Disneyland Half Marathon Weekend
Anaheim, CA
- Half Marathon, 10K, 5K, Kids Run
- Road (Paved)
- Official race website
This year, runDisney® is going to “Celebrate Happy” during the Disneyland® Half Marathon Weekend presented by HONDA. Happening amid the 70th anniversary of the Disneyland® Resort, this race weekend will be centered around some of the different ways to celebrate what delights us most. So come enjoy miles of smiles … MORE
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1/3 Parks, 2/3 Anaheim
- This had the usual bling and feel of a runDisney event. The Expo was well-organized and easy to navigate. - The race website contained MOST details except where precisely … MORE
– This had the usual bling and feel of a runDisney event. The Expo was well-organized and easy to navigate.
– The race website contained MOST details except where precisely to enter the corrals on race morning; this would have been helpful to include as there are only a few secured entry points
– The first 4ish miles are fun through both DL and DCA at dark and seeing some behind-the-scenes areas. It was rather dark and narrow at some parts so be prepared to run cautiously or walk in those first few miles.
– The Anaheim portion was flat and they had bands intermittently. Water and Powerade stops every 1-2 miles and well-organized. The Anaheim portion feels like any other street race until you find your way back on Disney property for the finish.
– The Finish Area was ample, but again, only single point entry and exit and this was congested and confusing for most patrons. However, appreciate the efforts for security.
– We stayed at a Good Neighbor hotel and it was great — drove to the Expo and walked to and from the race. The logistics of a DL race are much easier than a WDW race.
Disneyland 5K Recap: My First runDisney
I finally did it - I ran my first Disneyland race and my first runDisney 5K! And wow, what an experience. From the ridiculously early wake-up call to the absolute … MORE
I finally did it – I ran my first Disneyland race and my first runDisney 5K! And wow, what an experience. From the ridiculously early wake-up call to the absolute magic of running through the parks, it was everything I hoped for and more.
Let’s be real: waking up in the middle of the night to go run isn’t anyone’s ideal. But once I was up and moving, the excitement kicked in. Parking was super easy, and finding my way to the corrals was a breeze.
The best part? Starting on Main Street, U.S.A. Disney went all out with Guardians of the Galaxy-themed projections on the buildings, making it feel like we were stepping right into the movie. There was also some great pre-race entertainment, which helped wake me up a little (or at least distract me from how early it was).
Once we got going, I quickly realized that starting in Corral D meant things were going to be pretty crowded. There were walkers everywhere, and it was tough to actually run. I ended up doing a mix of running and walking, just trying to take it all in and enjoy the experience.
And wow, what an experience it was! The entire race took us through Disneyland and California Adventure, which was so fun. One of my favorite moments was running past Cars Land – I’d never seen it in person before, and it was absolutely incredible! Seeing all the neon lights lit up in the early morning was such a cool moment.
Before I knew it, I was making my way through Pixar Pier, and suddenly, the race was over! It flew by so fast. I honestly wasn’t ready for it to end – I could have kept running just to soak in more of the parks.
Even with the crowded corral, this race was pure magic. The energy, the entertainment, running through Disneyland – it all made for such an unforgettable experience. And now? I can’t wait to do another runDisney race!
Hi Disneyland, bye Disneyland
This race was a well organized race that starts at Anaheim resort and takes you through downtown Disney, through the back of Disneyland, and throughout Disneyland theme park for the … MORE
This race was a well organized race that starts at Anaheim resort and takes you through downtown Disney, through the back of Disneyland, and throughout Disneyland theme park for the first 4 miles. After that it’s the streets of Anaheim which is pretty boring. Running through Disney was not too exiting. A lot of twists and turns and ups and downs, and brick surfaces which got annoying. However, running through Anaheim was nice in that the streets are well paved and maintained. You are seeing the same thing twice from the beginning of the run and then towards the end of the run which is not ideal. They do a good job of keeping you hydrated with Powerade and water every few miles. The weather was perfect for February. One of the more memorable parts of the run is during the last mile when you run out Katella Avenue with all the palm trees when the sun is rising. You then hang a left on Disney way where you hit the finish line. The medals are nice and heavy. What is weird is how they give it to you in a plastic wrap rather than having it already ready to put around your neck. Post race, snacks include Dasani water, bananas, Powerade, solar blankets, and a gift box. Would run the race one time, but not do it again.
Crowded 10K was more park Half was less
Crowded 10K was more park Half was less park. Half was alot of outside the park running in local neighborhoods. Medals are amazing and clearly where the best value is … MORE
Crowded 10K was more park Half was less park. Half was alot of outside the park running in local neighborhoods.
