Step right up folks and join us as we reminisce about the exhilarating experience of running a half marathon as part of the 2024 runDisney Dumbo Double Dare Race challenge. This is the second race of the two course challenge, but is also part of the 2024 Coast to Coast Challenge that my sister and I were hoping to achieve by doing back to back weekend races at Disney World and Disneyland. We will walk through the magic of the race and throw in some high level comparisons between the two park experiences. Hang on to your feathers, because here we go...
Arrival and Security Check.
Let's start at the most critical part of the race experience that can stop your race before it starts, which is the wake up. We had set our alarms for 2:30 AM and wanted to be walking to the start line no later than 3:00 AM to make sure we had plenty of time to get through security after the extended time it seemed to take for the 10K.
We were pleasantly surprised to find they had relocated the security check point, and had more than doubled the count of stations to complete bag and runner checks. No smugglin’ in extra pixie dust allowed! We were able to zip right through, and walked immediately into our balloon. I mean literally walked into the balloon by the way, our corral entry gate was directly adjacent to security. Since we arrived early, we had to wait for the corrals to open, which wasn't until 4 AM. They had two volunteers guarding the entrance to our corral, D, and as more runners entered the staging area the larger and more anxious the corral D group became.
Once 4 AM hit, the volunteers didn't want to open the gates to let us in for worry the corral would back into the incoming runners from security. A bit of a truth bomb for them was that was already happening and moving us into the corral was likely going to improve that dynamic.
Just about the time the crowd looked like it was about to mutiny and start literally hoping fences to get in the corral, we were let in. We dashed to the front, and again to our pleasant surprise we were at THE FRONT of the corral.
Corral Wait...and Wait...
In the corral, we waited with eager anticipation, exchanging nervous glances and trying to stretch our muscles, but not having a lot of room to do so. My sister was fighting a wicked cold and decided she needed to wear a mask so she didn't get as intense side eye from fellow runners when she coughed. It was definitely a chilly morning to have an hour wait to get started.
We did have a couple of firsts though even after all our years attending runDisney events. See those bars behind me in the photo above? That is the corral divider, as in the only thing separating corral D from corral C. Eventually the barrier is removed and a single line is left being held by volunteers. As an FYI, you are told not to touch the line, not to walk in front of the volunteers holding the line and also are cautioned to walk slowly with the volunteers to not create a stampede...this is a lot of instructions and pressure before being fully caffeinated, sheesh!
As we listened to the excited runners around us recap the stories that brought them out, and recounts of Disneyland race experiences from 7+ years prior, I noticed some commotion at the back of Corral C. We soon realized Jogging Jack was in corral C! As a runDisney celebrity, I really wanted to snag a pic, but I kept missing my opportunity!
Then around that same time Carissa and our send off crew very abruptly announced they would be right back. Huh, that's odd, another runDisney first. As the 5 AM hour drew nearer though, Jogging Jack seemed to move further and further to the back of corral C. I was finally able to get his attention and not only did I get a pic of him, I got one with him and got to do some pre-race chatting!!
I, being a runDisney fan girl apparently, of course told him this was now my favorite Disney race ever, to which he smoothly and totally in character replied "We have to start the race first, luv before it can be your favorite." Touché Jogging Jack! He was definitely right though, for it to be a race they had to send us off and it was definitely past 5 AM at that point.
Delayed Start.
Ah, the dreaded delayed start – a test of patience for even the most seasoned runners. This was yet another first for us. They never really explained the delay, and we never found out the reason afterward; however, everyone was guessing the national anthem singer got caught up in road closures and was delayed.
When I guess he got there, they just started back up with the national anthem as abruptly as they had cut away. Things went quickly from there. My sister and I championed the corral line right up to the start line and were super excited to be setting off as first runners in our corral! It gave us a split second vantage point of what it may feel like in fast people's shoes and we made the most of it!
Run Through the Parks miles 1-6.
As we dashed through the parks, the sights and sounds of Disney magic surrounded us. But beware, adventurers, for the bottleneck at mile 3 awaited us like a mischievous prank by the Cheshire Cat – who knew getting water could be such an adventure? We pretty much were at a standstill due to where they placed the water station.
I will say we were very happy that while the course was similar, it wasn't the exact course we ran the day before. Definitely felt the magic in the first 6ish miles before leaving Disney and hitting the streets of Anaheim.
Miles outside of Disney.
As we journeyed beyond the park gates, we passed iconic landmarks like Angel Stadium and the Honda Center – a reminder that even outside the magical realm of Disney, adventure awaits around every corner!
It was a change from the straight highway views we have become accustomed to in Florida. I personally very much enjoyed it. One thing that was a little disappointing was the lack of Disney characters after leaving the parks, which is different than Disney World.
For the remainder of the race the runners were nice and spread out though, aid, water stations, and bathrooms options were still abundant, and we got to see some other touristy spots Anaheim has to offer.
While some likened the Honda Center parking lot to the dreaded Blizzard Beach parking lot in the Marathon course at Walt Disney World, I thought it was much more entertaining. They had a DJ and ginormous blown up hockey players to take photos with, what's not to love? Better than most parking lots where I am from, I can tell you that.
There was noticeably more parking lot running at Disneyland vs. Disney World. We did a pretty significant stretch in Angel stadium's parking lot; however, one thing that parking lot running did allow for was a mini car show. I thought it was really cool. Some were decorated like characters from the movie Cars and some just were beautiful and revved their engines as we ran by. It was the energizing I needed to push the pace, and power through to the end! Definitely my first race where engines literally revved me up!
Crossing the Finish Line.
With every step, the finish line drew nearer, a beacon of victory and accomplishment. As we crossed that final threshold, we knew that we had achieved something truly magical. We did get amazing finish line photos and the joy is unmistakable on our faces!
Conclusion.
And there you have it, folks, all the joy, drama and magic of running the half marathon as part of the 2024 runDisney Dumbo Double Dare Race challenge! Until next time, lace up those sneakers, embrace the miles, cherish the memories made along the way, and may your dreams continue to soar as high as Dumbo himself!
Check back with us to see how we celebrated this monumental accomplishment in our final chapter of both Double Double Dare Challenge and 2024 Coast to Coast Challenge series.
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