Marathon Weekend 2022

[lhermiston]

POFQ is my favorite resort to stay at for race weekends. Its small size means everything is close. Bus stop, boat stop, food court, all are conveniently located. CBR is a close second. I’m not a big fan of the resort‘s size, but the Skyliner makes up for a multitude of sins.

The only place I haven’t enjoyed staying for a race is CSR. The size and the walk required to get something to eat or refill a drink was just not enjoyable. I love it for non-race weekends, though, and find it to be one of the most scenic moderates.

POFQ has the additional benefit of post-race beignets.

 

[camaker]

POFQ has the additional benefit of post-race beignets.

The food court shrimp & grits are one of my favorite counter service entrees on site, as well.

 

[Baloo in MI]

In my typical self-deprecating fashion, I was thinking SAFD had run its course, people were getting bored and I would put it on hiatus for a bit, if not outright retire it. Some folks have been answering the same or similar questions for about three years now and I don't want it to become tedious.

If there's still interest, I'll still do it. I'd also like to call on you all to help my crowd source this a bit so we could have some fresh questions.

FWIW, it makes me feel really good that folks are even asking about it.

I would love to see SAFD to continue, and thank you for facilitating this past year! Hopefully we can all help with some questions.

 

[Baloo in MI]

For Marathon Weekend I have stayed at AOA, POP, Port Orleans Riverside and All-Star Sports. So I can not speak to Deluxe or DVC. But I will say that I really have enjoyed POP the most. Now it has the benefit of the Skyliner as well. I like the updated rooms the short distance to the buses and the lake for walking off sore legs if not going into the parks. One downer, no spas/hot tubs. Still my favorite.

 

[MATTERHORN]

Seeing everyone post where they stay makes me kinda want to stay on property for a race one day! But honestly, I'm probably still better off staying home and driving. Is transportation that bad on race mornings? It's so easy for me to drive and just park at (typically) EPCOT.

The mornings I don't race, I volunteer. But someone I'm with usually is volunteering as we all run different lengths, so I'm usually parked right up front since then we get there at volunteer time. Typically about 2:45 am. Then whoever is running just sleeps in the car until corral time!

But still, some weird part of me wants to stay on property for it one day! LOL

 

[lhermiston]

Is transportation that bad on race mornings? It's so easy for me to drive and just park at (typically) EPCOT.

I've never had bad luck with transportation on race mornings. That said, I'm almost always on the first or second bus and the morning of the 2020 marathon the busses were so late they had to delay the start of the race. Even those of us there with plenty of time (the Goof Troop is always punctual) were thrown off because they started the balloon ladies early. It was a mess.

 

[MATTERHORN]

I've never had bad luck with transportation on race mornings. That said, I'm almost always on the first or second bus and the morning of the 2020 marathon the busses were so late they had to delay the start of the race. Even those of us there with plenty of time (the Goof Troop is always punctual) were thrown off because they started the balloon ladies early. It was a mess.

Yeah I was volunteering that morning and we had a much longer "break" between set up and manning our positions because of the delay! I felt like, if I'm remembering right, I basically saw people just running up and starting, it was almost like they were still getting there late after corrals had been released.

 

[pluto377]

I’ve stayed at kidani, pop, and AoA for races. My favorite was pop. My least fave was kidani because there weren’t that many runners there and I just didn’t feel the excitement.

 

[xjillianpaige]

I've stayed at Pop and POR for races. I had good experiences at both!

 

[Rogue224]

We have always stayed at Pop and have always had good experiences

 

[Baloo in MI]

I’ve stayed at kidani, pop, and AoA for races. My favorite was pop. My least fave was kidani because there weren’t that many runners there and I just didn’t feel the excitement.

Great point. I have stayed at POP three times for MW and each time it felt like just about everyone at POP was running, lots of excitement and camaraderie When I stayed at Port Orleans it did not feel that way nearly as much.

 

[princesspirateandrunner]

In my typical self-deprecating fashion, I was thinking SAFD had run its course, people were getting bored and I would put it on hiatus for a bit, if not outright retire it. Some folks have been answering the same or similar questions for about three years now and I don't want it to become tedious.

If there's still interest, I'll still do it. I'd also like to call on you all to help my crowd source this a bit so we could have some fresh questions.

FWIW, it makes me feel really good that folks are even asking about it.

Please keep SAFD going. I’m happy to help with questions. I think SAFD is fun for all of us, and allows us to share great memories and get to know each other better. I don’t think any of us who are Disney people mind talking about topics more than once, especially to other like-minded Disney folks! Thank you for taking it on. You do an amazing job, and we on this thread really appreciate it!

 

[rteetz]

Throwing in my resort recommendations

I’ve done Riverside, Pop, Saratoga, Beach Club, Bay Lake Tower and Caribbean Beach. If you can I would 100% go deluxe. I think personally it’s just easier for the weekend with more direct access to parks and stuff like that. You can’t go wrong with any resort really but deluxe would be my first choice and specially the Epcot resort area.

