Marathon Weekend 2020

[Jason Bryer]

Okay, I am a botp runner and I found myself in some ridiculous bathroom lines for the marathon in 2018. As much as I wanted to avoid any bathroom stops, I just didn't. My first bathroom stop lasted 13 minutes and my second was 12 minutes. I tried to wait until the AK exit bathroom (where there was almost no line), but I just didn't make it.

HA! I don't know how this happened, but there is a bathroom in AK that my entire family now knows and makes me take a picture next to each visit because I had some gastro issues my first marathon and it was miracle that is appeared just in time.

 

[StarGirl11]

Okay, I am a botp runner and I found myself in some ridiculous bathroom lines for the marathon in 2018. As much as I wanted to avoid any bathroom stops, I just didn't. My first bathroom stop lasted 13 minutes and my second was 12 minutes. I tried to wait until the AK exit bathroom (where there was almost no line), but I just didn't make it.

Once the map is released for the race, I would love some help determining the best bathroom stops (just in case). As well, what are other BOTPer experiences in other years (the 2018 year was the Dopey anniversary and the 25th Marathon anniversary).

My rule of thumb is never ever to try to stop at the first "real" bathrooms on the course. There lines are always the longest in my experience. Back when the DL was still happening I once waited 15 minutes for the first bathrooms. After that I started using the second or third set. Which were from what I can recall just me going in and out real quick. Everyone's always stopping at the first ones because they have to go. But in reality your better off going to the second or third because you'll probably take just as long to run to them as you would waiting in the bathroom line.

Side note since this gets forgotten. TTC has restrooms but their line can be a crap shoot in my experience and what I've heard. If you can wait your better off going after you've been in TL for a bit. The ones near the old Skyway building is a bit off the course but I've never had a long line when stopping there.

 

[lhermiston]

Looks like we did have one, but best I can tell it closed sometime around 2013.

My heart breaks for you. Pokey sticks give me life.

 

[Baloo in MI]

All this talk about Gumby and Pokey ... do any of you all live in a town with a Gumby's? @DopeyBadger might be my best shot, they tend to operate in college towns.

I know there used to be one just off campus (at MSU, East Lansing). I used to drive by it twice a day taking my daughter to preschool. But not for quite awhile. I can take a look. When my daughter was in preschool they had a field trip to the Gumby’s to learn about how restaurants work, and make pizza.

 

[camaker]

All this talk about Gumby and Pokey ... do any of you all live in a town with a Gumby's? @DopeyBadger might be my best shot, they tend to operate in college towns.

We’ve got one here in Raleigh. It’s just down the street from NC State University, in keeping with your college correlation. It was one of my favorite places to order pizza from when I was a student there.

 

[rteetz]

My heart breaks for you. Pokey sticks give me life.

Ok gotta be honest. Never heard of this place but pokey sticks look like Toppers sticks...

 

[Desdemona924]

Goofy Challenge is now sold out. Only Dopey left.

This makes me incredibly sad. I hadn't signed up yet because I was waiting until after the vacation that I am currently on. Looks like I'll be saving $400. At least I'm still going on a Disney vacation.

 

[baxter24]

We’ve got one here in Raleigh. It’s just down the street from NC State University, in keeping with your college correlation. It was one of my favorite places to order pizza from when I was a student there.

Those were the best! May have ate my weight in those things a time or two at State.

 

[aalvis]

We usually hit the bathroom in MK in between Tomorrowland Terrace and The Plaza. I have never seen anyone else in them (including 2018) but we usually arrive just before sunrise. We always try to avoid any porta potties because they always seem to be busy.

Same. During the 2018 half an employee was standing there with a "restrooms" sign and still no wait at all.

 

[MissLiss279]

I usually try and wait for the Frontierland/Adventureland breezeway for a restroom. It’s large, so lots of stalls, and I’ve never had a wait there.

 

[Barca33Runner]

I usually try and wait for the Frontierland/Adventureland breezeway for a restroom. It’s large, so lots of stalls, and I’ve never had a wait there.

This is my go to in MK. I’ve never had an issue with a wait there, although I know there tend to be fewer lines for men’s restrooms in general.

There are a few real restrooms that have been bad options in my experience. The restrooms at the TTC are always packed. They are the first real restrooms on the course so they get a lot of traffic and they are too small to accommodate that traffic. A couple times I remember them being closed during races; that was probably a good idea. The Tomorrowland restroom next to Cosmic Ray’s across from the speedway always has a line. I haven’t had the need to look in AK, HS, or Epcot before, but first real restroom clearly visible from the course tends to be a bad option anywhere.

 

[kirstie101]

I usually try and wait for the Frontierland/Adventureland breezeway for a restroom. It’s large, so lots of stalls, and I’ve never had a wait there.

