Marathon Weekend 2026

[KCO5988]

I hope you avoid it! If you do get sick, though, hopefully it's early enough that you'll be recovered by then.

Hopefully so!

Load up on vitamin C!!!

Yes!!

 

[Herding_Cats]

 

[Mr_Incr3dible]

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I've gotten a bib from these guys before. Good charity and good to work with.

 

[jmasgat]

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Running through my head right now….. the intro to ”Nobody but Me” by the Human Beinz (IYKYK). Fortunately, they appear to have sold out.

 

[RuntheMouse]

Don’t tease me Accuweather!!!

 

[bmr1591]

I wish they’d tell us the shoe styles even if they want to hide the designs until week of. It’d be nice to go try them on and see if I even like the feel of the style they pick.

 

[marty3d]

I wish they’d tell us the shoe styles even if they want to hide the designs until week of. It’d be nice to go try them on and see if I even like the feel of the style they pick.

 

[JediKnightXan]

A couple of random transportation questions.

We are staying on site (AoA) and will not have a car. My wife is hoping to make it to the finish area to watch, and I'm GUESSING I'll be finishing around 9:00 so the normal busses from the resort to park will probably not be running to get her there in time. Can she ride the busses that are dropping of runners? I'm assuming not since it sounds like those pick up inside security. Would a Minnie van probably be the best/only option? (Will have a 4 year old so need a car seat, and my understanding is all the Minnie vans carry one).

Getting in later on Wed, so I'm assuming by the time we make it to the hotel it will be to late to get to the expo, so planning on going after Animal Kingdom on Thursday. Would my best bet be to grab a bus to Animal Kingdom lodge and then to the expo from there, or is there a better hotel to go to?

Thank you!

 

[Erika10021]

A couple of random transportation questions.

We are staying on site (AoA) and will not have a car. My wife is hoping to make it to the finish area to watch, and I'm GUESSING I'll be finishing around 9:00 so the normal busses from the resort to park will probably not be running to get her there in time. Can she ride the busses that are dropping of runners? I'm assuming not since it sounds like those pick up inside security. Would a Minnie van probably be the best/only option? (Will have a 4 year old so need a car seat, and my understanding is all the Minnie vans carry one).

Getting in later on Wed, so I'm assuming by the time we make it to the hotel it will be to late to get to the expo, so planning on going after Animal Kingdom on Thursday. Would my best bet be to grab a bus to Animal Kingdom lodge and then to the expo from there, or is there a better hotel to go to?

Thank you!

Your wife and the 4-year-old can absolutely take the race buses that the runners take. But it will be very early in the morning and they will have a long wait. Unless they want to watch you at the Magic Kingdom and then at the finish line. If they want to watch you at MK, they have to take the runner's bus to Epcot and then the monorail to the transportation station and then the monorail to the MK. They will then have plenty of time to get back to Epcot to see you finish.

Epcot opens for early entry at 9:30 so the regular park buses will start around 8:30. It would be cutting it close but they could take a park bus to get there to see you at 9:00

And yes, I'd take the AK bus to the AK lodge and then to the expo. You can always grab the AoA bus back to the hotel. You can bring people with you to the expo too.

Edit to add: I do not believe she can take the bus that is dropping runners off after the races. Such a bus would have to drop her off in the regular bus area and then it would have to head to the area where they pick up the runners after the race. But if it turns out those buses do take people back to Epcot, that would be good to know.

 

[marty3d]

A couple of random transportation questions.

We are staying on site (AoA) and will not have a car. My wife is hoping to make it to the finish area to watch, and I'm GUESSING I'll be finishing around 9:00 so the normal busses from the resort to park will probably not be running to get her there in time. Can she ride the busses that are dropping of runners? I'm assuming not since it sounds like those pick up inside security. Would a Minnie van probably be the best/only option? (Will have a 4 year old so need a car seat, and my understanding is all the Minnie vans carry one).

Getting in later on Wed, so I'm assuming by the time we make it to the hotel it will be to late to get to the expo, so planning on going after Animal Kingdom on Thursday. Would my best bet be to grab a bus to Animal Kingdom lodge and then to the expo from there, or is there a better hotel to go to?

Thank you!

Uber is also an option. You’ll have to go through security after drop off but that was the easiest way for my DW to get to the finish to see us.

 

[The Expert]

I wish they’d tell us the shoe styles even if they want to hide the designs until week of. It’d be nice to go try them on and see if I even like the feel of the style they pick.

Agreed. I run in Brooks, so it would be helpful to me to know if one of my models is going to be in the rD selection ahead of time. But for those who may not be aware, there is a separate Brooks "try on" area at the expo with samples of all their standard styles in all sizes. You can stop there before you get in the purchase line so you know which ones may work for you and which size to order.

