The show takes place in Hollywood Studios at the Theatre of the Stars located on Sunset Boulevard, home to Beauty and the Beast Live on Stage. The concept: combine Pixar movie scenes with the accompaniment of a live orchestra.
As I am not a fan of musicals, the concept was something that I didn’t find overly appealing. Yet, after experiencing the show, I can say it was very enjoyable and one I would watch again.
15-20 minutes before the orchestra took to the stage a small contingent of Toy Story’s Green Army Men began assisting cast members with seating. The soldiers interacted with guests and their leader, Sarge began hilarious pre-show activities.
What proceeded was a musical trip to some of the most memorable scenes in beloved Pixar movies. On large screens snipets of Toy Story, Up!, Finding Nemo, Cars, Monsters Inc. and The Incredibles all came to life as the orchestra went from score to score. Before the start of each segment, guests were treated to appearances by characters such as, Mike, Sully, Woody, Buzz and others.
Between the sets, the screens would play interviews offering a introspective as to how or why the music was created for the movies.
The peices played were beautiful, moving, fun and created to discover the force of emotions that one musical score can invoke. Despite it being such a long show, I found myself not wanting it to end.
It culminated with all the characters joining on stage to the popular “You’ve Got A Friend In Me”
The show does not disappoint and I applaud the cast members and orchestra for a job well done.
Tips:
Get there at least 30-45 minutes prior to showtime. Depending on the day there may be heavy crowds and guests have been known to line up an hour or more before the show starts.
If at all possible try to catch the 2nd or 3rd show. The performance has beautiful lighting around the stage that can only truly be appreciated when it’s darker out.
Be prepared to sit for a long time the show last a good 45 minutes but not to worry, Disney opted to place cushions over the normally hard metal benches of the theatre.
There is a dining package available for the show and those participating have reserved seating.
The show will be available from May 26 through August 27, 2017 and offers 3 times beginning at 5:00, 6:45 and 8:00pm.
Ahoy there, Mateys! Is your child obsessed with all things pirate? Are you? Are you jealous you missed Johnny Depp as Captain Jack Sparrow in Disneyland recently? Me, too! Pirates League is a fun-for-all-ages experience found in Adventureland in Magic Kingdom…and will turn any landlubber into a fearsome pirate or mesmerizing mermaid!
Mermaid makeover photo op at the castle!
My daughter loves Princesses and everything sparkly, but after two makeovers at the Bibbidi Bobbidi Boutique in Cinderella Castle, she was ready for something new! Pirates League offered all kinds of makeovers, for both boys and girls, kids and adults! This was perfect, as we also have a son with autism, and wanted to find an experience that he could participate in, too!
Planning and Preparation
Like many of Disney’s experiences, Pirates League makeovers can be booked 180 days in advance. Since they are only open 9:00-4:00, there is no opportunity to book a pre-park opening appointment, so think about how it will fit into your day. (Right before your Splash Mountain Fastpass may not be ideal! LOL!) At 180 days out, they had no problem accommodating both children at our preferred time, so book early if you want first dibs!
Next, we had to choose a package. For girls, you can choose a Mermaid or Empress (female pirate) package. Boys can choose between First Mate Pirate packages or Captain Hook himself! Younger boys (ages 3 and up) also have the option to be made up as Jake from the popular Neverland Pirates Disney Junior show! Most packages also had a “deluxe” option, where for $15-$55 more you could add a themed costume or costume T-shirt! (Clothes were only provided in “youth” sizes…adults are out of luck!)
For our daughter, Lola, we chose the basic Mermaid package for $39.95. (The packages range from $39.95-$99.95!) It included hair, nails and make-up, and we already had scored an adorable mermaid dress off of zulily, so we didn’t feel we needed to upgrade to the Deluxe Package. (And I think we got off pretty easy…The Captain Hook Deluxe Package will run you just about $100!)
For my son, Luke, we had some different criteria. Being on the spectrum, he had some sensory issues, so we brought a familiar pirate T-shirt from home. Though he agreed to and was excited about the makeover, we also weren’t sure just how long he’d be willing to sit, so we wanted to keep his simple. We ultimately booked the First Mate package. That meant we still had to choose between a Ghosted Pirate, Zombie Pirate, Captain Hook, Blackbeard and Black Eyed Jack! We chose Blackbeard because it had minimal make-up, and we still wanted him to look handsome! (Okay-that’s just me! I wasn’t ready to see my baby looking like a ghostly skull or zombie pirate yet!)