Medals are amazing and clearly where the best value is
Food was mediocre
Expo was very blah
Way Too Crowded
I used to live in Anaheim right by Disneyland so I have been wanting to do a Disneyland Race if they ever returned. I was initially planning to go to … MORE
I used to live in Anaheim right by Disneyland so I have been wanting to do a Disneyland Race if they ever returned. I was initially planning to go to Maui this weekend but canceled my plans after the devastating fires and decided to visit California and do this race instead. I made this decision in August several months after registration opens. These races sell out fast so I had to get a charity bib. It was pretty easy to find a charity bib for the half marathon but I could not find a bib for the Dumbo Challenge which in retrospect I think was for the best as I was able to run another half on Saturday and 2 Disney races in a row may have been too much for me. I ran for Anaheim Community Foundation. I was happy to raise money for my former community. The charity bib commitment is not too bad. I had to raise $1000 but the entry fee was waived. Since this is an over $200 race, I really had to raise $700-$800. Most charity bibs are in this price range so its not like having to raise money for the Boston Marathon. I flew into LAX on Friday and went to the expo on my drive down to San Diego. The expo is at the Disneyland hotel. They had discount parking for runners and it was like $10. There is a separate area for bib pick-up and the expo. You are assigned a number and bib pick-up was very efficient for a race this large. You also get a really, nice long sleeved tech shirt with a very cute Disney design. It was a light grey color. A bit of a safe color choice but very wearable and comfortable. The expo is obviously huge but it’s kind of an odd expo. They have a lot of things like jewelry and tutus to run in and less practical stuff. I wanted a specific brand of socks and gels but they did not have the brands I wanted. They also have a huge area with merchandise for the race. Some of it was really nice but I already spent enough on the race. One of the perks of Disneyland is the set up is so convenient as it is just in Anaheim and there are a ton of hotels within walking distance. I stayed at a Holiday Inn Express about 1/2 mile from the start and the price was very reasonable for race weekend. The race starts at 5am but this is much easier than Disneyworld from what I heard as I as able to just walk to the start. I woke up at 3:30 and arrived a little after 4am. The start is outside the park and was easy to walk to but look out for road closures when planning your trek over. You are assigned a corral based on predicted time but everyone just puts the fastest time that doesn’t require verification so the middle and later corrals are basically just random. This is very frustrating but I was told about this in advance. If you are not fast enough to qualify for a verified time expect a lot of walkers in front of you. The time limit for the race is a 16 minute/mile pace after the last runner crosses the start line so unless you are in the last corral you likely have close to or even more than 4 hours to finish. I honestly wish they would just have a 4 hour time limit and have people be honest with the corrals because it was a mess. If people were actually in the correct corrals the race would likely be smoother but then less people would get finishing times and less people would be happy with how it is set up. The start was quite festive but I heard from other runners not as festive as Disneyworld. I was assigned corral E which was third to last so I knew I wouldn’t have to worry about the time limit and knew it would be a mess navigating around people so decided to take this one easier. I honestly thought they had the corrals leave way too close together. This may have been related to the city wanted streets open sooner but if that is the case the race should have started even earlier. I have never been in a race this jam packed before. I was surprised to see there were only about 11,000 participants as both the LA marathon and NYC Half had over twice as many participants and never felt this crowded. I get 11,000 is a lot but I have done a lot of races this big that did not have this many issues. It is fun that a lot of participants were costumes and are generally more social runners so it has a party atmosphere. However you will not be able to find your pace. Just go with the flow. The first mile was in Anaheim right outside Disney and wasn’t too bad. Then there was an aid station right outside Disney. These aid stations were awful. I’m not blaming the volunteers. They were trying their hardest but the aid stations did not have enough volunteers, were in tight locations and the volunteers were very behind with getting cups of water ready. The first aid station someone pushed me really hard to try to get ahead since everyone was so slow. It actually hurt. Then you enter Disney. I will admit it is really cool to run through Disney. However there are a ton of people stopping for pictures and there are a couple people deciding that people shouldn’t be stopping and walking and again 2 people pushed me quite hard trying to run through the masses of people walking. Being pushed 3 times quite hard put a damper on my mood. If you do participate in this race just accept you are not going to run your fastest and don’t push other people. Other than the pushing this section was pretty great. There were characters out and lots of sights to see. Pro tip there are also a ton of bathrooms in Disney which are nicer and have shorter lines than the port a potties on course. Things did get a bit worse at the aid station at mile 3 when there was a full on stoppage for about 3 minutes to get through since it was so tight and the volunteers were so behind. At around mile 6 you leave the park. The scenery gets