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Ep 8 - The case for staying at a Disney resort
64 Plays2 months ago
Should you stay on property or off Disney property during a runDisney race?? Hopefully we can help you decide what's best for you! In this episode, we break down our go-to race weekend routine, favorite (and least favorite) resorts, and the perks of staying in the Disney bubble. Plus, we chat with our good friend Trevor, who is training for his very first half marathon! Plus, during our marathon training update, we talk about our experience running downtown Atlanta last weekend for the Atlanta's Finest 5K.
Always feel free to reach out with any questions or comments you have on instagram @ajanderika or email us hello@ajanderika.com
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Transcript
Introduction to Episode 8
00:00:00
Speaker
Today we're talking about staying on property for a run Disney race weekend.
00:00:04
Speaker
Erica, you ready for this one?
00:00:05
Speaker
Yep.
00:00:05
Speaker
Let's do it.
00:00:16
Speaker
Hey there, friends.
00:00:16
Speaker
Welcome to episode number eight of the One More Run podcast.
00:00:20
Speaker
Erica, did you know the average podcast, people that start a podcast, they quit after seven episodes.
00:00:26
Speaker
Yes.
00:00:26
Speaker
Or up to seven.
00:00:27
Speaker
You've told me.
00:00:28
Speaker
I have.
00:00:28
Speaker
And that stat has stuck with me.
00:00:30
Speaker
So all we needed to do was make it to eight.
00:00:32
Speaker
And we are here.
00:00:32
Speaker
We are here.
00:00:33
Speaker
We have made it.
00:00:34
Speaker
We've arrived, but we're not quitting.
Should You Stay on Disney Property for a Race Weekend?
00:00:36
Speaker
We have lots to talk about.
00:00:37
Speaker
The goal of this podcast, we say it all the time, but the goal is to help you feel prepared, confident, informed, ready to go for whatever your upcoming race is.
00:00:47
Speaker
So we want to take away all the worry with the little things, right?
00:00:51
Speaker
Like
00:00:51
Speaker
you know, staying on property.
00:00:53
Speaker
Should I stay on property or not?
00:00:54
Speaker
That's today's topic.
00:00:55
Speaker
We are going to hopefully help you decide whether or not you should or should not based off of our experiences.
00:01:00
Speaker
So that's the goal of the podcast.
00:01:02
Speaker
If you feel more informed and prepared, great.
00:01:05
Speaker
Upcoming topics, Erica, next week, I think people are going to like.
00:01:09
Speaker
Yes.
00:01:10
Speaker
We're going to share all the gear that we use.
00:01:12
Speaker
Yeah.
00:01:12
Speaker
And when we say gear, we're talking...
00:01:14
Speaker
clothes, shoes, watches, all the things.
00:01:19
Speaker
Yep, and if it helps you run or helps you run endurance races, we're gonna talk about it.
00:01:25
Speaker
I'm sure there's, what do you call it, brands, Erica, that we don't know about.
00:01:29
Speaker
We've never tried that are probably better than what we've had, but we've had good experiences with some brands and we've had bad experiences with others.
00:01:36
Speaker
So without throwing people under the bus or whatever, we're gonna say, hey, this is what works for us and continues to work for us.
00:01:43
Speaker
So if you're looking for, I don't even know where to start.
00:01:46
Speaker
I don't even know where, like there's a million pairs of shorts.
00:01:48
Speaker
I don't even know where to start.
00:01:49
Speaker
Right.
00:01:50
Speaker
Sometimes you might not even realize that you're doing something wrong.
00:01:52
Speaker
Like today we were talking about the very first princess that I ran and I was wearing like a regular cotton t-shirt.
00:01:59
Speaker
I mean, I can't even imagine doing something like that now.
00:02:01
Speaker
So we just want to share some of those things we've learned.
00:02:04
Speaker
We've learned mostly the hard way.
00:02:06
Speaker
Yeah, totally.
00:02:07
Speaker
Right?
00:02:07
Speaker
Yes.
00:02:08
Speaker
And so if we can help alleviate some of that hardship for you, great.
00:02:12
Speaker
The week after that, we're going to go into nutrition that we love.
00:02:15
Speaker
Nutrition is like a running term, I guess.
00:02:16
Speaker
Right, yeah.
00:02:17
Speaker
And that really means what you're eating and drinking, that would be hydration, but nutrition.
00:02:22
Speaker
nutrition, hydration, all the things that we love, either pre-race, post-race, during the race.
00:02:28
Speaker
You don't know this when you first start.
00:02:30
Speaker
I didn't.
00:02:32
Speaker
You just don't know that if you're going to run 13 miles, at some point you're going to have to replenish your energy levels and whatever.
00:02:38
Speaker
And you do that through nutrition.
00:02:40
Speaker
We're going to talk about the brands we love.
00:02:41
Speaker
So that's in two weeks.
00:02:42
Speaker
I'm excited about both those episodes.
00:02:44
Speaker
I feel like they're going to be so practical.
00:02:46
Speaker
Yes.
00:02:46
Speaker
And hopefully I don't get too deep on it because I like to nerd out about that kind of stuff.
00:02:52
Speaker
We love it when you leave us a review.
00:02:54
Speaker
We also love it when you interact on Instagram.
00:02:57
Speaker
If you don't follow us on Instagram yet, feel free to do that.
00:02:59
Speaker
We are at AJ and Erica.
00:03:01
Speaker
Erica is with a K. So follow us there.
00:03:04
Speaker
What I've been trying to do is like take little snippets from the podcast.
00:03:08
Speaker
Yeah.
00:03:08
Speaker
You know, like little topics, bite-sized, digestible, whatever.
00:03:11
Speaker
Throw it up on Instagram so that if you don't have an hour or 45 minutes to give to a podcast episode, that's okay.
00:03:17
Speaker
We're putting little sound bites there that, oh yeah, that's great information.
00:03:21
Speaker
That's helpful.
00:03:21
Speaker
If you like Instagram, follow us there.
00:03:24
Speaker
And leave a review for the podcast.
00:03:26
Speaker
We have four reviews.
00:03:28
Speaker
Erica, are you cool with reading our fourth one we've got?
00:03:31
Speaker
By the way, next week we won't have a review to read if we don't get one.
00:03:35
Speaker
No pressure.
00:03:36
Speaker
But leave us a review.
00:03:37
Speaker
So yeah, so we'll be super sad if we can't read one next week.
00:03:41
Speaker
But just go on to Apple Podcasts.
00:03:43
Speaker
Go down to the bottom of our page.
00:03:44
Speaker
You know, the One More Run podcast.
00:03:46
Speaker
Go down to the bottom.
00:03:47
Speaker
There's a spot to leave a, we'd hope, four or five star podcast.
00:03:50
Speaker
Review and then leave a comment.
00:03:52
Speaker
We love reading it on the air.
00:03:53
Speaker
Who's today's review from?
00:03:54
Speaker
Today's review is from Hannah Barry Finn.
00:03:57
Speaker
She says, I love this podcast.
00:03:59
Speaker
Excellent information.
00:04:00
Speaker
The format is perfect and it's great for those who may be new to running and run Disney.
00:04:05
Speaker
Highly recommend.
00:04:06
Speaker
Keep up the good work.
00:04:08
Speaker
Awesome.
00:04:08
Speaker
Love it.
00:04:09
Speaker
Thank you for listening, Hannah Berry Finn.
00:04:11
Speaker
Hopefully this is helpful information for you.
00:04:13
Speaker
I'm glad
Trevor's Journey to a Disney Half Marathon
00:04:14
Speaker
you're enjoying it.
00:04:14
Speaker
Today we have a very special guest on the podcast for a short segment.
00:04:19
Speaker
So this is not an expert, you know, like we've done in the past.
00:04:22
Speaker
Trevor is like a really, really, really dear, close friend who has decided to do his first half marathon and at Disney.
00:04:31
Speaker
Yes.
00:04:31
Speaker
So excited.
00:04:32
Speaker
Yeah.
00:04:32
Speaker
So we said, hey, you want to be on the podcast?
00:04:34
Speaker
Yeah.
00:04:34
Speaker
And lucky for us, he said yes.
00:04:36
Speaker
So Trevor is the most humble person I think I know in the world.
00:04:40
Speaker
So just know that he's accomplished and awesome and has an amazing career and family and all of that, but he's going to come across super humble.
00:04:49
Speaker
But I'm just putting it out there right now.
00:04:50
Speaker
The dude is awesome.
00:04:51
Speaker
Yes.
00:04:51
Speaker
And so you have any thoughts before we bring Trevor in and just ask him some questions about his training and all that when we get started?
00:04:58
Speaker
I'm just super excited because Trevor is the reason why we do this podcast.
00:05:02
Speaker
It's for friends that are getting into running and run Disney.
00:05:05
Speaker
And so to be able to see his progress and to cheer him on, I mean, that's why we do this.
00:05:11
Speaker
We're so excited.
00:05:11
Speaker
A hundred percent.
00:05:13
Speaker
We want Trevor and friends like him to know all the things, logistical things and encouragement things.
00:05:21
Speaker
Get those out of the way so that he can focus on running.
00:05:23
Speaker
Yep.
00:05:23
Speaker
Right?
00:05:24
Speaker
So you cool if we bring him into the podcast and ask him some questions.
00:05:28
Speaker
Hey, so Trevor, welcome to the podcast, my friend.
00:05:31
Speaker
You are officially famous now because you're on AJ and Erica's podcast with all four of our listeners.
00:05:35
Speaker
How do you feel about that?
00:05:37
Speaker
Thank you.
00:05:38
Speaker
Thank you for inviting me.
00:05:39
Speaker
This is wonderful.
00:05:40
Speaker
It's great to talk to you guys.
00:05:42
Speaker
Yeah, we're going to just like throw questions at you if you're cool with it.
00:05:44
Speaker
But I do want to share a backstory.
00:05:46
Speaker
You know, our families are friends.
00:05:48
Speaker
You and I are friends.
00:05:49
Speaker
You know, we go, you know, we hang out together, right?
00:05:51
Speaker
So we do life together, right?
00:05:53
Speaker
But I do want to tell a story and hopefully this doesn't get you in trouble.
00:05:55
Speaker
If it does, I'll cut it out of the podcast.
00:05:58
Speaker
So last marathon at the beginning of this year, we got on a plane to fly from Atlanta to Orlando and you,
00:06:07
Speaker
We're our pilot.
00:06:08
Speaker
And we did not know that this was was was happening.
00:06:12
Speaker
And it was like it made I mean, the marathon was amazing, but like that might have been my favorite part of the trip.
00:06:16
Speaker
Absolutely.
00:06:17
Speaker
What do you remember from that from that like us walking on the plane and like, oh, my gosh, there's there's our friend that we saw two days ago at home and he's flying the plane.
00:06:25
Speaker
Like, what do you remember from that?
00:06:27
Speaker
just an amazing coincidence, really.
00:06:29
Speaker
I mean, we know, we talk about you guys and your travels and we, and I personally know, you know, that you guys are flying to Orlando and that you fly on my company's airplanes to Orlando.
00:06:43
Speaker
And it's like, Oh, wouldn't it be cool if one of these days and,
00:06:47
Speaker
You know, it's common to say that, but there's like 17,000 guys that fly.
00:06:51
Speaker
Right.
00:06:53
Speaker
So the actual chances of having you guys on board was slim.
00:06:57
Speaker
So it was just really, really good.
00:06:59
Speaker
It kind of felt like hitting a lottery or, you know, having a good pull on a slot machine.
00:07:04
Speaker
It was like, how cool is that?
00:07:06
Speaker
It was amazing.
00:07:06
Speaker
It was amazing.
00:07:07
Speaker
And then we got, you guys get to come up and take pictures and,
00:07:11
Speaker
And we were on time, which doesn't always happen.
00:07:14
Speaker
I was super excited by that.
00:07:16
Speaker
My favorite things for that was I felt like I was a 10-year-old kid who got to go to the cockpit, first of all.
00:07:21
Speaker
That was awesome.
00:07:23
Speaker
And then my second favorite thing about that was seeing you in your work outfit.
00:07:26
Speaker
I was like, wow, Trevor's like a big deal.
