LAKE BUENA VISTA, FLA (April 26, 2013) – Building on the success of its women-focused events, runDisney is broadening the Disney Princess Half Marathon Weekend at Walt Disney World Resort next year by adding a 10K and a new two-race challenge.

The Princess 10K gives runners of various levels more opportunities to run through Disney theme parks and receive a specially-designed finisher medal. And runners looking for an even bigger challenge can sign up for the 10K on Saturday and the Half Marathon on Sunday (19.3 miles total) to earn the inaugural Disney Glass Slipper Challenge Medal to go along with medals from each individual race.

The Princess Half Marathon Weekend, scheduled for Feb. 20-23, is one of two women-focused runDisney events. The other is the Tinker Bell Half Marathon Weekend in January at Disneyland Resort in California.  Both races are among the largest women-specific running events in the country and focus on healthy active lifestyles for women and girls.  For instance, after nearly 7,500 runners ran in the inaugural Princess Half Marathon event in 2009, the popularity of the race has grown considerably with more than 26,000 registered runners for last year’s race.

Also new in 2014 is a special edition runDisney Coast-to-Coast Race Challenge Medal for runners participating in the 2014 Tinker Bell Half Marathon at Disneyland in January and the 2014 Princess Half Marathon five weeks later at Walt Disney World.  Finishers receive the coveted medal featuring the likeness of Walt Disney and Mickey Mouse with a pink overlay and lanyard.

Registration for the 2014 Princess Half Marathon opens June 11 at www.runDisney.com.  A limited number of runners will have the opportunity to register for both the Princess and Tinker Bell Half Marathon at that time.  Those not securing an early registration for the Tinker Bell Half Marathon will have a second chance when on-line registration officially opens on July 9.

Both the Princess and Tinker Bell Half Marathon weekends include signature runDisney events including a health and fitness expo geared towards women, kids races, a family fun run 5K, as well as featured half marathons for both weekend.

For more information and to register for runDisney events, visit www.runDisney.com.

About runDisney

runDisney is a series of seven event weekends providing runners unique opportunities to run various distances through Disney theme parks.  Race participants earn Disney-themed medals, experience legendary Disney entertainment and guest service and ultimately celebrate their accomplishments with a Disney vacation.  The original event in the series, the Walt Disney World Marathon Weekend presented by Cigna, takes place in January followed by the Disney Princess Half Marathon Weekend in February, Expedition Everest Challenge in May, The Twilight Zone Tower of Terror 10-Miler in October and the Disney Wine & Dine Half Marathon Weekend in November.  Disneyland hosts the Tinker Bell Half Marathon Weekend in January and the Disneyland Half Marathon in September during Labor Day Weekend.  More than 125,000 running enthusiasts participate in runDisney events each year. For more information, visit www.runDisney.com and follow us on Facebook (runDisney) and Twitter @runDisney.

“As a proud supporter of Historically Black Colleges and Universities in the Mid-Eastern and Southwestern Athletic Conferences, Disney values our longstanding relationship with the African-American community and we continue to build on this with our sponsorship of the MEAC/SWAC Presented by Disney,” said Eugene Campbell, vice president of Domestic Minority Business Development for Walt Disney Parks and Resorts. “The MEAC/SWAC Challenge is more than just a football game – it’s a celebration for our whole community that underscores the importance of diversity and higher education.”

The ninth annual game will be only the second meeting between the two storied programs – first meeting in 1990 (FAMU won 28-13). Florida A&M played in the 2007 MEAC/SWAC Challenge and was edged by Southern 33-27.

For Florida A&M, the game will mark the team’s first game under recently named head coach Earl Holmes. The Rattlers went 4-7 overall in 2012, while the Delta Devils ended the 2012 season with a 5-4 mark.

“I consider it an honor and a privilege to open my first full season as head coach at Florida A&M in Orlando at the MEAC/SWAC Challenge,” said Holmes, a FAMU graduate who previously served as defensive coordinator. “The central location in the state will allow Rattlers from across Florida to converge on a place that they are familiar with. We focus our recruiting in the state, so we expect parents, families and friends to support the student-athletes.”
Karl Morgan, Mississippi Valley State’s head coach since January 2010, shares Holmes’ enthusiasm.  “I’m very excited our team will have the chance to open the season on ESPN against Florida A&M,” Morgan said. “To play on national TV two years in a row is huge for our program. We can’t wait to get to Orlando.”

