Which race?

Disneymom201

Disneymom201

Active Member
Original Poster
So I have always wanted to partake in a race at Disney. Ultimately, the Princess Half would be my choice, but I'm way too late for that one. I have a few halfs completed & just registered for my first marathon (Pittsburgh) in May.
Anyhow, I am considering the Twlight Zone 10 miler or the Wine & Dine Half. My question is for those who have participated in these which one is "better." Referring to the weekend, actual race & after party. Along with myself I will have my DH & Ds's 15,11 &2, who will not partake, but accompany us. (I will register the older boys for the 5k.)
I am not a huge fan of the Wine & Dine Festival. We aren't really "drinkers" & have been a bit annoyed by some of the patrons over the past few years (while attending F&W). Part of me would like to do this race because we've been to WDW the past 2 Octobers & would like to do Disney a bit different, like to hit MVMCP.
I love Halloween & my boys love HS, but don't want to base my first Disney Run experience on those preferences completely.
Any advise or input would be appreciated. Also if someone would happen to know the release dates I would appreciate that too. I'm already stocking October airfare!!!!
Thanks again :)
 
Ariel484

Ariel484

Well-Known Member
Okay...I haven't run the ToT 10-miler (yet) and just did Mickey's Jingle Jungle 5K and the Wine & Dine half last weekend. I can't comment on the after-party because I was injured and exhausted after the race, so I skipped it. So take my opinion with a grain of salt.

As far as the races go, just from looking at the course maps alone I think W&D has a huge advantage over ToT because the course goes through 3 parks, where ToT only goes to 1 - the Studios. Similar for the 5K...Jingle Jungle goes through Animal Kingdom, while the Happy Haunted 5K (ToT weekend 5K) is at Wide World of Sports.

It was a little crowded last weekend, especially in Epcot, because it was Veteran's Day weekend and the last weekend of Food & Wine, so that's something you'll want to consider.

Other stuff would be similar for both weekends...the 5K would be Saturday morning and the half/10-miler would be Saturday night. You'd have to go to the expo at Wide World of Sports before the races to pick up the bibs for everyone. The course support should be equally good for both races. I heard that there wasn't a ton of entertainment on the ToT course last year, but that's a newer race so it might be better next year.

Just from reading your post along it sounds like you're sort of leaning toward W&D to get there in November instead of October. I'd suggest avoiding Food & Wine in the evening...we walked through Saturday night and it was pretty nuts (and a definite turn-off), but when we went back Sunday around lunchtime it was really fun.

I have no idea if this helps...haha!

Whatever you do, remember to submit one of your other races times to runDisney for corral placement...anything 10K or longer. I think ToT registration opens around Valentine's Day and Wine & Dine opens sometime in the summer. You can check out runDisney.com and get on an email list to get an alert. If cost is a factor, ToT is the cheaper race. Wine & Dine is, I think, the most expensive half marathon Disney puts on.
 
Disneymom201

Disneymom201

Active Member
Original Poster
Very insu
Ariel484 said:
Okay...I haven't run the ToT 10-miler (yet) and just did Mickey's Jingle Jungle 5K and the Wine & Dine half last weekend. I can't comment on the after-party because I was injured and exhausted after the race, so I skipped it. So take my opinion with a grain of salt.

As far as the races go, just from looking at the course maps alone I think W&D has a huge advantage over ToT because the course goes through 3 parks, where ToT only goes to 1 - the Studios. Similar for the 5K...Jingle Jungle goes through Animal Kingdom, while the Happy Haunted 5K (ToT weekend 5K) is at Wide World of Sports.

It was a little crowded last weekend, especially in Epcot, because it was Veteran's Day weekend and the last weekend of Food & Wine, so that's something you'll want to consider.

Other stuff would be similar for both weekends...the 5K would be Saturday morning and the half/10-miler would be Saturday night. You'd have to go to the expo at Wide World of Sports before the races to pick up the bibs for everyone. The course support should be equally good for both races. I heard that there wasn't a ton of entertainment on the ToT course last year, but that's a newer race so it might be better next year.

