My first time doing the #Enchanted10k at runDisney’s Princess Half Marathon Weekend was in February 2016, and I’ve been chasing that Disney high ever since. My second Princess 10k was in February 2017, where I participated with my sister. Now, by happy chance, we will be doing the Princess 5k in February 2022. I literally can’t wait. Not only we will be doing the race, but we will also get to visit Magic Kingdom and Hollywood Studios while we’re there as well. If you are thinking about signing up for a future event, there are a few things that will help you prepare for a runDisney race weekend. Read below to plan the best runDisney trip possible!
Steps to Prepare for a runDisney Race Weekend
1. Register for the race
Step one, as expected, is to register for the race. runDisney offers a handful of race weekends each year at Walt Disney World in Orlando, Florida. All of them can be found on the runDisney website where they will announce when registration opens. These spots go really fast, so it’s important that you’re online and ready to click register when your chosen race weekend goes live. Once in line, you will be able to register yourself and any additional participants if needed. You will be asked your typical contact information as well as your race shirt size and if you want to add on any race swag extras (pins, Pandora charms, etc.).
2. Reserve your hotel
After securing your race registration, I highly recommend that you create a MyDisneyExperience account and book your hotel as soon as possible. Rooms during race weekends go fast. I also highly recommend to stay at a Disney hotel rather than outside of the parks. Disney hotels offer free shuttle buses to and from Walt Disney World throughout the whole day. This is a big perk for the morning of race day! My hotel of choice is always one of the Disney All-Star Resorts, which are nice and affordable.
3. Purchase your theme park tickets
Now that you have your hotel booked, it’s time to purchase and reserve your theme park tickets. Walt Disney World consists of four different parks: Magic Kingdom, Epcot, Hollywood Studios, and Animal Kingdom. Ticket options include one park per day, more than one park per day (Park Hopper), and more. Purchasing your theme park tickets is a two-parter. First, select your ticket option. Once bought, you will need to reserve which park you want to go to on which day. This can be done under ‘Park Reservations’ in your MyDisneyExperience portal.
4. Book your flight
If outside of the area, you will need to book a flight to Orlando, Florida. I start looking at options very early so I can track the prices and find a good deal. As of January 2022, Disney will no longer offer their free Magical Express shuttle from the airport to Disney hotels. This leaves Mears Connect, taxis and Ubers/Lyfts to get to your destination.
5. Select your MagicBand
Once linked to your MyDisneyExperience account, MagicBands are used to enter the parks, connect to the Disney PhotoPass Service, enter your Disney Resort Hotel room, and make purchases sent to your Disney Resort Hotel bill. There are two options on how to select your MagicBand: on shopdisney.com or through your portal. Having your Disney hotel reservations linked to your portal allows you to view a selection of pre-order, discounted MagicBands.
6. Add a PhotoPass Memory Maker
While not required, PhotoPass Memory Maker will be a great addition to your trip. Linking this to your MagicBand allows you to download and view all of the professional photos taken of you at the parks. These include pictures you get with characters, pictures in front of popular spots where photographers are stationed, etc. We purchased this last time we went to Disney and it was totally worth it. Options include photos from one day or photos during your entire trip.
7. Plan a runDisney race outfit
Dressing up for the race is, in my opinion, the best part. People get really into it and there’s always a good variety of characters featured. For my first runDisney race weekend I went as Princess Jasmine. The following year I was inspired by Princess Pocahontas. This time I’m leaning more towards a Disney Villian – either Evie from Descendants, Ursula, or Megara. Make sure to follow RunDisney’s costume guidelines when planning. It’s also a good idea to test your race outfit before your trip to avoid any mishaps. Here are the Race Polices specifically for the runDisney Princess Marathon Weekend.
8. Pack a portable phone charger
There’s a good chance your phone could die during the race before you even reach the parks afterwards. Between taking pictures with Disney characters on the course and listening to pump-up jams, your phone battery is going to need some extra voltage. I like to keep a portal phone charger in my backpack while in the parks so that there’s no panicking while in a large, crowded area.
runDisney Health & Fitness Expo
Every runDisney race weekend features a runDisney Health & Fitness Expo at the ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex. It is required to attend the RunDisney Health & Fitness Expo to pick up your race number, event shirt, and gEAR bag, however the runDisney Health & Fitness Expo also features a variety of runDisney race weekend merchandise and the latest in apparel and fitness equipment. From event jackets to the latest New Balance running shoes, the runDisney Health & Fitness Expo is an experience in itself.
runDisney Health & Fitness Expo Tip
There are usually a couple photo backdrops when you first enter the ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex grounds. These feature the runDisney race logo and make for a great photo op! I was able to get this fun jumping shot my first year.