Several additional events will take place around the game, including a high school career panel and a special “Fan Day” celebration at Walt Disney World.

“We are thrilled to have Florida A&M and Mississippi Valley State in this year’s MEAC/SWAC Challenge Presented by Disney,” said Pete Derzis, senior vice president and general manager, ESPN Regional Television. “Being in our ninth year, we are still focused on our mission, which is to build on HBCU traditions, while providing a stellar experience for the student-athletes and fans alike. This matchup gives us great momentum as we look down the road to our tenth anniversary in 2014.”

Tickets for the 2013 event will go on sale early summer.  Travel options to attend the MEAC/SWAC Challenge in Orlando are being finalized by Anthony Travel, the event’s official travel provider. Expected offerings will include discounted hotel accommodations, game tickets and specially-priced Theme Park Tickets. For more information, visit www.AnthonyTravel.com/MEACSWAC or call (888) 632-6951 for additional information.

The MEAC/SWAC Challenge is owned and operated by ESPN Regional Television (ERT), a subsidiary of ESPN. For more information about the MEAC/SWAC Challenge, or to join the event’s following on Facebook and Twitter, visit the event’s official Web site at www.meacswacchallenge.com.

LAKE BUENA VISTA, Fla. (Sept. 22, 2011) - A capacity field of runners will experience new food and wine options as well as have exclusive access to signature Disney attractions for the first time at the Disney Wine and Dine Half Marathon Weekend, Sept. 29-Oct. 2, at Walt Disney World Resort, further enhancing an event affectionately known as the “ultimate runners night out.”

At the post-race Finish Line Party at Epcot that lasts until 3 a.m., several Epcot attractions will be operating, including Soarin’, Test Track and Mission: Space. Also, there will more than 20 new food and beverage kiosks, bringing the total number to nearly 90, as well as live video feeds of the race on giant monitors.

The new food and entertainment enhancements are designed to further heighten the runner experience and build on the race’s instant popularity. This year, more than 12,500 runners – nearly 2,000 more than last year’s inaugural race – are expected to take part in the unique experience of running through Walt Disney World theme parks at night. The 13.1-mile trek starts at 10 p.m. at ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex and takes runners through Disney’s Animal Kingdom and Disney’s Hollywood Studios before finishing at Epcot during the Epcot International Food & Wine Festival. The event features a relay option which gives runners the opportunity to team up with a partner and each run the course in 4.8-mile and 8.3-mile intervals. Everyone who completes the race receives a finishers’ medal.

Defending champions Anton Van Zyl from Ft. Lauderdale, FL., and Melissa Wisner from Washington, D.C., return, leading a field of runners from all 50 states and 21 countries.

‘We are excited how quickly the popularity has grown for this race with runners across the country and around-the-world. We continue to provide unique opportunities and add new signature entertainment elements to give runners and guests of all ages the ultimate destination running experience.’
— runDisney Manager Kathleen Duran

Fans can purchase tickets to the post-race party at Epcot at www.runDisney.com or at the event’s Health and Fitness Expo at ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex.

In addition to the race and Finish Line Party, the weekend features the Disney Halloween 5K at Disney’s Animal Kingdom and Kids’ Races at ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex, both on Saturday. The Health and Fitness Expo takes place Sept. 30-Oct. 1 inside the Jostens Center at ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex. The expo features the latest in running equipment, products and apparel as well as seminars from running experts – including runDisney training consultant Jeff Galloway.

Media requesting credentials for the Disney Wine and Dine Half Marathon Weekend must contact Disney Sports Public Relations by 5 p.m. on September 30. For more information on runDisney events and the Disney Wine and Dine Half Marathon Weekend, please visit www.runDisney.com.

Media Contact / Credentials:

Bob Hitchcock, runDisney Public Relations Manager, (407) 922-3422, robert.g.hitchcock@disney.com