Marathon Weekend 2022

[Naomeri]

Are they having the candlelight processional with a choir? If Disney is bringing back a choir I expect that one to be first.

I'm not running it but I do really like the new 10KI'm not running it but I do really like the new 10K course. It also looks like the Marathon finish is the same as always. I'll have to check when I'm not on my phone but it looks a lot like my 2011 finish.

They do have a cast member choir for CP, they sounded great earlier tonight.

 

[acurls]

I'm so excited the guide and maps are out! This is probably a noob question, but I just want to make sure that I'm understanding the info in the guide correctly. The below means runners can take the monorail to the start of the race, and don't need to take the buses? Not sure if this is meant just for spectators, or runners too. And is taking the monorail better than the buses to get to the start?

"*Monorail transportation to Epcot is available beginning at 2:30 a.m. on Saturday and Sunday ONLY.

• Guests staying at Magic Kingdom Resorts are encouraged to use Monorail transportation to Epcot for Half and Full Marathon. There will be no monorail transportation for the 5K & 10K."

 

[Naomeri]

I'm so excited the guide and maps are out! This is probably a noob question, but I just want to make sure that I'm understanding the info in the guide correctly. The below means runners can take the monorail to the start of the race, and don't need to take the buses? Not sure if this is meant just for spectators, or runners too. And is taking the monorail better than the buses to get to the start?

"*Monorail transportation to Epcot is available beginning at 2:30 a.m. on Saturday and Sunday ONLY.

• Guests staying at Magic Kingdom Resorts are encouraged to use Monorail transportation to Epcot for Half and Full Marathon. There will be no monorail transportation for the 5K & 10K."

Well, I suppose there’s absolutely zero chance of the monorail getting lost or caught in traffic on the way

 

[acurls]

Well, I suppose there’s absolutely zero chance of the monorail getting lost or caught in traffic on the way

That's what I was thinking... but it almost seems too obvious? Like I'm missing a big drawback with the monorail option?

 

[Naomeri]

That's what I was thinking... but it almost seems too obvious? Like I'm missing a big drawback with the monorail option?

Yeah, I don’t know. I haven’t actually done my first in-person event yet, so I have no real knowledge, just jokes

 

[nekonekoneko]

Well, I suppose there’s absolutely zero chance of the monorail getting lost or caught in traffic on the way

2017, the super cold year, we were staying at The Contemporary on MW. On that Sunday, we went to The Monorail station at around 4:00, because, well, Monorail. We get through security, and wait for the train.

And wait...

And wait...

15 minutes later, they tell us that The Monorail broke down on the MK loop

So now the runDisney Cast Members are scrambling to find us a bus. We all have to go outside, and a regular Disney bus rolls up at around 4:25. It drives over to The TTC. Security at the ticket center is wondering why in the world a red and white Disney bus is coming in at this hour? So the driver and security talk for about 5 minutes, and then they let us through.

Then we all have to hustle to that Monorail station, and take the Epcot trains in. We get through security (again) probably around 4:47, so we're cutting it SUPER close.

 

[jmasgat]

I'm so excited the guide and maps are out! This is probably a noob question, but I just want to make sure that I'm understanding the info in the guide correctly. The below means runners can take the monorail to the start of the race, and don't need to take the buses? Not sure if this is meant just for spectators, or runners too. And is taking the monorail better than the buses to get to the start?

"*Monorail transportation to Epcot is available beginning at 2:30 a.m. on Saturday and Sunday ONLY.

• Guests staying at Magic Kingdom Resorts are encouraged to use Monorail transportation to Epcot for Half and Full Marathon. There will be no monorail transportation for the 5K & 10K."

For the half and full, the monorail is the ONLY transportation. There will NOT be buses to the race for those two days. Buses will be available for the 5k/10k.

 

[MissLiss279]

That's what I was thinking... but it almost seems too obvious? Like I'm missing a big drawback with the monorail option?

I may be wrong here… I think the walk from the finish to the monorail (and probably monorail to start) is longer than to and from the buses. - Although monorail resorts might not have another option.
I’ve only taken the monorail once after a half marathon to meet friends at the Contemporary for brunch at Chef Mickey’s. But I will be at BLT this year so I will need to decide between monorail or driving. With the marathon course, I may decide to take the monorail to not chance bad traffic!

 

[FFigawi]

Monorail is definitely a great transportation option. You don’t have to get up and leave anywhere near as early as you do if you’re taking a bus. Plus, there’s a nice set of real bathrooms as you exit the monorail and head to the main race area.

 

[WhereInFlorida]

First 20 miler completed this past weekend and the guide/maps is great for the motivation in these last weeks of training. This time always is tough with stress from work and holidays, looking forward to some disney-time soon.

