Staying during the 2004 Walt Disney Marathon

[SarahAndMike]

Has anyone ever done this?

My wife is running in the marathon this year and I'm curious what hotel/hotels they use for the runners. Also, if you've done it, does Disney offer discounts to extend the stay or for a spouse (me )? Any help is appreciated.

Warning, fundraising plug below!








Here it comes!







Almost there!



My wife has a goal of $3,400 to raise for the marathon. If you would like to give a tax-deductable donation, please visit the website below. Every dollar is appreciated and goes to benefit the American Stroke Association (part of the american heart association).

Donate Here

or copy and paste the link below:

http://www.kintera.org/faf/r.asp?t=4&i=25914&u=25914-6768269

 

[SarahAndMike]

If anyone has a person who they would like my wife to run in honor of, please let me know. She will write the name on her marathon shirt. Her stroke champion is my grandmother who survived a severe stroke earlier this year.

 

[welovedis]

Is your wife running thru the American Stroke Association program or is she running and donating the money to them? My impression was that if you are running thru their program they handle the accomodations for the runners, right?

I am participating in the marathon but have handled all the accomodations myself since I am not running thru an organzation. I am raising money for research for an auto-immune disease that I have (eosinophilic gastroenteritis) but am asking only those I know to donate.

The WDW marathon newsletter I got recently mentions contact the marathon people directly for deals on hotels, but the prices they quoted were no better than rack rate pretty much and they are pushing ticket sales too.

We'll be there for 12 nights and feel we can do better with AAA & AP rates (if there are any).

HTH!

 

[SarahAndMike]

Yup, she is running through the American Stroke Association. We've just begin training so I was curious for anyone who has done it before. We haven't talked with them about he arangements yet. My wife is very excited to do her first marathon and asked me to get information for her. This board is so great so I thought I'd see if anyone else has done this before.

 

[Tinks]

I am probably not much help since this is my first time.....I'm doing the Disney half-marathon! Last year they had the expo ( you need to go to the expo to get your race number) at the Coronado Springs Resort, but I've read that they changed the expo back to the Wide World of Sports. In a nutshell, there is no "official" resort for the runners. I have booked myself into the Contemporary because I enjoy the monorail. Disney transportation will be running to take racers to the start line and I hear they start the buses at around 3 a.m. I think I read that you need to check in at the start line no later than 5 a.m....does anyone know if this is correct??? I believe you can stay anywhere on site and use the transportation to the race.

Hope that helped a little!

 

[ducklite]

My DH is going to be doing his third WDW Marathon in 2004. The official host hotel is Coronado Springs, but you can stay wherever you want. There really isn't much discount of incentive to stay there. Neither runners nor their families are extended any type of ticket media discount that isn't available to the general public.

We're going to be at the Beach Club Villas. We found the most convenient place to stay is the Polynesian or the Grand Floridian, because of the monorail. It's difficult to get from a non-monorail resort to the halfway point--last year I had to take a cab from the BCV to the TTC and then walk from there to the GF.

DH has also run in NYC and Philadelphia, and thinks the course and amenities at the WDW marathon are FAR superior.

Anne

 

[ducklite]

Originally posted by Tinks
I am probably not much help since this is my first time.....I'm doing the Disney half-marathon! Last year they had the expo ( you need to go to the expo to get your race number) at the Coronado Springs Resort, but I've read that they changed the expo back to the Wide World of Sports. In a nutshell, there is no "official" resort for the runners. I have booked myself into the Contemporary because I enjoy the monorail. Disney transportation will be running to take racers to the start line and I hear they start the buses at around 3 a.m. I think I read that you need to check in at the start line no later than 5 a.m....does anyone know if this is correct??? I believe you can stay anywhere on site and use the transportation to the race.

Hope that helped a little!

I hope they didn't move it back--there is NOT enough room at the WWoS for the registrationa nd expo--waaaaayyyyyy too crowded. It was really nice at CSR--but even crowded there!

You do need to be at the start no later than five, and it can take up to an hour to get there, so be prepared. It's REALLY cold taht early in the morning, most runners bring "disposable" clothes...either the tyvek running suits taht they can rip off and throw away, or old sweats/sweatshirts to cast off--WDW picks them up and donates them to the homeless. Do'nt foget gloves or you'll really regret it.

Anne

 

[welovedis]

Thanks Anne for clearing up some of the time questions. I know that with the Stroke Assoc and other charities, they usually just book rooms for the runners (shared rooms) as part of the race package they are given. I really don't know how it works as far as where they stay, etc... ASA would be the best place to ask about that.

We are going to change our ressies and book CSR for a number of nights before & after the race, we liked it so much on our trip there last week. I had heard it was the site of the race expo & registration too, so I hope that has not changed either!

I had thought about switching to a monorail resort for the nights before the race, but then we would be shortening our trip so DH & DS are probably going to take a cab to try & see me run, but we don't plan on even *trying* to meet at the finish for the 1/2 marathon--way to many people!

 

[Tinks]

I checked the Wide World of Sports website and if you look under marathon expo updates for the 2004 race it says that the WWoS is hosting the expo this year. I've never been so I hope it isn't too crowded! It also said something about the Carribean Beach being the host hotel for exhibitors (not runners, though). When I registered for the race in March, I requested resort package info and was sent a standard email offering the Wilderness Lodge. It included park tickets, etc.. and was at no substantial discount that I could see. I'm hoping we get that information packet in early fall....it seems many people have questions! ( especially we first-timers.)

 

[SarahAndMike]

I think our kickoff is soon. I'm hoping to learn more there. I'll update you all when I learn more. Thanks for the info so far.