Swearing In Ceremony
As requested, we showed up 15 minutes prior to our appointment time to check in. The location was easy to find…right between Pirates of the Caribbean and the Plaza del Sol Bazaar in Adventureland. The check-in area had awesome theming…ships’ wheels, leather trunks, all kinds of loot and pirate flags flying!
Lots to look at while we wait!
Both kids were checked in, and then my pirate-to-be was asked to spin the ship’s wheel to find out his pirate name.
Getting checked in!
He spun it twice, once for the first name and once for the last.
Ship’s wheel to determine his pirate name!
It turns out his pirate name was Jamie Barrelwalker! The oath (signed by Captain Jack Sparrow himself!) was read, and Luke…I mean Jamie…was sworn into the Pirate’s League! Within just a few minutes both kids were invited in to start their makeovers!
We got to take this home as an awesome souvenir!
Mermaid Makeover
Lola’s Mermaid Master was very engaging-telling pirate jokes and stories and keeping her at ease! She got right to work painting Lola’s nails after covering her mermaid dress with a cape to stay clean. Just like at Bibbidi Bobbidi Boutique, the unused makeup goes home with you in a little bag!
Next she started right in on her hair. The hairstyle is simple, but very pretty! The hair is twisted around her face and secured with a flower clip that responds to temperature, with a dusting of glitter. (Of course!) In the air-conditioned space, it was white. Once out in the hot Florida sun, you will see it turn purple!
(Much better behaved than when I try to do her hair!)
Now the fun part-makeup! I loved the palette of colors they use, and it matches the nail polish perfectly! (I’m a sucker for matchy-matchy!) I could not wait to see how they added the special “scales” effect for the mermaids-but my timing was off! I looked away for a second to check on my son, and as soon as I turned back her scales had been added…so the mystery remains unsolved!
Once complete, they removed the cape for the big reveal! Lola was so excited to see her reflection! She was also given a Pirate’s League sash and a shell necklace, which I held onto because she was already wearing one from home.
Finally, Lola posed with her awesome Cast Member before she was allowed to enter the hidden chamber…shhhhhh!
First Mate/Blackbeard Makeover
Luke lucked out with the perfect Pirate Master! Knowing Luke had autism, he spent the first few minutes just developing a rapport with him and making sure he felt comfortable. Lots of smiles all around!
Getting to know one another…!
The Blackbeard package, like many of the other pirate makeovers, called for eyeliner. Our sensory-sensitive son was a trooper, and allowed it. We were happily surprised!
Beauty has its price!
There was also no fussing when his bandanna was affixed, his eyepatch added and even when a clip-on earring was attached to his ear! He was also given a Pirates League sash and a plastic sword. I don’t know what kind of Disney magic they were dealing in, but it was working!
Pirate bandana secured!
The only snafu was the facial fair. Blackbeard called for both a beard and a mustache to be added to the face. Luke was going through a phase where no one or nothing was allowed to touch his nose or his upper lip after a nose bleed over the winter. When it was clear this wasn’t an option, I asked about the possibility of just adding the beard. This part turned out to be pretty interesting…since it was a trademarked look, based on Johnny Depp’s Captain Jack Sparrow, they were not at liberty to modify it! Who knew?? Even so, Luke was pretty taken with his new pirate look!
Checking out his new look!
Secret Chamber
After their makeovers were complete, both kids were invited (separately!) into a hidden chamber they referred to as the Treasure Room! A Photopass photographer was there to capture the moment as they spun the over-sized globe and chose a treasure from the chest!
Though it is confirmed that there is no longer a Photopass photographer available inside Pirates League, there is frequently one stationed just outside by the Pirates of the Caribbean ride. More interestingly, recent guests report some varying experiences inside the Treasure Room. Some have been invited by Cast Members to take pictures and video, while others have been told it is forbidden. I would suggest bringing your own camera and asking very nicely! 🙂
Park Photo Ops
At the time, Pirates League invited all their guests to return each afternoon at 4:00 for a “Pirate Parade”. They would march through Adventureland with a Cast Member holding a pirate flag, showing off their new looks. We declined, as parades aren’t my son’s thing, but we understand they are no longer doing this.
Cinderella Castle
However, we did have a lunch reservation at Be Our Guest, so after we rode Pirates of the Caribbean, we took our time traveling from Adventureland to Fantasyland! Between our camera and Photopass we got some great shots of the kids dressed up by Cinderella Castle and the fountain, as well as Main Street, USA!
Make a wish!The hair clip changed from white to purple in the Florida heat!My little mermaid…!
Though the Pirates League makeover didn’t last three days like the Bibbidi Bobbidi Boutique version, it provided a full day of fun for both my little mermaid and pirate! I would even consider joining her myself next time! Yo-ho! Yo-ho! A pirate’s life for me!
