Marathon Weekend 2016

[Neoflynn]

Bottom line is, I will be at Disney. I will be running the WDW Marathon. The hotel doesn't really matter. When I am on Main Street looking at the castle I won't care one bit which hotel I am sleeping at.

This is how I feel too, we always stay at PoP for our normal Disney trips decided to do AoA for this one just because the suite will be a nice bonus, but I am off the mind that a room is a room when it comes to Disney and would rather spend my money elsewhere. But I get the allure of those nice hotels and being on the monorail would be a bonus for race weekend but I am also a get to the start line super earlier kind of guy anyway so we will probably be on the first bus in the morning and getting back after the marathon ill be to tired to care anyway LOL

 

[Frankster]

I saw a thread that they have not released even December or January for Mama Melrose. Something to do with them not releasing a few HS restaraunts right at 180 for unknown reasons. (fantasmic package changes??, construction???) But they just released Hollywood and Vine not too long ago after a lot of waiting for some. You may have to just stalk it. One of the reasons I just went ahead and did Tonys' in MK.

Oy! Is that why? I thought it might have been maxed out by all the other marathoners. Booked at Via Napoli instead but would rather not change parks.

Speaking of which, I'm concerned that 5:30 may be too late for a pre-marathon dinner, given that transport begins at 3 a.m. Does one usually get seated shortly the ADR scheduled time? Or should I move my reservation up?

 

[cavepig]

Oy! Is that why? I thought it might have been maxed out by all the other marathoners. Booked at Via Napoli instead but would rather not change parks.

Speaking of which, I'm concerned that 5:30 may be too late for a pre-marathon dinner, given that transport begins at 3 a.m. Does one usually get seated shortly the ADR scheduled time? Or should I move my reservation up?

with a 5:30 you should get seated close to that time, but many times if they are really busy it can easily be later that you get seated, 10-15 minutes later maybe. We had a 7:00pm for Garden Grill once and it was more like 8 when we got seated but that was later and characters. Personally I would move it up to 4:45/5:00 if you can just in case as it could be busy with all the marathoners. Sometimes you can even show up a bit early and get seated early if they aren't busy, but premarathon night I would think they'll be booked up.

 

[Frankster]

with a 5:30 you should get seated close to that time, but many times if they are really busy it can easily be later that you get seated, 10-15 minutes later maybe. We had a 7:00pm for Garden Grill once and it was more like 8 when we got seated but that was later and characters. Personally I would move it up to 4:45/5:00 if you can just in case as it could be busy with all the marathoners. Sometimes you can even show up a bit early and get seated early if they aren't busy, but premarathon night I would think they'll be booked up.

Oh, good, 15 minutes isn't that bad. I was concerned about waiting for an hour. Will stalk Mama Melrose.

 

[michigandergirl]

Room reservations booked! We will be there Jan 7-12, staying the first two nights at Pop and the last three nights at Beach Club. Now I have to try to get 3 women to decide on ADR's...

 

[Waiting2goback]

I was just checking park hours for the days I am there. Now I am wondering if I should reconsider my hotel. The latest a park is open while I am there is 10pm. Others it is 8 or 9 depending on the park. What am I going to do after 9 pm? I won't be able to be at Disney and just hang in my room, even though I probably should get some rest. Something about a marathon I'm supposed to run while I'm there or something like that.

 

[rteetz]

Ok so I bought an apple watch last week. I'm an apple geek I couldn't resist. Does anyone have one and do you run with it? I haven't run with it yet just wondering if there are any apps for it. I do have mapmyrun on it which is what I usually use on my phone.

 

[roxymama]

Ok so I bought an apple watch last week. I'm an apple geek I couldn't resist. Does anyone have one and do you run with it? I haven't run with it yet just wondering if there are any apps for it. I do have mapmyrun on it which is what I usually use on my phone.

I do not have an Apple Watch, but I just got the Nike+ running app after a reccomendation from @Neoflynn and on its setting page it has a choice for Apple Watch. I'm guessing that would be similar to mapmyrun though.
I have no review for you, sorry.

 

[rteetz]

I do not have an Apple Watch, but I just got the Nike+ running app after a reccomendation from @Neoflynn and on its setting page it has a choice for Apple Watch. I'm guessing that would be similar to mapmyrun though.
I have no review for you, sorry.

Thanks yeah I have Nike+ on there too but on my phone I just preferred mapmyrun for some reason.

 

[Ariel484]

Question for those of you that got the "In Training" shirts - what did you think of the sizing, specifically with the women's cut? True-to-size? Runs big? Runs small? Thanks!

 

[Kathymford]

Ok so I bought an apple watch last week. I'm an apple geek I couldn't resist. Does anyone have one and do you run with it? I haven't run with it yet just wondering if there are any apps for it. I do have mapmyrun on it which is what I usually use on my phone.

My BF has one and he still uses the same apps he used on his iPhone. We use RunKeeper, very similar to Map My Run. When you are in the app store on the iPhone, it says what apps have watch compatibility and the screen shots will be in there showing you what the apple watch app looks like too. He also really likes the native fitness app (the one that tells you to stand and all the tracking). I'm holding out for version 2, but I can't wait. We are Apple geeks too. We've had iPhones since gen 1!!

