Where to drive to watch the 2nd half of the marathon without park tix

[TooncesTDC]

I'm looking for locations to catch my DW for the 2nd leg of the marathon. We will have a car, parking passes, but no park tickets that day. She is a back of the pack runner (19 min/mile), so driving time isn't an issue as much as road access. So, which of these areas are accessible to get in and out of to cheer her on:

• Animal Kingdom Parking lot (will we be able to get back out?)
• Osceola Parkway (either at along the road or at the turnaround)
• Swan Parking Lot (to cross over to Mile 22 corner of Epcot Resorts and Buena Vista)
• Boardwalk or Swan Lot (to watch the run between the Studios and Epcot)
• Finish

What route would you take? We will start from a car near the Marathon Relay area at the MK parking lots.

 

[flatlandcycle]

• Animal Kingdom Parking lot (will we be able to get back out?)
  If you are going to AK take regular transportation but it is notoriously slow. Driving out of the AK park may be blocked until the course is cleared, single lane out very slow.
• Osceola Parkway (either at along the road or at the turnaround)**There are no good parking places here, you are likely to be towed and/or arrested here.
• Swan Parking Lot (to cross over to Mile 22 corner of Epcot Resorts and Buena Vista)**this corner area is very busy with race officials first aid. You may not be allowed here.
• Boardwalk or Swan Lot (to watch the run between the Studios and Epcot)
  This area my be full, even the overflow lot across from the Boardwalk Convention area may be full.
• Finish This will be OK. All roads into Epcot are blocked between 5:00 a.m.and 7:00 a.m.

You are free to use the special marathon transportation, and Monorails as a spectator. You can get marathon buses to Boardwalk, Yacht and Beach. If you are set on driving and want to park near Studios just park at the Studios, you have a parking pass right? The walkway between Studios and Yacht Club and Epcot is part of the course. Later in the morning the water shuttles should be running. It will be tight if you see her at Studios; you may not see her finish.

The spectator tool is pretty good, you can put in her times and get good recommendations for viewing:
http://espnwwos.disney.go.com/events/rundisney/spectator-tool

Hopefully she isn't really at 19 min/mile pace. She will long have been swept if this is the case.

 

[cewait]

• Animal Kingdom Parking lot (will we be able to get back out?)
  If you are going to AK take official transportation, AK Marathon transportation is notoriously slow. Driving out of the AK park may be blocked until the course is cleared.
• Osceola Parkway (either at along the road or at the turnaround)**There are no good parking places here, you are likely to be towed and/or arrested here.
• Swan Parking Lot (to cross over to Mile 22 corner of Epcot Resorts and Buena Vista)**this corner area is very busy with race officials first aid. You may not be allowed here.
• Boardwalk or Swan Lot (to watch the run between the Studios and Epcot)
  This area my be full, even the overflow lot across from the Boardwalk Convention area may be full.
• Finish This will be OK. All roads into Epcot are blocked between 5:00 a.m.and 7:00 a.m.

You are free to use the special marathon transportation, and Monorails as a spectator. You can get marathon buses to Boardwalk, Yacht and Beach. If you are set on driving and want to park near Studios just park at the Studios, you have a parking pass right? The walkway between Studios and Yacht Club and Epcot is part of the course. Later in the morning the water shuttles should be running. It will be tight if you see her at Studios; you may not see her finish.

The spectator tool is pretty good, you can put in her times and get good recommendations for viewing:
http://espnwwos.disney.go.com/events/rundisney/spectator-tool

Hopefully she isn't really at 19 min/mile pace. She will long have been swept if this is the case.

First - the back half of the marathon is really just a pick out one place and enjoy the race venue. It is nearly impossible to see folks in more than one location. Sorry, but the lay of the land and the race course just do not allow more than one easy viewing location

Not sure I understand the difference between AK regular and marathon transportation.... The only transportation to AK park is regular park transportation. Regardless - the bottom line information is dead on. Getting into the AK area is relatively easy... getting out can take quite a while. There is only one of three lanes coming out of the AK/AKL area open to traffic and it is forced to exit at Buena Vista. This intersection is the issue.

Do not think of asking along Osceola, please. Again, we have the roads messed up and parking along the roadway is a safety hazard

I would pick a place along the Yacht/Beach, at the entrance to DHS or the entrance to AK and just stick at one of these locations.

 

[TooncesTDC]

I'm running the first half in about 2 hours. She will have plenty of time for the second half.

 

[flatlandcycle]

Not sure I understand the difference between AK regular and marathon transportation.... The only transportation to AK park is regular park transportation. Regardless - the bottom line information is dead on.

Good catch! I know that. It should be correct now.

 

[TooncesTDC]

First - the back half of the marathon is really just a pick out one place and enjoy the race venue. It is nearly impossible to see folks in more than one location. Sorry, but the lay of the land and the race course just do not allow more than one easy viewing location

Not sure I understand the difference between AK regular and marathon transportation.... The only transportation to AK park is regular park transportation. Regardless - the bottom line information is dead on. Getting into the AK area is relatively easy... getting out can take quite a while. There is only one of three lanes coming out of the AK/AKL area open to traffic and it is forced to exit at Buena Vista. This intersection is the issue.

Do not think of asking along Osceola, please. Again, we have the roads messed up and parking along the roadway is a safety hazard

I would pick a place along the Yacht/Beach, at the entrance to DHS or the entrance to AK and just stick at one of these locations.

Thank you for all of this. As this is her first race, we are trying to show her as much support as we possibly can. So a couple of questions:

1) If we were to go to the AK parking lot, it looks like we would have 2:15 after seeing her to get to Yacht/Beach or 3:00 to get to the finish. I can see from this map that getting out of AK and through Buena Vista would be crazy, but do you think it is over 90 minutes crazy? After all, my family will really not have much else to do that morning than sit in traffic. Will there actually be a way out of the parking lot, though? It looks like runners occupy the main exit road.

2) It occurred to me that getting out of the MK parking lot (or Wilderness Lodge lot) to Vista Boulevard might be our first challenge. Will they have a lane open against traffic for cars in either location to get there?

 

[TooncesTDC]

Actually, it looks like, we will follow your suggestions and just go right to the finish.

 

[flatlandcycle]

Actually, it looks like, we will follow your suggestions and just go right to the finish.

Sorry you couldn't dial this in. I really banged my head against the wall on this and kept coming up with scenarios where you couldn't free your car from parking. All traffic must come in from the south, because of the course.