Tinkerbell Half Marathon…you were Half Marathon #5 and quite possibly my favorite.

Here’s why:

1. Organization – RunDisney sure knows how to organize this race. Picking up my bib, t-shirt, and gear bag were a breeze. Also, during the morning of the run, there were volunteers everywhere directing people where to go. Parking is kind of a pain since parking in their structure is standard Disneyland prices. Mileage signs are clearly marked and there was never any confusion as to where I had to be and at what time.

2. Dressing up – Since this is the Tinkerbell Half marathon, there are runners everywhere dressed up as fairies with their wings and tutus. I even saw a group of friends dress up as the three good fairies – Flora, Fauna, and Merryweather and Aurora from Sleeping beauty. How awesome is that? Even though, I didn’t have wings or a tutu prepared, I did my best to fit in with my green racerback from Sparkle Athletic and sparkly green headband from Sparkly Soul. It was also Mother’s day that day so there were a lot of mother/daughter duos running their halfs together for the first time.

3. The actual race itself – The course is fairly flat and of course, you get the perk of running through the parks (both California Adventures and Disneyland) for the first 3.5 miles before the park even opens! They have photo ops with Disney characters throughout the park with photographers stationed at key areas. They also have cast members that are nearby in case you want to use your own camera for the picture. They’re quick about it so you’re in and out of there within 10 seconds. There was a girl dressed up in an Ariell costume who stopped at every photo op and even though she stopped at every station, she still managed to pass me every time. Kudos to that girl.

After you exit the park, you’re running through the city of Anaheim and there are supporters most of the way. There are cheerleaders, dance teams, and more Disney cast members as you loop back around. You do not get to finish in the park, but it’s a great race nonetheless.

4. And of course, the MEDAL – All of the runDisney medals are really well designed and the Tinkerbell one is in the shape of a pair of wings with a Tinkerbell icon that can spin. You can see it in my previous post hanging on my medal rack.

The only thing I didn’t like about this race is the price tag that goes along with it. It is $199 for the half marathon and you also have to pay for parking the day of if you are not shuttling from a hotel or having someone drop you off. To anyone that wants to run their first half marathon and money isn’t an issue, I’d highly suggest a Disney half marathon. They have several themed races. It’s not a high pressured and everyone around you is just having a great time.