Official 2017 Tinker Bell Half Marathon Weekend!

[40-Something Kid]

I almost ended up trying to book a room at the DL hotel for Tink. I was trolling around on the website yesterday and thought I'd see what hotel options and costs were. Well, DL hotel was showing availability with a pretty decent "spring sale" rate. It was still too rich for my blood, but I thought maybe I could score a military discount on top of it. But, by the time I asked my husband his thoughts and I went back to check, the cheaper rooms were gone and then the more expensive ones (even if I could get the military rate) were just too much. Oh well, probably better to save the money since I'm currently using points to pay for the room we have reserved, but the idea of just stepping out of the hotel and basically straight into the corrals was awfully tempting.

Where did you find availability and decent rates--could not find that on the regular Disney site? Thanks!

 

[Davidg83]

In case anyone was waiting for volunteer sign-ups...

https://www.mouseplanet.com/11737/B...isney_Drops_Volunteers_in_Favor_of_Paid_Temps

I hope this doesn't make it so there are a bunch of people there just to get a paycheck. The enthusiasm of the volunteers is always great. I'm afraid this might suffer a bit with paid workers. Hopefully some of the frequent volunteers make the effort to get placed as a temp worker for the events.

 

[ZellyB]

Where did you find availability and decent rates--could not find that on the regular Disney site? Thanks!

It was just on the Disneyland website. And, by decent rates, I just meant compared to early weeks. Prices were still in excess of $400 per night. I was only going to consider it if I could also use the military discount (35%) on top of that. The rate had a little green flag next to it that said "spring sale". But, when I looked back a couple of hours later, those cheaper rooms were gone and the only thing left was like Premium view for $500/night.

 

[Ariel484]

Now I'm worry that Tink will be a disorganized mess.

I hope this doesn't make it so there are a bunch of people there just to get a paycheck. The enthusiasm of the volunteers is always great. I'm afraid this might suffer a bit with paid workers. Hopefully some of the frequent volunteers make the effort to get placed as a temp worker for the events.

Yeah, we get to be the guinea pigs.

Newbie Questions

I have run many WDW races--I live in FL--but I am new to DL races. We are going to stay at either the Anaheim Hilton or the Anaheim Sheraton. How do we get to the race starting point? Are there shuttles, or do we walk? Also, where is the bib pickup. Sorry, I know, such a pathetic newbie--please help!

Packet pick-up is at the Disneyland Hotel! They use a conference room and an underground parking garage - SUPER different from WDW! Much smaller expo.

As far as hotels/corrals, maybe check out this map of area hotels? I *think* you would need to walk and I *think* the corrals will be on Disneyland Drive but it's hard to say without course maps...check out page 22 of last year's event guide for corral maps (again, assuming they don't TOTALLY Change the courses this year...hopefully we'll know in a couple of weeks): http://as1.wdpromedia.com/media/rundisney/2016TinkProgram.pdf

 

[VickiHD]

Sad to hear about the change with the volunteers.
But remember, we are still running the streets of Anaheim with the great crowd support that always comes out to support the runners. That helps makes DL races special.

 

[roxymama]

Sad to hear about the change with the volunteers.
But remember, we are still running the streets of Anaheim with the great crowd support that always comes out to support the runners. That helps makes DL races special.

I'm really looking forward to the red hat ladies I've heard so much about!

 

[courtneybeth]

Now that we are about a month away, can we start speculating when we will get corrals and shirt colors?

 

[Ariel484]

Now that we are about a month away, can we start speculating when we will get corrals and shirt colors?

 

[Ariel484]

My official guess* is we are 2 weeks away from corrals (so 3 weeks before race weekend...April 17ish?) and won't see shirts until Day 1 of the expo, pr possibly the day before.

*my runDisney guesses have been terrible alllll year long!

 

[roxymama]

My guess is the corrals/course will come out whatever day I end up not being near my phone or computer for an extended period of time and I'll come on here and have to catch up on a thousand posts.

Do y'all have a gut instinct on whether corrals/course will be totally the same or totally different? Anyone have a sixth sense? (I'm so impatient!, haha)

 

[Ariel484]

I *think* that the corral set-up will be the same/similar to past years (6ish large corrals). Times for the corrals are hard to predict because it all depends on what kinds of times are submitted, and that can change from year to year.

I'm really not sure what to think about the courses. I could have sworn that the 5K course description used to explicitly say that the race started on Main Street, but now it just says "through the Disneyland resort." And I haven't been following the Star Wars construction at all to know if that will impact anything... I wouldn't be surprised to see changes to the course, but again, my guesses have been bad lately.

 

[ZellyB]

I've got no clue or guesses about anything. But, I am impatiently waiting.

 

[VickiHD]

I'm really looking forward to the red hat ladies I've heard so much about!

They are awesome!!!! I even tear up running past them. Those ladies are out as early as we are cheering us on loudly.
I think they must "put" something in their coffee.

 

[JulieODC]

All your guesses are better than mine! Add me to the group sitting on the impatient bench.

 

[VickiHD]

Here's my prediction for the official merchandise....we will get a preview the day before the expo on Wednesday when most of us are driving down or flying into town.

 

[ZellyB]

They are awesome!!!! I even tear up running past them. Those ladies are out as early as we are cheering us on loudly.
I think they must "put" something in their coffee.

When I am an old woman, I shall wear purple, with a red hat that doesn't go. - and cheer on runDisney runners while sipping on spiked coffee. #lifegoals

 

[VickiHD]

When I am an old woman, I shall wear purple, with a red hat that doesn't go. - and cheer on runDisney runners while sipping on spiked coffee. #lifegoals

Me too!!!! Me too !!
It's funny.....when I see the ladies in the park after the race, I always like to thank them for cheering us on and a couple of the ones I've talked to really seem to be having a "fun time" and you could definitely smell the alcohol. But those ladies are out cheering us on making our race even more special.

 

[courtneybeth]

I think we'll get corrals just before Dark Side. I'd love for the 2:45 and faster group to be in B or C.

Shirts? I hope the half marathon shirt is a gorgeous pink.

 

[The Expert]

I think we'll get corrals just before Dark Side. I'd love for the 2:45 and faster group to be in B or C.

Me too, since my POT is 2:35!

 

[courtneybeth]

Me too, since my POT is 2:35!

You rock, speedy!

I'm going in with an equivalent of about a 2:42 HM with my 10K time. I'd like to be in the back part of B. Worst-case C. We'd be in C if it stays like 2016's corrals.