I am planning to do my first HIM at Disney next year. I will travel with family and that is the place for run and fun. What about the course ? When it is sell out? Where to stay? Thanks.
I recently did that as my first half, the course is great, except the run is a trail run at times. The swim is great, the bike course is fast (some wind and a few hills). There are tons of places to stay in orlando, and the race did not sell out untill pretty late.
The race will not sell out that quickly and Tom Z will post on registration status. What you need to do is to reserve a cabin at Fort Wilderness Lodge because Mickey makes it a pain in the ass to get in and out. If you are captive you have no choice but to spend your money there. At least with a cabin you have a kitchen and a parking spot near the start/finish.
I second the Fort and bad logistics on race day if you are outside looking to get in. Bring the family and enjoy three days of Mickey and probably the least desirable 70.3 of the series. 3 loops on the run (I have never met anyone who enjoyed the run…too crowded, crappy terrain, and walkers three and four abreast late in the race make the aid stations R rated and frustrating). But it gives the kids plenty of opportunity to see Mom/Dad perform, and then time it perfect to walk over to the finish line and have hugs for their hero and a memorable Kodak moment.
Thanks for your answers.
Anybody else? Good and bad reports.
Did the race this year as my first half. Like the others said. Bike course was flat, run was laps with lots of trail. I wouldn’t really call it trail though, more just grass then anything. Swim is warm, too many boats in the water close to the swim course for me. Lots of exhaust in the water from them. My big complaint was the transportation thing. You have to park a good ways away from the race site and be bused in. I wasn’t a big fan of that part. Other then that, good overall race. Oh, that and the fact that the medics forgot about me and left me on the ground for about an hour, thats what I was told anyhow, I was out for the count. But, I’ll probably be back next year. Its a specator friendly race and my parents live close by and seemed to have a good time being able to watch.
My wife and I have done that race twice and unlike the other posters didn’t think the bus part was bad at all. You just have to allow a little extra time for getting there in the morning. For bike dropoff the day before and leaving after the race, we just rode our bikes without too much hassle at all.
The bus is not bad, and you can walk it if you need to it only takes 10-15 min.
Did the race for the first time this year. We ended up staying @ Port Orleans, booked thru Anthony travel, I think around $125/night. From Port Orleans there is a shuttle that leaves @ approx. 5AM that drops you off right @ transition. I had zero problems getting to the race site. Bike dropoff the day before you can actually ride to, the first mile of so were on fairly heavily travelled roads, but you can turn into the Fort Wilderness area for the rest of the trip, 15 minutes tops. My wife was able to take Disney transportatioin to the site, bus from our hotel to Magic Kingdom, ferry from MK to Fort Wilderness, average about a 45 min. trip. If you can’t get into Fort Wilderness, I would highly recommend Port Orleans, I was worried before hand about logistics getting to the race since we didn’t bother renting a car, but it was actually really easy.
As for the actual race, I liked it a lot. Lake isn’t the cleanest thing in the world, but it’s not awful. Bike is flat and fast, I’m not sure where you’re coming from, but the “hills” on this course are a joke. Run is the worst aspect, hot, 3 laps, 50% off road. By the end my shoes were caked with mud. If you’re a northerner coming down for the race, find a gym that allows treadmills in the sauna, and start running 
Great race do it. Ask Tom Z. when it will sell out, he is the RD.
I wouldn’t wait too long to register, With all the demand for 2008 IMNA Ironman race slots, the race might fill a lot earlier than the previous years, Tom Z can keep you abreast of how fast it is filling.
The Ford Ironman 70.3 Florida Triathlon at Walt Disney World is a VERY NICE race. It’s perfect or families who want to enjoy Disney World and also let Mom or Dad compete in an Ironman 70.3 event.
Each year the event has improved - last year’s bike course was a good example - after three years, we finally got a nice course with right hand turns and good roads!
Now - my next challenge is the run course!!! I’ll do not best to get some more pavement, but please remember - The course will be 13.1 miles long, we will have plenty of aid stations and EVERYONE will have to do the same course.
The race is open for registration - last year it filled up around the middle of April - I expect it to fill out in Feb. or March next year. Z
I did the race the last two years. The swim and bike portions are great, but more than half the run is on VERY UNEVEN grass which - at least for me - makes it very hard to relax and get into a stride. This year I broke a metatarsal (foot bone) during the run, which I blame partly on the uneven running surface. It was 12 weeks ago and today was the first time I was able to run since the race. That leaves me 12 weeks to get ready for IMFL. I’ll be back for the Disney 70.3 next year,
FYI, the only time disney allows swimming in this lake is during this race. The rest of the year signs are posted for no swimming due to water quality issues.
just something to think about.
I had a good time at the race there all things considering. I do most of my run miles offroad, so I was fine with the run course. The bike was fine excpet for one section around maybe mile 45, I forget exactly. Single lane road with open traffic and basically no shoulder. About 15 guys ended up drafting off a publix semi for about 3-4 miles because we couldn’t pass it and traffic was backed up for a long ways ahead and behind it looked like. I’ll probably end up back there again next year.
Eric - your statement about the lake and the swim at Disney - is NOT TRUE - "
" FYI, the only time disney allows swimming in this lake is during this race. The rest of the year signs are posted for no swimming due to water quality issues."
The water quality at all of the Disney lakes are checked every week by Reddy Creek - the local government. They test these lakes because they have water skiing programs and pleasure boats that use these lakes. I have documented water tent results from each year of the race! Each year the lake has tested “clean” for swimming.
I also happen to know the women who is in charge of water testing for Reedy Creek - she has been doing this for the last 20 years.
The reason they post “NO Swimming” signs at all the beaches is because they do not have lifeguards at the beaches and do not want people swimming in the lakes with all the boat traffice.
Please do not make comments like this in the future. Z
Tom,
It’s an awesome race, had a blast this year with our crew from Michigan flying down. I expect that a larger Michigan group will be coming with me again next year!
Eric
Thanks Tom. So swim-good, bike-good (and thank you for making it so), now the run. Improve that, and we’ll all sing a song around the Fort Wilderness camp fire in your honor. Still a great family event no matter what.
Plez… I beg of you… get rid of the 85% trail running on that run course. BRUTAL. I was hallucinating for asphalt by the 3rd loop.
This is totally my own fault, but my feet go so blistered from that course from the mix of wet feet from the aid stations with the sandy trail run. Also the return trip back to the Magic Kingdom parking lot in the heat was tough. The lines were huge. You had to wait at the race site for a bus and then again for another bus (with another long line) at the entrance to Fort Wilderness. I’m sure this is difficult to get this organized but something to think about for next year.
All in all, a very nice destination race even if you don’t want to do “the Disney thing” just to hang out and relax in the Florida sunshine is a treat!
Now I HAVE to change the run course! That has always been one of my life’s goals - to have a camp fire song about my race directing.
If anyone remembers Scott Tinley playing his guitar and singing his song about Ironman in Kona at the 25th anniversary, if just hope it’s a bit better then that song. Z