Just from reading your post along it sounds like you're sort of leaning toward W&D to get there in November instead of October. I'd suggest avoiding Food & Wine in the evening...we walked through Saturday night and it was pretty nuts (and a definite turn-off), but when we went back Sunday around lunchtime it was really fun.

I have no idea if this helps...haha!

Whatever you do, remember to submit one of your other races times to runDisney for corral placement...anything 10K or longer. I think ToT registration opens around Valentine's Day and Wine & Dine opens sometime in the summer. You can check out runDisney.com and get on an email list to get an alert. If cost is a factor, ToT is the cheaper race. Wine & Dine is, I think, the most expensive half marathon Disney puts on.
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Very insightful!!! Thank you!!!
 
dreamfinder

dreamfinder

Well-Known Member
Personally it depends on what else you would want to do while there. Both should overlap with F&W, but the ToT weekend will overlap with MNSSHP dates, while W&D should overlap with MVMCP dates.

Judging by the ages of your DS's, I'm not sure if I would really consider the after parties. Unless you get them a sitter/have someone else come for them, I'd guess that the 2 yo would have a hard time making it to race start, never mind the whole party. If you do plan on doing the parties, look at what will be open, both for yourself and any non runners. ToT during the race is usually a great way to crank through TSM, ToT and RnRC with next to no wait. F&W is more about the food, and unless you want to do laps on Soarin', it's a bit harder in my mind to crank out rides that would normally be slammed. If you don't really like the whole F&W vibe, I'd stay away from that post party. At least when I did it I seemed to encounter more people who were there mostly for the drinking, and not so much anything else.

Hands down, W&D is a better course than ToT.

ToT should however focus more on the villains, and potentially have some real rare photo ops on course. The old hag, Jack & Sally, Dr. Facilier, Hyenas! and others on course this past year, and post race party had Frollo, Gaston, Darth Vader, and Shen Yu. I can't recall any real rare characters when I did the inagural W&D, but they may have changed it up some since then.

Two different experiences, but both are good races now that they have done them for a few years and worked out most of the kinks.
 
Disneymom201

Disneymom201

Active Member
Original Poster
dreamfinder said:
Personally it depends on what else you would want to do while there. Both should overlap with F&W, but the ToT weekend will overlap with MNSSHP dates, while W&D should overlap with MVMCP dates.

Judging by the ages of your DS's, I'm not sure if I would really consider the after parties. Unless you get them a sitter/have someone else come for them, I'd guess that the 2 yo would have a hard time making it to race start, never mind the whole party. If you do plan on doing the parties, look at what will be open, both for yourself and any non runners. ToT during the race is usually a great way to crank through TSM, ToT and RnRC with next to no wait. F&W is more about the food, and unless you want to do laps on Soarin', it's a bit harder in my mind to crank out rides that would normally be slammed. If you don't really like the whole F&W vibe, I'd stay away from that post party. At least when I did it I seemed to encounter more people who were there mostly for the drinking, and not so much anything else.

Hands down, W&D is a better course than ToT.

ToT should however focus more on the villains, and potentially have some real rare photo ops on course. The old hag, Jack & Sally, Dr. Facilier, Hyenas! and others on course this past year, and post race party had Frollo, Gaston, Darth Vader, and Shen Yu. I can't recall any real rare characters when I did the inagural W&D, but they may have changed it up some since then.

Two different experiences, but both are good races now that they have done them for a few years and worked out most of the kinks.
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Thank you!!! Haven't been to Disney in November since 2009. I'm leaning towards F&W. The course in itself is what's selling me. Thanks for your input!!!
 
Mad Stitch

Mad Stitch

Well-Known Member
dreamfinder said:
If you don't really like the whole F&W vibe, I'd stay away from that post party. At least when I did it I seemed to encounter more people who were there mostly for the drinking, and not so much anything else.
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Really? That's surprising. I would think a lot of people would be tired after 13.1 miles and go back to their rooms soon after. Although their loved ones are waiting around for 2 hours.

