The Firehouse Travel Blog: November 2012

Thursday, November 22, 2012

Disney's Happy Haunted 5k Trail Run: The lessons I Learned

It seems like every where you look, there appears to be a new Marathon, Half Marathon, or 5k popping up across the country. Some are just standard runs while others have unique themes or obstacle courses added to them. They generally support a good cause and can be fun for those who run in them. Like many others who have wondered what a 5K or Half-Marathon is all about, I set myself a goal to get in shape and attempt a 5k. My goal wasn't just to do any hometown run, I set my goal high and to run an event at one of the Disney Parks. While working to get in shape and watching some of the local running events, I hit roadblocks along the way but never lost sight of my goal. I was overjoyed when runDisney announced an event at Disney World at a time I already had a trip planned. I immediately signed up, ran it, and survived! I am hear to tell you that NOBODY puts on a running event like runDisney!

It is 5am and I am here now what?

Annually runDisney hosts several events throughout the year at both Disneyland and Walt Disney World. Disneyland's events usually include The Tinker Bell Half Marathon and The Disneyland Half Marathon. Events hosted at Disney World include The Walt Disney World Marathon, Walt Disney World Half Marathon, Disney's Princess Half Marathon, Disney Wine & Dine Half Marathon, and Expedition Everest Challenge(an obstacle course). With each of these events there is usually some sort of 5k ,runDisney Kid's races, Health Expo, and after-party associated with the headlining event making it a weekend long extravaganza. This year runDisney added The Twilight Zone Tower of Terror 10-Miler to its growing list of events and with it came Disney's Happy Haunted 5K Trail Run.

The Health Expo there are a couple people here.

Disney's Happy Haunted 5K Trail Run became my first official 5k and runDisney event that also happened to benefit Autism Speaks, a great organization. Just like other runDisney events, there was the opportunity to see an area of Disney most people don't get to see which included some unique photo opportunities. The Twilight Zone Tower of Terror 10-Miler weekend was kicked off at the ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex with the waiver drop off/ bib pickup which was associated with a Health Expo.This was an extremely efficient process considering the hundreds of people that had arrived to take part in the 5k and 10 miler.Once you dropped your waiver off and got your bib, you were directed by one the many of the hundreds of volunteers, to another table to get your goody bag and commemorative t-shirt based on which event you were participating in. But wait there is more! This Expo provided ample opportunity for the novice and expert runners to attend key note addresses from several sports trainers and nutritionist for FREE. Of course, there were several vendors on the show floor selling the the newest, greatest, and gimmickiest sports gear to all those willing shell out massive amounts of dollars. For hefty prices, there were also official souvenirs available, most of which were limited edition of course. Picking up a few pins and couple t-shirts separated me from close to $200 easily! One could easily spend hours at this event as many did! We on the other hand, had a date with the mouse at his Not So Scary Halloween Party, another great event!

It is early and we are all corralled up

After a long night at the Magic Kingdom getting our sugar fix from trick or treating and Dole Whips, we made the short trip from our resort at roughly 5 am (this was important) to make it into our corral for the race.Knowing how large the crowd at the expo were and the time it took to find a place to park, we decided it was best to get to the race site early. It paid off for us because shortly after we got there, the photo op that was available with Mickey had line that grew to about 1.5 hour long! We were rounded up into 5 corrals of runners with about 250- 300 people in each corral, some in very unique and classy costumes(something that makes runDisney events different than other events). It was a very humid and dew covered morning and by the time the race started with the Elite Runners at 7 am, the corrals were overflowing with people and the temps were easily in the 80's already.While we waited for our corral to be escorted to the starting line,w e were kept entertained by a DJ and family-friendly MC that kept the runners and spectators pumped up.

BUGS!!!

As participants of this event, we got to see a smaller portion of the headlining The Twilight Zone Tower of Terror 10-Miler course and unique look at the ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex. This run was a nice trek around the sports complex and into the Floridan wilderness. Along the way we encountered larger than life Bugs, Br'er Bear, Br'er Fox, a shipwreck(in the woods no less), Gravediggers, and Mickey Mouse! The run was fun and there were many stations along the way to keep people hydrated and places to use the restroom. One the things that was really amazing was seeing 2 Bald Eagles fly over the finish line as we crossed it(that wasn't even planned by Disney). Also as we crossed the finish line, Mickey gave us a high 5 and a Volunteer gave us our Medal for participating in the event. From there it was on to another Photo op and goody table with a box of recovery foods, bananas, and sports drinks. So after watching a few families and other participants cross the finish line with huge smiles as they got their medals, we made it back to the car by 10:30 am and headed back to the room to recoup before we attempted to attack the parks for the rest of the day. Now that I have my first runDisney 5k under my belt, I have set myself the goal of doing the Expedition Everest Challenge!