 

[PCFriar80]

Throwing in my resort recommendations

I’ve done Riverside, Pop, Saratoga, Beach Club, Bay Lake Tower and Caribbean Beach. If you can I would 100% go deluxe. I think personally it’s just easier for the weekend with more direct access to parks and stuff like that. You can’t go wrong with any resort really but deluxe would be my first choice and specially the Epcot resort area.

Plus.... Beach Club is the home to Hurricane Hannas! And we all know what happens on MW Friday!

 

[nekonekoneko]

OKW had plenty of busses to head to the start line. And the internal busses were running. So it was really easy to get there. Every time we got to the bus depot, there was like 4-6 busses

I liked The Contemporary, as well. Taking the monorail on 1/2 and full mornings was really fun, taking a look over the start area on the way there.

 

[Barca33Runner]

We’ve done POR, Pop AoA, and off-site for MW. Never had any issues at any of them other than an issue at the back bus depots at POR in 2013. I’ve seen off and on complaints of similar issues (the buses fill up at the main depot and don’t stop at the back bus stops) in other years.

As long as you are willing to drive staying off-site was the most comfortable race morning experience. We got to the parking lot and went back to sleep and were able to avoid the cold. Not the same camaraderie though.

 

[Livelovedance]

I’m still awaiting my first Marathon Weekend, but I’ve done the Princess Weekend races and stayed at Pop and WL (DVC). I liked Pop because it was so close to the expo (great for the first day madness). There were sooo many runners staying there, which was a pro and a con (exciting atmosphere and energy, fun step and repeat banner with props for photos in the lobby, and numerous buses lined up for race transportation... the lines were very crowded, but the buses loaded and left quickly).

I love the WL, but I wouldn’t necessarily recommend it for races. There were runners there, but much less than Pop. WL shared race transportation with the Contemporary. My first race stay there, the first bus for the expo never showed up. The person that usually stands by the bus stop with the clipboard was as confused as we were. When we finally did get a bus, it was later than we all would’ve liked, and we still had to stop at the Contemporary first before heading to the expo. This year’s Princess, the morning of the race the bus driver picked us up, drove to the Contemporary, pulled up behind another bus, and then just sat there. People started actually yelling up at the driver, trying to figure out why we were sitting there instead of heading to the race. The woman at that resort with the clipboard let the bus ahead of us go, then went to talk to our driver and realized we were all on the bus! I felt bad for the driver, he clearly didn’t know and thought he was doing the right thing, but it was a long time and things got pretty tense!

I’m aiming for a monorail resort for my first Marathon Weekend, if possible. I’ve heard taking the monorail is more convenient for the half/full for race weekends. I’m also hoping that if I have family spectating, it’ll make it easier for them to get to MK without having to get on a bus with me so early in the morning.

ETA: If driving was an option for me, I’d probably do it. You’d be able to rest in your car until you were ready to enter the corrals, which could be invaluable on cold weather days! You’d also be able to get back in your car comfortably after the race, instead of waiting for a bus and squeezing your way onto the bus with your snack box and banana and drinks...

 

[Where'sPiglet?]

The race registrations won't be impacted but resort availability would, especially at some of the most popular DVC locations for marathon weekend.



Not yet but we will be soon and will target the typical weekend it's always been held and adjust if needed.

Would the "typical weekend" be the first full weekend in January? What dates are people expecting it to be?

I have not done Marathon Weekend before (unless you count this year and the virtual 5k and 10k I still need to do ), but I have done Princess, Tinkerbell, Disneyland, Wine & Dine, and Avengers weekends. I'd like to try this one out next!

I have stayed at All Star Sports and POFQ for race weekends before, but now I have (relatively small) contracts at 3 DVC home resorts. I'd like to book at the 11 month mark as a placeholder, but I can't decide where to book. It will probably be Polynesian for the monorail, but I also have points at Bay Lake Tower and Copper Creek. The benefit to those is I could book a one-bedroom with the nice large tub as well as a washer and dryer! I'm not sure I'll have enough points for Bay Lake Tower with the 50% borrowing restrictions, though, unless I make some adjustments to my planned summer trip.

 

[camaker]

Would the "typical weekend" be the first full weekend in January? What dates are people expecting it to be?

I have not done Marathon Weekend before (unless you count this year and the virtual 5k and 10k I still need to do ), but I have done Princess, Tinkerbell, Disneyland, Wine & Dine, and Avengers weekends. I'd like to try this one out next!

I have stayed at All Star Sports and POFQ for race weekends before, but now I have (relatively small) contracts at 3 DVC home resorts. I'd like to book at the 11 month mark as a placeholder, but I can't decide where to book. It will probably be Polynesian for the monorail, but I also have points at Bay Lake Tower and Copper Creek. The benefit to those is I could book a one-bedroom with the nice large tub as well as a washer and dryer! I'm not sure I'll have enough points for Bay Lake Tower with the 50% borrowing restrictions, though, unless I make some adjustments to my planned summer trip.

Marathon Weekend is always the weekend prior to the MLK holiday weekend. That would make it the 6th-9th in 2022.

 

[Where'sPiglet?]

Marathon Weekend is always the weekend prior to the MLK holiday weekend. That would make it the 6th-9th in 2022.

Thank you!