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Showing posts with label RunDisney. Show all posts
Showing posts with label RunDisney. Show all posts
Tuesday, July 6, 2021
The Mouse Castle Lounge 07-06-2021 - 'Star Wars' Anime, Disneyland Resort Restaurant Closures, and the Return of RunDisney
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Wednesday, January 20, 2016
Inside The Mouse Castle 01-20-2016 - Oscar Nominations, a New Boss at Disney Imagineering and Ten Years of "High School Musical'
By Tim Callaway
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| Millennium Falcon at the Star Wars Launch Bay. |
I was at Disneyland last weekend for the Star Wars Half Marathon and finished the 13.1-mile course in just under two hours and eleven minutes on a sore left foot. Nick Arciniaga, the overall winner of the event, finished in about half that time.
Sore foot. Yeah, that's my excuse.
The weekend also gave me some time to finally explore the Star Wars Launch Bay in Tomorrowland, which I somehow managed to miss since it opened a couple months ago. It's a fun exhibit full of ship models, prop replicas and costumes, not to mention meet-and-greets with Chewbacca and Darth Vader. The Launch Bay has received some criticism for not being quite "WOW!" enough for Disneyland, but I think it accomplishes exactly what it sets out to do: engage Star Wars fans with some real live stuff they can see and interact with until Star Wars Land finally makes its debut at the park, we hope, in 2018.
Here's what else Anthony and I have going on in this week's episode of Inside The Mouse Castle:
- Oscar nominations were announced last week and films under the Disney umbrella fared well, although there were a few disappointments. Neither Star Wars: The Force Awakens nor Inside Out landed Best Picture nominations. Star Wars was recognized with five noms in mostly technical categories, while Inside Out landed nominations for Best Animated Feature and Original Screenplay. Sanjay's Super Team was nominated for Best Animated Short Film while Cinderella did likewise for Costume Design. The Oscars will air on February 28 on ABC.
- Bob Weis is the new president of Walt Disney Imagineering. He's been heading up the Shanghai Disney Resort project (which we now know is opening June 16) and was creative lead for the Disney California Adventure expansion and the original Disney/MGM Studios (now Disney's Hollywood Studios).
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| Lights, Motors, Action! Extreme Stunt Show at Disney's Hollywood Studios. |
- The Lights, Motors, Action! Extreme Stunt Show will end at Disney's Hollywood Studios on April 2 to make way for the upcoming Star Wars and Toy Story expansions at the park.
- Inside The Mouse Castle sends its condolences to the family and friends of former Disney Channel star Michael Galeota and actor Brian Bedford. Galeota passed away January 10 at age 31. Bedford, a respected stage and screen actor who voiced the title role in Disney's animated Robin Hood, died at the age of 80 on January 13.
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| The cast of High School Musical returns for a 10-year reunion. |
- It's hard to believe, but Disney's High School Musical is ten years old. The Disney Channel celebrated with an anniversary special this week featuring the original cast.
Enjoy!
Tuesday, September 1, 2015
Inside The Mouse Castle 08-31-2015 - Disney Infinity 3.0, Star Wars and Disneyland Half Marathons, Force Friday
By Tim Callaway
The Force is strong with us Inside The Mouse Castle this week. Just about every story Anthony and I bandy about has some connection to Star Wars. This wasn't by design. It's just how the news stream happens sometimes. We like it.
I start (I'd say "we," but Anthony wants none of it) with my first impressions of Disney Infinity 3.0 and the Star Wars play set that comes with it: Twilight of the Republic. With the help of my grandkids, we gave it a good run over the weekend. They loved it. I liked the look of TOTR--and certainly the Star Wars characters are welcome--but I couldn't help but feel this was just more of the same from Disney Infinity. Quest, destroy bad guys, rinse, repeat.
