Best resort for marathon weekend!

amym2

DIS Veteran
Joined
Aug 18, 2009
Hoping to get to WDW in Jan 2019 for the marathon (well 1/2 marathon) for DH and DS16. Are there resorts that are considered to have better ease of access for the 1/2 marathon on Sat? I can't tell much from the website about where the race begins, goes, or ends. DD14 and I will want to be somewhere to watch the guys run.

Would love to get a studio at BCV or BWV to save points and because we've never stayed there. Open to a 1bd as well, but we need 3 beds so those resorts are out if we have to go that route.

We own at SSR and Poly. Do I really need to book one of them now to ensure we'll have a room? I'd love to wait until SWA opens flights, but I assume I need to book at 7mos at the absolute latest? We'll be borrowing points (March use year), so I hate to borrow more than we'll need.
 
Race will begin and end in the Epcot parking lot. All onsite resorts will have bus service to the race. You can monorail over from the MK resorts.

For the half marathon, it will go from Epcot Center Drive to World Drive, through the MK, then back down World Drive to Epcot Center Drive and finish through Epcot back to the parking lot. For the Half, GFV or PVB would be great places where you could see the race on the route!

For the other races, since they go through the Boardwalk, those villas are great to watch from your balcony!

For what it's worth, I'd book SSR or Poly (your preference) now, then try to switch at 7 months if you want to (and if its available...)
 
Your reservation at the Polynesian would give you monorail access to the start. Any other resort (except for another MK resort) means you take the bus at 3:30 to get to the start, including BWV and BCV. But getting a studio on the monorail will be very difficult at seven months out. We stayed at OKW this January and my son did the Dopey. He took the bus every morning but the last when he rode with our friend to Epcot (they had taken the bus together every morning before the last day.
 


For the marathon weekend period in 2018 (Wednesday to Sunday), all resorts for all room sizes had one or more nights filled before 7 months out except for SSR and OKW 1BRs, and CCV cabins. Moreover, you should assume Poly studios will disappear well before 7 months out and your only safe option is to book immediately.
 
Last edited:
We've stayed at 2 different resorts for 2 different marathon weekends. One year (Dopey year for DH) we stayed at BCV, and DH said it was a perfect location. Short trip to the start. Short trip back-he got off at the first stop (Swan/Dolphin) and walked back, perfect walk for a little stretch. The following year we stayed at OKW and since it was far from the HH, it would have been a long walk to the HH to get the bus at 3:30. I say "would have been" because that was the year of the "1/2 Marathon that didn't happen."
 
Thanks for the advice! I've gone ahead and booked two nights in a Poly studio. Hoping I can add on a night before or after once we know the airline situation. I asked the kids if it would be horrible if we had to stay at the Poly (we were just there at Christmas), and they both agreed they could deal with it if they had to! We are so spoiled!!
 



GET A DISNEY VACATION QUOTE

Dreams Unlimited Travel is committed to providing you with the very best vacation planning experience possible. Our Vacation Planners are experts and will share their honest advice to help you have a magical vacation.

Let us help you with your next Disney Vacation!









Top