Ahoy, Chris!
"Running" the 5K at
Castaway Cay is one of my family's favorite activities, and the best part about it is that it is FREE! Yes, you read that right, there is currently no cost to participate in the Castaway Cay 5K.
You will need to visit Guest Services prior to your day at Castaway Cay to register for the race. You might get a ticket. Then, the morning that your ship docks at Castaway Cay, you will meet with your fellow runners in one of the lounges onboard. There they will check you in and possibly give you a race bib (I have done this race five times, and it is a slightly different experience each time depending on the ship). Then, the entire group will disembark the ship together, usually before everyone else is allowed off.
Once you are off the ship, there is about a ten minute walk to the starting line. There is a clock at the start/finish line, but the race is not officially timed. This is advertised as a "fun run", which it definitely is! The humidity and heat is high, but the Cast Members running the race provide plenty of water. At the end, you will receive a very cool Castaway Cay 5K Medal, which is an official runDisney medal. There is also official CC5K merchandise at "Buy the Sea Shore", the shop near the Pelican Plunge tram stop.
After the 5K, some runners return to the ship to change. Our family brings our beach bags and swimsuits along and change on Castaway Cay so that we can start enjoying the beach sooner.
I'm sure this will help with your planning for your cruise that is just a little over a month away. Please visit us again if you have other questions that arise before May 25!
Happy Cruising (and running!), Tracy V.