AWD - Athletes With Disabilities
RunDisney has an AWD (Athletes with Disabilities) program, which supports athletes who need accommodations. This page gives a general understanding of how the AWD program works. It is not an exhaustive list of all possible accommodations. Additionally, the AWD program sees a lot of updates and changes. Things may be different for the race you register and participate in. So don’t take this as the Gospel Truth (as the muses say). The best resource for specific information on this topic will always be runDisney, and I strongly encourage you to reach out to the runDisney team to discuss individual accommodations.
IMPORTANT UPDATE
Updated: Nov. 29, 2023
Disney is currently implementing significant changes within the AWD program. Two weeks before Wine and Dine 2024, ambulatory athletes were told they would be starting in their originally assigned corrals. Previously, ambulatory athletes (including those with guide dogs and human guides) were held off to the side and allowed to load directly into the starting chute behind Corral B, which is described in the guide below. This AWD accommodation allowed athletes to safely load into the starting chute, away from the crush and crowds of the corrals. I consider this an evolving situation and will keep this notice updated with AWD changes as we progress through the race season. In the meantime, I’m leaving the guide as-is until things are more settled. If you are an AWD athlete, my best advice is to email Disney and be very explicit about what accommodations you need to participate safely. Roll Disney and wheeled athletes have not been affected by the recent changes.
Commonly Asked Questions
What is AWD?
AWD is a program aimed at providing support and accommodations to athletes who need them. In general, there are 3 main types of AWD athletes: Roll Disney, Duo, and Ambulatory.
Roll Disney - This category refers to athletes who use wheelchairs (push-rim) and hand-cycles. There are no guides involved, only the AWD athlete. Disney does have requirements around what equipment is required for the race course. For example, Walt Disney World requires athletes to wear a helmet and front & back lights. There are also restrictions on the type of chair that can be used (no motorized chairs, for example). Restrictions and requirements can vary by park. When Disneyland Paris had races, there were some differing rules. So always make sure to check with Disney.
Duo is for AWD is a wheelchair/guide pairing, where one participant pushes the other participant in a wheelchair. Similar to Roll Disney, there are safety requirements. RunDisney can provide specifics. A chair athlete who can push themselves and attends with a friend can also be perceived as a duo, but accommodations will need to be discussed directly with Disney.
Ambulatory refers to athletes who need specific accommodations in order to run safely on the course. Examples would be blade runners, hearing or visually impaired runners, etc. This is the broadest category and accommodations will depend on the individual athlete. Earlier corral placement as an accommodation is at the discretion of Disney. My recommendation is to contact them to start a dialogue around specific needs.
What Counts As A Disability?
There are no hard and fast rules on what is considered a disability. Accommodation requests are discussed between the AWD Athlete and runDisney themselves. As such, the best advice is to reach out to runDisney ahead of registration and discuss the accommodations Disney can provide. The runDisney contact page can be found at https://www.rundisney.com/contact/ . It is important to note the purpose of accommodations is to provide a safe racing environment for both the AWD Athlete and the other athletes on the course. Needing more time in order to finish within course limits is generally not considered a safety issue.
What About Human Guide(s) ?
Duo athletes and some ambulatory athletes need human race guide(s) in order to participate safely in race events. These guides need to be registered participants for the event, which means they will need to buy their own bib as part of the normal registration process. During registration, there is an AWD question in which the guide can self-identify as part of a Duo pair or as a Human Race Guide for an ambulatory athlete. Guides do receive their own medal.
Disney does not match guides to AWD Athletes. If you are an AWD Athlete and do not have someone who can serve as your guide, there are charities that provide guide-matching services. One such charity is Achilles International.
“AWD is such a warm group of people who all have their own reason to be there. Everyone is welcomed into the family super fast. Even if you’re not doing race weekends very often, people will be so excited to see you again and will remember you. That is the power of our AWD Family. ”
Registration
How Do I Register as an AWD Athlete?
The registration form is the same for everyone (you can read more about how registration works in my Registeration Guide). On the registration form, there is a question that asks if you will be attending as part of the AWD category. AWD Athletes and Guides should select YES.
When you select yes to this question, you will be prompted to select from the following options:
I plan to participate in a Push Rim Racing Wheelchair (under my own power).
I plan to participate in the Hand Cycle Exhibition (I understand this is not eligible for awards).
I plan to participate individually, and will provide my own Human Race Guide (must be another registered participant) as a disability accommodation.
I plan to participate as a runner/walker, but will be assisting another participant as a Human Race Guide.
I plan to participate in the Duo Division and will be pushed in a wheelchair by another registered participant (I understand this is not eligible for awards).
I plan to participate as a runner/walker, but will be assisting/pushing another participant in the Duo Division.
I plan to participate individually, but will need to request an accommodation.
Depending on your selection you may be prompted for more information, like the name of your guides. The AWD information is a required part of the registration form, you cannot skip any questions. However, your answers are not set in stone. You can go back into your registration via the runDisney account dashboard and change your AWD status and selections. Similarly, you can go back in later to change the names of guides. Be aware, Disney does typically lock down all information on the registration form around the Proof of Time deadline for each race. After that point, you would need to contact Disney in order to make changes.
Once you are registered, you will receive an email from runDisney with more specific race information.
Expo and Race Day
Expo Transportation
To get to the expo, go to the expo bus pick-up location at your Disney Resort. If you need accessible transportation, Let the Cast Member there know, and they will call for an accessible vehicle to come and get you. When you’re done at the expo, head towards the bus pickup area. There is a white tent with a Cast Member. This is the designated person that can arrange for accessible transportation back to your resort. Do not go to your resort’s bus pick-up at the expo, the cast members stationed there may not be able to help you.