00:07:28
Speaker
He's so professional.
00:07:31
Speaker
My sister calls it a costume.
00:07:34
Speaker
Yeah, it's a uniform.
00:07:35
Speaker
You're right.
00:07:36
Speaker
Since we're going to talk run Disney, you should run as a pilot.
00:07:38
Speaker
That'd be kind of funny.
00:07:39
Speaker
That would be fun.
00:07:41
Speaker
I want to ask you run Disney questions.
00:07:43
Speaker
Are you cool with that?
00:07:43
Speaker
I mean, maybe 10 minutes of your time.
00:07:45
Speaker
Okay.
00:07:46
Speaker
So we alternate questions.
00:07:47
Speaker
That's kind of how we roll in this.
00:07:48
Speaker
So I'm going to ask the first one, but it's a two part question.
00:07:51
Speaker
The question is, why'd you decide to run or sign up for a half marathon at Disney?
00:07:54
Speaker
I want to do like A and B if that's cool.
00:07:56
Speaker
So part A is why'd you decide to run a half marathon, right?
00:07:58
Speaker
Leave the Disney side out of it.
00:08:00
Speaker
And part two is Disney's, you know, it's expensive and you know, it's got some logistics.
00:08:03
Speaker
So then part two is why Disney, right?
00:08:06
Speaker
So why'd you decide to run a half marathon?
00:08:07
Speaker
You just started training.
00:08:08
Speaker
Why'd you decide to do it?
00:08:10
Speaker
That's a great question.
00:08:11
Speaker
I mean, I'm 51, right?
00:08:13
Speaker
And life is busy and there's stress and schedule and you blink your eyes and then all of a sudden you're, you know, 15 pounds overweight, let's say.
00:08:23
Speaker
And so I wanted to set that as a goal for myself.
00:08:28
Speaker
So setting a very tangible goal with a date is
00:08:33
Speaker
you know, with a, with a extensive, you know, registration process and it's non-refundable and you book hotels and it's like, this would be very, very motivating for me because it's a very, very real life event.
00:08:50
Speaker
It's not just like, Oh, I want to lose weight.
00:08:52
Speaker
I'm going to start jogging in my free time.
00:08:54
Speaker
You know, this is a, this is an actual goal on the calendar that's paid for.
00:08:59
Speaker
And, and so my original, my original motivation was just getting back into shape.
00:09:04
Speaker
That's awesome.
00:09:05
Speaker
What's your background in running?
00:09:06
Speaker
Do you have any background in running or is this new to you?
00:09:09
Speaker
It's, it's, this distance is absolutely new to me.
00:09:12
Speaker
I mean, I've run before.
00:09:14
Speaker
I don't consider myself to be a runner.
00:09:16
Speaker
I don't feel like I'm necessarily built that way.
00:09:20
Speaker
I kind of jog.
00:09:21
Speaker
And in years past, I've done several 5Ks, you know, maybe 10 years ago.
00:09:27
Speaker
The longest distance I've ever run in my life was a 10K.
00:09:30
Speaker
And that wasn't even a race.
00:09:31
Speaker
That was just the course in our town here.
00:09:34
Speaker
It's marked on the paths and stuff.
00:09:36
Speaker
And it wasn't easy.
00:09:39
Speaker
I'd much rather lift weights in the gym or take a hike.
00:09:43
Speaker
I don't consider myself to be a runner.
00:09:46
Speaker
But running, in my opinion, is the most versatile thing that you can do because you can do it anytime and anywhere.
00:09:54
Speaker
So I really want to be good at it.
00:09:58
Speaker
I want to enjoy it.
00:10:00
Speaker
And so I hope this is also something that comes out of it.
00:10:03
Speaker
That's awesome.
00:10:04
Speaker
Why, why a Disney race?
00:10:05
Speaker
Because these are a little more complicated.
00:10:07
Speaker
They're hard to get into, you know, they're themed, right?
00:10:09
Speaker
Like, I mean, you kind of, you don't have to be, but it's helpful to enjoy Disney things.
00:10:14
Speaker
Why a Disney race?
00:10:16
Speaker
Well, you guys, oh, you guys are such a huge, well, like you said before, I'm going to say the same thing.
00:10:23
Speaker
You're dear friends, right?
00:10:25
Speaker
I love you both.
00:10:26
Speaker
I respect you both very much.
00:10:28
Speaker
And, and, and we've spent enough time together to know that we probably will enjoy doing the same things.
00:10:36
Speaker
And so,
00:10:37
Speaker
I feel like this is no exception.
00:10:38
Speaker
So you guys have made no qualms about describing that not only are they fun, but they're exceptionally well run.
00:10:46
Speaker
When you consider other ones that are just run by a city or, you know, your local town, even the very, very well funded ones.
00:10:54
Speaker
Disney is a very, very well run and organized company.
00:10:58
Speaker
So that in addition to it being fun, I mean, you guys make it look fun and easy and
00:11:04
Speaker
And you've been so helpful every step of the way.
00:11:07
Speaker
So I want to try it.
00:11:08
Speaker
Awesome.
00:11:09
Speaker
We're super excited for you, Trevor.
00:11:11
Speaker
Tell us, what are you nervous about as training gets started?
00:11:14
Speaker
I get nervous about consistency.
00:11:16
Speaker
So my personality type, I know myself well enough that if I have a plan, whether it be to jog or to watch what I'm eating or some new goal that I've set for myself, if I experience a disruption at
00:11:31
Speaker
it affects me more than it should.
00:11:32
Speaker
Right.
00:11:33
Speaker
So some people are like, Oh, just, just keep going and do the best you can.
00:11:37
Speaker
If I take like a week and a half vacation in the middle of a jogging program, it's really, really hard to jump back in.
00:11:43
Speaker
Not only because it's harder, but as you feel like, Oh, I've kind of, I'm out of my routine.
00:11:49
Speaker
I've kind of erased some of the benefit that I did.
00:11:51
Speaker
So to answer your question, I worry about, for myself, being consistent.
00:11:56
Speaker
And the other side of that coin is, we kind of alluded to the fact that I travel for my job, like you do, AJ, as well.
00:12:04
Speaker
It's nice to have on paper a Monday, Wednesday, Friday, or a Tuesday, Thursday, Sunday, whatever your plan may be for your training.
00:12:12
Speaker
Mm-hmm.
00:12:12
Speaker
I worry that when I have to slide days around that, you know, maybe one will get lost or the weather doesn't cooperate or I'm tired and life happens and I'm off the rails.
00:12:25
Speaker
So, you know, not saying it's easy for anyone.
00:12:28
Speaker
I mean, if you have an eight to five job, my goodness, when are you going to run then either?
00:12:32
Speaker
But it's the inconsistency of my personal weekly schedule and trying to fit a very organized training plan into that inconsistent schedule.
00:12:42
Speaker
So that's what I'm most nervous about.
00:12:45
Speaker
That's legit.
00:12:46
Speaker
Erica, any suggestions or advice based off what you heard?
00:12:49
Speaker
Because what he's nervous about, and I've been nervous about the same thing, it's legit.
00:12:54
Speaker
You don't want to get behind because it's hard to catch up or hard to stay motivated.
00:12:58
Speaker
Any tips from your experiences?
00:13:00
Speaker
I mean, it's easier said than done, but I would say like, don't stress about it too much.
00:13:05
Speaker
Like as long as you're getting out there and running three days a week, like you're good.
00:13:11
Speaker
And if you have to miss a date, like it happens, it's fine.
00:13:14
Speaker
Um, just try to get back in when you can, or if you can't run, if you can at least still walk, you know, have a little bit of time on your feet, like that's still good.
00:13:22
Speaker
And it's,
00:13:23
Speaker
I mean, we joke about like, well, I haven't run in three days and I've lost everything.
00:13:26
Speaker
Like that's not really going to happen.
00:13:28
Speaker
Um, so, so, so try not to stress about it.
00:13:31
Speaker
Just enjoy as much of it as you can.
00:13:32
Speaker
don't try to catch up really fast.
00:13:34
Speaker
Like if you get behind on the training plan, like map it out and figure out how can you make 10% increases on your distance or whatever to, to get to a point that you can catch up versus missing the week where you're supposed to do six miles and you go from five to eight, like then you're going to hurt yourself.
00:13:52
Speaker
And then eight to 13 is going to kill you.
00:13:54
Speaker
Yeah.
00:13:54
Speaker
You know, like I think don't miss the incremental steps, even if they're
00:13:59
Speaker
off the schedule would you agree with that yeah a thousand percent yeah yeah yeah um but i think i mean legit those are those are legit concerns i love that you're not worried about where the bathrooms are or anything you know we'll share that i can help with that erica definitely knows um you have any specific goals for this uh for this race or beyond like i said before i'm not really a runner i mean i've never run more than a 10k which is like six miles right
00:14:24
Speaker
So I really don't want to like, you know, die on Main Street personally.
00:14:28
Speaker
That's a personal goal.
00:14:31
Speaker
But I would just be very, very at my age.
00:14:35
Speaker
I'm 51 and I don't feel like I'm in good shape.
00:14:37
Speaker
So just finishing it is going to be a huge accomplishment.
00:14:41
Speaker
So I love being able to know going into it, which I already have peace with going into it.
00:14:46
Speaker
I don't have to do this without stopping.
00:14:48
Speaker
You know, you don't have to be some kind of, you know, 8% body fat marathon runner.
00:14:56
Speaker
Not at all.
00:14:57
Speaker
To compete or finish or even feel successful, like middle of the pack successful.
00:15:03
Speaker
So I really appreciate, I appreciate that that bar is kind of preset and not too high a spot for a couch to half kind of guy like me.
00:15:12
Speaker
So specific goals, I'm thrilled to just finish.
00:15:15
Speaker
That's perfect.
00:15:17
Speaker
Without injury, you know, obviously with the training and stuff.
00:15:20
Speaker
Your mindset is so locked in already that I think you're in a healthier place than 70% of the runners out on a run Disney course because they have all these other things they're trying to achieve and they're honestly out of reach or unrealistic or maybe not enough.
00:15:35
Speaker
And I think your mindset is totally locked in and
00:15:39
Speaker
with a finished goal.
00:15:40
Speaker
And then if you finish this one, Trevor, and you're, we're standing at the finish line together and you're like, I never want to do that again.
00:15:47
Speaker
I'm going to look at cycling.
00:15:49
Speaker
Great.
00:15:49
Speaker
Find another healthy activity, you know?
00:15:51
Speaker
But if you finish like us, your first one and you're like, Oh, next year I'm doing two races in one weekend.
00:15:56
Speaker
That's what happened to us.
00:15:58
Speaker
You might, you know?
00:15:59
Speaker
So I love that your goal for this one's a finished goal, not something overreaching.
00:16:03
Speaker
I love it.
00:16:04
Speaker
Totally.
00:16:04
Speaker
Yeah.
00:16:05
Speaker
It is.
00:16:05
Speaker
And I don't know how I'm going to feel.
00:16:07
Speaker
That's a huge, that's a huge curiosity for me too.
00:16:11
Speaker
I hope I finish and say, Hey, let's do this again.
00:16:14
Speaker
Yeah.
00:16:14
Speaker
I hope I do.
00:16:15
Speaker
Yeah.
00:16:15
Speaker
Well, we'll try not to project on you.
00:16:18
Speaker
You know, we'll let you, we'll let you come up with your own conclusion, hopefully.
00:16:21
Speaker
Yeah.
00:16:22
Speaker
So along those lines, Trevor, what do you hope to be able to say is true when you crash the finish line?
00:16:28
Speaker
I would love to be able to say that I enjoy running.
00:16:31
Speaker
I would love to, like I said, I love the idea of the flexibility of running, right?
00:16:36
Speaker
If you're a treadmill person or not.
00:16:39
Speaker
If you're a cyclist and you travel for a living, that's challenging.
00:16:42
Speaker
If you like to row boats and you travel for a living, that's challenging.
00:16:46
Speaker
But you can walk outside onto a city sidewalk or find a park in almost anywhere.
00:16:52
Speaker
Yeah.
00:16:52
Speaker
And so, you know, I would love to be able to get to a point where I enjoy it.