Here's what else we've got on today's show. It's more fun than shooting womp rats in Beggar's Canyon:
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| Twilight of the Republic in Disney Infinity 3.0. |
I start (I'd say "we," but Anthony wants none of it) with my first impressions of Disney Infinity 3.0 and the Star Wars play set that comes with it: Twilight of the Republic. With the help of my grandkids, we gave it a good run over the weekend. They loved it. I liked the look of TOTR--and certainly the Star Wars characters are welcome--but I couldn't help but feel this was just more of the same from Disney Infinity. Quest, destroy bad guys, rinse, repeat.
Here's what else we've got on today's show. It's more fun than shooting womp rats in Beggar's Canyon:
- How many box office records will Star Wars: The Force Awakens break after it opens on December 18th? We're pretty sure its opening weekend number are going to be through the roof. Industry analysts are predicting a $615 million opening--the biggest ever. It's certain to be bolstered by a huge presence on IMAX screens around the world.
- To make way for Star Wars Land at Disneyland, Big Thunder Ranch will close its gates on January 11, 2016. The ranch's petting zoo will close on January 10th.
- Disneyland has a Star Wars Half Marathon event in January. Next April, Walt Disney World will get one as well. Star Wars Half Marathon - The Dark Side will be held April 14-17, 2016. The event will include half-marathon, 10K and 5K races. Registration at runDisney.com starts September 22nd.
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| The Disneyland Half-Marathon. |
- On Sunday, I'll be running my first half-marathon ever--at Disneyland, of course. The Disneyland Half-Marathon Weekend starts this Thursday. Will you be there? Look for me in my usual Mouse Castle garb. My feet hurt already.
- Ready for a global unboxing of Star Wars toys on YouTube? Yeah, we're not sure what to make of it either. But visit the Star Wars YouTube channel this Thursday for a preview of merchandise from Star Wars: The Force Awakens--much of which will start appearing in stores September 4th, dubbed "Force Friday." (Note: On ITMC, we got our dates confused. The worldwide online unboxing begins on September 3rd. The products will launch on September 4th. Click on the graphic above for the unboxing schedule).
- Hannibal's Mads Mikkelsen is reported to be in talks to join the cast of Marvel's Doctor Strange. With Benedict Cumberbatch, Tilda Swinton and Chiwetel Ejiofor already on board, this is going to be one star-studded MCU installment.
- And finally, whose side are you on?
Enjoy!
Tuesday, March 31, 2015
Inside The Mouse Castle 03-30-2015 - Springtime at Disneyland, Trader Sam's at Walt Disney World, 'Rogue One' vs. 'Rogue Nation'
By Tim Callaway
Spring has sprung all over the Disney parks, especially at Disneyland where they're ramping up for the Happiest Place on Earth's 60th birthday. Silver and blue Diamond Celebration decorations are showing up all over Disneyland, most notably on Sleeping Beauty Castle, which may look sharper now than it did during the 50th anniversary. And yet, with all this hoopla ready to commence, Anthony and I are more fascinated with the soft opening of Trader Sam's Grog Grotto at Walt Disney World's Polynesian Village Resort. It must be the tropical ambiance or the high-tech Tiki effects that hooked us.
Naah....it's the booze. I want a Nautilus cocktail badly.
Here's what else we've got going on in this edition of Inside The Mouse Castle:
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| Sleeping Beauty Castle at 60. |
Naah....it's the booze. I want a Nautilus cocktail badly.
Here's what else we've got going on in this edition of Inside The Mouse Castle:
- Innoventions West at Epcot is closing down for a spring refurb and will eventually welcome new sponsors to replace departing T. Rowe Price and Liberty Mutual. At least it will be back. Innoventions at Disneyland is done today.
- Have you ever wondered how you'd look as a Star Wars action figure? You can find out next month during Star Wars Weekends at Disney's Hollywood Studios where they're bringing back D-Tech Me. Get a 3D scan of your face done and it will be rendered on a 7-inch or 16-inch Star Wars figure. You can be a Stormtrooper, a Jedi Knight, or even a hapless prisoner frozen in carbonite. Prices start at a hundred bucks. Find out more on the Disney Parks Blog.
- runDisney posted their upcoming schedule of events at Disneyland and Walt Disney World. Time to start training.