Race Day Transportation
If you are an athlete who needs accessible race morning transport, you will need to talk to go the Event Weekend Information & Transporation booth during the Expo. The Expo is held at ESPN Wide World of Sports and there are 3 main buildings. The Transportation and Event booth is in the Visa Athletic Building, marked as B on the map pictured here:
At the Event Weekend Information & Transportation Booth, you will arrange your race morning pickup. You will need to let the Volunteers know the type of chair you have, how many people are in your group, and your phone number. I’m not sure if the monorail is accessible on race day morning, so even if you are at a monorail resort, I would still check with the Event Weekend Information & Transportation Booth. It’s important to note transportation services are only available for pickup/drop off at Disney Resorts and Good Neighbor Resorts (Swan, Dolphin, Swan Reserve, and Shades of Green). On race morning, a driver will meet you at a designated pick-up location at your resort with an accessible vehicle. You may share transportation with other AWD athletes.
Once you are done with your race, go towards the most forward bus pick-up line (i.e., the first one). There are cast members at this location that can arrange accessible transportation. Do not go to your individual resort bus, as the cast member there may or may not be able to help.
Security
Everyone (athletes, volunteers, people cheering) must go through security screening. There is a reserved security line available for chair athletes (Duo and Roll Disney) and those with other equipment, like strollers.
AWD Tent
Once Athletes have gone through security, they will need to check in at the AWD tent. The tent is easy to find and included on a map of the Start/Finish areas in each race’s event guide. As an example, this is the map from the Toy Story 10 Miler held in 2023. The AWD Tent is marked in dark green, and located after the gEAR check tent.
The check-in process is fairly straightforward. All athletes and guides are checked off a list of AWD registrants by a runDisney volunteer. A runDisney volunteer will also ensure the proper equipment is in place (i.e., the chair athlete has a helmet, working lights, etc.) for Roll Disney and Duo Athletes. Once the review is complete, these athletes receive a gold sticker. Duo and Ambulatory Athletes whose accommodation includes an earlier corral placement will also have a special sticker placed on their bib.
Once the athletes have been checked-in, they are offered an “AWD” or “AWD GUIDE” sign they can pin to their clothes. These AWD signs do not designate specific disabilities. I.e, there is no “Visual Impaired Runner” sign provided by Disney. Athletes/Guides are welcome to hang around the AWD tent and enjoy the pre-race entertainment and atmosphere until Walk Out. The AWD tent has water, Powerade, and accessible porta-potties. Athletes can also leave their gear bags, day chairs, and motors (if needed) in the AWD while they race. The AWD Tent is staffed until the very last AWD Athlete has finished.
Walk Out
Walk-out is when race volunteers escort AWD Athletes to their starting positions. There are two walk-out options, one at 4 am and one at 4:20 am. If you’re familiar with runDisney races, I know what you’re thinking. You’re wondering how the walk-outs work for races that have the long hike through the woods to get to the start. The walk-out path has a shortcut through the bushes with boards laid down for chair athletes. Once the athletes make it to the start line, Roll Disney (push rim and hand-cycle) athletes are positioned in front of the first corral of runners. Duo and Ambulatory Athletes whose accommodations include an earlier corral are placed in a holding area next to Corral B.
Disney releases Roll Disney 2 min before the race start time of 5 am. As Corrals A and B are released, AWD Athletes in the holding area are merged into the back of Corral B.
Photos and Characters Stops for Roll Disney
One of the hallmarks of a runDisney race is the incredible race photos from the Disney Photo Pass team. Photos are matched to athletes via a software program that reads the bib number captured in the photo (this is one reason why you’re instructed to always have your bib visible). However, Roll Disney athletes attach their bibs to the back of their chair. This means their bib number isn’t visible in the race photos.
When Roll Disney participants are lined up at the start, a Disney photographer will take a picture of each Roll Disney Athlete, a picture of the back of their chair with the bib, and write down the athlete’s names. After the race, the Disney photographer’s manual comb through all the race photos taken and use the reference photos from the start line to identify and tag the Roll Disney Athletes. This is a time-intensive process and it can take several days to a week for the tagging to be completed.
Characters are often staged on the course in front of sets. These sets may be in the grass or an area where the Roll Disney athlete can’t easily get to. In these instances, the characters will come to the athlete for photos. You may not be able to get the set in the background, depending on the location of the Character Stop.
Bike Guides
The first male and female chair will get a bike guide, just like the runners do. In the past, at Disneyland Races, every chair athlete got a bike guide. This provided the safest experience for everyone on the course. However, at Walt Disney World, it’s just the lead chair athletes who get a guide. The first Disneyland race after a multi-year hiatus is in January of 2024, so we will see what they do with the bike guides there.
Additional Resources
There is a unofficial (as in this isn’t Disney sponsored) Facebook group for AWD Athletes. The group can be a great resource for those looking to find more information.
There are two AWD Athletes who have been incredibly generous with their time, answering all of my questions. Shauny at @shaunyhealthylifestyle on Instagram is a Roll Disney athlete. Kayla at @kaylarunsdisney on Instagram is a visually impaired runner. Both are very responsive via DMs and would be happy to answer AWD questions. I’m posting their contact info here with their permission :-).
runDisney
The best and most accurate source of truth will always be runDisney itself. Don’t hesitate to reach out with any questions. One of the most essential tips is to get an open line of communication going with them.