00:16:57
Speaker
I come out of this enjoying running and then that leads to the health requirement for not only for my job, but staying healthy and being present for my wife and my kids for as long as I can.
00:17:08
Speaker
I'm excited for that for you.
00:17:09
Speaker
If it ends up being something that sticks, we know that you can do it.
00:17:13
Speaker
Like you've got it.
00:17:14
Speaker
We a hundred percent believe in you were so excited for this journey for you.
00:17:17
Speaker
Do you have any other, like any questions?
00:17:19
Speaker
Like it can be, it can be big, small, dumb.
00:17:21
Speaker
It doesn't matter what it is.
00:17:22
Speaker
Any questions for us while you've got like a captive audience and just don't ask us anything embarrassing.
00:17:29
Speaker
No, I just wanted to take this opportunity to thank you guys.
00:17:33
Speaker
And if there's someone out there that's tuning into this and you're kind of thinking about it, these people are a great resource.
00:17:38
Speaker
And I would suggest that you pay attention to what they're saying.
00:17:41
Speaker
It's great, great information.
00:17:43
Speaker
Thanks, Trevor.
00:17:44
Speaker
And I love you guys.
00:17:45
Speaker
We love you.
00:17:46
Speaker
We're so excited for you.
00:17:47
Speaker
We are.
00:17:47
Speaker
We are pumped.
00:17:48
Speaker
Hey, can we have you back?
00:17:49
Speaker
I'm putting you on the spot since you're already, I'm recording.
00:17:52
Speaker
You have to say yes.
00:17:53
Speaker
Is can we have you back at the end of this whole thing?
00:17:56
Speaker
Like when you, when you cross the finish line or if you're laying flat out on main street, like I'll bring a recorder, you know what I mean?
00:18:02
Speaker
I'll just be like, Trevor, Trevor, how are you feeling now that you just passed out?
00:18:05
Speaker
You know, can I do that?
00:18:07
Speaker
That's a deal.
00:18:07
Speaker
That's a deal.
00:18:08
Speaker
I'm going to wear the same shirt.
00:18:09
Speaker
Maybe it'll fit a little better.
00:18:10
Speaker
Yeah, that'd be awesome.
00:18:12
Speaker
We'd love to have you back.
00:18:12
Speaker
Thanks again for giving us time.
00:18:14
Speaker
We're so excited for you and we're thrilled to have you on the podcast, my friend.
00:18:18
Speaker
Thank you guys for the invite.
00:18:19
Speaker
Enjoyed it.
00:18:19
Speaker
Thank you.
Experiencing Disney on Race Weekend
00:18:24
Speaker
Today's topic is staying on property.
00:18:26
Speaker
And that's like a Disney phrase, staying on property.
00:18:29
Speaker
I'm doing air quotes, you know.
00:18:31
Speaker
You can either stay on Disney property or stay off.
00:18:34
Speaker
It's like you kind of have to, you know, you're in one camp or the other.
00:18:37
Speaker
And sometimes, you know, you flip-flop based off your circumstances.
00:18:40
Speaker
So staying on property means you travel to Disney World Resort, which is what they call a hotel, and you basically stay on
00:18:49
Speaker
in the Disney bubble.
00:18:51
Speaker
That is correct.
00:18:51
Speaker
The entire time you're there or most of the time you're there.
00:18:53
Speaker
Yes.
00:18:54
Speaker
Right.
00:18:54
Speaker
And it is a different experience than if you go to, I mean, choose a hotel name.
00:18:58
Speaker
I mean, name one.
00:18:59
Speaker
Marriott.
00:19:00
Speaker
Yeah, Marriott.
00:19:01
Speaker
And it's five miles away.
00:19:02
Speaker
It is very close.
00:19:04
Speaker
Right.
00:19:04
Speaker
But there is something different about staying at a Marriott that's in the real world.
00:19:08
Speaker
Right.
00:19:08
Speaker
And driving in
00:19:10
Speaker
to the bubble each day free or whatever so it we're not shy about it we like staying on property yes we we have stayed off we have stayed on we you know we just prefer being in that bubble i guess that's right whether we go for a race weekend or not we stay on property
00:19:25
Speaker
Yeah.
00:19:26
Speaker
But since this is a run Disney podcast, I thought it'd be interesting to kind of lay out what our typical flow of a race weekend looks like.
00:19:35
Speaker
Like when we arrive, you know, why that's on purpose.
00:19:38
Speaker
You know, when we go to the expo, you know, what time we get up for races, like all of that with the goal of highlighting why we stay on property.
00:19:45
Speaker
Because I think what you'll see if you look at our average run Disney race weekend, there's a lot of moving around.
00:19:52
Speaker
Right.
00:19:52
Speaker
Which is easier if you're in the ecosystem.
00:19:55
Speaker
Absolutely.
00:19:56
Speaker
That's my opinion.
00:19:56
Speaker
Yeah.
00:19:57
Speaker
So are you cool if I kind of just like list out what it's like and then jump in, interrupt me when you have a comment?
00:20:06
Speaker
Okay.
00:20:06
Speaker
Sounds good.
00:20:06
Speaker
Is that cool?
00:20:07
Speaker
Sounds good.
00:20:07
Speaker
Okay.
00:20:08
Speaker
So here is our average run Disney race weekend.
00:20:12
Speaker
We fly from home, Atlanta, into the Orlando airport.
00:20:16
Speaker
MCO is the airport code.
00:20:18
Speaker
Nobody cares.
00:20:19
Speaker
I love airport codes.
00:20:20
Speaker
So we fly into MCO and usually we do that late morning on either Wednesday or Thursday before a race.
00:20:27
Speaker
Yep.
00:20:28
Speaker
And, um, it depends just based off of work schedules and things like that.
00:20:31
Speaker
We come in late morning because then we'll catch the, uh, the bus from the airport to the resort that we're staying at.
00:20:39
Speaker
We use mirrors connect.
00:20:40
Speaker
That's kind of our, our favorite go-to.
00:20:42
Speaker
And then we check in, we settle in.
00:20:45
Speaker
And once we're settled, it's usually like what, one or two in the afternoon.
00:20:48
Speaker
Once we're kind of settled and we feel like we've arrived and we've, we're
00:20:52
Speaker
you know, feeling good.
00:20:53
Speaker
We go to the race expo.
00:20:55
Speaker
Typically it's open, you know, the day before the first race and then every race day.
00:21:00
Speaker
So we'll go the day before the race.
00:21:03
Speaker
We'll go to the expo.
00:21:04
Speaker
And how long do we spend there?
00:21:06
Speaker
A couple hours.
00:21:07
Speaker
Yeah.
00:21:07
Speaker
You think it should only take 30 minutes.
00:21:09
Speaker
Oh, no.
00:21:10
Speaker
Or an hour or so.
00:21:12
Speaker
But we go to the race expo and we take a bus provided by Disney to do that.
00:21:16
Speaker
Right.
00:21:17
Speaker
And so right at our resort, you can literally catch a bus.
00:21:20
Speaker
It's not a Disney bus, but I think we said this in last week's episode.
00:21:23
Speaker
Every bus stop...
00:21:25
Speaker
has a run Disney sign and you wait at that sign and you'll see a white bus.
00:21:31
Speaker
Usually they're white buses.
00:21:33
Speaker
Sometimes it might say something else, but it's clearly not a Disney bus.
00:21:35
Speaker
It's contracted.
00:21:37
Speaker
And you get on that bus and the driver will say, are you going to the expo?
00:21:40
Speaker
And you hop on that bus and you don't have to do anything other than sit back, relax, take the bus.
00:21:46
Speaker
over to the expo.
00:21:47
Speaker
We're there at the expo for a few hours.
00:21:49
Speaker
We do all the things that's required for that.
00:21:50
Speaker
We take the bus back to our resort and we drop off all the stuff we get from the resort, from the expo.
00:21:56
Speaker
Yeah.
00:21:57
Speaker
Do you feel like this?
00:21:58
Speaker
I come back from the expo and I've got a bag of all the stuff they gave me and then I've got two shopping bags worth and then I've got the, the, um,
00:22:07
Speaker
Yeah, the beer mug that I had to chug really fast before we left the expo because you can't take alcohol off property.
00:22:13
Speaker
And I'm still eating my what's-all pretzel snack.
00:22:15
Speaker
And I come and I look like I've like Christmas shopped from the expo.
00:22:20
Speaker
So we go to the hotel.
00:22:21
Speaker
And this is the typical thing.
00:22:22
Speaker
We usually go to the hotel room, drop it all, and then head to a theme park for the evening, you know, for a couple hours.
00:22:30
Speaker
And we'll typically get dinner or something like that.
00:22:32
Speaker
So that's another transition point, right?
00:22:35
Speaker
Is why I say is now we go back to the hotel and the expo provide a bus.
00:22:39
Speaker
Then we get on a Disney bus.
00:22:40
Speaker
Right.
00:22:41
Speaker
And we take that to a theme park.
00:22:42
Speaker
What theme park do you like to go to typically when we arrive?
00:22:45
Speaker
Do you have a favorite?
00:22:45
Speaker
Like where are you going to spend two hours on the first night?
00:22:48
Speaker
Do you have a favorite?
00:22:49
Speaker
I feel like usually we go to Magic Kingdom and we ride Haunted Mansion and we ride Pirates and then we get dinner.
00:22:58
Speaker
Yeah.
00:22:59
Speaker
Pretty much.
00:23:00
Speaker
Yeah.
00:23:00
Speaker
Our other go to is Mickey and Minnie's Runaway Railway at Hollywood Studios and, you know, a snack at Hollywood.
00:23:07
Speaker
And then we just come back.
00:23:08
Speaker
Right.
00:23:08
Speaker
We don't overdo it in the parks when we do our race weekend.
00:23:12
Speaker
When we get back, I go.
00:23:13
Speaker
This sounds really dumb and very detailed, but I go to the food court or wherever at the main lobby and I buy a runner's box is what they call it.
00:23:22
Speaker
It's only provided on Disney race weekends, but it's a snack box with food we're going to eat in the morning before the run.
00:23:31
Speaker
And so it's got a bagel and peanut butter, maybe a granola bar, a banana.
00:23:36
Speaker
There's some other snack I can't think of.
00:23:38
Speaker
Can you think of it?
00:23:40
Speaker
There's a water bottle in there.
00:23:41
Speaker
I believe it's $10 for $10 in Disney world.
00:23:44
Speaker
That's a pretty good deal.
00:23:46
Speaker
Yeah, I feel like so I go by that and then I go to bed.
00:23:49
Speaker
Yeah, because the next morning is most likely a race day unless we were coming in multiple days early, which means what time do we go to bed?
00:23:56
Speaker
We go to bed.
00:23:57
Speaker
Well, we try to go to bed around 738 ish.
00:23:59
Speaker
I do have an important thing to say here.
00:24:03
Speaker
You know, we learn the hard way.
00:24:05
Speaker
One of the things that we do almost immediately when we get to the hotel now is we unplug the room phone.
00:24:11
Speaker
We had a very unfortunate event one time where someone like prank called us at 12 or one in the morning and it was terrible.
00:24:20
Speaker
And then we were awake for like the rest of the night.
00:24:23
Speaker
So so before we go to bed, just unplug the room phone.
00:24:26
Speaker
That's right.
00:24:26
Speaker
So if there's a race the next day, we get our race costumes situated.
00:24:30
Speaker
Erica unplugs the phone and we get ready for an early 2 a.m.
00:24:34
Speaker
wake up call.
00:24:35
Speaker
If there is no race the next day, if we're going in early and the next day is just like a buffer day, we'll sleep in.
00:24:42
Speaker
We'll, you know, do a theme park.
00:24:44
Speaker
What we won't do is we won't rope drop a theme park and we won't close the theme park.
00:24:49
Speaker
We'll go super casual because we're saving our legs.
00:24:52
Speaker
Right.
00:24:52
Speaker
Sometimes we just go lay out by the pool.
00:24:54
Speaker
A hundred percent.
00:24:55
Speaker
Yeah.
00:24:56
Speaker
Sometimes we'll just go ride the Skyliner.
00:24:58
Speaker
Right.
