Hi Nancy,
Thanks for reaching out to the Disney Parks Moms Panel. I know you are looking forward to the
Princess Half Marathon Weekend. It's a fabulous, fun chance to run and enjoy Disney magic at the same time.
You are correct that race days start really early at the Walt Disney World resorts. The buses usually begin carrying runners from the resorts to the start line at 3:30 a.m. for the 5K and 10K and at 3 a.m. for the half marathon.
The last time I ran the Princess Half Marathon, I also stayed at the
Yacht Club resort -- one of my favorites in all of Walt Disney World -- and used the bus transportation. In typical Disney fashion, the buses are efficient and take you directly to the start area in the
EPCOT parking lot.
At that time, the International Gateway was not an option and I would not expect it to be in 2021. Even if the entrance was open, it would be a walk of about a mile and a half from the resort through EPCOT to the starting line. I don't know about you, but I always need to save my feet as much as possible pre-race!
When the races finish, you will find buses waiting to return you to your resort. After a runDisney race, I always need a shower and a change of clothes before heading out for a nice breakfast or brunch and a day of Walt Disney World fun. Please remember that entrance to the theme parks is now by reservation through the
Disney Park Pass system. So if you haven't already, you will want to secure your entrance reservations for that weekend as soon as possible.
Or you may want to spend the rest of the day enjoying the amenities of the Yacht Club resort, the
Boardwalk area or
Disney Springs.Please let us know if we can help in any other way, Nancy. Happy running!
Wilma