While the entire event from start to finish was blast I learned some valuable things about runDisney events and 5ks in general.

These are only suggestions and are not medical advice! Always seek advice from Medical Professionals or Sports Professionals.

Before you attempt a 5k,Half-Marathon, Marathon, or Obstacle course; See your doctor first! Running can be both good and hazardous for your heath.
Set your goals! Make sure you set realistic goals and celebrate your achievements!
There are waivers involved with the races. A travel agent CANNOT sign waivers for you!
IF at anytime during a race or while training you experience chest pain, Stop immediately and contact EMS ASAP!
Get your Family, Spouse, or Significant other on board with you. If they aren't going to run, they can provide moral support when you hit road blocks or even volunteer to help at the event!
Grab a running partner or join a running group. They can help you keep on track and could make great traveling companions for events. There are many running groups out there, some are even sponsored by Sporting goods stores and have programs in place to prepare people for lengthy runs. It is always safer to work out with someone, especially if medical emergencies should arise.
Make the investment in shoes. Shin Splints suck as do sore backs. Check with the pros about what kind of shoe would be best for you. You can buy all the pretty clothes and outfits you want but if you don't have happy feet, shins, or back; those outfits may just end up in the closet.
Be prepared to put the work in to get in shape. Not many of us can hop off the couch and straight into a 5k. I really don't suggest doing that at all! No matter how you look at it, a 5k is 3.1 miles! Once again make sure you check with your Doctor and follow their recommendations!
Be prepared for Road Blocks, they are going to happen! Work with someone to help get you over them! Again going back to a central theme here, make sure your check with your Doctor and follow their recommendations.
Understand the pacing requirements! Many runs have pacing requirements and if you fall behind pace, the race officials will end your race! If you want to take part in the photo ops at runDisney event, Train so you are faster than the minimum pace to allow for longer waits that can occur at one of these stops.
Running on treadmill in a controlled environment is much different than running a course outdoors. Treadmills will help with your training but include the outdoors in your training. That said, training in dry 50 degree temps is much different than running in humid 80 degree temps! No matter what the weather, ALWAYS stay Hydrated! During the 5k and 10 miler there were many protein spills and heat related illness that occurred Some were caused by the weather conditions others from lack of proper training! Once again if you not feeling well during an event, stop and have someone let EMS that at the event know!
Sign up early for runDisney Events, they sell out fast. I would even suggest Signing up for the event first, then worry about lodging and transportation later. If you can't make the event, your entry is nonrefundable and nontransferable, consider it a charity donation that is helping a good cause.
Check with a travel agent, like myself, to see if a runDisney Vacation Package is better than other Packages that are available. Lets face it most people come to the resort for the specific event and once the event is over leave, runDisney is going to take advantage of that and try to make some coin off ya while your there. Let us do the "Disney Math" for you to see if you are getting a good deal.
Arrive early!! You are going to be running with hundreds of your closest friends. You might all be vying for the same transportation. Our event started at 7 am . The parking lot of ESPN Wide World of Sports was full by 5:20 am.
Bring your Camera! There will be photo ops and professional photographers along the run. The professional photographers do a great job and pictures become available fairly quickfor you online. THIS IS NOT A PHOTOPASS OPTION, if you want your pictures from the professional photogs, they are gonna cost you. Many of the volunteers along the trail will be more than willing to take your picture with your camera at no cost to you!
IF this is your first event or your not a strong runner, stay to the back of your corral. Once the Fireworks pop and the race begins, it becomes a wildebeest stampede and you don't want to end up trampled like Mufasa!
Running in a costume can be fun but hazardous to your health. Along the way there were many people that were shedding their costumes(no there was no nudity) because they were over heating, only replacing them when they were at the photo ops. Make sure you read the guidelines when it comes to costumes!
Don't think you can run an event? Volunteer at event. It can be just as rewarding volunteering as it is running. Volunteers are the back bones of these events.
Be Prepared for a good time at the After-Party! Sometimes these are included with your event registration, sometimes they are an up-charge event. For this years Twilight Zone of Terror 10 miler, those actually running the 10 miler got into the Disney Villains Hollywood Bash with their race registration. There were Bash tickets available to spectators and those in the 5k for an additional charge. This event was a Family Friendly Event that took place from 10 pm until 4 am at the Hollywood studios. Lines for the attractions were minimal since tickets were limited!
If you can't run a race and don't want to volunteer, be a spectator and cheer on the runners. Make sure you go to the designated spectating areas though!

