epcot gate crowds on marathon days...

[asktriplets]

hope this isn't a repeat question (did the best i could with a search!)...

i've looked at the race courses and schedules, and i'm wondering if any of you who have been there in the past could tell me what the entrances to epcot look like on race days (especially the international gateway).

the 15k, for example, looks like it starts at 6:15 and goes right past BC/YC and through the intl. gateway...we'll be at BC and were planning on walking into epcot through the gateway. will this be an issue at 8:45? seems like it'd be close if there are people doing 15 min. miles. do they keep the race course closed until a certain time?

thanks ,

 

[Cheshire Figment]

I don't kn ow about the 15K, but for the full mafathon the runners enter Epcot through backstage near World Showplace, go through UK, over the bridge and through France, etc.

Most of the areas have ropes up and Day Guests remain one one side. If there are not ropes, there are CMs there for crowd control.

The most important instruction we were given for race days is that runners have the right of way and we were to block Day Guests if needed to keep them from interfering with the runners.

But it is not a solid stream, and the Guests may cross from one side of the World Showcase Promenade to the other.

 

[GazerBeam]

I was at the main epcot gates on 10/6/2007, and that was a race day. I think it was race for the taste, but I'm not sure.

Anyway, we were there at the open, but we were held for the rope drop near spaceship earth instead of at innoventions plaza.

There were a lot of people there, seemed to be more thin on a non race day, that is strictly anecdotal.

GB

 

[mrsR123]

As much as Disney enjoys the increased off-season revenue that race participants bring, they aren't going to let any of their endurance events block day guests' ability to spend money in the parks.

I've completed the half marathon the past three years and found the parks to be delightfully uncrowded all three years.

 

[Cool-Beans]

The traffic is cut off in certain areas early in the day, so allow maybe 20 extra minutes, depending on from where you start and where you plan to end.

The races make almost no difference crowd-wise. But there is a certain buzz in the air - people talking about their friends/relatives who are running. Later on, you see them wearing their ribbons and such. I really enjoy seeing them walking around because they are kind of like gods to me, having accomplished something I consider almost super-human.

And if you're so inclined, you can stop next to the ropes in the World Showcase and clap for them. It is kind of fun.

You can still easily move about the World Showcase if you don't want any part of the race.

 

[asktriplets]

thanks for the info everyone!