13.1 You Wish Upon A Star...a Tink Race and Mother's Day Trip Report! (complete)

[roxymama]

I should probably just head to the courthouse and apply for my official name change, yes?

I think we helped calm each other down - I was lucky to have that before both the 10K and the half!!


This is THE WORST. If someone invents some sort of device to make this easier, I will 100% buy it.

That is awesome!

THESE PICTURES ARE EVERYTHING. OMG I just love them. I feel like you could look at these years from now and they'll take you right back to exactly what you were feeling in that moment. They are awesome!

I have one from January where I crossed the finish line and you can see the emotion on my face...looking at it just brings back all of those feelings of doing something that I thought wasn't possible.

I Did It paddles are cheesy - yes, I agree. Like they couldn't figure out how to get the picture borders right that they used in the past, so they said "screw it" and slapped paddles in our hands!


LOVE THIS!! Great picture @AuntieBean !!

Seriously though. Between the hotels being within walking distance, the parks being so close (easy to park hop) and walking around the parks themselves - especially when pushing a wheelchair - it's a whole other beast running a half at Disney compared to at home. Plus traveling to the West Coast. If you pick a local half, I have no doubt that you will get significant PR!

I'm so glad to read this - I'm so happy that you didn't get too caught up in what your time was - that you fully ENJOYED this experience. Congratulations!!!

Loving all your comments. I really was worried my legs wouldn't hold up and as you will see in my finale posts for this trip report I really did everything possible to make them soooo tired all the way up to the bittersweet end. But in the end it was all worth it. This is why y'all keep running these races isn't it

 

[roxymama]

Brunch with Minnie for Mother's Day

Bean and I made the trek together back through DTD and past all the people streaming in to get into the parks on our way to our hotel. The walk wasn't feeling too terrible and I definitely didn't feel like I was limping or dragging myself (which trust me, I've felt like that after other races before.) I'd say the disposition of fellow runners nearby ranged from hyper to bench-roadkill...so everyone has their own journey, right? At this point in the trip me putting left foot then right foot then repeat was just on autopilot.

But I had a mission. 1) to get showered and dressed as quickly as possible and 2) Wish my mama a Happy Mothers' Day and 3) Go eat brunch with Minnie and friends at the Plaza Inn!!
Mom was awake and dressed and waiting for us when we got inside and handed us both greeting cards from my Dad back home which was so nice. And then I got all my stink off and put on my totally now earned official race shirt, "I did it" sweatyband and my medal. I'd packed the shorts last minute on Thursday once I saw the color scheme for the shirts online.

It's hard to see but Tink's wings matched my shorts. Ignore my Chip n Dale rescue rangers pajamas heaped in a ball on the floor.
I had bought green mickey ears from etsy for this trip and for this day but they were just so heavy on my head (must've had a ton of cardboard in the ears) that I just didn't want to lug them around all day. And so they stayed in the room. Don't worry though...my kiddo owns them now and wears them frequently around our house.

So then before I knew it we were back walking to Disneyland again. So mission one of the day was complete (HM finish line) and now mission two was upon us. EAT ALL THE BACON!
We got to the hostess stand at the Plaza with plenty of time before our reservation and I could hear her "selling" the menu to a passerby...so perhaps they leave openings for walk ups. I'm pretty sure a few days after the 60 day ADR window opened this place was totally sold out since I kept trying to move our ressie later. I'm glad overall that I kept it as is...because I WAS READY FOR BACON!

They asked if we'd like to go right in to our table or if we'd like to wait to take a pic with Minnie. I bet you can guess what we decided.

You can kind of see a pink carnation in my mom's purse...they gave her that on the way into Disneyland today for Mother's Day
Minnie was so cute with a little girl in front of us and that kind of made me miss my kiddo (a theme throughout the day) but I kept reminding myself that we'd get our character time together in the Fall at WDW.
I was digging my mom's outfit today btw and I kind of want her shirt...it was very breezy.
We went to the front to get our table (this meal was my treat since it was roxymamama's day afterall) and they thankfully put us as close to the buffet inside as you could be and parked my mom's chair nearby. It meant it was way easier for mom to get her food...and we didn't even ask for that, they just thought to do that for her

Before we even got settled Max (Goofy's son, right?) came over and pointed at my shirt and high fived me. Oh yeah...I'm wearing a medal? I totally didn't forget...I was walking around like a peacock at this point. But he was on his way out so kept moving.
We got ALL THE BACON and MICKEY WAFFLES with a special banana sauce (omg yum) and I think mom ate more at this meal than any in a really long time (her tummy isn't always so nice to her lately.)
Chip N Dale visited us maybe 3, maybe 4 times throughout our meal.
Selfie!

