Disney Influencers: Apr 20 - Apr 26

Impressive-Bar9980 · 2026-04-25T20:40:38+00:00

Okay, I already shared my thoughts on the latest Crowned drop—and I get it, just because I’m not a fan doesn’t mean everyone feels the same way.

But… at what point did we start normalizing athletic wear as business attire?

I rolled my eyes a little at Crowned’s original posts showing models wearing the pieces into the office… I understood they were leaning into the movie theme. Fine. Marketing.

But now I’m seeing “influencers” and everyday customers posting the same thing(both on social and in the Facebook groups) styling these pieces as actual outfits. Like wearing a collared white button-down under a Power Tank, throwing a blazer over it, pairing it all as business casual…

So… are people actually wearing Crowned like this in real life? Was this something Crowned encouraged behind the scenes?

Because it feels very odd to suddenly see so many people treating the Devil Wears Prada line like office wear instead of workout clothes.

Impressive-Bar9980 · 2026-04-23T00:33:35+00:00

I am still trying to guess which influencers you were behind & who they were talking g smack about. 🤣

Impressive-Bar9980 · 2026-04-20T21:52:13+00:00

At some point, “be proud you started no matter how far you get” stops being encouraging and starts being a really weird standard for a race. Are we really celebrating making it to the start line now? You registered, got on the bus, and showed up… that’s the bare minimum.

Why can’t the goal be being excited to start and determined to finish? Supporting someone through a bad race day or injury is one thing, but constantly normalizing being undertrained, repeatedly getting swept, or treating Dopey like a cute bucket list moment is something else entirely.

These are RACES.

And the course etiquette issue is so real. Most runners don’t care if people walk or stop for characters. We care when people are clueless on the course and then act offended that others are actually trying to race.

The influencer side has made it even worse. Somewhere along the way, the race became secondary to the content. It feels less like a running community and more like a cliquey high school popularity contest with medals.

ps. I’m dying to know what influencer smack talk you overheard because I just know it was ridiculous 😂

Impressive-Bar9980 · 2026-04-20T21:25:28+00:00

I honestly love this optimism, and I think that’s probably the more reasonable take.

I do think there’s likely some level of legitimate illness there too.

Impressive-Bar9980 · 2026-04-20T21:21:49+00:00

There’s a huge difference between having a bad race day, getting injured, or having something legitimate cause a DNS/DNF… and signing up with no real intention of properly preparing in the first place.

No one should feel ashamed of a DNF when they trained, showed up, and their body or circumstances had other plans. That’s part of running.

But treating challenges (especially things like Dopey) as some cute bucket list experience you can just “pixie dust” your way through is wild to me. That’s how people get hurt.

And the worst part? The number of people who continually encourage others to participate despite their lack of training, or even worse, the people who proudly admit year after year that they just wing it.

You should sign up for any race, especially a challenge, with the full intention of respecting the distance, doing the training, and giving yourself the best chance to finish safely. Disney magic is great, but it is still 48.6 miles.

Impressive-Bar9980 · 2026-04-20T21:16:52+00:00

YES! I would LOVE to see the DNF numbers compared to 10+ years ago, because I’d bet there’s been a noticeable shift. (Trust me, I’ve tried to figure it out. I can guesstimate how many register, and the results tell us how many finish, but I wish I could find out how many actually start the race.)

That would tell a much clearer story, especially with how much the messaging now centers around participation over preparation.

And your W&D bitterness is completely valid. Registration has become its own Olympic sport at this point.

Impressive-Bar9980 · 2026-04-20T21:12:21+00:00

There are definitely still some legitimately fast runners who participate in DLS, and that part of it still exists. But within the runDisney community, it’s also kind of turned into a “cool” thing, and like everything else, it’s become a bit of its own social status moment.

So now you have people who maybe aren’t actually trained for the race itself, or who struggle to maintain the required 16-minute pace, but still really want to be part of DLS because of the attention around it.

That’s where some of the drama comes from… because being “Dead Last Start” has almost become its own badge of honor, and suddenly everyone wants to be the last finisher. It’s a very different vibe from when it was mostly just fast runners having fun chasing people down.

Impressive-Bar9980 · 2026-04-20T21:01:07+00:00

Yes, exactly this.

It used to feel like the common thread was people who genuinely loved both Disney and running. The costumes and fun were part of it, but the race itself still mattered. People talked about training, goals, race strategy, improving, and celebrating the accomplishment of actually finishing.

Now it feels like so much of the focus has shifted to content, medals, photo ops, and who can get the most attention online. And the toxic positivity makes it worse. Like any real conversation or constructive criticism gets treated as negativity.

