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Running with the Mouse

About the Column

Disney travel experts agree on one thing: relax, take your time. But when it comes to Disney's marathons and other running events, they're wrong. In a race, you can't take your time. And you also can't show up with just your two feet expecting to win - or even finish! Preparing for a Disney marathon requires discipline, hard work, and good advice. We can't help you with the discipline or the hard work. But Robert Mathis, owner of DisneyRunning and one of the few people designated by Disney as 'Perfectly Goofy' for his frequent participation in their running events (since 1996!), has lots of good advice. So relax, take your time, and read his weekly column.

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FROM: Running with the Mouse Published As Needed

Pre Race Meal

Robert explains Pasta in the Park and why it is such a great value as a pre race meal before your upcoming Walt Disney World marathon.

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Walt Disney World Marathon Weekend Pasta in the Park

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 to make it a more memorable experience.

This event is a great way to relax and be entertained before your big race. The event is a special ticketed party on the Thursday night before the upcoming Walt Disney World 5K, Half Marathon, and Marathon. It's a two-hour celebration, starting at 6:30 PM, and consists of a pasta dinner and dessert buffet at the World ShowPlace Pavilion inside Epcot. 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 races. Afterwards, you'll be treated to a reserved viewing location of IllumiNations. Not having to arrive early to find a spot to see the show is great. This is my favorite show at Disney World as it combines lasers, water, and fireworks into a great ending of the day at Epcot.

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 decadent chocolate brownie.

As with all of Disney's regular restaurants, you can contact them ahead if you have a special dietary requirement. There are non alcoholic beverages Lemonade and Fruit Punch provided. Alcohol isn't included but there is a cash bar option. With the upcoming race, it is better to skip this as you don't want to get dehydrated before the races!

You get all of this food and fun for only $47.50 ($28.35 for children 3-9). This is a very reasonable price for a Disney pre race pasta dinner. These tickets are limited and do sell out.

I always have it on my list of things that I do as part of Goofy's Race and a Half Challenge trips.

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