Princess Weekend 2022

[azrivest]

Yes it is!

 

[corn princess]

30 days to go royals! What are you most excited about Princess Weekend?

For me, it's finally getting a running picture somewhere around the castle. When I started running, I had trouble racing 5ks. But I was dreaming of running in Disney World, especially running up Main Street to the castle. I remember my first 8k long run thinking there was no way I could ever run 3 times that. I wanted to curl up and cry. Yet here I am 3 years later, two HMs under my belt, feeling super confident that I am going to be able to complete the Challenge. And it's all because of runDisney! (and a little bit DopeyBadger )

I'm most excited for my first run disney event and running by the castle!

 

[jennysdcc]

30 days to go royals! What are you most excited about Princess Weekend?

For me, it's finally getting a running picture somewhere around the castle. When I started running, I had trouble racing 5ks. But I was dreaming of running in Disney World, especially running up Main Street to the castle. I remember my first 8k long run thinking there was no way I could ever run 3 times that. I wanted to curl up and cry. Yet here I am 3 years later, two HMs under my belt, feeling super confident that I am going to be able to complete the Challenge. And it's all because of runDisney! (and a little bit DopeyBadger )

I’m excited to get to run through my old home park and push myself to have a really strong half time. I’ll most likely be starting near the back of the pack so I know I’ll have to weave through some bottlenecking, but I’m feeling really good about my current pace and am excited to give this last month of training my best!!

Also fingers crossed for a decent castle photo! I don’t know if I’ll stop for characters but I would love one good action shot in Magic Kingdom somehow

 

[JJ2017]

OK - for real - how packed are the corrals? And how long do you stand in them before you get started? As I'm aging I'm getting more and more anxious being in closed spaces. I know this it outside, and that's a bit better, but I think I'm going to feel a bit panicky. Can I push myself to a side? Anyone with strategies to help me out? Thanks!

 

[HangWithMerida]

OK - for real - how packed are the corrals? And how long do you stand in them before you get started? As I'm aging I'm getting more and more anxious being in closed spaces. I know this it outside, and that's a bit better, but I think I'm going to feel a bit panicky. Can I push myself to a side? Anyone with strategies to help me out? Thanks!

Pre-start, you can stay at the back of your corral and it’s not crowded at all. You can pop in right before they close the corral if you really want to. If you want to be at the front of a corral, it is crowded pretty quickly and you will be there a while. I usually use the bathroom, warm up a little then go into the back of the corral and continue my warm-up. They are so big you can actually run little laps back there without being in anyones way. Then, just walk as far forward as you want, knowing that once the early corrals start moving, there is a push similar to a concert though not as extreme. You will be in a crowd and at least occasionally touching people. You can position yourself along a fence in the corral and just hug that as the crowd is moved forward to maintain the edge location. People are pretty friendly and not too aggressive but the crowd dynamics can be a little jostling sometimes, especially as you near the start.

 

[SheHulk]

OK - for real - how packed are the corrals? And how long do you stand in them before you get started? As I'm aging I'm getting more and more anxious being in closed spaces. I know this it outside, and that's a bit better, but I think I'm going to feel a bit panicky. Can I push myself to a side? Anyone with strategies to help me out? Thanks!

In my experience corrals are as packed as you want them to be. If you want to be toward the front or middle, you're going to be pretty packed in. But if you can hang back or on the side you can give yourself room. You just may not have "pole position" if that's important to you. I wore a mask in the corrals once everyone squished together, and nobody gave me weird looks. Lots of other people did too. So if that's your concern go ahead and mask up. If it's just getting your space that's also no problem.

 

[SheHulk]

At this point I'm most excited about getting race costumes together! It's my first Princess Weekend and maybe my last runDisney weekend for a while (although I've said that multiple times over the years), so I want to have fun with it.
It's also my first time getting into a front corral (hopefully), and I'm looking forward to seeing how the other half lives in that regard. Hoping the lines are shorter for pictures.

 

[Edeyore]

OK - for real - how packed are the corrals? And how long do you stand in them before you get started? As I'm aging I'm getting more and more anxious being in closed spaces. I know this it outside, and that's a bit better, but I think I'm going to feel a bit panicky. Can I push myself to a side? Anyone with strategies to help me out? Thanks!