Hi! My name is Jackie and I am a bonafide Disney addict. Not the movies, mind you, but the parks. There is something absolutely magical about walking through larger than life movie sets with impeccable theming that you can interact with. Pandora: The World of Avatar is another amazing addition.
You do not have to be a fan of the movie to enjoy what Disney has created. The backstory is that a company named Alpha Centauri Expeditions (ACE) has devised a way for humans to travel through space in order to reach Pandora.
The story unfolds as you cross the bridge adjacent to Tiffins restaurant. You are instantly introduced to flora and fauna unlike our own. The very first thing that sticks out is the Flaska Reclinata, a gigantic plant that lays slightly reclined. Fun fact: You can interact with it by drumming on the large holes on its side to awaken the plant. (It is rumored that the Flaska needs constant touch to allow it to heal.)
The Pandoran plant life is absolutely otherworldly and takes on a life of its own in the nighttime when the bioluminescent forest awakens. Hues of pink, yellow and blue lure you farther into the land and towards the Valley of Moara’s floating mountains. If you’re wondering why they aren’t exactly floating, Disney has an answer for this as well: at some point in time, one of the mountains had gotten stuck and is currently sitting askew atop a giant rock, covered with moss and vines.
In the evening, the mountains are sparsely lit, but in the daytime you can see all the details-the jagged edges, vines and waterfalls coming from the rocks. I found myself stopping every few steps just to take photos of them in the sunlight, which made the peaks look majestic.
There is water everywhere on Pandora, with streams that lead to more alien plant life and even a pool with three octopus-like creatures that will spew water at you if provoked by sudden movements.
While the bioluminescence is very pretty to look at, I had actually expected a little more. I mentioned this to a cast member who told me that the forest was not done awakening yet. This leads me to believe that in the up-and-coming months, we are going to see a lot more lighting elements introduced to the area.
Another very interesting aspect to Pandora is that the typical Disney trademark is not prominent. What you will see are trash cans, stanchions, and signage that has been put there by ACE. Even the fastpass machines lack their traditional Mickey magic.
Like most travelers visiting Pandora, my goal was to try and get as many rides on Flight of Passage as I possibly could. Thus began my journey into one of the largest queue lines I have ever been in! You begin by going slightly uphill and into a massive cave that is covered in ancient Na’vi wall drawings. From there, you pass through airlock doors and are whisked into an area that seems like you are back outside in the bioluminescent forest.
This area also has its own story. You are passing an area that was formerly mined by the RDA and is currently being researched by the Pandora Conservation Initiative (PCI). On the wall, you’ll see several markings left over by the RDA, informing of humans of toxic Pandoran atmosphere.
And then comes PCI’s lab which includes a remarkable AA figure of an Avatar floating inside of a giant tube. I cannot explain how gargantuan the actual Avatar is once you’re standing in front of it!
Walking past the lab finds you in a large concrete room with a big video that shows other humans using their avatars to fly a banshee. From here, you are placed into one of four lines that will eventually lead you through the automatic doors of a briefing room that holds a total of 16 people.
Soon after, you will be given your 3D glasses and escorted to the chamber that holds 16 ride vehicles separated into two groups of eight.
You board the vehicle much as you would a motorcycle. After everyone is seated safely, a pad will come up against the small of your back while restraints also come up for the back of your legs. Your linking chair will vibrate and a small screen will indicate that you are linking to your Avatar. Once the link hits 100%, you are flying!
Disney took the concept of Soarin’ and made it a zillion times better. Water, wind and the scents of this foreign land assault your senses as you follow your Na’vi guide in a breathtaking, long-awaited adventure.
Is it worth all the hype? That depends on what type of attractions you like. It is most certainly not a roller coaster, nor does it feel like one. At best, it is somewhat of a combination between Soarin’ and Star Tours. I do consider it the very best simulator I have ever been on-just not the best attraction at Disney.
Will it give you motion sickness? I think that if you can handle Soarin’, you’ll be fine. Although, if you are very sensitive to certain movements I might suggest you take a motion sickness pill before you ride. The movie itself is very crisp and not jerky.
Tips: The back restraint can be rather snug. Despite a cast member telling you to push your chest against the chest pad, try to leave a little room. Try not to be seat 1 or seat 16 on the ride. Much like Soarin’, FoP has a curved screen and is more noticeable from those two locaions. If you are traveling with kids, the 3D glasses might be a little bit too big for them. CMs have suggested that the kids hold the glasses and not the handlebars while riding. Lastly, the ride has sensors on the sides of the walls. Do not try to touch the wall in front of you and do not extend your arms out in front of you during the ride. I was told that this may trip the sensor and result in a stoppage of the ride.
