The Ultimate Girls Getaway - runDisney Princess Half Marathon and 5K Weekend

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Family vacations are great no-doubt. But there was something special about the 36,000 participants of this past weekend’s runDisney 5th Anniversary Princess Half Marathon Weekend. I took part with my fabulous husband and two children and had an amazing time. But I couldn’t help but feel pangs of jealousy while chatting with gaggles of fun ladies who decided to get together for the end-all-be-all women’s event of the year. Most planned long in advance on a hair-brained idea to try their first 5K or do their 7th half marathon together. They booked flights, shared rooms, shopped the expo and ran hand in hand as they crossed various finish lines. Okay, okay. My jealousy was fairly extreme at some points, because quite simply … I wanted MY girlfriends too! Waaaaaaaaaaa!

Folks. I could not be more sincere when I tell you that the Princess weekend is pure bliss. Imagine a highway jam-packed with 26,000 runners (mostly women wearing tutus and tiaras) screaming, cheering, hooting and hollering because they were able to – get this – run together! It was extraordinary fun and I don’t think most people on the planet would believe that RUNNING could be so entertaining. So if a massive group of “sisters in sneakers” wasn’t fun enough, imagine taking that same group and running them down Main Street USA and through Cinderella’s castle. I kid you not, this event is epic. (Don’t forget to check out our amazing photo gallery below. Girls! Girls! Girls!)

A typical experience for this massive group of girlfriends would include:

Checking in to a posh Disney Resort with friends on Thursday afternoon because they split the expense and could afford something fabulous like the Polynesian (oooh, ahhhh).
Heading out to Downtown Disney for some cocktails and dinner, followed by dancing till dawn. Riding free Disney buses back to resort because they drank a couple, and why not? Disney has that chauffeur for them anyway.
Fitz and her daughter Ginger.
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Friday morning wake-up to a poolside breakfast. Yes, of course it’s warm enough in Orlando, Florida in February to use the pool. Don’t think twice.
Head to the Disney Fit for a Princess EXPO for packet pickup and shopping which makes their head spin, because it is so freaking jam packed with adorable running gear that it’s hard to refuse ANYTHING! The official runDisney Princess apparel and accessories are impossible to pass up, and so are New Balance’s custom runDisney sneakers, “The Minnie”. Leave with bags full of amazingness.
Hit Hollywood Studios for some killer rides like the Tower of Terror, then enjoy a few amazing shows like Fantasmic. Head to the California Grill on top of Disney’s Contemporary Resort to watch the Magic Kingdom’s fireworks show while dining on fresh market cuisine. Feels like a V.I.P. experience for everyone in the restaurant.
Wake up early Saturday to run the Royal Family 5K at EPCOT Center, which is an absolute blast! Some runners make this their only race, and some use it as their warm up. Everyone stops along the way in front of Japan to take pictures with Mulan. Belle, Rapunzel, Donald, Daisy and dozens of other characters line the streets for hugs and photos too. They’re hard to pass up! Disney cast-members (employees) cheer, and runners love every adventurous step while keeping a close eye on Spaceship Earth the whole time.
After scoring the adorable full-color 5K medal, those who plan to do the half marathon on Sunday spend the rest of the day relaxing by a lavish pool. Staying off their feet is wise with such a big day ahead. Fortunately, each Disney resort hosts a variety of super dining options so there’s no need to go anywhere at all.
Running skirts from Team-Sparkle.com

