Sure, you’ve strolled through the
Walt Disney World Resort theme parks — but now you can
run with Mickey and the gang.
The
Inaugural Disney Wine & Dine Half Marathon Weekend takes place Oct. 1 through 2 in Lake Buena Vista, Fla., and features Disney’s firstever nighttime half marathon. Can’t handle a full 13.1 miles? Opt for the relay and split the effort (and the sweat) with a friend. Either way, the 10 p.m. race will end deliciously: After dashing through various theme parks, runners will finish at the Epcot International Food & Wine Festival for an exclusive after-hours party that lasts until 3 a.m.
“People are here to be healthy and to celebrate, and we try to encourage both aspects during [this] weekend,” says Kathleen Duran, Disney Sports Area Manager, who is in charge of the
runDisney program, which encompasses six annual races at both Walt Disney World and Disneyland.
The race, which is expected to draw more than 20,000 participants, begins at Disney’s
ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex at Walt Disney World Resort. The 220-acre campus is crammed with high-tech razzle-dazzle and sparkling facilities geared toward one goal: giving youths the full ESPN treatment.
“We want to make young athletes feel as if they’ve made it to the biggest sports stage, and then onto ESPN,” says Ken Potrock, senior VP of Disney Sports Enterprises. “This is the pre-eminent multisport facility in the world, and there’s something for everyone. We can accommodate more than 60 different sports here, from cheerleading to
baseball to lacrosse to
basketball. ...
“Families traveling with their young athlete for tournaments can doubledip here in a way that’s not possible at any other sports complex in the world. When you’re not watching a game, you can have a great family vacation — and the full Disney experience.”