Hi there, Janet!
Thanks for "running" back over to planDisney with your question! It's so exciting to see runDisney return to the Disneyland Resort, and I love that you're planning to spend the weekend getting some magical miles in with friends. You've got a lot to look forward to!
I know that being in the parks with a big group can be a little tricky, but I'm sure that you're up to the challenge! Some of my favorite meeting places for larger groups in the parks are:
- The Tropical Hideaway in Adventureland for a cool treat and a shady spot to relax. The Enchanted Tiki Room and Jungle Cruise would be so fun to experience together with a big group!
- The patio at the Hungry Bear has a lovely view of the Rivers of America and is often a quieter spot, especially if you eat a little earlier.
- CenTOONial Park at Mickey's Toontown (opening soon!) will have lots of space for the perfect picnic! It would be a wonderful place to meet up with friends, and maybe even pay Mickey a visit for a group photo.
- Hollywood Land has a few places to grab snacks and plenty of seating, with a great PhotoPass spot!
- Flo's V8 Cafe in Cars Land is also a great place to meet a large group, there's plenty of outdoor seating.
To save your feet a few steps, I definitely recommend staying at one of the
Disneyland Resort Hotels. For a really relaxing meet-up for hotel guests, I recommend
reserving a cabana at your resort pool! Each cabana accommodates 6 guests, so you might need more than one, but I know that's where I'd want to relax after a long run! The Disneyland Hotel is also home to
Tangaroa Terrace Tropical Bar & Grill, which is wonderfully close to the pool if you want to grab a quick snack. I love the potstickers!
If you want to make
dining reservations for your group then you'll need to recruit a few helpers, because most reservations only allow 6-8 people. The best thing to do is make reservations for multiple parties around the same time, then arrive at the restaurant early and politely ask if you can possibly be seated near each other.
Currently, the only tour being offered at Disneyland is
Walt's Main Street Story Tour. But keep an eye out, you never know if something new will pop up before the race! And if you're meeting a
really big group, you could also contact
Disney Meetings and Events and ask about options to host a gathering at one of the resort hotels.
Janet, I hope you're enjoying planning (and training!) for your race! Please let me know if I can help you again!
Keep moving forward!
Amanda