This one cracks me up because Dale looks like he's at a board meeting with my mom. I believe they were discussing diet tips because Dale is so tempted with all the BACON while working here. Chip finds it funny and was doing like "big belly" hula dance wiggle moved and laughing. I guess you had to be there.
Notice my mama's pretty Plaza pin she got.

And one of me.

Hook came by and was really upset about my Tink medal. I explained that I had caught her so it was okay and then he wanted my medal!

I told him he'd have to run a half marathon to get one and he didn't much like that idea.
A fellow came over with our souvernear photos from that Minnie shoot we took earlier and they actually came out so good that my mom was like "I'm getting them"!

Gotta put that in a frame for sure!

To this point we all really were liking our food. Maybe it was the pixie dust in the air but I thought they did a good job on standard buffet food. Kudos to the Plaza chefs!

I believe Tigger and Eeyore also came by but Beanie has those pics (please share when you get the chance) but we got a lengthy visit from Mr. Pooh.


At this point I had been fully baconed and my next big mission was MISSION COFFEE and they so kindly had cups to match my shorts/medal. Disney really does think of everything.


At this point I'd gone to the bathroom 4 TIMES! It was like all that water and powerade I ingested earlier needed somewhere to go and I'm sure the coffee wasn't helping. But luckily we weren't going for a PR at the breakfast table. I'm glad mom and bean stuck around at the table waiting for me to go again because when I got back I saw this...

My mama and the fairy godmother having a moment. You think I got choked up at the end of the race? Yeah that was nothing.
I got a huge hug from the godmother and I told her that my daughter really is a big fan of her work.

So if you are keeping track I'd say our order of how much we liked our reserved table service meals was Plaza Inn, Blue Bayou, then Wine Country.

There's more to my Sunday but I've used up my picture limit for this post so I'll be back

 

[roxymama]

This just makes my heart happy, because it shows how invested you were in this process, and how much you were truly going to give it your all out on the course!!!


NO kidding! That is awesome! In the last 5 years, I have had someone to talk to in the corrals twice


I think that's the best. I never want to know a race course, and actually find my local races-where we run the same areas I train on, to be very mentally draining.


YES! Runnning through Disney parks really brings on such a wonderously elated feeling!!


It totally is!! That is the whole point of Disney races. Especially if you have done the training...you have EARNED the right to stop!


Because it is an epic shot!




MOst definitely, you are radiating JOY!!!!

CONGRATULATIONS!!! Sensational race report!!!

I meant to answer you earlier. I guess I never thought of my nerves = how invested I am because there's probably something to that. From now on I'll just say that I'm not anxious...I'm just caring a lot and super invested!
I do wish I could be more of a cool cucumber more often though!

 

[LizardQueen8]

I did the Plaza Inn character breakfast last trip and LOVED it! Then again, I do love me my character breakfasts . (I also had bacon and a Mickey waffle after my race, but at Carnation Cafe. Baaaaaaaaaaaccccccccon!!!!!)

 

[roxymama]

I did the Plaza Inn character breakfast last trip and LOVED it! Then again, I do love me my character breakfasts . (I also had bacon and a Mickey waffle after my race, but at Carnation Cafe. Baaaaaaaaaaaccccccccon!!!!!)

My Garmin said I burned 3739 calories during my run. I think that's probably way higher than what really happened. Seeing as I got pretty full after a lot of bacon and couldn't actually consume ALL THE BACON. But I tried my hardest.

 

[Ariel484]

Fabulous Plaza Inn pics!! You've convinced me to try this place on my next DL trip. I am loving that pic of your mama and the Fairy Godmother!

Also...congrats on ALLLLLL THE BACON. And the Mickey Waffles. Just a stellar meal.

 

[run.minnie.miles]

Your post-race outfit was perfect! Your shorts look great with your shirt/medal. But after that, your fabulous Minnie pictures is distracting me and I can't think of anything else. Love it!

 

[roxymama]

Fabulous Plaza Inn pics!! You've convinced me to try this place on my next DL trip. I am loving that pic of your mama and the Fairy Godmother!