While this year's Walt Disney World Marathon and The Tinker Bell Half Marathon are SOLD OUT, there are a very few spots left for the Disney's Princess Half Marathon and those will fill very quickly! Registration will start soon for the Expedition Everest Challenge and will sell out quickly also. If any runDisney event interests you give me a shout and I will be more than willing to help you figure out the event and book a package for you ! In the meantime enjoy the pictures and share your runDisney stories!

The Mouse Himself came to the run!

Non-Professional shot, Professional shot to follow.

Let the Stampede begin!

Into the woods we go!

It was only suppose to be a 3.1 mile tour!

Just in case the run was too much they had the Gravediggers on hand.

THE FINISH LINE!!!!

This was taken by a professional, you would think they could line the shot up better

Friday, November 2, 2012

Halloween Horror Nights 22 at Universal Studios Orlando

Halloween is upon us and that means there is no better time to share with you our adventure and tips from Universal Orlando's Halloween Horror Nights. Universal Orlando Halloween Horror nights is by far the best Halloween Party and Haunt in this country. Yes not only can you get scared, startled, shocked, and get a good laugh; it is definitely a party/nightclub atmosphere. This year at Halloween Horror Nights(HHN), Universal went a couple of different directions and moved away from some of the "safe" tried and proven elements they have had for the last 21 years. One of the biggest changes was that there was no Iconic Figure or theme for this year's event. Last Year's Icon was Lady Luck.I believe this was a good call by Universal because it didn't over shadow some of the bigger Icons that came with the Haunted Houses this year. So let's get down to it and tell you about the good, mediocre, and the fantastic of this event. Make sure you read all way to the end to find out some tips that will help you if you should decide to go to HHN in the future.

The Stage Shows:

It's time for Bill &Ted's Election Adventure

A staple of HHN has been The Bill and Ted's Stage show. Each year the theme changes giving Bill and Ted chances takes jabs at Pop Culture for the past year. This year was no exception and this year controversy arose over the show and caused a change in the show half way through its HHN run. The show, which was in the old west stunt show/Fear Factor Live show arena, started out with a bunch of YouTube clips of people getting themselves Darwin Awards for doing stupid things. It keep the crowd groaning in sympathetic pains and laughing at the misfortunes of the not so bright. Showtime started out with a nice, seductive dance montage celebrating the end of the world and the Mayan Calendar. ( I had to explain it to the guy next to me that the dancer were Mayans, he was still too drunk to get it.) After some nice blindingly but fun pyrotechnics, we are then introduced to the stars of the show Bill and Ted. This year's show had Bill and Ted competing against each other and trying to earn peoples votes to become Class President. Que the jabs at Pop Culture. This year's show took jabs at everything from Katnis (from the Hunger Games) who kept "Volunteering" throughout the show, to Honey Boo Boo child(the actress did great job spoofing her), Mad Men, Abraham Lincoln Vampire Killer, The Avengers( the high school years), and in my opinion the best jab all being aimed at the Snow White characters that emerged from this year movies and TV Shows. All of the Snow Whites that we have known and come to love recently were fair game.They jabbed at Kristin Stewart from the Huntsmen noting that all her facial expression and acting were the same for every character she has ever played. Of course they also took a jab at Disney's Snow White with the Classic line" My name is Snow White, I live with seven men and my safe word is EPCOT."

As I did mention there was controversy with this year's Bill and Ted's show and it came in the form of an Epic Rap Battle between The President and Mitt & Ann Romney. I really didn't pay much attention to this part of the show because it was the weakest, most uninteresting part of the show. The controversy goes that some people saw the skit too Pro-Obama and degrading towards Mitt Romney and the Mormon religion. To me it was just poorly paced and not funny.

