Marathon Weekend 2018

Along the same lines, I have a spectator question re: the half. My apologies if this was asked here already. Is it possible to spectate near the finish without getting the CHEAR squad, and most importantly, is there a way to get to that area after the race begins? I was hoping to sleep in a bit on half marathon day, but I'd still like to catch my mom-in-law for a high five and/or sweaty hug (or sweaty kiss that was previously discussed, I guess?) =P Could you take an EPCOT bus from the resort once those start running and walk to the finish area? Would it be easier to try to see her from inside EPCOT? (I guess that depends on her corral and how fast she goes...she finished the half in 2016 in just over 3 hours, starting from corral K, so EPCOT was open when she came through there.) She would like to catch me on marathon day as well, but I think this will be easier as the park transportation will be open and readily available. I was thinking if she could get herself to the Boardwalk or EPCOT, that might be easiest. Thanks in advance!
 
Along the same lines, I have a spectator question re: the half. My apologies if this was asked here already. Is it possible to spectate near the finish without getting the CHEAR squad, and most importantly, is there a way to get to that area after the race begins? I was hoping to sleep in a bit on half marathon day, but I'd still like to catch my mom-in-law for a high five and/or sweaty hug (or sweaty kiss that was previously discussed, I guess?) =P Could you take an EPCOT bus from the resort once those start running and walk to the finish area? Would it be easier to try to see her from inside EPCOT? (I guess that depends on her corral and how fast she goes...she finished the half in 2016 in just over 3 hours, starting from corral K, so EPCOT was open when she came through there.) She would like to catch me on marathon day as well, but I think this will be easier as the park transportation will be open and readily available. I was thinking if she could get herself to the Boardwalk or EPCOT, that might be easiest. Thanks in advance!

Absolutely! There are plenty of bleachers along the finishing stretch of the half!

Also, the race comes into Epcot at the bus loop, so you could take a resort bus and possible see her as she goes into Epcot and then hustle over the the finish line to have a spot at the finish line. I want to say there's about 1.5 miles between the bus loop and the finish line, so you can definitely do both.

This is tiny, but it gives you an idea of where the course comes in and finishes:
Screen Shot 2017-07-22 at 4.52.09 PM.png
 
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Another spectator question here. Is the finish the same for the half and full?

I'm not very familiar with the setup. My thought is, we could scope out a good spot on Saturday then I'd be much more likely to be able to find my dh in the crowd on Sunday.
 
Another spectator question here. Is the finish the same for the half and full?

I'm not very familiar with the setup. My thought is, we could scope out a good spot on Saturday then I'd be much more likely to be able to find my dh in the crowd on Sunday.
Yes the finish line is in the same spot for pretty much all the races.
 


Along the same lines, I have a spectator question re: the half. My apologies if this was asked here already. Is it possible to spectate near the finish without getting the CHEAR squad, and most importantly, is there a way to get to that area after the race begins? I was hoping to sleep in a bit on half marathon day, but I'd still like to catch my mom-in-law for a high five and/or sweaty hug (or sweaty kiss that was previously discussed, I guess?) =P Could you take an EPCOT bus from the resort once those start running and walk to the finish area? Would it be easier to try to see her from inside EPCOT? (I guess that depends on her corral and how fast she goes...she finished the half in 2016 in just over 3 hours, starting from corral K, so EPCOT was open when she came through there.) She would like to catch me on marathon day as well, but I think this will be easier as the park transportation will be open and readily available. I was thinking if she could get herself to the Boardwalk or EPCOT, that might be easiest. Thanks in advance!

Another spectator question here. Is the finish the same for the half and full?

I'm not very familiar with the setup. My thought is, we could scope out a good spot on Saturday then I'd be much more likely to be able to find my dh in the crowd on Sunday.

If they keep the same bus system, then the buses start running again from the hotels at 7am. Just keep in mind for those planning on finishing the HM in about 1:40 or less, that it might be tough for their families to use the 7am hotel bus to make it to the finish line in time.

Here is a map from the finish line last year:

Screen Shot 2017-07-22 at 5.45.07 PM.png

Where I put the "yellow X" there were bleachers as @Keels mentioned.

It's pretty easy to find someone in the crowd. I sat in the last set of bleachers and with that vantage point found people I'd only met once before fairly easily. When they found me (finished the marathon in 3:20 (8:43am) for reference).

8A.jpg

When my mom finished the marathon in 5:20 (11:17am).

Screen Shot 2017-07-22 at 5.49.21 PM.jpg
 


If they keep the same bus system, then the buses start running again from the hotels at 7am. Just keep in mind for those planning on finishing the HM in about 1:40 or less, that it might be tough for their families to use the 7am hotel bus to make it to the finish line in time.

Here is a map from the finish line last year:

@DopeyBadger was that you in the bleachers after running, or whose yellow and orange X is that on the map?
 
@DopeyBadger was that you in the bleachers after running, or whose yellow and orange X is that on the map?

The picture of me waving is when I crossed the finish line. My wife took that picture of me. After I finished, my wife and I sat in the last set of bleachers to wait for my mom. So the third picture (with way more finishers) is from the bleachers towards the finish line. You can see the finish line in the distance (about the middle of the picture). The bleachers line the finishing area. The larger grandstands and along the finishing route is the cheer squad area. But once the runner passes the finish line, there is plenty of space to stand and spectate without cheer squad. The medals are between the finish line and the volunteers in teal jackets handing out warming blankets. I personally like to be further away from the finish line because from personal experience finishing and then medals is a whirl wind. You can barely even comprehend/remember to look for family. So once you get the medal, then I always find I start to wake up and look for people. It also helps with the runDisney live tracking as sometimes it was instant and sometimes there was a lag. So easier to look for someone when you've got a notification that they recently finished.

