OFFICIAL January 2012 5K, Half Marathon, Marathon, Goofy or Dopey Challenge Thread

[CaptHomer]

What is the latest you could catch a bus and still make it to the race on time?

 

[FFigawi]

What is the latest you could catch a bus and still make it to the race on time?

I suppose if you got lucky, you could get on a bus at 5, get to Epcot 15 minutes later without hitting any traffic, walk straight to your corral and arrive just as it starts. Of course, you'd be nervous the whole way that an ill-timed red light or emergency stop at a porta-potty would cause you to miss everything, but I suppose you could time it that way if you wanted to. Or you could do what everyone else does and get up a little earlier and be more relaxed about things that morning.

Personally, I get in line for a bus at 4 and that has had me at the bag check area at Epcot anywhere between 415 and 505.

 

[CaptHomer]

Personally, I get in line for a bus at 4 and that has had me at the bag check area at Epcot anywhere between 415 and 505.

Thanks for the info from a fellow Texan.

 

[rubato]

I'd recommend staying at SSR because they had all the bus problems this year, and I bet it won't happen there 2 years in a row!

I stayed at POFQ and it was wonderful. I got on the bus at about 3:30 and there was another lined up right behind it. I also had no issues getting back to the resort. There was a bus waiting for me on Saturday and Sunday after the races.

 

[FFigawi]

Thanks for the info from a fellow Texan.

You're welcome!

 

[orlandothebeagle]

I did the 09 Half (and am considering doing the 12 full) and stayed at Port Orleans French Quarter. You are literally across the street from the starting corrals. I'd say if it's in your budget stay at Orleans.
-Joe Kavanagh

So can you just walk?

 

[verticalchaos]

So can you just walk?

Given that the starting corrals are in the backstage area of EPCOT, I don't think the other poster is remembering correctly (unless things have changed dramatically from 2009). We could not even see a resort from the starting area this past year much less being "right across the street". Just take the bus (or monorail) from your resort and chill. It's not that big a deal to do that. You're NOT going to be sleeping anyway.

 

[cewait]

What is the latest you could catch a bus and still make it to the race on time?

Let me add that DIsney says you should be on the bus no later than 4. At some point in time, the busses will stop running since the course is part of the entrance into Epcot.

So can you just walk?

Yes, you could but it is not very safe to do so. You will be walking down Bonnet Creek to the Vacation Club Way intersection in the street. This road becomes a by-pass for those who are trying to avoid the traffic delays associated with the race. They are not looking for a person in the street. The other issue is that you will be crossing a security point. WHile they do not regularly turn everyone around, they have on occasion not allowed anyone past the point, forcing you to return to the resort and take a bus.

You best bet is to take the bus or drive and then enjoy the show

 

[orlandothebeagle]

Given that the starting corrals are in the backstage area of EPCOT, I don't think the other poster is remembering correctly (unless things have changed dramatically from 2009). We could not even see a resort from the starting area this past year much less being "right across the street". Just take the bus (or monorail) from your resort and chill. It's not that big a deal to do that. You're NOT going to be sleeping anyway.

Let me add that DIsney says you should be on the bus no later than 4. At some point in time, the busses will stop running since the course is part of the entrance into Epcot.


Yes, you could but it is not very safe to do so. You will be walking down Bonnet Creek to the Vacation Club Way intersection in the street. This road becomes a by-pass for those who are trying to avoid the traffic delays associated with the race. They are not looking for a person in the street. The other issue is that you will be crossing a security point. WHile they do not regularly turn everyone around, they have on occasion not allowed anyone past the point, forcing you to return to the resort and take a bus.

You best bet is to take the bus or drive and then enjoy the show

Thanks, Ive been on trip advisor trying to find somewhere quiet, I am a terrible sleep and what with the time change I am slightly worried about this, I looke at the mona lisa hotel, it looks nice and lots of reviews say its quiet, normally I would just wear ear plugs but after flying I dont want earache! I might book there and take the car.

 

[GBBTomorrow]

Thanks, Ive been on trip advisor trying to find somewhere quiet, I am a terrible sleep and what with the time change I am slightly worried about this, I looke at the mona lisa hotel, it looks nice and lots of reviews say its quiet, normally I would just wear ear plugs but after flying I dont want earache! I might book there and take the car.

I was worried about sleeping too, so we booked at Saratoga Springs, which is very quiet, when we ran it in 2010. I shouldn't have bothered! I was so incredibly keyed-up that night, I'd be surprised if I slept more than an hour, despite our quiet, peaceful room! It was my first marathon, and I was so on edge I could barely keep from twitching most of the day before and I was awake almost the whole night, trying to convince myself to sleep. Believe it or not, getting up at 3:00, I genuinely did not feel tired at all, and really never felt that lack of sleep. Adrenaline is a beautiful thing!