The show's final dance number was great and so were the pyrotechnics. If find yourself at HHN, do not miss this show. Be forewarned this show is not for children and don't count on taking Pictures or Video of the show, they are very strict about allowing photography of any type during the show.

This year's new addition to the stage show line up was 20Penny Circus. Not much info was given out about this show before HHN or even on the park maps that were given out. I truly didn't know what to expect. We caught a glimpse of the show while waiting in line for The Walking Dead House on the big screen. From what we saw, we decided it wasn't worth going to see. It was basically an extreme side show attraction with comedy that most of the audience wasn't laughing at . We saw someone eating glass, putting a nail up their nose and couple of other not interesting magic tricks taken to the extreme.

mmm Peanut Butter

The Haunted Houses:

The amount of detail that Universal put into these haunts or haunted houses was amazing. Most of the houses were either built in former Soundstages or in storage areas. Some of the house were movie production quality and one just seemed like it was a last minute addition. (It may have been a last minute addition because of the construction happening that will TRANSFORM part of the studios.) I will list the houses in the order from Mediocre to the Best.(in my opinion)

7) Welcome to Silent Hill

I have never played the game and have never seen the Silent Hill movies , so this house left me confused. To me it seemed like someone was on a bad acid drip and tried to re-create their trippy nightmare. This house did nothing for me. No Scares and since I didn't play the games or see the movies, their attention to details were lost on me. I have no clue what the pink rabbit or pyramid headed stilt walker were suppose to be. Never got startled or scared in this house, very few screams from anyone were coming from this house. I give this one 4 out of 10.

6) Universal's House of Horrors
This house was based on classic horror movies and monsters with characters like the Wolfman, Creature from the Black Lagoon, and Frankenstein to name a few. There was really interesting lighting in this house to make you feel like you were in a Black and White movie. That is about all that worked for this house. There weren't many scares here. The make-up on some of the Characters was top notch and some of the props were outstanding. There was an awkward section where you had to duck low to get under something(this was the only haunted house to do this) and made no sense. There was no gore factor in this house at all and had the shortest line. I would rate this house a 5 out of 10, but still better than any other haunted house I have been in outside of Universal.

5) Dead End

This house had lot of detail but really no story to go with it. This was a full blown house built in a soundstage. I am not sure how long this took to build but I think house had everything but working plumbing when it came to the time and detail they put in this. The only drawback to this house was since there was a continuous line of people going through, it didn't allow the actors in the house an opportunity to reset and actually scare people.( Yes, there were people that got freaked out, just not me because I saw it coming.) There really wasn't any gore factor in this house and it seemed like a classic haunted house done very well. I would give this house a 6 out of 10

4) Alice Cooper's Welcome to my Nightmare

This was an interesting house as it was themed to the music and imagery of Alice Cooper's music. It was like walking through a 3D demented music video and it was great how the music changed from room to room. The gore factor was kicked up a notch in here and was a house you could go through more than a few times and have different experiences each time. This house had areas that allowed the actors time to re-hide or blend into the scenery to get the scare factor up and surprise people. Having seen Alice Cooper themed haunted house before at Six Flags FrieghtFests, this house by far made Six Flags houses look like child's play. I give this house a 7 out of 10 for gore, scares, and detail.

3) AMC's The Walking Dead, Dead Inside

This is the Haunted House I was most looking forward to. If you are a fan of the show this is a haunt you would want to go through over and over again to pick out the details from the Iconic Scenes they chose from Seasons 1&2. You start out in the hospital and see the boarded door letting you know that there are dead inside. You then begin to snake your way though the hospital encountering Walkers. Then you transition(poorly) from the hospital to the Department store in Atlanta. From there you come to the RV and appear to be on the farm and enter the Barn. There are a lot of walkers in the barn, even the well-walker from Season 2. After surviving the Walkers in the Barn you exit into Walkers in the Highway Scene from season 2 and see a message for Sophia.(Sadly I don't think Sophia will ever get the message). The only drawback to this maze was the transitions from scene to scene, which is understandable . This had a decent gore factor to it and the Walkers were great. I Give this maze a 8.5 out of 10. Well done Universal!