The other attraction on Pandora is Na’vi River Journey. This queue line is entirely outdoors and underneath something of a thatched roof, which was created by the Na’vi themselves. Once you enter the show building, you are immediately at the loading/unloading area and get your first glimpse at the river boats.
The vehicles are much smaller than any of the boats on Disney property and there is a reason why: they are made to look as if they’ve been weaved by the Na’vi. With only two rows they are only able to fit four to six riders which makes for a more intimate experience.
On the ride, you cross through the bioluminescent forest with projections of odd, life-like creatures around you. It is delightful, relaxing and peaceful. For a moment, you can make believe you’re not on Earth. Towards the end of the ride, you will come face-to-face with a Na’vi shaman which is one of Disney’s BEST AA figures ever created. It is beautiful, with fluid movements and eyes that lock onto your own.
Although it is a very pretty attraction, this is not something that I would wait for more than 20 minutes to ride, mainly because of its short trip. While I do recommend walking through the Flight of Passage queue at least once, I would suggest Fastpassing the river ride.
If your flight or river ride has left you hungry, there is human food on Pandora, most of which can be found at Satuli Canteen, the RDA mess hall turned restaurant by the ingenious Na’vi.
For breakfast, I was amused to learn that Satuli Canteen offered a food item that you had to be over 21 to order – oatmeal! Curious, I ordered it to find that these are not your normal steel cut oats. They are topped with almonds, caramelized brown sugar (think crème brulee style) and whiskey soaked raisins. Like the Satuli Bowls, it was quite plentiful. As for the taste? I believe it needed to be a little more sweet and will likely order it again and add some syrup.
Satuli has a few unique menu items that can only be found in that land. First is the Satuli Bowls which gives you the choice of one of four proteins: chicken, steak, tofu or fish; one base: potato hash, quinoa, rice or kale salad and one sauce: creamy herb, black bean vinaigrette or chimichurri.
I chose the chicken, rice and creamy herb served in a bowl which the Na’vi had repurposed from the RDA. (Yeah, the theming even goes into that! If you look around before placing your order, you will even notice pictures of former soldiers on discolored concrete walls.) You get quite a bit of food for the price and I found it to be very tasty and something I would order again.
Another item that I ordered just out of curiosity was the alien looking cheeseburger Bao Pod. This consists of a steamed bun stuffed with ground beef and cheese. I had heard mixed reviews about this item and found it to be rather good! So much so that I had it for lunch the very next day! The pods are served with house-made chips not unlike Terra chips. If you are vegetarian-not to worry-Disney also makes vegetable curry stuffed pods.
Satuli boasts two desserts-one being a chocolate cake and the other a blueberry mousse of some sort. Although I did not try either of those, I did find myself over at Pongu Pongu (Na’vi for Party Party), the local watering hole.
Being a person that loves pineapple, I was excited to try the pineapple and cream cheese filled pastries known as the Pongu Lumpia. I am Cuban and know my pastries, which may be why I found this item lacking in some way. Not to say that it was bad per se, but there was definitely something missing.
Pongu Pongu’s drinks are as wild as the land, with both alcoholic and non-alcoholic frozen beverages topped with passion fruit filled Boba Balls. I did not give either of these a try, but by the looks of my fellow travelers, these were the hot items.
If you’re not into frozen drinks and prefer the beer route like myself, Pongu has two ales for you to wet your whistle. First is the Mo’ara High Country Ale, an amber colored spiced ale. Then, there is the green thing, Hawkes’ Grog Ale which was my fav as citrusy drinks are what suit my palate.
Finally, if shopping is your thing, adjacent to Pongu Pongu you will find Windtraders, which, according to Disney, will be the only place to purchase Pandora related merchandise. The shop is chocked full of Avatar goodies from glow-in-the-dark t-shirts to baby Na’vi. You can even make yourself into your very own Avatar action figure.
But the highlight is an area on the left side of the entrance called The Rookery. This is where you’ll be able to adopt your very own banshee. Pick one from its perch, see if you’re able to create a bond with it. With the help of a cast member, you may be heading home with a very unique souvenir.
Final thoughts: while Pandora: the World of Avatar is an amazing land created with Disney’s splendid imagineering, some people are going to be very disappointed that Disney took several years to create a land that is rather quite small. In other words: too much hype. I did enjoy the land and will return, but it won’t kill me if I don’t visit Pandora during every Disney trip.
