My 2026 Princess Challenge Registration Misadventure
- Maggie O
- Jun 25
- 2 min read
Well… it wasn’t my happily ever after. I tried. I prepped. I even had multiple devices at the ready. But registration day for the 2026 RunDisney Princess Challenge did not go the way I dreamed.

Let me set the scene…
The Countdown Begins
As always, I was logged in early—Disney Account updated, credit card handy, power cords plugged in, snacks at the ready (because priorities). I had three browsers open: Chrome, Firefox, and Safari on my iPhone. I was in full fairy godmother mode—ready to bibbidi-bobbidi-boo my way into the Fairy Tale Challenge.
Then the page changed.
Gone was the familiar process where you selected your race and got dropped into the queue. This year? A new host page. No buttons. No race links. Just... refresh and hope.
Spoiler alert: hope is not a strategy.
Enter the Chaos
As the clock struck 10:00 a.m., I got a cute little message that said......don't refresh we will place you in the queue. So I sat....and sat...and sat....I finally realized by this time I was not going to get in so I jumped out of the queue and opened up the page again. Firefox finally got in—45 minutes after registration opened. My iPhone? Heroic little thing got in after 15 minutes… when it was far too late. I was over an hour out. (PS Chrome never allowed me in)
Within an hour, I started to see which bibs were sold out. Within a short 90minutes, every single Fairy Tale Challenge bib, every 10K, every half. Poof. Like Cinderella’s carriage at midnight, my dreams of running in a tiara vanished with a "Sold Out" banner.
What Did I Learn?
Besides the obvious—technology is a villain in every Disney sequel—I learned that some days, even when you do everything right, it just doesn’t go your way.
Like Cinderella losing her shoe.
Like Moana falling off her boat (again).
Like Elsa… well, accidentally freezing her entire kingdom.
Sometimes, the perfect year just isn’t meant to be perfect.
But Here’s the Bright Side
I’m still headed to Walt Disney World this race season.
I’m registered for Wine and Dine.
I’m registered for Dopey 2026.
My rooms are booked, and my flights are ready.
And Springtime Surprise opens next month. You better believe I’ll be channeling Mulan-level determination for that registration.
Final Thoughts
To all the new and returning Princesses who made it in—Congratulations! Enjoy every magical mile. The Princess Weekend never disappoints, and you’ve earned your tiara and glitter.
To those of us who didn’t make it… your story’s not over. There’s always another chapter. Another race. Another chance to sparkle.
And as Walt himself said:
“Around here, we don’t look backwards for very long… we keep moving forward.”
See you at the next starting line. 💖
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