2) Penn& Teller's Newkd Las Vegas

This house was a mixture of Illusions, laughter, and gore. It was nearly perfect and in 3D. This house should be rated R at the bare minimum. Las Vegas has been Nuked and Penn&Teller do a wonderful job of spoofing what Vegas would look like after it has been mutated by radiation. As you enter near the Iconic Welcome to Las Vegas sign you encounter a vomiting animatronic and it only gets more interesting from there. There is everything from a mutated buffet, three breasted lady, and a great Christmas light type room that words can't describe, especially with people in the room that reach for you that blend in because they are covered with lights. There are some things that didn't work well in this house and that is because of the constant line of people being pushed through. One such thing was the mutated buffet because you had the opportunity on the back side to press buttons to add special surprise to people at the buffet, but the inability to stop didn't allow it work. One thing that I missed was that on Select nights Penn& Teller were actually part of the House and took the time to meet fans. Nice touch! I give this house a solid 9 out of 10.

1) Gothic

Gothic was by far my favorite house. It had surprise elements, no gore, and stunning scenes. In this house, Gargoyles came to life and even at times flying down at or over people. The scenes had a lot of great detail and you were actually made to feel as if you were climbing to the roof a gothic style church. If you are afraid of heights the final scene would be sure to get you because it was of looking down on a city from high above. It was extremely convincing and detailed, while you were mesmerized by the final scene, occasionally a surprise would catch you off guard and make you scream. I give this house a 9.5 out of 10.

The atmosphere:

Universal this year went away from the safe Scare Zone where Creatures of the night would conjugate and scare the living daylights out of people that dare walk through. Instead this year they made it clear that ENTIRE studios was going to be the Scare Zone. Some of the fans of HHN didn't like this, I on the other hand loved it and enjoyed the freedom that the creatures had. I witnessed them chase people into the Locker areas, scare people while they were eating dinner, follow people into gift shops, and show up in unexpected places. For me this really worked well! To add to the ambience there of course was plenty of Fog, special lighting, Flame throwers(yes Flame throwers),and mood music. There was also plenty of opportunity for those who wished to get drunk to partake in their beverage of choice, and boy did some people seize that chance. To add to the experience this year as well, Universal took advantage of using the Cinema Spectacular show in the lagoon to pay tribute to Classic Horror Movies and Monsters. This was really a cool idea and nice added piece of entertainment.

The pictures that I and many others have taken really don't do this event justice. Adam TheWoo on other was able to capture this video that does a pretty good job of capturing the entire experience. Check it out.

This is an event that I am going to try to make a tradition to come to and have learned a lot from my experience here. I have many tips but will limit them here to 10 very important ones.

1) Plan now for HHN 23 in 2013, save your pennies to get here!

2) This event is not kid friendly. I saw many parents( and drunk parents) that had brought their young children (maybe around 5 years of age) and the kids were traumatized. Also there is a big Night Club Atmosphere here. In the end, it is up to you if you think your kids can handle this and if they can't if you can afford the years of therapy they will need after this.

3) If you want to drink, stay on site, don't overindulge, and bring plenty of money cause the drinks are expensive. Again know when to stay when, Stay on Site so you don't drive drunk or at least bring a Designated Driver. BE RESPONSIBLE

4) Buy the Express Pass and buy it in advance! This year really had no "slow" nights and line were quickly over 90 Minutes long. While in past years the express pass got you front of the line access, this year it was only guaranteed to cut your wait in half. If you want to see all the Haunted Houses in one night, you will need the express pass.

5) Be patient, you are going to have to wait in line.

6) Show up to the stage shows at least A half hour before show time, even if you have an express pass. If you can, sit the back row, these are the only seats that have a "back rest".

7) Take your time on the streets of Universal Studios and look for all the detail that has been put into the event.

8) Contact a Travel agent like myself to plan your trip, the ticket options and packages can be confusing. A Travel Agent like myself will help you find the best deal for you and make your trip nearly stress free.

9) Bring your wallet, HHN can be expensive but is worth every penny.

10) I can't emphasize these two enough, This is not an event for children and if you drink be responsible!

Enjoy some of our other pictures and thanks for reading .Click on the pictures for larger Images! Tell us about your adventures at HHN!