Disneyland Half Marathon Trip Report, Pt. 2

Dough and I headed to the corrals at 5:15am; mercifully, the weather cooperated this year and the temperatures were fairly cool. I was very relieved!

The start of the race is really out of this world. If the loud, thumping music doesn't get you geared up, the fireworks, DJ, characters, and palpable adrenalin in the air should do it. If not...you might want to check your pulse. Disney starts the race right on the dot every year, and thanks to being in Corral A for the first time, I had a good idea of how much time to subtract from the clocks shown at every mile.

AND THEY'RE OFF!



I don't know where I was at this point, but I can tell I was having an "oh #$%^ am I going to make it" moment. Thanks to the music, dancers, and crowds along the route, it is much easier to stay focused and positive about the situation.



Running through the stadium is always a thrill; being able to see yourself on the huge TV there is a nice little boost at mile 9.



And the moment I had been training for...the finish line. My final chip time was 1:53.49; I'd finally achieved my goal! It was a real rush to see the clock and know that I'd made it (AND I got to hear my name being called over the loudspeaker as I crossed the finish line). Drew Carey beat me by about 3 minutes. If only I'd run a bit faster!



When it comes to race day bling, Disney also does a great job. Here, Dough & I show off the gold. He has run all 6 of the Disneyland Half Marathons.



Meanwhile, Walt and Dottie also completed the race; can you believe that this sweat-free photo was taken just moments after they triumphantly crossed the finish line?!?



I got cleaned up first and headed over to DCA to get some construction shots (no rest for the weary). Inside the new DCA entrance, there are plenty of concept renderings showing what next summer will look like when all gets unveiled.











You'll also see a number of new attraction posters:







Despite the temporary entrance through Condor Flats, Disney has done a great job of theming and special touches to make it very welcoming.



Even when you exit, you get the Disney message of top-notch service.



The Carthay Circle and fountain continue to make progress:







More progress at Cars Land, the main area of interest in the billion-dollar DCA renovation:



While waiting for the rest of the gang to assemble for a celebratory lunch, the best spot to relax seemed to be this quiet park in New Orleans Square. The shade of the trees and the sound of the water fountain made this my new favorite spot at Disneyland.









Did I mention the smooth jazz playing nearby?



Noontime finally arrived and we all assembled for lunch at Club 33; where better to chow down after a Half Marathon? Stacy drove up from SD to join us.



A toast to victory and good friends; it just doesn't get better than this.



Mickey and Pluto made the rounds to each table:









Lunch was delish...



and the atmosphere and service were impeccable:





It didn't take long for this Hidden Mickey to disappear:



After lunch, we waddled over to DCA and honed our artistic skills at the Animation Academy by drawing Winnie the Pooh:







The finished product:



Dottie loved the Toy Story Zoetrope nearby:



While waiting for our Tower of Terror fast pass to kick in, we savored the music (and air conditioning) of "Aladdin - The Musical":







Without hesitation, Dottie joined us on the Tower. It's her favorite ride at DCA!



So how do you finish the perfect weekend? With breakfast at Goofy's Kitchen, featuring Peanut Butter and Jelly Pizza! So much for all the weight I lost!



See more vintage & current Disneyland Club 33 photos on my Club 33 web page.

Disneyland Half Marathon Trip Report, Pt. 1

For the last few years, I have attempted to break the 2 hour ceiling of my Disneyland Half Marathon time. For a variety of reasons (being sick, poor diet, not enough training), I fell short each race. This year, I was more determined than ever to finally be "sub 2"!

Checking into the Disneyland Hotel, I felt like I had accidentally entered the DCA construction zone. All around the hotel property there were construction walls, detours, and the sounds of machinery. Still, it didn't bother me a bit. As with all things Disney, the "problems" were alleviated with easy to read signage and friendly staff standing nearby to take care of any guest concerns that might arise.

The room wasn't ready yet (we arrived before noon), so we headed over to the Expo first to pick up our bibs and goodies. Every year, I am impressed by how organized this event is. I also loved the decor at registration featuring some of Disney's favorite characters. This one of Donald is just about how I look at the end of the race!



Next dilemma was where to eat lunch. My first choice was to check out the new Tangaroa Terrace.



Huge thumbs up for the finished product; both Tangaroa Terrace and Trader Sam's are a welcome addition to the Disneyland Resort. They respectfully pay homage to the park's history while providing a great place to eat and an adjoining lounge for adults to enjoy live entertainment and a tropical cocktail (or two).





Welcome to Trader Sam's!





How about these doors? Leave it to Disney to go above and beyond at the entrance.



An homage to 20K:





After checking out these new facilities, we decided that our hearty pre-race appetites needed Goofy's Kitchen. Sorry Sam & Tangaroa - but I promise to come back in the near future for a more in-depth exploration of tasting and imbibing!



I was caught during lunch; friends Walt & Dottie were in town for the Half as well (we'd met almost 2 years ago at Candlelight) and arrived just as I was trying to secretly snarf down my chicken nuggets (I'm sure there was some nutritional value hidden in there that would benefit me the next morning at the race!).



Although a bit pricey, Goofy's has a wide variety of tasty food choices as well as a number of your favorite Disney characters.

Walt & Baloo hit it off immediately.



Jasmine caught us on the way out. You'll note I am standing next to Dottie, Walt's 79 year old mother. You might assume that she was there to support Walt and cheer him on for the Half Marathon. Heck no. She was there to run and walk the Marathon herself! She is a real firecracker and an inspiration to all.



With our bellies full, we headed over to the Grand Californian to relax in their lobby until our rooms back at the Disneyland Hotel were ready. As you can tell by this photo, the weather for the weekend was perfect. Walt himself couldn't have ordered up a better day.



Our room in the Adventure Tower at the Disneyland Hotel was fantastic. Clean, well designed and appointed, it was a huge improvement over what the rooms at the resort have looked like for the past decade or so. Again...lotsa' great details. Note the Jungle Cruise artwork in the background of the room number signage:







For you Hidden Mickey nuts, the carpet was made just for you.



Mickey lights the way in the bathroom:



I loved this collage of contemporary shots of the park that hung on the wall; can you identify the location of each shot?



The headboard has a lighted "fireworks" display and plays music, too. Another nice touch.



From the room, we had a great vantage point for the continued construction of the 2nd pool area:







After a little nap (oh how I love my naps), it was time for (you guessed it) another meal. The dinner the night before the race is an important one, as it's the last chance to carb up before the race. Walt & Dottie kindly allowed us to glom onto their reservation at Downtown Disney's Naples Restaurant. An excellent choice!





The food and the service were as good as the decor, and I savored each meatball in my spaghetti!



Once dinner was over, it was dark out and time to get a good night's worth of sleep. It will probably come as no surprise that I couldn't just go to bed; I had to shoot a few nighttime shots and take advantage of the magical lighting that the Disneyland Resort is known for.









And that's it for part one! Good night all - hope the rest of you in Southern California have your power back on by now!

See more vintage and contemporary Disneyland photos on my Disneyland web page.