Half Marathon Q

[Uno Mas]

My DH and DS are running the half and we are staying on the Boardwalk - will I be allowed to enter Epcot through the International Gateway to go to the entrance to the park to watch the start? Are there any other viewing areas in Epcot where I can see them come by? I know they run through WS at some point and would love to be able to see them pass through there, but don't know enough about whether I'll be allowed into the park or not at that time. Thanks!

 

[jessily]

I'm not sure if you'd be allowed in the park before it officially opens for the day (usually 9 am I think?). Once the park is open you could walk through the International Gateway to the park entrance and on to the Finish Line. Depending on how fast they run though, they may be at the finish before the park opens. You can take a bus from your resort to the start area.

The half marathon actually doesn't go through the World Showcase. Runners enter toward the front of the park and do a sort of out and back around the giant fountain behind Spaceship Earth. You can watch from there.

We stayed at Dolphin last year and my friend took a bus to the start area (around the start time of the race... I had already been there for a few hrs) and then took the monorail to the MK. He was able to watch me from Main Street, then took the monorail back to Epcot and stood out near where the bus stops are to see us come by again. He then walked from there to the finish line.

 

[windwalker]

They don't let you go through the Epcot area. The best way is to get on the bus with your family and ride over to the staging area with them. Then we they go to the corrals you can get on the monerail and ride to Magic Kingdom to find a place to catch them there. Then you can ride the monerail back to Epcot and see the finish.

This has worked for us to watch friends and no car is involved.

Dave

 

[FireDancer]

The IG is not opened until the park opens so you will have to bus to the parking lot for the start.

For what it is worth the start isn't much to see since it is kind of sequestered off to the side. I would take the monorail to the MK and try to catch them when they are running past the Contemporary. By that time the field is a bit more spread out so you can actually find the runner you are looking for. If you are quick enough (or the runners slow enough) you can then head over to the road between the Poly and GF to catch them a second time before heading back to the finish in time to see them a third time.

One more thing to keep in mind is that if you do enter Epcot with a non parkhopper you will have to make that your Epcot day. I'm sure sometimes that gets overlooked.

 

[Uno Mas]

Thanks for the info - they will both be in the 7:30 - 7:40 minute per mile range for the race. I'm thinking if I wait until the park opens to get to the monorail to MK I might miss them so it sounds like I should take the bus to the Epcot entrance and watch them start, then head to the MK via monorail. Once the parks open I imagine it gets very busy on the monorail with the race fans and the theme park fans. Just as long as I have time to get back on the monorail to Epcot to see the finish, I should be OK.

 

[jmasgat]

Just wanted to add....the 1/2 course DOES go through World Showcase (unless they are changing the course from last year) You enter near UK, turn right and run around the Showcase, then into Future World and out to the parking lot.

Maura

 

[dizneyfan23]

Just wanted to add....the 1/2 course DOES go through World Showcase (unless they are changing the course from last year) You enter near UK, turn right and run around the Showcase, then into Future World and out to the parking lot.

Maura

ah, no the half does NOT go through world showcase. you run through middle between both innoventions buildings, past the fountain towards the world showcase area, but you do a u-turn and head back past Mousegear, past Guest Relations and under Spaceship Earth to the finish. You don't get anywhere near the UK during the half in Jan.

 

[jmasgat]

That's what I get for running too many Disney races....they all start to blur together! I was remembering the last part of the Minnie course...which is the same as the marathon, which does go through WS.

Maura