Marathon Weekend 2016

[michigandergirl]

Our trip is 1/4-1/11 and so far we are staying at VWL. In my heart of hearts I'm hoping to switch to Beach Club for the weekend portion, but I am relying on a waitlist, so I'm sure it's not likely. My ADR day is the day after tomorrow!! Yikes!! We are going with a bunch of nonplanners, so I haven't really haven't done much (not our first rodeo). But I am trying to get BOG for later in the week for 7 people. Fingers crossed!

We haven't made our hotel reservations yet. Are you saying Beach Club is already booked up for Marathon Weekend? We were thinking of staying there, but trying to get 3 grown women to decide on a resort has been difficult.

 

[Kathymford]

We haven't made our hotel reservations yet. Are you saying Beach Club is already booked up for Marathon Weekend? We were thinking of staying there, but trying to get 3 grown women to decide on a resort has been difficult.

The DVC rooms are booked up. I should have been more clear.

 

[Frankster]

Our trip is 1/4-1/11 and so far we are staying at VWL. In my heart of hearts I'm hoping to switch to Beach Club for the weekend portion, but I am relying on a waitlist, so I'm sure it's not likely. My ADR day is the day after tomorrow!! Yikes!! We are going with a bunch of nonplanners, so I haven't really haven't done much (not our first rodeo). But I am trying to get BOG for later in the week for 7 people. Fingers crossed!

I am actually a planner and have spent an absurd amount of research and have not even decided on the actual dates of the trip (this is my first rodeo at WDW), other than it including the marathon date. And now with the ADR dates impending, that's another mountain of planning and research.

 

[Keels]

I just made my first Marathon Week ADR - and I was pretty shocked that BoG had all time slots open for lunch and dinner on Monday the 4th! So, I grabbed an ADR for each meal. Yay! I was sad it looked like I would miss out on BoG when I'm in Orlando for W&D.

 

[SarahDisney]

I just made my first Marathon Week ADR - and I was pretty shocked that BoG had all time slots open for lunch and dinner on Monday the 4th! So, I grabbed an ADR for each meal. Yay! I was sad it looked like I would miss out on BoG when I'm in Orlando for W&D.

Yay! BoG is the best! It's my favorite restaurant in all of Disney ... I'm considering it for my pre-5K dinner (gonna try to nab the ADR when my window opens in 13 hours and we'll decide later). I think it is getting easier to get as time goes on and they open up more meals ... but it's definitely worth it (IMO).

 

[Frankster]

I just made my first Marathon Week ADR - and I was pretty shocked that BoG had all time slots open for lunch and dinner on Monday the 4th! So, I grabbed an ADR for each meal. Yay! I was sad it looked like I would miss out on BoG when I'm in Orlando for W&D.

Obvious newbie question: I take it that Be Our Guest is one of the best restaurants there?

Edited: Posted before seeing SarahDisney's followup above.

 

[SarahDisney]

Obvious newbie question: I take it that Be Our Guest is one of the best restaurants there?

It's my favorite because of the incredible themeing, but it's also the newest restaurant so a lot of people want ADRs just to see what it's all about.

 

[pamster]

@Keels - Yay!!! I'm hoping to snag an early breakfast slot.

My ADR slots open tomorrow (checking in on the 5th), so I've been second-guessing all of my choices today. Also setting my alarm for 2:55 AM since I'm on the west coast

@Frankster - Be Our Guest is themed beautifully; definitely worth checking out. The food was good, too! I tried the potato leek soup and roast beef sandwich.

 

[roxymama]

People who are doing ADRs tomorrow, let us know how it went! I have to sit tight until Friday for my window to open. We aren't going crazy on number of meals since we have a villa with a kitchen and a picky toddler eater, but I'd like to do a couple fun character meals for the kiddo.

 

[Kathymford]

I am actually a planner and have spent an absurd amount of research and have not even decided on the actual dates of the trip (this is my first rodeo at WDW), other than it including the marathon date. And now with the ADR dates impending, that's another mountain of planning and research.

I did soooo much planning on my first WDW trip, so I know where you're coming from. Ideally we didn't want the runs to be at the end of our trip, but my bf is an amputee and he is running his first marathon and thinks there's a pretty good chance he won't want to move after the marathon. LOL. So we are leaving the next day. It works out because the two other couples we are going with have decided on pretty much the same dates.

I just made my first Marathon Week ADR - and I was pretty shocked that BoG had all time slots open for lunch and dinner on Monday the 4th! So, I grabbed an ADR for each meal. Yay! I was sad it looked like I would miss out on BoG when I'm in Orlando for W&D.

I was shocked too. I was able to get a table for 7 at BOG. I couldn't believe it. Maybe there's something to be said for going in January.

@Keels - Yay!!! I'm hoping to snag an early breakfast slot.

My ADR slots open tomorrow (checking in on the 5th), so I've been second-guessing all of my choices today. Also setting my alarm for 2:55 AM since I'm on the west coast

@Frankster - Be Our Guest is themed beautifully; definitely worth checking out. The food was good, too! I tried the potato leek soup and roast beef sandwich.