One other thing to throw out there. If your into the special one time only bling, F&W will be an anniversary year next year.
 
Ariel484

Ariel484

Well-Known Member
Good point @Mad Stitch ... @Disneymom201 if you decide you want to do Wine and Dine know that it'll probably fill up faster next year compared to other years with the anniversary. runDisney.com will start displaying how full the race is once it hits 50%. You definitely want to pull the trigger when it gets into the 90s.

@dreamfinder - new-to-me characters this year were Timon and the ostrich and hippo from Fantasia. So not as rare as ToT.

ETA: Oops, totally forgot - Darth Vader and Boba Fett were out too.
 
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dreamfinder

dreamfinder

Well-Known Member
Mad Stitch said:
Really? That's surprising. I would think a lot of people would be tired after 13.1 miles and go back to their rooms soon after. Although their loved ones are waiting around for 2 hours.
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It was definitely the friends/family that had been waiting for 2 hours. Walked out of bag pickup, and walked into a sea of people that had nothing to do for 2 hours but drink. (At least that's what it seemed like) I'm sure the plethora of waiters trying to sell canned/bottled beer (not powerade or water) in the general vicinity didn't help any. But most of them were wearing street clothes, and not at all sweaty.
 
fmingo36

fmingo36

Well-Known Member
I've done both and like both of them. They are both night races. They both travel out and back on that dastardly Osceola Highway. The expos are good but nothing compared to the Expo during Marathon weekend in January.

I am a sucker for rare character so I love the thought of the rarer character ops during the ToT10. Seeing the hyenas from the Lion King and The Big Bad Wolf were worth the months of training for me!

But I think the W&D has the better course--running through the Osbourne Family Light Spectacular is so much fun. Running through 3 parks compared to 2 is a plus, and I loved running along the Yacht and Beach Club Resorts with so many people cheering you on for that final boost of support was great.

For the after parties--I do love the Epcot and the Food & Wine Fest (I'm a foodie not a drinker) but my favorite ride is TOT and being able to walk on TOT, RnRc and some of the others at DHS was great.

I ran the both of these races in the inaugural years and I do believe some changes have been made.
 
Disneymom201

Disneymom201

Active Member
Original Poster
Bought plane tickets today from 11/3-11/11/2014 to partake in the W&D
1/2. Sure hope they don't change the date that I assume it's gonna be. I'm sooo excited!!!!
 
Mad Stitch

Mad Stitch

Well-Known Member
Disneymom201 said:
Bought plane tickets today from 11/3-11/11/2014 to partake in the W&D
1/2. Sure hope they don't change the date that I assume it's gonna be. I'm sooo excited!!!!
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Wow, and I thought I bought flights early. I'm planning on running this also, but I'll wait until I know I'm registered for the race.
 
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Disneymom201

Disneymom201

Active Member
Original Poster
Mad Stitch said:
Wow, and I thought I bought flight early. I'm planning on running this also, but I'll wait until I know I'm registered for the race.
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I thought it was a bit preliminary too, but I've been watching prices for about a month now. They dropped over $100 pp and flying a family of 5 I took advantage. We've traveled in October the past 2 years & the DSs are itching to do the MVMCP.
 
Disneymom201

Disneymom201

Active Member
Original Poster
Some if the questions I have are:
Does the race end inside EPCOT? Also I want to attend the after party. My family is coming (DSs 15&11...DS2 will be with family) anyhow, are the rides open? If not I think I would spare the expense of the older 2 attending.
I run a sub 2 half and will register for appropriate corral, but know my time will be slower due to character greets. I will running solo so should I have my iPhone available for pics...would a cast member use my phone to take the pic? (I usually run w/ it in a case on my arm for music). Or will I need to carry a photo pass? Do you think listening to music will "take away" from the overall experience?
Registration comes with a tracking devise...will it be hard for my husband to catch me for a few pics? Do they have certain buses that will transport spectators?
I think that's all for now. I REALLY appreciate any advise/personal experience that you have :)
 

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