Hi Kjersti!
Thank you for bringing your question to the Disney Parks Moms Panel. Congratulations on signing up for your very first runDisney event! I'm confident you are going to have a wondEARful time and certainly be signing up for more.
I'm glad to let you know that for
Walt Disney World Marathon Weekend all
resort hotels on property are considered host resorts. This means transportation is provided for all weekend events, including each of the races and the runDisney Health & Fitness Expo. I highly recommend that anyone coming to Walt Disney World, especially for a runDisney event, stay on property. They will take all of the guess work out of the weekend for you and tell you exactly when you should be on the bus and they make sure you are there on time! With the three different categories for hotels, value, moderate and deluxe resorts, there is something for every budget.
I understand some folks have nearby relatives or a timeshare that makes staying off property a better choice for them. If so you will need to provide your own transportation to and from the race. For the half marathon, take I-4 to exit 64 (192 West) and follow the signs to
Epcot. Depending on how far you are I would plan on being on Walt Disney World property about 3:45-4:00 AM. So if your hotel is 20 minutes from the main gates, I'd leave your place around 3:20 or so. There will be more details in the Digital Event Guide, which is usually released a couple weeks before the race!
I hope you have a great race and please let me know if you have any other questions before your trip!
-Lindsey ºOº