5K at Castaway Cay help

[cruisefamilyforever]

I'm looking for details from anyone who has participated in the 5K on a recent cruise.

 

We will be at Castaway Cay on 29 May with an ashore time of 9:45. To my surprise my daughter has just informed me she would like to participate in the 5K with me by her side. I'm 55 and not a runner. We have been to the island before so I know how hot it can be, but the projected temperatures for what it's worth at this stage are 77 to 79. This is actually cooler than I expected and being from Florida we are used to the heat.

 

Here are some of my questions:

Can you walk the whole course?

Does everyone get a medal?

Is there a charge to participate?

I know there is a meeting prior to getting off the ship but do all of the participants get off the ship first?

Do you have to preregister before the meeting to participate?

Do they still have race shirts for sale and how much do they cost?

 

Thank you!

[moki'smommy]

I'll answer what I can.

 

You sign up at the Port Adventures desk any time during the cruise. Usually the group meets in one of the lounges and exits the ship together. Yes, you can walk the course. Yes, everyone gets a medal. There are shirts for sale on the island--I think they were $25. No charge to participate or get medal. This is NOT an officially sanctioned race and doesn't count for any sort of credit for anyone who is into such things.

 

As always, the race is "weather permitting." One issue--there is no place at the start of the course to leave your beach "stuff," so either give it to a family member to take off the ship for you or plan to go back to the ship after the race to get it. You will need your KTTW and a photo ID to get off and back onto the ship.

[cruisefamilyforever]

Thanks for all of your answers moki'smommy. I guess we are going to do it. I'll let everyone know how it all went in my trip report when I get back.

[Cruise convert33]

Hi! My husband and I did the 5K on 25 April. We got to Castaway Cay at 8:30 and it was already pretty hot. There is water offered in several spots along the course and also quite a bit of shade. There were people who walked the whole course and there was also a power walk scheduled for about half an hour after the 5K started. We preregistered, but they also allowed people to register at the meet-up location before getting off the ship. Since you meet on the ship before the race, as soon as the ship is ready to start letting passengers off the 5K participants get off, but so can any other passengers. The first 5K runners to get off were parents checking kids into Scuttles Cove. It is about a 10 minute walk to the 5K start. My husband and I got back on the ship after the run to shower, change, and have breakfast since we don't like to eat before running, especially when it's hot.

 

Have fun!

[monty913]

I did the 5k in Sept 2013

 

-People did walk the course

-Everyone gets a plastic medal at the end

-no charge to participate

-There is a group meeting beforehand. When I went, we did not get off first. We walked from the ship to the start through a crowd of people heading to the beach. And it is a hike to the start line. I swore I walked a 5k before I ran it!

-On my cruise you met in the morning in The Tube and got a number. They also showed everyone a map and went over the course.

-They had race shirts, I believe they were about $20 for adults. If you don't get one at castaway, they sell them online on the disneystore site.

 

 

Also, it was very very hot and there was little shade. :( Definitely stay hydrated.

Also, if you have "stuff" with you, there is just a big bin to put your stuff. So if you have family/friend with you, have them take your stuff. We didn't bring anything and ended up going BACK to the boat to change/get the beach bag.

 

In addition, in Dec 2014 we skipped Castaway due to high winds. They did the 5k around the deck 4 jogging path instead.

[cigarboo]

When we did it in March, it was stressed to all of us that this was a fun run, not a race. I ran the first 100yrds and the last 100yrds, pretty much walked everything in between. Some people had done it twice before I made it around once.

 

People were particularly supportive of the slower people, or perhaps all the slower people still making their way were supportive of eachother. Don't know, but it was a lot of fun to come across the finish line to clapping and cheering from people we didn't even know.

[adnil530]

Can you walk the whole course?

Does everyone get a medal?

Is there a charge to participate?

I know there is a meeting prior to getting off the ship but do all of the participants get off the ship first?

Do you have to preregister before the meeting to participate?

Do they still have race shirts for sale and how much do they cost?

 

Yes, you can walk the whole course. I did the entire course at a brisk walk in about 50 minutes.

I was 2nd to the last one in and yes, I got a medal :) It's my understanding from pics I've seen that they have changed them since I got mine in Jan 2014.

No charge.

When I did it we preregistered, I think the night before. We met the next morning before getting off the ship prior to everyone else getting off. We were escorted to the starting line.

There were shirts when I did it 15 months ago. I think they were in the $25 range but I could be wrong.

[mchelle77]

Just did this about 2 weeks ago ....

 

Can you walk the whole course? YES! I WALK/JOGGED, TOOK ME 41 MINUTES. SECOND OF OUR GROUP OF 5 TO FINISH.

 

Does everyone get a medal? YES, THOUGH THE "MEDAL" IS PLASTIC :)

 

Is there a charge to participate? NO

 

I know there is a meeting prior to getting off the ship but do all of the participants get off the ship first? OUR NON-5Ker PARTY GOT OFF THE SHIP BEFORE WE EVEN DID, HAD CHAIRS ALL SET UP BEFORE WE REACHED THEM (THEY TOOK THE TRAM, 5Kers WALK TO THE START)

 

Do you have to preregister before the meeting to participate? YES, I DON'T THINK IT "RUNS OUT" LIKE OTHER THINGS DO, LIKE MIXOLOGY, FOR EXAMPLE.

 

Do they still have race shirts for sale and how much do they cost? YES, CAN'T REMEMBER EXACTLY HOW MUCH, BUT UNDER $30... I DIDN'T END UP BUYING ONE, NONE REALLY APPEALED TO ME ENOUGH)

 

Thank you!

 

They had warned that the humidity would be different from what even Floridians were used to, but I don't think it was too awful (and I'm from Boston) I did have a water bottle with me, and finished the entire thing before I completed the run. And I ran twice during the week before this run, so I kind of got my lungs a little used to the difference. There is NO breeze (at least not on this day) and not a lot to see along the route - it's all tall hedges until you get to the open strip, and even then there's nothing to see.

 

Worst case - sign up, and then if you change your mind, don't do it. There's no pressure, no one is out money from you having a change of heart.