Marathon Weekend 2021

[rteetz]

1. Big Thunder Mountain Railroad (nostalgia) I’ve always loved this ride
2. Country Bear Jamboree! (Obviously!)
3. Everest! (Could ride this all day!)
4. Rise of the Resistance (simply amazing)
5. Peoplemover (must do anytime in MK)

 

[steph0808]

This is tough. If I could go to Disney but only ride five things, I would pick:

1. Tower of Terror
2. Rise of the Resistance
3. Toy Story Mania
4. Big Thunder Mountain Railroad
5. Jungle Cruise (when you get a good boat - this year, it seemed like none of the people on our boat had ever been on the JC before or didn't understand the jokes...but we had fun anyway).

 

[TeeterTots]

SAFD: splash, big thunder, tower or terror

 

[Barca33Runner]

Jungle Cruise (when you get a good boat - this year, it seemed like none of the people on our boat had ever been on the JC before or didn't understand the jokes...but we had fun anyway).

I prefer the awkward silence boat. A good skipper who executes the openly hostile, “you realize you waited for this and aren’t hostages, right?” ride is Jungle Cruise at its top form.

 

[GuinnessRunner]

SAFD:

My top 5 for now. Hoping RoR joins the list when I finally get to ride.

1) Tower of Terror (theme from the queue on tells a great story and the ride is so much fun)
2) Expedition Everest
3) Flight of Passage
4) People Mover
5) Slinky Dog Dash

 

[Neon Cactus]

1) Pirates, especially at Disneyland. It opened the year I was born and has always been my go-to ride.
2) Tower of Terror. Very close second and one I always have to ride.
3) Everest
4) Haunted Mansion
5) Rise of the Resistance

 

[YawningDodo]

SAFD: My all-time favorite has to be Tower of Terror. There are a lot of other attractions I love, both old and new (and I will eternally defend It's A Small World as the classic it is), but ToT is one of the few rides that I will ride as many times as I can get FP+ for it. There's nothing else like it. Dare I say, though...despite my initial misgivings, I think the Guardians of the Galaxy overlay version in California actually tops the original for me! I'm glad the WDW version is unaltered since I'd be sad if the Twilight Zone version was no more, but I really got a kick out of Mission Breakout.

On a more general note--I'm here! I'm committed to running the marathon in 2021! As of this morning I've written my 11 month training plan to make it happen! It's daunting since I'm not in good shape now and I've already delayed this goal once (it was originally supposed to be the 2020 marathon), but I'm feeling pretty good about the larger plan I've cobbled together from several Galloway plans. I'll be bringing my housemate, who is not a runner (she thinks runners are all insane), but who will be on her first visit to WDW!

I heard back from David's Vacation Rentals about my DVC rental request yesterday...bad news, only one of our top three choices had availability and they don't have a DVC member who can book it. Right now we're on a waiting list; we're going to have to examine whether we want to check availability on any other DVC options or just accept that we either get the standard studio at AKL or go to the fall back plan and book POP. No huge rush on POP, so unless we decide to try for a different DVC rental we can just sit in the queue until we either get AKL or it turns out to be a no-go and we get a refund on the deposit.

 

[hotblooded]

1. Tower of Terror — the most thrilling for me of any ride in the parks
2. Haunted Mansion Holiday — incredible detail, and it incorporates both of my favorite holidays
3. Slinky Dog Dash — I love how much my boyfriend loves it!
4. Crush’s Coaster — ridiculously fun

 

[camaker]

SAFD: Favorite attractions list.

1. Haunted Mansion - Not even close. I LOVE this ride and could happily ride it over and over again. As a bonus it’s right next to my favorite counter service, Columbia Harbour House.
2. Pirates of the Caribbean - probably don’t ride it as much as I should. Liked when they added a Jack Sparrow to it. Not a fan of Red the Pirate.
3. Jungle Cruise - totally my kind of humor.
4. Kilimanjaro Safaris
5. Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh - I have so many strong memories watching the Pooh movies with my daughters when they were small the ride brings back good times and smiles.

