I need the lowdown on the Princess Half , please!

Registration opens next Tuesday and since I have NEVER been to Disney I am stoked! Honestly, jus****ching the You Tube video of them racing down main street and seeing the castle made me tear up last night -- isn't that pathetic?

Anyhoo, can anybody help me with:
- what is the best place to stay for the race? Onsite I'm assuming? If so, where (it's me and one other lady so it doesn't have to be swank).

- the expo is two days -- should I plan to go to the expo both days?

- I want to be able to at least go to the Magic Kingdom and maybe Epcot while there since this is my first time there. The race is on Sunday. SHoudl I plan to visit the park after the race or before?

Help!! : )

i've only run the half/full in january, but i found that staying "on campus" was the best as you can take advantage of disney transportation.  that being said, i've stayed in a rented house as well (for the half-ironman last year) and that was fine too, you just have to get up a tad earlier to avoid race-day traffic snarls.  we stayed at the resort directly across the water from downtown disney (sarasota i think) and it was a decent rate and had a nice two-bedroom suite.  disney races are really well run, you're going to love it.

First off, I would like you to have a look at the link in my signature. There are many race reports from disney races with lots of pictures. When I decided that I was going to run a marathon, it simply had to be Disney.

I have always been a Disney geek and been there many times. I will also give you a link to my other board which is the WISH team on the disboards. WISH is a group of Disney fans dedicated to running disney races.
http://www.disboards.com/forumdisplay.php?f=109

Here is a list of the host resorts. Since all Disney resorts will not provide transportation to the expo and race, I would suggest staying at a host resort.

Disney's All-Star Sports Resort, Disney's All-Star Movies Resort,
Disney's All-Star Music Resort, Disney's Animal Kingdom Lodge,
Disney's Caribbean Beach Resort, Disney's Port Orleans Riverside Resort, Disney's Port Orleans French Quarter, Disney's Old Key West Resort, Disney's Polynesian Resort

The all stars are the cheapest and the Polynesian will get you to the race the quickest and easiest. The Poly is about 4 times the price of the all stars. They are all nice but if you don't have a car you really need to stay at one of these. If you do have a car, it's not necessary - just more convienent.

The expo is a one day thing. Probably 1-2 hours at most.

If you plan on hammering the parks, I'd do it after the race. If you are going to leisurely peruse the parks, you could do it before. I would still advise doing it after though. The best I ever felt after a marathon was when I went to EPCOT after the race and changed in the bathroom. It was the ultimate cool down.

Hi!  I work for a charity that funds research for children with neurological disorders.  We have a few spots remainng for the Disneyland 1/2 Marathon and Family 5K.  Please help spread the word.  Those interested can check out our website www.cnsfoundation.org.

Whoo hoo! Thanks for the info!

Do the host hotels generally offer discounted rates/packages? And, is there ever a discounted entry fee for the race itself?

They will not offer any discounts but I think that the Princess weekend is during value season which leads to the most inexpensive rates.  They may offer packages but again, I don't think there is any discount involved.

I don't think that they offer any discounts for the race either but this year they started offering early signup discounts for the January Marathon Weekend.  I would be surprised if they didn't do it for the Princess Half also. 

thanks for the hotel info!  We haven't decided where to stay yet, but maybe this list will help us narrow down the list!

Sue,  those hotels are the host hotels for the Princess Half in February.  For Marathon Weekend in Jan ALL Disney hotels are involved, providing transportation to the expo and the races.  My personal favorite is Pop Century because it makes me feel most immersed in Disney while I am there.  The Fort Wilderness Campground and cabins make it difficult to get to the race due to transportation issues though.

so the big question is going to be... where will the pre-race carb-load meal be for everybody attending the marathon weekend in january? :)

i guess that it kind of depends on how many people are going to have cars.  If everyone does then any place will do.  If most are depending on Disney transportation than some place easy to get to would be nice.  Perhaps the expo would be a good meet up.  My other board meets at the Pop Century Resort.  It just is a pain for people using Disney transportation going from resort to resort.  I guess that a suggestion would be some place at Downtown Disney.  Easy to get to and ample parking for those driving.