Race Transportation

[tink65]

Hey There,

I am thinking of running the 2011 Wine & Dine half. We are currently booked at POFQ for Sept 22 and check out Oct 1st. If I run I will need to change my arrival and departure days by 2 days. Unfortunately, there is no availability at either POFQ or POR so I would need to change resorts.

My question is this....for those runners not staying at a host resort what transportation arrangements do you typically make? How easy/hard is it?

I know this may seem like a silly question, but I'm the kind of person who has to plan everything out and leave nothing (or as close to nothing as possible) to chance.

Thanks for your help!

 

[joel_maxwell]

Hey There,

I am thinking of running the 2011 Wine & Dine half. We are currently booked at POFQ for Sept 22 and check out Oct 1st. If I run I will need to change my arrival and departure days by 2 days. Unfortunately, there is no availability at either POFQ or POR so I would need to change resorts.

My question is this....for those runners not staying at a host resort what transportation arrangements do you typically make? How easy/hard is it?

I know this may seem like a silly question, but I'm the kind of person who has to plan everything out and leave nothing (or as close to nothing as possible) to chance.

Thanks for your help!

If you are not in a host resort, you will have to get dropped off at the start line. If you have local transportation there and a family member, I would get dropped off early. You could take a cab too... but you would have to find transportation back to your resort after the race from Epcot.

Anyone please correct me if Im wrong, but this is what I recall from last year with friends that weren't staying at a host resort

 

[JillC LI]

I suppose that in order to avoid the traffic at the start/finish line area, you could take a cab or get a lift to the closest host resort and take a bus to/from there?

 

[surfsupdon]

Take a cab!

We always stay at a host Resort--usually BoardWalk or Yacht Club--but always take a cab to the event. Just preference. Leave plenty of time so rodes aren't congested.

Maybe ten or 12 bucks with tip. And you can easily take a cab back.

 

[garyhoov]

A little off-topic but it might be useful information: My first couple races, I've headed to Epcot about an hour and 15 minutes before race time and traffic was always so light that I wondered why they told you to get there so early. Last year I left about 45 minutes prior to race and the roads were parking lots.

I was driving, but even if I had been on a bus, I think I would have been stuck in a traffic mess. We made it, but just barely and what should have been a 5 minute ride (from Pop Century) took just about the whole 45 minutes.

So whatever you decide to do for transportation, make sure you plan to get there early.

 

[fl_actuary]

from the Disney website

Guests not staying at a Host Resort will need to provide their own transportation and those driving personal vehicles will be required to park at Epcot®. THERE WILL BE NO PARKING AT ESPN WIDE WORLD OF SPORTS COMPLEX OR DISNEY'S ANIMAL KINGDOM® PARK ON RACE EVENING. For runners driving to Epcot® on race evening, the race shuttle from Epcot® to the Sports Complex will begin at 6:00 p.m. and end at 8:15 p.m. The parking fee at Epcot® will be waived for runners and spectators arriving after 6:00 p.m. on race evening. Please allow enough time to ensure you are parked at Epcot® no later than 7:30 p.m.

We will be driving to Epcot and taking a shuttle.

 

[Texas84]

Last January I ran the half and drove in from offsite. Getting in wasn't so bad. Getting out was a nightmare. I'm trying the full next January and I probably need to pony up for onsite.

 

[Phonedave]

Hey There,

I am thinking of running the 2011 Wine & Dine half. We are currently booked at POFQ for Sept 22 and check out Oct 1st. If I run I will need to change my arrival and departure days by 2 days. Unfortunately, there is no availability at either POFQ or POR so I would need to change resorts.

My question is this....for those runners not staying at a host resort what transportation arrangements do you typically make? How easy/hard is it?

I know this may seem like a silly question, but I'm the kind of person who has to plan everything out and leave nothing (or as close to nothing as possible) to chance.

Thanks for your help!

It is easy to get TO the race. There are shuttles that run from EPCOT to the Sport Complex (Where the race starts) I DO NOT suggest trying to drive or take a cab to the Sports Complex. Take the shuttle from EPCOT.

The hard part is getting back to your resort after the race. The only busses running from EPCOT at that time are to the host resorts. If you do not have a car you can leave at EPCOT (which is what I did last year) you will have to take a cab.

I'm in SSR this year, and waitlisted for BC/YC so hopefully things will work out for me as well. (Not likely though)

-dave

 

[Fievel]

We went through something similar, staying at Riverside for the Expedition Everest Challenge.

We got to the start line easy enough, but getting back was a nightmare. We had to go to the all star resorts, then take a bus to downtown disney, and then a bus to our resort.

Luckily French quarter is a host resort for the Wine and Dine half, so we can just walk to and from the transportation.

 

[Mickey&Minnie]

I hate to hy-jack your thread tink65, but I just wanted to ask if there were any resorts that you could stay at where you can walk to the race entrance?

 

[Fievel]

I think the only resort that's close to WWoS is the Pop Century...although that's not really "close" either, because you have to go out a long access road just to get to the main road.

 

[tink65]

Thanks so much for all the great tips! We were originally booked at Pop Century (my family still thinks we are). Upgrading to a moderate is a surprise for them. The only moderate let with availability is Caribbean Beach. I can have my DH & DD drive me to Epcot. I just hate for them to have to hang out & wait. It'll take me forever to finish I'm sure! LOL. The cab back to the resort sounds like the best option. I could kick myself for not making a decision when there was still room at POFQ!!!:brick:

 

[dreamfinder]

Thanks so much for all the great tips! We were originally booked at Pop Century (my family still thinks we are). Upgrading to a moderate is a surprise for them. The only moderate let with availability is Caribbean Beach. I can have my DH & DD drive me to Epcot. I just hate for them to have to hang out & wait. It'll take me forever to finish I'm sure! LOL. The cab back to the resort sounds like the best option. I could kick myself for not making a decision when there was still room at POFQ!!!:brick:

Well, if they like to eat, you can buy them tickets for the post party and have them do all the F&W Fest booths then instead of during park hours. You still have to pay for them all, but it is an option. Last year almost every country had a band out, so plenty to do if you don't mind buying them the tickets. There may be some rides running as well, but that will be a last minute call I imagine. Or you could drive yourself to Epcot. I imagine that your car would be sitting idle at the resort when you would be finishing, so why pay for a cab when you already have access to a car? Or have them go to a movie and then pick you up afterwards.

 

[dreamfinder]

I hate to hy-jack your thread tink65, but I just wanted to ask if there were any resorts that you could stay at where you can walk to the race entrance?

Disney strongly advises against this at any of their races. The Wine&Dine has a different start/finish area so you would still need to figure out transportation afterwards. For the regular Marathon/Half Marathon course some people do walk over from POFQ but once again, not advised to do.

 

[tink65]

Well guys..I did it! I'm all registered! Changed our travel dates to Sept 24 thru Oct 3rd and changed resort to CBR! I'm going to continue to watch POFQ and if something opens I'll swith back. Maybe luck will be with me!

I'm very excited but very nervous too. This will be my first 1/2 marathon so wish me luck! Thanks so much!

Tena