2015 Marathon Weekend Question

[katydid74]

We are new DVC members with our home resort being AKV.(our first DVC stay is in 37 days!!) My husband and I signed up for races during marathon weekend and I'm already looking at our options. Our ideal location would be BWV but I'm nervous to wait. Should I book a room at Animal Kingdom since our window is open and then check BWV once that opens? I noticed some rooms at AKV are already full so this is adding to my anxiety! Our use year starts in February, so I will have to borrow to book regardless.

I'd love some thoughts from more experienced members. Thank you in advance!

 

[mrsR123]

Marathon weekend can be tough to book. I would definitely book a room now and try to move at the 7 month mark.

 

[networktek]

I will be running the Marathon as well and book our room at our home resort AKV right at the 11 month window, every resort will be a home resort for the race i would book a room a your home resort to be on the safe side and check when the 7 month window opens.

 

[katydid74]

Thank you both for the responses. That's what I was thinking I should do and I'm glad I got validation.

Good luck in the marathon networktek! And mrsR123 - I noticed that you're from Bloomington,IL... so am I! Such a small world some time...

 

[twinsouvenirs]

We are going the week before and up through Marathon weekend, so I booked SSR (one of our home resorts) at the 11 mo mark to ensure we had the space (we're taking my parents too). I may try to switch us at the 7 mo mark depending what the travelers tell me they like. I actually sent everyone going a poll about resort preference We're thinking a 2 Br Lockoff at BCV, BLT, or OKW GV right now. I'd imagine there will be a big shuffle at the 7 mo mark, but I would definitely line up a place at your home resort because looking at GFV where we also own, many of those dates are already taken.

Heads up on BWV for the races--I was told you cannot go through Epcot to race start, even if you are within walking distance you have to take transport to the start. Total bummer but if, like me, you were thinking you could walk from a Crescent Lake area resort to the race start and avoid busses, apparently you cannot.


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I also had to borrow to book the full stay since our points are split between GFV and SSR. I figure I'll just bank the GFV points in return.

 

[laughinplace199]

We've been to WDW for marathon weekend 4 times so far. We always book a room at our home resort, then if we want to stay elsewhere, we try to switch once our 7 month window opens up.

We've always been able to get the resort we wanted. The last 2 times, we stayed at BWV (our homes are OKW & AKV).

 

[bigtony777]

I would always book at your home resort and look at the 7 month window for any stay. Really can't think of any downside, unless you are having to borrow points to make the initial reservation.

 

[katydid74]

I would always book at your home resort and look at the 7 month window for any stay. Really can't think of any downside, unless you are having to borrow points to make the initial reservation.

We will have to borrow as our use year isn't until February. We were planning on staying Thursday-Tuesday and if I did my calculations right, for that length of stay in a 1BR, AKV is 4 points more than BWV. We don't plan to do another Disney vacation next year, so I don't want to lose those 4 points. I think what we're going to do is book AKV through Monday and then see what we can do when the 7 month window opens up. Either we'll book BWV through Tuesday, add the extra night to our AKV reservation, or we'll move to another resort for Monday night. Past experience with non-Disney races has been that the room demand decreases greatly the day after the race. I know this is different as people like to enjoy the parks afterwards so I'll cross my fingers and hope our strategy works.

Thanks everyone for all of the great replies. You've really given me some great feedback and I appreciate it! It sounds like there is hope for BWV so that makes me feel better. And even without being able to walk to the start, I think it will be a great location to stay. The last time we ran a Disney race we stayed at the Poly and it was awesome. Too bad those villas aren't ready yet.

 

[Disneycouple99]

Have you looked at booking the Value 1 BR at Jambo House?

 

[katydid74]

Have you looked at booking the Value 1 BR at Jambo House?

Do I need to call to reserve the value rooms? I didn't see that listed as an available option online.

 

[drusba]

For marathon weekend in Jan (which is actually now Wednesday through Sun) at 7 months out in 2013 and 2014, you would have been able to get a BWV 1BR pool/garden view but problems for other room categories which were missing one to four nights at 7 months out. Your chances for a 1BR are usually better than any other size since 1BRs are usually the last to be reserved at any resort.

As to AKV, Kidani was open at 7 months out in all room sizes, and Jambo was open for 1BRs other than value or club level. You will find the value class rooms on line by choosing AKV Jambo as your resort choice rather than Kidani since values are only at Jambo. Values tend to go well before the seven month window opens.

For those at SSR thinking about reserving elsewhere for marathon weekendand wondering whether you need to lock in SSR while waiting for 7 months out, be aware that other than Treehouses, SSR was open for marathon weekend even past the 7 month window in both 2013 and 2014.

 

[Disneycouple99]

Do I need to call to reserve the value rooms? I didn't see that listed as an available option online.

You want to use AKV-Jambo House then 1Bedroom-Value.
The 7th and 8th of January are full but you could book a standard view and still be under the number of points for the 7 month window.

 

[katydid74]

Thank you all! We've booked the 1BR at Kidani through Monday hoping we can change to BWV at 7 mos or add on the extra night. We might be bringing the kids and I decided the extra bathroom was worth the chance, especially with early race mornings.

This being my first post here, I've enjoyed reading all the replies. Thank you again!