00:24:59
Speaker
It is kind of a buffer day where you're getting a little bit just settled in.
00:25:03
Speaker
Yeah.
00:25:03
Speaker
Travel day is over.
00:25:04
Speaker
No expo craziness, you know, whatever.
00:25:06
Speaker
So if our schedules allow for a buffer day, we do it.
00:25:09
Speaker
Yeah.
00:25:09
Speaker
Not always.
00:25:10
Speaker
You know what I mean?
00:25:10
Speaker
Sometimes we come in hot.
00:25:12
Speaker
Yeah.
00:25:12
Speaker
Because of life.
00:25:13
Speaker
Right.
00:25:14
Speaker
Right.
00:25:14
Speaker
So if it's a race day, that alarm goes off at 2 a.m.
00:25:18
Speaker
2 a.m.
00:25:19
Speaker
Yep.
00:25:20
Speaker
2 a.m.
00:25:20
Speaker
That alarm goes off.
00:25:21
Speaker
We are on the bus by 3, which is when they start.
00:25:24
Speaker
Their buses start running.
00:25:26
Speaker
And it seems really early because the race doesn't start till 5, but I've never been standing in the corral or waiting at the race start thinking, man, I wish I was asleep, like an extra 15 minutes.
00:25:38
Speaker
I mean, I wish I was asleep.
00:25:39
Speaker
Yeah.
00:25:39
Speaker
But like sleep till 9.
00:25:41
Speaker
Not, you know, regretting getting up early because the stress of trying to get to the race late is not worth it.
00:25:47
Speaker
Yeah, no.
00:25:50
Speaker
Anything on catching the bus, Erica, or anything like that?
00:25:52
Speaker
We usually eat breakfast on the bus.
00:25:54
Speaker
We take that runner's box and we're eating on the bus.
00:25:56
Speaker
Yeah, we take the runner's box and we're eating on the bus.
00:25:58
Speaker
We do all the pre-race stuff, which we'll talk about in another episode.
00:26:00
Speaker
5 a.m.
00:26:01
Speaker
start.
00:26:03
Speaker
Whether we run together or not, we do the race.
00:26:05
Speaker
We finish the race, do the finish line stuff.
00:26:08
Speaker
And this is what's funny to me.
00:26:09
Speaker
Even if it's a long race, like a half marathon, you're done.
00:26:12
Speaker
And it's only like 7.30 in the morning.
00:26:13
Speaker
Right.
00:26:14
Speaker
Yes.
00:26:15
Speaker
Because you've just run a half marathon.
00:26:17
Speaker
You've been up for hours.
00:26:18
Speaker
You think the whole world is up.
00:26:19
Speaker
Yeah.
00:26:20
Speaker
the parks aren't even open yet.
00:26:22
Speaker
Right.
00:26:22
Speaker
Yeah.
00:26:22
Speaker
When we get back to the hotel, people are like going to shuffling to get breakfast.
00:26:26
Speaker
We're rolling out of bed, right?
00:26:27
Speaker
Yeah.
00:26:28
Speaker
So we go back to the hotel again.
00:26:29
Speaker
We catch the run Disney provided transportation back to our resort.
00:26:32
Speaker
This is a key piece of staying on property.
00:26:35
Speaker
Absolutely.
00:26:35
Speaker
Right here.
00:26:36
Speaker
You can drive to the race start.
00:26:38
Speaker
You can do that.
00:26:39
Speaker
And it's just as easy getting in
00:26:42
Speaker
to the Epcot loading area for the pre-race, whatever.
00:26:46
Speaker
Where the buses drop you off and where you can park are very close.
00:26:50
Speaker
Here's the benefit.
00:26:51
Speaker
And I don't know financial benefit, but just time benefit of staying on property.
00:26:55
Speaker
When you're done with the race, the buses to go back to all the Disney resorts are waiting for
00:27:01
Speaker
at the finish line.
00:27:02
Speaker
Yeah.
00:27:03
Speaker
Right there.
00:27:03
Speaker
Yep.
00:27:03
Speaker
You can, like, the minute you cross the finish line and get your banana and your medal, you can see your bus.
00:27:08
Speaker
Right.
00:27:08
Speaker
With a huge sign that says whatever resort you're staying at, you walk over to it, you get on it, you're gone.
00:27:13
Speaker
I mean, usually there's like five buses for your resort.
00:27:16
Speaker
Right.
00:27:16
Speaker
Queued up, ready.
00:27:17
Speaker
Right.
00:27:18
Speaker
You don't wait to go home.
00:27:19
Speaker
No.
00:27:19
Speaker
Yeah.
00:27:20
Speaker
If you drove there or you're catching an Uber,
00:27:22
Speaker
You have to go all the way back out to where it dropped you off or your parking lot is.
00:27:29
Speaker
And it's a long way.
00:27:29
Speaker
Yeah.
00:27:30
Speaker
Three quarters of a mile.
00:27:31
Speaker
Yeah.
00:27:32
Speaker
Would you say?
00:27:33
Speaker
Yeah, for sure.
00:27:34
Speaker
So right here, right here is a benefit to me.
00:27:37
Speaker
Yeah.
00:27:38
Speaker
I don't know if it's a financial benefit because it is a little more expensive to stay on property.
00:27:41
Speaker
But I love that I can just walk straight back to the bus.
00:27:45
Speaker
We get back to the resort.
00:27:45
Speaker
This is our routine.
00:27:47
Speaker
Erica goes back.
00:27:47
Speaker
She starts showering and she's stretching or whatever.
00:27:50
Speaker
And I go get breakfast.
00:27:51
Speaker
Yep.
00:27:52
Speaker
And I bring her back to the room.
00:27:53
Speaker
Yes.
00:27:53
Speaker
You are so lucky to have me.
00:27:55
Speaker
I am.
00:27:55
Speaker
Yes.
00:27:56
Speaker
We do an easy afternoon.
00:27:58
Speaker
I mean, I'll shower.
00:27:59
Speaker
I might take a nap.
00:28:00
Speaker
I'm more guilty of taking naps than you are.
00:28:01
Speaker
And we'll take an easy day.
00:28:04
Speaker
Yeah.
00:28:04
Speaker
We might go to a park.
00:28:06
Speaker
We might go to the pool.
00:28:07
Speaker
If there's another race day,
00:28:09
Speaker
Repeat.
00:28:10
Speaker
Yeah.
00:28:10
Speaker
If there's not another race day, then we try not to travel home on the same day as a race.
00:28:15
Speaker
Right.
00:28:15
Speaker
Typically.
00:28:16
Speaker
Yeah.
00:28:16
Speaker
If we have to because of life, we will.
00:28:18
Speaker
You have to check out at 11.
00:28:20
Speaker
So if you can shower and all that, whatever, and be out of your hotel by 11 and on the road or to the airport by then, knock yourself out.
00:28:27
Speaker
We've done it.
00:28:28
Speaker
Yeah.
00:28:28
Speaker
Not our preferred thing.
00:28:29
Speaker
We love to just recover.
00:28:32
Speaker
Yeah.
00:28:33
Speaker
So to speak and fly out the next morning.
00:28:35
Speaker
Anything else about our kind of typical routine?
00:28:39
Speaker
No.
00:28:40
Speaker
Other than being sad.
00:28:41
Speaker
Yeah.
00:28:42
Speaker
Between that and the next race.
00:28:44
Speaker
Right.
00:28:44
Speaker
Yeah.
00:28:45
Speaker
And just sitting at home wishing you could go back.
00:28:47
Speaker
We were at Disney.
00:28:48
Speaker
Yes.
00:28:48
Speaker
That's right.
00:28:49
Speaker
Okay.
00:28:49
Speaker
So that's our typical routine.
00:28:51
Speaker
You want to talk about why we stay on property?
00:28:53
Speaker
Like very specifically why we choose to stay on property.
00:28:57
Speaker
I've listed five.
00:28:58
Speaker
You want to just alternate here?
00:28:59
Speaker
Sure.
00:29:00
Speaker
Okay.
00:29:00
Speaker
I like that you're in the Disney bubble.
00:29:04
Speaker
The outside world can wait.
00:29:05
Speaker
You know, there's been plenty of times where a world event has happened and I didn't know it really because I'm not, you know, I'm generally not on Instagram.
00:29:14
Speaker
I'm generally not scrolling the news or whatever because I'm having fun in the whatever.
00:29:18
Speaker
Good and bad there, I guess, is sometimes.
00:29:20
Speaker
I don't know if you remember this.
00:29:22
Speaker
The stock market crashed in whatever year that was, 2009 or whatever, when we were at Disney and we didn't know it.
00:29:29
Speaker
Yeah.
00:29:30
Speaker
Like the whole world collapsed while we were there.
00:29:32
Speaker
Yeah.
00:29:33
Speaker
And I mean, we weren't checking the news.
00:29:35
Speaker
We weren't on our phones.
00:29:36
Speaker
No.
00:29:37
Speaker
Really?
00:29:37
Speaker
This was a little bit before iPhones really were pushing news at you.
00:29:41
Speaker
Right, right, right, right.
00:29:42
Speaker
You could access it.
00:29:42
Speaker
But we just, we literally were driving home and I'm like, oh my gosh, Erica, did you know that the whole, that stock market, like the whole world collapsed.
00:29:48
Speaker
Yeah, yeah, yeah.
00:29:49
Speaker
While we were, while we were there.
00:29:51
Speaker
So anyway, the good there is that you can, once you're in that bubble,
00:29:55
Speaker
You're there.
00:29:55
Speaker
If you go, and we've done this, if you stay at a Marriott or an Airbnb or a Hilton or something like that, when you leave property, you know you've left.
00:30:02
Speaker
Totally.
00:30:03
Speaker
And you're dealing with regular hotel room keys and regular hotel stuff.
00:30:10
Speaker
If you've got points or something like that, 100%.
00:30:12
Speaker
I'm all for saving money.
00:30:14
Speaker
We like staying on property in the bubbleness.
00:30:17
Speaker
Right, yeah.
00:30:17
Speaker
Why else do you like staying on property?
00:30:19
Speaker
Getting around property is fast and easy.
00:30:21
Speaker
Yeah.
00:30:22
Speaker
You know, there's always a bus ready to take you wherever you need to go.
00:30:25
Speaker
You're not waiting in line for an Uber or for the hotel shuttle to come pick you up.
00:30:31
Speaker
If a hotel, I keep saying Marriott, but any hotel, a Wyndham or whatever says we have free shuttle to the parks.
00:30:39
Speaker
Let me tell you this.
00:30:40
Speaker
We've been burned by this before.
00:30:42
Speaker
Right.
00:30:43
Speaker
They send a shuttle twice a day.
00:30:45
Speaker
Yeah.
00:30:46
Speaker
to the Magic Kingdom.
00:30:47
Speaker
And it's packed.
00:30:50
Speaker
And that shuttle is always late picking you back up.
00:30:54
Speaker
And you have to be there at a very specific time to get that ride back home.
00:30:59
Speaker
And guess who else is waiting for that bus?
00:31:01
Speaker
The entire resort that you are staying at is waiting for that bus.
00:31:06
Speaker
Then we end up Ubering because it's such a pain.
00:31:09
Speaker
So
00:31:10
Speaker
Don't get tricked into the, oh, but we have free Disney transportation.
00:31:14
Speaker
Yeah, they do.
00:31:14
Speaker
You're going to waste a ton of your time waiting.
00:31:16
Speaker
A ton of time.
00:31:17
Speaker
Yeah.
00:31:17
Speaker
And without getting really detailed on this, they can't drop you off right by some of the parks.
00:31:23
Speaker
Right.
00:31:23
Speaker
They drop you off in like the remote lot out by the TTC, the transportation and ticketing center.
00:31:28
Speaker
And you have to still take the ferry, the monorail, the whatever.
00:31:32
Speaker
Right, right, right.
00:31:33
Speaker
Disney buses, they go to the front door.
00:31:34
Speaker
Yeah.
00:31:35
Speaker
All right.
00:31:36
Speaker
I'm off my soapbox.
00:31:37
Speaker
Getting around is easy.
00:31:38
Speaker
I also love the Skyliner and the monorail and things like that.
