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Disney MArathon 2016
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Hi All,
I was just wondering if anyone has done the Disney marathon in the past or is planning on doing it in 2016...
I'm planning on putting an entry in for 2016 and just wondered where people stayed and what they thought of the event...
http://www.rundisney.com/disneyworld-marathon/
Thanks
Adam
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I did the Marathon as part of the Inaugural Dopey Challenge in 2014, and really enjoyed myself. Not planning to do it again until 2018 (Dopey's 5th anniversary) though.
I stayed at Disney's Pop Century Resort, which is one of their value resorts, but all in all a nice place. And I did like the couple of training runs I did around Hourglass Lake in the morning.
I do feel staying on property was worth the extra for the event transport. Jumping on a bus in the morning to get to the start, and then on another one when you are ready to come back to the hotel took away a lot of hassle.
I must add that I was solo though. If you are going with others then obviously you will have a lot more things to consider.
Hi. We've been lucky enough to have done the marathon weekend for the last four years (goofy then dopey) and love it. As bullit has said Staying on the disney site is very convenient but we find, as we don't do the parks, it's more cost effective to hire a car and stay nearby. We recently stayed in a condo at lake buena vista resort and spa and it was a perfect location. Easy to get to the Epcot start line and great for relaxing afterwards. There is a big Walmart nearby to stock up on pasta and chicken. The marathon is grest fun but not a pb course as there are a lot of run walkers who take part but if you go with a relaxed attitude I'm sure You will love it.
I did Dopey this year! It was really wonderful and I can't recommend it highly enough. It's not a PB course, but to be honest if you went to Disney looking for a PB then you've really missed the whole point! It's about the experience, having your photo taken with Mickey at the halfway point, running through the castle in the dark, spotting the craziest costume and that's before we even mention earning six of the most spectacular medals at the end.
Disney's organisation is superb and runners are very well treated. We stayed at a disney resort and it was well worth it for the convenience, buses to the start etc. book quickly though, they sell out quickly for that weekend.
I just signed up for the marathon! I will be doing this with my sister so the planning has just begun.
Still not sure whether we will be staying onsite or perhaps at the Disney associated hotels. Ive heard about staying at the Hilton Bonnet Creek which does have transport organised for runners and have had good reviews.
How many UK runners sign up to run disney events?
Bee Bee - by the looks of it, 101 UK runners completed the Dopey Challenge this year, with 244 running the marathon (including the Dopey runners).
I'm in for 2016. It'll be my first time outside of Europe, let alone to the US and Disney! Will be booking the flights this week and accommodation next month. We're not sure whether we'll be going with one of the budget resort options - sounds easiest if not the cheapest to do so - or offsite. Some research to be done!
Meadower - when you've done your research will you bung it my way please!?
Happy to offer ideas if it's any help. Awesome fun!!
That I can do, HIAHS!
Which resort did you stay at, Charlie? The cheapest (and therefore the ones in contention!) appear to be the Sports and Music-based 'budget' resorts. What do you get for your cash?
Also, how frequent's the transport from resort to the parks? Do the shuttles from Orlando International run 24h? Some of the flights I'm looking at arrive quite late local time. I could no doubt use our good friend Mr Google, but there's no fun in that when we have you, Charlie
We did some time in a Holiday Inn type hotel first and then moved into Pop Century just for the days of the Expo and Dopey. To be honest the Holiday Inn type ( think it was actually Best Western, airport Suites, Orlando) was $60 a night and Pop was a heck of a lot more.
We had a car so being without the Disney buses while we were doing holiday sort of things didn't worry us at all. however it was really good to be in a resort hotel for the race days. We just drove to the Parks and so on. Having a car was a huge gain. We went and picked up food at Walmart, ate in non tourist restaurants and so on.
Pop was on ok hotel, but the room is small and had two double beds. Best Western was a far bigger room with a huge king size bed and a gym with treadmill. We didn't have kids with us and that would change it a lot. Pop did have more kid stuff, pools etc. Food there was pretty grim, very cafeteria. Again, we didn't have kids. We just used to drive down the road a bit and get something more grown up! Disney buses run to Downtown Disney too at night.
On race day it was really good being at Pop. They have a constant stream of buses for runners and non runners to and from the race. The shuttle buses run very frequently anyway, wherever you want to go. I didn't do a bus from the airport, we had a hire car.
Disney hotels give you a wristband that does everything. It's your room key, pay with it at Parks, restaurants, shops etc. was very handy.
next question?
Im in for my 2nd Dopey.
