Disney half marathon 2016 resort

[KingofJapan]

Also posted this at events and competition.......
Plan on running the 2016 half marathon in January. Want to stay at a hotel where the monorail passes through. Will be traveling with my daughter who will be 14 month old at the time of the race. Do any of the hotels on the monorail line allow you to step right outside without walking much and see the race instead of going to one of the parks or the destinated viewing areas. I plan on heading to the start line by myself in the morning, have my wife and daughter see me outside the hotel where we are staying and then meet me at the finish line.

 

[pixarmom]

Yes! We just ran the 5K, half marathon and marathon last month and stayed at Poly. We love Poly in the first place, but the primary reason we selected it for marathon weekend was how amazingly easy it was for spectating the races. I ran the 5K and full marathon and spectated the half. My husband and teens ran the half and spectated the full.

The morning of the half marathon, I did the following:

1) Walked to the TTC (less than 10 min walk) to see our runners;
2) Walked back to our room to deposit the extra clothing they gave us and grab some breakfast to go from the Poly club lounge;
3) Walked to the front entrance of Poly (less than 10 min walk) to see our runners again - signage was great and CMs directed the way;
4) Walked back to TTC and took monorail to Epcot;
5) Saw our runners at the end of the monorail ramp, as they entered Epcot;
6) Walked over to the finish line and saw our runners right before they crossed.

That's four different spots and I was leading my parents and our 8-year-old along the way. It would have been much easier with a tiny one in a stroller, at least in my opinion (our 8-year-old does not walk quickly and he's too big to carry!)

The morning of the marathon, my family did the same at Poly - walked over to TTC to see me, then front of Poly, then they hopped on a bus to WWOS and then met me at the finish.

I should add that we've also stayed at GF and CR and enjoy both of those resorts. For half marathon viewing, CR guests can see their runners once from the front of CR, board the resort the monorail to TTC, then transfer to the Epcot monorail to the finish. GF guests can see their runners once from the front of GF, take the resort monorail to TTC, then transfer to the Epcot monorail to the finish. The advantage of Poly is TWO viewing spots within walking distance (Poly entrance and TTC), and then the direct monorail from TTC to the finish.

 

[Lisa loves Pooh]

Grand Floridian is a good viewing location. The runners exit MK and run by GF on their way back to EPCOT.

 

[KingofJapan]

How soon can you book the resorts like contemporary or the Polynesian. Tried doing it earlier today and January

 

[KingofJapan]

What did you think of the half marathon. Heard there are a lot of walkers if you get stuck in one of the last corrals.

 

[smithcor]

I did the half this year and would definitely say any of the monorail hotels are convenient for spectating as the course wraps right around them all, including through the TTC.

We stayed at AOA and my mom, who was spectating, was able to take the bus to the start line with me and ended up taking the monorail and getting a great spot to watch right in front of the castle in Magic Kingdom. She had time to take the monorail back to Epcot and see me at the finish line too. So even if you're not at a monorail resort, your spectators still have the opportunity to see you at several points with little extra effort.

As far as the race itself, I was in corral J, which was about halfway back? It was a great race as the course was wide for most of it, so it was easy to pass walkers, who were mostly off to the sides. I'm not sure about the last corrals though, but I have heard that once you get to the castle, it's kind of a log jam and you're forced to walk. Not the case for my corral though! If you're a pretty regular runner, you'll be placed in a decent corral and shouldn't have a problem.

 

[pixarmom]

You can book a room-only reservation by phone, but online reservations and packages usually appear over the summer. I ran the full marathon and 5K this year, and the half marathon and 5K during princess half weekend last year. In both cases, I submitted a proof of time for a higher corral placement. (I run a 1:52 half.) So I haven't experienced any crowding or congestion, but many do walk or walk/run in the last corrals. I think my husband and teens submitted a 2:40 half proof of time and their run was more crowded, but those using the run/walk method would pull to the side or signal for walk breaks, so all was well. If you have a proof of time to submit when you register, I highly recommend providing it!

 

[KingofJapan]

You can book a room-only reservation by phone, but online reservations and packages usually appear over the summer. I ran the full marathon and 5K this year, and the half marathon and 5K during princess half weekend last year. In both cases, I submitted a proof of time for a higher corral placement. (I run a 1:52 half.) So I haven't experienced any crowding or congestion, but many do walk or walk/run in the last corrals. I think my husband and teens submitted a 2:40 half proof of time and their run was more crowded, but those using the run/walk method would pull to the side or signal for walk breaks, so all was well. If you have a proof of time to submit when you register, I highly recommend providing it!

My proof times are over a year old. Took the last year off due to baby being born and back injury. Starting to train now. Unfortunately I have a feeling that I will end up in the back even though I have had great times in past races.

 

[Lisa loves Pooh]

What did you think of the half marathon. Heard there are a lot of walkers if you get stuck in one of the last corrals.

