Ghosts, Ghouls, and....Hyenas?

The path is dark, filled with patrons as far as the eye can see. Unbeknownst to them, villains lurk along the seemingly unpopulated road ready to take...pictures?

All of this might sound like the beginning of a strange horror-comedy film, unless, that is, you've experienced Disney's Tower of Terror 10-miler.

If you love Disney as much as I do, and you're a casual runner who enjoys fun-runs, then this race/run is for you! The Tower of Terror 10-miler starts just outside of the Hollywood Studios theme park in Disney World, Orlando, Florida, and ends inside of Hollywood Studios. Along the way ghosts, ghouls, and your favorite villainous Disney characters, such as: the hyenas from Lion King, Jafar from Alladin, and others stand by to take a photo with you if you're OK with stopping during your run.

Even if you're not trying to take a picture with your favorite villains, your picture WILL BE TAKEN! Photographers are everywhere, so make sure you put on your best smile as you pass by.

Although the race starts at 10pm, the route couldn't have been more scenic. A turn-around occurs right around Animal Kingdom Lodge, and from there, you venture into Disney's Wide World of Sports, where a part of the race is run inside of the Atlanta Braves spring training stadium! 

The last half-mile is run completely inside Hollywood Studios. There, hundreds of fans cheer you on as you make your way to the home-stretch. One of the neater parts of the race is right before the finish line where commentators, sitting up in a lofted booth, call out your name and where you're from in front of tons of people, so make sure you save just enough in the tank to sprint home (unlike me, who started having leg cramps a couple miles before the end of the race...whoops)! After crossing the finish line there is fruit, water, and Gatorade as far as the eye can see so you can rehydrate right away. There are also trainers by the finish line that will assist you with any pains you might have post-race by applying cooling gel to affected areas!

Now, you might be asking, "What could possibly make this race experience any more awesome?!" Well, that's a great question! The answer: You get to go on as many rides as you want after the race until the park closes at 2am! So, if Hollywood Studios is your favorite Disney World park, and you're not too keen on long lines, then take full advantage of this perk by taking part in the run!

All-in-all, the Tower of Terror 10-miler is a must-do for race aficionados like myself, and it is sure to be one of the most memorable parts of your Disney World vacation. 

As for my number one rule going into this race/run? Just make sure you have fun!

- PatInTheHat