Question about YC/BC access to Epcot during Marathon

[BrianD]

I have a question for you full marathon vets or those who have stayed at the Yacht or Beach Club the morning of the marathon. I understand the runners will pass along Crescent Lake in front of the YC/BC and then cut left and into Epcot through a Cast Member gate.

My question is, for those guests staying at one of those two resorts, are they able to still enter Epcot through the International Gateway entrance? Or is that entrance cut off by the marathon runners?

We are considering that resort this year, and want to make sure the spectating members of my family would be able to enter Epcot there and walk out through the front of the park to meet me after the finish.

Thanks in advance!

 

[Sandy321]

Yes - they are quite spread out by the time they make it to Epcot its not really too much of a problem!

and in fact some great WISH'ers station themselves out by BC/YC near the Hurricane Hannah to give encouragement and "stuff" to the runners!! Its a good place to "hang out" and cheer!!

We stayed at BC in '08 and are planning to do so again this Jan!!

 

[BrianD]

Great, thanks! So I take it that there is a point where spectators are allowed to cross the course, just as long as there is a gap between runners?

Trying to decide between staying over here and at the Poly. It seems the Poly may provide a few more spectator opportunities, but I also like the idea of just walking back to the YC/BC resort after the race too.

 

[Sandy321]

Yes - I am a slow runner - and during the Half we do run from the road into the parking lot and back thru Epcot up to the World Showcase, turn and go back to the right of the Space Ball - down and around and thru to the stage - Marathon runs thru the IG around World Showcase and down and around -

while I wogged - people were looking for a good place to cross - it didnt bother me in the least.

while I cheered for DH to come thru I sat on a bench - people just wandered by - again, by the time Epcot opens - the runners have thinned out.

Poly vs YC/BC - it would depend on which park you'd rather spend time in - and if you are going to use the monorail - I didnt drive or take the Disney busses that day but I've read the road closures make getting to Epcot or around can be challenging.

The morning of the marathon - I got up and took the bus over to epcot at 5am then took the monorail over to MK - you get there at dark - Casey's is open for "breakfast" (cant remember if I just brought a granola bar or got a bagel!) When the runners came thru, some then took off over to the Polynesian to see them - I went back to Epcot to catch them! (because you are at MK before park opening we were let in w/o a ticket!)

 

[BrianD]

Thank you for all the info! I think we are leaning a bit toward the BC, since we just recently stayed at the Poly, and even though there are more viewing opportunities at the Poly, my wife will have the kids in tow, and I think going from place to place like that with the kids through the crowds of spectators early on race morning may not be too feasible for her. While if we are at the BC, they can just hang out there until later in the morning, since it will be much later before I pass by that resort!

 

[emlutz23]

We stayed at the BCV this past January for the marathon b/c I wanted my kids to have an easy place to see me run by. And my parents didn't have to trek them all over to do it! It's a great area to be in for race day!

 

[Kira G.]

We'll be at the BCV for marathon weekend and it will be our first time there. We are very excited - this was the resort I wanted to stay at for our first trip to WDW 5 years ago but it was too expensive for us at that time, and this year we can finally make it work.

My husband is running the half and I am running the full this year. We are bringing our two youngest kids, and I am hoping that it will be pretty easy for them to cheer us on from there. I appreciate all the tips!

 

[RunningGirl]

What about for the runners? Can you walk to the start (i.e. is the International Gateway open) or do you have to take a bus?

 

[jessily]

You'll have to take a bus to the start. If you have a park ticket, you can walk from the finish line, through Epcot, back to your resort. That's what we did last year (stayed at the Dolphin).

 

[FireDancer]

No one can enter the International Gateway until the park opens so runners can't walk to the start line and spectators can enter to watch until the park opens.

Keep in mind also that if you use your ticket to walk through Epcot to the resort and it is not a parkhopper that day has to be your Epcot day.

I don't have to worry about it because I stay at POP with all the cool kids. Unfortunately that won't be until the 2011 marathon weekend <insert sad trombone>

 

[RunningGirl]

No one can enter the International Gateway until the park opens so runners can't walk to the start line and spectators can enter to watch until the park opens.

Keep in mind also that if you use your ticket to walk through Epcot to the resort and it is not a parkhopper that day has to be your Epcot day.

I don't have to worry about it because I stay at POP with all the cool kids.

Thanks; that's what I was afraid of. We always get parkhoppers, so that isn't an issue. We have stayed at Pop, but last time splurged and stayed at the Poly which was a great place for marathon weekend. Big mistake; now we're spoiled! We are debating what to do this year.