The first picture was part of the DIS Marathon Weekend package I put together (attached last year's copy). We pre-scheduled meeting places for pre and post races (as well as the Hurricane Hannah's Friday meeting hosted by @Keels and @FFigawi). The orange "X" was the pre-race DIS meeting spot. The marathon meeting spot was tough because the 5k/10k meeting spot was in a different place. So, some people went to the 5k/10k spot and others to the orange "X" spot. I'll try and do a better job this year with the planning. The yellow "X" was where I was going to be after finishing if anyone wanted to look for me in the stands or stop by and say hi. I was able to find quite a few DIS'ers from the yellow "X" spot (or the last bleacher). Since my mom is running Dopey this year, I'll be spending a lot of time hanging out at the finish line.
 

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If they keep the same bus system, then the buses start running again from the hotels at 7am. Just keep in mind for those planning on finishing the HM in about 1:40 or less, that it might be tough for their families to use the 7am hotel bus to make it to the finish line in time.

Here is a map from the finish line last year:

View attachment 255061

Where I put the "yellow X" there were bleachers as @Keels mentioned.

It's pretty easy to find someone in the crowd. I sat in the last set of bleachers and with that vantage point found people I'd only met once before fairly easily. When they found me (finished the marathon in 3:20 (8:43am) for reference).

View attachment 255062

When my mom finished the marathon in 5:20 (11:17am).

View attachment 255064
Thanks for the map. That's super helpful!
 
I hope everyone had a great week!

It is Sunday and Sundays are for Disney!

Today's question:

Now that we are settled down from all the Disney announcements last week which one are you most excited for and why?

My answer: I think I'm most excited for Tron and the new Magic Kingdom theater. It gives MK more capacity to spread out crowds and they are two great additions IMO.
 
Now that we are settled down from all the Disney announcements last week which one are you most excited for and why?
I think I am most excited for the Star Wars hotel. I can't wait to get more details about it but so far I am intrigued that it is going to be a multi-day adventure and that it is going to be fully immersive.
 
The one that intrigued me the most was the removal of The Great Movie Ride and replacing it with Mickey and Minnie’s Runaway Railway. I like GMR, but I can understand that Disney no longer wants these agreements with other companies, trying to keep all the IP restricted to strictly Disney and Disney-owned subsidiaries.
 
I hope everyone had a great week!

It is Sunday and Sundays are for Disney!

Today's question:

Now that we are settled down from all the Disney announcements last week which one are you most excited for and why?

My answer: I think I'm most excited for Tron and the new Magic Kingdom theater. It gives MK more capacity to spread out crowds and they are two great additions IMO.

I really really am intrigued by the potential of UOE replacement. I've recently discovered that GoG is a super fun movie series and the GoG ride in DL seems to have done an awesome job of imagineering.

Not psyched for the SW hotel...Westworld creeps me out and something as immersive as they want to have it doesn't seem appealing to me. I'm sure it will be uber popular though so I'm looking forward to more availability in other resorts because of it. :P
 
I hope everyone had a great week!

It is Sunday and Sundays are for Disney!

Today's question:

Now that we are settled down from all the Disney announcements last week which one are you most excited for and why?

My answer: I think I'm most excited for Tron and the new Magic Kingdom theater. It gives MK more capacity to spread out crowds and they are two great additions IMO.
I'm most excited for the Tron coaster, because I'd been dying to ride it, but dreading facing the crowds in Shanghai.

I'm also looking forward to the Skyliner, but nervous about the requisite price increase because Pop Century is my go-to hotel.
 
The one that intrigued me the most was the removal of The Great Movie Ride and replacing it with Mickey and Minnie’s Runaway Railway. I like GMR, but I can understand that Disney no longer wants these agreements with other companies, trying to keep all the IP restricted to strictly Disney and Disney-owned subsidiaries.

I'm really sad about the removal of the Great Movie Ride, I completely see and understand the reasoning but I hate that we are losing the exposure of the classic movies to so many kids of the younger generations.
 
I'm really sad about the removal of the Great Movie Ride, I completely see and understand the reasoning but I hate that we are losing the exposure of the classic movies to so many kids of the younger generations.

That was a chief complaint among the younger crowds. They actually didn't get some of the older movies in the ride. The ride really needed to be updated every 10 years or so.
 
Now that we are settled down from all the Disney announcements last week which one are you most excited for and why?
Star Wars Galaxy's Edge, although that isn't new, because it's Star Wars and not as far off as the new announcements. The Gandola system for some reason just scares me, but it is probably the one I'm most curious to see play out and see in action.
 
Sundays are for Disney:

My primary takeaway and the thing I was most excited about was more a general observation that they were adding without subtracting. More attractions and better use of the available space is a great way to disperse crowds and provide an opportunity for everyone to have a more exciting experience. I have no great love for the speedway (I've never been on it as an adult, not sure I rode it when I was younger either), but there are people who like it so I'm glad it will still be there.

Additionally, I love older movies and Great Movie Ride was right up my alley...but it has been sad riding it the last couple years. The enthusiasm from CMs running the attraction was noticeably down. It felt old, dank, dusty and uncared for. I feel bad that the ride is gone, especially considering its relevance to the HS theming, but those movies and old Hollywood deserve better than what that ride was offering.

I would be super excited for the Star Wars hotel if I thought there was a chance I'd ever get in. That is a giant cluster____ waiting to happen when bookings open up and I don't think I'll have the $$$$ or patience to try to get in for a long time.
 

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