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| runDisney 2015-2016 Calendar. |
- Broadway star Audra McDonald will play the Wardrobe in Disney's upcoming Beauty and the Beast, which I have to spell out because Anthony has no idea what "BatB" means.
- Cinderella continues to perform strongly at the box office, especially overseas. The reboot of Disney's animated classic just passed the $300 million mark at the worldwide box office. Want to know why Disney keeps remaking their animated films in live action? Because they make obscene amounts of money, hello!
- Are you getting Star Wars: Rogue One confused with Mission: Impossible, Rogue Nation? Me neither, but Disney/Lucasfilm and Paramount have cut a deal to keep Rogue One away from mainstream advertising until Rogue Nation has run its course. Rogue Nation, starring Tom Cruise, will hit theaters on July 31st. Rogue One will get a solid mention at Star Wars Celebration in a couple of weeks, but don't expect to hear anything else significant about it until December when Star Wars: The Force Awakens makes its debut.
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| Bambi concept art by Tyrus Wong. |
- Water to Paper, Paint to Sky: The Art of Tyrus Wong was a remarkable exhibit at the Walt Disney Family Museum in 2013. You can now catch it on the East Coast at New York's Museum of Chinese in America through September 13, 2015. It's a wonderful celebration of the Disney Legend who gave life to Bambi and, at age 104, is still producing art.
- Fancy Nancy, the title character of a successful series of children's books, will see her adventures turned into a movie on Disney Junior. My granddaughter is giddy.
- Does your child have a unique vision of the future? Hopefully, everyone's child does, but the right idea could get your kid $3,000 and some other cool prizes in Disney's Create Tomorrowland--XPRIZE Challenge. Find out more at www.xprizechallenge.org.
Enjoy!
Monday, February 23, 2015
Inside The Mouse Castle 02-23-2015 - The Oscars, Rising Ticket Prices and Walking to Walt Disney World
By Tim Callaway
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| Oscar winner Big Hero 6. |
"Once upon a time, there was a freckle-faced little boy who told his mom and his dad that one day he was gonna work at Walt Disney Animation. And they did something amazing. They supported him and they believed him. And from the bottom of his heart, he thanks them."
--Big Hero 6 co-director Don Hall
It was a good night at the Oscars Sunday for Disney Animation. Big Hero 6 was named Best Animated Feature while Feast claimed the statuette for Best Animated Short Film. There were those other films too: Birdman, The Grand Budapest Hotel and Whiplash. Anthony and I cover it all in today's episode of Inside The Mouse Castle.
We cover a few other things too:
We cover a few other things too:
- Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Men Tell No Tales has started filming in Australia and we finally know what the story will be about. Captain Jack Sparrow (Johnny Depp) crosses swords with "deadly ghost pirates" led by an old nemesis (Javier Bardem). Captain Jack's only hope is to obtain the Trident of Poseidon, the key to unlocking all the powers of the sea. POTC 5 will open in the summer of 2017.
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| Kevin Costner stars in Disney's inspirational sports film McFarland, USA. |
- Kevin Costner's latest flick for Disney, McFarland, USA, opened to generally favorable reviews and pretty good box office numbers ($11.3 million) over the weekend. One day, Anthony and I might even be talked into watching it.
- Disneyland and Walt Disney World upped their ticket prices on Sunday. The world did not end.
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| Lauren Passell wins the Disney Princess Half Marathon. |
- A year ago, Lauren Passell thought she might never run again due to a broken hip. Sunday, she beat a field of over 20,000 runners to win the Disney Princess Half Marathon at Walt Disney World.
- The Cobb family from Houston, Texas, is on a cross-country hike from Disneyland to Walt Disney World to raise money and awareness for cancer treatment and to honor the memory of their daughter, Julia Cobb. In 2013, Julia died of Ewing’s Sarcoma, a rare bone cancer, at the age of eight. The family's 4,000-mile journey began on August 4th last year and they are currently just past the halfway point in east Texas. To find out more about the Cobb family and how you can support their cause, visit www.jucanfoundation.org.