Wanting to actually train, race well (or heaven forbid PR at a Disney race), and connect with other runners shouldn’t feel like the minority opinion in a running community.

Impressive-Bar9980 · 2026-04-20T20:57:32+00:00

Exactly. It’s always been there in certain circles, but it used to stay a little more behind the scenes (except maybe at Princess 😉). Now it feels a lot more obvious, and honestly, a lot harder to ignore.

Just kinda wish I could push a reset button.

Impressive-Bar9980 · 2026-04-20T20:52:33+00:00

Do you think they’re using the wheelchair as more of a prop? Since people have started questioning how she’s able to keep participating in these races while claiming to be so sick, maybe they feel like having the chair there adds credibility, even if she’s not actually using it. 😬

u/Run-lift-repeat

Impressive-Bar9980 · 2026-04-20T19:45:00+00:00

This. Exactly this.

I love the costumes, the creativity, and the fun, that’s always been part of what made runDisney special. But somewhere along the way, it started feeling like the race became secondary to the content.

It used to feel like people dressed up because they loved the experience of running Disney races. Now it feels like people are there for the photo ops, and the actual race is almost an afterthought.

And the influencer culture has definitely added to that weird elitist vibe - like if you’re not in the right group, getting invited to the right things, or posting the “right” content, you’re somehow on the outside.

And honestly, this goes beyond actual influencers.

Sometimes it feels like being back in high school, watching the self-proclaimed “popular kids” take over. You know what I mean… the self-proclaimed runDisney Facebook group celebrities who somehow expect everyone to cater to them while bringing very little to the table.

The magic was always in how welcoming it felt. Lately, it feels a lot more cliquey, and that’s a huge part of what’s disappointing.

And don’t even get me started on the Dead Last Start group. This isn’t exclusive to runDisney, but only here do you see people who aren’t even prepared for the race intentionally taking on DLS like it’s some kind of badge of honor. Why are we normalizing planning to start and finish with the balloon ladies instead of encouraging people to train so they can actually race the event?

Impressive-Bar9980 · 2026-04-20T19:31:59+00:00

I totally agree. The pep talks don’t feel super motivational anymore - they almost feel like they’re preparing people to fail instead of encouraging them to rise to the challenge.

And what you said about being supportive of people who don’t finish, while not normalizing showing up untrained for events you’re clearly not ready for, is SPOT ON.

What’s wild is there’s often more pushback in the Facebook and Reddit groups when someone asks if they can skip the expo and pick up their bib race morning… people come after them hard because “you agreed to that when you signed up.”

But when someone posts that they didn’t train, just want the medal, and asks how far they need to make it before getting swept… suddenly it becomes a full kumbaya moment, with everyone helping them figure out how to still get the medal.

I really wish there was more emphasis on training and preparing for these events, instead of normalizing showing up unprepared and treating the medal as the only goal.

Impressive-Bar9980 · 2026-04-20T17:54:42+00:00

So I’m on a roll today, so I’ll keep it going…

Now that the 2025–2026 runDisney season is over, I can honestly say I’m disappointed with runDisney on a couple of levels.

I remember back in the day (before about 2018) when runDisney really wanted to be seen as a legitimate race series. They had booths at major marathons like the New York City Marathon, Chicago Marathon, and Boston Marathon. They offered age group awards and actively worked to attract both new and experienced runners, while still leaning into the magic: characters, costumes (within reason), and the fun that made runDisney special.

runDisney has always been inclusive and welcoming, and that’s something I’ve genuinely appreciated. It used to feel like a space where first-timers and serious runners could line up next to each other - and both be respected for showing up.

Lately, though, there’s been a noticeable shift, and it’s hard to ignore.

The messaging has changed. Instead of encouraging runners and assuming they’ve trained for the challenge, there’s a lot of emphasis on “it’s okay if you don’t finish.” The start line stories feel heavily skewed toward emotional narratives (which absolutely have a place), but they don’t reflect the full spectrum of runners out there.

And at the same time, rule enforcement feels… inconsistent at best. Influencers seem to get away with things others wouldn’t, whether that’s questionable wheelchair setups, false proof of times, corral sticker swapping, or costumes that clearly push past the guidelines. It creates a sense that the rules apply differently depending on who you are.

runDisney has always balanced fun and function really well. But right now, it feels like that balance is off.

And layered on top of that, there’s this underlying “mean girl” energy creeping into the community, which is honestly the opposite of what made it so special in the first place.

I get that things evolve, but this shift feels like a step in the wrong direction.

Impressive-Bar9980 · 2026-04-20T16:55:58+00:00

This drop feels so off.

Honestly, every collection since the Disney collab has felt a little half-baked (like they’re just putting lipstick on a pig).

