Disney Marathon Runners...Past and Present and (others who know the course)

[TMM]

Hi All,

Trying to start thinking ahead for the marathon in 2006. Wanted to know which hotels resorts are closest to the Start and Finish lines. Someone mentioned that the Old Key West is the closest to the start. From what I seen on a course map the Start and Finish don't seem too far apart (I have never been to WDW so what do I know?).

Any tips would be really appreciated! TIA!

 

[babybunrab]

I believe the finish is still in the Epcot parking lot. I suppose I might (though this would required walking back through Epcot--though it's good to walk after you finish running such a long way--) stay at the Boardwalk or the Yacht and Beach club. Otherwise, you could stay at the Poly, GF or Contemporary, but you'd have to ride the monorail to TTC and switch (except for the Poly, where you could get off and walk).

Experts should (and will, I'm sure ) correct me if I'm wrong.

Of course, if you run fast and finish early, the bus transport back to hotels isn't too bad if you stay somewhere else. It's if you finish in the middle or the back that you have to wait a long time.

 

[Deb & Bill]

OKW is pretty darn close to the starting line - as the crow flies. Just not as the bus or car drives. You would have to climb over fences, through ditches, etc to walk from OKW. Take a bus.

 

[DisneyMomx7]

My DH is running the DIsney marathon for the first time this January. I'm driving myself nuts about where to stay. We always go in the summer and stay at the GF. I really wanted to try something different since this is a short trip (only 5 days) and my in-laws are coming with us. My plan is to try the WL since I can put one of the kids in my in-laws room, the kids always want to try a room with bunk beds and we would normally have to get a deluxe room. I thought we would be able to take the boat over to MK and use the monorail to watch at the GF (around 1/2 way mark) and then take the monorail to TTC and transfer to the Epcot monorail for the end of the race. The other thoughts were just to stay at the Poly to have walking access to both monorail or if the transportation was a problem wherever you went just to try POR, CBR or even POP since we normally only stay at deluxes (5 in family) and this would give us a chance to experience these resorts. People think I'm a resort snob since we only stay at GF but I'm actually dying to try one of these resorts and this would probably be the only way DH would go for it. He will never leave the GF in the summer except maybe to split a stay with another deluxe. Tell me what you think are the best options since I'm really going into this blindly. I kind of like the "wintry" WL theming since it will be January but maybe I'm playing into that too much in my mind since it will still be Florida's January not NJ's.

 

[TMM]

Hi Robyn,

Thanks for your great response. Their are two problems for me in trying to figure this all out. One is I have never been WDW and just don't have a clue. Secondly, I am a bit picky when it comes to hotels. Straight in I thought we would stay at the GF, but the reviews are so spotty. Then the yacht and Beach Club seemed to be an option. However, at the prices the WDW resorts are asking I rather stay at the Ritz Grande Lakes offsite.

You have a good point about the WL in winter. We will probaly stay 5 days in the park and then move to the Ritz.

Someone mentioned that if I stayed too far from the Start line we might have to get up at 4:00 am to take Disney transport and make the 6:00 am start time.

 

[Gymbomom]

I believe you to be in place in your "pace" group prior to the start time. It isn't like you can show up at 5:30.
Disney resorts are very nice. I can't imagine not liking them.

 

[Debbie]

Yep, you'll be up to get the transport by 4:00. It's very efficient but with the thousands of people running, you need to be on the bus early. We stayed at WL this past January. I loved it! The bus to the race was at the front of the hotel by the doors (not at the bus stop). Coming home, we did have a bit of a wait. I think that I was one of the last people over the mat. But, honest, I didn't mind the wait at all. I was standing still.

 

[Deb & Bill]

Hi Robyn,

Thanks for your great response. Their are two problems for me in trying to figure this all out. One is I have never been WDW and just don't have a clue. Secondly, I am a bit picky when it comes to hotels. Straight in I thought we would stay at the GF, but the reviews are so spotty. Then the yacht and Beach Club seemed to be an option. However, at the prices the WDW resorts are asking I rather stay at the Ritz Grande Lakes offsite.

You have a good point about the WL in winter. We will probaly stay 5 days in the park and then move to the Ritz.

Someone mentioned that if I stayed too far from the Start line we might have to get up at 4:00 am to take Disney transport and make the 6:00 am start time.

There is an immense traffic jam getting into Epcot on the morning of the race. It can take a very long time to get into the parking lot if you drive. So you need to be on the road by 4AM if not before. My son and I got the bus at WL to watch my husband run. We got the bus about 4:45 and we got into Epcot about 5:45. We would have been much too late if we had been runners. You are supposed to be in your corral by 5AM at the latest. I think they suggest that you get your bus at your resort by 3:30 AM.