Dark Side Challenge #WDW17

We have run lots of Disney Races because we love them. Here is why:

1. Well run. The Dark side half had about 14,000 runners. That is a lot of people to move around. They do a great job getting everyone organized and into the corals.
2. The bling. They have really great medals. Who doesn’t want a Storm Trooper or Death Star medal?
3. The expo. They always have great gear for runners. There is literally anything you could need.
4. The crowd. The people there that are cheering you on are wonderful. People came out with great signs and yelled. It was such a positive running environment.
5. The course. You get to run through the parks. How fun is that? You even run in some back stage areas. I got a sneak peek of the rhino cages and all of the greenhouses.
6. Plenty of Water. They make sure you stay hydrated. There is lots of H2O along the course which is nice for the humid Florida weather.

Things we don’t love about the Disney Races:

1. They start early and I mean really early. The race start time is normally about 5:30 AM.
2. You have to be on a bus by 3:30 AM to be at the start line on time, which means getting up really early. Up and at em!!!!
3. It could be humid and it will be hot. Our race was in April and there was a heat advisory.

Since we have done a few of these races, here are a few helpful tips
to help you plan your next Disney Race:

1. If you want collectible items from the expo get their early. The good stuff gets gone quickly.
2. Get to the starting line early. This will give you time to go to the bathroom and get pre-race photos with the characters.
3. Mini-waves. This time they broke up the corrals into different start times.  If you want to get a good time try and push up to the front of your corral so you can start with the first mini-wave.
4. The clocks are all set to the 5:30 a.m. start time which makes it hard the later you leave. Just make sure to set your watch that way you won’t get discouraged.
5. Costumes are encouraged. Try to come up with something fun that goes with the theme. I found a Darth Vader tank that worked perfect!

If you decide to run the race you will have a blast. Just make sure to have fun with it. It is Disney after all.