Pack your patience, much like Frozen at Epcot and Seven Dwarves at Magic Kingdom, I suspect Flight of Passage will almost always have a long wait. Operations is still working out the kinks. If you are staying on property, make use of Extra Magic Hours (EMH). I believe the evening EMH are better suited as most of the crowds should have cleared out of the area. If you do find yourself waiting in a long line, remember: It is better to be waiting in line at Disney than to be sitting at home. 😉
My co-blogger Jessica Holmes and I have a lot in common. We are both passionate about family, Disney, runDisney and Dole Whips! We also both love the nighttime entertainment in all the Disney Parks! Jessica loves all the big spectaculars like Fantasmic and Illuminations, and I love Wishes and everything fireworks!
Over the last two months, we were both lucky enough to experience the brand-new nighttime show at Animal Kingdom-Rivers of Light. We both agreed that it was beautiful, and that the park is gorgeous after dark! However, we did disagree about one thing…Jessica believes that Rivers of Light is a “must do” every time, while I think it’s more of a “one and done” experience you can check off your Disney Bucket List! Read on and weigh in!
Rivers of Light
Getting Tickets
Jacqueline My friend Tiffany and I were literally in the final stages of planning for our upcoming runDisney Princess weekend when we heard that tickets for Rivers of Light were being released during our visit! Even though our spreadsheet had been set for months, we frantically moved our ADRs around in order to reserve a dining package at one of our favorite restaurants, Tusker House. (The other option was to get a Fastpass…but we didn’t want to mess with our Expedition Everest line up!)
Lunch is served-yum!
After an awesome lunch (and of course photo ops with Safari Daisy and the rest of the gang) we were handed our tickets. At the time of booking, they were only advertising the first show at 7:15, but eventually added a second show (now at 9:15) … due to popular demand!
Safari Daisy and I pre-show!The golden ticket for priority seating!
Jessica As soon as the Rivers of Light dining packages were announced, I booked a breakfast at Tusker House for the morning after the Star Wars 5k. We had been to the restaurant a few times and knew that we enjoyed it, and like Jacqueline, I didn’t want to use a FastPass. I figured this was the best possible way to see the show.
Upon arriving at the restaurant, we were given instructions about what time to return, and we were also given a light-up lotus flower popcorn bucket that could be filled at the show for $1.50. We goofed off (and snuggled) with our pals, and enjoyed a delicious breakfast.
Checking In and Pre-Show
Jacqueline Cast Members told us we needed to check-in no later than 7:00 for our 7:15 performance. Since we were childless and there was only the two of us (we can squeeze!) we really pushed the envelope! We snuck away to Tamu Tamu Refreshments to grab Dole Whips with rum to enjoy during the show. By the time we got back…at 7:00 on the dot…lines for people with Fastpasses were wrapped everywhere, and the lines for people waiting on Stand-By were even longer! The dining package tickets were really the way to go! We walked right up to a Cast Member and were seated immediately. It was tight-we were one of the last to arrive-but our seats and visibility were still great. (And FYI…we did NOT get the very cool lotus flower popcorn bucket at lunch!! LOL!)
Dole Whips with rum enhance every experience!Packed! A full house!
Jessica We were advised to return an hour early for the show. We did, and we had our choice of seats – the area we were directed to was mostly empty. I enjoyed relaxing and taking pictures as the sun slowly went down. There was no pre-show entertainment, but there was a PhotoPass photographer who came and took pictures of anyone who wanted one. By the time the show started, the seating area was packed.
I loved relaxing and taking in the beautiful surroundings!PhotoPass op!The coveted lotus popcorn bucket!
Rivers of Light
Jacqueline As the sun went down it was so cool to see the Tree of Life turn into a backdrop for a projection show. Birds migrating, elephants trumpeting…the technology was amazing! The lotus flower floats began moving in harmony, music played and dancers appeared out of nowhere!
Tree of Life projection show.
Then came all the different water features…animals appearing on a “screen” of water, lotus flowers rotating and spraying fountains, and animal floats that looked as if they were made out of stained glass-gorgeous. It was truly mesmerizing.
A peacock projected on the water screen.Lotus flower fountains.
Jessica I can’t wait to see Rivers of Light again! While it didn’t move me the way that IllumiNations does, I thought it was beautiful and so much fun to photograph. I loved that there were projections on the nearby trees, and the finale was breathtaking. I loved the animal floats (especially the turtles!), and I feel like there were probably other details that I missed the first time. The main complaint that I heard was that it didn’t have a cohesive story the way that the other shows do. It has an overarching theme of “we are one” that I thought was great.