 

[verticalchaos]

I was worried about sleeping too, so we booked at Saratoga Springs, which is very quiet, when we ran it in 2010. I shouldn't have bothered! I was so incredibly keyed-up that night, I'd be surprised if I slept more than an hour, despite our quiet, peaceful room! It was my first marathon, and I was so on edge I could barely keep from twitching most of the day before and I was awake almost the whole night, trying to convince myself to sleep. Believe it or not, getting up at 3:00, I genuinely did not feel tired at all, and really never felt that lack of sleep. Adrenaline is a beautiful thing!

I agree. You'll be so keyed up noise really won't be an issue. That said, I stayed at All Star Music and even with some of the infamous Brazilian tour groups there, I wasn't bothered at all.

Think about the fact that you'll have to be up even earlier to get in the car and fight through the traffic (put it this way...my sister and my running partner live within 10 minutes of property, they left at 4:15 and my running partner wasn't in the corral until they were just about to send off the first wave) to get there and set before you make any decisions.

There are plenty of places on property that are quiet. And there's no guarantee that a place off-property will be quiet. Some of those can be even louder, especially since they're far more likely to be more in the line of a "regular" motel - meaning not spread out so that the population on any given night will be more concentrated whereas on Disney property - at least in the Values and Moderates (not sure about the other levels) the buildings spread the population out a little.

 

[roomthreeseventeen]

I'm not too worried about sleeping, since I usually sleep through my husband watching TV and my cat climbing on both of us. LOL.

 

[orlandothebeagle]

I dont mind not sleeping but its frustrating listening to lots of c**p going on outside.

 

[WriteDisney]

So I have a trip planned in May and I have a sort of running and Disney related question. I have a half marathon planned (the Maryland Half Marathon in Fulton) about a week or so before our trip to Disney. I wanted to treat myself and hit one of the spas afterwords for a massage. I've been to the Mandara Spa before, but not for a massage. Has anyone been to the Grand Floridian Spa? I've heard good things about the Saratoga but I'm afraid that will be too far out of the way.

 

[verticalchaos]

I dont mind not sleeping but its frustrating listening to lots of c**p going on outside.

Again, no guarantee that an off-property place won't have noise as well. Like I said, even with at least 2 of the infamously noisy Brazilian tour groups at Music, I didn't hear any noise that was of the keep me up type.

 

[rubato]

So I have a trip planned in May and I have a sort of running and Disney related question. I have a half marathon planned (the Maryland Half Marathon in Fulton) about a week or so before our trip to Disney. I wanted to treat myself and hit one of the spas afterwords for a massage. I've been to the Mandara Spa before, but not for a massage. Has anyone been to the Grand Floridian Spa? I've heard good things about the Saratoga but I'm afraid that will be too far out of the way.

The spas at Grand Floridian and Saratoga Springs are run by the same company, I believe. Haven't used either of them, but plan to next time.

 

[orlandothebeagle]

Again, no guarantee that an off-property place won't have noise as well. Like I said, even with at least 2 of the infamously noisy Brazilian tour groups at Music, I didn't hear any noise that was of the keep me up type.

Never any guarantee I know.

 

[IamTrike]

Actually....
While I stay at BWV more often than not, the resort seems to be plagued with bus issues. Saying that, if you get out early then they are not really all that bad. For the most part ALL resorts are really not all that bad. Every year you hear of this resort or that where busses seemed to not run for a while. If that occurs, all you need to do is wait. The race will not start without you, assuming that you are not arriving at the bus stop at 4:40 and you are the only one in line. Mears has an on site coordinator in touch with dispatching located at each resort. So if a snafu occurs then busses will be rerouted.

The Epcot resorts have a great side benefit of a cool-down walk post race. It will require a swipe of a park pass but it's a great way to keep all the parts moving for a mile or so while you cool down.

As stated above, the monorail is a great option. You will be able to sleep in for a bit longer than bus folks. From the Poly you can walk to the TTC - removing the transfer from the equation. Note that while the monorail is a great option, it too can have a long wait on race return. I think I waited for the train for 20+ minutes in 2010.

We stayed at the contemporary for 2011. The monorail was great in the morning. After the race we took the special race buses from the finish area back to the resort. It was closer to walk to them than to the monorail.

 

[CoasterAddict]

The spas at Grand Floridian and Saratoga Springs are run by the same company, I believe. Haven't used either of them, but plan to next time.

Spa at the GF is nice, but not cheap.

 

[orlandothebeagle]

Spa at the GF is nice, but not cheap.

We have this place included in our hotel facilaties. Anybody ever been, looks good and reasonable, Not the grand floridian though

http://www.celebrationfitness.com/