Drive car or take bus to marathon start?

[MomtoGKC]

A few years ago I did the 1/2 mary. We took the bus and although we had an easy time int he morning we had a terrible time on the way home! Couldn't find the bus, got pointed the wrong way and ended up taking almost every sort of transportation Disney offers by the time we got back to the hotel!

This time I was considering driving even though we're staying on property. How much of a pain is it to drive your own car there?

Also - what time do you realistically get there? I know they say super early, but last time we had SO much time to spare I was thinking about cutting it a little closer this time- maybe try to get there at 5 - 5:15?

Thanks for any advice!!

 

[cewait]

A few years ago I did the 1/2 mary. We took the bus and although we had an easy time int he morning we had a terrible time on the way home! Couldn't find the bus, got pointed the wrong way and ended up taking almost every sort of transportation Disney offers by the time we got back to the hotel!

This time I was considering driving even though we're staying on property. How much of a pain is it to drive your own car there?

Also - what time do you realistically get there? I know they say super early, but last time we had SO much time to spare I was thinking about cutting it a little closer this time- maybe try to get there at 5 - 5:15?

Thanks for any advice!!

Take the bus. You catch the bus from where you are dropped. It's not all that hard...though one year it was not all that clear and I understand go home issues came up.

I've done both taken the bus and driven to the start. I would not differentiate my leave time from the resort. The last bus runs at 4 so you should be on the road at 4. Traffic has backed up on occation even delaying the start one year. Roads close at some point. Disney usually says 5 and I know folks cut the margin. This year I would not cut any margin at all. Rmember the race starts AT 5:40 and we use the only path into the parking lot.


Should you decide to play with the margin, you may be one of the cars we see parked on the roadway waiting to get into Epcot parking lot once the race clears. Its a sad way to spend your race day ---watching the race run by.

 

[scoolover]

I have done both. Both last year as a matter of fact. Honestly, I thought that driving would be a pain but it was not at all. Either way is pretty good. Taking the bus, you don't have to think too much. Driving, you can stay warm longer. It is a coin flip for me.

 

[hockeygirl]

For me..part of the fun of the marathon is getting up and getting on that bus and being around all the runners. It is so fun talking to others and hanging out with the WISH team. I thought about driving to the start since we have a rental car, but I decided both years to take the bus and I am glad I did.

As for afterwards....last year for the half, the busses to go home were not where they dropped us off...they were right next to the family reunion area, it was so easy to hop on one after the race. My DH drives to EPCOT and parks to watch the full, so I ride back with him after the full, but seem to recall the busses being in the same place after the full.

Either way, I think you will be fine, but like I said, part of the experience for me is taking that bus!

 

[MomtoGKC]

Thanks! I still don't know what we'll do - I'll have to talk to my other runners. I do like the idea of staying warm in the car though - looks like it's going to be cold, especially for those of us who live in Florida!!

 

[Duanerice]

I ask that question for the half but always ride the bus. I don't have a choice for the full because my wife brings the car over later in the morning to see me finish. It is also nice having a cooler filled with my favorite beverages in the car after the race.

Duane

 

[Ronda93]

Driving over early and sitting in the car sounds good.

Ronda

 

[Ronda93]

Now I'm talking to myself... back to sitting in the parking lot...

Bags must be checked by 4:30. If I don't want to check a bag I can stay in the cozy confines of my rental until, what, 4:45?

Ronda

 

[JimB.]

I'm paranoid about time. Especially on this weekend. I am pretty much a "first bus in the morning" kinda' guy. For me, driving is out of the question, mostly because I am sweaty & smelly afterwards and would rather pollute a Disney bus (or monorail this year) than my car....................

I would rather be waaaaaaay early than 5 minutes late.

 

[syko]

We are driving in, only because we left it too late to get a hotel room that was not $$$$.

I would much rather have Disney transport me in than having to drive, especially after the traffic lines at the Princess.

 

[cewait]

I'm paranoid about time. Especially on this weekend. I am pretty much a "first bus in the morning" kinda' guy. For me, driving is out of the question, mostly because I am sweaty & smelly afterwards and would rather pollute a Disney bus (or monorail this year) than my car....................

I would rather be waaaaaaay early than 5 minutes late.

THose who know me know I live by the

Better late then never ... but better never late.

Now I'm talking to myself... back to sitting in the parking lot...

Bags must be checked by 4:30. If I don't want to check a bag I can stay in the cozy confines of my rental until, what, 4:45?

Ronda

If you read between my lines you will see that I said I have done both Even though I am on the rail this time I am considering driving.


You do not have to check a bag and you can wait until 30-40 minutes pre-start. Understand that it does take 20 minutes to get to the corrals and the corrals are closed down (or atleast the last couple years) 5-10 minutes pre-race. You could push yourself into a back corral if you cut the margin too tight.

TIPS for Waiting in your car on a cold and blustery day.