I simply love being in Animal Kingdom at night! I’m so glad that there is a nighttime show here now, and I think the amphitheater is gorgeous, too. I love that area of the park. Having a show to go to really adds to the whole nighttime vibe and gives guests a reason to stay (or come to the park later).
The Verdict?
Jacqueline Rivers of Light was gorgeous and packed a lot of imagery in just fifteen minutes. I couldn’t help but marvel at this feast for the eyes…even when I couldn’t follow the storyline. Would I go again? Yes, but only to take my children so they could experience it for themselves. Once. (Assuming we could get a dining package again…I don’t think any of us would be willing to wait in that line! LOL!)
Dancers on a boat tell the story of “We are one.”
And while I appreciate their commitment to keep the show true to Animal Kingdom’s mission of preserving nature, I know my own children would have loved to have seen some Disney favorites like Simba and Rajah incorporated into the show. You know…kind of like Festival of the Lion King on water. 😉 As for me, I’ll take advantage of the empty park to ride Expedition Everest in the dark-my new Animal Kingdom Bucket List item!
No PhotoPass photographer in the show for us, but many were stationed around the Tree of Life!
Jessica I love nighttime shows. Sitting down at the end of a long day with a bucket of popcorn or a Mickey bar and watching a show is something I always look forward to. It has become ingrained as a part of my Disney traditions. IllumiNations is my favorite – I could watch it every night. I connected with it the first time I saw it, and I usually see it more than once if I am on a week-long trip. On most trips, it’s my first night tradition – the thing that makes me feel like I’m finally home. The soundtracks for all of the nighttime spectaculars are regularly played in my car, and my trips aren’t complete without seeing them!
Does Rivers of Light measure up to the others? I don’t think it’s quite as spectacular, but it is beautiful, and it’s one that I will watch again. Not to mention that by being at Animal Kingdom after dark, you get an incredible ride on Everest and you get to see the Tree of Life come alive!
My best friend and I wait ALL YEAR for this. Seriously, we spend 361 days putting our kids, husbands, jobs and lives first, with the carrot of these four days at Princess Half Marathon Weekend to get us through! We eat too much, drink too much, laugh too loud, log too many miles and don’t get nearly enough sleep. And then we can’t wait to do it all again the following year.
Our first Princess Weekend-February 2015!
So when I felt a sinus infection coming on about a week and a half earlier, I marched straight to the doctor. Sinus infection AND bronchitis, I was told. Not great news-but hey-I rarely get sick, and I’ll be fine by Princess! Except I wasn’t. Two days before take-off I was back, for more meds, more inhalers and a third diagnosis-walking pneumonia.
Pre-Race Huddle
The night before the 10K, my best friend, Tiffany, and I had a heart-to-heart. The 5K had gone well that morning, but my cough was getting worse, and we knew we wouldn’t get a lot of sleep (again) with a 2:00 a.m. wake-up call and a 3:30 a.m. bus ride. Luckily, we were both placed in Corral A for the 10K, so we knew we had a bit of a buffer to play it by ear if the course got tough for me. We laid out our race costumes and bibs and logged a few hours of precious shut-eye!
Corral A for the 10K, Corral D for the Half!
Corral Confidence
My doctor had given me the green light to run as long as I didn’t push it. He even said the running would make my lungs feel less tight. Fingers crossed, we looked for friends in our corral, mugged for selfies and took our signature “shadow picture”. We had coordinated our running costumes for this year’s theme-Beauty and the Beast-and were all decked out as Provincial Belle (me) and the Beast (Tiffany). What could go wrong?
Belle and Beast!Our signature shadow pic! Love our props!
The Enchanted 10K
Just like the day before at the Princess 5K, corrals were released in mini-waves and we were on our way! We always run for a solid five minutes before we start our intervals, and I felt pretty good. It was when we resumed intervals that I knew I was in trouble. As long as I was running, I was fine. It was when I stopped to walk that my body became wracked with coughing.
“Runners…set…GO!”
We passed under Moana, who was waving and encouraging us from the overpass. How Far I’ll Go was booming out over the loudspeakers, and everyone was excited and singing along. Not long after, we ran through the Welcome to Disney World tollbooths. Normally, my typically giddy self would be snapping photos and documenting every moment, but I was a bit in my head worrying about how early we were in the race, and how awful my lungs felt.
We needed a new plan-the starting and stopping was killing me. My cough was so dry that no amount of water could help me. Even my newest accessory-the inhaler in my Sparkle Skirt pocket-was of limited value. We determined that I couldn’t run intervals, and Tiffany hadn’t trained to run straight through. We were going to have to split up. Surprisingly, this upset me even more than the idea of just being compromised health-wise.