Staying at Disney hotels is definitely the way forward on race days. We stayed at the All Star Sports last time, and will probably do the same in 2016. Its no-frills, but its clean, its comfy, its fun and the transportation to and from races is a HUGE benefit, especially for the longer races!
As Charlie4 mentions, the food in the resort cafeteria isnt really geared towards runners (its burgers, pizza and hot dogs!), but if you have a car, you're never more than 10 mins from a Walmart or a load of restaurants.
Also, if you're travelling without kids, Id recommend the "Around the world drinking challenge" at Epcot in the Monday night. Its unofficial, and Disney dont really recommend it, but it was a lot of fun. Lots of medal-clad runners on bar crawl around the World Showcase. We made a lot of friends that day/night!
Pop Century has a nice cocktail bar beside the pool for after the marathon! That counts for refuelling, right?? Spent a merry afternoon there!
Thanks guys, very helpful indeed. Sounds like the resorts are convenient but nowt special for the price, so will very likely book up around the runs themselves and stay elsewhere for the rest of our time there. No kids and we'll likely get a car, so seems the way to go.
I'm liking the sound of the Monday night chicanery - what exactly does this involve, Gazza?!
It involves getting to Epcot early, doing the attractions and rides in the morning/early afternoon, then hitting Canada at about 3-4pm for a pint of Moosehead, then Britain for a pint of p*ssy lager, then France for a glass of wine, and onward through the 11 countries in the World Showcase, trying a different alcoholic beverage in each one. It took us a good 5 hours last time, and I dont remember what was going on by the time we reached Mexico, except that we started with 2 people and finished with about 40! Then its fireworks and a bus back to the hotel. And a horrendous hangover!
We flew to L.A the next day, toured there and then spent three weeks driving San Fran, Grand Canyon and Vegas. Was fab!
The Parks were brilliant too. Loved Universals, do both sides. NASA was great. Best to go early to all of them. Great trip all round.
I'm looking forward to doing the Goofy challenge, my main concern is what my family will do while I'm running - obviously they'll try and see me at a few points along the route, but with having to get up so early in the am I'm wondering if they're better off going back to the condo after dropping me off near the start and coming back after a few hours?
It'd be interesting to know what others have experienced in terms of spectating and passing the time - as surely the rides etc won't start until normal park opening hours - though, in a YouTube clip I watched the runner went off route in Animal Kimgdom, with a bunch of others, to ride Expedition Everest!!!
There is nothing for your family at the start. Don't drag them down there at 4am, limited viewing points along the course so will need careful planning. All the roads are closed so it is hard for them to get around. If you contact run Disney they're pretty helpful with spectator guides
The Everest opens early, but really only in time for slower runners. There is sooo much entertainment on course for runners, it's an awesome day.
Family can get the same shuttle bus that you took to the start / finish area a bit later on though. The busses just run in a constant loop. Then get bus back with you after the race They have lots of seating at the finish
Try popping on RunDisney Facebook page I got loads off good information off that last year. I also used the Disney Mom site and Undercover Tourist
Thanks Charlie - that's very helpful info for planning the morning itself.
Something I've just noticed from the YouTube clips is that they give out 'cups' of water/Powerade - that sucks, from experience half the contents get spilled and, I like to hang on to a bottle until I'm done with it.
I might try running and training with a camelbak, see how that goes.
It is all cups for drinks. Loads of stations though.
Races start early. Even if you're as slow as me, you'll still be back at the hotel in time for brunch. Leaves time to hit the parks etc after the races!
We're staying offsite this time so the idea now is for me to drive over to the start, my family will get a taxi over later on in the morning to see me at the finish in Epcot.
The course looks narrow in places but I'm hoping I won't end up in a starting corral too far back so hopefully it won't impact my finish time - I don't know why but a PB at WDW would be cool...I won't be stopping for photo opportunities with the characters - or to go on Expedition Everest!!!
Hopefully I can get changed/freshened up easliy enough at the park and spend the rest of the day there.
Thanks again for the info.
I'm in for the Marathon and staying offsite. Like the sound of the around the World drinking Challenge!
That's probably a challenge I'd best try if we stay onsite again!
Hi everyone, have you all submitted a proof of time for the marathon before? Trying to sort a race in September as proof of time. Am I right in thinking that aslong as you get an official chip time that you can submit that? A little bit confused...
Try emailing them at rundisney, they're very quick to respond and that way you'll know for sure.
Thanks for the reminder...I don't think I've done this yet. I went to do it shortly after entry but they only wanted it from a specified date, which must've passed by now. I'm sure they were just asking for a link to the race results for an event, or something similar. I'll check tonight if I remember.