00:31:42
Speaker
My number three is I like the magic bands, which is the wristband that you can wear that unlocks your door, has your theme park ticket on it.
00:31:50
Speaker
You can buy food with it.
00:31:51
Speaker
You link your credit card to it, which gets me in trouble a little bit sometimes because I'm just like, how would you like to pay for that?
00:31:56
Speaker
Oh, my magic band.
00:31:59
Speaker
And so it gets you a little bit in trouble, but I like that I don't have to really carry anything.
00:32:02
Speaker
right so i don't carry my debit card when i'm you know on property i don't have to carry cash i don't know room key uh any of that and that's actually helpful on a run disney race weekend is when i'm going to run a half marathon right i just don't have to worry about like everything post race at the reunion area or whatever can be done on your magic band right so i don't have to worry about anything i mean if i wanted to leave my phone behind which i don't i need my music and my camera yeah but i could
00:32:27
Speaker
leave my phone behind.
00:32:28
Speaker
I just don't need it because the magic band does so much.
00:32:31
Speaker
So I think it's a plus.
00:32:33
Speaker
Again, you got to make, you know, financially, if you've got a free place to stay, it might be worth staying off property if it's free, you know, but if you're weighing, saving a hundred dollars a night or something like that, these are benefits in my opinion.
00:32:45
Speaker
Erica, number four.
00:32:46
Speaker
I like that all the resorts are different themes.
00:32:48
Speaker
So we're getting kind of a different experience every time we go.
00:32:52
Speaker
We're going to talk about our favorites here in a minute.
00:32:54
Speaker
But when you say different themes, like give me an example.
00:32:57
Speaker
Oh gosh.
00:32:58
Speaker
Like, um, if you're staying at art of animation, uh, you know, they're going to have all the different kinds of movie characters and things like that.
00:33:05
Speaker
Big, bright, bold, animated, whatever, very kid friendly.
00:33:09
Speaker
Right, right, right.
00:33:10
Speaker
Um, if you're staying at, uh, French Riviera or something like you're going to feel like you just stepped into like a different time period.
00:33:18
Speaker
Like it's just, it's all, I don't know.
00:33:20
Speaker
It's just like a fun new experience wherever you stay.
00:33:22
Speaker
Yep.
00:33:23
Speaker
I like that we can go.
00:33:24
Speaker
So let's say we have three race weekends this year.
00:33:26
Speaker
Yeah.
00:33:27
Speaker
We can stay at Art of Animation with our kids because they're running with us one weekend.
00:33:30
Speaker
Right.
00:33:30
Speaker
And a few weeks or months later, we go back and we're staying at the Caribbean beach.
00:33:35
Speaker
It feels like we're at the beach in the Caribbean.
00:33:37
Speaker
Yeah.
00:33:38
Speaker
You know what I mean?
00:33:38
Speaker
Yeah.
00:33:39
Speaker
But they're next door to each other.
00:33:40
Speaker
Right.
00:33:40
Speaker
You can take a Skyliner from one to the other.
00:33:42
Speaker
Yeah.
00:33:43
Speaker
But they do such a good job with it.
00:33:44
Speaker
My number five on reasons we stay on property is the cast members.
00:33:48
Speaker
I love the cast members.
00:33:49
Speaker
We are previous cast members.
00:33:51
Speaker
So we, maybe more than most people, we appreciate the amount of effort and energy they put into just treating guests well.
00:33:59
Speaker
I like that I can walk up to any cast member and ask a question.
00:34:02
Speaker
If I'm lost, I don't understand something and I'm going to get
00:34:05
Speaker
a good answer.
00:34:07
Speaker
Whereas if I'm staying at the Holiday Inn Express and I go to ask the guy at the front desk and he's doing the night shift and he does has no idea what the policy is whenever he tells me I need to talk to a manager in the morning.
00:34:18
Speaker
You know, I like that a cast member never says no.
00:34:22
Speaker
They always say, I'm not sure.
00:34:25
Speaker
Let me find out.
00:34:26
Speaker
Yeah.
00:34:26
Speaker
Oh my gosh.
00:34:27
Speaker
They're always going to get an answer for you.
00:34:29
Speaker
Yep.
00:34:30
Speaker
I love that.
00:34:31
Speaker
And maybe that comes from being a cast member in the past, but I love them.
00:34:34
Speaker
Okay.
00:34:35
Speaker
You want to talk about our favorite resorts for a race weekend and why?
00:34:39
Speaker
So we have favorite resorts for vacation and a run Disney trip is kind of a vacation, but it's a little bit different.
00:34:47
Speaker
So how do you want me to handle this list?
00:34:49
Speaker
I've listed out our favorites kind of in the order I think that we like them.
00:34:53
Speaker
You want me to list it and then you give us some reasons why we like that one?
00:34:57
Speaker
Or do you want to list them?
00:34:58
Speaker
Or do you want to do this some other way?
00:35:01
Speaker
How about AJ?
00:35:02
Speaker
Tell me about Coronado Springs.
00:35:04
Speaker
Oh, you're interviewing me.
00:35:05
Speaker
Yeah.
00:35:05
Speaker
Yeah.
00:35:06
Speaker
Coronado Springs is my favorite.
00:35:08
Speaker
Yes.
00:35:08
Speaker
Is it your favorite or do you have another one that tops it?
00:35:10
Speaker
No, it's my favorite as well.
00:35:12
Speaker
For race weekends.
00:35:13
Speaker
I just, I'm not going to keep saying that for race weekends.
00:35:16
Speaker
It is my favorite because of its proximity to the race start, its proximity to the parks.
00:35:23
Speaker
It's close to Epcot, Hollywood and Animal Kingdom.
00:35:25
Speaker
It sits between the three.
00:35:27
Speaker
Yeah.
00:35:27
Speaker
And so I like that.
00:35:29
Speaker
I like the food options.
00:35:30
Speaker
When I go to look for food at Coronado Springs, 12 restaurants come up.
00:35:35
Speaker
That's amazing.
00:35:36
Speaker
Whereas if you're at Pop Century, you search for food options, two come up.
00:35:40
Speaker
Yeah.
00:35:41
Speaker
The pool bar and the food court.
00:35:42
Speaker
Yeah.
00:35:43
Speaker
You know, so I love that there's so many options.
00:35:45
Speaker
It feels deluxe.
00:35:46
Speaker
Yeah.
00:35:46
Speaker
In my opinion, you walk in and it's because the tower is a DVC, you know, a vacation center.
00:35:52
Speaker
Right.
00:35:52
Speaker
Yeah.
00:35:52
Speaker
Whatever.
00:35:53
Speaker
So it feels more deluxe.
00:35:55
Speaker
Yeah.
00:35:55
Speaker
And then there's one other thing and you probably know what it is.
00:35:57
Speaker
It's my favorite thing.
00:35:57
Speaker
Yeah.
00:35:58
Speaker
It's the fitness center.
00:35:59
Speaker
Yeah.
00:35:59
Speaker
And we love the fitness center because like we mentioned in our last episode, we like to go there to fill up all of our water bottles with their filtered water dispenser.
00:36:07
Speaker
Have you ever worked out in their fitness center?
00:36:10
Speaker
Well, that was the next thing I was going to say is that when we come back from doing a long run, we like to jump on the bike and sort of just spin.
00:36:16
Speaker
Yep.
00:36:16
Speaker
A no resistance spin.
00:36:18
Speaker
Yeah.
00:36:18
Speaker
No resistance, but it helps kind of work, work things out in your legs.
00:36:21
Speaker
It helps.
00:36:22
Speaker
Lastic acid.
00:36:23
Speaker
Yeah.
00:36:23
Speaker
Yeah.
00:36:23
Speaker
It helps speed up recovery.
00:36:25
Speaker
And so I've done that sort of workout there, but no, I've not done any other kind of workout.
00:36:29
Speaker
I've never gone and lifted weights or run on the treadmill or anything.
00:36:31
Speaker
No.
00:36:31
Speaker
I won't run on a treadmill anywhere.
00:36:35
Speaker
Not by choice, but yeah.
00:36:36
Speaker
I do like having the, specifically for us, marathon weekend.
00:36:40
Speaker
That is a extremely long distance race for us where I need to go spin for 10 or 15 minutes to just let that lactic acid, I'm pretending like I know what I'm talking about, let that work itself out.
00:36:52
Speaker
Even if I didn't know what all that technical stuff is, it just feels better when I can spin after a long run.
00:36:58
Speaker
And so Coronado Springs has a fitness center.
00:37:03
Speaker
Number two is French Quarter.
00:37:05
Speaker
Yes, I love that place.
00:37:07
Speaker
What am I trying to say?
00:37:09
Speaker
Port Orleans French Quarter.
00:37:10
Speaker
Why do you like it?
00:37:11
Speaker
I like it because it's really quiet.
00:37:13
Speaker
Yeah.
00:37:14
Speaker
So quiet.
00:37:14
Speaker
Yeah.
00:37:15
Speaker
Like, there's no children, I swear.
00:37:16
Speaker
I mean, I love vacationing with kids, but for race weekends, like, it's just really quiet and peaceful.
00:37:22
Speaker
It is.
00:37:22
Speaker
And also, it just feels really small, but, like, not in a bad way, like, in a really great way where...
00:37:27
Speaker
You take like five steps and you're wherever you need to be.
00:37:29
Speaker
So yeah, I just love that place.
00:37:30
Speaker
I like that it only has one bus stop.
00:37:32
Speaker
Yeah.
00:37:33
Speaker
So you can't miss the bus.
00:37:34
Speaker
No.
00:37:35
Speaker
And you don't have to look for the bus.
00:37:37
Speaker
Right.
00:37:37
Speaker
And it's just not a big loop.
00:37:38
Speaker
You know, what bus stop do I get off at?
00:37:41
Speaker
Right, right, right.
00:37:41
Speaker
Just one bus stop.
00:37:42
Speaker
Yeah, yeah.
00:37:43
Speaker
I like that.
00:37:44
Speaker
Yeah.
00:37:44
Speaker
That's also where the beignets are.
00:37:45
Speaker
Do you like the beignets?
00:37:47
Speaker
Yeah.
00:37:48
Speaker
Oh, no.
00:37:49
Speaker
I mean, I do.
00:37:50
Speaker
I try not to eat that heavy stuff on race weekends, but yes, I do like them for a non-race weekend.
00:37:55
Speaker
We're talking race weekends.
00:37:56
Speaker
My bad.
00:37:57
Speaker
Okay.
00:37:57
Speaker
Number three is Caribbean Beach.
00:37:59
Speaker
Do you know which one that is?
00:38:00
Speaker
Skyliner.
00:38:01
Speaker
Yes.
00:38:02
Speaker
It's got the Skyliner.
00:38:03
Speaker
It's the moderate on the Skyliner.
00:38:06
Speaker
So I feel like that's its selling feature.
00:38:08
Speaker
It does not have as many food options.
00:38:10
Speaker
It is a lot of walking on that resort because it's all surrounding a big lake, but it's a moderate resort.
00:38:14
Speaker
The rooms have been
00:38:15
Speaker
uh redone in the last year or so and so that's a good resort where again less key uh kids um it's just quieter right like your rooms are spread out whatever and uh that actually this is coming up it has my favorite poolside bar oh really it does we'll talk about that in a minute okay okay what's number four erica on our list of places we like to stay
00:38:36
Speaker
Pop Century.
00:38:37
Speaker
Value Resort, which you trashed last week.
00:38:40
Speaker
Well, I didn't mean to make it sound as bad as it did, but it did sound kind of bad.
00:38:43
Speaker
If you are staying at a Value Resort, this is the one you should stay at for a Ren Disney weekend.
00:38:48
Speaker
I agree.
00:38:48
Speaker
They do Ren Disney big time there.
00:38:52
Speaker
Yes, they do.
00:38:53
Speaker
They celebrate you as you get off the bus.
00:38:55
Speaker
They're handing out buttons and taking photos.
00:38:58
Speaker
There's a bubble machine going on.
00:39:00
Speaker
Yeah, it's like a party over there.