Also...congrats on ALLLLLL THE BACON. And the Mickey Waffles. Just a stellar meal.

The food is your standard breakfast stuff but it was really good standard breakfast stuff at least for us that day. If you go solo though, practice your character selfies because there were a few times I was at the table alone and was like "ummmm....selfie?" Haha
I feel like we also saw Gepetto and Rafiki too. There were like a bajillion characters and they just kept on coming!

Your post-race outfit was perfect! Your shorts look great with your shirt/medal. But after that, your fabulous Minnie pictures is distracting me and I can't think of anything else. Love it!

I'm sometimes super aware that I'm a bit on the tall side when I take pics with the mice or the fairies, etc. So I tend to do the "lean" or "sorority crouch" that I often do in pics with other people too. So this sounds silly but I'm glad they got a good upright pic of me (even if I do still tower over Minnie) instead of like a weird lean in situation.

 

[Sailormoon2]

My mama and the fairy godmother having a moment. You think I got choked up at the end of the race? Yeah that was nothing.
I got a huge hug from the godmother and I told her that my daughter really is a big fan of her work.

Trying hard..hard...to, not...get...emotional!!! WOW!! Super sweet picture!

 

[SarahDisney]

I love all of the Plaza Inn pictures! And that pictures of roxymamamama with Fairy Godmother ... wow. So special!

 

[Dis_Yoda]

I love the mix of characters at Plaza Inn! Fairy Godmother, Hook, Minnie, Max, Pooh! Such an assortment! I haven't been able to drag my husband there (he hates character meals - thus why I went to 1900 Park Faire by myself)

Glad you had a great race! I get just putting one foot in front of each other especially if there aren't items to distract me!

Can't wait to hear more about your mama's day!

 

[disneydaydreamer33]

I've heard so many great things about Plaza Inn. I'm happy to see you agree with that consensus! Love the picture of you guys with Minnie. And that picture of your Mom and Fairy Godmother is legit touching in a major way!!

 

[Chris-Mo]

I am finally here following along. Working on getting caught up.

 

[FredtheDuck]

That picture of Fairy Godmother and roxymamamama is awesome!!!

 

[michigandergirl]

Finally all caught up. Your pictures are absolutely amazing!!!! The emotion in your eyes is awesome. Great job! And that Minnie pic with your mom & sister is super special.

 

[rteetz]

What a great way to celebrate Mothers day!

 

[roxymama]

Trying hard..hard...to, not...get...emotional!!! WOW!! Super sweet picture!

It sounds silly, but for all the worry I had that my mom wouldn't have a great time or be too tired, not feel good, etc...it all felt really worth it and like we had a successful trip at that moment. Funny how a few Disney characters can make you feel all the things.

I love all of the Plaza Inn pictures! And that pictures of roxymamamama with Fairy Godmother ... wow. So special!

So Special!

I love the mix of characters at Plaza Inn! Fairy Godmother, Hook, Minnie, Max, Pooh! Such an assortment! I haven't been able to drag my husband there (he hates character meals - thus why I went to 1900 Park Faire by myself)

Glad you had a great race! I get just putting one foot in front of each other especially if there aren't items to distract me!

Can't wait to hear more about your mama's day!

I had heard that a lot of characters change and are a random mix, but I don't think I realized we would get SO MANY of them visiting us all while we were eating. I figured we'd see maybe 4 because I'm used to some of the other WDW breakfasts where the restaurants are bigger and with less characters.
If we ever have overlapping race weekends, I'll come character dine with you

I've heard so many great things about Plaza Inn. I'm happy to see you agree with that consensus! Love the picture of you guys with Minnie. And that picture of your Mom and Fairy Godmother is legit touching in a major way!!

I read that it was Walt's favorite restaurant (which, I guess there weren't that many compared to now) and I don't know how reliable my source is. But that's pretty cool to think about.

I am finally here following along. Working on getting caught up.

Yay! I'll be adding new updates (and hopefully finishing this all up) today Looking forward to reading about your and Zelly's half marathon!

That picture of Fairy Godmother and roxymamamama is awesome!!!

It is...gotta frame that!

Finally all caught up. Your pictures are absolutely amazing!!!! The emotion in your eyes is awesome. Great job! And that Minnie pic with your mom & sister is super special.

