Running while on your WDW vacation...

[sweetpee_1993]

I'm quite sure some of the more regimented runners out there like to get a run or two in while on vacation at WDW. Tell me how does this fit into your vacation day? What resort(s) do you feel are better to stay at to have good routes for running?

It's not a WDW vacation but I **may** be going out of town in a couple weeks to the annual convention for the cabbage dollies I collect. Last year when I went I stayed out late goofing around every night so getting up early to run/walk wasn't happening. This year I'm not gonna do that. I'll lay off the drinking, get to bed at a decent time, and get up early to fit a nice run/walk in before I start the day with my friends. The little town where I'll be is in the foothills of the Appalachians so it'll be quite scenic. I'm looking forward to it.

Is it harder to stay motivated & moving when out of town & your usual routine?

 

[stlbobby]

I run on every trip. I find a light run in the morning actually loosens me up and I can go longer at the parks.

My favorite resorts to run in are Saratoga Springs, Old Key West, and the All-Stars. At SS you can head over to Downtown Disney and back across the golf course bridge. This is a great run because DD is really nice in the mornings when it is empty, but the music is playing and the workers are cleaning up. OKW has a nice set of trails running through and around the resort. You can make it to DD on the trails from here too, but it is a bit of a longer run. The All-Stars don't have a real path but you can just weave around the resorts in the morning, and the scenery is so bold and big it is a great distraction.

I have heard that the Caribbean Beach and Port Orleans have nice running paths, but not used them myself. The EPCOT resorts have the Boardwalk and that is a great run as the World wakes up and you can stop for a snack at the pastry shop.

I had a bad experience at Animal Kingdom. There is no real running path. They suggest you run between the resort buildings, but I almost got crushed under a bus doing that. I haven't run at all the resorts, but I've visited them all and AK is the worst resort for running, because most of the space around the resort is restricted because of the animals.

I hope you have a great vacation, and the best part of running at WDW is you get to eat that much more great food and enjoy the spectacular morning weather.

 

[Mulan]

I just picked up the hobby, but last time I was at WDW, I stayed at the Pop Century. They have a pretty generic route by the lake. Surprisingly, there were other people there just as motivated as I was, so it was nice to have someone to "follow," especially in the heat.

I found this link online - http://allears.net/btp/running.htm. Maybe it will be helpful for your trip.

Good luck & have fun!

 

[sweetpee_1993]

Thanks, y'all!

Yeah, we stayed at AKL in January and knowing the layout of that resort I can't imagine it being conducive to running. The Contemporary is my favorite resort to stay in but it's kinda isolated with nowhere to really run to unless you go back & forth to the MK entrance. I think the Poly has a path marked on their resort map that takes you over to the GF. I can just see myself getting lost on those Poly paths. :hammer: I'll have to go look at the map of the Wilderness Lodge. I'm not sure on that one.

I don't know about y'all but I try to avoid the treadmills as much as possible. It's hard to explain it. It's like running & not getting anywhere and boooooring.

 

[frank2271]

I LOVE running through Fort Wilderness, it is the high point of my trips now. There is a paved path that runs for FW to Wilderness Lodge where in the morning and at dusk is covered with deer. When I say "covered" I mean 40 to 50 sightings every time I ran it. We would lose count. It was so peaceful and relaxing, I think about it all the time when I'm running and try to image myself there. (is that weird?). The resort area itself is also covered with winding sidewalks that lend well to running so you can mix up your route every day. It is my absolute favorite place to run.

 

[fractal]

At Port Orleans Riverside I did the loop around the lake - very nice. Started out jogging towards and then past the Mill, crossed over a bridge ( a recall they had several ) into French Quarter - and back around. Really nice jog.

At Beach Club I did the loop past Yacht Club - over to the Swan/Dolphin - past the Dance Hall then boardwalk/ ESPN Club.

I usually try to get at least 3 runs in during the week first thing in the morning.

I did wear a pedometer last trip and according to that I walked 55 miles in 7 days thru the parks/resorts ( not including the running).

 

[surfsupdon]

The longest loop I had found was the Epcot Resorts Blvd loop on the sidewalk which includes a killer hill underneath the International Gateway near Beach Club Villas. Add that to the interior Crescent Lake loop and a jaunt over to MGM and you can put in more miles than most Resorts have as their designated "running paths."

 

[HollyBelle]

We've run early in the morning on a couple of our trips... we've ran on the Boardwalk, around OKW, and at the All-Stars. The All-Stars was kind of meh, but both the Boardwalk and OKW had a lot to offer. There's an area near, I believe, building 50 at OKW that takes you out to the golf course, and as someone has already mentioned, it's a lovely run from there to DTD.

I find that running during a Disney vacation is a nice way to use different muscles in the legs after all that power walking in the parks!

 

[ClemsonTigger]

On many of the resort maps there is a running circuit included. We've done the loop at Carribean Beach (nice) POR/POFQ (also very good) and Beach over to MGM and back. All a bit over a mile. I've heard Fort Wilderness is very good. You can get an idea of other courses here:

http://disneyrunning.com/wdwtrails.html

 

[Kerby626]

Last time I ran at Disney was 2003. I did a loop of All Stars. I think we stayed at Movies and I ran up and down a couple times. I think it was around 4 miles.

 

[dreamfinder]

I've done early morning 5k's or so around resorts. As PP's have said many do have running loops. It's definitely good to stay in practice.

 

[Honor]

It a week's time....

Saratoga Springs is our home DVC resort. During vacation, I will run two or three times (at our real home, I run three to four times a week). I do not follow the trail on the map they give you at the front desk. I will run some of the inner roads of Saratoga, around the large pond, out to Congress Park and along the waterway, back past the Carriage House to The Grandstand, across the golf course to the cool, shady roads of the Treehouse Villa and then back to wherever we are staying. I can do 3-4 miles easily just within Saratoga. For a longer run, I will also venture out to the sidewalk along Buena Vista Dr to DTD then out Hotel Plaza Blvd to Crossroads and back. Love running at Disney. We will be there is about two weeks. Have to remember to either get up very early in the morning (not likely, it is vacation) or run late at night after the sun goes way down.

 

[DisneyRunner]

In 2007, I had to run while at WDW. I was in training. I ran at PO first thing in the morning. The walkway between the resorts was ideal. Other runners were out as well. CBR looks like a good choice, too. This year my husband would like to run while there. He hopes it will keep the pounds off, due to free dining.

 

[mama2disneyfans]

I am glad I found this. I am training for the 2011 Princess and just said to DH tonight that I thought Port Orleans would be a great place to run from what I have heard about it.

Thanks for the great info and the link.

 

[Donald Duck]

Always. We stay at the Poly every year and I do my run in the early morning before my dear wife wakes up. Just loops around the resort. I don't add up to the mileage that I do at home, but it's something.

 

[stlbobby]

Try this site if you are looking to figure out mileage. It works great at places like WDW where you can't drive a route.

http://www.gmap-pedometer.com/

 

[joel_maxwell]

I might need to go out for a light run on Thursday or Friday before the Saturday night of W&D. I am at PORS so I can run along the riverside for a little while. I wish I was at WL so I could go do a few down and backs on the runway.