the MCO for our trip home.

Can't wait to meet @George

When you and I are involved, shouldn't I make sure to have rum for 12-15, even if there are only 4 in our group?

 

[Tiggerish]

When you and I are involved, shouldn't I make sure to have rum for 12-15, even if there are only 4 in our group?

Can I just say, if there is a "bad" part if this trip for me, it is the once again near-miss of meeting @ShookieJones

 

[sshindel]

Can I just say, if there is a "bad" part if this trip for me, it is the once again near-miss of meeting @ShookieJones

How long do I need to keep him drunk and away from the airport before you get there?

 

[George]

I didnt
The only time I could get it for the day(s) we were going to be at MK was Monday night at like 9pm, when I'll be back in Chicago.
I figure if I can't get it this time and the standby line is brutal, I'll be back in December with the family and I'll just give it my first try then.
I'm guessing I'll find a time when standby is low and give it a try though. Maybe right after rope-drop on Monday AM, when everyone is making a dash for Anna and Elsa standby tickets, I'll cut over to 7DMT instead.

We'll get a ride. Have no worries.

Looking forward to it...make sure we have enough Rum for 4 I'm going to most likely have my Buddy Ron with me as he and his family decided to join us last minute. He's more trouble than I am so now we REALLY may not make it back to the MCO for our trip home.

Can't wait to meet @George

When you and I are involved, shouldn't I make sure to have rum for 12-15, even if there are only 4 in our group?

Now I can't decide if I want a rum laced Dole Whip or if I'm going to lecture you guys and tell you to have some decorum, like I'm Sam the Eagle. Both of these things seem incredibly entertaining to me.

 

[George]

Can I just say, if there is a "bad" part if this trip for me, it is the once again near-miss of meeting @ShookieJones

The lengths to which he goes to avoid you are truly incredible.

 

[sshindel]

We'll get a ride. Have no worries.





Now I can't decide if I want a rum laced Dole Whip or if I'm going to lecture you guys and tell you to have some decorum, like I'm Sam the Eagle. Both of these things seem incredibly entertaining to me.

Both at the same time? It will be even funnier if you are slurring your speech.

 

[xdan0920]

It's been a couple weeks since the thread has been touched, and I know you've all been dying to know my innermost thoughts on the upcoming trip. Really, I know it's been keeping you up nights. It hasn't? Pre-Trip reports are useless? You forgot this trip was even happening? This question joke is getting old?

Right now, if I look at my trip timer, we're sitting at 52 days left. I've still not broken the news to my kids. I still hope to avoid it. I want to talk my wife into letting me get away with "Daddy has a race" with no mention of where said race is. I'm not holding my breath on that one.

Where do we stand now? Well, 1st off, running this race is not going to be as easy as I originally thought. Early in July I had already built up to a 10 mile run, and did it at a halfway decent pace. Not the pace I was hoping for mind you, but I had plenty of time to get there. Then I had my first ever run-in with Plantar Fasciitis. I had of course been ignoring it to start with, but soon after it got too bad to continue on. I took a week fully off, tried running again, then took another 2 weeks off, riding my bike in the meantime. I've bought plenty of dohickeys meant to help, and with those, stretching, ice, etc, I think I've got it back to manageable. It's not gone, but I don't spend the entire day limping around after a run. So I'm now beginning to rebuild myself back up to the point where I hope I can actually just finish the race (instead of finish it under 90 minute which was my initial goal). Oh well.

Now that we're getting closer, I think a little bit of a plan is starting to come together as to how we think we'll spend our time.

Thursday we arrive, both @George and I fairly close together at MCO, so we'll ride together to WDW. We'll hotfoot it over to the MK to see if we cant share a smuggled-rum-filled Dole Whip with @ShookieJones before he has to head to the airport and finish his trip. We'll then spend our time hanging out at the MK. @George will decide to leave me in the Tiki Room as I tell him I plan on spending the next 5 hours sitting there watching the show. Since this is a Halloween Party night, we'll get kicked out of MK by 7 (unless security thinks I'm up to no good in my 4th hour of Tiki viewing and trespasses me early) and head over to Epcot for a couple hours in World Showcase (unless security again trespasses me for shouting obscenities throughout Future World).

Friday we are doing that which shall not be named. Heading to Universal with the hopes that Gringotts is open. We'll spend the day fraternizing with the enemy and then hope to run back to ESPN Zone in time to pick up our race packets. Likely dinner somewhere will be in order after that.

Saturday morning starts with breakfast with friends and then hopefully some Animal Kingdom goodness for a couple hours to catch the greatest hits before an early dinner to load up on energy for the race. A jaunt back to Wilderness Lodge for a few hours to nap/prepare and then it's off to the races. 10-miles later, we meet up with our cheering section to take Hollywood Studios by storm until they kick us out at 3am.

Sunday again starts as a breakfast with a large group of friends at Kona Cafe. A late breakfast that is. Nearly lunch. After that, a big group heads to Epcot to do the things I never get to do when I'm there with the young kids. American Adventure! O Canada! Eating and drinking around the world in massive quantities! Dinner and Illuminations will follow.

Monday is the day we leave, and in the middle of the day as well. I've never seen the MK rope drop, so I really want to be there in time to see it. Get a few hours of last minute MK time, likely spent all in the Tiki Room again, and then it's time to head out for the airport again. Hopefully with "Daddy's sorry he went to Disney without you" gifts in tow.

Reading this made me angrily jealous.