- Last year on Inside The Mouse Castle, we talked about the frivolous lawsuit filed by author Isabella Tanikumi, who claimed Disney stole the idea for their mega-hit Frozen from Tanikumi's autobiographical book Yearnings of the Heart. Last week, U.S. District Judge William Martini granted Disney's request to dismiss the lawsuit. In his ruling, Judge Martini wrote, "The setting, plot and characters have no close similarities. No lay person could find that Disney improperly appropriated from Yearnings of the Heart."
Enjoy!
Tuesday, September 30, 2014
Inside The Mouse Castle 09-30-2014 - 'Avengers 3,' Gay Days Anaheim and Hating Steve Carell
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| Avengers assemble! Then reassemble. Then assemble some more. |
Anthony and I take off our shoes and socks to count upcoming Avengers sequels and ruminate on these other bits of news in the latest edition of Inside The Mouse Castle:
- Guardians of the Galaxy continuing to climb up the box office charts is hardly news anymore, but darned if it's not still doing it. It's now the third biggest Marvel movie ever in the U.S., taking in $319.2 million domestically since its August release and trailing only Iron Man 3 and The Avengers.
- In legal wrangling dating back to 2009, Marvel has finally reached an agreement with the estate of the late writer/artist Jack Kirby. Kirby was the co-creator of classic superheroes including Captain America, Thor, Hulk, Iron Man and the X-Men. He is considered one of the all-time greats in his field and worked alongside fellow comic book legends Stan Lee and Joe Simon, among many others. Kirby's family had filed suit against Marvel and other media companies including Disney in an attempt to acquire copyrights and back profits for characters and stories created by Kirby. A brief statement released by Marvel and Kirby's estate on Friday said, "Marvel and the family of Jack Kirby have amicably resolved their legal disputes, and are looking forward to advancing their shared goal of honoring Mr. Kirby's significant role in Marvel's history."
- On the Star Wars front, actor Oscar Isaac (Inside Llewyn Davis), who will be in Episode VII, laments like so many of us the changes George Lucas made to the original trilogy. Meanwhile, director David Fincher (Gone Girl), once considered to direct Episode VII, reveals his take on the trilogy.
Thursday, September 4, 2014
The Mouse Castle Lounge 09-03-2014 - Running Disney with Sean Astin, Jeff Galloway, Jennifer Berry and Terri Hardin Jackson
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| Me, having a bit of pirate fun in the Disneyland 5K, then going for a personal best in the Disneyland 10K. |
I don't know what I enjoyed more during the Disneyland Half Marathon Weekend. Running my first ever events--at Disneyland!--on consecutive days (5K on Friday, 10K on Saturday) or just covering the weekend's festivities and chatting with people who are as passionate about Disney as they are about running.
Let's call it a draw.
I'm happy to welcome four awesome guests to The Mouse Castle Lounge. Whether you're a runner or not, I think you're going to enjoy what they have to say about fitness, reaching goals, camaraderie and the runDisney experience. One guest is an award-winning actor and film maker (and a previous guest in the Lounge), one is a fitness expert and former Olympian, one is the women's division winner of the Disneyland Half Marathon, and my final guest is an artist and former Disney Imagineer who never thought she'd be able to run as an adult.
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| Actor and film maker Sean Astin. |
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| runDisney training consultant Jeff Galloway. Photo courtesy runDisney. |
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| 2014 Disneyland Half Marathon Women's Champion Jennifer Berry. |
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| Former Disney Imagineer Terry Hardin Jackson with her medals and post-race libation. |
It's all about fun, fitness and following your dreams in this edition of The Mouse Castle Lounge. Enjoy!
Monday, September 1, 2014
Disneyland Half Marathoner Lost 346 Pounds So He Could Run Disney
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| Derrick Deaton shows off his Disneyland Half Marathon medal. |
Few have a story as inspiring as Derrick Deaton.
Five years ago, Derrick was in no condition to be running anywhere. A "sedentary lifestyle and eating whatever you want" caused him to weigh in at a whopping 529 pounds.
Something had to change.
Tired of his excessive weight, Derrick committed himself to being healthy. He began eating better and started walking, first to the end of his block, then longer distances. Walking led to running. Running eventually led to entering 5Ks. In 2010, Derrick, a die-hard Disney fan, entered his first runDisney event. This past Sunday he ran the Disneyland Half Marathon. He finished with an impressive time of 2:19:27 and did so 346 pounds lighter than he was in 2009.
Derrick appreciates that he has the ability to inspire others. "My message to other people is just to start doing something," he says. "Be active in some way."
Watch more about Derrick's amazing story:
www.themousecastle.com
Saturday, August 30, 2014
Inside The Mouse Castle 08-29-2014 - Disneyland Half Marathon Weekend, Marvel Movie Update and Disney Drones
The Disneyland Half Marathon Weekend is in full force with over 35,000 runners taking part in three races in and around the Disneyland Resort in Anaheim. I've already claimed my medals in Friday's 5K and Saturday's 10K (personal best, thank you very much). It's been a great weekend and I've had the pleasure of talking to a number of participants and event organizers including actor Sean Astin, former Disney Imagineer Terri Hardin Jackson and runDisney training consultant Jeff Galloway. I'll be sharing these interviews in an upcoming episode of The Mouse Castle Lounge, but in the meantime, Anthony and I had a few other things to talk about in the latest edition of Inside The Mouse Castle:
- As usual, rumors abound in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. What are Chris Evans' long-term plans with the Captain America franchise? Who might live and who might die in Avengers: Age of Ultron? What does Guardians of the Galaxy's box office domination mean for its inevitable sequels?
- We're happy to see Star Wars: Episode VII is back in production now that Harrison Ford has recovered from his broken leg, but we're also intrigued by a short animated film Disney will release with Big Hero 6 in November. Feast is the tale of a man, a woman, a romance, food and a terrier named Winston. We already like the look of the short, which is similar to the CGI/hand-drawn hybrid animation style of Disney's Oscar-winning Paperman. We also think the dog's pretty cute.
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| Winston is the cute little terrier at the heart of Disney's Feast. |
- Disney has filed patents on aerial drones that could one day be used to help present entertainment at Disney theme parks. Sound strange? Yeah, maybe. But the whole idea could be made irrelevant if the FAA continues to oppose the use of drone technology by private industry.
- Will Star Wars characters ever appear in Disney Infinity? Is Han Solo a scruffy-looking nerf herder? Their inevitable addition to the popular platformer is looking to happen sometime in 2015 because, you know, well, Episode VII. In the meantime, Hiro and Baymax from Big Hero 6 are the newest characters that will be joining Disney Infinity sometime this fall.
Enjoy!
Thursday, August 28, 2014
Warming Up for the Disneyland Half Marathon Weekend
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| Disney California Adventure, Thursday 5:00 a.m. |
Going for a jog with former Olympian Jeff Galloway and hanging out with actor and running enthusiast Sean Astin at Disney California Adventure are pretty good motivators.
Both gentlemen were on hand for a pre-dawn welcome event today at DCA to kick off the Disneyland Half Marathon Weekend. Fitness and nutrition experts from runDisney and Runner's World magazine were also around offering training tips for all the weekend warriors. An easy jog around Paradise Pier and a ride on Soarin' followed in an upbeat and fun-filled morning before park opening.
The Disneyland Half Marathon Weekend consists of three primary races: a 5K, 10K and half marathon, plus kids races and the runDisney Health & Fitness Expo at the Disneyland Hotel. Runners can pick up their registration packets at the Expo beginning at noon today. For more information, visit www.rundisney.com/disneyland-half-marathon.
I'll be running the 5K tomorrow and the 10K on Saturday. If you'd like to track my progress in the 10K, you can text my bib number (30834) to 345678. Stalking by text, it's pretty cool.
I'll also be putting together a special edition of The Mouse Castle Lounge which will be out on Monday. I'll recap the weekend and talk to my running guests Sean Astin, Jeff Galloway and former Imagineer Terri Hardin Jackson.
A few photos from this morning:
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| Training experts from runDisney and Runner's World offer advice to the crowd. |
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| Attendees practice some stretches. |
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| A very fit Mickey Mouse with runDisney Brand Manager Tammy Jacobson. |
Thursday, August 21, 2014
Throwback Thursday: The 2013 Disneyland 5K
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| Running right down the middle of Main Street, U.S.A. |
The photo at left is me chugging down Main Street, U.S.A. before dawn at last year's Disneyland 5K. A week from tomorrow I'll be doing it again.
Plus, I'm adding the Disneyland 10K on Saturday.
I draw the line at the half marathon, though. Oh, hell no. Not yet.
My attitude towards running has changed a bit since I laced up my Skechers for my first RunDisney event. I take running a little more seriously these days and I've actually done something that resembles training over the last seven weeks. I'm going to run events on consecutive days for the first time ever on Labor Day weekend and I've set a personal goal for the 10K. I intend to finish it in under one hour.
And yes, I'm still having fun.
I won't just be running next week. I'll also be covering the Disneyland Half Marathon Weekend for The Mouse Castle. I'll record my part of Friday's Inside the Mouse Castle with Anthony post-5K at the Disneyland Resort, and during the week I'll be talking to runners and RunDisney staff for a special edition of The Mouse Castle Lounge.
And how about you? Are you taking part in the Disneyland Half Marathon Weekend? Have you participated in other RunDisney events? How many tutus do you own? Please share your comments below. Hope to see you at the races Labor Day weekend!
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| The finish line for last year's Disneyland 5K and 10K. |
For more info about the Disneyland Half Marathon Weekend, visit http://www.rundisney.com/disneyland-half-marathon.
Saturday, August 2, 2014
Inside The Mouse Castle 08-01-2014 - 'Guardians of the Galaxy' Review and 'Into the Woods'
Also, in this episode:
- The first images and trailer from Disney's Into the Woods are out. Is this adaptation of the award-winning Broadway musical something to look forward to or will it be just another effects-heavy retelling of traditional fairy tales?
- Anthony muses on the potential of Lego Chris Pratt, but gets really excited about the possibility of Lego Wall-E which could find itself in stores in 2015.
- Registration for the Tinker Bell Half Marathon weekend at Disneyland begins on August 12th. Annual pass holders can take advantage of early registration beginning on August 6th. More details are at www.rundisney.com.
- Maleficent, starring Angelina Jolie, makes its debut on Disney Blu-ray Combo Pack, Digital HD, Disney Movies Anywhere, DVD and On-Demand on November 4th. Upcoming August home video releases include Disneynature's Bears and Muppets Most Wanted (8/12) and Captain America: The Winter Soldier (8/19).
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Wednesday, January 22, 2014
'The Book of Mouse' and the Tinker Bell Half-Marathon in the MCL
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| Tinker Bell Half-Marathon |
I'm back from a busy and fun weekend at Disneyland where I ran my first ever 10K race. What better time to do it than during the Tinker Bell Half-Marathon weekend? Over 30,000 runners took part in three days of races featuring a 5K, 10K and half-marathon. I had run a few 5Ks before, including the Disneyland 5K last August, but I wanted to take on a new challenge. So naturally, doubling the distance seemed like the thing to do. Weird, I know.
But, you know something, it wasn't that bad. I was up to the challenge and finished the race in 1:11:48, hardly a blistering pace, but respectable nonetheless. And even better when you consider that half of the race takes place in Disneyland and Disney California Adventure. Goodness knows there were plenty of distractions, costumed characters and sites to see along the way. Yes, I stopped every now and then to take pictures.
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| Pre-dawn It's a Small World |
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| The Cove Bar. Can I get a Bloody Mary to go? |
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| The Book of Mouse |
It's all in today's edition of The Mouse Castle Lounge. Oh boy!
Download: http://traffic.libsyn.com/themousecastle/TheMouseCastleLounge01-20-2014.mp3.
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For more information about The Book of Mouse, visit www.themeparkpress.com.
www.themousecastle.com
Monday, September 2, 2013
The Disneyland 5K: Just for Fun, Really
Vanellope von Schweetz: What's the big deal over that crummy medal, anyway?
I don't recall fireworks, ice sculptures or pies, but they did give me a banana and bottled water with my medal. It was totally worth it.Wreck-It Ralph: I bring that baby home I'll get fireworks, ice sculptures, pies! It's grown up stuff, a kid wouldn't understand.
I'm hardly what you'd call a runner. I'm a walker. Most mornings, I tool around my neighborhood (what some would call power walking) because it clears my head and gives me a half hour or so of quiet time before the day gets started. I have no real objective to it, no long-term weight loss plan or time or distance goals. I do it because it makes me feel better, better than I would slumped on the couch eating Cheez-Its. It's just something I do without much consideration of organized running events.
Until this weekend, I'd entered only one 5K race in my life--a Color Run in Las Vegas--because a friend talked me into it. I don't walk/run for competitive reasons or to see how I stack up against others. I say if we all finish the race without keeling over, that's a win.
So Saturday, I (mostly) ran (and finished without keeling over) the Disneyland 5K, part of the Disneyland Half Marathon Weekend that wrapped up on Sunday. My motivation was simple. It had nothing to do with completing the course within a specific time or beating any fellow runners. I just wanted to see what it was like to run down the middle of Main Street, USA before the sun came up. Some may call that strange, but when you're a Disney blogger, it's not strange, it's research.
I picked up my registration packet with my bib, race guide, t-shirt and assorted tschotskes at the Disneyland Hotel on Friday afternoon. I'd heard complaints about excessive crowds making it a nightmare, but aside for the 15 minutes it took for me to find a parking space in Downtown Disney, it wasn't that bad. Registration was in the underground parking garage at the DLH Convention Center. From there I was directed to the Expo Hall upstairs where I picked up my t-shirt and that was pretty much it. There were plenty of people, but no really long lines. I roamed the Health & Fitness Expo briefly before making Trader Sam's a bigger priority (I was in training, after all). There I sorted through my bag of race goodies.
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| My registration packet. Martini and Trader Sam's menu provided by me. |
It was still dark when I arrived at the 5k corral shortly after 5:00 a.m. And there were a ton of people already in front of me. After the gun went off at 5:30, my neighbors and I probably didn't cross the starting line until 5:40. That's when the fun really began.
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| The start of the Disneyland 5K. Did I mention it was really dark...and crowded? |
And so I did.
Okay, not really a run, but a jog damn faster than my walking pace. And I kept at it. Down the service road to the backside of Radiator Springs, winding through DCA past Carthay Circle, across the Esplanade to Disneyland, meandering down Main Street towards the Matterhorn, making a sharp left into Fantasyland, chasing down Big Thunder Trail, around the banks of the Rivers of America, past the Haunted Mansion, out the back of Critter Country into the backstage areas, returning to the Esplanade then heading home to the finish through Downtown Disney. All the while dodging people left and right. Navigating around them, between them. I didn't run the whole course--a man's got to know his limitations--but I easily ran two thirds of it. And yes, I timed myself, 36 minutes, 20 seconds. Not record-breaking, but respectable for an old dude like me. And okay, fine, I'll admit it. I enjoyed passing people, especially at the finish (we won't talk about all the people who passed me).
Dammit, Disneyland, you made me get all competitive in this thing. Sometime during the race, the outcome mattered to me. To make time, I slowed down only when I felt fatigued or traffic dictated it. I even passed up on-course photo-ops with Disney characters. I did stop to take a pre-dawn shot of Main Street, though.
When can we do it again?
It's funny you should ask that. I just registered for the Tinker Bell 10K in January. That's ten with a capital one-zero. 6.2 miles. And in that race they give you an official time. And a bigger, shinier medal.
I'm not that competitive. I'm doing this just for fun. Really.
I better get fireworks and an ice sculpture.
For more information about runDisney events, visit www.rundisney.com.
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