Getting to EPCOT from off-site on Half-Marathon Day

[Keels]

Hey, y'all -

Our EPCOT day is scheduled for the Saturday of the Half-Marathon. Unfortunately, we can't change this.

We're staying with family off-site, so we plan to do rope drop to maximize the park experience.

What's the best solution for avoiding closed roads and the half-marathon to make it to the EPCOT front gate for rope drop?

Would it just be easier to park at the TTC and take the monorail? We plan to stay until park close for Illuminations.

Thanks for all your help!

 

[francie57]

Do you need to be at the front of Epcot for the opening. If it were me I would pay to valet at an Epcot resort and walk in through IG. We were there last year for marathon weekend (going again in Jan.) and some of the roads are closed at late at 10 since the half marathon is from Epcot parking lots towards MK and then back. They run on the main access roads and go through the main entrance to MK and through ticket/transportation. Even through the race starts extremely early there are slow runners/walkers that will take longer to get back. Runners are told if they are staying off site to be in the parking lot for Epcot by 4 a.m. since the roads close at 4 and the buses even stop running from 5 - 9. You could get to Epcot by 4 and then watch all the race stuff going on and see the runners finish since that is basically at the entrance to Epcot. It really is something to see and take part in.

 

[Keels]

Nah - we just wanted to be able to get to Soarin' and TT pretty quickly, and grab FP- (If they're still available when we visit in January).

Didn't think about valet parking at an EPCOT resort. Any suggestions? And is it still $15 like at Contemporary?