2015 WDW Marathon Weekend - Advice needed

[bellrae]

I am starting to turn my head to things like ADRs for Marathon Weekend in Jan, but I am trying to sort out the expo day. Can someone who has done this before offer some insight as to where the expo is held and how far it is from other things?

Many thanks in advance

 

[DOOM1001]

The expo is at the ESPN Wide World of Sports complex.You can drive there or take a bus from all the resorts,the closest ones would be Pop Century and Art of Animation,no more than a 5 minute drive,the furthest ones would be the Magic Kingdom resorts,Poly,Grand Floridian and Contemporary.Furthest from the expo but easiest to get to the races since you can take the monorail from these resorts to Epcot.

 

[goofeygirl]

...and also the buses to and from the expo and to and from the races run very frequently.

I know at the hotel I stay at in the Epcot area, had one bus pull in as the other was leaving.

Its very simple and convenient.

Tho sometimes the staff at the hotel are clueless about buses and races as what happened to me my first time running in a Disney race. I asked the concierge desk about bus schedules for the race and the agent was confused...race? I was like, yeah the race. He didn't know about the race! I asked a front desk agent who said she didn't know but the concierge should...I told her he didn't know there was even a race going on!
I called from my hotel room the operator who didn't know what was going on. Eventually I just wandered around and followed everyone.

But I did write a letter to the hotel suggesting that perhaps the staff should be informed of a race occurring. ESP one that has been occurring every year for two decades!!!!

 

[Figment1990]

Just wanted to add that at both hotels I've stayed at for various races (boardwalk and grand flo) they had a big poster sign in the middle of the lobby with race information and/or signs pointing towards "race transportation." At these to hotels you get the expo bus by the convention center. We prefer to drive to the expo though, especially if DH will drop me off and then park. Makes for less walking when ill already be on my feet a ton that weekend! The first time I ran, we drove to the expo, then to the subway by celebration to get my pre-race dinner (wine and dine at night), and then drove Osceola and the general course so that I could visualize. But we did not have DS w us on that trip.

 

[KatieNIU]

I did the Goofy Challenge this past year and am going back to do Dopey.

We stayed at the Caribbean Beach resort and it was super easy to not only get to the expo but also the race start/finish. I went to the bus stop and they had a huge sign letting people know that was where you caught the bus. They also had someone standing there (at least when I went) helping people out.

After the expo they had tons of volunteers and signs directing people to the correct bus. This was also true after the race.

As crazy as the Disney races can be they do have things pretty well organized and a great system in place to get people to where they need to go.

 

[bumbershoot]

Just wanted to add that at both hotels I've stayed at for various races (boardwalk and grand flo) they had a big poster sign in the middle of the lobby with race information and/or signs pointing towards "race transportation."

Yep. But...sometimes you're so excited to get there you don't even notice those signs until later on. And by "you" I mean "me". For TOT.


I was at SSR for the expo and 5K and then All Star Music for the Half this year, and at SSR there was this one CM at SSR who said they weren't a host resort and there was no transportation. Hmm. Wonder what all those signs were, and what that bus that we totally took was all about? Imagination? Even CMs don't pay attention all the time!

 

[OldSlowGoofyGuy]

Be aware that the expo is not a 5 minute thing like at a 1000 person race. I've never timed it but it seems like it's at least 2 hours (if not longer) including transportation, walking, standing in multiple lines shopping, etc.

 

[mr noodle]

Be aware that the expo is not a 5 minute thing like at a 1000 person race. I've never timed it but it seems like it's at least 2 hours (if not longer) including transportation, walking, standing in multiple lines shopping, etc.

Have done 6 different weekends there for races.

I have stayed onsite for races before and have gotten on the bus, to expo, obtained my packet / shirts, bus back and at resort in about an hour.

I have also just driven there (live about 20 miles away - so driving to ToT / W&D isnt a big deal - just get home late) - form the time I got off of I-4 (onto DIS grounds), to expo, gathered my stuff, out the door and back on I-4 in about 45 minutes.

Depends on your desire of things to do (shop, mingle, etc etc). During Princess weekend, I got my packet, bought shoes from New Balance and was out in an hour.

 

[bumbershoot]

Be aware that the expo is not a 5 minute thing like at a 1000 person race. I've never timed it but it seems like it's at least 2 hours (if not longer) including transportation, walking, standing in multiple lines shopping, etc.

Have done 6 different weekends there for races.

I have stayed onsite for races before and have gotten on the bus, to expo, obtained my packet / shirts, bus back and at resort in about an hour.

I have also just driven there (live about 20 miles away - so driving to ToT / W&D isnt a big deal - just get home late) - form the time I got off of I-4 (onto DIS grounds), to expo, gathered my stuff, out the door and back on I-4 in about 45 minutes.

Depends on your desire of things to do (shop, mingle, etc etc). During Princess weekend, I got my packet, bought shoes from New Balance and was out in an hour.

Oh your username...I now have the voice of Elmo saying it in my head! Make it stop...

From your post, it definitely depends on what you want from the expo!


Although I haven't quite managed it (TOT I was on a time crunch and WDW Half I was sick as a dog), I want to spend ages there. I want to see every vendor, check it all out, really experience it. And especially at the WDW this year (maybe not other years, not sure, this was my first!) there were so many different spots my son and I had to go, to pick up my Half, our 5K, and his Mile bibs and shirts and stuff!

 

[jeanigor]

I have noticed that runDisney has added more signage and CM's helping to direct people (as well as Mears on site dispatchers to improve bus flow) each year. I would second what a previous poster said about runDisney being pretty organized. Although we all have our gripes, they do have things pretty under control (except for inaugural races, lol).

I've driven and taken event buses to the expo. A car trip will take me about half the time as a bus trip, because even though the bus transportation is frequent, it isn't as immediate or as speedy as me driving.

I try to guesstimate how long the expo will take me when I am planning a trip. Then I take that allotted time and multiply it by 1.5. That way, if I am done earlier than expected--bonus. If I take the full increased time, I'm not feeling rushed or like I am behind.