Epcot start/finish lines - walk from OKW??

[nervous1sttimer]

Now that AoA is excluded from the SPD promo for races in early 2014, we're looking at other options for our family of 5. Someone suggested an OKW villa and said you can walk to the start line in about 10 minutes. Is that true? Has anyone here done this before??

 

[cewait]

Yes and yes.

Sorry, I have a habit of filling in details&.

Yes it is possible to walk to the start of the half and full and several folks have done just that. I would suggest not walking through the guard shack/Main entrance, rather exit through the cast member parking area. It is less of a walk along Vacation Club Way, a dark and narrow street. Make a left on the street and follow the lights. You will cross Bonnet Creek and then need to show your bib to pass the road over the canal. The walk to the start only works for the half and full, not the 5 and 10k races.

There are a few negatives to doing this. First, you will not be able to check a bag. Bag check is up in the parking lot and the ¾ mile walk up against the flow of 24000 runners would make it difficult to get to without leaving early. Then if one really left early enough to avoid the masses, it seems like taking the bus or driving would still be a better option.

Post race you cannot walk back, you will need to catch a bus or other transportation back to OKW.

The last negative is that last year Disney started posting warning against walking to the start. I think it an attorney add to the program, but I would hate for a fellow runner to plan on sleeping in a bit, walking to the canal crossover only to be told no passing. Look at the race program when issued in November/December for the paragraph before deciding that you will walk. I think the paragraph was just a means of shifting liability, but you decide.

ADDED - I believe Beach Club Resort has room for 5 in their rooms and at a cheaper price.

 

[goofeygirl]

After doing the RunDisney Marathon for the this and last year...I would really suggest taking the bus. I thought how much better it would be to walk. You can sleep in a bit later, and get a bit warmed up.
But it is VERY dark out there. Lots of cars. I don't know the route anyone would take from OKW but if you were going to walk I would strongly suggest walking there during the daytime and really taking note.

I just think the buses are the safer bet. I know you will be there earlier than you wanted but there is a lot going on in that pre-warm up area...before the half mile journey to the start of the corrals.

I suggest taking the bus.

 

[paxsarah]

Having driven and bused to the start in a variety of RunDisney races, at this point I'm not sure I would factor in the ability to walk to the start line into my lodging decision. I've realized that the morning of a WDW race is simply not the time to try to eke out another 30-60 minutes of sleep. I'd rather go to bed early, get up early, get there early, and run early. And I really like having my own stuff at the end of the race via bag check - a t-shirt to change into, a jacket if bad weather, my preferred protein bar or post-race drink mix - since you'd have to bus back to the resort anyway.

You may still decide that OKW is a good choice for you, but I wouldn't let the potential for walking be my deciding factor.

 

[ahoff]

Two years ago I stayed at BW and had a very bad bus experience. As I walked to the bus stop I saw a bus leave. And that was the last bus for a real long time. Perhaps over an hour. Then several buses showed up at once, and I was fortunate to get on a read DW bus, not the rented coaches. But despite an exciting ride to the start area, we were running late. I literally ran from bus to bag check, and then ran to the start, mostly through the brush on the side of the raod as there were still many people walking. I was in corral A, and basically missed the start, I was still way back when the fireworks went off, and by the time I got there the corral was empty (except for a few stragglers like myself).

Last year I stayed at SSR, and I had friends who stayed at OKW. They had an easy walk, mine was a little further, but I had a nice walk, no traffic, and in fact met up with a few others who were walking. I met my friends and we went to our prospective corrals. I thought it was fine, and I was not checking a bag, and I just took the bus back at the end. This year I am staying at BW, and thinking of walking to start again. Looking at the map it seems to be about the same distance, just a little different route.

 

[paxsarah]

Two years ago I stayed at BW and had a very bad bus experience. As I walked to the bus stop I saw a bus leave. And that was the last bus for a real long time. Perhaps over an hour. Then several buses showed up at once, and I was fortunate to get on a read DW bus, not the rented coaches. But despite an exciting ride to the start area, we were running late. I literally ran from bus to bag check, and then ran to the start, mostly through the brush on the side of the raod as there were still many people walking. I was in corral A, and basically missed the start, I was still way back when the fireworks went off, and by the time I got there the corral was empty (except for a few stragglers like myself).

