Marathon Weekend 2026

[JackosinDIS]

I stay at monorail resorts for MW, usually the Poly but have done BLT, GF, and Contemporary. It’s buses only for the 5k and 10k, monorail only for the half and full.

Thanks! I’m Team Bus in that case! Can’t wait!

 

[AZMermaid]

This is only my second FL race. We stayed at BWV for Princess 2019 and bussed it. This time we are at Poly. I think I’ll like the monorail but didn’t consider the stairs….

 

[The Expert]

SAFD: I've done all three and it depends on the race and where we are staying. When we stay at BWV I am on the bus, since the car isn't usually parked very close. I enjoy getting the energy going from other runners. From BLT or Poly, I drive for the 5K and 10K and monorail for half and full. My car is usually closer than the bus (especially at Poly) and I like the freedom. I typically leave about the same time as the first bus so the timing isn't all that different. I'm not usually worried about getting lost as we know the road system well (including back roads) and anyone out at that time of day is going to the same place. When in doubt, follow the rest of the traffic and you'll get there.

For those worried about stairs/ramps going back to the monorail resorts, you can take the bus back! They just don't run buses TO the half or full from those resorts. I took the monorail back after my first couple of marathons and didn't actually hate the ramp too much, but it took FOREVER to switch at TTC and get back to the room. This last year, I took the bus back and it saved a ton of time. Just remember to go backward down the bus steps!

 

[AZMermaid]

Ooooh good to know! Thanks!

 

[Zutroy]

This is only my second FL race. We stayed at BWV for Princess 2019 and bussed it. This time we are at Poly. I think I’ll like the monorail but didn’t consider the stairs….

I took this photo after the 2024 marathon on the monorail back to my hotel. The marathon traffic is insane, and being able to zip past it all is why I stay at monorail resorts. Also, staying at the Poly you can get off at the TTC and walk back to your room.

 

[sandam1]

SAFD - As the Queen of the Catastrophic Disney Transportation Failure, I will forever be Team Car. I always stay off-site so that is the primary reason. But even if I did stay on-site, I would still want control over my transportation.

This may be an unpopular opinion, but I feel like, in general (i.e. not necessarily for race mornings), Disney does as little as they feel like they can get away with. IMHO, they could do a better job eliminating long bus lines if they wanted to put the money behind it. (For example, having a cast member with a radio at each bus station who is able to monitor the lines and getting buses re-directed if things start going sideways).

One mode of transportation that I haven't seen anyone mention yet is ride share. I used it for the first time at Princess this year because I didn't book my rental car early enough and apparently there were no cars available anywhere in Orlando. I was nervous about it, but it went really well. I booked it the night before and left myself A LOT of extra time in the morning (I think I scheduled my pick-up about a half an hour earlier than I usually leave when I drive, which is already really generous). My driver was a wonderful single mother who was eager to chat and learn more about what I was doing at Disney at o'dark thirty in the morning. Getting a ride afterwards was a little bit more complicated (the rideshares were getting caught in traffic so it took longer than usual to be picked up), but I would definitely do it again if I needed to.

The road closures just seem so daunting, even though we are pretty familiar with the roads in property. I know I will be a nervous wreck, worrying I will be late to the race, or miss it altogether, because of transportation!

Honestly, I would worry more about bus drivers who aren't familiar with the roads (the race bus drivers aren't usual Disney drivers and are often from out of town) getting lost. The road closures actually show up on Google maps and I've always been automatically routed around them. And as another person mentioned, almost everyone is going to the same place and once you get close to Epcot, it's pretty much follow the cars. Although maybe not too closely - the only time that I got "lost" (really, misdirected) was when I was following one of the electronic Disney boards and it wasn't quite clear where to go (note: Google maps was clear, but I figured Disney knew better) so I followed the cars in front of me. At least five of us took at loop around the Epcot hotel parking lots before coming back to the same road. It was a less than 5 minute detour.

 

[FFigawi]

SAFD: I'm Team Car all the way. I like being able to sleep in as long as possible, and that's a lot easier to do when you're driving yourself than being dependent on a bus. Plus, having a car in the lot gives you someplace comfortable to relax before the race as opposed to having to go sit in the corral for too long.