00:39:03
Speaker
for runners i have video of us getting off the bus i'll maybe i'll like throw it in the video version of this okay cool um myra is the one that leads that up yes and she i mean she makes you feel important and so special yeah so i like that about it the other benefit to pop century is it's a value so it's cheaper yep um that is that is a big thing it's also on the skyliner right so it's at the end of the skyliner so you got multiple stops but um that's what i like about pop century
00:39:28
Speaker
If I'm looking for a relaxing weekend getaway with you, I'm not choosing Pop Century.
00:39:32
Speaker
Right.
00:39:32
Speaker
But if I need to save on money, we do this one specifically with the kids.
00:39:36
Speaker
Yeah.
00:39:36
Speaker
Like when the kids have run with us, this is where we've stayed.
00:39:38
Speaker
Right.
00:39:39
Speaker
Our last one is Art of Animation, which is across the sidewalk, sort of like you can just hop over to Art of Animation from Pop Century.
00:39:48
Speaker
Right.
00:39:49
Speaker
It's also technically a value resort, but the thing they have is suites.
00:39:53
Speaker
Yeah, that works good for families.
00:39:55
Speaker
Correct.
00:39:56
Speaker
So they have, you know, where the living room has, you know, the pullout bed and a fold down bed.
00:40:02
Speaker
Yeah.
00:40:03
Speaker
And it has two bathrooms.
00:40:04
Speaker
So like, if you've got a group of friends, or, you know, your kids are with you, or you're running, but your family's not running.
00:40:13
Speaker
yes you could sleep out in that main area and let them have the bedroom part right and you could slip out at 2 30 in the morning right yeah so art of animation is a good one the theming there is pretty cool but it is very disney in your face um what are some resorts that we won't stay at again for a race weekend we've stayed um we've stayed a lot of resorts but i'm thinking resort run disney specific yes what are two we've listed two that we won't stay at again and why
00:40:37
Speaker
Yeah.
00:40:37
Speaker
So Animal Kingdom Lodge, it's, we love that place.
00:40:41
Speaker
We actually went there for our honeymoon.
00:40:43
Speaker
But it's a little bit too far removed.
00:40:46
Speaker
The transportation is a little bit trickier.
00:40:48
Speaker
And even once you get to the property, like it's so big, there's a lot of walking involved.
00:40:54
Speaker
So after you've run a marathon, you don't want to go back and walk for another, you know, 15 minutes to get to your room.
00:40:59
Speaker
So we love it, but not for run weekend.
00:41:02
Speaker
It's also a deluxe resort.
00:41:03
Speaker
So you've got those negatives of it's hard to get to and from, and it's big and spread out and you're trying to save your legs and it's more expensive.
00:41:11
Speaker
Yeah.
00:41:12
Speaker
It's the triple trifecta of why we just won't do it again.
00:41:15
Speaker
Right.
00:41:16
Speaker
Now, if it was as cheap as Pop Century or something, you know what I mean?
00:41:18
Speaker
If it was cheaper, then I might be able to like forgive that and be like, oh, but we get to see animals.
00:41:22
Speaker
Yeah.
00:41:22
Speaker
You know, but I have a hard time with that.
00:41:24
Speaker
What's the other one we won't stay at?
00:41:25
Speaker
We've had, we've definitely written this one off.
00:41:27
Speaker
Yeah, all stars, unfortunately.
00:41:29
Speaker
It's very loud and busy.
00:41:32
Speaker
Just not great for a race weekend.
00:41:34
Speaker
Yeah, it's the most, you know, it's the cheapest one.
00:41:38
Speaker
Yeah.
00:41:38
Speaker
And I think, unfortunately, you just get a lot of people.
00:41:41
Speaker
Yeah.
00:41:41
Speaker
Which is good for Disney, bad for trying to sleep early and all that stuff.
00:41:47
Speaker
Anything else on our favorites or not favorite hotels, Erica, or resorts?
00:41:50
Speaker
Anything else?
00:41:51
Speaker
I don't think so.
00:41:52
Speaker
Okay.
00:41:53
Speaker
I thought it'd be good if we shared our favorite food options on property that are not in a theme park.
00:41:58
Speaker
Yes.
00:41:59
Speaker
Because, you know, we can all say, yeah, we love the Mickey pretzels and whatever.
00:42:03
Speaker
Right.
00:42:03
Speaker
But if you're, we're talking, we're convincing people, I guess, to stay at a Disney resort.
00:42:08
Speaker
And if you're staying at a Caribbean beach, you don't have to eat at Caribbean beach.
00:42:12
Speaker
You can go take the Skyliner over to the Riviera, which is on the Skyliner and you can eat there.
00:42:16
Speaker
You can eat at any resort.
00:42:18
Speaker
Totally.
00:42:19
Speaker
And it doesn't cost you the cost of eating there.
00:42:21
Speaker
It doesn't, no theme park ticket, no transportation cost, anything like that.
00:42:25
Speaker
So I feel like standard property gives you access to a wide variety of foods.
00:42:29
Speaker
Right.
00:42:30
Speaker
You want to talk about some of our favorites?
00:42:32
Speaker
Yeah.
00:42:32
Speaker
Take the first three because the first three are your three favorites.
00:42:36
Speaker
Favorite, hands down, is Three Bridges, which is at Coronado.
00:42:39
Speaker
Yep.
00:42:40
Speaker
We like to go there and have appetizers.
00:42:43
Speaker
We do.
00:42:43
Speaker
Yeah.
00:42:44
Speaker
So I think we mentioned this in our last episode.
00:42:46
Speaker
I got carried away and brought it up.
00:42:48
Speaker
Yeah.
00:42:49
Speaker
It sits in the middle of the lake at Coronado Springs, and there's three bridges that lead out to it.
00:42:54
Speaker
It's got an incredibly cool vibe.
00:42:56
Speaker
Yes.
00:42:58
Speaker
And the appetizers are awesome.
00:43:00
Speaker
So good.
00:43:00
Speaker
Would you say it's Mexican-inspired?
00:43:03
Speaker
It's not really Mexican food.
00:43:04
Speaker
It's not.
00:43:06
Speaker
Yeah.
00:43:06
Speaker
Yeah.
00:43:07
Speaker
Maybe.
00:43:08
Speaker
I don't know.
00:43:08
Speaker
The food is good.
00:43:09
Speaker
We've done the food, but we really love the appetizers.
00:43:11
Speaker
Yeah.
00:43:12
Speaker
So good.
00:43:13
Speaker
Okay.
00:43:13
Speaker
Where else do you like to eat, Erica?
00:43:15
Speaker
I'm not.
00:43:15
Speaker
Do I know what the second one is?
00:43:17
Speaker
I looked up the name for you because last week you said the place in the basement of the Riviera.
00:43:21
Speaker
And I was like, I don't know what it's called.
00:43:22
Speaker
So I looked it up.
00:43:23
Speaker
Okay.
00:43:24
Speaker
Yeah.
00:43:24
Speaker
It totally threw me when I saw the name.
00:43:25
Speaker
I'm like, I don't know what that is.
00:43:26
Speaker
I don't even know how to say it.
00:43:27
Speaker
But that's the name?
00:43:28
Speaker
Primo Plato?
00:43:30
Speaker
Sure.
00:43:31
Speaker
Primo Plato?
00:43:33
Speaker
I have no idea.
00:43:34
Speaker
I never knew that's what it was called.
00:43:35
Speaker
I think it's French.
00:43:36
Speaker
Plateau.
00:43:36
Speaker
Okay, sure.
00:43:37
Speaker
I don't know.
00:43:38
Speaker
I don't know.
00:43:39
Speaker
But that's where we like to get the grilled chicken sandwich.
00:43:41
Speaker
Is that what you're talking about?
00:43:43
Speaker
Yeah.
00:43:43
Speaker
I confirmed.
00:43:44
Speaker
It's got like a ciabatta and aioli.
00:43:45
Speaker
Yeah, ciabatta bread.
00:43:46
Speaker
Yeah.
00:43:47
Speaker
Yeah.
00:43:47
Speaker
It's so delicious.
00:43:48
Speaker
It's a good pre-race meal.
00:43:50
Speaker
Yeah.
00:43:50
Speaker
And it's fun to get there and like a super fun environment.
00:43:56
Speaker
I mean, I'm a Disney nerd, but like I love that they have like the old photos of Walt and Roy and everything on the wall.
00:44:02
Speaker
That's pretty cool.
00:44:02
Speaker
Got a very black and white Riviera, French Riviera vibe.
00:44:06
Speaker
Yeah.
00:44:07
Speaker
Okay, good.
00:44:08
Speaker
It threw me when I saw the name.
00:44:09
Speaker
I was like, I don't know what that is, but I love it.
00:44:11
Speaker
I had to look it up for you.
00:44:11
Speaker
Thank you.
00:44:12
Speaker
And then the last one for me is the Banana Cabana, and that's at Caribbean Beach.
00:44:17
Speaker
You know what I'm talking about.
00:44:18
Speaker
You know what that is, right?
00:44:19
Speaker
Yeah, I know what that is.
00:44:20
Speaker
That's the poolside bar.
00:44:22
Speaker
Yeah.
00:44:23
Speaker
Can I tell the story about you when we were at Hollywood Studios?
00:44:26
Speaker
Sure.
00:44:26
Speaker
I don't know what you're going to say, but sure.
00:44:28
Speaker
It wasn't a race weekend, but we're at Hollywood Studios and we had been to Cabana.
00:44:32
Speaker
Banana Cabana is a poolside bar, so they have snacky foods or whatever, but we had, I don't know what to drink up
00:44:37
Speaker
some fruity drink yeah we had that the day before the next day we're at hollywood studios and we're at the oga's cantina do you remember this vaguely late at night like last last uh reservation you get oga's cantina which was a hard reservation to get and you're sitting there drinking it and i'm like hey you uh you good you want another drink and you look at me like not from here and i was like i do remember this yeah oh do you have somewhere in mind and he said yes and usually you're not that decisive
00:45:06
Speaker
Yeah.
00:45:07
Speaker
Usually you're like, oh, I could whatever.
00:45:09
Speaker
And we're sitting there at like the most hard to get reservation spot in Disney at the time.
00:45:14
Speaker
And you're like, I don't want to drink another one from here.
00:45:16
Speaker
I want to go to the banana cabana at our hotel.
00:45:19
Speaker
Did we like race back to get there before they closed?
00:45:22
Speaker
We literally like speed walked through the park because you're not supposed to run in the park.
00:45:26
Speaker
Right.
00:45:26
Speaker
And then we actually ran at our resort because they close at 10.
00:45:29
Speaker
Yeah.
00:45:29
Speaker
Yeah.
00:45:30
Speaker
Run.
00:45:30
Speaker
It's like 954.
00:45:32
Speaker
And we come in hot.
00:45:33
Speaker
Yeah, yeah.
00:45:33
Speaker
Like sweaty.
00:45:35
Speaker
And the guy's like, uh, can I help you?
00:45:38
Speaker
Yeah, yeah.
00:45:39
Speaker
We just want a drink.
00:45:40
Speaker
Yeah, we need a drink and a snack.
00:45:41
Speaker
And he hooked us up.
00:45:42
Speaker
I do remember that now, yeah.
00:45:44
Speaker
Yeah.
00:45:44
Speaker
So I feel like, and we haven't done a lot of the poolside bars at like the deluxe resorts.
00:45:49
Speaker
Right.
00:45:49
Speaker
But we love that.
00:45:50
Speaker
Something about the vibe and everything.
00:45:52
Speaker
I'm sure the drinks are just the same as all the others.
00:45:54
Speaker
Right, right, right.
00:45:55
Speaker
But it's good.
00:45:56
Speaker
Number four is I like Captain Hook's at the Polynesian.
00:45:58
Speaker
I'm not sure that you do, Erica, based off your response when I said it last week, but I like the pulled pork nachos from- No, those are good.
00:46:04
Speaker
From there.
00:46:05
Speaker
That's really good.
00:46:06
Speaker
I like the Sasagula float works, which is what they call the food court at French Quarter.
00:46:14
Speaker
Jambalaya was unbelievably good.
00:46:16
Speaker
Do you like jambalaya?
00:46:17
Speaker
No, not so much, but that's okay.
