ESPN WWoS Expansion

[rteetz]

Disney has filed a permit for a large 170,000+ square foot building and more parking at the ESPN WWoS. It will be interesting to see what this becomes.

 

[Barca33Runner]

For those hoping the new out and back before entering AK disappears in future Marathon courses...be careful what you wish for.

 

[Keels]

For reals, though - was I the only person who didn't hate WWoS during the Marathon?

 

[Barca33Runner]

For reals, though - was I the only person who didn't hate WWoS during the Marathon?

I don't hate it; I find it mostly funny the way we wind through it and I'm very pragmatic about the fact that 26.2 miles is a lot of course to lay out and the miles have to fit somewhere. It was just funny to me that my immediate thought at seeing the thread title went to new twists and turns for the marathon course rather than curiosity about the new plans.

 

[ANIM8R]

For reals, though - was I the only person who didn't hate WWoS during the Marathon?

Not at all - I really like it. That track feels like walking on a cloud after 19 miles off pavement, I like seeing kids playing on the fields...especially if there's a baseball game being played, and - best of all - one of my meet-up points with the Mrs. is at the stadium!

 

[ZellyB]

For reals, though - was I the only person who didn't hate WWoS during the Marathon?

I really hated it the first year. Like. really. hated. Some of that was also my first marathon combined with ridiculously hot weather. The second year was better although I still didn't like it. The third year it didn't bother me. Maybe just getting used to all the turns and twists helped me out. For me the main reason I hated it the first year is that it felt never-ending. Every time we turned I thought this was surely the time we would head out and...nope. They also REALLY built up how awesome the run through the stadium would be leading up to that first year and it REALLY wasn't very special. So, some of it was my expectations were just too high going in to it the first time.

 

[Keels]

It was my first marathon (duh), but I think what I had in my mind was two things - if I made it to WWoS, I was 1) so close to the safe zone and 2) it was a real opportunity for me to see how much time I had, people behind me, how things were going because I didn't get much of a cushion with my full corral. Also, we stretched a bunch in WWoS (because there were more things to lean on and such), and I REALLY think that helped. I know coming out of WWoS towards the 21-mile marker, I'd know where I stood for the remaining miles to the "safe zone". Of course, when you pop back out on the road and see it's completely empty with volunteers starting to dismantle tents and things, that's pretty disarming. But it was also what I NEEDED to see at that point to keep me going and get my pace up at that point.

If that even makes any sense?

 

[cavepig]

I liked ESPN, even with being sick, it went by actually pretty fast for me this year. I love running on baseball field dirt and the track was a nice change from road. They do huge cheer competitions there, probably needed more room for those or something similar or maybe they are putting in some defy gravity & mega walk climbing place, who knows, but will be interesting to see.

 

[BuckeyeBama]

I hated that part of the course - everything from the point where we exited AK to the point where we entered HS was a blur - as totally unremarkable as any other marathon that I have run. Too many miles without any magic for me.

You can run me anywhere, but I want characters along the way.

 

[RunDisneyDad]

The first time I did the marathon I hated it too, but this past time I actually didn't mind it. I think its because I knew what to expect and could better appreciate that section of the course. It's weird how small the track seems after having just run 17 miles.

 

[SunDial]

Like others hated ESPN the first time. Felt like it went on forever. Still not fond of it. I can see it now. ESPN offering their own 5K, 10K and Half without leaving ESPN.

 

[drummerwife]

Like others hated ESPN the first time. Felt like it went on forever. Still not fond of it. I can see it now. ESPN offering their own 5K, 10K and Half without leaving ESPN.

I wouldn't put it past rD to move the races out there. The best thing about the 5k and 10k distances, is running through Epcot, WS and the boardwalk while they are lit up.

 

[DOOM1001]

For reals, though - was I the only person who didn't hate WWoS during the Marathon?

The WWoS section of the full definitely does not bother me,I like the complex,I like running through the stadium and you do get a good amount of spectators in the stadium and in a few other areas.I think what people really don't like about it is knowing that you're going in at mile 17 and you're not coming out until mile 20,basically its a 5k within the marathon,and seeing the runners coming out as you're going in does not help,but overall I don't mind it.

 

[Mimsy Borogove]

For reals, though - was I the only person who didn't hate WWoS during the Marathon?

I didn't hate it. I heard so much about it beforehand, I think I was just mentally prepared to be in there a while. Plus, it was my second time in WWOS, the first time being for Tower of Terror 10-miler, which was almost the same route but mostly in the dark!

 

[SunDial]

Now I liked the Tower course thru ESPN. It was just the right length. The only part that was tricky was dark dirt path.

 

[Mimsy Borogove]

Maybe. When I went through for TOT, the track was also dark and since I was in a later corral the entirety of WWOS was a congested mess and it was nearly impossible to run. Very frustrating.

During the marathon, On Wisconsin! was playing midway through and as a Badger from birth, it pumped me up and I hardly noticed the remaining distance!

 

[rteetz]

Maybe. When I went through for TOT, the track was also dark and since I was in a later corral the entirety of WWOS was a congested mess and it was nearly impossible to run. Very frustrating.

During the marathon, On Wisconsin! was playing midway through and as a Badger from birth, it pumped me up and I hardly noticed the remaining distance!

Oh my god if I heard On Wisconsin i would have started sprinting lol.

 

[Mimsy Borogove]

Oh my god if I heard On Wisconsin i would have started sprinting lol.

I very nearly did! BRF was like, "what are you doing?!?"

 

[rteetz]

I very nearly did! BRF was like, "what are you doing?!?"

Looks like I need to time it just right during my marathon so I can hear that playing.

 

[pixarmom]

I would not have selected WWOS as a highlight of the course before the marathon, but I ended up loving it only because of the circumstances surrounding that part of my run. My family expected to meet me outside of AK, but were not able to catch a bus from Poly to AK within the timeframe we planned. So half of them went to Epcot to just hang out at the finish (I hear some were on Spaceship Earth) but our middle son and my husband made it out to WWOS! They were cheering at two spots along the WWOS route! So from now on, if they ask for spectating requests, I'd say everyone out to WWOS!