Buses WDW Marathon Weekened 17

[WDWNY]

I thought I saw this when I was registering on runDisney's website but I can't seem to find it now.
What time do we have to get to the race for the 5k? We will be taking the buses. I thought I saw online what time the last bus left.
Also regarding the buses, for the expo it starts at 12 so do the buses leave before then? And from the expo do the buses go to the parks or just back to the resorts? I just realized I might have to move my fast passes for it.

 

[rteetz]

Transportation is provided to and from WDW Host resorts. During Marathon Weekend ALL WDW resorts are considered host resorts, and the Swan and Dolphin and Shades of Green are also considered host resorts. Runners can also drive to and from the races but you must allow yourself enough time before roads start to close for the races.

For the 5K participants must board a bus no later than 4:45AM.
Kids races participants will utilize expo buses as the kids races take place at the ESPN Wide World of Sports.
10K, Half, and Full, participants must board a bus no later than 4 AM. Buses start running at 3 AM.

 

[WDWNY]

For the 5K participants must board a bus no later than 4:45AM.

Thank you! It will sure be a fun morning waking up...

 

[croach]

You could get to a couple of the parks by taking a bus to a resort close by instead of going back to home resort. So for MK you could bus to the Contemporary and walk over. Or Beach Club if you're going to Epcot/MGM. Not sure if that helps you time wise but something to think about.

 

[Nole95]

Here is the 5K info straight from the RD website.

Walt Disney World® 5K

• Bus Transportation
  - 4:00 a.m. – 5:30 a.m. and 7:00 – 9:00 a.m.
• Participants must board transportation no later than 4:45 a.m. in order to make it to their corrals on time.

First 5K corral goes off at 6am.

 

[wilkeliza]

Do not shoot for the last bus. Heck do not even shoot for the middle of the pack bus. It seems every single year a ton of people miss the start of the corral or even the race all together because they get to the buses at the end of when they tell you they are running and the bus doesn't make it. Even above you see the buses run to the start almost an hour after runners are suppose to have already boarded a bus. Also the language says board a bus by 4:45 not get in line to board a bus by 4:45. So if you are a runner make sure you give more then enough time to get to the start.

 

[WhereInFlorida]

Do not shoot for the last bus. Heck do not even shoot for the middle of the pack bus. It seems every single year a ton of people miss the start of the corral or even the race all together because they get to the buses at the end of when they tell you they are running and the bus doesn't make it. Even above you see the buses run to the start almost an hour after runners are suppose to have already boarded a bus. Also the language says board a bus by 4:45 not get in line to board a bus by 4:45. So if you are a runner make sure you give more then enough time to get to the start.

Is this true? I have never heard of anyone (much less tons) missing the race or even a start corral. Have not done a 5k but several halfs/marathons and not run into any issue much less anything that would cause an hour+ bus ride.

 

[wilkeliza]

Is this true? I have never heard of anyone (much less tons) missing the race or even a start corral. Have not done a 5k but several halfs/marathons and not run into any issue much less anything that would cause an hour+ bus ride.

Not sure why you would think I'm lying. I did all 3 Tower of Terror 10 milers, have done 2 Wine and Dine halfs, the Avengers half, two Expedition Everest 5Ks and the Minnie 10K. That doesn't include races I haven't done but had running group members who also took in.

The buses can be a mess. I've never been late for a race because I always shoot for the first bus but I personally know people who ended up in the last corral because they didn't get on a bus in time or were rushing to their corral because they got in line when they should have already been on the bus.

 

[rteetz]

Not sure why you would think I'm lying. I did all 3 Tower of Terror 10 milers, have done 2 Wine and Dine halfs, the Avengers half, two Expedition Everest 5Ks and the Minnie 10K. That doesn't include races I haven't done but had running group members who also took in.

The buses can be a mess. I've never been late for a race because I always shoot for the first bus but I personally know people who ended up in the last corral because they didn't get on a bus in time or were rushing to their corral because they got in line when they should have already been on the bus.

I have heard stories. I've only done two race weekends and I've always shot for the first bus because of those stories.

 

[WhereInFlorida]

Hyperbole on the internet always raises a flag.

 

[Z-Knight]

I've heard people on this board mention the bus driver getting lost - it has happened because these are not necessarily Disney drivers but some contractors and not familiar with Disney, as we'd all expect they'd be. And especially with road closures, etc (mostly for the half marathon and full), they can get lost quite easily.

I always shoot for the EARLY bus - I don't know why people are always so concerned about the "EARLY MORNING" and dreading it. Just get to bed earlier and you'll be fine...heck, even doing Dopey is nothing for me, I'll just go to sleep at 6pm and I'm perfectly fine with four 3:00am wakeups in a row.

