Hi Adam and welcome to planDisney! As an avid runner and
runDisney enthusiast, I’d be delighted to answer your question. So lace up and let’s race on over to an answer!
If you’re new to
runDisney races, one thing to know is that these races start early! The 5K starts at 4:30 AM and the half marathon starts at 5:00 AM. If you’ll be checking in any items to pickup after the race, wanting to take pictures with characters, or get in a quick stretch or bathroom break before you start running, you’ll want to arrive at least an hour before the race start. I know you mentioned living a little bit over an hour away from EPCOT, but personally waking up early and driving that long of a distance before a 13.1 mile race might not be ideal.
One of the biggest benefits to staying at a Disney Resort hotel during a race weekend is that you’ll have complimentary transportation to the
Health & Fitness Expo for bib pickup and transportation to and from all the races! Personally, I love staying at
Disney’s Riviera Resort during race weekends. The Resort has a small footprint (which means less steps to walk to and from transportation options like the Disney Skyliner) and offers a wide assortment of dining options to meet my needs. Plus, the Beau Soleil pool has a very relaxing hot tub that provides the perfect way to wind down after a long race!
Now, let's go over plans to visit the theme parks. I personally love going to the parks after the races and highly recommend you visit EPCOT sometime during race weekend. You’ll find some unique
PhotoPass opportunities and photo locations to show off your hard-earned race medals! (A quick bonus tip: adding a
Memory Maker photo package for your trip gives you access to all your race photos!). Don’t forget that with
your half marathon registration you have access to the
post-race party at EPCOT. You also receive a $15 Disney Promo Card with your registration, which you can use to carb load at the many food booths at the
International Food & Wine Festival. As for the water parks,
Disney’s Blizzard Beach is the only water park currently open. While you won’t find any hot tubs or spas to rest up after the races, you’ll find some lounge chairs along Melt-Away Bay to relax on.
As we approach the finish, I want to thank you for your question and wish you luck on your upcoming races and hope that training is going well! I’ll be participating in the 10K and the half marathon during Wine & Dine Half Marathon Weekend, so you may even see me alongside you on the course. If you have any further questions about planning for your upcoming
runDisney race, please feel free to
contact me and my fellow panelists here at planDisney!
Your pal,
Sean