The new plan involved me running as far as I could, then taking an extended rest to recover. (Think really long intervals!) This should work, as I had recently run the Wine & Dine Half in November in 2:21, only stopping for character stops. We were hoping my rest breaks would coincide with character lines, giving Tiffany a chance to catch up and allowing us to run together for short periods of time. I raced ahead and got in line for the Old Hag from Snow White.
The panic on my face was real-and related to my health.
Well, somehow I missed Tiffany. Or she missed me. And then I had to stop at a port-a-potty. (When you are a 48 year old woman with a bad cough who’s had multiple pregnancies you realize for the first time just how important it is to keep an empty bladder! LOL!) I texted her, but it was never received. I was on my own, and heading into the World Showcase at Epcot.
Epcot’s World Showcase
Luckily, there were a few character stops not that far apart, and real bathrooms, too! I met with Pinocchio and Geppetto in Germany, then Marie from the Aristocats in France. There was also an awesome photo op with oversized champagne bottles, but I was a little out of sorts and kind of overshot it.
Photo op with Geppetto and Pinocchio!Marie in France!
As I headed into Disney’s boardwalk area, I was becoming increasingly disoriented. The cough was bad and my chest felt tight. I was still looking for Tiffany and had no idea if she was behind me or in front of me. I passed Genie in his vacation wear and decided not to stop-a rarity for me. Then I did something I had never done during a race-I took a phone call! It was Tiffany, and she had finished the race! I remember being so confused…how could I have gotten two miles behind??
At this point I was standing behind cones on the boardwalk, out of the way of other runners. In my infinite wisdom I decided this would be a great time to try a running jump for the Photopass photographer since there was no one around as I re-entered the race. It was not my best idea. LOL!
When great ideas go wrong…!
At that point I just wanted to finish and be reunited with Tiffany. I bypassed Royal Minnie (and her very long line) and stopped only for a jumping pic in front of Spaceship Earth. (This one went a little better.)
“I want adventure in the great wide somewhere…!”
I finally crossed the finish line, collected my medal and found Tiffany. She had been waiting to meet Aurora and was at the front of the line. I chugged down my meds with some Powerade and posed for the cameras! I was in Beast Mode now that we were done!
Showing off our medals to Aurora!Two medals down, two to go!
Now off to celebrate surviving the 10K! We headed straight to a pre-park opening breakfast at Akershus, where we got to meet Belle in all of our coordinating glory!
Even our Photopass photographer at Akershus was impressed with our level of detail! LOL!
But the most fun we had was reenacting the Belle and Beast topiary scene in Epcot’s France. We had to rely on the kindness of strangers, but we finally got the picture just right!
Kind of awesome when your bff has a flair for the dramatic, too…!
Princess Half Marathon
The good news-we had logged more sleep than we ever had before a Half. We were in bed by 10:00, guaranteeing us a full four hours! (Don’t laugh-this is a VAST improvement from the year before, when we closed Hollywood Studios after an evening of drinking and dancing at Club Villain and missed the last bus!) My body was also so tired from the exertions of the day that if I was coughing, I didn’t remember.
The “Ella” sisters ready for the Half-Cruella and Cinderella!
Once in the corrals, we were still debating if we should start together in E, Tiffany’s corral, or if I should get a head start by starting in D, my corral. We decided to start together, and that I would run ahead and secure our spots in the longest character lines. At least that was the plan. After the National Anthem and fireworks, Corral E was off!
I never get tired of fireworks…!
Our strategy worked well for the first few big character stops. We got to meet with Captain Jack Sparrow in front of the big pirate ship, and got a picture with the “Heroes”, too. The last few years they have included Flynn Ryder/Eugene, Prince Eric, John Smith from Pocahontas and some guy everyone debates…Hercules? We passed on meeting Princess Elena (Our Disney Jr. years are over, thank goodness!) and then went our separate ways when it was time to resume our separate paces.
Pirate photo op! Jack Sparrow and friend!The Heroes! Prince Eric, Flynn, John Smith and ???
I had every intention of pushing through. I thought about stopping for Mrs. Incredible up ahead, but was then relieved to see she was taking a break. Then I saw them-Villains! Dressed as Cruella DeVille, there was no way I was missing a photo op with both the Evil Queen and Maleficent! Waiting in the ridiculously long line, I felt a mixture of relief and panic. Relief to be in a line long enough to fully recover from the relentless coughing, and panic to be taking such a long break so early in the race.
Cruella meets the Evil Queen!Bad girls!