I ran both the 5k and Marathon in January. The 5k corrals (starting groups) were incredibly packed in. 6 groups going off in waves within the groups. The Marathon had 6 groups but they seemed to be better spread out. My best advise would be to get to an edge. Either get there really early and get to the front of your group, to the side or the back.

 

[Herding_Cats]

OK - for real - how packed are the corrals? And how long do you stand in them before you get started? As I'm aging I'm getting more and more anxious being in closed spaces. I know this it outside, and that's a bit better, but I think I'm going to feel a bit panicky. Can I push myself to a side? Anyone with strategies to help me out? Thanks!

i wanted to be in the front of my corral during MW (I was in S5....there were 6 total corrals) so I went to them pretty much as soon as they opened them. Most people sat for the first while if they got into The corrals early and then stood when they were about 30min out from the push rim/elites starting. So I was standing for a bit over and hour before I started. Once the corrals start to be released everyone kind of pushes forward and it gets more crowded. Think MK hub fireworks on a busy park day. Here is a pic when they were releasing S3 during the full on MW. (It’s worth noting that they also expedited this start because of the temperature forecast and everyone was over the start line in about 30min instead of an hour.) if you stay along the rail in your corral you won’t be surrounded by people on all sides if that helps.

 

[JJ2017]

Pre-start, you can stay at the back of your corral and it’s not crowded at all. You can pop in right before they close the corral if you really want to. If you want to be at the front of a corral, it is crowded pretty quickly and you will be there a while. I usually use the bathroom, warm up a little then go into the back of the corral and continue my warm-up. They are so big you can actually run little laps back there without being in anyones way. Then, just walk as far forward as you want, knowing that once the early corrals start moving, there is a push similar to a concert though not as extreme. You will be in a crowd and at least occasionally touching people. You can position yourself along a fence in the corral and just hug that as the crowd is moved forward to maintain the edge location. People are pretty friendly and not too aggressive but the crowd dynamics can be a little jostling sometimes, especially as you near the start.

Thank you - I would be dead last in a corral if I can. When you say - position yourself along a fence......do you mean like a high fence? I would feel a lot calmer if I knew I could "bolt" out of the corral if I needed to. (I'll be fine, I'm sure. I actually use being in Disney as a visual/mental meditation when I'm feeling anxious!)

 

[Herding_Cats]

I ran both the 5k and Marathon in January. The 5k corrals (starting groups) were incredibly packed in. 6 groups going off in waves within the groups. The Marathon had 6 groups but they seemed to be better spread out. My best advise would be to get to an edge. Either get there really early and get to the front of your group, to the side or the back.

I think the 5k has the most participants too usually, right? So that was the MOST people participating and also only 5 corrals, so that would definitely contribute to it being much more crowded.

 

[BOST99]

I'm thankful for this thread. I'm getting a little training fatigue being stuck indoors on a treadmill. Even changing speeds or inclines doesn't keep it that interesting

I'm most excited for running in the MK, through the castle and finishing my first 1/2 marathon. Post race I'm excited for a celebratory lunch and drinks and medal photos.

 

[JJ2017]

i wanted to be in the front of my corral during MW (I was in S5....there were 6 total corrals) so I went to them pretty much as soon as they opened them. Most people sat for the first while if they got into The corrals early and then stood when they were about 30min out from the push rim/elites starting. So I was standing for a bit over and hour before I started. Once the corrals start to be released everyone kind of pushes forward and it gets more crowded. Think MK hub fireworks on a busy park day. Here is a pic when they were releasing S3 during the full on MW. (It’s worth noting that they also expedited this start because of the temperature forecast and everyone was over the start line in about 30min instead of an hour.) if you stay along the rail in your corral you won’t be surrounded by people on all sides if that helps. View attachment 641857

this does help. i'd love to see what the side of the corral looks like. if it feels open, i'll definitely hug a side.

