Run the World: Art of Animation and Pop Century Jogging Trails
Whether you’re in town for a runDisney race, for business travel, or a family vacation, you can always be sure to find a great place to log some miles when you’re visiting the Walt Disney World Resort. There are plenty of places on property, from the rugged beauty of the Fort Wilderness Trails, to the bridges and bayous of Port Orleans, and many, many more.
While it may not be the first place that guests think of when it comes to picturesque running routes, the Art of Animation and Pop Century properties are actually an excellent option for a jaunt – not only are there wide walkways and “larger than life” statues, but the sparkling Hourglass Lake and “Generation Gap” bridge make for a fun change of scenery.
Both Art of Animation and Pop Century resorts are laid out in a cluster formation, so using the Pop Century jogging map as a guide, 1-mile routes are easily crafted from a variety of starting points. Adding in connecting sidewalks, and varying paths between buildings, extra mileage on either side of Hourglass Lake can create longer runs, and crossing over the Generation Gap bridge and “mirroring” paths, mileage is easily doubled, tripled or quadrupled, depending on mileage desired.
At both Art of Animation and Pop Century, water fountains and restrooms are easily accessible in the resort lobbies, and if you’re staying at either of these resorts, towels can be picked up by the themed swimming pools after your running workout.
There are so many fun things to look at while you’re on your run, you might lose track of your miles!
Before you set off on your own journey through animation and/or time, here are a few tips for a successful run:
- Share the road! While you are welcome to jog the trails of the resort, be sure to yield to other pedestrians and watch out for service vehicles.
- Be seen! While paths are lit in the early morning hours and after sun-down, guests and cast members may not be expecting a runner, especially around the corners of buildings, or near parking lots.
- Listen to the land! Okay, well, not quite the land…but breathe in your surroundings and enjoy background music and the sounds of the resort – running unplugged will not only further immerse you in the run, but help you stay alert.
With these points in mind (and perhaps a camera in hand) you’ll be on your way to a magical run through these themed value resorts. Have a great run!
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What’s your favorite place to run at Walt Disney World? Which resort should we run next?
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I guess smokers have to go somewhere; but i too hate any area they are. That “smokers alley” in the MK is awful. It is a pathway that people need to use; but if you do (and we did accidentally 2x), you risk instant lung disease.
Sounds harsh, but I think WDW needs rooms like those in airports.
My son-in-law was excited for his early morning runs until he was in the area of the lake. He soon was to realize that there were smokers at almost every bench in the early morning also. After 3 mornings of running, and coughing, he gave up. And, at POP, the smoking section was moved from the food court area, only to be moved near the playground. You can’t see it, but can sure smell it from behind the trees, along the path. Disney is trying, but needs to re-think the smoking areas.
While I’m glad the smokers are as far away as possible from the resort buildings (I would be happy if they moved smoking areas to…Kississmee…), they have to go somewhere, I suppose. I do wish they would ban smoking completely from the parks. I loathe seeing small children in their strollers held captive in clouds of second-hand smoke by parents addicted to nicotine.