That was me this morning half asleep on my iPad at 2:55 a.m. trying to not miss the opening bell. LOL. It's ok though, we win when it comes to FP+ reservations. 9 p.m.? No problem!

 

[pamster]

That was me this morning half asleep on my iPad at 2:55 a.m. trying to not miss the opening bell. LOL. It's ok though, we win when it comes to FP+ reservations. 9 p.m.? No problem!

So true!!

People who are doing ADRs tomorrow, let us know how it went! I have to sit tight until Friday for my window to open.

Will report in tomorrow! Since this will be my second trip to WDW, I'm somewhat nervous about being able to book ADRs for the rest of my stay (the +10 part of the 180+10 deal); I've read others' posts about MDE not working properly. Fingers crossed!

 

[SarahDisney]

It's ok though, we win when it comes to FP+ reservations. 9 p.m.? No problem!

Yeah, yeah, yeah, rub it in, why don't you?

I've got my alarm set for 5:30 tomorrow, I figure I'll get out of bed around 5:40ish and wake up my sister ... we're using 2 computers for the ADRs. Hopefully it'll all be done quick and I can be out around 7:30 (it takes me a while to get ready in the morning) for a 5+ mile run. Of course, with my luck, I'll probably have problems and have to call. I'll be glad when it's over.

This is why I don't usually book my trips 180 days in advance - that way have to get up early to make ADRs!

 

[Kathymford]

So true!!



Will report in tomorrow! Since this will be my second trip to WDW, I'm somewhat nervous about being able to book ADRs for the rest of my stay (the +10 part of the 180+10 deal); I've read others' posts about MDE not working properly. Fingers crossed!

I've heard that the +10 doesn't really exist anymore. It was explained on another thread as "through length of stay up to 10 days." And this has been my experience twice now. If you have a split stay, the 2nd part of your stay does not count in your window. I had to make reservations through DVC member services just get my 2nd half reservations done.

 

[pamster]

I've heard that the +10 doesn't really exist anymore. It was explained on another thread as "through length of stay up to 10 days." And this has been my experience twice now. If you have a split stay, the 2nd part of your stay does not count in your window. I had to make reservations through DVC member services just get my 2nd half reservations done.

Thank you for the info! I am splitting my stay, so I'll get to repeat the 2:55 AM alarm on Sunday.

 

[Neoflynn]

We are looking at driving down from Georgia on the 6th and will be returning on the 12th, We are staying at Art of Animation for this trip wich will be a new experience as we have only previously stayed at Pop Century. Our only ADR's are for Crystal Palace the morning after the Marathon, and T-rex for dinner post marathon, I dont think either of those are in danger of filling up to fast though maybe Crystal Palace as we want the 8 am slot, we learned last trip that we don't like having to much time invested in ADRs...we are not really foodies and would rather spend our time doing other things. if I understand the way this works correctly we should be able to book both of those Friday morning correct? We did get a chance to eat at Be Our Guest last trip (thanks to a cancelation, it pays to ask the hostess if you missed an ADR and still want to try to get in) and my wife loved it, Beauty and The Beast is by far her favorite Disney flick and you really cant beat the theming in there plus its the only spot to meet the Beast now.

 

[rteetz]

Obvious newbie question: I take it that Be Our Guest is one of the best restaurants there?

Edited: Posted before seeing SarahDisney's followup above.

The food is good not fantastic but good. Most go because of the theming and experience.

 

[Waiting2goback]

OK, sorry to change the topic but I have a question that I keep forgetting to ask. Last year when I ran the ToT I got a confirmation email when I signed up. In this email I got a link to buy discounted park tickets, I just needed a code word to get access.

My question is, I got the confirmation email for this race but no link this time. Did anyone get the link or do I have to call to buy the tickets? I haven't even booked my room yet as I am trying to decide where to stay. I REALLY want to be on the monorail or possibly at the WL but the price is keeping me from pulling the trigger. I don't plan on being in the room but I hear the transportation to the race is much easier via the monorail. Any opinions?

And I may be crazy but this will be my 4th solo trip and I never do ADR's. You guys have me nervous though, now I feel like I should be.

 

[Ariel484]

@Waiting2goback pretty sure they don't discount tickets for this weekend.

 

[Waiting2goback]

@Waiting2goback pretty sure they don't discount tickets for this weekend.

I was told by a travel provider, when I was considering doing Goofy after is sold out, that they did? That would stink because it was a huge savings.

 

[MelissaN]

This past year I got discounted tickets through Gettravel for Marathon Weekend, and I didn't purchase anything else through them. It worked out pretty well. They gave us the codes for the tickets and we just added them to our Magicbands. The only downside was that they waited until about a couple of weeks before the race weekend to put in their group order of tickets, and we didn't get our ticket codes until then. This made it harder for getting fastpasses.