 

[Frankster]

The Magical Extras include vouchers for ESPN. Does one need a ticket to ESPN to access the Expo?

 

[rteetz]

The Magical Extras include vouchers for ESPN. Does one need a ticket to ESPN to access the Expo?

Nope it's open to all during expo hours

 

[DOOM1001]

The Magical Extras include vouchers for ESPN. Does one need a ticket to ESPN to access the Expo?

Expo is open for everyone,no admission media of any kind needed.Runners need to pick up their shirts and bib and you have all the çompanies selling their products so they need as many people as possible coming through.

 

[Frankster]

Nope it's open to all during expo hours

Expo is open for everyone,no admission media of any kind needed.Runners need to pick up their shirts and bib and you have all the çompanies selling their products so they need as many people as possible coming through.

Thanks, one fewer reason to get tickets as a package.

 

[Baloo in MI]

Speaking of which, I'm concerned that 5:30 may be too late for a pre-marathon dinner, given that transport begins at 3 a.m. Does one usually get seated shortly the ADR scheduled time? Or should I move my reservation up?

If you can get a slightly earlier reservation, I would recommend it. I only have one year to refer from but last year by the time we were seated and ate, paid, and traveled back to the hotel it was later than i had hoped. I believe we had a 6pm reservtion but it was after 9pm befoer we got back and I still had to prep for the money. 3am comes quick! Have a great race!

 

[derekleigh]

Normally I wouldn't ask this, but seeing as how we're going during Marathon Weekend or possibly the week following, I'd thought this be the best place to ask.

Biergarten Restaurant - How packed or in demand is it just after Marathon Weekend? My MIL wants to get our group of 9 to go there (probably later in the week following marathon weekend) but we've never done ADRs. Thoughts? Hints? I tried to do a trial reservation for July 16th and it seems there aren't any issues for spaces available.

 

[Barca33Runner]

Normally I wouldn't ask this, but seeing as how we're going during Marathon Weekend or possibly the week following, I'd thought this be the best place to ask.

Biergarten Restaurant - How packed or in demand is it just after Marathon Weekend? My MIL wants to get our group of 9 to go there (probably later in the week following marathon weekend) but we've never done ADRs. Thoughts? Hints? I tried to do a trial reservation for July 16th and it seems there aren't any issues for spaces available.

Take this for whatever it's worth, but I haven't found Marathon Weekend and the following week to be more crowded than average. We've been able to walk into virtually any non-character restaurant at Epcot on the Thursday of Marathon Weekend as a group of four. I've done ADRs the week of the races anyway a couple times just because I wanted to be sure of my dining times in light of the races, but they have usually ended up seeming unnecessary when we actually arrived. I have no direct experience with Biergarten (too many great choices/old favorites, I'll get there someday) so sorry I can't be more specific to your request.

With a group of nine showing up without a reservation would probably be a bit dicier than a group of two or four, but I'm not sure making a reservation this far in advance is necessary. I've never done a lot of ADRs and never this far in advance but we have not gravitated toward the character dining experiences which seem to be the ADRs that fill the fastest. My feeling is that you probably have time for your plans to become more concrete before setting up an ADR. Sorry if I have only served to muddy the already cloudy waters.

 

[rteetz]

Normally I wouldn't ask this, but seeing as how we're going during Marathon Weekend or possibly the week following, I'd thought this be the best place to ask.

Biergarten Restaurant - How packed or in demand is it just after Marathon Weekend? My MIL wants to get our group of 9 to go there (probably later in the week following marathon weekend) but we've never done ADRs. Thoughts? Hints? I tried to do a trial reservation for July 16th and it seems there aren't any issues for spaces available.

We went on the day of the 10k last year with a group of five and had no problems getting a reservation. With a larger group I would definitely get a reservation but I don't see it being a hard to get one.

 

[RunDisneyDad]

Normally I wouldn't ask this, but seeing as how we're going during Marathon Weekend or possibly the week following, I'd thought this be the best place to ask.

Biergarten Restaurant - How packed or in demand is it just after Marathon Weekend? My MIL wants to get our group of 9 to go there (probably later in the week following marathon weekend) but we've never done ADRs. Thoughts? Hints? I tried to do a trial reservation for July 16th and it seems there aren't any issues for spaces available.

We were there for Lunch the Tuesday after the Marathon in 2014 and it was not bad at all from a crowd perspective. Food and atmosphere were great too. The only challenge I had was the buffet was on the upper part of the restaurant and we were seated toward the stage, so when I would walk down the stairs from the buffet...whew, my quads were burning! At one point I had a plate in each hand so I couldn't grab onto a rail and I was pretty sure I was going to topple. Luckily I managed to stay upright. Lesson learned, one plate at a time and use the rails as you'll likely be pretty sore.

I just took a look at the Tuesday after the marathon and it appears there are reservations available for 9 for lunch and dinner. Anyway, good food and a great way to spoil yourself after the marathon!