As a newbie to WDW I am so glad you are all posting this stuff! In DL I knew where to stop and which ones to avoid. As silly as it sounds I was actually a little worried about not knowing the bathroom situation for the half and full.

 

[Barca33Runner]

2018 was also the 25th anniversary of the Marathon. It is the only year I have done a runDisney race and it was CRAZY. At one point on Friday of the weekend we were over by Haunted Mansion eating lunch. We came out from lunch and decided the park was too busy and we would head back to our hotel. We literally STOOD STILL in the crowd for five minutes while NO ONE moved and there was NOWHERE to go!

It was insane. I would imagine it was partially because the local schools hadn't started yet, so I'm hoping this year will be better being later dates. Because we are both running Dopey, we won't be spending much time in the parks, only doing a couple fast passes per day at most. We plan to stay through Monday to do some park stuff, if we can still walk. LOL We aren't doing the cruise and CCC this time.

I tend to think the sellouts are some form of interest driving plan from rD. I’d be completely shocked if they’ve hit capacity fields on all of these races/challenges unless they’ve drastically decreased capacity from past years. This could be possible depending on how construction at Epcot is affecting things, I guess.

To your concern directly, from my perspective 2018 was 99% kids were still on winter break, Holiday Disney traffic, 1% Marathon Weekend as far as the crowds are concerned. The two years where MW was the week of New Year’s have been, by a massive margin, the two most crowded Marathon Weekends since I started going in 2012. Never say never on crazy crowds, but I don’t think 2020 is going to be anywhere near that crazy in the parks.

 

[PrincessV]

Restrooms...
In MK, I like the ones by the train station in Fantasyland - always pretty empty, clean, and pumping heat/AC. The tunnel between Frontierland and Adventureland is good, too.

In AK, which is where I inevitably need to stop during the full, I've yet to find a ladies' room without a line. But the line at the one across from Festival of the Lion King has always moved quickly. I used to head for the one in Harambe, but CMs have been blocking access to it lately. There's one as we exit Dinoland that gets busy, but also moves quickly.

DHS is bad; better to wait if you can. Only options in recent years have been outside TOT or end of Hollywood Blvd before we go backstage - and both get busy with park Guests, in addition to runners.

EP is a smorgasbord of options! Norway's restrooms have a ton of stalls, as do the ones in America, at the back right (as you face it) of the pavilion. China, Germany, Morroco all have some. If the course goes past Imagination, there are restrooms in that back corner.

 

[MissLiss279]

I will add that the ones in WWOS are not great (or at least the one I happened to wait for - and it wasn’t the first one). I think a lot of them are small 3-4 stalls, so a short line can take forever! So if we still go through there, then avoid the small restroom buildings if you see a line. If the restroom is part of another bigger building, maybe it would be better??

 

[Princess KP]

As a newbie to WDW I am so glad you are all posting this stuff! In DL I knew where to stop and which ones to avoid. As silly as it sounds I was actually a little worried about not knowing the bathroom situation for the half and full.

This was from last year. I took screenshots of the washroom locations so I could plan accordingly.

 

[Desdemona924]

Restrooms...

In AK, which is where I inevitably need to stop during the full, I've yet to find a ladies' room without a line. But the line at the one across from Festival of the Lion King has always moved quickly. I used to head for the one in Harambe, but CMs have been blocking access to it lately. There's one as we exit Dinoland that gets busy, but also moves quickly.

There are some real restrooms at AK before you enter the park proper, but I can't remember if they are before or after you go through the little gate area. They're in the back of a cast member building and it isn't even obvious that they are restrooms. I went in this past January and was the only person in there. I ran W&D the November before, and the person I was running with mentioned them, saying that they rarely have anyone in them.

I will add that the ones in WWOS are not great (or at least the one I happened to wait for - and it wasn’t the first one). I think a lot of them are small 3-4 stalls, so a short line can take forever! So if we still go through there, then avoid the small restroom buildings if you see a line. If the restroom is part of another bigger building, maybe it would be better??

I think if you can wait closer to the end of WWOS, it's better. I was in a small one this year that didn't have a big wait (if any), and it was getting toward the end. I wish I could remember locations for everyone.

 

[lhermiston]

Ok gotta be honest. Never heard of this place but pokey sticks look like Toppers sticks...

They're legit. It’s trash food, but really good trash food.

 

[drew808]

What about bathrooms in the hotels? Assuming the beginning of the courses stay the same, the half and full go near the Grand Floridian and Polynesian, right? Are they too far off course? (Running Goofy in January as my first Disney races ever)

 

[lhermiston]

Folks who have done the pre-order jackets in the past, what’s been your opinion of them? Good fit? Good material? Do you actually wear it? Is it worth ordering one?

I won’t get to the expo until Thursday and I’m a common size (men’s xl), so I’m worried about stuff being picked over.