Last year I stayed at SSR, and I had friends who stayed at OKW. They had an easy walk, mine was a little further, but I had a nice walk, no traffic, and in fact met up with a few others who were walking. I met my friends and we went to our prospective corrals. I thought it was fine, and I was not checking a bag, and I just took the bus back at the end. This year I am staying at BW, and thinking of walking to start again. Looking at the map it seems to be about the same distance, just a little different route.

Boardwalk? How would you go, Buena Vista Drive to Backstage Ln? I would not. Not along that stretch of Buena Vista with no sidewalks.

It's funny, after my earlier post it turns out I've made reservations at POFQ for marathon weekend. Rest assured that the potential for walking did not factor into my decision, lol.

 

[ahoff]

I would walk on Buena Vista right up to either Epcot Center Drive or Bonnett Creek. It is about 2 miles. It was a little shorter from SSR. There is a sidewalk part of the way. There is not that much taffic then, so I am not too concerned. The year of the bus mishap I also was a volunteer for the Full. (I ran the Half that year) I walked from BW to WWoS and did not see much traffic then either.

After the race I will walk back through Epcot to BW.

BTW, when we walked last year, I saw people driving up and being dropped off on Vacation Club Way. And when we met up on Bonnett Creek, no one stopped us or asked why we were there. We just continued on to corrals.

 

[cewait]

I would walk on Buena Vista right up to either Epcot Center Drive or Bonnett Creek. It is about 2 miles. It was a little shorter from SSR. There is a sidewalk part of the way. There is not that much taffic then, so I am not too concerned. The year of the bus mishap I also was a volunteer for the Full. (I ran the Half that year) I walked from BW to WWoS and did not see much traffic then either.

After the race I will walk back through Epcot to BW.

BTW, when we walked last year, I saw people driving up and being dropped off on Vacation Club Way. And when we met up on Bonnett Creek, no one stopped us or asked why we were there. We just continued on to corrals.

There actually is more traffic on Buena Vista. I would agree that the traffic on the OKW and SSR routes is rather light - a lot lighter than 5-7 years ago.

I would urge this as a back up plan - but I know that once a mind is made, a forum opinion will not change it. You have scoped it out - the sidewalk stops at the firehouse (the intersection of victory way and buena vista). All I ask is do not become a statistic. Based on a friends experience, I would suggest making it to Bonnet then turn. It takes all the runners moving to the corrals out of your path.

WalkSafe.

OH - Interesting to know that the check point was not there last year. I will look this year while corralled. I do expect a return to the check point and much tighter than in previous years thanks to the sickos in Boston.

 

[DisneyParrothead]

My party is planning on walking from PO to the start line. We are definitely hoping Disney will still let runners do this.

Since the race program isn't posted, I went back and found the Informational Video from this past marathon weekend. All that is mentioned is guests are strongly encouraged to use the transportation provided. I certainly won't be sleeping in, but at least, if this way is still open to runners, I won't feel like I'm being herded towards the corrals.

 

[nervous1sttimer]

Well, I did book the OKW villa and the potential of walking to the start did play a small part in my decision - but only a small part. I will wait and see if people at the half and full in January have any luck before we decide to walk or bus for the PHM.

 

[miker1251]

In January of this year I stayed at OKW. My son-in-law and I walked to our corrals. There was no traffic on Bonnet Creek Drive as we crossed. After crossing Bonnet Creek we walked by a FHP trooper and several Disney employees. The only thing anybody said was, "Have a good race." I was a little disappointed when I tried to reserve a room at OKW for the race in 2014 and found OKW was not available.

 

[ahoff]

There actually is more traffic on Buena Vista. I would agree that the traffic on the OKW and SSR routes is rather light - a lot lighter than 5-7 years ago.

I would urge this as a back up plan - but I know that once a mind is made, a forum opinion will not change it. You have scoped it out - the sidewalk stops at the firehouse (the intersection of victory way and buena vista). All I ask is do not become a statistic. Based on a friends experience, I would suggest making it to Bonnet then turn. It takes all the runners moving to the corrals out of your path.

WalkSafe.

OH - Interesting to know that the check point was not there last year. I will look this year while corralled. I do expect a return to the check point and much tighter than in previous years thanks to the sickos in Boston.

Some good points, Coach! I did sort of think Bonnet was the better way to go. And there probably would be more traffic on Buena Vista, but I do not mind walking on grass. I imagine security will be a little higher this year.