Marathon Weekend 2025

[nancipants]

I have seen other runners get lightning lanes for Rockin and ToT. And boarding groups for Cosmic Rewind. So I don’t think tapping in is an issue.

 

[runsparkles]

Anyone have good running headphone recommendations? I find that my airpods either die or fall out easily

 

[Naomeri]

Anyone have good running headphone recommendations? I find that my airpods either die or fall out easily

Shokz are the best thing ever—you can hear your music (or whatever) and whatever’s going on around you, which makes them ideal for racing.

In my opinion, get the OpenRun, not the OpenFit. I’ve had issues with mine getting glitchy after sweaty runs, and they don’t always stay deactivated in their charging case, which eats the battery

 

[Disneyhanna]

Shokz are the best thing ever—you can hear your music (or whatever) and whatever’s going on around you, which makes them ideal for racing.

In my opinion, get the OpenRun, not the OpenFit. I’ve had issues with mine getting glitchy after sweaty runs, and they don’t always stay deactivated in their charging case, which eats the battery

Another vote for Shokz openrun! I forgot to charge mine the other day and had to use my AirPods and it felt gross having something in my ear while I was sweating

The only downside is if you run in a really high traffic area (along busy roads and on freeway overpasses) you can't hear anything very well. But for runs in the neighborhood, paths, etc. they are great and I can hear people approaching me from behind easily, even with my music/podcasts playing.

 

[runsparkles]

Thank you @Disneyhanna and @Naomeri I will check it out!!

 

[GADisneyDad14]

Love my AfterShokz (I guess now just Shokz, I’m behind and missed that somewhere) Aeropex, which if I’m not mistaken was the predecessor to the current OpenRun model. They have been sweat on, rained on, tossed from bag to bag, and generally abused but still flat out work like a champ. Great battery life, good fit, easy start/stop with the music. It’s not the best sound quality as compared to in ear designs, but it’s passable and the open ear design works better for me as I’m usually in higher traffic locations.

I got a pair of the Shokz OpenRun as a gift this year and it’s currently serving as my travel running headphones. Haven’t fully put it through the paces but it seems overall very similar, if not fractionally inferior audio quality to the Aeropex (it’s more high pitchy, less bass, for lack of a better description). Slicing the onion real thin there though.

Overall two thumbs up for the Shokz brand.

 

[camaker]

Love my AfterShokz (I guess now just Shokz, I’m behind and missed that somewhere) Aeropex, which if I’m not mistaken was the predecessor to the current OpenRun model. They have been sweat on, rained on, tossed from bag to bag, and generally abused but still flat out work like a champ. Great battery life, good fit, easy start/stop with the music. It’s not the best sound quality as compared to in ear designs, but it’s passable and the open ear design works better for me as I’m usually in higher traffic locations.

I got a pair of the Shokz OpenRun as a gift this year and it’s currently serving as my travel running headphones. Haven’t fully put it through the paces but it seems overall very similar, if not fractionally inferior audio quality to the Aeropex (it’s more high pitchy, less bass, for lack of a better description). Slicing the onion real thin there though.

Overall two thumbs up for the Shokz brand.

The Aeropex were rebranded as the OpenRun, so they're the same thing. They also have the OpenRun Pro with faster charging and longer battery life, but not quite as much waterproofing.

 

[GADisneyDad14]

The Aeropex were rebranded as the OpenRun, so they're the same thing. They also have the OpenRun Pro with faster charging and longer battery life, but not quite as much waterproofing.

Ahh, got it, thanks for the clarification!

 

[prncssjas]

Anyone have good running headphone recommendations? I find that my airpods either die or fall out easily

I agree with the Shokz recommendations but I would also add that I now always run with my Ray Ban Meta sunglasses. I usually always run in sunglasses (not just for sun but also on cloudy days) because wind irritates my eyes. I love them! The sound is amazing, I can still hear the road, they are stylish and fun--and the battery life is pretty darn good. I have run a few races with them and they have held up really nicely. I realize they are meant for more than just listening to music (I think you can take video, pics, talk on the phone, etc...) but I haven't used it for any of that (bit of a tech dinosaur here, ) but just another option to consider.

 

[kps7795]

I thought there was a guy who did a bunch of rides during the marathon this year? I could be mistaken but he even had a Guardians VQ, he did as much as you could feasibly do during the race. Trying to see if I can find him again.

If you are interested in either incredible stories or guidance, check out the Ultimate Dopey Challenge Facebook group. There are two guys who stand out amongst the bunch however, Robert Wang and Brandon Knight. Robert actually rode Everest, Kali, Dinosaur AND Kilimanjaro Safari at DAK.

 

[kps7795]

It was Brandon Knight with the shenanigans. Long live the hashbrowns Super nice guy.

