Question about Marathon 2009

[2disneygirls]

DH is running the full marathon for the first time this year! We are, of course, making a family vacation out of it and I have a couple of questions I hope someone can help me with.

I can find NO spectator information on the "official" website.....can anyone give me a general idea of what works best for spectating (is that a real word??) at Disney?

I looked at the course map and it looks like it starts & finishes in Epcot, am I correct? That may make a difference to us since we don't plan to buy park hopper tickets.

TIA!

 

[angietuck2]

Welcome and you are going to have an amazing time. Yes the start and finish is at Epcot, but in the parking lot so you do not need tickets. There are many, many places you can "spectate". A good place is the ticket and transportation center for MK another place is the parking lot at AK. There are places in the parks, but if you are not going to buy tickets you don't want those. If you are staying on Disney property you can use their busses to get from place to place, for example from AK parking lot which is about mile 17 to Epcot parking lot for the finish. Or you can take monorail from ticket and trans center to Epcot.

When we went to see DH last year we went to Ticket and TRans center then walked across parking lot where they run by in front of Poly then took monorail to Epcot parking lot. I hope this helps a little and I am sure many other people will have suggestions.

 

[wtpclc]

My family starts at EPcot wher tehy see ~mile 1 and mile 4. Then, tehy monoroail to MK where they see mile 10.5. We ar eslow, so tehy can get to see us again at teh Poly. ~ mile 12.

From there, it's ahrder to get to teh other no tic needed spot (AK parking lot, near WWoS, boardwalk area). SO, they treat themselves to breakfast at GF and tehn head to the finish at Epcot. They travel a long way to watch dh and I and I love that they give themselves a treat int eh middle.

Your dh will bet a book this fall that will have more spectator info in it. Before teh race, have him let you know time ranges for when he will be at what spot. That will help alot. Good luck to dh!

 

[10nis]

I saved this link from last years information book....it still works for me?? Page 32-33 has the Disney suggestions for spectators. I believe the course is unchanged so this information should be the same for 2009.

Due to a past experience w/ my family trying to spectate, I always say to use the monorail and avoid the bus - most importantly between 530a and 700a - this is when they suspend race day bus transporation d/t race start and road closures.

Ticket and transporation center is a FUN place to spectate

http://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/disney/wdwmarathon08/index.php?startpage=18

 

[Shelly D.]

Hi there!
My DH is also running this marathon for the first time and we're planning to bring the kids (they'll be 2 & 6). I have found wonderful info on this site (I have tons of questions!), and also another called www.disneyrunning.com.

Best of luck to your DH!

 

[mkymsehi]

You can get the spectator map at the expo. It has a rough time schedule on where runners will be according to their pace. There's a map in the participant's guide book.

Cheer locations: EPCOT's monorail station, the Transportation center, the Grand Floridian, Animal Kingdom parking lot, the walkway between Hollywood Studios and the Boardwalk hotel area, and of course the finish line.

If you have theme park tickets, then Main Street USA, Animal Kingdom, Hollywood Studios, and EPCOT all have viewing areas.

If you really have the funds, they sell bleacher seats near the finish line. Personally, I think it's not worth it.

 

[skfulkers]

Hi there!
... and also another called www.disneyrunning.com....

Oh, don't use that site for info. It's run by some strange guy sporting a Goofy hat--and that's only the beginning of the depths of the weirdness oozing from that man. Kidding (Robert, you're the best!).

I also agree, Robert's site is awesome. I actually found it a few years ago before I knew him, and I was amazed at the amount of info on there. And he has a ton more now than when I found it. If you want any info on Disney running, he is THE authority.

Steve

 

[jessily]

Another vote for disneyrunning here. Such a great site with a wealth of information!