 

[princessbride6205]

SAFD: My favorite has to be Jungle Cruise.
Seeing everyone list their faves, I realized I don't have a lot of favorite attractions. I guess I just love the overall experience of being at the parks.

 

[Sleepless Knight]

SAFD Favorite Attractions:

1. Rise of the Resistance.
2. Hyperspace Mountain (Star Wars overlay for Disneyland). John Williams Star Wars music combined with Space Mountain. Perfection.
3. Star Tours.
4. Millennium Falcon: Smugglers Run

So yes my list is very Star Wars heavy. I grew up on the original trilogy and like to say that the day Disney bought Lucasfilm they bought the last piece of my childhood that I still deeply love all these years later.

Non Star Wars by park:

Disneyland: Space Mountain and Pirates.
California Adventure: Soarin' Over California
Magic Kingdom: 7 Dwarfs Mine Train
Epcot: Mission Space
Disney's Hollywood Studios: Tower of Terror
Animal Kingdom: Expedtion Everest or Flight of Passage.

Overall favorite right now would be Rise of the Resistance. Not going to give spoilers but it is very much worth the effort to get a boarding group.

It is very much worth it. What an incredible experience.

eam Oswald forever!!!

I don't mind Oswald, but if he continues his distance march upward, the inevitable conclusion is that he takes over Dopey and all 4 races and the two challenges are themed to Oswald.

The length, the animatronics, the complete ride storyline, and the fun drop! This is also one that I think is much better at WDW than Disneyland.

I find this interesting because I think Disneyland has more animatronics since they took almost everything from America Sings and the story is tighter in Disneyland.

My all time favorite ride is Pirates (the Disneyland Version)

I like to say that Florida has a short boat ride with some pirates, but does not have Pirates of the Caribbean because the two attractions are so radically different.

Dare I say, though...despite my initial misgivings, I think the Guardians of the Galaxy overlay version in California actually tops the original for me! I'm glad the WDW version is unaltered since I'd be sad if the Twilight Zone version was no more, but I really got a kick out of Mission Breakout.

I think DHS Tower of Terror is the best. Mission Breakout is second and the original DCA Tower of Terror is 3rd.

 

[leholcomb]

SAFD:
1. Space Mountain
2. Tower of Terror
3. Peoplemover
4. Country Bears Jamboree
5. Flight of Passage

Haven't ridden RotR yet so I'm sure it will make its way up the list soon.

 

[Dis_Yoda]

My favorite rides:
1) Dinosaur
2) Living with the Land
3) Soarin
4) Pirates
5) Rise of the Resistance (I love this ride but as I've only ridden it twice - it can't be at the top)

My favorite retired ride was Alien Encounters. I'm so sad my husband never got to experience that.

 

[PrincessV]

SAFD: ONLY ONE?!?!?! Well, no one else followed that rule, so neither am I lol!

If I really have to put one at the top, though, I will:
1. Tower of Terror. Absolute brilliance in storytelling, attention to thematic detail, AND ride tech. I could ride it all day.
2. Haunted Mansion. I love it on its own merits, but the fact that my son loves it so much really makes it special. ♥
3. Millennium Falcon: Smuggler's Run. I don't care that it's confusing, or that more often than not the pilots screw up our mission, or that it's not super technologically advanced... IT'S THE MILLENNIUM FALCON, and that's all I need to be really, really happy!!
4. Horizons. Yes, I know it's gone. Like, real, real gone. But it will live on forever in my fond memories.
5. Mr. Toad's Wild Ride, may it RIP. I don't have a lot of memories from my first trip in the 70s, but I will never forget my late father and I laughing like crazy as he yelled out, "Oh no, we went to HELL!!!!"

ETA: I'm adding an Honorable Mention for Dreamflight because I enjoyed the heck out of that ride.

 

[JBinORL]

Tough question!