significant worse but at least there is more “running room.” I put “running room” in quotes as I did try to run this section but I had to navigate around so many people that it took an extra 0.1 miles to get from mile marker to mile marker so while my pace was technically faster I did not save much time at all running over speed walking and ended up walking most of the last 5 miles. Also I spent so much time monitoring people around me that I tripped and fell on a pothole. I wasn’t hurt at all but again this race was too crowded. It just wasn’t very safe. The course mostly goes through industrial parks in Anaheim. I’m sure most people hated this part. I actually didn’t mind it because as I said I used to live in Anaheim. I lived there when Pokemon Go was huge and I used to explore these industrial parks looking for Pokemon lol so it was kind of fun to go back. The aid stations were a little better in this part as there was more room but they were still slow. The course was very well marked and had adorable mile markers. I did enjoy the section by the Honda Center a lot. The long section through the parking lot of Angel’s stadium was a bit annoying. There were some spectators and entertainment in this section but from what I heard not as much as expected from a Disney race. I eventually walked my way to the finish line. I did not have a good finishing time at all and was technically over the time limit but since I started well before the last runner crossed the start line was never in danger of being pulled from the course. I’m not sure I actually could have finished this race faster without seriously injuring several people and possibly myself. The medal is just amazing. It is the Disney “D” with Mickey and Minnie running on it and it is beautiful and really great quality. Probably my second best medal after my super bowl ring medal from the Pro Football HOF race. The finish area was pretty nice. You got a box of snacks which is an efficient way to provide post race food for a larger race. I was then able to walk back to my hotel. My opinions on this race are extremely mixed. I can see why some people love RunDisney especially if you are a more social runner. Personally I thought the crowds were too much and the corral system with so many walkers up front did not work for me. The first 6 miles had great scenery and the last 7 less so though it was fun to visit my old neighborhood. The swag however was absolutely fantastic. I’m glad I got to run and experience Disneyland but I wouldn’t personally do this one again. I’m not sure RunDisney is really for me. I’m more of a Vacation Races kind of athlete. I would consider doing a Florida Race in Disney World as I’d be interested in the comparison but I won’t be signing up for Dopey any time soon.
Glad I did it - Never going back
It was great to do the race after 7 years without DL not having a race. I will not be returning. The staging area was a mess with long security … MORE
It was great to do the race after 7 years without DL not having a race. I will not be returning.
The staging area was a mess with long security lines and no one telling the crowd where to go. Ended up having to double back to get to bag check. They had A-D corral all in a mob before they would let us get into our corral.
The race itself is fun for the first 5-6 miles, after that you run through Anaheim with no crowds and minimal entertainment
Avoid this one
The Disneyland Race is finally back after YEARS on hiatus, and I cringe a little thinking that this is how people will experience SoCal racing. Why? 1. It is ridiculously … MORE
The Disneyland Race is finally back after YEARS on hiatus, and I cringe a little thinking that this is how people will experience SoCal racing. Why?
1. It is ridiculously expensive, probably 3-5x more than any other race in the area
2. It really shows off SoCal poorly. Sure, you start in Disneyland for a few minutes, but this race really just runs you around Anaheim – which is pretty dreary, honestly.
3. It is brutally crowded and popular, which is pretty shocking considering #1 and #2.
4. After being gone for many years, I’d expect their first couple efforts to need a lot of improvements
5. For the billions of dollars to enter the race, it doesn’t include any real park admission. This is just name-branding a bad race for bling. If bling is what you want, maybe just do the virtual?
I run every major race in the SoCal region and this is honestly the bottom of the barrel. Fortunately, it is already sold out so I couldn’t even run it if I wanted to, but I wish people would come visit SoCal for basically any other race but this one!
I have nothing against Disney or Disneyland whatsoever. Go to the park, come to Anaheim – have a great time. Just keeping it real about this race!
Personal Record
Running in Disneyland was awesome, lots of fun going through the park. Running through Anaheim was really enjoyable too, we ran through Angels Stadium and that was a highlight too. … MORE
Running in Disneyland was awesome, lots of fun going through the park. Running through Anaheim was really enjoyable too, we ran through Angels Stadium and that was a highlight too. The weather was unbearable 84 degrees and 82% humidity at 5 AM
best they could with the heat
Normally this is one of my favorite races of the year. This year the heat was UNBEARABLE. When I left my hotel room at 3:30am, it was 83 degrees. This … MORE
Normally this is one of my favorite races of the year. This year the heat was UNBEARABLE. When I left my hotel room at 3:30am, it was 83 degrees. This of course, was not RunDisney’s fault…there is nothing they can do about the weather. They made sure to give plenty of heat warnings and they encouraged everyone to be careful, pour water on themselves, not to skip any water stations…but there were still people dropping like flies. I was able to finish and was happy I was able to do that. It was really hard.