Due to congestion because of the volume of runners, my 3 times participating have all involved the first mile or so moving around people. I am not typically in the last corrals and have had proof of time for around 12 minute miles. So I am slow, but was never in the last corral. And--first mile or so has been the same all times for both half and full.

Just spend the first couple of miles at a slower pace working your way around the walkers and folks already on a walk break and then enjoy the negative splits.

If you can get in a 5K (I think half is 5K and full is 10K minimum)any time before proof of time is due, you can use that to move corrals. It has been a few years, but I think if you bring proof of time to expo, they can change your corral. But I don't remember.

I see hear you has a baby and a back injury--sounds familiar as that has been my story in prior races. I found Pilates exceptionally helpful. And if you could use a 5K or 10K that is local but with chip times as a training run, that can count as proof of time. It may not be your ideal time, but it should get you further up on the corrals.

 

[BuckeyeBama]

Your proof of time has to be submitted months in advance now - no changing at the expo allowed any more. If you are just running it for fun, don't worry about the congestion. Relax and take it all in. I am a pretty fast runner but I really take my time at runDisney events, stopping for character photos all over the place (23 different character photos at my last race). It was a lot of fun, but it took more than an hour longer than my typical race.

 

[KingofJapan]

Your proof of time has to be submitted months in advance now - no changing at the expo allowed any more. If you are just running it for fun, don't worry about the congestion. Relax and take it all in. I am a pretty fast runner but I really take my time at runDisney events, stopping for character photos all over the place (23 different character photos at my last race). It was a lot of fun, but it took more than an hour longer than my typical race.

Yea I am not really into taking pictures with characters. I am sure we will be doing plenty of that with my daughter when we go to the parks after the race. I am mostly doing this race as a tune up to the Miami marathon which is a local race for me.

 

[bumbershoot]

What did you think of the half marathon. Heard there are a lot of walkers if you get stuck in one of the last corrals.

Can't stand the course. I've done it twice now. Over it.

There are walkers in every corral for disney races. (they sell packages through Runner's World where you buy yourself an early corral...at the Disneyland Half they had the start on a HUGE screen, and my brother was watching it and said for corral A there were people walking from the very beginning) Further back you go the more there are. If you don't want to be in back, get a good proof of time.

but I have heard that once you get to the castle, it's kind of a log jam and you're forced to walk

Because everyone and their sister are stopping to take pictures of themselves in front of the castle. Because Disney doesn't inform us ahead of time that there are actual photographers you can have your picture taken by, at a better spot, and out of the way of the runners/walkers behind you. If every other person is stopping to take a picture right as they exit the castle, you get to walk through the castle behind all those people.

Unfortunately I have a feeling that I will end up in the back even though I have had great times in past races.

Just in case you raced last year January...

"Proof of time must be provided from a certified race reflecting results after January 1, 2014.

• • Half Marathon - 10K or longer.
  • Full Marathon - 10 Miles or longer"

Get a 10K or longer in with a good time this year.

"If proof of time is not provided by October 6, 2015, data provided is incomplete or cannot be verified, you will be placed in the last start corral.

No changes will be made at the runDisney Health & Fitness Expo."

 

[BuckeyeBama]

Yea I am not really into taking pictures with characters. I am sure we will be doing plenty of that with my daughter when we go to the parks after the race. I am mostly doing this race as a tune up to the Miami marathon which is a local race for me.

If you have a good qualifying time you will be out in front of almost all of the congestion, but there will still be enough that a PR is not a realistic goal. If it is just a warm up race and you are going to treat it like another training race, you should be fine.

 

[KingofJapan]

I was not aware I had until October 6 of this year to do a 10k. That's great since the church across the street from me does a 10k race every sept at night. That will be my qualifying race. Also, how congested are the parks after the race or the whole weekend.

 

[BuckeyeBama]

I was not aware I had until October 6 of this year to do a 10k. That's great since the church across the street from me does a 10k race every sept at night. That will be my qualifying race. Also, how congested are the parks after the race or the whole weekend.

The parks are not bad at all. Low to moderate crowds.

 

[jeanigor]

I was not aware I had until October 6 of this year to do a 10k. That's great since the church across the street from me does a 10k race every sept at night. That will be my qualifying race. Also, how congested are the parks after the race or the whole weekend.

Proof of time needs to be from a race with some sort of chip timing system and whose results are available for verification. Your church or run club's weekly may not meet these qualification.

January crowds are quite light. Rather enjoyable.

 

[KingofJapan]

Proof of time needs to be from a race with some sort of chip timing system and whose results are available for verification. Your church or run club's weekly may not meet these qualification.

January crowds are quite light. Rather enjoyable.

The race is only held at the church. It is sponsored by the police athletic league and they use chip timing. The problem is if they post the results online somewhere.

 

[jeanigor]

You may wish to email them to make sure it is an acceptable proof of time well beforehand as to not get a nasty surprise when you get your waiver and see a corral placement you weren't expecting.