Thanks! I am happy I got good pics from the photopass peeps. I've had so many bad race pics that I just didn't know what I'd get.

What a great way to celebrate Mothers day!

I agree. If I had a money tree and unlimited vacation time; I think I'd want to make it tradition.

Ok y'all...gonna try to add more to finish up Sunday since it was like almost 2 weeks ago at this point!

 

[roxymama]

I'm Going to Get that Tink Pic So Help Me!
At the point that we started seeing repeats of repeats of characters and we were all really full, we decided to conclude our breakfast. At this point my phone was getting fairly low on battery life because I had just used it for a full 13.1 miles and had been texting my hubby and my Dad and sending pics out to everyone and instagram, etc. So yes, I was one of those people with their nose in their phone at Disney a little bit...but I was excited. So I'm using some Beanie pics for this update and hope she doesn't mind me stealing her pic thunder a little bit.

Y'all know how I said my legs were feeling pretty normal? Yeah, when I stood up after breakfast I was like "Woah Nelly"...heavy leg syndrome in full effect! But I was determined to not let that stop my fun. We had a few things we wanted to attempt that we had not yet done on our trip so that was kind of our rough plan for the morning. I hope my memory is right, if not Bean please let me know.
So Pirates was a big one we didn't want to miss. I'd gone with my mom 12 years ago and the ride was closed for a movie event and I'd heard it was so great compared to WDW.
The line wasn't too insane but the ride op was quick to tell us there was no way to get the chair in there. So she instructed us to the wheelchair exit which took a bit to find. Pirates exits out of what looks to the eye like just a gift shop tucked in to the alley in New Orleans square. We were given a return time of like 40 or 50 minutes later? So we checked the app and Pooh was open! This had an accessible line too!

Still rocking my medal
And we made some friends in line who shared a honeypot with us. Beanie got the honor of the front seat since this was her fist Pooh ride at ANY park!

I forgot how this version the ride vehicle moves around like you are on a boat. I just wanted to say out load "woooah, woooah, wooooah" during the whole thing but I behaved myself. I wish the vehicle bounced in the tigger area like at WDW (unless it did and I just missed it.)
Upon exiting my mom wisely said "your Chip cup...get it now" so we hopped into the gift shop we originally saw them in and I bought one for my kiddo. She happily drinks chocolate milk from it now when I have my coffee, so it was a good $9 purchase. It's plastic but I may have to get the ceramic version at WDW later this year for me.

So I think we went back to Pirates at this point after some New Orleans Square gift shop perusing. Mom was on a mission to find a Minnie Mouse shirt she liked.
So once through the exit of Pirates they took us down a ramp that led to loading on the other side of the boat than the rest of the guests. But they basically try to wait for a full boat of handicap guests + their party so that they don't get messed up with loading regular line people. So I'd say we waited maybe 10 minutes more. (See, getting a return pass can be good as far as it kind of is like a fastpass...BUT I don't think it's really good enough as people who want to "game the system" think it is. If we had waited in the normal line from the get go and then did Pooh after it would have taken up either less time or identical.)

So no pics on pirates but we were loaded all three of us in the front row and it was a pretty full boat since there was a large party behind us. Well....WE GOT SOAKED on the first big drop. I'm talking full face full of water...hair wet...shorts dripping. I'm so glad I had the thought to put our Minnie brunch pics (which were in a pretty loose bag) behind my back just in case since they did survive. At least the ride being so incredibly detailed and awesome made up for our shower. This version feels so much more immersive, maybe because of the rockwork everywhere and on the ceilings. I agree with the DL version being better. Just maybe sit in the back of the boat if you want to stay dryer!

We were deciding where to go next and Bean was kinda wanting to ride Small World again and I was kinda wanting to try for a Tink pic before it got too late in the day so we decided to walk past Pixie Hallow on the way to Small World. The area was roped off and the cast member told me what time Tink would be back but also told me what time to actually get there since she'd been very busy this weekend. NOTED!
So we headed back to Small World. The line was kind of long even though it was only listed as like 30 min. Maybe it's just the perception of these lines again vs WDW where the lines are not outdoors. But separate the wheelchair line had like 10 families in front of us. And they were letting each family into the line only like every 5-10 minutes or so it seemed. So instead of giving return pass times they were just making us all wait. Which is fine. But it was sunny and I was getting anxious about if I had time to get to the Tink line or not. The small world clock went off twice while we were standing there (it chimes and has a cute doll show effect every 15 min) and then I was adding on in my head the ~14 min ride time. So I asked if I could bail on them and head to Pixie Hallow early. And they didn't disown me, so I think they were alright with that.
I did get this pic though! (Edited to say the pic was from Bean sent to me.)

