Hi Kristen, and welcome back to planDisney! I love being at Disney World during runDisney weekends because there’s extra magic and energy in the air. I’ve been both a runner and a spectator, so I’d be happy to help with your question.
The
Digital Expo & Event Guide, which is released a week or two before race weekends, is where I usually go to confirm logistics, such as bus transportation, projected start times, and spectator information. According to the guide for this weekend’s
Wine & Dine Half Marathon Weekend, both official spectator areas are in the
EPCOT parking lot. If you’d like to see your daughters shortly after they cross the start line, you can watch from the EPCOT Rocket parking lot, which is accessible from 4:30 a.m. to 6:00 a.m. (runDisney recommends that all athletes and spectators arrive at EPCOT by 4:00 a.m.). To cheer them on closer to the end (between miles 11 and 12, or at the finish line), the EPCOT Eve parking lot will be accessible between 5:00 a.m. and 9:45 a.m. I love having the extra boost when I’m running towards EPCOT for that final mile!
And, to answer your question about the
Hollywood Studios parking lot, it will most likely not be open when your daughters run through. Besides EPCOT that morning, the other parking lots at the theme parks open one hour before
Early Theme Park Entry.
Another possible option is around mile three. If you’re staying at one of the EPCOT area resort hotels, like
BoardWalk Inn,
Beach Club,
Yacht Club, or the
Swan and
Dolphin, you can walk to the course and watch as the runners go through the BoardWalk area. It’s such a pretty spot to spectate with the glowing lights and being right next to Crescent Lake!
I also wanted to share a few tips that were helpful when I was spectating. First is to ask your daughters for their bib numbers and expected pace. Then use the
unofficial live results on the day of the race to see when they cross the start line and pass certain milestones. That’ll help you figure out when you’ll see them. If you have iPhones, I’ve found it helpful for runners to share their live location so you can see where they are in real time. Both the unofficial live results and the iPhone Find My feature can lag, so make sure you start looking for your daughters before you think they’re getting close! And finally, once you’re at your spectating spot, text your daughters to let them know where to look for you. The course can get crowded in certain areas, so that’ll help ensure that they don’t miss you!
I’m wishing your daughters many magical miles next weekend! And if you have any other questions, we’d love to have you back at planDisney.
JoAnna