- Leave one or two window partially open. Sounds crazy but you do need some acclimation to the cold. If you are in the car dressed for a 35F run and you have the windows up you are starting to sweat. Once you get out of the car you will chill even more than if you had been outside all that time

- DO not set in the car with the heater running. Goes with above

- Do not check a bag -throw your post race stuff in the trunk


Hope this helps

 

[FFigawi]

Now I'm talking to myself... back to sitting in the parking lot...

Bags must be checked by 4:30. If I don't want to check a bag I can stay in the cozy confines of my rental until, what, 4:45?

Ronda

Slightly hijacking this thread, here's a question for Charles and the other Goofy veterans. How firm a time is that 430am time for checking a bag? I would like to keep my hat and gloves on as long as possible, but if 430 is set in stone, I guess I'll have to carry them instead. Thanks!

 

[cewait]

Slightly hijacking this thread, here's a question for Charles and the other Goofy veterans. How firm a time is that 430am time for checking a bag? I would like to keep my hat and gloves on as long as possible, but if 430 is set in stone, I guess I'll have to carry them instead. Thanks!

There is Disney time and what actually happens time. You really should clear the baggage tent by 4:50 -5:00 latest. Checking at that time would have you ready to head the .6 miles to the start and into the corral by 5:30. (By no means would I suggest waiting to the last minute on many things during the weekend but this is one)

I would not be somewhere else assuming they will take a bag at 4:55; rahter in the are watching what's going on. There is less of a line near the end but the corrals are tougher to load into.

A behavior specialist should study corral loading at a race. It's funny. You have the 10% who must be on the front fence regardless of ability. You have the 15% who are not really sure and are hanging on to the back fence just waiting for someone to force them to go. (These are the ones who creat e the loading issue as they also refuse to move very far from the gate.)Then you have the uncommitted who come and go from the corral. They kind of come in, get a view and then leave to do something else; often coming and going several times in a few moments. Finally you have the gate crashers. The ones who must cheat to get into a corral for which they do not belong. You will see them; handong off the one bib that belongs to another person and then anoth and another (usually sorority sister looking); the ones who just jump the fence and the sligh ones who enter the correct corral and then hop forward from corral to corral. IF WE WOULD ALL SAY SOMETHING to those we see doing this it would stop a few. Just a simple I saw that let me get you some help scares them right back to where they came from.

 

[fashionista311]

whenever i've done the half it's been a family affair and my dad has always driven to the start. i know they moved up the start time this year, but when it was 6 am we've left the resort at 4:45 and always are in place in our corrals a half hour or so. none of us have ever found a need to check a bag - we'll just wear old sweatpants and toss them right before the race starts.

just a word of caution though - the first time my dad ran the marathon (it was his first actually.) he completely forgot where the car was parked. i was really young to remember how exactly it got resolved, but i think it involved him and the rest of us pacing around the parking lot for hours and waiting until most of the cars cleared out. now 10 years later, he always writes the spot down on a scrap piece of paper and tucks it safely inside a pocket. i would advise anyone driving to do the same!

 

[syko]

I'm a loading issue!!!!
I like being at the back of the corral.

I just can't deal with the people who insist on being at the front. (I had a guy at PB who was going nuts because he had a girl infront of him.)

We all have chips on so you can start at the end and still beat them......and I like the challenge of having to catch them.

 

[cewait]

whenever i've done the half it's been a family affair and my dad has always driven to the start. i know they moved up the start time this year, but when it was 6 am we've left the resort at 4:45 and always are in place in our corrals a half hour or so. none of us have ever found a need to check a bag - we'll just wear old sweatpants and toss them right before the race starts.

just a word of caution though - the first time my dad ran the marathon (it was his first actually.) he completely forgot where the car was parked. i was really young to remember how exactly it got resolved, but i think it involved him and the rest of us pacing around the parking lot for hours and waiting until most of the cars cleared out. now 10 years later, he always writes the spot down on a scrap piece of paper and tucks it safely inside a pocket. i would advise anyone driving to do the same!

I read about late arrivals every year. I don't doubt that it happens and applaud the ability to slice things thinly. But as a moderater on another forum and a contributer to others I can't be responsible for sayng that really works well. I would offer that while Disney says be on the road by 4 if you push the time a bit you will still be fine. But if I offered up that I know you can leave at a time other than the one DIsney says and a casual reader gets lost, has a flat or otherwise leaves so late that Epcot Dr closes before they get into the lot they will be a little unhappy with Charles. I will offer places where I know you can cut time like baggage check but I will qualify that with a be in the area so you can see if they shut it down for some reason.

I do like you idea of marking the car location. I too have been lost. The years I drive I do walk to the gathering area then look at light standards and where the entry get is and then walk back to the car to see where it is. BTW, if you get there early it is REALLY easy to find your car! Can you say Front Row?

 

[MomtoGKC]

Now I have too much to think about! I just wanted to get in the car (All Star Music) at 4:45 and be in the corral at 5:20! That isn't too much to ask, is it?!