Great Race if You Love Disneyland
I am an avid fan of Disneyland and all things Disney, so this race is not for everyone. I am also a huge fan of Pixar, which is why I … MORE
I am an avid fan of Disneyland and all things Disney, so this race is not for everyone. I am also a huge fan of Pixar, which is why I signed up for this particular race. The course support was really good and there were plenty of great picture stops. The half-marathon course is a little boring when you are running the streets of Anaheim, but running through Angel’s Stadium is a really fun experience. However, I usually start to peter out and slow down once I come out of the stadium and you still have about three miles to go to the finish. I never get a great time at these races because they are very crowded. But I did really appreciate the earlier start time since the weather and humidity was awful. This race is ALWAYS hot. Overall, a great time if you love Disney. The medals are second-to-none.
Fun and magic, despite record highs
At the start of the race, at 5 am, it was already in the high 80s. By the time we got to the finish line, it was 96, but felt … MORE
At the start of the race, at 5 am, it was already in the high 80s. By the time we got to the finish line, it was 96, but felt like 105. Despite the brutal heat, the race course was well supported with cast members, water stations, entertainment, and characters. Disneyland’s limited space made it feel a little cramped, especially compared to a race at Walt Disney World, but the pixie dust was still there and we still had a great time.
Disney 5k celebrates Pixar
I've left reviews for this and other Disney runs before and ...I guess this is good news..not alot has changed. After the stripped down runs they produced last May with … MORE
I’ve left reviews for this and other Disney runs before and …I guess this is good news..not alot has changed. After the stripped down runs they produced last May with the Tinkerbell Half it is a relief that things seem back to normal. There were plenty of photo ops along the way featuring “The Incredibles” and other Pixar properties. Most of the run took place in California Adventure (where most of the Pixar attractions are) with the route in Disneyland is there mainly to get you through the photo op running through the castle.
The route includes some back stage areas and we saw new areas I had not seen before.
There was a new 5am start which was a bit welcome since it was very hot and humid this day. A nice surprise was a cool towel at the finish line after you receive your medal.
The mandatory Expo was still a bit of a shell of what it used to be. No guest speakers, no bar and no Clif samples.
Andrea and Carissa did an entertaining and enthusiastic pre show before the run.
Fun run!
Disney puts on a good race. The race runs smooth with gear check and their corralling system. The races start on time, and the course is exciting, as long as … MORE
Disney puts on a good race. The race runs smooth with gear check and their corralling system. The races start on time, and the course is exciting, as long as you’re in the park. I love running through the parks, fun characters, great scenery, but once one the streets of Anaheim, it gets a little boring. Though, high school bands and cheerleaders come help along the way! Gets more exciting when you get to run through Angel Stadium, then back into downtown Disney. Super fun! Would recommend running a Disney race!
Country Bear Jamboree Disneyland 5K
This is the classic run at Disneyland. There are now four of them with their own theme. The Disneyland Half Marathon Weekend is a little looser on the themes and … MORE
This is the classic run at Disneyland. There are now four of them with their own theme. The Disneyland Half Marathon Weekend is a little looser on the themes and this year the theme was a ride, Extremely appropiate except this ride, the Country Bear Jamboree, was just down 15 years ago. I was less nostalgic and more angry – why did you take a Marc Davis ride out!! For Winnie the frickin’ Pooh!? Will next year be Adventures Through Inner Space?
All that aside these runs are addicting. When I finish I always winder when the next one is. (I know when because I pay 6 months in advance). The early start time (5:30am, usually) messes with your whole day but there is definitely magic afoot.
The run was more DCA then DL this year presumably because of the Star Wars Land construction. So we get to see a little extra DCA and backlot then usual and it was nice. The end of mile 2 was a little difficult due to running up the tunnels that run under the parks but other the that you are pretty smooth sailing (this may change by next year). There are A LOT of photo ops along the way. This run is not timed and you people do a lot of stopping. But people watching is part of the fun. Costumes are allowed as long as your face is visible and your cape will not smack others in the face. Staff arrive early and are on the course to yell encouragement and provide high fives. There was a water station at the half mark.
