I really enjoy WDW Marathon Weekend. I don’t know if I can really put my finger on why it’s different than the other Run Disney events but there’s just an energy in the air that I don’t find other times. Maybe it’s all the first timers or the large families running together or all the support that comes with a destination race, but I love it. Oh, and running down Main Street, packed with screaming fans, and then heading through Cinderella Castle? Yeah, where else are you gonna do that? Of course I love all my Disney races and am doing quite a few this year, but this one’s my favorite.

Having said that, it’s not for everyone. In fact, Run Disney events in general aren’t for everybody. Here are some things to consider as you’re trying to determine how to spend your running/racing/vacation dollars.

• It’s your first distance race (either the half or the full) and you’re a guy and/or running with a guy (if you’re running with a group of girlfriends the Princess gets a higher rating for first timers, in my opinion. Wait, when it’s YOUR blog do you have to say “in my opinion”?) Disney races are very approachable and filled with other first timers so you won’t feel like you don’t fit in and they really make it idiot proof (trust me, my first half I was an idiot so this was incredibly important;)
• You’re planning on taking your family anyway and it’s a good excuse for both/and. HOWEVER do yourself a favor and run the race FIRST and then vacation. Too many people I love have vacationed for the week before and trashed their legs for the race. I prefer running first and then spending the week putting the calories back into my body at all the great Disney restaurants:). And nothing puts you more in the mood to party then accomplishing something you never thought you could!
• You are like me and have running friends from all over the country that you love. It’s a great race to meet a group of friends as there are plenty of things to do and opportunities to meet and greet. This trip I got to spend time with my friends from Saskatchewan,  Colorado, Michigan, Georgia and California and that’s not even a complete list. Our annual “see you at Disney World” race is a great time to connect In Real Life:).

It may NOT be for you if (and honestly, this list applies to all Run Disney events):

• You don’t like crowds. This should go without saying but there were so many people I heard complaining about this. Um, it’s Walt Disney World and there are 65,000 runners for the weekend. It’s going to be crowded. If you prefer small, local races with a real personal feel, this one’s not for you
• You’re trying to set a PR – between the crowds, the sometimes very narrow paths where you are forced to walk, the many opportunities for photo ops and the general fun of the route, if you rush through it focused and determined you’ll miss out on the very things you paid all that money for. Which brings me to the next point.
• You are on a tight budget. Disney races are EXPENSIVE. I do believe they are a decent value because of all you get for your money but this is not for those who just recently went through Dave Ramsey unless you have an envelope that says “WDW Marathon Weekend” and it contains a thousand dollars. We budget for me to do these things and I’m grateful that we can but do NOT underestimate the cost of running a Disney race. It’s well worth it but not if you’re going to go into massive amounts of debt to make it happen. Because nothing is worth that.
• You don’t like getting up at 2am to run a race. Actually, nobody LIKES that part but you have to be willing to put up with it and have a cheerful attitude. Or at least be quiet and not cranky on the bus at 3am;). Yes, we get up in the middle of the night to run Disney races. In fact, the staff at Jellyrolls was sharing with us that they were just heading home from work when we were all arriving to run. It’s dark and it’s early. 
• You don’t like heat and humidity. Although this can be a mixed bag, both years I’ve run the marathon it’s been fairly warm at the end. This year MUCH worse than last and we all remember the freak ice storm of 2010, but in general, Disney races are warm and humid. If you train in Bangor, Maine, you need to factor this in and know it will impact your times and possibly your cheerful disposition.

I adore Run Disney, and I see many more events in my future, but it’s not for everyone. I hope this list helps! What would you add? Why do you or why don’t you, Run Disney??