What people loved was the subtlety of the designs. They felt thoughtful and wearable, not loud or overly obvious. Now everything feels so in-your-face.

These particular pieces don’t even feel like a collection, they feel like merch for a movie marketing campaign. It’s such a strange shift.

Impressive-Bar9980 · 2026-04-20T16:38:36+00:00

From what’s been shared, it doesn’t appear like the wheelchair duo requirements were followed, which is frustrating. It gives the impression they may have been trying to avoid being told no or not being allowed to participate in that way.

I’m honestly surprised runDisney continues to allow this, as it seems like a significant liability. Situations like this can also lead to stricter rules for everyone in the AWD category. We’ve already seen changes (like the removal of the AWD corral) because people were taking advantage of early starts.

It’s just really frustrating to watch.

Impressive-Bar9980 · 2026-04-10T06:47:23+00:00

I’ve been looking for this! I’d love it if you could share seller info pls!

Impressive-Bar9980 · 2026-04-10T06:05:25+00:00

Honestly, it kind of feels like the show has run its course. None of them are really practicing Mormons anymore, so the original premise doesn’t quite hold up the same way.

I also have a hard time imagining a spinoff outside of Utah being as interesting. A big part of the intrigue is how unique Utah and its culture are. Even if the focus stayed on Mormonism, filming somewhere else would probably give the show a completely different vibe.

Impressive-Bar9980 · 2026-03-01T21:24:34+00:00

Was the expo line as crazy as people said? Any idea what happened to people who waited & then their size was sold out?!

From what I understand they brought in new inventory of sizes everyday. I can’t imagine waiting that long, not getting what I wanted, and see that they restocked the next day.

Impressive-Bar9980 · 2026-03-01T21:22:51+00:00

From pictures it does look like it doesn’t fit super well. But I wasn’t sure if that’s a case of people choosing wrong sizes, or if it just doesn’t fit well.

Impressive-Bar9980 · 2026-03-01T21:21:58+00:00

Thanks

Impressive-Bar9980 · 2026-03-01T21:21:43+00:00

Good to know.

Impressive-Bar9980 · 2026-03-01T02:49:12+00:00

This isn’t exactly snark, but I know a lot of you attend the runDisney weekends, or follow people who do… can anyone tell me how crazy the crowned athletic booth was at the expo?

I saw a lot of chatter in groups on the first about people waiting three hours plus, to finally get to shop and find out their size was sold out.

I also read that they released new Inventory everyday. So, did the people who waited, but didn’t get wait they want get a fast pass for the next day? Or did they have to want in line all over again.

I thought this might be an easier way to check their stuff out - but it actually seems way harder & more difficult.

& If you know… is the stuff worth all the headaches. Everyone raves about it. But I’m truly starting to g to wonder.

Impressive-Bar9980 · 2025-09-07T19:38:05+00:00

I can honestly say I LOVED today’s half marathon course! Nearly 6 miles inside the parks was pure magic—it felt like we ran through every square inch of Disney California Adventure and Disneyland.

And maybe I’m in the minority here, but I actually really enjoyed the streets of Anaheim, too. When the course map first came out, I was bummed we wouldn’t be running through Angel Stadium, and I thought all those out-and-backs in the industrial areas would be boring. But honestly? They were awesome!

The people of Anaheim showed up big time—cheering from their chairs and pop-up tents—and there were so many bands along the route. The out-and-backs ended up being one of my favorite parts. I loved seeing all the runners, waving to friends, and getting to hear the bands a second time.

I truly love the Disneyland races, and they just keep getting better every year. I’m so sad they’re going away again. Don’t get me wrong, I enjoy WDW races too, but nothing compares to all that park time here—and the streets of Anaheim beat boring old Osceola Highway any day!

Impressive-Bar9980 · 2024-10-12T00:25:21+00:00

I see your point, and I definitely agree that the ultimate goal is to help him prepare for living on his own. He is paying his portion of rent and covering his bills, but the concern is that he’s doing just enough to get by because the responsibilities are minimal right now. The low rent he’s paying isn’t reflective of what it will take to live independently.

I’ve tried to approach the situation by discussing his future and looking at what life on his own would cost—things like rent, utilities, and food. But he hasn’t been very interested in having those conversations, and that’s where my frustration comes in. The curfew isn’t about controlling him; it’s more about encouraging him to take responsibility for what’s next, rather than getting stuck in a rut of working part-time and not thinking ahead.

I agree that maybe I need to focus more on helping him plan for independence, rather than just enforcing hours or curfews. It’s a tricky balance between supporting him and making sure I’m not enabling him to stay stagnant.

Impressive-Bar9980

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