Check in day during marathon!

[kandb]

We will be flying in later on Saturday, Jan. 11th and staying at a hotel close to the airport. Sunday morning, 1/12 (marathon day), we will be taking an uber to our resort (probably an all-stars). We plan on just checking in and going to play miniature golf and then a nice dinner. (Probably going to get a package). Should we not even consider checking in on marathon day, Sunday? We don't need to get there that early but not sure if it will be an unenjoyable day because of traffic/too many people! How late would be have to get there to try and miss the insanity? haha

 

[prncssjas]

Hi there, the marathon starts at 4:30am and is typically a 7 hour time limit to finish--the race usually ends around 12:30pm but there is variance in the road opening/closure times due to location. I don't blame you for asking this question because the traffic and closures do present some pretty big challenges. If you can manage to wait until later in the afternoon, you might be just fine. The RunDisney board on the DIS has a lot more specifics if you need to know more for planning around the closures. Good luck!

 

[GADisneyDad14]

Saturday is 1/10, Sunday is 1/11 - just FYI.

First thing to note, the marathon course for 2026 is not out yet, it won’t be published until closer to the event. Granted the course can change, but in recent years access to the All Stars/World Drive/Osceola Parkway on that “south” end of WDW has not been impacted. The closest it has gotten is just north of there at the BB parking lot and Western Way.

As the PP said, Disney puts out a detailed road closure map in the guide that’s released a few weeks before the event. I usually post it here on the Resorts board for reference.

Personally, while there are some road closures and a few detours needed around property that day, I wouldn’t personally change any plans. Disney’s strong bias in recent years has been to get runD disruptions out of the way as fast as possible (the main reason the marathon start was moved from 5 to 4:30 a few years ago) in favor of regular guests. Again, the course can change (there are some questions as to how AKL or Western Way construction may impact things for 2026) and there can certainly be some pinch points around property that linger into daytime hours given the length of the event, but it’s not all out chaos around and nothing is completely inaccessible.

I’d keep an eye out on the course and road closures map just to be prepared, but otherwise not worry too much about it.

Not sure which mini golf facility you plan to go to, but in recent years the course has gone through the BB parking lot. BB has typically been closed for the day, I’m not sure if Winter Summerland has also been closed or has adjusted hours that day, I’ve never really looked. You could hit some traffic/detours heading to Fantasia Gardens as typically eastbound E Buena Vista drive is closed for runners as they turn into DHS. You can still get to Fantasia Gardens you just have to get to E Buena Vista drive from the east heading west.

Hope that helps.

 

[kandb]

Saturday is 1/10, Sunday is 1/11 - just FYI.

First thing to note, the marathon course for 2026 is not out yet, it won’t be published until closer to the event. Granted the course can change, but in recent years access to the All Stars/World Drive/Osceola Parkway on that “south” end of WDW has not been impacted. The closest it has gotten is just north of there at the BB parking lot and Western Way.

As the PP said, Disney puts out a detailed road closure map in the guide that’s released a few weeks before the event. I usually post it here on the Resorts board for reference.

Personally, while there are some road closures and a few detours needed around property that day, I wouldn’t personally change any plans. Disney’s strong bias in recent years has been to get runD disruptions out of the way as fast as possible (the main reason the marathon start was moved from 5 to 4:30 a few years ago) in favor of regular guests. Again, the course can change (there are some questions as to how AKL or Western Way construction may impact things for 2026) and there can certainly be some pinch points around property that linger into daytime hours given the length of the event, but it’s not all out chaos around and nothing is completely inaccessible.

I’d keep an eye out on the course and road closures map just to be prepared, but otherwise not worry too much about it.

Not sure which mini golf facility you plan to go to, but in recent years the course has gone through the BB parking lot. BB has typically been closed for the day, I’m not sure if Winter Summerland has also been closed or has adjusted hours that day, I’ve never really looked. You could hit some traffic/detours heading to Fantasia Gardens as typically eastbound E Buena Vista drive is closed for runners as they turn into DHS. You can still get to Fantasia Gardens you just have to get to E Buena Vista drive from the east heading west.

Hope that helps.

Thank you for ALL the info. I believe if we book a package with disney which we plan on doing, it gives you free tickets to mini-golf, so we will go to any mini golf course. We plan on Ohana for dinner that night, so will probably go to the most convenient course closest to the Poly!