So we arrive on friday evening for the half marathon my husband is running. I have two small kids. 4 & 2. We are staying at all star music family suite. I was thinking of going right over to magic kingdom as my first spot and jump on the monorail to go to epcot. We think my spouse will be at the end of the pack and not sure what time I need to leave the resort and all.
I have two strollers I could use. A double runner or a single umbrella. Not sure which would be best for my situation.
This is our first run disney experience so I am very very lost. I am good with disney as we are pass holders but never run disney.
I'll take a stab at it!
First, here's a listing of recommended spectator viewing locations for the HM:
https://guide.rundisney.events/spectator-viewpoint-locations/
The bus transportation schedule:
So if you plan to take the bus from All Stars to EPCOT to board the monorail for either TTC/Poly or MK, then you need to be on the bus no later than 5:00am. It says buses start running again at 6:00am from "Finish Line to Host Resorts". However, every year prior to this, the first bus to leave the resorts after they stop running at 5am is a 7am bus. So possibly a new starting time of 6:00am, or possibly a misstatement of sorts. The 5k bus definitely does not start running at 3:30am from the finish to resorts because in year's past it wasn't until 6:30am. So I'd say to be on the safe side, either ask the person in charge loading the buses (MEARS employee at the bus pickup location at AS) or assume 5am is the very last bus leaving AS.
From that bus, you will be dropped off at EPCOT. From EPCOT, get on the monorail that takes you to the TTC. You can either watch for him at the TTC and then walk to the Polynesian Hotel (many people do this because you can see your runner twice). Or you can continue on from the TTC to MK where you will see him once (but in the spectacle that is Magic Kingdom Main Street). The spectator guide above says "Accessible to guests of Polynesian". However, it has said that in the past as well and others have done the TTC/Poly viewing prior without issue (of course who knows if this is the year they try and prevent people, but I'd be surprised).
2016 Guide:
I'm assuming your DH has found his waiver, bib number, and thus corral assignment. If not, then go here:
Waiver -
LINK
Bib Number - Found at the bottom of waiver
Corral Assignment -
LINK
I estimate the start times for the different corrals to be very close to this:
I'm splitting the difference and assuming by back of the pack that he will be close to a 15 min/mile HM pace. So I placed him in Corral G (a pure guess on my end and you can provide me with his corral assignment and I can change the timing of this chart).
So I gave you multiple scenarios where he is running a 14 min/mile through a 15:30 min/mile. The "TTC" would be the estimated time he would arrive at that location around mile 4. Then "Main Street" and also "Polynesian". It also lets you figure out how much time you'll have before you need to get back to the finish line.
-The monorail to the TTC from EPCOT takes 15 min of ride time.
-The monorail to MK from TTC takes 15 min (and is a bit of a transfer).
-The MK to EPCOT finish area seems to take around 15+15+10 (~40 min) + 15 min walk to finish area = 55 min.
Here's an old thread that might be helpful:
https://www.disboards.com/threads/help-with-marathon-spectating.3652184/
And this was that person's outcome:
https://www.disboards.com/threads/help-with-marathon-spectating.3652184/page-3#post-58653571
"I hope this is helpful for others - if I had it do over I would board a bus at 4:50am - go to Epcot - check out the starting area - monorail to TTC - watch my runner at TTC - monorail to GF - watch my runner at GF - monorail to TTC - monorail to Epcot - watch my runner enter Epcot - and then walk to finish and watch my runner finish."
So we arrive on friday evening for the half marathon my husband is running.
Be aware that the HM is Saturday morning. You are suppose to pick up your bib the day prior (Friday). The expo closes at 7pm on Friday.
There is an unadvertised emergency pickup the morning of the race at the race staging area, but this is unadvertised and does not mean it will happen again. So I'd be sure to pick up prior to 7pm on Friday to feel safe.