00:46:19
Speaker
The chicken sandwich was really good.
00:46:21
Speaker
They have some sort of like burger with queso on it, which is not a race weekend thing.
00:46:25
Speaker
So I didn't do it then.
00:46:27
Speaker
But I love that food court.
00:46:29
Speaker
Like it's more unique than the food court at Art of Animation is chicken sandwich, pizza, and they try to do some sort of like Asian bowl and it just tastes like Panda Express.
00:46:42
Speaker
right like yeah the float work uh sasagula float works is really good yeah over at french quarter um you want to talk we wrote off disney springs last week we said don't go to disney springs but there actually is a place we like to eat there yeah there is we love to go to deluxe burger which it's called burger but for race weekend we typically get the grilled chicken sandwich but it's really good yeah yeah the fries are amazing it's the dipping sauce for you
00:47:07
Speaker
Yeah.
00:47:07
Speaker
It's, um, garlic ranch.
00:47:10
Speaker
Is that what it is?
00:47:10
Speaker
I think so.
00:47:11
Speaker
Yeah.
00:47:11
Speaker
I don't know.
00:47:11
Speaker
It's amazing.
00:47:12
Speaker
I don't know.
00:47:12
Speaker
They have like 30 different sauce choices and it's good.
00:47:15
Speaker
It's really good.
00:47:15
Speaker
Yeah.
00:47:16
Speaker
So I love their burger more than the chicken sandwich, but what I do is I just on a race weekend where I'm trying not to eat red meat or whatever I go in and you just literally say, can I get my burger as a chicken sandwich?
00:47:25
Speaker
Yeah.
00:47:25
Speaker
Yeah.
00:47:26
Speaker
And they can do that.
00:47:27
Speaker
Um, the El Mercado is the food court at Coronado Springs.
00:47:30
Speaker
Kind of like it.
00:47:31
Speaker
Um, French quarter.
00:47:32
Speaker
I love that it's got a variety of options.
00:47:34
Speaker
Huge variety.
00:47:35
Speaker
Yeah.
00:47:35
Speaker
Yep.
00:47:35
Speaker
I get a grilled buffalo chicken sandwich.
00:47:38
Speaker
They do nachos there.
00:47:39
Speaker
They do rice and chicken Mexican bowls there.
00:47:42
Speaker
They have a whole pizza station.
00:47:44
Speaker
I like that food court.
00:47:46
Speaker
And then do you know what the siesta cantina at Coronado Springs is?
00:47:50
Speaker
Possibly.
00:47:51
Speaker
Okay.
00:47:51
Speaker
It's the pool bar.
00:47:52
Speaker
That's what I thought.
00:47:53
Speaker
Yeah.
00:47:54
Speaker
And it's the quesadilla.
00:47:58
Speaker
Yeah.
00:47:58
Speaker
It's like a chicken quesadilla.
00:48:00
Speaker
I don't know.
00:48:01
Speaker
It's good.
00:48:02
Speaker
We've ordered that in multiple trips.
00:48:04
Speaker
Multiple times.
00:48:05
Speaker
It's usually a post-race meal.
00:48:07
Speaker
Right.
00:48:07
Speaker
Yeah.
00:48:07
Speaker
Getting some protein in post-race and we're just chilling by the pool.
00:48:11
Speaker
So I really like eating there.
00:48:12
Speaker
Yeah.
00:48:12
Speaker
It's good.
00:48:13
Speaker
Notice that one, two, three of the eight were all from Coronado Springs.
00:48:17
Speaker
That's why we like it.
00:48:18
Speaker
Yeah, we do.
00:48:19
Speaker
Okay, let's talk about things that Disney resorts have.
00:48:24
Speaker
Not specific resorts, but like things that they have that we like.
00:48:28
Speaker
Yeah.
00:48:28
Speaker
I'll start it off.
00:48:30
Speaker
I like that most resorts have multiple pools and some of those pools are quiet pools.
00:48:35
Speaker
Yeah.
00:48:35
Speaker
So if we don't want to go to where all the kids are going down the slide and all that stuff, there's somewhere else within the resort.
00:48:42
Speaker
Right.
00:48:42
Speaker
A quiet pool that's the old people.
00:48:46
Speaker
with their headphones in reading a book.
00:48:48
Speaker
And so I like that.
00:48:50
Speaker
Sounds terrible to just trash the Hilton Garden Inn or whatever, but they have a pool that's hard to get a chair at and it is the only pool option.
00:49:00
Speaker
I like that Disney resorts have nice pools, but also usually multiple.
00:49:04
Speaker
Yes.
00:49:04
Speaker
And some of the resorts have hot tubs as well, which is very nice after you've run a long distance.
00:49:09
Speaker
A hundred percent.
00:49:10
Speaker
Along with that, I like that they all have a poolside bar.
00:49:13
Speaker
So even Pop Century, which is a value resort, it's got a poolside bar.
00:49:16
Speaker
I think it's called Petals.
00:49:17
Speaker
We've gotten a drink there before.
00:49:19
Speaker
They all have a food court, which I think is nice.
00:49:22
Speaker
If you're staying at Embassy Suites, whatever their food option is, you might just be stuck with that or they might not have a food option at all.
00:49:30
Speaker
Even though I just said, you know, I don't like the food courts that only have chicken fingers and pizza and rice bowl.
00:49:37
Speaker
Like,
00:49:37
Speaker
At least you have those multiple options and they're open for all the meals.
00:49:42
Speaker
So there's breakfast, there's lunch, there's dinner.
00:49:45
Speaker
So I like that.
00:49:46
Speaker
I like that all the resorts have space.
00:49:50
Speaker
So if you stay at a regular hotel or maybe even an Airbnb, like the space, it's kind of like your room.
00:49:55
Speaker
Right.
00:49:56
Speaker
Right.
00:49:57
Speaker
The lobby, which usually isn't very comfortable.
00:49:59
Speaker
And that's really about it.
00:50:01
Speaker
Yeah.
00:50:01
Speaker
I mean, maybe the pool, right?
00:50:02
Speaker
All the Disney resorts you have somewhere to walk.
00:50:04
Speaker
Yeah.
00:50:05
Speaker
Sit.
00:50:06
Speaker
Yeah.
00:50:06
Speaker
Relax.
00:50:06
Speaker
Walking trails, places to sit and chill.
00:50:09
Speaker
Yeah.
00:50:10
Speaker
I like that.
00:50:10
Speaker
I even saw someone doing yoga recently.
00:50:12
Speaker
On by themselves?
00:50:13
Speaker
In a little grassy area.
00:50:14
Speaker
Yeah.
00:50:15
Speaker
There's space to do it.
00:50:16
Speaker
Yeah.
00:50:17
Speaker
Tons of space to hang out.
00:50:17
Speaker
I like that.
00:50:18
Speaker
You want to take number five and then we'll move on?
00:50:19
Speaker
Sure.
00:50:20
Speaker
Free transportation.
00:50:21
Speaker
Yep.
00:50:22
Speaker
Yep.
00:50:22
Speaker
And it's quick.
00:50:23
Speaker
So you're not going to be sitting around waiting for someone to come pick you up.
00:50:26
Speaker
Yep.
00:50:26
Speaker
It gets a bad reputation because at the end of the night on a theme park day at the Magic Kingdom, it is hard to get a bus back to some of the resorts.
00:50:33
Speaker
I get that.
00:50:34
Speaker
But you got to factor in that's 50,000 people trying to leave a theme park at one time.
00:50:38
Speaker
Right.
00:50:38
Speaker
They're going to, that's a bottleneck.
00:50:40
Speaker
Yeah.
00:50:40
Speaker
You know?
00:50:41
Speaker
If you stay at a hotel, a hotel, if you stay at a resort that's on the Skyliner, we recommend the Skyliner just because it's faster and easier to get around.
00:50:50
Speaker
So even if there's a huge long line for the Skyliner, it moves so fast.
00:50:53
Speaker
It always moves because the Skyliner always moves.
00:50:55
Speaker
Yeah.
00:50:56
Speaker
So it usually, what's the most we've ever waited for the Skyliner?
00:50:59
Speaker
10 minutes?
00:50:59
Speaker
Yeah, I was gonna say like six.
00:51:01
Speaker
Okay.
00:51:01
Speaker
Yeah.
00:51:02
Speaker
Yep.
00:51:02
Speaker
We love the free transportation.
00:51:04
Speaker
All right.
00:51:05
Speaker
That is all the reasons we love staying on property, the things we like about it.
00:51:08
Speaker
Let's go through real quick and then we'll wrap this episode up.
00:51:11
Speaker
We usually do like a good and the bad.
00:51:13
Speaker
We do a first and most recent experiences.
00:51:17
Speaker
We do our running it back section.
00:51:19
Speaker
I think good and the bad we can skip because we just listed all the goods.
00:51:23
Speaker
Are there any bads to staying on property, I guess, before we move on?
00:51:27
Speaker
Money?
00:51:27
Speaker
Yeah.
00:51:28
Speaker
I mean, that would be it.
00:51:29
Speaker
Yeah.
00:51:29
Speaker
I can't think of, I mean, other than it feels more expensive than staying anywhere else, I can't think of another bad.
00:51:34
Speaker
No, not really.
00:51:35
Speaker
Okay.
00:51:36
Speaker
That's it.
00:51:37
Speaker
All right.
00:51:37
Speaker
So let's skip the good and the bad section because we've talked so much good.
00:51:40
Speaker
And let's move on to our first experience with a Disney resort.
00:51:44
Speaker
On a race weekend, not like in general.
00:51:47
Speaker
We're talking race weekends and our most recent.
00:51:49
Speaker
So what was your first experience at a Disney resort on a race weekend?
00:51:53
Speaker
Yes.
00:51:53
Speaker
So 2016, when I did Princess with Angela, we stayed at the All Star Music Resort.
00:51:58
Speaker
Stayed with a friend.
00:51:59
Speaker
Okay.
00:52:00
Speaker
And how was that experience with the hotel?
00:52:02
Speaker
Not like their whole race and all that.
00:52:05
Speaker
I mean, that was a minute ago, so it's kind of hard for me to remember.
00:52:09
Speaker
But I do remember that it was loud when we were trying to go to sleep.
00:52:16
Speaker
That was really hard.
00:52:17
Speaker
Now I would come prepared with like air plugs or something.
00:52:21
Speaker
Now you wouldn't stay at All Stars is what you mean.
00:52:23
Speaker
Now I would not stay there.
00:52:24
Speaker
For a race weekend.
00:52:25
Speaker
For a race weekend.
00:52:26
Speaker
That is correct.
00:52:27
Speaker
But it was fine.
00:52:27
Speaker
It worked for the time.
00:52:29
Speaker
It gave you a bed to sleep in.
00:52:30
Speaker
That's right.
00:52:30
Speaker
It still gave you access to all the Disney transportation.
00:52:33
Speaker
I do love the story of how you illegally took advantage of a different hotel on that trip.
00:52:40
Speaker
Yeah.
00:52:40
Speaker
Which you're not supposed to do.
00:52:42
Speaker
Nope.
00:52:43
Speaker
But because the values don't have a hot tub.
00:52:45
Speaker
Right.
00:52:46
Speaker
We like jumped on a bus, put our bathing suit in our backpack and went over to, I think we went to Coronado.
00:52:52
Speaker
Yeah.
00:52:53
Speaker
And jumped in their hot tub.
00:52:55
Speaker
Yep.
00:52:55
Speaker
Which is so funny full circle because now that we stay at Coronado, it would be like if we saw somebody like
00:53:00
Speaker
Wait a minute.
00:53:01
Speaker
Yeah.
00:53:02
Speaker
We know you're not staying here.
00:53:03
Speaker
You know what I mean?
00:53:04
Speaker
Like we have a thing.
00:53:06
Speaker
My first experience was at Caribbean beach.
00:53:08
Speaker
That was, um, princess 2023.
00:53:09
Speaker
It was you, me and Taylor.
00:53:12
Speaker
And, um, that was my first princess race.
00:53:14
Speaker
I think that whole weekend is such a blur because I didn't know what I was doing yet.
00:53:18
Speaker
Yeah.