#1 - Splash Mountain
#2 - Haunted Mansion
#3 - Spaceship Earth
#4 - Everest
#5 - Millenium Falcon: Smugglers Run

 

[Sleepless Knight]

Millennium Falcon: Smuggler's Run. I don't care that it's confusing, or that more often than not the pilots screw up our mission, or that it's not super technologically advanced... IT'S THE MILLENNIUM FALCON, and that's all I need to be really, really happy!!

Exactly. While it can be a really great experience when you have a pilot who knows what they're doing, it's also so much fun to see a little kid light up when they're the pilot. One of my nephews loves Smugglers Run and he has no idea who anybody in Star Wars is, but he believes that he flew that ship.

And having been the pilot a couple of times myself, it is so cool to pull the hyperspace lever.

 

[TCB in FLA]

SAFD catch up: i’ve been running for fitness/sanity off and on since high school. Never particularly fast or did any speed work, although I would sign up for an occasional race. When I met my husband, he was training for a marathon. He’s also a fast AG runner and I used to associate distance with speedy racers. I used to joke around that the only way I would do a full marathon is if it had “marching bands and Mickey Mouse.” Feeling the years creep up, I signed up for my first half as a “oh crap I need to do this before I’m 40“ challenge. Ran a few unremarkable halves and then got an email for my 25th class reunion one summer. Another “oh crap I’ve done nothing special over the last 25 years” moment, and I signed up for the 2014 Disney marathon figuring that was an easier goal than writing a best-selling novel. I ended up running the Savannah R’n’R full in November 2013 first (I was treating it like a catered long run) and developed an awful case of IT band inflammation. I went into my first run Disney event without having run more than 8 miles since Savannah but I just couldn’t back out. And while that race took everything i had just to keep going pain wise, I loved it nonetheless. I was hooked and have run a RD race weekend every year since.

Which leads me to SAFD this week: my favorite ride hands-down is Everest. During that first Disney Marathon, I limped past Everest right as it was opening, complete with a CM outside telling folks there was no line. I went right by him, then 30 seconds later, turned around with the thought “This is going to be an incredibly slow marathon anyway, now I can add an asterisk of having ridden a roller coaster mid race.” and it was totally awesome! I still had my earbuds in, listening to Flo Rida, and the entire car was filled with racers just screaming the entire time. No other ride can ever match that moment, and I relive it each time I ride it. Flash forward to this year’s full when I was having major heat issues and had my worst mental battle of just wanting to quit. Everest was open when I ran by, and you better believe I rode it. I really think if I hadn’t gotten on that coaster that I wouldn’t have finished.

 

[roxymama]

Favorite non-ride attraction: Tiki Birds
Honorable mention: Country Bears
Favorite rides: Boat Tour in Mexico & The Peoplemover
Honorable mention: Living with the Land

I'm an odd duck bc usually none of my faves require a FP or a wait.

West Coast faves: Tiki Birds where you can eat dole whips inside!!! Alice in Wonderland, Pirates & Radiator Springs Racers

 

[michigandergirl]

SAFD:

1. Tower of Terror - I love everything about it. I have not been able to convince my daughter to ride it yet. She can't get past the name. She heads for the chicken elevator every time!! The other day she told me she wants to go back to Disney next year and she swore she is going to ride TOT. I've heard that story before...

2. Kilimanjaro Safaris - I love how it's a different experience every time.

3. Toy Story Mania - A family favorite.

4. RnRC - Another family favorite (funny that DD will ride that but not TOT ).

5. Splash Mountain - My family thinks it's hilarious that I always get drenched on this ride. It's happened so many times, no one wants to sit next to me anymore.

 

[Dopey 2020]

Wow this is hard.
Since we are talking all time, I’ll have to separate this into different categories:
Classic must dos from earlier trips:

Splash Mt
Big Thunder Mt
Haunted Mansion
Soarin (original version, can’t stand the crooked Taj Mahal)
Everest

Current favorites:

Slinky Dog
Toy Story Mania
Avatar
Tower of Terror
Everest

To pick just one, I have to think what brings the out magic of Disney the most for me and just seems like it wouldn’t be Disney without it:

Splash Mt

That was tough but I’ll go with it as my answer