Welcome to planDisney, Heather! Thanks for stopping by with your question today! With your magical vacation just a few days away, I'm happy to chat with you about race logistics so you can be prepared for visiting EPCOT on the day of the
Disney Wine & Dine Half Marathon!
Heather, while I'm not a runner, several of my planDisney panelist pals are, and my first experience with a
runDisney event was this past spring, when I went to cheer them on for the Springtime Surprise. This course ended at
EPCOT, and I took resort transportation from my Disney Resort hotel to the park to catch them as they neared the finish line and celebrate with them after! The race was finished before the park opened for the day, and we were able to head right into EPCOT after for
Early Theme Park Entry.
With this in mind, and with me reaching out to my fellow panelist and seasoned Disney runner pal
Jana for some extra tips, you should not have any issues finding parking on the morning of the race. The
Park Hours & Events Calendar has EPCOT scheduled to open at 10 AM on the day of the race, at which point runners should be finished with the course. Additionally, runners and spectators who stay on Disney property are encouraged to use the
complimentary transportation options conveniently provided by Disney, and those who take personal vehicles to the race will be arriving as early as 3 AM. I was also able to find that all race transportation will end by 10:30 AM, and all road closures are expected to be clear by around 10 AM, so if you plan your arrival around park opening, you should be able to access the parking lots without worry!
In terms of crowds, I anticipate lots of guests will be enjoying EPCOT that day. Between the
EPCOT International Food & Wine Festival, the race weekend events, and the final weekend before Halloween, there are lots of great reasons for folks to spend the day here! I'd encourage you to embrace the unique atmosphere and congratulate the runners you see wearing their race medals from the events; that little extra pixie dust is magic to their ears!
Heather, I hope this helps, and I hope you have a fantastic trip! If you have any other questions, come see us again at
planDisney!
Every Mile is Magic,
Alison