Review - Magic Run Weekend 2018

2018 was the third annual run weekend host at Disneyland Paris. Each year has brought something new and this year was no different with the 36k challenge introduced. Those running the 5k, 10, and half marathon received both the 31k and 36k challenge medals and t-shirts (as long as they had bought the challenge and not races individually). The after party was also dropped this year, though it hand't been very popular in previous years.

Race Weekend Issues
The event has had a history which has seen a variety of issues ranging from start times and closing character queues to running out of medals. The good news is that most of this was fixed. The Expo opened on time, most days. A power failure saw a small delay one morning but that is all we were aware of. No character queues appear to be closed during the race but there was a reduced number on all races compared to last year.

Characters

They queues also appeared to move more quickly this year, partly down to using additional cast members for each meet and n greet. They were also scanning bibs just before your photo was taken. This appeared to help speed up the process and allow the photopass pictures to appear within a couple of days. One big disappointment was that no characters on the medals were available to meet during their race. Pain and Panic did appear during the half marathon. Maleficent was also about during the half marathon but while she stood on the castle stage, runners could only stand on the floor below. This didn't make for great pictures, especially as you can meet her in front of her brambles during the Halloween season.

Routes

All three routes were updated again this year and every race started and finished in the same spots. This year they started behind the events tent and finished (as with 2017) in the Walt Disney Studios park. the 5k was no longer confined to just the studios park as it briefly crossed through Frontierland and a corner of Adventureland where Black Panther could be met.

This was my first year running the half marathon and I found the sections outside the park less dull than expected. The route was lined with performers and cheer leaders who did a great job in encouraging everyone.

Theme

The theme of Villains wasn't what everyone had hoped for. The Marvel 5k saw just Loki make an appearance as well as some cardboard cut outs with lighting below them. The rest of the 5k used characters who you could only consider as heroes. The 10k struggled to include many side kicks who you would consider villains and it took until the half marathon for any Star Wars characters to appear. When they did they rotated Darth Vader with Kylo Ren. In hindsight, not announcing a theme at all would have been better and it raised expectation they couldn't deliver on.

We enjoy the weekend overall and the medals and t-shirts are of a similar high quality to previous years. The main issue is where to store them all.

Character Lineup

5k

Gamora & Star Lord

Black Panther

Loki or Thor

Captain America & Black Widow

10k

Anastasia & Drizella or Honest John & Gideon

Sheriff of Nottingham or Brer Bear & Brer Fox

Mad Hatter & March Hare or Cheshire Cat

Flotsam & Jetsam (no photopass)

Mr Smee or King Louie

Kronk or Bowler Hat Guy

Half Marathon

Gaston or Governor Radcliffe

Yzma & Kronk or Hades & Pain & Panic

Jafar or Shan Yu

Captain Hook & Mr Smee or Dr Facillier

Sheriff of Nottingham & Prince John or Brer Bear & Brer Fox

Flotsam & Jetsam (no photopass)

Maleficent

Maleficent Goons with Dragon parade float

Lady Tramaine or The Queen

Darth Vader or Kylo Ren

Kids Races

Stitch

Jumba

Pleakly