I slogged the rest of the way to Magic Kingdom. I couldn’t get out of my own head. It was the first time since I started running three years ago that I just simply couldn’t put in the training and show up and rely on muscle memory. While I could still take in and appreciate the magic of running down Main Street, USA, it was secondary to the internal dialogue in my head monitoring my breathing, pace and stamina. It was humbling.
Trying to stay focused and catch up to Tiffany.
Tiffany texted me to let me know she was in line for Gaston behind the castle. It gave me some focus and I hustled between miles 5-6…running through the tunnel by the Contemporary, down Main Street, USA, and through Tomorrowland without stopping. I didn’t have a second to spare-when I got there Tiffany was only two people away! Gaston made googly-eyes at her, but when it was my turn I reminded him not to waste his time on good girls. He told me that he liked my style-and we’d get along just fine. 😉
Googly eyes for Tiffany.Villains Unite!
We’d barely started running again when we came upon the Beast himself, directly in front of his restaurant, Be Our Guest! We immediately hopped in the queue-he was newly redesigned and magnificent! We’d be eating breakfast there the next morning, but the Beast only greets guests at dinner, so he’s pretty sought after, especially because of the weekend’s theme!
The Beast-one of the weekend’s guests of honor!
Now for the part of the race every Princess dreams of-running through Cinderella Castle! As we passed the carousel, we could see Frozen’s Anna, Elsa and Kristoff in the castle waving from above as Let It Go blasted through the sound system. We ran through the tunnel with more runners than we were use to, and then were rerouted one of two ways-to the front of the castle for photo ops there, or to the right for running photo ops with the castle behind you. We got front and center for the money shot!
A bit crowded through the castle!Cinderella Castle!!!
It was a bit of a let down once we wound our way around Frontierland and exited Magic Kingdom. Another six miles of highway running still stood between us and finishing the Half. The sun was up, the course was narrow and crowded, and I was feeling increasingly worse. However, runDisney still had plenty of distractions for us! We passed Vacation Genie with his golf cart, tons of cheering fans at the Grand Floridian and even the elusive glass slipper itself!
Cruella thought about stealing off with this…!
Once we passed the green army man on the big hill, it was across the overpass and on our way into Epcot! I was thrilled to be running with Tiffany, and we’d be finishing the rest of this one together! We primarily walked between miles 9-12, which felt strange. My body was sooo grateful though. Mushu was waiting for us right inside the entrance to Epcot, and he had a great reaction when I commented, “Nice fur!” as Cruella DeVille! LOL!
Mushu was a bit scared for his fur with Cruella around!
We were now in the home stretch and dug deep to run in that last mile and a half! Requisite jumping pics by Spaceship Earth, some coordinated posing, and the cutest Princess Daisy character stop we’d ever seen! The Gospel Choir at mile 13 even had me singing hallelujah! LOL! It had been a rough three days of running, but it was all worth it!
Putting on a brave face for the photogs!Love this girl!Spaceship Earth jumping shot!Princess Daisy!
For the first time ever in my short runDisney career, there were tears crossing the finish line. Tears that my body had allowed me to finish, tears that my training had held even though I hadn’t been able to run the week and a half leading up to the races, tears that I had such a supportive friend.
Never so happy to cross the finish line!
We collected our medal for the Half, then made a beeline for the Fairy Godmothers at the finish line, who were sprinkling runners with pixie dust! Next, we grabbed our Glass Slipper Challenge medals, our snack boxes and banana (phones) and headed over for a pic with Snow White.
We really earned these!Hello? Is it time for breakfast at ‘Ohana yet?Snow White was a good sport for our selfie!
We got one last surprise…we ran into the Princess Men! We met these guys when they ran two years ago, and this year they were all back (and heavily bearded!) to continue to inspire on the course! Though I could have used them earlier, it was exciting meeting them again and knowing they had their own amazing stories to tell!
#princessmen
My earlier tears quickly gave way to gratitude. I cannot tell you how much respect and admiration I have for women who run with on-going or temporary health challenges. Every mile was a conscious decision to continue, and I can’t imagine having that constantly in the forefront of my thinking. Our bodies are absolutely amazing, and I am grateful for what mine allowed me to do, not just this weekend, but every weekend.
Once I got home, much like childbirth, I conveniently forgot the worst of running 22 miles sick. Armed with four new shiny medals, two new prescriptions and more Photopass pictures than I’d care to admit, it took me less than a week to sign up for next year’s Princess’ Fairy Tale Challenge. I just hope this year I can leave the inhaler at home!
Jacqueline lives in Connecticut with her husband, two children and cat. You can follow her on Instagram at @morphingintominnie.
