Help me plan my Marathon weekend trip

[momto3mak]

I have been lurking here for a month or so, but I am now finding myself in need of advice. DH and I signed up for the 2009 WDW 1/2 marathon, and I want to make some reservations. We are DVC members, so we will probably stay at SSR. I would love to leave early Thursday so we could get there in the afternoon, pick up race packets, and enjoy the parks on Friday (don't tell our kids!). DH wants to leave later on Thursday (after work), which means that we won't get there until later in the evening and would pick up race packets early Friday. Will that really screw up our whole day on Friday? I have read about the long lines and am concerned about that.
Also, we will need to leave on Sunday. Is our best bet to leave extremely early on Sunday (so we are out of WDW before the Marathon) or later in the afternoon?

Thanks in advance for you help!
Dana

 

[wtpclc]

I have been lurking here for a month or so, but I am now finding myself in need of advice. DH and I signed up for the 2009 WDW 1/2 marathon, and I want to make some reservations. We are DVC members, so we will probably stay at SSR. I would love to leave early Thursday so we could get there in the afternoon, pick up race packets, and enjoy the parks on Friday (don't tell our kids!). DH wants to leave later on Thursday (after work), which means that we won't get there until later in the evening and would pick up race packets early Friday. Will that really screw up our whole day on Friday? I have read about the long lines and am concerned about that.
Also, we will need to leave on Sunday. Is our best bet to leave extremely early on Sunday (so we are out of WDW before the Marathon) or later in the afternoon?

Thanks in advance for you help!
Dana

I had no problem Friday afternoon gettign my packet. I *think* it was worse in the morning.

To beat the road clusures, you'd have to leave around 5. Yikes! If I were you, I'd stick around, cheer fro the marathon, meet up with some WISHers and leave when teh marathon is finished. The road swill eb clear then.

Yes, this is a selfish plug fo rmore people cheering fro teh full. Cheering can be a great tiem, though, and it's definitely better than sitting in traffic.

 

[lenshanem]

Wow, I didn't even think about traffic and road closures. We have to leave Sunday in the morning to get back home - it will be my DD's 8th birthday.

 

[scoolover]

Not sure about when to leave but if you arrive at the expo 30 minutes before it opens, you won't be there more than 30 or 40 minutes. The line looks daunting outside but inside everyone splits into about 40 lines. I wanted to go on Thursday night this year but our plane was a little late. We just couldn't swing it. Friday was fine for us. If you want to hit the parks commando style, it would obviously be better to go Thurs.

 

[JustSmile]

Thanks for asking these questions. I was wondering the same things.

 

[TnTsParty]

If I am signed up for the full is it crazy to think that anything merchandise wise is going to be available if I can only get to the expo on Saturday?

 

[escape]

Are you sure you want to do the parks the day before the half?

I need all the energy I can get!

 

[wtpclc]

If I am signed up for the full is it crazy to think that anything merchandise wise is going to be available if I can only get to the expo on Saturday?

I have always gone saturday before this year. This year I went Friday adn didn't really notice a diffrence. Unless you have an odd size, I would htink it would be ok.

 

[wdw4us]

We arrived in Disney around 1PM on Thursday. The bus from the Dolphin brought us to WWS at 2:30. We walked right in and picked up our packet, we exited and saw a very long line waiting to get in. Don't forget they do have a lot of neat stuff to buy too!

We didn't do too much the day before the race, we did want to save as much energy as we could. Friday night we ate in MGM so that we were near the hotel and took a stroll back that night. Tucked into bed around 8:30 for the early wakeup the next day.

After the race, we were a bit sore but still managed to get out and about. You may be just fine but it was our first time and we wanted to make sure we were ready.

I would prefer to do the Thursday pickup and that's what were doing next year.

denise

 

[MouseDogMom]

We arrived at our hotel Thursday night around 8:00-8:30. DH and DD did the 5K Friday morning, so we didn't hit the Expo till around 10:30. It was crowded, but the lines weren't too bad and I was able to find the sizes I wanted in everything I liked. I didn't go to all the booths I might have because of the crowds, but that probably saved me money! We did a leisurely day at AK (I insisted on no commando touring) before the WISH meet that afternoon and were in bed by 9:00. Saturday I took a nap after the half while they went on to the parks and I met them there when I got up. We flew out Sunday night around 7:00, so we had plenty of time Sunday to cheer, relax, or tour the parks.

Your plan sounds very similar, so I'd say go for it!

Jackie

 

[ultramickeymouse]

If you or anyone is running the Goofy, it is better to be there Thurs. They rane out of my size in shirts and jackets Fri afternoon in 06 & 07. We were in line at 2:30 on Thurs and got things I wanted. I missed the Goofy hat and a couple of people went to get me one on Fri and they were gone.

 

[momto3mak]

Thanks for all of the replies. I wish that we could stay longer on Sunday to cheer on the marathoners (and maybe get inspired to do that ourselves someday), but I think our babysitters will have had enough by then!