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Disneyland's Pasta in the Park Party

When you run in a Disney race or marathon, the event is so much more than the running itself. Disney always schedules other festivities, usually pre-race. Event-in-point: the Pasta in the Park Party during Disneyland's next Half Marathon.

- by Robert Mathis, August 9, 2011

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I recently wrote about planning your pre-race meals before your Disney races, and how you need to make your Disney Dining Reservations as soon as you can for sit-down meals.

But there's another option if you want to make the whole race weekend a memorable experience. You spend a lot of time and money training, traveling, and participating in the races, so why not add a great pre-race meal celebration with the Pasta in the Park Party. This event is a great way to relax and be entertained before your big race.

The event is a special ticketed party on the Saturday night before the upcoming Disneyland Half Marathon. It's a two-hour celebration, starting at 6:00 PM, and consists of a pasta dinner and dessert buffet at Disneyland's Festival Arena. As part of the fee, you also get a Twilight Ticket that allows you into Disneyland that day after 3:00 PM. During the Party, you'll be entertained by a live DJ and you'll be able to meet some special Disney characters. Don't forget to bring your camera to capture some unique memories!

The Pasta in the Park Party will be a great way to relax and have fun with your family and with fellow runners. You can share stories and experiences, and talk about the upcoming race. Afterwards, you'll be treated to a reserved parade viewing location and two Disney FastPasses. These are nice perks to save you energy from fighting the crowds and fidgeting in lines.

The buffet itself has a nice variety of good runner friendly items. You can start yourself off with mixed green or potato salad. For an entree, you can have bowtie pasta with vegetables, wheat penne pasta with marinara sauce, or herb roasted chicken. All these dishes contain plenty of carbohydrates and proteins for a well-balanced pre-race meal. And for dessert, there's either a healthy banana or a less healthy chocolate brownie. Alcohol isn't included, but Disney will provide a cash bar for those who want it.

You get all of this food and fun for only $109 ($89 for children 3-9). These tickets are limited and do sell out. I always have it on my "must do' list of things that I do as part of my half marathon weekend trips to Anaheim. See you there!

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