Star Wars Run Weekend Hotel Recommendations

[DisneyWalle]

My husband and I are planning to do the challenge in 2019. We have been to Disney world countless times but never for a run. Is there a hotel that is better to stay in? (Proximity to run beginning or ending, quieter for earlier sleep times, closer to expo, you get the idea)

I know we will stay onsite, that's a given, and I do not stay at any of the value resorts. Those days are over. We prefer the moderates and deluxe hotels.

Where do you stay for Disney runs? Why did you choose that hotel?

 

[Sleepless Knight]

I stayed at Riverside for 2017 Dark Side and French Quarter for 2018 Dark Side. If I run Goofy or Dopey at marathon weekend, I'm choosing French Quarter. I feel like it's a tiny bit closer to Epcot than Riverside and as a more compact resort, that made buses easier to deal with. Bus transportation for the Expo and the races was in the same place for both.

Riverside had bus pickup for the Expo at the front of the resort while race pickup and drop off was at the usual resort bus stops.

For a normal visit, I would choose Riverside. In many ways it felt like I was not at Walt Disney World at all when I came back at night. French Quarter gets my vote for race weekends for the reasons I cited above. But both resorts were quiet and I had no problems with early bedtimes for the races. I honestly loved both resorts and in the event French Quarter is sold out for marathon weekend, I will happily stay at Riverside with no issues whatsoever.

 

[PrincessV]

I stay at what I can afford - for me, that's often offsite, but I drive from within FL and would have a car, regardless. Honestly, every WDW resort will get you to the expo and races, so it's just a matter of what you want to spend and what type of theme you enjoy.

 

[Bree]

For races I’ve stayed at Caribbean Beach, Grand Floridian, Beach Club and most recently the Swan for Star Wars. All of them were perfectly fine. I say book whatever resort fits your budget and makes you happy.

 

[DisneyPigFan]

You can walk to the race start from the Polynesian -- for the half anyway, don't know about the other distances. That's a HUGE convenience, and means you can sleep in an extra 2-3 hours, since you don't have to be on a bus by some ungodly hour.

The half ends right outside of Epcot, so you have a fairly quick ride back to your hotel if you're staying at an Epcot area resort.

Other than those possible advantages, it doesn't really matter where you stay. All Disney hotels have race and expo transportation.

 

[Bree]

You can walk to the race start from the Polynesian -- for the half anyway, don't know about the other distances. That's a HUGE convenience, and means you can sleep in an extra 2-3 hours, since you don't have to be on a bus by some ungodly hour.

The half ends right outside of Epcot, so you have a fairly quick ride back to your hotel if you're staying at an Epcot area resort.

Other than those possible advantages, it doesn't really matter where you stay. All Disney hotels have race and expo transportation.

The Epcot Resorts all share a bus after the races and there are five stops. This is the order of drop off:

• Swan
• Dolphin
• Yacht Club
• Beach Club
• Boardwalk

 

[chuckille]

You can walk to the race start from the Polynesian -- for the half anyway, don't know about the other distances. That's a HUGE convenience, and means you can sleep in an extra 2-3 hours, since you don't have to be on a bus by some ungodly hour.

If this is the case, I’m gonna have to book the Polynesian. This is our first time to Disney World so I’m gonna try to make it as easy as possible for us.

Are we able to book hotel rooms this far out? I don’t want to commit to renting a villa this far out as it doesn’t seem to be refundable if plans change.

 

[DisneyWalle]

I stay at what I can afford - for me, that's often offsite, but I drive from within FL and would have a car, regardless. Honestly, every WDW resort will get you to the expo and races, so it's just a matter of what you want to spend and what type of theme you enjoy.

When you stay offsite, do you find it difficult to get to the race parking due to the road closures?

 

[PrincessV]

When you stay offsite, do you find it difficult to get to the race parking due to the road closures?

Not at all! I just leave early, as rD says to, before any roads are closed. I try to time things so that my car is on WDW property within 15-20 minutes of when race buses start running. That gets me there and parked before traffic backs up anywhere.

 

[LilyJC]

You can walk to the race start from the Polynesian -- for the half anyway, don't know about the other distances.

For some reason I thought Disney did not allow runners to walk from the resorts to the race start? Is this an exception to the rule? If so, good to know!!!

 

[FFigawi]

For some reason I thought Disney did not allow runners to walk from the resorts to the race start? Is this an exception to the rule? If so, good to know!!!

You can only walk to the start of those races which begin in the MK parking lots. No walking to the Epcot start during marathon weekend or Princess.

 

[LilyJC]

You can only walk to the start of those races which begin in the MK parking lots. No walking to the Epcot start during marathon weekend or Princess.

Oh interesting - thank you for clarifying!

 

[DisneyWalle]

Has anyone stayed at the Hilton across from Disney Springs for any of the run weekends? After price checking the hotels for next April, my husband wants to stay offsite. We have stayed here plenty of times for past vacations. I was just curious if they offer run transportation or if driving from the Disney Springs area to run parking is relatively convenient.

 

[Keels]

Has anyone stayed at the Hilton across from Disney Springs for any of the run weekends? After price checking the hotels for next April, my husband wants to stay offsite. We have stayed here plenty of times for past vacations. I was just curious if they offer run transportation or if driving from the Disney Springs area to run parking is relatively convenient.

During Dark Side Weekend, I did notice after the half that there were signs for transportation to Good Neighbor Hotels. But I didn't walk over and look.

For past weekends, they have not - but driving is really easy, especially for Star Wars because you will have to park at Epcot and take a bus to the starting area. The race finishes in the Epcot parking lot, so you can get to your car and back to the hotel rather quickly.