Will the Marathon Disrupt Anything?

[Bill From PA]

We'll be finishing up our Jan. trip the weekend of the Marathon. Is there anything we should avoid doing at any particular time? Where's the Start/Finish lines?

Bill From PA

 

[10nis]

I have never been to WDW during the marathon but am registered to run in 2005 and currently in the heat of training!

The start is at 6am at EPCOT and the full marathon finishes at EPCOT as well. The half marathon finishes in MK parking lot. The course closes at 1pm.

From what I understand, the parks are affected minimally. We run thru MK when it is not open to guests. The half marathon fisnishes after running thru MK. The full marathoners go on to AK, MGM and finally back thru EPCOT via the boardwalk.

I believe driving around WDW the morning of Jan 9th might be a bit tricky d/t road closures, using Disney transportation would probably be a good idea.

Hope this helps.

 

[Stimpy]

I don't know if the route is the same as when we went but we got "stuck" in the Contemporary for the whole morning during the triathalon in Sept 2002. They were using the parking lot for part of the race and we planned on going to AK that day with our rental car. None of the buses could get in or out for quite some time and the traffic was backed up on the road for a long time.

We could have taken the monorail to somewhere else to get there but with a 2 yr old, it would have been a pain. We decided to stay and watch from our balcony. (we were staying in the Tower) It was pretty fun to watch.

 

[Stimpy]

Originally posted by 10nis
I have never been to WDW during the marathon but am registered to run in 2005 and currently in the heat of training!

Good Luck to you!!!!!

 

[Deb & Bill]

Runners have 7 hours to complete the marathon and 3.5 hours to complete the half. So, the MK area should be nearly cleared out by 9:30. They usually swap the EMH park that morning, too, so it probably won't be MK. The full marathon course goes from Epcot to MK to AK to WWoS to DS and back to Epcot.

On Saturday morning, there is a 5K race at Epcot that starts at 7:30 with kids' races beginning about 8:45. These take place mostly in the parking lot with the 5K race going through Epcot.

So the marathon doesn't really disrupt much. But the runners will tell you that the other guests can really disrupt the marathon by walking in front of them as they come through the parks or cross the road ways, etc.

 

[ironz]

Bill...
It shouldn't be too bad, esp. if you are not planning on driving yourself anywhere that morning. I imagine the road closures are more of a disruption than runners in the parks.

As posted above, the race goes through Epcot very very early and is through MK generally by 9 am. Spectators can watch from Main Street without a park ticket, then they have to leave...I don't recall seeing any spectators or park guests in Fantasyland or Frontierland the 3 times I've run the race, but cast members and characters are back there to cheer the runners! yay!

AK is next...the runners come in the back, I think sortof between the savannah and Asia. There are cones to mark off the marathon course, and cast members along the way to help keep park guests off the course. At certain areas, they will probably have "crosswalks" where the CMs help the park guests/spectators get from one side to the other without disrupting the flow of runners. Same goes for MGM and coming back into the World Showcase at Epcot. The actual finish line is outside of Epcot in the parking lot.

From looking at your pic, how about grabbing a Dos Equis in Mexico and cheering on the runners in their final mile?

Have a great trip!

 

[Bill From PA]

ironz,

The Dos Equis idea sounds great. You mean they're not going by 'my' window at the Rose & Crown?

Deb & Bill,

I'm sensitive to race course issues. I used to be a competitive runner myself, topping out at the 20 k distance. My best races were the 'sprints', 5k to 5 miles. When we were forced to change our trip from March to Jan. I flirted with the idea of doing this myself, but the training time just isn't there right now, and if I don't think I can break 4 hours, I'll pass 'til another time.

Bill From PA

 

[ibouncetoo]

You might want to make sure you have PS's for Sat and Sunday dinner. I think it's the influx of DINERS that will impact the rest of the Disney guests! I'm thinking I'll want Boma Sunday night

 

[ironz]

Bill...
I am pretty sure that last year, we came in a back entrance just to the Future World side of the International Gateway...I know we didn't go by Canada...not sure if we went by the pub. All I remember from that point (entering Epcot) is that I kept looking over to Spaceship Earth....all the way around the WS....and it seemed soooo faarrrrr around!! Tried to order a margarita at the Cantina...but went ahead and finished the race and came back for the marg later.

That's cool you're a runner, too. So be sure and cheer on some folks that morning!! Cheer for me, too...though I'll be running the Rock-n-Roll 1/2 marathon in Phoenix that day.

 

[ibouncetoo]

Originally posted by ironz
That's cool you're a runner, too. So be sure and cheer on some folks that morning!! Cheer for me, too...though I'll be running the Rock-n-Roll 1/2 marathon in Phoenix that day.

.............so, could you run by my place and feed the cat? You'll be running with lots of my co-workers Enjoy your visit to Phoenix, hope you get to stay and play for a while.

 

[ironz]

Well...I'd need a key...

Have fun at the WDW race. I'm running in Phoenix mostly as a scouting trip to check out the course for Ironman Arizona, which will be in April.