Sunday morning wake-up call: 3:15 am. Gotta be on the bus to head over to EPCOT Center for the 5:35 am race start. Gals get their tutus, tiaras, Princess costumes or Team Sparkle skirts on to look their best while doing their best. It doesn’t feel as early as it sounds, because the excitement is stronger than the clock.
At 4:15 am, runners head to their corrals. Thank goodness the runDisney announcers Rudy, Carissa and Johnny are all coffee’d up by the time runners arrive. They do a wonderful job of getting folks energized and ready for their 13.1 mile traveling party ahead. Between arrival and the race launch, participants sing, dance, compare costumes or fancy outfits, chat and stretch.
5:35 am is when the countdown hits “1” and the fastest group of runners take off underneath a blast of fireworks. Girl power? You’ve never seen anything like it! Every five minutes for the next 50 minutes, new corrals of runners take 0ff to a fiery countdown. The slowest group gets the same awesome experience as the fastest. runDisney treats everyone like royalty – no exceptions.
By 6:52 am, the speediest Princess of them all breaks through the finish line, which is overseen by none other than Mickey and Minnie Mouse themselves! The most beautiful purple, pink and white confetti you’ve ever seen falls from the sky and the fans go wild. For the past two years, this most athletic Princess has been mother of two, Rachel Booth, from Mandeville, Lousiana. Rachel ran this year’s race in a record-setting time of 1:17:33. She’s humble, she’s beautiful, she’s raising two great kids (Peyton and Hadley) and she’s got the endurance of a race horse. It’s a shame the 25,999 other Princesses don’t get to witness her victory. It’s thrilling!
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After Princess #1 breaks through, others start to trickle in. All to grand applause. Each runner is treated like “the winner” and I’m pretty confident each runner feels like the winner too. In fact, that’s why road races are so fabulous. Finishing one earns you a much deserved medal and a place of pride and honor for your effort.
The first group of runners to cross the finish line are impressively athletic. The folks in the middle are funny. They hop, skip, jump, dance or hold hands and scream as they cross the finish line. Large groups of 15 women crossed through holding hands or arm in arm. Some cry tears of joy. The last group to cross the finish line are the most interesting and exciting – to me. The folks who take the longest are those who used every single drop of energy and will their bodies could muster to become a finisher. Their determination is crystal clear. The last runner to cross receives a confetti party and a warm welcome by Mickey, Minnie, Goofy and Pluto – just like the first. Only at Disney.
Post-race, runners enjoy their magnificent new jeweled Princess medals shaped like a crown. They relax in the racers retreat or chill out in the medical tent to ice knees or place bandages on blisters. Some just stand around hugging and taking it all in before they head home.

I’ve participated in runDisney’s Princess Half Marathon Weekend for the past two years. As a runner, it’s an experience that’s impossible to beat. Check out my experience from last year – you won’t believe it. This year I took a little time to get to know many of the other race participants. Each and every one of their stories were inspirational. Some were happy, some were sad, but they were all victorious and all made me want to do better and be better. I loved meeting the three women in this video who came from three different states, training independently – but together – to do the Royal Family 5K. I love how 84-year-old Mike and his five children flew in from Pittsburgh, to support their Dad while he RAN his first race. Tara Gudic runs in memory of her husband whom she recently lost to cancer. The friendships, memories, laughter, supporters, stories, triumphs, tiaras and tutus and the runDisney Princess Half Marathon Weekend are nothing short of magical. I hope that next year, you’ll take part in this fun.

runDisney Princess Half Marathon Weekend Fun Facts

36,000 runners took part
Runners represented 50 states and 32 countries
Many of those male participants were wearing tutus, tiaras and princess costumes. Lots of fun. A little scary at times too!
Actor Sean Astin ran both the Royal Family 5K and the Princess Half Marathon – He also ran the Tinkerbell Half Marathon this past January in Disneyland, California which earned him Disney’s coveted “Coast to Coast” Medal.
Fitz and Sean Astin
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Disney’s “Coast to Coast” Medal is awarded to those who complete a half marathon in both Disneyland and Disney World during the same year.
The youngest half marathon runner was 14 and oldest woman was 78.
6% of the participants were male.
From my view, about 90% of those men wore either tutus, tiaras or Princess costumes. Yowza!
Gobs of families do the 5K together. This event is enjoyed by men, women and children of all ages. Endless fun!
Registration for the Princess Half Marathon and Royal Family 5K will begin this summer. No official date has been set, so start looking in May. We’ll announce registration on our Fitzness Facebook page. “Like” us to receive that reminder or subscribe to Fitzness.com in the right side menu bar.