marathon week - where should we stay?

[dumbo_buddy]

hi friends!

i'm going to do the WDW marathon next year and we're going to make a nice long trip out of it! we just purchased more points at BLT (omg, we can't stop ourselves from this addoninitis disease!) so we have a good 300 points to work with for that trip!

we are booked at BCV for two nights then BLT for the remainder - that's just the way our points work for right now.

i'd consider a split stay. it'll be me, DH, DS#1 who will be 3.5 and DS#2 who will be 13 months.

how would YOU plan this trip? all at one resort? which resort? we really have enough points to stay in a 1br pretty much anywhere. where's the best place for marathoner families to start out from to view their runners?

i'm actually thinking of staying the night of the marathon at pop or an all-stars. my kids won't understand being quiet at 7pm when i go to sleep and i don't want to wake them at 2am when i get up!

thanks for your input...dates are 1/10/13-1/20/13

 

[drusba]

Either BCV or BLT is fine. The full marathon on Sunday, which starts at Epcot, actually goes past the Contemporary (about mile 10) and the BC/BCV area (mile 24). The advantage to BLT is that you can take the monorail (begins 3 a.m.) to the starting point; at BCV you have to take a bus (begins 3 a.m.) because you cannot walk through Epcot which is closed. Personally, I would likely do just one resort but there could be an issue getting either at 7 months for the prime marathon nights (Thursday through Sunday night-- most don't leave before Monday) although 1BRs usually go later than anything else.

 

[Breyean]

What we've done the last couple of times is stay at OKW through Sunday (marathon night). I've actually walked to the start from OKW.

Then, Sunday night, we pack up and get ready for our move on Monday. We have our bags picked up and transferred to our second resort (BLT one year, AKV another), go to a park for the day on Monday, and then to our new digs Monday night.

OKW is our home resort, so we book that at 11 months (1 bedroom) and then see what's available for the week after the race at other resorts at the 7 month mark. By Monday, people are checking out, but we are just starting our real vacation, with the races behind us!

 

[busybethie]

Where does the 1/2 marathon start? does the full marathon begin in the same location. we are also planning on staying at OKW. Both DH and I are running the 1/2 and then he is going to do the full marathon on Sunday. He really wants that Goofy medal!

thanks.

Beth

 

[Deb & Bill]

Where does the 1/2 marathon start? does the full marathon begin in the same location. we are also planning on staying at OKW. Both DH and I are running the 1/2 and then he is going to do the full marathon on Sunday. He really wants that Goofy medal!

thanks.

Beth

Both start at the same location, in the parking lot at Epcot. So you can't go through the park to the start. And you need a ticket to enter the park from the finish to get to the Epcot resorts.

 

[busybethie]

How long did it take to walk from OWK to the start for the races?

Beth

 

[Deb & Bill]

How long did it take to walk from OWK to the start for the races?

Beth

We have stayed at OKW several times for the marathon. The last time in 2011, they put out notification not to walk to the start from the resort and to take the bus. My husband and his friend always walked (or I drove them to the corner of Disney Vacation Club Way and Bonnet Creek Parkway and they walked from there) in the past, but that time they took the bus. I don't know what the resort did this year about any kind of notification.

 

[dumbo_buddy]

BLT sounds good for the families since DH and the kiddos could take the monorail to the different viewing areas

 

[Simba's Mom]

Tagging along because we're also facing this dilema-DH is running his first WDW marathon next year. At first we were planning on OKW because he thought he would be able to walk to the starting line. But now, knowing he can't, we're considering AKV. However, OKW always seems so peaceful. We just can't decide.

 

[Breyean]

Tagging along because we're also facing this dilema-DH is running his first WDW marathon next year. At first we were planning on OKW because he thought he would be able to walk to the starting line. But now, knowing he can't, we're considering AKV. However, OKW always seems so peaceful. We just can't decide.

I walked to the start this year. I also walked all the way into the EPCOT staging area for the 1/2 marathon the day before to see my wife and son finish.

I didn't see any notices about not walking; there were others doing it both days with me; we just waved to the security guards who were blocking traffic along the roads and they waved back.

 

[runmommyrun]

I think you are fine staying wherever you want, so long as it is as WDW resort, because I believe transportation is provided from all resorts for the marathon. I definitely would use the transportation provided for the race. There is no way I'd walk at 3 am to the start area from some of the resorts. (But I'm generally a solo runner -- DH stays with kids while I run.). We stayed at Saratoga Springs, mainly because I didn't decide to run the marathon til 3 months before the race and that was the only resort with availability. Nonetheless, we really enjoyed Saratoga Springs and I found the transportation to be a breeze both before and after the race. It is easy and a lot less hassle than driving or walking. Other races, like Wine & Dine, only have select hotels as "host" resorts and only the "host resorts" have transportation. But I think the marathon is different. But no matter where you stay, I'd use the transportation. I recommend calling RunDisney if you have questions. They were helpful when I called for the Wine & Dine. I stupidly didn't realize the monorail wouldn't be running after the race and booked at BLT (home resort) 11 months out.... then when I tried to change to BWV or BCV 5 months before, I was WAY too late... it is Food & Wine Festival, after all! But the people at RunDisney explained to me various options and we did fine with that run, even not being at a "host" resort.

That said, if you have BCV and BLT booked, I think those would be FABULOUS for the marathon. BCV is great because it is the end of the race and a GREAT place to cheer when runners need the most help. (Also your family could wake up at a reasonable hour and still see you run!). And like someone else said, BLT is about the 10 mile mark. It is a good place for your family to see you, but it would be considerably earlier than BCV. Good luck and have fun! It is a great race!