Again the course is not timed for 5k’s and my GPS measured the distance at 3.2 miles.
So. Changes this year….. The T-shirt wasn’t up to the quality of the last RunDisney run I did in May…which is ok, I guess…of course they raised the prices. They touted that the 5K medal would be metal instead of rubber and what I got was underwhelming compared to the ones I received the last 5 years. They no longer give you a physical copy of the multi-page program instead you get a couple page cheat sheet so check out the one they give you on line. The corral system was more expansive (good). The MC team…. well, I miss Rudy. He is a legend around these parts. I LOVE local legend Andea staying as part of the team – she sounds like she’s been doing this for years. Carissa reporting live from the back corrals is a great idea and she did a great job. The other MC…well, Rudy couldn’t have done that better? C’mon, guys. Bring Rudy Back.
REMEMBER! You have to pick up your Bib at the expo the day before! In Person! The expo at the Disneyland Hotel is very informative and I was able to sign up for this November’s Dr. Strange 10K there at a reduced price although it was officially sold out.
This was the STAR WARS VERSION
Star Wars Version Course was extremely crowded Locals came out in Star Wars Costumes to cheer on runners Race is now archived and no longer exists MORE
Star Wars Version
Course was extremely crowded
Locals came out in Star Wars Costumes to cheer on runners
Race is now archived and no longer exists
It's Disney
This is a great event, if you're a fan of all things Disney. It is not just a race at Disneyland. It is a Disney event from start to finish. … MORE
This is a great event, if you’re a fan of all things Disney. It is not just a race at Disneyland. It is a Disney event from start to finish. They do a fantastic job at keeping the excitement the entire time. Their expo is great. The SWAG is awesome. I loved the medal (the 2015 version was a spinner).
The course…wow…the course. Through Disneyland, out through part of Anaheim, through Angels ballpark, back to Disneyland. It was awesome x infinity. They even had youth groups (I believe boys & girls scouts) in the Angels ballpark to cheer you on as you ran around the field. The course itself was worth every penny.
One thing that must be mentioned, if you do not like crowds of walkers, then avoid this event. I personally don’t mind it at all. Part of the fact that it is a Disney production, the event does get a lot of first-timers and individuals that walk more than run.
On top of that, there are awesome picture opportunities throughout the course, including pics with Disney characters. This also causes some bunching in certain areas.
My advice – if you’re serious about running for a time target, do not do a Disney race. You’ll only frustrate yourself. Go into ready to enjoy the run and understand your final time may be under your average.
You don't get what you pay for
I love Disney and I know overtime they put on something it is sure to be a sight. However, this race was $180 and all I got was a shirt … MORE
I love Disney and I know overtime they put on something it is sure to be a sight. However, this race was $180 and all I got was a shirt and a medal. They did not offer anything aside from a box with a banana and raisins in it at the finish. They also were too crowded. I was supposed to be in Corral C but it was packed, so they closed it and told us that we needed to head the D corral. Well, that was full as well so they told us to just keep going until there was an open corral. This was not acceptable and I was very upset. I paid a lot of money for the race and I was bummed out that they could not accommodate everyone that was there. I will not be doing this one again
Favorite Half Marathon
This was my second time running the Disneyland Half. The part of the course that is in the Disney parks is fantastic, though you end up running a large stretch … MORE
This was my second time running the Disneyland Half. The part of the course that is in the Disney parks is fantastic, though you end up running a large stretch of the race through parts of Anaheim which are less than ideal. You also get to run through Angel’s Stadium, which to me was even more exciting than running through the Disney parks. The medal for the 10th anniversary of the run was a little disappointing – it seemed a bit cheap and fell short of the high expectations I have for Disney swag based on previous races. Overall, though, this continues to be my favorite half marathon to run.
Powered by Pixie Dust
In my opinion, Disney runs are meant to be fun and laid back - not meant to rush through. There was a lot of crowd support, great energy throughout the … MORE
In my opinion, Disney runs are meant to be fun and laid back – not meant to rush through. There was a lot of crowd support, great energy throughout the race, and I’m personally obsessed with the fact that we got to not only run through Angels stadium, but that we were projected on the jumbotron and there were spectators filling up the stands. Disney runs are pricey! A little too pricey! But you will fill the disney magic from start to finish.
Well run as are all Disney races.
Typical Disney race, extremely well run but expensive and crowded, especially the first several miles. It was cool running under the BIG A in the Angels parking lot as well … MORE
Typical Disney race, extremely well run but expensive and crowded, especially the first several miles. It was cool running under the BIG A in the Angels parking lot as well as running through the stadium.