 

[princesspirateandrunner]

A couple of random transportation questions.

We are staying on site (AoA) and will not have a car. My wife is hoping to make it to the finish area to watch, and I'm GUESSING I'll be finishing around 9:00 so the normal busses from the resort to park will probably not be running to get her there in time. Can she ride the busses that are dropping of runners? I'm assuming not since it sounds like those pick up inside security. Would a Minnie van probably be the best/only option? (Will have a 4 year old so need a car seat, and my understanding is all the Minnie vans carry one).

Getting in later on Wed, so I'm assuming by the time we make it to the hotel it will be to late to get to the expo, so planning on going after Animal Kingdom on Thursday. Would my best bet be to grab a bus to Animal Kingdom lodge and then to the expo from there, or is there a better hotel to go to?

Thank you!

The race buses dropping off runners will absolutely take them to the finish line. I’ve done it multiple times when spectating from other places, then going to the finish line. You do have to go through security when you get to Epcot.

 

[princesspirateandrunner]

To be clear, the bus drops spectators at the same place the runners are dropped off in the morning, then picks up runners in the finish area. Those are two separate places. They do not drop spectators in the finish area. That means there is a little bit of a walk to get from drop off, to security, to the finish area.

 

[marty3d]

To be clear, the bus drops spectators at the same place the runners are dropped off in the morning, then picks up runners in the finish area. Those are two separate places. They do not drop spectators in the finish area. That means there is a little bit of a walk to get from drop off, to security, to the finish area.

YMMV but we were at Yacht Club last MW and the rD crew at the bus stop were clear that buses would not drop off spectators and they had to take regular Epcot buses or personal transportation to get to the finish. Maybe the cast member was mistaken but DW wasn't going to argue and rather than wait for an Epcot bus took an Uber. This was for the half marathon before park opening (or she would have just walked through Epcot).

 

[princesspirateandrunner]

YMMV but we were at Yacht Club last MW and the rD crew at the bus stop were clear that buses would not drop off spectators and they had to take regular Epcot buses or personal transportation to get to the finish. Maybe the cast member was mistaken but DW wasn't going to argue and rather than wait for an Epcot bus took an Uber. This was for the half marathon before park opening (or she would have just walked through Epcot).

Maybe they’ve changed things. Last year, for marathon day, after seeing DH outside HS, I took the Skyliner to CB, then a race bus to the finish. The year before, I saw DH and DS on the Boardwalk for the marathon, then took the race bus from Boardwalk to the finish. Both times, there were lots of spectators doing the same thing I was. They were doing a loop of resort—Epcot drop off—runner pickup. I guess the best advice is to have a backup plan, just in case. It wouldn’t surprise me to know that there’s not any consistency from year to year.

 

[marty3d]

t wouldn’t surprise me to know that there’s not any consistency from year to year.

Or resort to resort. I also re-read the expo guide on transportation. Like last year there is no mention of transportation to the start for spectators other than this "Athletes and spectators should arrive at EPCOT by 4:00 AM for all races.".

 

[PrincessV]

Unless something’s changed drastically, spectators have always been able - and encouraged - to take race buses. Everybody lands at the same spot and all have to go through security at EP to get to the Start/Finish area. Once in that Start/Finish area, anyone can also board a race bus back to resorts Spectators using race buses are limited to the times those buses run, but I’ve never heard of people needing to prove they’re runners to board a bus. If that has changed it’s a terrible change.

Now, if spectators don’t want to arrive as early as race buses drop off, that’s another story and the choices are park buses when they start running or a car/Uber.

ETA: this is in the Event Guide’s transportation info. Spectators should ahve no problem using race buses.

 

[Dopey 2020]

Less than 3 weeks until MW expo! Last long run/Dopey sim was this weekend. Changed 5/5/10/20 to 5/0/10/15. Getting over early December whatever was going around so I’ve skipped a couple miles this month and decided yesterday to put on ice skates for an hour and a half after the ten miles. Been a minute, lots of fun but that was a whole different workout. Anyways let the taper madness begin… see y’all soon

 

[MissLiss279]

@JediKnightXan

As for getting to the expo from AK, I would take the first resort bus you see, except for MK area resorts - those would probably take you longer.

 

[Zutroy]

Or resort to resort. I also re-read the expo guide on transportation. Like last year there is no mention of transportation to the start for spectators other than this "Athletes and spectators should arrive at EPCOT by 4:00 AM for all races.".

Spectators can absolutely ride the bus from the resorts to Epcot. I’ve done it many times to watch people finish after I went back to shower and change. The bus will drop runners off and people can board. The bus will then go to the Epcot bus loop, and you’ll have to walk back to the finish line/reunion area.

If I remember the bus schedule, it starts at 2 and then ends at 4-ish, and then resumes again around six.