00:53:18
Speaker
And so I don't remember a whole lot about it.
00:53:20
Speaker
I had stayed at the resort before, so it's not like the resort was new.
00:53:24
Speaker
I was personally figuring out the bus system and figuring out what the expo is.
00:53:28
Speaker
I didn't know.
00:53:29
Speaker
And so I was so overwhelmed by the whole process that I don't remember much about the resort other than being glad that I was on property.
00:53:36
Speaker
Yeah.
00:53:37
Speaker
Uh, recently our most recent one that we did together, uh, also with the kids.
00:53:41
Speaker
Yes.
00:53:41
Speaker
Was pop century.
00:53:42
Speaker
This is where we have, you know, they got the party vibes and we got our pictures when we got off the bus and they gave us pins and all kinds of fun stuff.
00:53:49
Speaker
And so pop century is a good one.
00:53:51
Speaker
If you are a social person, if you've got your family with you, uh, pop century is definitely a good option.
00:53:56
Speaker
Yeah.
00:53:57
Speaker
Any thoughts on our most recent experience at pop?
00:53:59
Speaker
I love that we stayed there for the girls, especially Addy, since it was her first one, just because they do such a good job of celebrating the runners.
00:54:07
Speaker
It definitely was a different vibe when we got back versus like our return at Coronado.
00:54:12
Speaker
If you get off at Coronado, they take you to the front and you just get off the bus.
00:54:15
Speaker
Right.
00:54:16
Speaker
And usually you and I just split.
00:54:18
Speaker
You go to the room, I go to get breakfast.
00:54:19
Speaker
Yeah.
00:54:20
Speaker
There is no pomp and circumstance.
00:54:22
Speaker
Yeah.
00:54:22
Speaker
No.
00:54:23
Speaker
When you get there.
00:54:24
Speaker
You'll pass people that are going to breakfast and you'll hear them talking like, oh, she ran the race.
00:54:28
Speaker
You know, like whatever talking about your metal that you're wearing, but that's, that's pretty much it.
00:54:32
Speaker
Oh, we always have a side tangent.
00:54:34
Speaker
So I'll just take this one.
00:54:35
Speaker
Sure.
00:54:36
Speaker
I like going to get my breakfast in my running gear with my, I mean, I smell awful, but I like going to get, I don't go change first.
00:54:44
Speaker
Oh, you love wearing that metal.
00:54:45
Speaker
I like going to get breakfast and I'm still in my shorts and my running and I still got my bib on and I got all my stuff and a cooling towel around my neck.
00:54:52
Speaker
And I, it's basically everyone that's there.
00:54:54
Speaker
That's like just gotten up.
00:54:56
Speaker
Yeah.
00:54:56
Speaker
You know, I'm like, yes, I have been up since 2am.
00:55:00
Speaker
How about, um, riding the bike in the fitness center with our metal still on our, um, mylar, like all of our stuff.
00:55:07
Speaker
I think I have a picture of it.
00:55:09
Speaker
Oh, you're just here lifting weights.
00:55:10
Speaker
That's cool.
00:55:11
Speaker
I just ran a marathon.
00:55:12
Speaker
Yeah.
00:55:14
Speaker
We are not competitive.
00:55:15
Speaker
No, we're really not jerks like that, but it is, it is funny.
00:55:17
Speaker
It is kind of the vibe that comes off.
00:55:19
Speaker
Okay.
00:55:20
Speaker
Uh, we've gotten way off of topic.
00:55:22
Speaker
Let's get back on track.
00:55:23
Speaker
Uh, we have a section here, Erica, that I like to call running it back.
00:55:26
Speaker
Yeah.
00:55:27
Speaker
Looking back.
00:55:28
Speaker
Is there anything you would do the same or different as it relates to staying on property for a run?
00:55:32
Speaker
Disney race weekend, anything you do the same, different, both.
00:55:36
Speaker
What do you got?
00:55:36
Speaker
Yeah, I just think my biggest takeaway is that if you can afford it, moderate is the way to go, just for lots of different reasons.
00:55:42
Speaker
But that's what I would do.
00:55:44
Speaker
Yep.
00:55:44
Speaker
I agree with that.
00:55:47
Speaker
My running it back would be, I just probably wouldn't stay at All Stars or Animal Kingdom.
00:55:50
Speaker
Like we put that as our don't do's.
00:55:52
Speaker
They're wonderful resorts.
00:55:54
Speaker
Yeah.
00:55:55
Speaker
For race weekend, they just come with too many logistical challenges.
00:55:58
Speaker
Right, right, right.
00:55:58
Speaker
So, and this is already something we've already implemented.
00:56:00
Speaker
Running it back, like we know our hotels that we stay at.
00:56:04
Speaker
Yeah.
00:56:04
Speaker
We stay at Coronado Springs.
00:56:05
Speaker
We stay at Caribbean Beach.
00:56:06
Speaker
We stay at Pop Century.
00:56:08
Speaker
We stay at French Quarter.
00:56:09
Speaker
Like we know the ones that work best for us.
00:56:11
Speaker
Right, right.
00:56:12
Speaker
And so we've kind of locked that in.
00:56:14
Speaker
Um, that's it.
00:56:15
Speaker
Yeah.
00:56:15
Speaker
So let's talk really fast about training where we are with our training leading up to Walt Disney world marathon weekend.
00:56:20
Speaker
This is week seven, Erica.
00:56:22
Speaker
And the task was three miles this past, this past weekend.
00:56:27
Speaker
And so we signed up for a local race because three miles is a 5k.
00:56:31
Speaker
Right.
00:56:32
Speaker
And so we found a, I did, I found a 5k signed up for it very last minute.
00:56:37
Speaker
And it's fun to do that because it takes your just normal run that you would probably just go out and do on your own.
00:56:42
Speaker
And it,
00:56:43
Speaker
you know, elevates it a little, gives you a little extra boost of entertainment or purpose or whatever.
00:56:48
Speaker
You want to talk about what we did this past weekend?
00:56:50
Speaker
Yeah.
00:56:51
Speaker
So we ran the Atlanta's Finest 5K, which benefits the police department.
00:56:56
Speaker
That's right.
00:56:57
Speaker
Recently, there was a tragedy.
00:56:59
Speaker
An officer was killed in the line of duty.
00:57:00
Speaker
And so the Atlanta Track Club decided to make all the proceeds from this race go for his family, for his children and his wife.
00:57:09
Speaker
And so it was kind of neat to run with a different kind of purpose.
00:57:12
Speaker
Yeah.
00:57:13
Speaker
A registration fee was small, but just knowing that 100% of it went towards, I think it was their kids' education was the way they said that.
00:57:19
Speaker
So I liked that they did that.
00:57:22
Speaker
I loved getting to see part of Atlanta.
00:57:25
Speaker
It's not that I've never been in that part of Atlanta, but we live in the suburbs, so I don't normally hang out downtown doing downtown street type things.
00:57:32
Speaker
So to have the roads closed and get to do three miles of downtown Atlanta, it's fun.
00:57:38
Speaker
I like the different view and all that stuff.
00:57:40
Speaker
Were you surprised by how hilly it was?
00:57:42
Speaker
Yeah.
00:57:42
Speaker
Yeah.
00:57:42
Speaker
It's, uh, it's definitely a lot hillier than where we live, but that's good.
00:57:46
Speaker
I mean, it's good to push yourself in your training.
00:57:48
Speaker
So yeah, it was a great race.
00:57:51
Speaker
Uh, at the end, you were kind of hauling there.
00:57:53
Speaker
We ran together.
00:57:54
Speaker
You were kind of, I remember saying, Oh, there's a three mile sign.
00:57:58
Speaker
And as soon as I said it, you like, well, afterburners kicked in or something.
00:58:03
Speaker
Yeah.
00:58:03
Speaker
And you rounded that last corner on fire.
00:58:05
Speaker
Yeah.
00:58:06
Speaker
You know what it is?
00:58:07
Speaker
It's the Galloway method training.
00:58:09
Speaker
Yeah.
00:58:10
Speaker
You know, because I was doing my run walk to some extent, not my normal, but, um, but still did a little bit.
00:58:17
Speaker
And so I had a good bit to give at the end there.
00:58:19
Speaker
So some gas in the tank.
00:58:21
Speaker
Yeah.
00:58:21
Speaker
When they called my name out, I was like, here
Memorable Disney Race Moments
00:58:23
Speaker
we go.
00:58:23
Speaker
It's not very often that they, you know, they say my name.
00:58:27
Speaker
I don't think I've only ever heard it one time at a Disney race.
00:58:30
Speaker
Carissa said my name.
00:58:32
Speaker
Um, and, uh,
00:58:33
Speaker
So it was cool.
00:58:33
Speaker
Yeah.
00:58:33
Speaker
They yelled Erica, you know, and they were listed into people as you came across the timing, Matt, you know, it was pretty cool.
00:58:38
Speaker
Yeah.
00:58:38
Speaker
You were on fire at the end.
00:58:39
Speaker
It was a great race overall.
00:58:41
Speaker
I mean, totally glad we did it.
00:58:42
Speaker
Loved that it went to a great cause.
00:58:43
Speaker
And so it made this weekend's training run.
00:58:46
Speaker
Great.
00:58:46
Speaker
Yeah.
00:58:46
Speaker
I enjoyed it.
00:58:47
Speaker
All right.
00:58:47
Speaker
So let's sign off on this whole thing.
00:58:49
Speaker
Erica, you want to leave us with something inspiring?
00:58:51
Speaker
Sure.
00:58:51
Speaker
Oh, before you do that, can I remind everyone to leave a review?
00:58:54
Speaker
Absolutely.
00:58:55
Speaker
If we don't get one, we won't have one to read next week.
00:58:58
Speaker
Oh my gosh.
00:59:00
Speaker
Tell us things that you want to hear.
00:59:01
Speaker
Oh, that's a good idea.
00:59:02
Speaker
Questions that you want.
00:59:03
Speaker
You don't have to brag on us.
00:59:04
Speaker
No, no.
00:59:05
Speaker
That's not the point.
00:59:06
Speaker
No.
00:59:06
Speaker
But I like, I like when Erica reads the review.
00:59:07
Speaker
Okay.
00:59:09
Speaker
Okay.
00:59:09
Speaker
Erica, leave us with something inspiring and then we will say goodbye to our
Inspiration and Closing Thoughts
00:59:12
Speaker
friends.
00:59:12
Speaker
Okay.
00:59:13
Speaker
So the beauty of running is it's only you versus you.
00:59:17
Speaker
So I know we keep saying this, but don't get caught in the comparison trap.
00:59:20
Speaker
It's really easy to do.
00:59:22
Speaker
Even for myself, sometimes I'm like talking about how, you know, you run so much faster than I do.
00:59:28
Speaker
It doesn't matter.
00:59:28
Speaker
It doesn't matter.
00:59:30
Speaker
Each time you go out, just try to be the best you that you can be a little bit faster than last time or a little bit.
00:59:37
Speaker
You enjoy it a little bit more this time.
00:59:38
Speaker
And you said it to Trevor in our chat with him is give yourself some grace when it's not going great.
00:59:44
Speaker
You know what I mean?
00:59:45
Speaker
Don't worry about the person that's running past you or the person you're running past.
00:59:48
Speaker
Yeah.
00:59:49
Speaker
No, people all the time tell me like, I wish I loved running like you and AJ do.
00:59:53
Speaker
And I'm like, no, like AJ loves running.
00:59:57
Speaker
I don't love it like he does, you know?
00:59:59
Speaker
So every run is going to be different.
01:00:02
Speaker
Just do it for you.
01:00:03
Speaker
Absolutely.
01:00:03
Speaker
I love that.
01:00:04
Speaker
Thank you, Erica, for that.
01:00:05
Speaker
Thank you, friends, for listening to the podcast.
01:00:08
Speaker
We will catch you next week for One More Run.
01:00:17
Speaker
Thanks for joining us for this episode of One More Run, the podcast.
01:00:21
Speaker
If you like what we're up to, be sure to subscribe to our YouTube channel and follow us on Instagram.
01:00:26
Speaker
You can find links to all of that at AJandErica.com.