Dumbo Double Dare

So, first-off I am going to throw a disclaimer out there – I’m and East Coast girl and I have only been to Disneyland once, and it wasn’t for a race. That being said I’ve been doing my homework and I am very excited about the upcoming return of the Disneyland races! It was right about when I decided to return to runDisney races that Disneyland went on hiatus and I was so disappointed. Finally I get to feel a little more “complete” as a Disney runner (but still won’t feel settled until / if Disneyland Paris resumes).

Ayway, without further ado, here are the long-awaited course maps:

I gotta say this course looks like absolute perfection to me! We get to hit the highlights of both parks and nothing more. It does look like there’s a bit of street running, but it’s pretty minimal, so the course promises lots and lots of park fun.

What I find interesting is that it looks like the start line is inside Disneyland Park, and the corrals may be lining up along Main Street. That sounds like a very fun start to me, but please note that spectators will not be permitted in, so plan accordingly. According to the race guide, spectators will be permitted at the finish line.

10K

The 10K hits pretty much the same paths in the parks, though not in the same order, and some more street running. Start and finish will be in the parking area behind the corner of Disney Way and Harbor Boulevard. Today we’ll hit Disney’s California Adventure before crossing the plaza to Disneyland Park.

The run up Main Street towards the castle is a tease, because we’ll take a quick left to head thorugh Adventureland, New Orleans Square, Galaxy’s Edge, Frontier Land and THEN the castle. From there, Fantasyland, Tomorrowland, Mickey’s Toontown, and out onto the mean (?) streets of Anaheim back to the finish line.

Half Marathon

Now this was a highly anticipated course prior to it’s release, but I have heard some grumbling. Let’s be honest, there’s just not a lot of land in California for Disney to work with so there’s really not another option besides lots and lots of street running.

My only real complaint is that all the parks running is at the start ot the race rather than the end, leaving us I’m not sure what to look forward to while we’re out in the wilds of Anaheim. I really don’t even know what they do for character stops and entertainment once we’re off-property, but for sure I’ll be writing about it when it’s all over.

I’m definitely finding things to get excited about:

I’ll be running in new places
We’ll be running along Cerritos Ave. (Star Trek Lower Decks fans will understand). For sure I’ll be doing a character stop with a street sign!
We’ll be running out to the Honda Center parking lot (where the Anaheim (Mighty) Ducks play). Considering Honda is the presenting sponsor of the race weekend, I’m expecting some outstanding entertainment, or at least a free car or generator or something
It looks like we’ll also pass by the baseball stadium where the Anaheim Angels play

All in all I’m sure it will be very fun, and with some luck I’ll be getting Dumbo and Coast to Coast medals at the end of the race. Fingers crossed I survive!!

The Merch

The Disneyland merch options look pretty similar to what’s being offered for Marathon Weekend, but with “The Return” motif. I definitely will be grabbing a “We’re back” t-shirt.

So what do you think of the courses and the merch and the courses? Drop a comment! Are you a Disneyland regular? Can you share some insights? PLEASE drop a comment! I can’t wait to hear from you!

Registration FAQs

Can I register more than one person?

Sure, but you can only use one form of payment. Try to keep your wits about you and be careful about who you’re registering for what. The process can feel a bit panicky… breathe deep and focus.

Can I register for more than one event?

Yes, but see above note about keeping your cool. Basically you’re building a shopping cart for one checkout – and you need to do it all at once. If you try to get through the queue more than once, you will most likely leave empty handed.

Are there dicounts for Passholders or DVC members?

Nope. Everyone pays full price. Womp, womp.

What other info do I need?

T-shirt size, emergency contact info. These can be changed later, worst case you swap your shirt at the expo. Don’t let these questions slow you down.

Can I pre-order merchandise?

Yes, but see above note about keeping your cool. Merchandise orders can be added later. Don’t spend time trying to decide which pins you want and miss out on your race.

But… Just in case you want to see what they’re offering and for how much, I did grab some screenshots when I registered. No merchandise pics yet. I imagine they’re still working on it. Sorry these aren’t edited into a pretty collage, but you get what you pay for 🙂