Those ducks are my favorite. I quack with them during both parts of the ride that they are there. The Small World song sounds best in duck language.

On the way to Pixie Hallow I saw the rare unicorn...a churro cart with no line...so I had to! And I grabbed a water too because I was being responsible. I found my way to Pixie Hallow and a line to line up for the line had started since they hadn't opened up the real line yet. It had wrapped around a little bridge which had a low wrought iron railing, so I grabbed a spot and just watched the world.
Churro holding selfie

Btw...10/10 the best churro of my life. And I'm a bit of a churrothusiast. I still regret passing up my other chances at churro-ing. But maybe it was meant to be that I had this one from this cart on this day
I started drinking my water and then quickly realized that maybe I should stop doing that until after I was done waiting in a really long line by myself with no bathrooms. I kept seeing characters coming and going from this vantage point (later that night I realized why, and I'll get back to that) but it included the Tremaines coming through and Lady Tremaine stopping to ask me if I was in line to see "that bug" and then Anastasia said "if you see it, squish it" and then they were off. Was awesome!
I also witnessed Hook leading a lady with her park map as if it were a treasure map and then short time later he was being chased back by a pack of kids and Peter Pan doing crocodile arms. Gotta love it.
The line opened and the cast member was telling people at the back it would be like 60 min wait but probably more because his little time clock didn't go past 60 min. EEK! I was probably 20 people back so at least it should be a bit shorter for me?
I was parked by my good friend Periwinkle for awhile.

I had been phone fiddling and so I realized my battery was at 10%...FREAK OUT...All by myself and what happens if my phone dies before pics and before talking to the fam. So I quick texted Bean that I was in line and going on low battery mode. A short while later I hear a familiar voice coming up through the line with a portable batter charger...bean to the rescue! And no one minded her coming up to hang with me. Mom had found the shady bench area to hang out and kindle read while we waited. I think they had been shopping again because Bean said Mom had bought a kiddo Christmas present...one of those flip-over dolls of Aurora and Ariel. She'll love that.
This is Silvermist over my shoulder and an actual real duck over the other in Pixie Hallow. Notice my phone charging Not all heroes wear capes @AuntieBean

We talked with a fun family who had a tiny kiddo (almost 2) and I let her have my pink mother's day carnation (made me miss my boo-boo.) And we talked for a long while with the nicest line organizer cast member. We are chatty.
And then finally it was Tink time.
First pic is me clearly not knowing what to do with my hands...and Tink having to show me. Even instructing me how to show off my medal the best way.

Nailed it!

Wish I'd popped my foot like her, but who knows if my tired legs would have let me!
At that point we found mama reading and all decided to head back to the room for some R&R. There was more Main Street gift shopping to be done though. Mom finally found her elusive 1X (not XL) Minnie shirt she wanted. Bean got a baby Dory plus

And I got hubby a MU hat that I kept seeing looking cute on various people all over the park. He liked it and I think it'll be his Dad hat for our fall trip.

I'd really not bought myself anything because I had bought SO MANY TINK things this weekend. Which isn't like me not to get random disney stuff. But I'll likely make up for that on my next trip.
I think we headed back to the room after this. And I decided I just couldn't nap but I could just sit on my bed for several hours...eating all my snackbox goodies except for the weird dried fruit mix thing. I refuse to be too healthy after running 13.1 miles. That cheese spread we got in the box was legit good.
Mom may have napped...pretty sure. And then as dinnertime was approaching Bean and I were ready to go again but mom decided she was ready for a quiet evening so she planned to have some of the many leftovers in our fridge and stay in.

To be Continued with the time we stayed at the parks until almost midnight

 

[LizardQueen8]

No bouncing on the DL Pooh ride. That is what makes me like the WDW version more.

 

[Sailormoon2]

a line to line up for the line had started since they hadn't opened up the real line yet

I really only Disney people can possibly understand, and appreciate this statement! LOL!

I refuse to be too healthy after running 13.1 miles

AMEN sister!! Me too!!

And I'm a bit of a churrothusiast.

YES!!! They are the world's best sweet snack!!