How Did the Walt Disney World Marathon Begin?
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- Опубликовано: 2 дек 2024
- If you add up the size of the four Walt Disney World theme parks, they come out to nearly 1000 acres. So it’s no wonder that with all that running around, people sometimes joke about it feeling like you’re running a marathon. However every year, for tens of thousands of people, it literally is running a marathon. The #runDisney Walt Disney World marathon has been around for a while, but when did it begin, and where did it come from?
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Now the very first Walt Disney World Marathon took place in 1994, however Disney’s involvement in running actually began two years prior, in Indiana of all places. Every year in Indianapolis a special event is put on to celebrate the Indy 500 that is fittingly called the 500 Festival. It’s mainly comprised of a big parade, some smaller community events, and a series of running events. The most popular running event at the festival, to this day, is their “mini-marathon” which is one of the largest half marathons in the country.
In 1992 Disney chose to sponsor the entire festival as a promotional move to celebrate Walt Disney World’s 20th Anniversary, which had just occurred seven months earlier. With Disney footing the bill that year it was estimated that the usual $60,000 budget would balloon to as much as $300,000, and for the first time in its history, the festival would be nationally televised. As a part of it all, Indianapolis’ channel 8, WISH-TV, would have a TV crew sent to #WaltDisneyWorld for a full 20 days to cover the resort and the 20th anniversary celebration going on. In retrospect, that’s a whole lot of air time for Disney for what would ultimately amount to under half a million dollars.
In honor of the sponsorship the mini-marathon during the festival was renamed to the “Minnie Marathon”, complete with Disney branded t-shirts for the 10,000 participants, and costumed characters to greet the runners as they reached the finish line. It was just one part of the larger event, but it would be the first steps towards a future of similar ones.
In 1994 the concept of a Disney themed run would make its way to Orlando Florida. According to the race director, Jon Hughes, it wasn’t the first time the idea was proposed, saying “we approached Disney with the idea 10 years ago, but that was at a time when they were still expanding and building much of the resort area. It’s only in the last two years that we’ve finally been able to get the race off the ground.” That makes sense too. Ten years earlier was 1984, and that was a tumultuous year for Disney. In the time since they would add a third theme park, a number of resorts, and all around see a growth in attendance.
Came for the vhs videos of people running in retro outfits.
Was not disappointed
LOVE THIS!!! I completed every runDisney challenge/weekend (I just checked off Paris a couple of weeks ago). To anyone who has ever thought about doing it, they are the best runs to do! Any distance is a magical experience. Just watch out, you might get addicted haha. It’s nice to know how they started and evolved to what it is today.
My mom says she won't run a half marathon anywhere else but Disney. She ran her second Disney World half marathon this year.
One of the things I never expected to see on this channel: The Indy 500. But after finding out but after finding out what Disney does with all their waste, I don't know why I am still surprised. Great video again Rob!
My mom and aunt did the full Dopey (5K, 10K, Half, and Full Marathons) in 2016. My family actually dressed as the seven dwarfs for the 5K run (we came across multiple Snow Whites and other dwarfs for pictures)
Great video Rob! You gotta make a full length video on Oswald the Lucky Rabbit!
YAS
Thanks for another fascinating and educational video! Just wondering if you'd be interested in doing another similar video, but on the history of Disney World hosting cheerleading and dance competitions? Or hosting high school marching bands or sports teams? I went in 2009 with my high school cheer team and would love some history on how it all got started!
Those beautiful trees in Magic Kingdom’s hub!!! 😭😭😭 Disney! Please plant them back!
This brings back memories. It was bitter cold that morning, barely above freezing. Had to be in the staging area around 3:30 am, but the race didn't start until 6:05am (elite runners started at 6:00). My most vivid memory was the sight of crossing the first bridge on Epcot Center Blvd that crosses over World Drive and looking to the right and seeing runners as far as I could see, then looking back behind me and also seeing another endless line of runners. It felt surreal.
Found myself thinking: "hmm... maybe i should start training for a marathon" HAHA
Havent workedout in years - but this would be a worthwhile price to try out :-)
I’ve done the WDW marathon twice, including Dopey last year. My addiction started when I was 40 with the Neverland 5k at DL in 2014, I hadn’t ran since high school and had just quit smoking, that led to dozens of runDisney 5ks, 10ks, half’s, and eventually the 2 fulls. I’ve even done the DL Paris races the last 3 years.
It’s never to late to start but beware... it’s addicting!
I would argue that there are worse things to be addicted to! :D (Plus its a good excuse for a trip to Disney! )
1:39 Where does this appearance of King Mickey fit in the Kingdom Hearts timeline?
This video needs to be promoted. It deserves far more views than this, and is definitely worth rewatching, due to WDW celebrating the 30th anniversary of the marathon.
Crazy to hear about my local news org in one of your videos! Thanks Rob, as always.
