Is it a huge hassle staying at a non host resort for a runDisney run?

[pinkxray]

We will be in Disney for the weekend so that I can run the TOT 10 miler. Honestly, I don't really like any of the host resorts. Does anyone have any experience staying at a non host resort? We will have a car, but I am worried about roads closing. DH and DD would like to come to DHS to see me off and I want to make sure they get there.

Considering SSR or OKW.

 

[ChrisRuns]

Normally I would say that staying at a host resort is a must, but since it's a night race I'd say stay wherever you want and just drive in early in the evening. Good luck!

 

[PrincessRhi]

We stayed at a non-Disney resort for Marathon weekend this past year and it wasn't horrible, but I'm not sure I would do it again for that specific weekend.

I'm an AP holder, so parking was free when we decided to go to the parks and such, so not having shuttles from our hotel for that purpose wasn't an issue.

The down side that makes me reconsider doing it is that (at least for the marathon, not sure about ToT) most roads around Disney are shut down, including the ones to and from MK/Epcot, so as you can imagine traffic can be nasty. We avoided that by following the exact directions runDisney provided, as well as leaving at 3 am when most people weren't boarding buses from their resorts until 4 am at the earliest. We hit no traffic and made it to the starting corral with TONS of extra time, but I would have much rather had the extra two hours of sleep.

 

[fall08CP]

I lived in Orlando (off I-drive near the closer outlets) so I slept at home rather than a hotel. We left aroud 4 and were plenty early. There was traffic going into Epcot, but it wasn't horrific. I'd be more uncomfortable on a bus crowded with strangers!

 

[Qltrgrl2]

One option you could consider is to stay just overnight at a host hotel. That way, you would have the race transportation to the expo and race and then you could move to a property of your choice.

 

[cewait]

No hassles at all with a car. Review the final instructions and note arrival times into the race parking lots. It's not all that bad

 

[guava]

We stayed at the Hilton Bonnet Creek during Marathon weekend last year and I loved it! Drive to the race was very quick. Hotel had lots of perks for the runners. I highly recommend it.

 

[manhattan]

We stayed at the Hilton Bonnet Creek during Marathon weekend last year and I loved it! Drive to the race was very quick. Hotel had lots of perks for the runners. I highly recommend it.

Could you share some of the perks that Bonnet Creek offered? TIA!

 

[guava]

Upon check in we received a complimentary draw string bag with a little towel, headband, power bar and $25 off the spa at the Waldorf Astoria next door. We also got 2 free drink coupons to use at the bar post race. The hotel provides free bus transportation to the venue beginning at 2:30am. The morning of both the half and full they have a nice spread in the lobby from 2:30am until 4:30am. Here's a list of what was included as written on the flyer we got last year: coffee, tea, water, energy bars, muffins, bananas, oranges, apples, granola bars, plain & multi-grain bagels, cream cheese, peanut butter and other condiments. They ran a promotion where if you saw one of the hotel employees out on the course or in the family meet-up area afterward and identified yourself as a hotel guest you got a card for a free appetizer at the bar too. They ran a contest where you if you were the closest to predicting your finish time you won a free weekend stay. The on site restaurants offered special runner's menus the nights before and the coffee/snack shop opened early for spectators the morning of. Finally, balloons/decorations in the lobby and the staff really tried to make the runners feel special. They succeeded as I booked for 2013 as soon as the race dates were released.

 

[Mickey'sfriend]

I stayed at a host resort for the Princess this past year, but my DH and I decided to drive to the 5K and Half anyway. It was easy. We got right into the Epcot parking lot in a matter of minutes with no issues. Leaving was as croweded as it is after Illuminations, so I didn't consider that out of the ordinary.

 

[KigerKat]

My only RunDisney event was EEC, so we didn't have to deal with any road closures so I can't exactly relate. I will tell you that we MUCH prefer our car to get around in over a crowded bus.

If there are road closures to be worried about, then couldn't you drive and park your car at a host hotel and then ride the bus to the event? Yeah, you still have to ride on the bus but then you're not stuck at a resort you're not too keen on staying at. And since you will be staying at a Disney resort, parking would be free, right?

 

[escape]

Upon check in we received a complimentary draw string bag with a little towel, headband, power bar and $25 off the spa at the Waldorf Astoria next door. We also got 2 free drink coupons to use at the bar post race. The hotel provides free bus transportation to the venue beginning at 2:30am. The morning of both the half and full they have a nice spread in the lobby from 2:30am until 4:30am. Here's a list of what was included as written on the flyer we got last year: coffee, tea, water, energy bars, muffins, bananas, oranges, apples, granola bars, plain & multi-grain bagels, cream cheese, peanut butter and other condiments. They ran a promotion where if you saw one of the hotel employees out on the course or in the family meet-up area afterward and identified yourself as a hotel guest you got a card for a free appetizer at the bar too. They ran a contest where you if you were the closest to predicting your finish time you won a free weekend stay. The on site restaurants offered special runner's menus the nights before and the coffee/snack shop opened early for spectators the morning of. Finally, balloons/decorations in the lobby and the staff really tried to make the runners feel special. They succeeded as I booked for 2013 as soon as the race dates were released.

Wow! That sounds great! Do you know if they provide shuttle/bus service back to the hotel after the race?

 

[PrincessRhi]

My only RunDisney event was EEC, so we didn't have to deal with any road closures so I can't exactly relate. I will tell you that we MUCH prefer our car to get around in over a crowded bus.

If there are road closures to be worried about, then couldn't you drive and park your car at a host hotel and then ride the bus to the event? Yeah, you still have to ride on the bus but then you're not stuck at a resort you're not too keen on staying at. And since you will be staying at a Disney resort, parking would be free, right?

While I'm sure a ton of people feel strongly about this for ethical reasons (I've seen many a debate about parking get out of hand here), I would just drive. Why drive to a resort only to wait in line and drive to the start line when you could just do it yourself?

Last year's marathon weekend had bus issues for people who were staying at some host resorts. While I didn't experience it myself, I remember reading about a lot of people who planned on arriving on time, but due to long lines of runners waiting at the hotel for buses, buses being stuck in traffic, buses getting lost, etc., they ended up late for their corrals. Personally, if I had a car and could get places on my own, I would just take my car (and did). This year, I will be staying on property. If I found out I was running late and couldn't catch a bus because a bunch of people who weren't staying at my resort parked there regardless to use transport, it would really piss me off.

 

[FireDancer]

I stayed at the Swan for marathon weekend in 2011. It is not a Disney resort but is still on property and we still got a bus to the expo and race. If you want to stay at a non-Disney resort I would stay at the Swan/Dolphin. Even for the non-marathon weekend events at least one of the Epcot resorts is usually a host hotel so you can walk over and grab the bus.

 

[guava]

Wow! That sounds great! Do you know if they provide shuttle/bus service back to the hotel after the race?

Yep. Transportation was provided back to the hotel for hours after the half and full.

Btw... I apologize to the OP. I misread your question. I believe you were asking more specifically about non host Disney properties related to the TOT 10-miler as opposed to non host non Disney hotels for all Run Disney events.