Marathon Weekend 2018

[AmyAnne]

Have you considered a travel agent with group rates? They one I use has POFQ or Riverside for $187 a night. Don't know how that compares to what you got but if you want to know the agency I use just PM me. I've never stayed at POFQ either but I stayed at Riverside for the Dark Side weekend and really liked it. Thinking about switching to there for Wine & Dine.

Hi @croach - could you send me your TA's info? Thanks!

 

[mawatcha]

Do ADRs become available at 12am EST?

 

[rteetz]

Do ADRs become available at 12am EST?

7AM EST I believe.

 

[PCFriar80]

7AM EST I believe.

It's 6:00 AM [EDT]. Note that you may run in to some system loading issues, so try repeatedly if you're on that early. Also, the number of guests in your party could affect availability.

 

[rteetz]

It's 6:00 AM [EDT]. Note that you may run in to some system loading issues, so try repeatedly if you're on that early. Also, the number of guests in your party could affect availability.

Ok then it's 7AM for me since I'm central time.

 

[PCFriar80]

Ok then it's 7AM for me since I'm central time.

That would be CDT!

 

[mawatcha]

Oh no... that means 3am my time (west coast). Hmm, I think we'll survive by doing it at 6am our time.

It's 6:00 AM [EDT]. Note that you may run in to some system loading issues, so try repeatedly if you're on that early. Also, the number of guests in your party could affect availability.

...

 

[opusone]

Ok then it's 7AM for me since I'm central time.

Actually, 6:00am EDT is 5:00am CDT, so you can reserve at 5:00am.

 

[FelisLachesis]

Ok then it's 7AM for me since I'm central time.

5:00 am online, @rteetz ! You can call at 6:00 am your time.

 

[rteetz]

5:00 am online, @rteetz ! You can call at 6:00 am your time.

Oh yeah duh!

 

[Z-Knight]

Has anybody stayed at a Value resort and ran the marathon?

Trying to keep costs low on this trip and we really aren't in our room much anyway (last trip we were gone 8 am - 10 pm every day).

Last marathon, I stayed at POR - nice resort, but again, didn't spend much time there and was not happy about marathon morning bus service (must have been a fluke though).

I'm confused by the question. MANY have stayed at value resorts - I would hazard a guess that more stay there than other resorts. I've never had a problem at any of the value or other resorts with buses, BUT I have heard of issues with buses at all types of resorts. A resort type has no influence as to the quality of bus service you get - those are all external companies (I believe) that run these buses and these drivers have gotten lost before because of it. So those are the kinds of problems I know about. So, basically, you may spend $1000/night and you will have the luck of the draw the same as if you stayed at the $100/night value resort.

 

[Tacos]

Has anybody stayed at a Value resort and ran the marathon?

Trying to keep costs low on this trip and we really aren't in our room much anyway (last trip we were gone 8 am - 10 pm every day).

Last marathon, I stayed at POR - nice resort, but again, didn't spend much time there and was not happy about marathon morning bus service (must have been a fluke though).

This January will be my third time staying at the All-Star resorts and I have no complaints. You'll often hear people compare them to a "Motel-6" style place. But last time I checked Motel 6 didn't offer free parking at the parks, bus transportation, room service, multiple pools, currency exchange (for our foreign friends), child care, or airline check-in...just to name a few.

 

[Dr Q]

ADR's DONE! Whew! That wasn't nearly as stressful as I was prepared for. This was my first time doing it myself. My sister or someone else has always handled it in the past.

 

[MissLiss279]

Got my ADRs booked, also!! (While I was at OrangeTheory .)

 

[drummerwife]

Does anyone remember what time the expo opened for race retreat participants last year? I'm trying to figure out what time to book a breakfast ADR for Wednesday morning.
Thanks!

 

[Anisum]

Has anybody stayed at a Value resort and ran the marathon?

Trying to keep costs low on this trip and we really aren't in our room much anyway (last trip we were gone 8 am - 10 pm every day).

Last marathon, I stayed at POR - nice resort, but again, didn't spend much time there and was not happy about marathon morning bus service (must have been a fluke though).

Not for marathon weekend specifically but definitely for other race weekends. We had trouble once with a bus from All Star Movies where a driver didn't know the way to the Epcot parking lot which was nerve wracking but that can happen at any resort regardless of the level. I too have always found the rooms clean and better than motels I've stayed in but they're definitely not exciting (but who really needs exciting for someplace to sleep). They have all the amenities you need and have the most buses heading back post-race because the three All Stars share on the way back so you don't have to worry about waiting (not sure if that's true for other hotels).

I will say that I agree that Pop and Art of Animation have better food courts but to me it's not a big enough reason to pick them if All Stars is cheaper.

 

[PCFriar80]

Does anyone remember what time the expo opened for race retreat participants last year? I'm trying to figure out what time to book a breakfast ADR for Wednesday morning.
Thanks!

10:00 AM for race retreat runners. 12:00 PM for the rest of the runners. And it was a madhouse around noon through the rest of the afternoon on Wednesday.

 

[drummerwife]

10:00 AM for race retreat runners. 12:00 PM for the rest of the runners. And it was a madhouse around noon through the rest of the afternoon on Wednesday.

Thank you! I'll make sure to be there nice and early. I witnessed the 2016 Princess brawl and NEVER want to be around something like that again.

 

[camaker]

Thank you! I'll make sure to be there nice and early. I witnessed the 2016 Princess brawl and NEVER want to be around something like that again.

I don't think you're going to run into anything like that during the Marathon Weekend Expo. If you want to avoid the madness, I'd suggest going a little later in the afternoon after the initial rush has died down...

 

[hauntedcity]

Thank you! I'll make sure to be there nice and early. I witnessed the 2016 Princess brawl and NEVER want to be around something like that again.

Yikes! I saw the videos online, by my wife and I didn't arrive until long after that madness. The worst thing was that by the time we arrived, we still saw lots of things on the shelves that people had been fighting over.

We can schedule our ADR's tomorrow, and thank you everyone -- I had totally forgotten! I just sent out a frantic text to my wife, mother, and daughters for any last-minute input. We are scheduled to arrive around 2pm Wednesday, so fingers crossed for fair flying weather!