Interesting video! Love hearing about how these things began in the first place. Thanks, Rob!
I have done the Half Marathon at Disney World and the Indy 500 one. Both are fun. The Disney World one is First class. Really feels special running down Main Street USA.
Thanks for this!
I run it every year! Thanks for putting this together.
I’m training for the upcoming half in January, and the TTA podcast has been my go-to listening material! Going to have to save up some episodes leading up to the race so I can have you and Christine with me for the whole race.
Nice! Good luck with the race!
So cool. I had no idea, Rob
Loved this! Ran the Disneyland Paris Half Marathon a few weeks ago. Hope to do the Marathon in the future.
I do the Princess 5k because running and I don't get along and they're so much fun, even if it's a super early morning. If I ever get around to actually training, I may do the 10k.
If only I enjoyed running...
This is so cool!! I am headed to Orlando for the dopey challenge next week.
I just heard of this last summer when I saw T-shirts on sale for the runs at a Disney story next to Disney World that had them.
Thanks for doing the vid on the grandaddy of Marathon. Did mine in 2017.
Looks like Rick and Dick Hoyt @ 3:30 mark...
These races look awesome, I've been wanting to do one for a while. Maybe by 2020 I'll be ready for the marathon! Also, it's a shame that they aren't doing Disneyland races any more. Hopefully they will come back after Disney finishes all the construction they're working on now.
Now, if we can get Disney to start hosting cycling events, I would be a happy camper!!
I did the Disney half marathon earlier this year at WDW, and oh my GOD was it cold. my feet were practically frozen the whole time, the best part was running through magic kingdom, because that's when my feet finally thawed
Congrats on the run!
My dad dose 100 miles races in a day I do think that 26.2 feels like walking around the parks
Hey Rob please do a video about the Rafiki planet watch.
My idea for a replacement ride for Stitches Great Escape would be a Walt Disney inspired attraction, it would consist of a the same format as the last ride, only the preshow would be old videos of Walts envisions of Disneyland, Disneyworld, Epcot and Mickey shorts. The show would be made up of the same design being the circle theater, and would consist of a wALT DISNEY ANIMATRONIC. The Walt Disney animatronic would talk to the audience about the Walt's life around the Company and the Parks mainly, but would describe the the past, current, and future visions of the park. The animatronic would stand on a stage in the middle of the theatere explaining the ins and outs of the Disney's legacy and future. This could ultimately be a solid replacement for the CAROUSEL OF PROGRESS, while allowing the company to use the COP building for an E-ticket attraction like.
I don't know how to feel about this concept.
why
@@IdeaBox-dk5vj
Well, on the one hand, it's a really good way for the parks to pay tribute to their founder, which has been sorely lacking in recently. On the other hand, the potential costs in making the whole attraction personally seem as though they would be too steep for Bob Iger and the Imagineers to be involved with. And don't even get me started on the purists!
You're the best, around.
Man, kinda makes me wish I was able to run for more than five minutes with dying...
First years winners were not Shvetsov and Nagy...they were in 1995, the second year. The first year it was Colin Moore and Alevtina Naumova.
Nope. Shevtsov and Nagy won the inaugural WDW Marathon in 1994. They also won for their respective divisions the second year as well. Neither Moore nor Naumova placed in either division for either of those two years.
@@MidwaytoMainStreet en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Walt_Disney_World_Marathon
Yup. That listing is wrong, and there are no linked sources to that chart which doesn't surprise me because the information is incorrect. That's why I never use Wikipedia as a primary source for my videos. Not the first time I've seen the Wiki article get it wrong.
I've got four independent news outlet sources (from 1994 and 1995 respectively) that confirm that Shevtsov and Nagy won both years. In fact, Moore and Naumova didn't even run the event the first year. The time listed on that Wiki article is from Moore's Houston Marathon win that year, which happened the same weekend as the Disney marathon.
Edit: For some added context and clarification, here are links for the 1994 winners of the Houston Marathon. Moore (www.houstonresults.com/profile/25250 ) and Naumova (www.houstonresults.com/profile/24749 ). Note how the their finish times match the Wikipedia article down to the second. Whoever wrote the wiki article mixed up their marathons.
The marathons are great but a pain for castmembers trying to get to work in the mornings lol
First!!!!
Get it... cause it’s a video about racing and I came in first... but also it’s a RUclips thing... anyway I think you get it.
here u go🏅
Third like here! I love the number 3.
Does this mean rob is thinking about signing up for one?
Haha no way would I be able to pull off a marathon or a half-marathon! Kat and I will be doing the Castaway Cay 5k on our cruise though!
Rob Plays well that was my first runDisney race too so have fun!
Uuuughhhh runninggggggg
First like and comment!!
There should be a Disney-themed hotel
Just go to Disney World there are plenty to choose from