 

[WhereInFlorida]

I may be wrong here… I think the walk from the finish to the monorail (and probably monorail to start) is longer than to and from the buses.

It was years ago but I still remember the walk from finish to monorail station being too long. Then having to do the ramp at the station was not pleasant.

 

[Mr_Incr3dible]

SAFD: I'm looking forward to dining at Space 220 and seeing the decorations for the 50th anniversary. First time staying at All Star Music, but honestly my heart wants a moderate resort. But my head says I'm going to Disney World so deal with it.

I am in All Star Music as well.
Space 220. I'm not sure when that opened, but I just looked it up and I definitely want to see it. Way cool.

One thought on transportation is to print out a map of the roads between where you are staying and the race start. I was at Bonnet Creek one year and got into a huge traffic backup. If I had had a better sense of just where I was, I could have let my ride let me out on the main road and cut across the parking lot and I would have been into the warmup and staging area a lot sooner instead of being let out and having to quickly walk straight to the corral where the starting gun had already gone off for the first wave.

 

[Disney at Heart]

It was years ago but I still remember the walk from finish to monorail station being too long. Then having to do the ramp at the station was not pleasant.

We stayed at SOG one marathon weekend, and decided to take the monorail back to the Poly and walk across the street after the marathon. After a long walk up the monorail ramp, I looked over and saw someone get off the elevator that I had never noticed!

 

[Mr_Incr3dible]

SAFD: First time doing Goofy/running a marathon! I am not convinced I will finish but I will certainly try. The course looks fun so hopefully I can be fast enough…

I am also hoping to try a new restaurant but haven’t been able to get any reservations yet. Would love to try Space 220.

Also this is my first post! Hi!

Do or do not. There is not try. - Yoda

Seriously, don't doubt yourself. Even if you walk most of the marathon, keep putting one foot in front of the other and finish.

 

[acurls]

Monorail is definitely a great transportation option. You don’t have to get up and leave anywhere near as early as you do if you’re taking a bus. Plus, there’s a nice set of real bathrooms as you exit the monorail and head to the main race area.

You had me at "real bathrooms"

 

[Sleepy425]

@DopeyBadger I was S4 for the challenge, started at 5:42am per my Garmin for the half and 5:49 for the 10k

 

[steph0808]

I may be wrong here… I think the walk from the finish to the monorail (and probably monorail to start) is longer than to and from the buses. - Although monorail resorts might not have another option.
I’ve only taken the monorail once after a half marathon to meet friends at the Contemporary for brunch at Chef Mickey’s. But I will be at BLT this year so I will need to decide between monorail or driving. With the marathon course, I may decide to take the monorail to not chance bad traffic!

Hi fellow BLTer! I'm staying at BLT and running the marathon! Woo!

I stayed at Poly in 2020, and the monorail was SWEET! Walked over to the TTC, hopped right on, only myself and one other person in our car, and zoomed off to the start!

I know it will be different staying at BLT and having to transfer, but I hope I enjoy the ease as much as I did at the Poly!

(I've also done the buses - great experiences from AKL and All-Star Sports, not so much from POR, but that was not the norm).

 

[Herding_Cats]

Between myself and DH we are running in everything except for the 5k. We are planning on getting MM so we can get all the race pics (and pics from our park day.) I'd be up for doing a share if anyone is interested.

 

[Mr_Incr3dible]

I just started looking at the course maps. My thoughts:
They release the course maps after you've paid so that they already have your money and it's too late to decide otherwise (says grumpy old me).
Blizzard Beach should be in quotes, since it is really the BB parking lot (near as I can tell)
HS is a bad joke. Almost like they are embarrassed to have us there.
Two loops through Epcot? I don't recall that from before, but OK, but I'd have rather put in the miles with actually seeing BB and more of HS.
AK - People had mentioned jumping out of the race to ride a ride. If there was one where I was inclined to do that, it would be Expedition Everest. And at this time, EE is scheduled to go down for maintenance on Jan 4th. Just dang.

 

[fatmanatee]

Looking at the guide and it looks like it hasn't been completely updated. There's the aforementioned error with one of the dates, still some mentions of Wine and Dine, and while they've updated the spectator info for the first three races, there's nothing for the marathon, which I'm expecting will be mostly similar to past years. This is also just going to be a pet peeve of mine but they mention that buses will be running well after the time that they say participants must be at Epcot by (4 am for the first two races, 3:30 for the half and full, buses will be running until 4:30 am all days). Feel like they would have been better off saying that they strongly recommend getting there by a certain time.