 

[DOOM1001]

For the Goofy challenge in 2015 for the half I got on the first bus at 3am and got to the staging area around 3:30am,the problem was that it was windy and cold and I was freezing my heinie for over 2 hours.For the full on Sunday I chose to get on a later bus around 3:40 to stay warmer longer but by getting on a later bus there was also much more traffic.I think we were on Buena Vista drive barely moving for like 40 minutes.Long story short that 3:40 bus got me to the staging area almost at 5am,and after a pottie visit and the 20 minute walk to the corrals I got into my corral with the national anthem being sung.

 

[Baloo in MI]

Last year during Marathon Weekend I got on a later bus from Pop Century (around 4:15am-ish), the bus hit traffic and took longer, lines of people once there took much longer and bag check took forever! I ended up running from the staging area to my corral because I was so late Corral A and B had already gone and C went shortly there after. I was in E; I cut it way too close. It worked out but was very stressful and not how I wanted to start the morning out. On Marathon morning I left earlier, as I remember at about 3:45am-ish and it made a big difference! I was able to get to my corral at a leisure pace and really take in the pre-race atmosphere. Going earlier was really worth it.

 

[wilkeliza]

Hyperbole on the internet always raises a flag.

Clearly by the other stories it wasn't hyperbole.

 

[Keels]

I would make sure to be on a bus at least 45 minutes BEFORE the start of your race, especially Marathon/Princess because the road starts closing 30 minutes before the start of your race since runners go through that area.

Also, if you arrive late, you may not be let into your corral if it has started moving towards the start line. You will, however, be allowed in the next corral to depart.

I drove in to all four WDW Marathon Weekend races this year and all three Princess races, arriving exactly 30 minutes before the race started. I only had issues one day and that was because of an ill-informed cast member at the bus loop. I still was in my corral 15 minutes before the race started.

Honestly, I think some people around these boards like to take the fear-climate level to the ceiling to get people to panic or increase paranoia.

Of the 20 RunDisney races (on both coasts) I've done in the last 16 months, I've never been more than 30 minutes early to the race area, let alone my corral, and have had zero problems.

 

[Keels]

OH! And the race there were issues I was at (Princess 10K) they held the start back and took almost 15 minutes between corrals to make sure people could get to corrals.

 

[JeffW]

I know this isn't really useful to the thread as it relates to busing, but note that monorail is a different situation from buses. After staying at WL for our first marathon weekend, we've stayed at monorail resorts for all subsequent races (3 of them). In my experience, you can walk up to the monorail platform in a resort at 4am and be just fine for the races (have done it for 3 half marathons and 3 full marathons). 5k was a similar story.

 

[ANIM8R]

I've heard people on this board mention the bus driver getting lost - it has happened because these are not necessarily Disney drivers but some contractors and not familiar with Disney, as we'd all expect they'd be. And especially with road closures, etc (mostly for the half marathon and full), they can get lost quite easily.

I always shoot for the EARLY bus - I don't know why people are always so concerned about the "EARLY MORNING" and dreading it. Just get to bed earlier and you'll be fine...heck, even doing Dopey is nothing for me, I'll just go to sleep at 6pm and I'm perfectly fine with four 3:00am wakeups in a row.

I'm one of those that always take the first bus. However, last year - can't remember if it was 10K, Half, or Full - the bus driver DID get lost. From POR, we took a loop around all the Epcot resorts (have never done that in three previous years or running 2 Dopeys and 1 Goofy before that).

My takeaway - NEVER take the first bus!



jk - just providing more 1st hand evidence that, yes, things don't always go as planned!

 

[Anisum]

I would agree on bussing, get the first bus. I was on a bus (the first bus actually) for Princess Half that got lost going from All Star Movies to Epcot. The driver had no clue where he was going and we were lucky enough to get to the transportation center before all the roads closed to start the race. The folks there said that there was no chance of getting to Epcot by road given the timing (I wish I could tell you the exact time we got there but I don't recall) and instead loaded us all on the monorail. We made it to the start as Corral A or B was going off. We wouldn't have made it if we were on a later bus.

 

[cavepig]

I prefer leaving our room 2 hours before to catch the bus, kind of has turned into our go to time. I'm in the better be earlier & safe then maybe late & stressing!

For the Jan 5k & 10k they start moving corrals up pretty early too so when they say be in your corral by 5 or 6 depending on the race they mean it. I know of people at this years January 10k who were at the porta pots chatting and missed A corral leaving so had to join us in B. Also at Wine & Dine this year we moved up at just a little after 5 for the 10k A corral (same course as Jan) and heard of people crabbing they missed their corral. So, while you can delay, I would be cautious as you may miss your corral. If you are a later corral then I guess you could be later I don't know though.