Epcot gate closed? Marathon weekend

[DIS2014fullmarathon]

We are trying to figure out a resort for the 2014 Disney marathon weekend. I have"heard" from a couple places that the "back gate" international gate? Is closed the morning of the marathon runs? Can tell me "official" know if this is a fact?

If open, the boardwalk etc. would be very inticing but as of know we are looking at the contemporary and monorail hotels for that convenience.

Thanks

[Deb & Bill]

Originally Posted by DIS2014fullmarathon

We are trying to figure out a resort for the 2014 Disney marathon weekend. I have"heard" from a couple places that the "back gate" international gate? Is closed the morning of the marathon runs? Can tell me "official" know if this is a fact?

If open, the boardwalk etc. would be very inticing but as of know we are looking at the contemporary and monorail hotels for that convenience.

Thanks

You can't enter Epcot before the park opens unless you are on the course near the 12 mile marker for the Half Marathon and heading for the finish line.

You have to take a bus from the BW area resorts to the start. You can walk from the finish to the BW area resorts, but you'll need park admission to enter the park. So you wind up taking a bus back to your resort.

[DebbieB]

A coworker recently ran in the marathon. She stayed at All Star. She told me she had to get on the bus at 4:30am, the race started at 5:00am.

[Deb & Bill]

Originally Posted by DebbieB

A coworker recently ran in the marathon. She stayed at All Star. She told me she had to get on the bus at 4:30am, the race started at 5:00am.

The race actually starts at 5:30 and if she caught a bus at 4:30, she was undoubtedly late for the race. Traffic around and getting to Epcot can be murder, so runners need to catch their bus no later than 3:30AM. I left WL around 4AM in the car and got to Epcot around 5AM. My runners left about the same time on the bus and got there almost the same time as me. They were sweating getting to their corral before the gun went off. If they had known I was going to make such good time, they would have gone in the car with me.

[Dizzytime]

I ran it a few years back. Stayed at the Beach Club but still had to take a bus to the start from the front of the resort. No walking though the park, and would never have considered walking on the roads. Way to dangerous and illegal I'm sure, too.
Had to be up real early, seems like was out there by 3:00am or so, and after arriving it took quite a while to do the sweat drop off and make my way to the staging area. There are a LOT of runners, and it's very crowded.
Was great to walk back to BC through EPOCT after the race, but as mentioned you obviously need park admission for that.

It was a fun experience and something I'll always remember as special, Disney magical moment.
Hope you do too, and good luck!

[DebbieB]

Originally Posted by Deb & Bill

The race actually starts at 5:30 and if she caught a bus at 4:30, she was undoubtedly late for the race. Traffic around and getting to Epcot can be murder, so runners need to catch their bus no later than 3:30AM. I left WL around 4AM in the car and got to Epcot around 5AM. My runners left about the same time on the bus and got there almost the same time as me. They were sweating getting to their corral before the gun went off. If they had known I was going to make such good time, they would have gone in the car with me.

I may have the times wrong, she told me about it pretty quick. She did both the half and the full. Now she's out getting knee surgery!

[Deb & Bill]

Originally Posted by DebbieB

I may have the times wrong, she told me about it pretty quick. She did both the half and the full. Now she's out getting knee surgery!

Good for her completing the Goofy. That is a challenge. Hope her surgery goes well for her, too.