New Here - Help with Jan 03 please?

[MHThread]

We own a 3BR timeshare in Orlando, so we have never stayed in a Disney Resort. However, Hubby is running the Disney marathon in January. We'd like to stay on site for the convenience of the transportation, but we probably won't do any parks since our 3 yr old will be with us, I will be eight months pregnant and hubby will be storing energy for the run!

Opinions please -- what are the best options? I emailed Dream and they told me the only thing available was AK at $300+ per night. Learning from this board, I also checked Travelocity and found Dolphin/Swan for $162.50 trad/ltd view or $202.50 deluxe/balcony; All Star Movies or Sports for $87 prem room, and Wilderness Lodge for $219. Frankly, we're tempted to try ASMovies for the price, but wondered about transportation. The marathon starts and ends at Epcot, so how long would we be riding a bus? What about pools and other entertainment options for the 2 days we'll have there?

TIA for your help!

Martha

 

[Luv2Roam]

They have special buses for the runners for the marathon. If I recall correctly, the race starts at 6 am. Disney wants the runners there hours earlier than that. I think the last marathon bus stopped running at 4:30 am.
It is very cold there in January waiting for the marathon. Make sure DH is prepared to stand a long time in the cold. I have even heard of runners waiting inside port-a-johns to stay warm before the race started!
CSR has been booked up for some time, from what I understand. That is where the expo is the day before the race.
We will be at ASMo again. We stayed there last time and loved it.

 

[MHThread]

Thanks so much for your input, especially since you've been there during marathon!

Two questions, if you don't mind -- what is the difference between a standard and a premium room? Also, do they close the roads to regular traffic during the race? As I will be SO pregnant and have a 3 yr old with me, I was thinking it might be just as easy to drive from the resort to Epcot parking for the finish. DH reminded me that it might not even be possible. True or not?

Again, thanks for your help!

Martha

 

[Luv2Roam]

DH has said traffic GOING INTO the race is not pretty. (Backed up) But I think a lot of that is because of the busses getting the runners there so early. Standing in the cold isn't the best way to prepare for a long early morning run.
We have been there the past two years for the marathon. (I sleep in. ) Both years have been very cold, for FL even.
Race day 2001, it was warmer here in Omaha than WDW.
The roads the runners are on, to my knowledge, are only partially blocked. (One lane of traffic.) I haven't heard of traffic problems.
I have riden busses to the finish and never saw any traffic issues at all. I have even just spent time riding the monorail, before the parks offically opened. All is quiet from my experiences.
The WORSE thing that I experienced is CSR ran out of hot water because all the runners had gotten up so early and showered.
The standard and premium rooms out of my league. I go for cheap since we spend very little time at the resort. I spend too much on pins to get a more expensive room too!
We had water view at CSR. It was nice, but....

 

[TigrLvsPooh]

If you can afford to stay at one of the Epcot resorts or the Swan/Dolphin then that is what I would recommend. They are a short boat ride and walk away from Epcot. Very convienient for seeing the race.

We were down at WDW for the marathon (father in law was running) and stayed at All Star Music. The bus transportation was not very good on race day and we were very late getting to Epcot. We also had a hard time getting back to All Star because so many runners were staying there. It was just a mess.

 

[Luv2Roam]

Ya never know. We stayed at ASMo last January and WDW bus transportation was great, during our entire stay.
I took a bus to Epcot at about the time I knew DH would finish. It had been raining hard, which I knew would slow down most of the runners. (pelting in the face, windy rain) It was raining/misting when I arrived. And then it continued to rain hard off and on.
DH got sick half way through, but finished. We just got on the bus a went back to ASMo. Never had any bus wait to speak of.
Disney has busses at the finish line special for the runners/family/friends.
I have seen a few times when another bus is due to come back that the line gets long. Luckily we just haven't run into a problem.

For races, DH goes to the thrift store and buys clothes to layer and toss along the way. The first WDW marathon he ran (2001) it was so cold he wore his emergency garbage bag half way through the race. (Something he has only had to to do that one time. And he is VERY tolerant of the cold.)

Just like for anything -- be prepared!