I am in awe of Brandon. He's a great runner with an incredible sense of humor. Moreover, he's proof that consistency and dedication can lead to great results. The most amazing part to me is that he was previously 430 lbs and now he's a 3:41 marathoner.

To add to his shenanigans, he even rode Spaceship Earth!

 

[Sara W]

I know they filed permits for a construction staging area behind Kali. Is that in the area we run out of AK during the marathon? I wonder how that and Dinoland construction will impact the course in future years.

 

[Mr_Incr3dible]

Shokz are the best thing ever—you can hear your music (or whatever) and whatever’s going on around you, which makes them ideal for racing.

In my opinion, get the OpenRun, not the OpenFit. I’ve had issues with mine getting glitchy after sweaty runs, and they don’t always stay deactivated in their charging case, which eats the battery

This! The wife gave me an (I think) OpenMove for Christmas 2021 and I have used them ever since for my runs.
I love the situational awareness of being able to hear others around me, both in races and during training runs.
If there is a loud noise, like a passing car with a loud exhaust, it does drown out my tunes/podcast for a moment, but I can deal with that. During races, I can't hear any of my content with the pre-race noise, or if going by a cheer zone with music. And for that, meh. I have hours of music, so not hearing it for a minute or so is no big deal. (FWIW, I no longer take them for the Peachtree Road Race. It is so dense with both other runners and entertainment along the way that I just enjoy what is there.) And if you want a break from having them on your head, it's easy enough to drop them down to your neck; doing so is also faster than trying to turn them down if you need to hear something.
They don't store as compactly as earbuds, but OTOH, you don't have to worry one falling out and you don't have something in your ear for miles. Also FWIW, I haven't had any issues with sweat or battery. I do take the advice of Shokz and leave mine sitting out to dry after a run, and before charging or putting them up.
YMMV, but I really like mine.

 

[PrincessV]

Anyone have good running headphone recommendations? I find that my airpods either die or fall out easily

I got a pair of JLab Go Air Sport wireless earbuds with ear loops real cheap on Amazon - their first outing was the WDW Half(of a Half) this year in the rain - no issues at all! I wear them all the time - they stay put in my tiny ears and the battery lasts forever.

 

[kps7795]

I got a pair of JLab Go Air Sport wireless earbuds with ear loops real cheap on Amazon - their first outing was the WDW Half(of a Half) this year in the rain - no issues at all! I wear them all the time - they stay put in my tiny ears and the battery lasts forever.

You really can't beat the price at $25. However, I fear that I would kill them within a month being a heavy sweater. They have a lower IP rating than Apple Airpods Pro and killed four pairs of them.

 

[PrincessV]

You really can't beat the price at $25. However, I fear that I would kill them within a month being a heavy sweater. They have a lower IP rating than Apple Airpods Pro and killed four pairs of them.

Also a heavy sweater - and live and run in FL, so my earbuds definitely get WET! I’ve been using these since Jan and haven’t had any issues yet. I dry them off and clean the exterior with rubbing alcohol, then leave them out of the charging case for an hour or so after use, just to be sure no moisture gets into the charging port.

 

[Zutroy]

You really can't beat the price at $25. However, I fear that I would kill them within a month being a heavy sweater. They have a lower IP rating than Apple Airpods Pro and killed four pairs of them.

I have the same problem, and my sweat also destroys headphones. I tried the AirPods Pro, and had to get them replaced after a run. I also have the Beats Fit Pro, which have the same tech and sound, but also have wings to fit snugly in your ears. I’ve used them for a couple of years during runs without problems.

 

[The Expert]

here can be severe delays getting to a park if you rely on driving (including Disney busses) to get there, due to road closures. This works out great if you aren't one of the folks stuck in traffic -- MK crowds are super light for the first couple of hours for those within monorail/launch distance

THIS! I was staying at Bay Lake and spectating the marathon. I headed over to MK on foot after the course had been cleared to get medal pics (from the other 3 races) and it was EMPTY! Had plenty of time to go back to the hotel, check my stuff with bell services for transfer and get to Epcot on the monorail to spectate for another couple hours.

I have seen other runners get lightning lanes for Rockin and ToT. And boarding groups for Cosmic Rewind. So I don’t think tapping in is an issue.

In the Before Times (2020 marathon), I had a fastpass for Everest that I timed perfectly for when I ran by. I was able to use it without having tapped in at the gate. Sounds like that experience is still consistent!

 

[Let's Get Kronk]

I am in awe of Brandon. He's a great runner with an incredible sense of humor. Moreover, he's proof that consistency and dedication can lead to great results. The most amazing part to me is that he was previously 430 lbs and now he's a 3:41 marathoner.

To add to his shenanigans, he even rode Spaceship Earth!

He's running the SS 10K this Saturday as the "Hash Box Ghost" and will have a "hat box" full of hash browns.

 

[nekonekoneko]

Not sure if we're aware of this. This just flew by my radar: