I have mixed feelings about this race. I mean, I felt they cut back this year because: 1) You don't really see any characters along the race 2) Fees for the race are high as usual 3) Goody box and goodie bag is nothing beyond ordinary. That said, it's still Disney and they do a good job controlling the crowds. The medal for the 10K and the Half and of course the Pixie challenge is pretty awesome, just not $300+ awesome. You get a two tech tees and a bright yellow shirt if you do all three. The route is okay, you get about little over 2 miles of Disney and enough of the outside area. As for volunteers this year, Disney hired people from temp agencies because volunteers were no shows on previous years and spectrum sports (SS) were running the race. So I would focus your attention with SS in terms of race related issues (if you have one) rather than Disney. This race really should be cheaper for So. Cal Residents, just my two cents. read more

Tinker Bell Half Marathon - Me - Races & Competitions Near Me - Anaheim, California

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Of all the Disney races I've done, this one was just ok. It's well organized for sure. The RunDisney expo was the usual cluster it usually is, but at least it was open until 8 pm on Thursday and Friday. The 5K was held on Friday morning, the 10K held on Saturday, and the half was on Sunday. The route is different from the Disneyland 10K that I've done before. The photo ops were with all the fairies other than Tinkerbell which was a tad disappointing. I'm not sure if she came out at a different time but I didn't see her. It didn't matter because a lot of the runners dressed up as fairies or other Disney characters. I saw Hook, Peter Pan, Wendy, Aladdin, Belle, and Hades running on the course. The finisher's expo was disappointing in that they only offered Powerade, Dasani water, and bananas. That's it. Usually, there are food boxes stuffed with a Cliff bar, Craisins (another sponsor), crackers, cheese, and other goodies. This time around, nothing but bananas. I'm not sure if the boxes were misplaced, stolen, or what but for as much money as we pay to run these races, the least they could do for us at the end is to give us more food. The finishers' medal was cool though. It has all the fairies from Pixie Hollow on it surrounding the words Tinkerbell 10K along with the date. Now with more RunDisney races being offered throughout the year (Star Wars, Tinkerbell, Disneyland, Avengers) in California, I'll probably run the other ones before considering signing up for this one again. read more

Tinker Bell Half Marathon - Races & Competitions Near Me - Anaheim, California

NO PAIN - NO GAIN... I pulled my groin the day prior during my warm-up run and was concerned whether or not I was able to run the TB half. Did conservative treatment and hoped for the best. The race started at 545a. Luckily, I was dropped off and was easy to hobble over to the start. It was dark, cold and TONS of people. The opening ceremonies were awesome. The Star Spangled Banner included fireworks and the MCs had so much energy to pump everyone up. GIRL POWER!!! The entire process ran smoothly and I was very impressed especially since this was inaugural race for Disney. The only setback was running thru the back-lots in the dark. VERY bottlenecky and I felt I was in a herd of cattle. Otherwise, the course was flat with the exception of a couple small hills. Loved how we went thru both Disneyland (Cinderella's castle!!!) and California Adventure. Such a memorable experience. There were many characters and stations where people can stop and take photo-ops. It was awesome!!! Unfortunately, I wanted to get the run over with due to the pain. Lots and lots of cheerleaders and support crew. I saw my BFF at mile 6 - O HAI ANT!!! I ran a couple miles with my cousin who ran her first halfie. The medal is beauti-mus and Tink even spins - WEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!!!! The biggest medal I have in my case!!! ======================================================= STATS: Chip Time 2:15:37 Overall Place 1466 / 9386 Gender Place 1466 / 9386 Division Place 286 / 1717 Age Grade 49% 5K Split 35:14 10K Split 1:06:46 15K Split 1:38:15 read more

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This is the second marathon I have ran in my life and I would have to say this is the most memorable. Check-In and Expo: I took the day off and decided to check-in and register on the first day of the expo to avoid the crowds. Parked in Downtown Disney, I made my way down to the hotel. It was simple and easy. Volunt-ears where already present and they cheer you on as you activate the built-in chip on your number. Completely appreciative of those volunteers as their cheers pumps you up. The Expo itself was cool with workshops and demos. Lots of Disney themed and women running equipment. Some spots have cool deals so it's beneficial to buy your equipment there than online or on at retail stores. The day of the race: One Tip: ARRIVE EARLY. I left at 330 from LA to get there at 410am just to deal with parking.. then walking from the parking lot to the starting line. Give yourself ample time. The course takes you out to the commercial streets, in Disney California, in Disneyland, the back lots, residential area, back to commercial streets and back to Downtown Disney. Because you start at 500am, seeing the parks light up and the characters out cheering you on was extremely awesome. I felt like a kid again and it was enough visuals to distract me from the pain. lol! Fellow runners are dressed up in their favorite fairy outfits (or any Disney character for that matter.) If any thing, the comradery, positive energy and excitement was motivating. Another thing that was beautiful to see is people of different ages and shapes running this race. 13.1 miles is not an easy feat and the allure of Disney certainly squashes that fear that people may have in running a half marathon. Bravo, Disneyland for having these events. Now if only they can give us a better discount or free entry to the park! read more

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Disney is magical and definitely convinced a non-runner like me to sign up for their first half marathon. I ran the Tinkerbell Half Marathon in January 2013. I hadn't ran since high school so I definitely needed to train and get into shape. Thankfully, I had a great trainer and motivator. :) The expo was large and getting our bibs and shirts wasn't too bad. There were lots too see and lots to sample. You could even get "fairy dust" before you left in preparation for the next day's run. The hardest part was waking up early and getting there by 5am for the 6am run. Hotels partnered with Disney to offer transportation for the weekend which was nice. The race itself was fun because you got to run through the park and see behind the scenes area. Characters were out waiting to take pictures with runners and cheering everyone on. There was plenty of water stops too. My favorite part was running through the castle and seeing the holiday lights still up. My only complaint was that when the race course left the park, it got boring running through the streets of Anaheim. At the end, you are pretty much where you started in a parking lot near the Disneyland Hotel. You are given a boxed snack along with water and you're super cool medal for finishing! If you want to participate in the coast to coast challenge, you need to complete two races, one at Disneyland and one at Disneyworld to earn an additional medal. Race participants get discounts through Disney on park tickets and hotels. Be sure to sign up for race reminders because these races do fill up fast! I didn't dress up for my first run because I didn't want it to interfere with my running but I regret that decision. It would have been much more fun dressing up in Disney costumes like many others there. Next time! :) read more

Tinker Bell Half Marathon - Completed my first half marathon! - Races & Competitions Near Me - Anaheim, California

Had a great time running the Tinkerbell 10k over Mother's Day weekend this year. Yes, it's a pricey race. No, I'm not a crazy Disney fanatic but some friends were doing it so I joined them for fun. Having participated in the Disney Half years ago and not caring much for it I was happy to participate in the 10k and knew what to expect from a Disney race. We had a good time. Traveling down to OC from LA on Friday, attending the expo together, having girls night out near Angels Stadium and a slumber party makes the entire thing that much more fun! Race day is always EARLY with these Disney events! We were up around 4A and out of the house before 5A. I started without my girls who were in different corals than me. Arriving a few minutes before the start I jogged up to a very organized and small Coral A which made my start super smooth and the course pretty open unlike the bottleneck areas that many may experience further back when you get the walkers who are starting with runners. I placed 9th in my age group, which isn't horrible but reminds me there is always room for improvement even when running on wet, slippery surfaces after tons of rain and through and around amusement parks. If I do this run again, I'll definitely run quicker and have realized it can still be competitive fun for myself so long as I get out of the gate before the folks who aren't as serious about the running aspect. Charging to park for the Expo and Race day always gets me. I feel it's completely ridiculous on top of the already high price registration fee and we're out of the lot before people coming to the park are even arriving. What can you do? You pay. Or Uber perhaps. I never care much for the expo and don't feel I need to spend much time in there. The race was fun, being the shorter distance most of it was spent running through Disneyland and California Adventure which is surely the highlight to these runs. I wish I'd had my jacket unzipped because I have no pics since I zippered up over my race bib. I was half asleep and it was raining when we arrived, so clearly I wasn't thinking clearly. The bibs are festive, the shirts are always nice (I was able to exchange my S for an XS), the medals are massive and of nice quality for a distance as short as a 10k. I wouldn't rule out participating again in the future, may even be more fun to do the 10k and half to earn the Pixie Challenge Medal. read more

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This was my first Disney race and what a magical experience it was! I got to the expo on Saturday afternoon. Since the 5 and 10k's had already taken place that morning, there wasn't a wait for bib and shirt pickup for the half marathon but I still had to walk through a maze to get there. Not knowing the schedule of guest speakers and such, I happen to be there when the woman who was the reference model in the 50's for Tinker Bell was speaking. I wanted to wear Tinker Bell green to the run so I caved in and spent a small fortune on a shirt from the Raw Threads booth. Amongst the great things about the shirt, it glows in the dark (after being exposed to light). Race day, we parked in the Mickey and Friends structure for $16 and I was so relieved they have an actual restroom on the ground floor of the structure. I guess I never noticed it before. We got to our corral right in time as they were the next wave of runners. I loved running through California Adventure and Disneyland that early in the a.m. with all the pretty lights. We stopped a number of times for photos including one with Wendy and Peter Pan and then the Lost Boys. There were other characters throughout the park of which some had longer lines. I appreciated all the school bands and the cheerleaders. I couldn't help but smile when I heard them play Macklemore's 'Can't Hold Us'. After mile 6, the course heads out of the park to the neighboring streets. There were unofficial water stops by generous people and somebody handing out orange slices. I really love the medal with the turning Tink. The post-run refreshments weren't bad and neither was the entertainment provided by a band of service men and women in uniform. Behind the band displayed a live feed of the runners coming in towards the finish line. It's fun running with a bunch of fairies and to see the other costumed runners, especially one good-looking Peter Pan in green tights. I even came across somebody dressed as Anna the Snow Queen from Disney's latest movie 'Frozen'. I wish I could do this run every year but alas, it costs a pretty penny. read more

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I had soooooooo much fun!! I want to give it 4 1/2 stars, because of lack of entertainment during the run, but heck...I give 5 stars! But the water people are super nice and this year they are not volunteers. I loved the area we ran in better, where it come to the running surface, because we didn't have to run on rocks, but did miss running into Anaheim Angel Stadium. I love love love the Half Marathon & the Pixie Challenge Medals!!!! YAY for 5/2017 run!! read more

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This is about the fifth Disney race I've attended. I signed up for one more Labor Day weekend which will probably be my last. This race follows what I have experienced at other Disney races. They are are very expensive. They offer nothing different than other races I attend. They don't even offer a discount on a day at the park. They hardly play any music along the route. There aren't many characters. Very few water stations, and a lot of ugly areas you run in. Until this race, the shirts have been so-so. This one is at least one I would wear. If you sign up for their 5k's, try not to be too offended . For some reason, all the 5k Disney Run shirts are a step below the other race distance shirts. I feel bad for someone who has worked hard to get to that distance, and gets a crap shirt. I'm a longer distance runner, but that doesn't mean I deserve a better shirt. They should all be good ones. Especially for what you pay! On the good side, it's fun to see people dressed up in character costumes and a lot of family groups. It's fun seeing parents walking or jogging alongside their children. A positive message of health. The medals are really nice too with heavy decorative ribbons. If you haven't done one, it's worth trying it out. Maybe your experience will be received differently. read more

Tinker Bell Half Marathon - Races & Competitions Near Me - Anaheim, California

I ran this race as part of the Inaugural Tinker Bell Pixie Dust Challenge. The 10k race of the challenge took place on Saturday. You'll need to go to the expo on Thursday or Friday to pick up your bib. The Tinker Bell race weekend is designed for women. You will definitely see that at the expo. They have allowed men to participate since the event began 4 years ago. This year, they moved the race to Mother's Day weekend giving up their previous January race date to the Star Wars weekend. I like this particular 10k course as most of the miles are all within the two Disneyland parks. The two bigger hills of the course are pretty much over within the first two miles. Since now the race is in May as opposed to January, there's much more daylight during the race. My one and only semi-complaint would be that even though it's a women's event, they really shouldn't start the fastest guys in corral B. It's just not safe for everybody. At least it's better than starting the guys in corral C which was the case for the first two years. I'm sure the women are just as annoyed by us passing them as we are trying to get around them. Anyways, runDisney does that so that the first runner to cross the finish line would be a female competitor. It's their race, their rules. If you're a guy and are a competitive runner, do keep in mind that there are currently no awards for male participants. read more

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(Half #13, 2015) Tink marks my one-year anniversary! While also debuting its inaugural Pixie Challenge--a 10K finish on Saturday and the Half on Sunday--Disney's 2015 Tinker Bell Half Marathon weekend stands witness to the day I'd decided to begin running. It was a big day for me. I mean, prior to Tinker Bell, I had run a mile or so at a time, I guess, but I had yet to log any serious mileage. Last year, however, the Tinker Bell 10K, 2014, changed that. Since then and to date, I've run 28 Half Marathons and counting, finished dozens of 5K's and 10K's, and knocked out a few 12K's as well. My sweet collection of medals continues to gain momentum! Disney medals, though, they really are the most impressive...and the most expensive! But more than the medals, Disney runs are a blast. Even though I had worked at Disney many years ago, having the unique opportunity, even now, to run backstage and throughout both Parks before their opening is a great experience. The Half this year spent the first six miles inside the Resort--characters, including Tinker Bell herself lining the course--before heading north on Walnut, east on Lincoln, and south on Harbor. Heading then back toward Disneyland, we ultimately finished behind the Disneyland and Paradise Pier Hotels. Another fun run, just as expected! Being an Annual Pass Holder, by the way, offers added perks when it comes to running Disney. I'm afforded early registration for each of the sell-out events, and since parking fees are included with my pass, I easily by-pass the $17.00/day. The Tinker Bell Half also puts you on track to receive the pink Coast-to-Coast, when also conquering Walt Disney World's Princess Half in the same calendar year. The black, I've received. Next, pink! read more

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YAY FOR RUN DISNEY EVENTS. It was my first half marathon. I had trained and was enthusiastic. I didn' t really know what to expect but there was a mass of people (15,000 running) I had wished that I had submitted my running time beforehand because being in Coral F had me waiting till 5:45 to start. (race starts at 5am sharp) Time passed quickly because there was so many different unique costumes and wings everywhere it was hard to not stare. The first 5/6 miles are ran through the parks and it was fascinating. All the rides lit up, World of Color shining through, characters dressed up, smelling disney treats as I ran (that was an awful tease). I was super pumped when they were playing different themed disney music. The rest of the race was ran throughout nearby anaheim streets. Once we were out of the park I was able to really start running with less people around me. The crowds is the hardest part of running when 6 bodies are strung across a street. I knew the race was for fun so I weaved in and out with a mannerly "excuse me" and people accommodated. There is a ton of support from the community as the race continues. I noticed strangers cheering us on with decorated signs, cheerleaders, and school bands playing. I was able to get some momentum and catch up with racers in the B and C coral and finish as best I could. Water and Powerade stations were all throughout the race. Around mile 9 there was a cliffshot base to down the shot and hopefully increase the energy. Photographers are everywhere to get the pictures. I looked online and had about 7-8 great photos. At the end of the race we were offered a heat sheet, post race box of goodies, bananas, powerade and water bottles, and picture opportunities. The race is just great because of atmosphere and having fun. We decided to not take it super seriously and go with it. Cons: Having to rush to fitness expo the day before. The expo is cool but its extremely crowded and chaos is everywhere. Also as with anything disney its very expensive and sold out very quickly. Tip: Get a hotel or get to the park very early because the roads shut down extremely early. We had a good neighbor hotel and were offered free shuttles to and from the park for being race participants. read more

Expo - I came around 8:30am on the Saturday for the expo. It was easy in and out. Even with the end of the 10k runners coming in. I came early to register for the Limited Edition New Balance Shoes. Basically, you have to set up an appointment (first come, first serve) for these shoes. They text you when it's your turn, as well as updating with inventory. I was able to get those nifty Cinderella and Minnie Mouse shoes. I can't wait to start training in those. Plenty of vendors to check out - Btw, the expos are open to the public and racers. I ended up having so much time to kill, I was able to get the KT tape put on my knees and ankles. They are fantastic support for aches, injuries, and so forth. I can't wait to be able to use it again! Grrrrr...... people have little to no running/race etiquette. Come on, you can't be about 4 people deep in a narrow part of the race. I know you want to walk by your team, your near and dear, but seriously, there are people trying to pass you up. AND don't give them dirty looks if they say excuse me, or to your (right/left). It's just etiquette. If there are four of you, it's not going to hurt you to walk in twos. ok /rant The medal is pretty effing awesome. It's everything you want - huge, shiny, heavy, and a spinning Tinkerbell!!! I'm not sure if I would do this again - this race costs a few doubloons that I have to pillage. It's going to be in May 2015 (next year's Tinkerbell Race). It's a possibility, because never say never. :) To all the volunteers, Cast members, Custodians, Cleaning Crews, YOU ARE WHAT MAKES THIS RACE AWESOME! Just having a cheering section at all places of Disneyland.... made this race totally memorable and awesome! FYI, if you park at downtown Disney - it's 3 hours free + 2 hours (extra) if you get a validation from the AMC or sit down restaurants. I used it during the expo. read more

My first run ever. It was fun. It was crowded. I hurt all over after. And I didn't notice Mickey trying to give me a high five as I passed the finish line coz I just wanted to sit (sorry Mickey) but it was a great experience overall. Gotta try at least once. Or twice. See you next year, Mickey and Tink! P.S. Thanks to all the volunteers who waited at the end of each mile to hand us Gatorade and/or water. read more

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Disney races are the BEST! Yes, you pay a pretty penny, but it is beyond worth it for the experience. They are well organized, motivating, and FUN! First stop is the expo prior to the race. You'll pick up your bib and amazing goodie bag. There are tons of booths to browse and the opportunity for photo ops. There are seminars and tips/tricks galore! Race day starts EARLY, as the race begins about 5am. Yes, you heard me - it STARTS at 5am. It is early so you have the ability to run through both parks prior to their normal openings to the public. Get there early to find your starting corral and mentally prep. There are tons of port-o-potties for *those* types of needs as well. As for the race itself, it is just plain magical. You get to run through both Disneyland and California Adventure. They light up the rides, bring out parade floats, etc! They also bring out tons of characters and you can get your photo taken with them if you'd like (many people just continue to run on). In between the parks, you run through the streets of Anaheim. It can get a bit monotonous, but there are lots of people out on the streets cheering you on! Amazing that people will get up so early just to cheer on strangers - it's very uplifting! There are also cheerleaders, school bands, etc! All entertaining you and urging you on towards the finish. And when you do finish, they hand you the most glorious medal of all time - it must weigh several pounds - that you will wear with pride during the rest of your Disney visit. From there, they snap your finisher photo and herd you off to all the amazing post-race snacks. This race is a must-do for Disney lovers and HM racers alike. It's just so darn fun! Advice: Stay ON or NEAR Disney property. With so many roads closed prior to the race, parking and traffic will be horrendous. If you have to drive, leave EARLY!!! After this HM, I did decided that I don't think I have the time or desire to train for another HM. It's so much work! Luckily, this year they added a 10K to their arsenal and I will be running in that in less than two weeks! read more

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I love DISNEY races !!! Yes, I am officially a fan !!! My first Disney race experience at the 'happiest place on earth' ! When I heard this was an inaugural event at Disneyland, I took it as a sign to register ASAP !! Also, the theme was calling my name ! How much more girly can you get ?! LOVE TINKERBELL !!! LOVE: - Finisher's Medal (see pic) - So Bling Blingin' and it's HUMUNGO friends !!! Size of my FACE ! - The long sleeve tech t-shirt - uber cute and probably my fav !! - Easy, fun, and mostly flat course through Disneyland park and outside. Start and finish in the park ! - Fans, volunteers, Disney cast, and spectators were uber awesome !!! Cheerleaders, firefighters, live bands, police officers, and overwhleming support from the public. Great motivation for me ! - Plenty of hydration stations after each mile - Well stocked with energy drinks and H2O. - Well-organized - From the numerous updated emails/reminders, expo event, and race day (i.e. separate wave starts) - Pure entertainment - funny guys in bright colorful tutus with wings and knee high socks, stand-out Disney costumes, everyone stopping to take pictures with Disney characters along the course, and racers filming themselves and their surroundings during the run - Women ruled this race 9:1 ratio !!! I couldn't help but feel a sense of girl power while representing 'Tinkerbell' in costume !!! Fyi: I was able to see a majority of the Disney medals displayed at the Expo and man are they a beauty !!! Totally worth participating in the 'RunDisney' races !!! I'm a sucker for Disney medals now. It's like getting a tat. Once you get one, you can't help but want to get MORE !!! read more

Tinker Bell Half Marathon - LOVE - Races & Competitions Near Me - Anaheim, California

#5for12 I am almost half way there in reaching my one run a month for 2017. And I am excited to say that the Tinkerbell 10k was a milestone for me! From a 5k to 10k, this run was the perfect Segway to adding more mileage to my training. Right from the get go, after signing up, Disney provided updated emails, updates and even resources to help train. The Tinkerbell 10k training schedule helped me big time! I don't think I would have been able to get through the course without that schedule keeping me accountable. From the initial bib pick up to the expo, it seemed seemless. Than again, I had a friend who is an runDisney expert so I followed her lead. The expo was huge and full of great discounts, gear and more. There was a booth where you would get taped up but the line was a bit long but it's worth it if you don't have a personal trainer as your husband. :D The morning of the run it did rain but that didn't hinder any spirits. The corrals were easily noticeable, the staff (characters) were helpful in directing folks and runners were dressed up and ready to go! I really fed off the energy of the runners around me. The course itself was good. Not great but good. I think because of the rain, the runners ran around the puddles making it difficult for folks. The hills didn't bother me, the run through the park wasn't the bad part (though there are some really narrow areas and it bottlenecked pretty bad)...it was some of the runners. I learned running etiquette...walk on the right pass on the left. It seemed like some people forgot about that rule and just did their own thing. There was one point where I was in my running interval and the lady in front of me did a complete stop to take a photo! I seriously almost knocked over her. Other than just running, I was also juking and doing football exercises. Oh my hip sure felt it the next day.... There is a lot of see, a lot of stops to take photo ops and bathroom/water stations throughout. It was nice to have the staff there cheer us on too. And at the end, a box of goodies, your obligatory banana, your medal and a photo with everything in your hand. :) Priceless. read more

Tinker Bell Half Marathon - Races & Competitions Near Me - Anaheim, California

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This year was the Inaugural Tinkerbell Half Marathon. My sister has gotten into running and wanted to do this together so I thought why not? And I am so glad that I ran it. The start time is early - 5:45am. However I stayed at the Grand Californian and was able to roll out of bed and into my starting corral. At 5:45am during the singing of the national anthem they had fireworks. Yes, at 5:45am FIREWORKS! Yay, don't you love Disney? And then of course you have Chip and Dale, Minnie, Tink and Donald to wave you off. The course was really nice, I enjoyed the beginning the most as we ran the first 3 miles around the back of the park, then through Disneyland and then through Downtown Disney. There were great photo ops and pirates hollering at you, and characters riding the carousel while you ran by. Just running through Disneyland with no other people around is amazing and a once in a lifetime opportunity. Then we took to the streets of Anaheim. Admittedly this is not my favorite part of the run because some of it is pretty and some of the scenery is boring. But they provide entertainment along the way. And, since Disney is all about class you get Power Ade and not 2nd tier brands of sports drinks. We finished through CA Adventure. I do wish we could have run around CA Adventure more also, it seemed rather short. The finish line was great, not crowded with lots of Luna Bars and Fruit and Power Ade and Water. And of course you get a big medal with Tink. So freaking cute. It was 95% women. There were a few men running with wings. Gotta love Disney. I think I will run next year...and sign up early because as word gets out, this will become popular! Oh and the Expo the day before was also great. read more

I participated in the inaugural Tinker Bell 10k and it was a great race. The expo pickup was pretty easy and lots to see and buy for those who want all sorts of cute race gear. The 10k started at 6 am right on time! They broke us up into I think 5 corrals and there was distinct separation between each. Luckily I was in A and moseyed my way up front. KA told me that they released each wave about 5 minutes apart which is great. It was a little crowded at the start but isn't it always? I can say that I probably ran the race with a smile on my face about 90% of the time. The park's staff were all out cheering us on, taking pictures for us in front of characters and it really helped with giving me a boost. What's great about running through the park is you can see everything (the rides were running, small world was lot up, and the fountains at World of Color were on!) and the bathrooms are open so if you really need, you can make a quick pit stop at a real toilet! It was a little dark in the beginning for pictures but as the sun came out it got better. You only run outside the park for a little bit so about 4 miles of it is inside. Disney just does a great job of handling these runs. They are so well-organized, they give out awesome medals, staff is so nice and you get to see parts of the parks you normally wouldn't! I want to do it again!! read more

This was the first inaugural Tinker Bell Half Marathon. I had a lot of fun running this, but boy-o-boy am I sore after my first half marathon!! Disneyland did a great job of having us run through an enjoyable part of Anaheim. My favorite part of the run was the first 4 miles when there were lots of Disney characters throughout the park. The streets were large enough so the crowds weren't so overwhelming. There were also a ton of volunteers (mostly high school kids) that cheered us on, gave us water, powerade and cliff goo packs. I loved the mile markers where there were DJ's or bands to get us pumped up to keep running. The Tinker Bell medal at the end is adorable! This was a great experience for my first half marathon =) read more

Eat my pixie dust 7 of 12 in 2016 half marathons - done and done!!! TinkerJane runs the happiest place on Earth (Disneyland). RunDisney events are well organized. The staff at Disneyland and runDisney ARE SO FRIENDLY - they make Disneyland the happiest place on Earth. First time running a runDisney event and it was one of the funnest race I have ever ran. And if you know me, I'm all about being festive in costume and "in character" so events such as these are up my alley. I ran with fairy wings :) Instead of paying $250 for race entry, I ran for charity. I was a runner for the American Association of Cancer Research Foundation. Technically, I paid $250 and by end of fundraising my page raised $850. As a collective, we raised $20,000 during this fundraising period. It was a honor to run for cancer research. THE EXPO. It was held at the Disney Resort Hotel in the Convention Center open Thursday - Saturday. Complimentary 2 hr parking, additional 2 hr parking if you eat at the restaurants in Downtown Disneyland. This was no ordinary expo, I spent 1.5 hr at the expo. Very informative, you have Disney staff on stage giving you marathon tips, picture stages all around, getting info about the layout of the race AND shuttle information and shuttle pass - all this is very important because its a huge race. At runDisney events they have a section specifically for that events merchandise. The good stuff/designs and sizes run out quickly. I usually don't buy stuff at expos but this one I spent some money. THE COURSE. Mile 0-1.5 running outside of Disneyland. Mile 2-5.5 running inside Disneyland. Mile 5.5-11.5 through Anaheim. Ending it wrapping around the outside of Disney and finishing it off on the LILo parking lot. And a lot of Disney music playing during this course... It stimulates the mood from "too early to be awake" to "I'm so happy I don't know what to do with myself". THE RACE. Average wake up is around 3:30-4:00am. Catch the shuttles at the surrounding hotels (or walk from your hotel). It's highly recommended to be at your corral around 5am as the race starts at 5:30am. So many friendly and happy Disney staff everywhere, they were all helpful and informative and supportive. When in your corrals you feel like a sardine. It was almost impossible for me to get some stretching in. Loved the big arc with a huge digital screen at the front to see the hosts and characters come to the stage from afar. Between every corral there is a 4 minute gap. When running outside of Disneyland the course had a ton of space to run, running inside Disneyland was had narrow paths. Running inside Disneyland was the best ever! At this early hour it's just staff, you, the other runners, and characters ready for pictures. There was a lot of stopping to take pictures or getting in a line to take pictures with some of the Disney characters and taking shameless selfies with iconic backdrops. No PRing, literally just sexy pacing it through the course. Disney staff lined up clapping and waving in support... They really made you feel special here. Lots of water stations on the route and restrooms and/or port-a-potties. I even "tinkered" a few times during the tinker bell race. Around mile 7 in downtown Anaheim there was a block of hundreds of ladies (majority elderly) wearing pink cheering you on. Omg they were one of my favorite spectators I have ever seen of the many years I been running. They gave me this boost of energy and I felt their positive energy. Around mile 11.5 you start to hug the outside of Disneyland and into the LILo parking lot. The finish line was also very organized. They had several lines of people ready to give you the medal, then you have the snack area - snack is packed in a runDisney box (how convenient), then the photo opp area, then the parking lot area that was staged for people to hang out along with many booths. It was very spacious. I am just blown away by the experience. I really did feel like I was at the happiest place on Earth. THE AFTERMATH. There was a stage in the lilo parking lot playing fun music. Reception sucks, plan a location of meet up with friends prior to starting the race or you will have a challenging time getting a hold of anyone. A lot of people went to Downtown Disneyland to eat. Mind you, everything was chaotic at the end. Runners + spectators + Disneyland opening up to the public... You can imagine there's a lot of people everywhere as soon as you leave the finish area. read more

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Ran the 2017 Tinkerbell Half Marathon this passed weekend. Again like the other two half's I wish there was an easier way to get your bib. You have to drive to the Expo at the Disneyland Hotel to pick it up. I was surprised that we got to run through Disneyland more this route. Also a lot more straight streets this time, not much turning, we ran up a few miles and back down. A lot more repeat steps also. Ton of water stations. 1 gel station. We wore neon green tutus! Happy to see there were a ton of people wearing them, guys and girls. Not many people were dressed up on the streets though and there was only 1 band playing. Probably because it was Mother's Day. This run has a lot more women running. Girl power! Three down, one more to go!!! read more

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Team leader for Water Station F for the 2017 Tinkerbell Half Marathon race. Always a fun time. Team worked great together. The RunDisney staff were organized and extremely helpful. So much fun. read more

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I'm a fan of runDisney events. I was excited to sign up for the TinkerBell 10K since I was too late to sign up for the half. The course itself was great. I would say about 4 miles out of the 6 were within the two parks. There were so many characters on the course to take pictures with and cheer you on. There are also plenty of spectators throughout the course carrying funny signs of encouragement. Yes, the early morning wake up call can be a little painful, but once you're waiting in the corrals, you suddenly have the anxious energy to get this race started. I guess the only thing about this race I was disappointed about had nothing to do with the race itself. The long sleeved tech shirt was so...girly. I understand that it's a fairy themed race, but it was this bizarre lavenderish color. Not exactly one I'd want to wear again. The medal wasn't as stunning as other runDisney events. The fairy wings on the medal made it look kinda like a ninja star. Of course I'll participate in this race again. It's runDisney...it's like a cult you can't escape from. A very happy, exercise promoting cult. read more

One of the best Half Marathons I have ran to date. I have always had somewhat bad experiences...probably because I'm running 13.1 miles like the other half crazy people I'm next to. This one was different in many ways though. It was the most well organized and everything was executed on time. They kept all the runners/walkers entertained with dancers, marching bands, stations with Biofreeze, red vines, oranges and even sunscreen! You got a chance to take pictures with characters (those lines were longer than the bathroom which I thought was funny). Water stations were on point as well as Powerade being provided every mile or so. The only complaint, which is even hard to complain about, was that it was crowded. People were so nice though and quickly got out of the way when you wanted to pass through. I think everyone had the same intentions and just wanted to have a good time and cross the finish line. I would pay the insane price again and again for this experience. I recommend it for first timers especially because there were a TON on this course, and, because there's no pressure of being fast, it eases any nerves you might have. Plus you get to run through both parks and get to see all the behind the scenes stuff. It truly is the best! See you at the Star Wars Half! read more

Tinker Bell Half Marathon - Woohoo! Finisher! - Races & Competitions Near Me - Anaheim, California

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My 11th Half-Marathon was the priciest but one of the most fun. The first 5 -6 miles were in and around Disneyland and there's nothing quite as I'm-a-little-kid-again heartwarming as running past Sleeping Beauty's Castle in predawn starlight. I was hoping to reach my personal record(didn't) so I didn't stop and take pics with all the famous rides or any of the dozens of characters cheering you on during the first half of the race. But I did high five the crew of custodians and several high school cheerleaders who were performing along the residential portion of this route. And I got that heavy, pretty medal for my efforts. Highlight of the weekend: The Kids' Race! My four-year-old ran her first race in pink fairy wings and her own little pair of running shorts. And as usual, she left her mama in the dust! Though it was crowded, the kids' races are divided by age group and have rolling starts on the Saturday morning before the half-marathon. Parents are encouraged to run with their children but the kids get their own medal and a high five from Mickey. Very fun! A few criticisms: --As with all things Disney, prices have increased dramatically since my last Disney race. I opted to skip the Pasta Party and was disappointed that discount park tickets meant a $2 discount. --The first two miles(two!!!) was not really running because we were packed like cattle into the last corral(why oh why don't races separate walkers from runners?!?) and the route was most narrow within the park. I knew this would affect my pace and I got a leg pain the next few days I had never experienced. --Snacks(or lack thereof) at the end of the race: This box was sponsored by...I got a banana, a Powerade and the box of not-so-goodies. Disney, like Nike, is very expensive yet they don't treat us to lots of snacks when we're all famished from running in the SoCal sun. Overall, a fun race through a fun place. read more

First time attending the tinker bell 10k and I was very fun! They could've, however, done a better job in entertaining and cheering the runners on. Previous runners who have attended this event said that there were fireworks when the marathon began at the starting line and there were parades throughout the park and everything was very festive. When I attended the event this time, only a few characters showed up throughout the park while we were running. Most of the time there were only employees dressed in uniforms who either high fived the runners or gave some cheers. Other than that the race was not as festive as described by other previous attendees. Other than that it was a pretty fun experience and it was cool being able to see some of the old ticket booths and "behind-the-scenes" stuff. The best part of the run I would say is still the medal. The medal is pretty much the main reason why I attended this event (ok, more like 99% why I came to this event). I will come back to attend other run disney events in the future, but I just hope they can do a better job in entertainment next time. read more

Tinker Bell Half Marathon - Love my 10k medal - Races & Competitions Near Me - Anaheim, California

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I've done several runs by different organizations before but I have to say that Disney knows how to keep the fun in their races. 5k family fun run on Friday, 10k on Saturday and half marathon on Sunday. Their medals are nicer and bigger than what other races give. Did a 5k and the Inaugural 10k and was pleased with accomplishing these physical feats of hard work. The health & fitness expo is a must! Although there were more Disney merchandise made for the race than actual running gear. It's okay it's a Disney run so it is expected. What was unique about this expo was the New Balance shoes designed for Disney. A friend of mine stood in line for hours and waited 2 days just to get us each a pair. The price wasn't too bad $129 for a pair of the Cinderella color/style. I paid more for my Nike air so it didn't hurt my pocket so much. I bought compression socks for the run & got a 10% discount. 5k: 3.1 miles of fun run. Lined up on Main St Disneyland park with fireworks around the castle as an opener. If you've never done a Disney run before, this would def get you started. I believe there were 1500 runners (adult & children) who signed up for the 5k. Anyone can dress up in costumes. The course took us from Main St, backlot (you don't see this when you're visiting the park), through some parts of California adventure park, and finish at Paradise Pier. There were Disney characters along the way and if you're on track and not lagging behind, you can do photo opps. With 4 stops we finished in 50 mins. Don't get misled by the term "fun run". You are still required to run/walk at a pace of 16 min/mile. You can still get swept or picked up if you're lagging behind pace. You can still get a PR run if you can figure out how to sprint between the slow runners & walkers... With lack of training I finished 10 minutes longer than my usual PR. Stopped 2x for a photo opp and got slowed down by a pack of walkers several times. 10k: I was in Corral D and all the corrals lined up along the streets outside Paradise Pier hotel. Tents for bag check and porta potties were at the Simba parking lot. Corral A started off at 6:00 am but Corral D started a little after 6:19. The clock at Mile 1 was reading 34 minutes and I realized it did not reset for us who started later. So I kept running. There were more Disney characters along this course & long lines for each...the view of the parks at dark with all the holiday lights were still on and I just want to run & live in the moment. It was crowded going through the parks. Walkers were everywhere & didn't seem to observe any race etiquette whatsoever. I tried moving to the right when it was time to walk but even there, runners were crowding up the space. After mile 3, we left the parks & ran through the streets of Garden Grove and turned around the corner before Howard Johnson (street name ?). It was then that the sun met us in full daylight. We were along the interstate. Most runners started walking at this point. After mile 5 there was a water stop. Photographers started taking shots at this point. By mile 6, I started feeling my adrenaline rush as I heard the crowds cheering and the runners sprinting to the finish line. Mickey Mouse was there of course but didn't see Tinkerbell at all. After receiving my sweet bling I was happy! Gatorade, water, Mylar blankets (for warming up) and snacks were given out after. There were rumors that ppl were assigned to their corrals not by their previous PRs but by first come first serve basis. I thought that was unfair... The farther the corral you're in, the more chances of getting swept and picked up. There were a total of 30,000 runners & 400 got swept & some picked up. I'm not a big fan of visiting Disney but I'd def come back to do the races. Running races are fun for me and I'd like to live in the moment vs get the thrill of rides and do more Disney stuff. There are more worlds to explore outside Disney (Disney world marathons are in my bucket list although I've seen all their parks before). Registration for these races are a bit much but ppl still manage to come here & spend the weekend. I'd encourage anybody to do any sort of race for fun & fitness. Some won't do it but if you say it is in Disneyland, there is a higher chance they'd go. It truly is a happy place on earth but your wallet pays a price for that happiness :-) read more

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I ran the inaugural Tinkerbell 10k. This was my first Disney organized run and they did not disappoint. Everything was well organized as would be expected with Disney. I registered in July for the run in January and the half marathon and 5k were already sold out. So, I'd suggest registering as soon as possible if you know you may want to participate. The website is very well organized and gives you all pertinent information. An earlier review complained about bib pick up being at the Disneyland hotel. However, it was always stated that that's where it would be. The expo/bib pick up begins on Thursday. You've signed up at least 4 months in advance for the race so I'm sure you can make some kind of accommodations. I always read this before registering for any race and don't register if I can't make bib pick up. The expo was definitely one of the best I've been to. New balance sold special Disney character inspired shoes. Almost all companies had some sort of Disney character inspired athletic gear. Footlocker, KT tape, asics, the stick, champion, luna bar were some of the bigger names out there. Most companies were offering some sort of discount for purchases. The run itself was incredible. The first 4 miles you get to run inside both Disneyland and California adventure, getting a peak at the empty park and behind the scenes as well. Rides were lit up and there were crowds of Disney employees and supporters cheering thought the entire course. The last two miles were in surrounding streets. Course was pretty flat and with so much to entertain, didn't feel bad at all. HOWEVER, there were many walkers and lingerers, so I had to maneuver through these people to try and continue running. There were also parts that bottlnecked making it impossible to run through. Corrals were not enforced at the start causing a mixture of runners/ walkers to be next to each other. What do you get? I pretty impressive piece of bling to throw around your neck as well as a nice long sleeved tech tee ( it's lavender, so men may not like it) you get a few other goodies that are traditional race stuff. Bars and lightweight string bag. I would definitely do this race again but try to get up ahead to avoid the hoards of people to maneuver around. read more

Tinker Bell Half Marathon - Tinkerbell 10k 2014 - Races & Competitions Near Me - Anaheim, California

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This is only for the 5k. We have done numerous Run Disney events and over the last 2 years have noticed a substantial decrease in characters along the race course this being the worst with only a selfie opportunity! People pay more to Run Disney and deal with crowds so they can get photo ops with characters. They recently discontinued volunteers and now pay for people at hand out medals and to the things volunteers used to at the expo etc. They have always had crappy non-tech shirts for the 5k and used to have plastic/rubbery medals at least they upgraded medals to metal a year or so ago. This race was sold out and the changes they made will not help the race in the future. The cast member involvement and enthusiasm for the 5k was way down. It was overall a big let down especially for a family who has done multiple Run Disney events. Hopefully they will listen to their runners and fix this. The 5k is not worth the month to run in the backlot areas. Sorry no photos ... thanks #RunDisney read more

While most are game for dressing up in fun costumes during races, I'm just not that kind of girl. Why strap a tutu around my waist when my hips are already bigger than I'd like? And why would I want to attach wings to my back to slow my pace down even more? Those wings won't get me to the finish line faster....just saying... BUT, even this no-wearing tu-tu / fairy wing girl might've wanted to be Tinkerbell for perhaps a moment or two during this race. If you're really into the Disney thing, I say this is your race. If you're not so much a Disney person....I also say this is definitely your race. = ) First 5 miles are through the theme parks and since the race starts at O'dark hundred, (5am), the park is still but lit up so beautifully with all the Disney lights. It totally made me giddy. I have to say, I was actually running a half marathon with a BIG SMILE ON MY FACE and wishing I was....Tinkerbell. Yes, tutu and fairy wings and all. Like other runners mentioned, the last half of the run is kind of boring but IMO, if you've run the Disney half marathon, this course is so much better. I didn't mind that part of the course so much because I really hate the Disney half course and I knew it could be worse. I loved the medal and I have no complaints with this race. I'm looking forward to getting my Coast to Coast in a few weeks after I run the Princess Half Marathon in Florida. woot woot! read more

Funny story: I had missed the past two years of the Tinkberbell because a whole bunch of crazed people had sold out the event in record time, so I camped out by my computer refreshing the screen to guarantee myself a spot for the 2014 Tinkerbell. Needless to say, my efforts were completely unnecessary as the race didn't sell out for a couple of days. My dad picked up my race packet for me. Or, really, only my bib. When I got into town at 10pm, 6 hours before the start of the race I looked at the solitary bib on my desk and asked where the rest of my packet was. "That's all they gave me." ......Dad tried... I guess.... He claims they told him I would get my coast to coast band on race day (true) as well as the shirt (false). I emailed my inquiry right after the race and literally a few minutes ago, five months after the fact, I got my pink shirt. Ahh it's so cute! Thank you Disney! You've reclaimed a fan and I will now go sign up for the Star Wars race! I slept for three hours and got into my tinker fairy get up. My dad was SO amused and took too many pictures. I was feeling fantastic about my spirited costume until we started running and my wings kept hitting the backside of my head. - Unsubscribe from Redbook and get some money back before you start receiving the magazines. I tried to unsubscribe but I was denied because I didn't include my registration. - Park for $16 at the resort or have your person drop you off. My dad dropped me off but the whole area was blocked off and he couldn't leave the Disneyland area so he camped out. + Corral A for the win! I think you only need a 2:15 half marathon time. - The scenery was unmemorable. I did run through a part of what I believe is California Adventure, with brightly lit waters for picture taking, that I didn't recognize. Small world was beautiful at night, but having the annual pass makes the scenery not as magical. - I was feeling so unwell and couldn't breathe! Rain or shine, I was going to get that medal! I asked medical tents for tissues for my drippy nose, and after looking at each other and rummaging around, the clueless medical people gave me towelettes. + Coast to Coast band pick up is on day of race. Go to info booth at start. Get your medal at the end off to the side of the people passing out Tinkerbell medals. + Tinkerbell medal is so cute! Summary: Jerline got her grubby little hands on a Tinkerbell medal, Coast to coast medal and tech shirt! And after getting sicker for a day, her health improved and she is now onto bigger than better things. Next up, Star Wars Rebel Challenge! read more

This race was ok. Overall very well organized, great support on the course, fun 4 miles(through the Disneyland park). Most of the course was pretty boring (running through residential areas with strip malls, etc). I was disappointed for the price of the race that there was not a better discount on Disneyland tickets, really $9 savings after spending $120 for entry to the race, the tech shirt was not that great nor was the race merchandise. I know that I'm not signing up for the schwag but it would be nice to get some perks when a race costs as much as this one does. Overall I would consider running this again next year but I won't say with certainty that I would sign up. read more

I know, leave it to the man who ran in the Tinkerbell race to leave a mediocre review. Overall, it was a fun race, and I wouldn't discourage anyone from running it. However, I expected MUCH more from Disney and I expect way more for the price. SHORT VERSION: -There were no Disney Characters after mile 5. :( -Race needs to start about 30 minutes later in hopes of more crowd support and just common sense. -Course is 2/3 boring suburb, 1/3 Disney. -B-Tag stinks -Good group of runners/good vibe. The crowd support was average. there were some nice highlights (The custodial crew lined up was really awesome, and I felt the Disney Pride there), but running down the commercial streets of Anaheim between miles 9 & 12 (when you actually need support) was pretty sad. I only saw a couple of teenagers sitting at a bus stop over that stretch. No bands, no people, nothing but closed businesses at 6:30am. The Disney Touch/Characters in the first 5.5 miles were awesome. It was a ton of fun to see Sully pop out of nowhere or have the staff joking with runners to keep running to get away from Darth Vader. The portion of the course through the park was a blast. Sadly, once you leave the park at mile 5.5 you would never know this is a Disney event. So, for over half the race I felt I could have been in any random suburb in America running a local weekend 10k. I have nothing but positives to say about the abundance of aid stations. I've never run a race with so many water stops or other support options the whole way through. Top notch there. Great volunteers. The general organization somehow seemed lacking, though. My definition of a well run event is the Chicago Marathon. Compared to that, there just weren't enough people at the finish area to help you figure out where to go. For the weekend, the info on the ART busses wasn't adequately distributed and there was a ton of confusion surrounding where to get the shuttle for my hotel. After the race my legs were dead and I was crushed when I had to wander around without any help for nearly 25 minutes trying to figure out how to get out of the finish area and back to my hotel. Also, there was a giant table in the middle of the finish area stocked with water behind it, but no people. I ended up hopping the table to grab a bottle, but that was no fun on bad legs. The start time (5am/lined up by 4:30am) is rather absurd. After running it, I'm actually really glad it starts in the dark (seeing the Castle lit up and some of the lights throughout the park were really cool). However, they could start about 30-45 minutes later and still get that. Most of the people I talked to couldn't have their kids or families watch as they knew getting them up at 6am would lead to a miserable rest of the day. Starting later might also foster some community crowd support. Disney can suck it up and open 30 minutes late for the price the 12,000 runners paid. The runners were 99% awesome. Everyone seemed to know this was just supposed to be a fun run, not a race. A couple of idiots tried pushing through at 6 minute pace starting from Corral C or E, but it was more common that people would just smile and laugh when a gaggle of girls shrieked and ran across 50 runners to get a photo with Jack Sparrow or their favorite princess. In a normal race I would have been furious at that and I imagine I wouldn't be the only one swearing. In this race, you just slow down, let them pass and take in the scenery. Finally, my timing chip only worked at 15k. So, my wife almost missed me at mile 5.5 (since she didn't get the 5k) and most importantly, I got no official finish time which is super lame. Overall, I've got to imagine there are more 'Disney-esque' races in the series. I'm now waffling at doing the Coast-to-Coast, but think that the folks down in Orlando could probably pull it off better. I'm happy I ran it and enjoyed it, but as I said early expected more. read more

Such a magical experience! Disney knows how to RUN things (ahhh get my pun!). I heard horror stories from the disneyland half-marathon in august because of the hot indian summer, people were miserable trying to complete the run. Luckily the tinkerbell half-marathon is usually around January when the weather is not too hot or cold. This is not the type of run where you are trying to get a good/fast time. For the first 2 miles it's pretty crowded and slow. Plus, there are several opportunities to just enjoy the moment and photo ops, like World of Color was on while we ran through the park. Several characters from disney were cheering you on and had spots for photos. When you are in the park it is just so cool and amazing that you should slow down and enjoy. The first 6 miles is through california adventure and disneyland. After the remaining, is through anaheim not as cool and fun but they still have roadside entertainment like school bands performing and cheering you on. +'s --Swag bag (shirt, bags, free samples) and expo lots of free goodies --Finishers Medal--looks pretty legit, solid, and heavy! --Disney experience and spirit --Other runners dressed up in different disney characters, costumes. During my run, I kept seeing couple run one was the crocodile and the other was captain hook. It was funny and playful of them because the crocodile was always a small distance behind Captain Hook following him like in the movie. --Running through the parks, having characters cheer you on --weather in January -'s --Crowded --high registration fees (no free park ticket!) Note: If you want to sign up for the next run I believe registration is in the summer, make sure you sign up on rundisney for email alerts. It will sell out within hours it releases. They also offer different runs for that weekend 10k, 5k, and kids fun runs. read more

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Tinkerbell Half Marathon was my fourth Half Marathon and by far the one I've been most excited to participate in. I'm a huge Disney fan and love anything Disney, but to be honest, this race fell a little short for me. I was debating giving it 3 stars, but decided on 4 stars simply because I had so much fun during this race, despite the flaws it had. Pre Race Expo: The Expo is open 10am-7pm Thursday-Saturday. I came around 3pm on the Friday before the race. It was SO CROWDED with people at the expo at that time that I was going a bit crazy. It took me about 30 minutes to get all I needed for the race (bib, shirt, etc), and then spent about an hour looking at all the vendors. There were a lot of good vendors there and I enjoyed looking at all the race gear -- it got my psyched for race day! Overall, expo was decent, just be prepared for it to be crowded since it is for the 5k, 10k and Half Marathon. Race Day: The race starts at 5am sharp. I got to Disney about 4:30am, and the line to get into the parking structure was LONG. By the time I finally got in and parked, it was 4:50am. Surprisingly, I wasn't anxious or nervous about it being so close to the start time since I knew my corral (corral E) wouldn't start until at least 5:30am. Plus, there was a TON of other people in the same boat as myself, and I even noticed cars were still streaming into the structure at 4:50am. I was still walking to my corral at 5am, but I saw the race start with fireworks and all. After I finally got to my corral, I waited, and waited, and waited. My corral didn't officially start until about 5:40am, which is a LONG time to wait to cross the start time! But, I was psyched about the race, and the time didn't seem to bother me. I'm going to divide the race into two parts: miles 1-6, then 7-13.1, because they were so drastically different and I felt like I was running two totally different races and courses. Miles 1-6 goes through California Adventure, Disneyland and Downtown Disney and it is so incredibly fun. It is like I'm not even running a Half Marathon and just enjoying a day at the parks instead! There are Disney Characters out, some rides are up and running with lights on, and everyone is happy and giddy going through this portion. My complaint? There are way too many people going through this part of the race at the same time. Because of this, I was forced to come to an almost complete stop during parts of the route since they are so very narrow. Also, I noticed that some people don't have "race etiquette" and some the walkers were walking in the middle of the course (instead of on the outside, which is what they usually do at the other races I've participated in the past), sometimes 5+ people across, making it nearly impossible to pass them, and forcing faster runners/walkers to do a zig zag around them. I was getting very frustrated at this point and was at the point of either screaming or punching a wall since it made me slow my pace, which at the end made me finish minutes slower then anticipated. Miles 7-13.1 went through "historic Anaheim", which isn't that great or even seems that historic. I didn't really pay much attention to the sights around this part of the course, I was just focused on finishing the race. The great part of this leg of the race was that the course opened way up, making it easier to maneuver around the slower walkers/runners and not slow down if you didn't want to. I caught up with one of the Pace Groups during this part of the course, and was able to get back on track with the time I wanted to finish in, and in the end I finished about two minutes faster then my Pace Group I was following (I took off about .2 miles before the finish). The last .1 of a mile of the race was THE BEST. You're going through a mob of people, all cheering for you to finish and you feel like a rock star. I loved it, and my name was even announced while I was going through this shoot of people, even though I was in a mob of at least 40 or so people running along this part at the same time. The medals you get when you finish are big and amazing, and I loved everything about my medal. You also get the normal swag when you are finished: water, power aide, bananas, and other random food items. It was pretty great. On another note, this race is $175 plus $16 to park on race day (you can use an Annual Pass to park as well). The race was completely sold out less then 48 hours after opening for registration, so prepare to register as soon as it opens. This was also the first race I was able to sign up for the Race Tracker, which will notify the people who are waiting for you (parents, significant other, friends, etc) when you cross the start line, the 5k and 10k mark so they will know when about you'll finish so they can be there to cheer you on. Overall, fun race, and I'd highly consider doing another Disney Race if I don't want to PR and don't mind the hassle of running with mass amounts of people. Cheers! read more

Tinker Bell Half Marathon - Finished! Get out and run! - Races & Competitions Near Me - Anaheim, California

Nobody does it like Disney! This is my 4th half marathon, and 2nd RunDisney event (so yes.. it's an even half Disney and half non Disney.. ) Organization of this race versus the DL Half is much different, and seemed more busy actually, but it's less than the Fall DL half. This year had just under 12,000 people running. Support provided by the park, the resort, the city of Anaheim's local residents and Orange County's high schools' bands, cheerleaders and volunteers are all simply amazing. You can't get this kind of support at any other race. Course ran north and south through downtown Anaheim and the neighboring streets, it was quaint and pleasant. This route was definitely a lot more... "pretty" than that of the September Half. You gotta remember that the Tink half is catered to women, as it's the west coast "equivalent" to the WDW Princess Half. Car clubs don't appeal to women, nor do bands playing rock music. We're talking about a generalization of course, and naturally Disney would want something more.. soft. Going through Downtown anaheim and around the public library, the central library, the muzeo, the historic buildings and such was nice, and the route was pleasant too. Since it ran north and south, you had very little sun exposure, but since this weekend was incredibly hot/sunny fast, it did get a little intense around 9am. Just to compare, the DL Half in September isn't catered strictly for either gender, so making it run east/west (FACING the sun, anyone? or would you rather have the sun BEAT DOWN on your back instead? yeah I didn't think the answer would be yes to either of those) I like the Tinker Bell (by the way, did you know that is her actual name? First name Tinker, Last name Bell! I didn't know either until the day of, which is why her name is on the medal as Tinker Bell and not Tinkerbell. ) Half. It was a nice and pleasant run. The abundance of fairy wings, tutus and sparkle skirts (on both women AND men!) were really cute. The absence of Mickey, Donald, Goofy and Chip & Dale remind you that this is supposed to be a Women's race, which explains why Minnie & Daisy are at at the starting line, with Clarabelle, and that other female chipmunk in ToonTown. Be that as it may, of course the Peter Pan theme was all over the place, with pirates galore lookin to "take your shiny necklace" and since I ran through in a green loose shirt with a Peter Pan hat & feather.. the pirates "picked on me" a lot. LOL. it was quite fun for my friends and myself to experience/witness that. read more

Race is fun and the runners have an amazing positive energy. Half the course is streets with nothing to do with Disney.... They could make better use of some if the miles.i have ran it twice now and can say that next year it will be on Mother's Day. That's a horrible idea. That is the time for graduations, etc. I won't run it in 2015. I guess it's a good strategy to make more money. Since woman run it... I guess more will sign up. What they didn't consider us most people have MLK off so it worked out better for the working person. read more

Still a pretty good experience, but there are still a few kinks that could be worked on for future races. This was my second Tinker bell half marathon. At least this time around, they offered the "Pixie Dust" challenge where you can do the 10k on Saturday and half-marathon on Sunday to get a total of three medals. The course and crowds was awesome. Plenty of festivities at the end. Plus, a lot of eye candy. ;) Note to self: 1:38:35 in 2015 read more

2013- Same start, minor course changes, same finish...same 5 stars. Actually, 2013 was much better than last year. Now that construction is finished at Ca Adventures, we were able to really run through the park, as opposed to our brief glimpse of it last year. There were many more character photo ops, which meant it took us twice as long to get to mile 6, but we didn't care. Such a great time!! This year's finish included a cute little green bag to put our goodies in, and a post race snack box that came in handy at the park later that morning. Not a fan of the 0500 start, but then again, I'm a bit of a night owl. I can get up at 0400 just once in my life, I guess. read more