 

[fatmanatee]

OK - for real - how packed are the corrals? And how long do you stand in them before you get started? As I'm aging I'm getting more and more anxious being in closed spaces. I know this it outside, and that's a bit better, but I think I'm going to feel a bit panicky. Can I push myself to a side? Anyone with strategies to help me out? Thanks!

Want to reiterate the point that you CAN separate yourself from the masses if you want. For the half a fewish weeks ago, I made the mistake of entering too early (for my liking, at least) and it was a very long time standing around with a mass of people (and at the time, well, you know why it might get a bit anxiety-inducing for some people), and eventually I moved over to the fence to give myself a bit more breathing room. You can also just hang in the back, there should be enough space until they start moving for the start. The marathon was much better for me, in part because I waited a little longer until entering, and they also got people going much quicker due to the weather that day.

 

[Herding_Cats]

Thank you - I would be dead last in a corral if I can. When you say - position yourself along a fence......do you mean like a high fence? I would feel a lot calmer if I knew I could "bolt" out of the corral if I needed to. (I'll be fine, I'm sure. I actually use being in Disney as a visual/mental meditation when I'm feeling anxious!)

They have sections that are those metal, pin-together gates, and they also had a lot of mesh barrier. Around 3ft high. And people definitely disconnected the metal gates to run down to the woods to pee in several spots. Hang on. Let me edit this from my phone with my "what am I doing here, running a marathon, up at 2am" face for my husband.

For reference, I'm sitting on the ground. I strategically used the speed limit sign for a fellow Dis'er to be able to find me for a pre-race meetup.


also found a pic of the metal gates they have in areas.

 

[SheHulk]

Thank you - I would be dead last in a corral if I can. When you say - position yourself along a fence......do you mean like a high fence? I would feel a lot calmer if I knew I could "bolt" out of the corral if I needed to. (I'll be fine, I'm sure. I actually use being in Disney as a visual/mental meditation when I'm feeling anxious!)

Oh, no, not a high fence usually. My memory is that they are like hip or waist height. People sometimes drape their cast-off clothes over the fence for instance, when they take them off to start the race.

 

[SheHulk]

They have sections that are those metal, pin-together gates, and they also had a lot of mesh barrier. Around 3ft high. And people definitely disconnected the metal gates to run down to the woods to pee in several spots. Hang on. Let me edit this from my phone with my "what am I doing here, running a marathon, up at 2am" face for my husband.

For reference, I'm sitting on the ground. I strategically used the speed limit sign for a fellow Dis'er to be able to find me for a pre-race meetup.
View attachment 641867

also found a pic of the metal gates they have in areas.
View attachment 641868

Yes much better answer than mine above

 

[JJ2017]

They have sections that are those metal, pin-together gates, and they also had a lot of mesh barrier. Around 3ft high. And people definitely disconnected the metal gates to run down to the woods to pee in several spots. Hang on. Let me edit this from my phone with my "what am I doing here, running a marathon, up at 2am" face for my husband.

For reference, I'm sitting on the ground. I strategically used the speed limit sign for a fellow Dis'er to be able to find me for a pre-race meetup.
View attachment 641867

also found a pic of the metal gates they have in areas.
View attachment 641868

OK - my heart rate is dropping. Thank you!

 

[DopeyBadger]

OK - for real - how packed are the corrals? And how long do you stand in them before you get started? As I'm aging I'm getting more and more anxious being in closed spaces. I know this it outside, and that's a bit better, but I think I'm going to feel a bit panicky. Can I push myself to a side? Anyone with strategies to help me out? Thanks!

Youtube videos might help. Here's a bunch that show the corrals/starting groups. Any 5k/10k video from Princess or Marathon Weekend will essentially be the same setup. Any HM/M will have a different appearance than the 10k you'll be running at Princess 2022:

https://youtu.be/dsXUXhwBde0

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eGPJH5KM5Uo

 

[sandam1]

Just a word of warning for newbies out there re. the corral set-up, the one thing that you don't want to do for the half marathon is to wait until the last minute to leave the pre-race area and head towards the corrals. Assuming that things stay the same, it is a LONG (over a mile, I believe) walk out to the corrals and they will start closing the first couple of corrals well before the official race start time.