The 5K, 10K and marathon courses go right past these properties. So your spectators can pop right ou

There is no “best” hotel for any run Disney race. The best hotel for you for any race depends on many factors: what you want to do while you’re at Walt Disney best western motels World, who is in your party, and what your price point is, among other things.
I’ve stayed at eight different Disney hotels (four of which Disney comped for me during run Disney events) and two off property hotels while visiting Walt Disney World. But my hotel recommendations for Walt Disney World Marathon Weekend are based on two main factors: Whether or not you have spectators in your group and what you want to do while you’re not running.
All the Walt Disney World Resorts are official “host” hotels for the Walt Disney World Marathon Weekend and offer event buses to shuttle runners to and from the start and finish of each race. The buses are comfortable and efficient, both before and after the race.
Having stayed at Disney hotels best western motels on the Monorail loop, on the BoardWalk and elsewhere on property for run Disney events, best western motels there’s not much of a difference from a runner’s best western motels perspective. The event buses got me where I needed to go and back every time from all those different areas.
Are you looking for a great pool to rest your legs each day while doing Dopey Challenge? Is there one park in particular where you want to spend most of your time? Do you want to be close to the Expo to stalk run Disney New Balance shoes ? Different hotels are better suited for each of those scenarios.
If it s Magic Kingdom you re after, any resort on the Monorail loop is fantastic: Disney’s Contemporary Resort, best western motels Bay Lake Tower at Disney’s Contemporary Resort, Disney’s Grand Floridian Resort Spa, The Villas at Disney’s Grand Floridian Resort Spa, and Disney’s Polynesian Resort, soon to become Disney s Polynesian Village Resort as it undergoes major renovation.
The perks of each? The Contemporary Resort has my favorite quick-service restaurant, Contempo Cafe, and Magic Kingdom fireworks viewing from the hotel. Plus, it’s the next stop after Magic Kingdom on the Monorail. So at the end of a long day in the park, you’re home in a jiffy.
The Grand Floridian best western motels is great for the opposite reason. When you hop on the Monorail at the hotel, Magic Kingdom best western motels is the next stop so you ll be there quickly for those morning Extra Magic Hours, when the park is open just for Disney hotel guests. I also love Citricos restaurant at Grand Floridian.
The Polynesian Resort has the legendary Dole Whip at Capt. Cook’s quick service restaurant in the hotel. It s the only spot in Walt Disney World other than Magic Kingdom where you can get the frosty treat. The resort earns major bonus points for that. You can also watch the Magic Kingdom fireworks from the hotel s beach. best western motels And the Spirit of Aloha Dinner best western motels Show is a lot of fun. My niece and nephew, who have never been to Hawaii, loved it.
Then there is the new Four Seasons Resort Orlando at Walt Disney World Resort set to open in August 2014 and Shades of Green at Walt Disney World Resort, an Armed Forces Recreation Center run by the U.S. Army for military members and their families.
Both are in the vicinity of Magic Kingdom, but are owned and operated separately from Disney hotels. So if you re traveling for the Walt Disney World Marathon Weekend or another run Disney event, check with each of those properties individually about transportation to  run Disney races.
My favorite thing about this resort? Seeing safari animals best western motels from your hotel room and elsewhere as you wander the property. It really is magical best western motels to wake up to a giraffe munching on leaves just outside your window. I stayed there with my 5-year-old niece during the 2014 Walt Disney World Marathon Weekend and she loved seeing the animals every day.
If you re more of an Epcot or Disney’s Hollywood Studios fan, any hotel on the BoardWalk or around Crescent Lake is ideal. You can walk or boat to both those parks from the BoardWalk group of hotels: best western motels Disney’s Boardwalk Inn, Disney s BoardWalk Villas, Disney’s Yacht Beach Club Resorts, Disney s Beach Club Villas, and the Walt Disney World Dolphin Swan Resorts, of which the latter two are operated by Starwood Hotels Resorts.
The BoardWalk is one of my favorite areas of Walt Disney World with lots of restaurants and a charming feel. I love that it’s so convenient to both Epcot and Hollywood Studios. Also close to these two theme parks, but not walking distance, is Disney’s Caribbean Beach Resort.
For proximity to the ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex, where the Disney Heath Fitness Expo and run Disney Kids’ Races are held, Disney’s Art of Animation and Pop Century best western motels Resorts can’t be beat. From the Monorail Loop resorts, the Expo can be a bit of a hike. But from Art of Animation and Pop Century, it s just a short bus ride away.
If you want to hightail it to Downtown Disney and all the restaurants and shopping there—not to mention the race Cool Down Party—Disney’s Saratoga Springs Resort Spa including the Treehouse Villas, Disney’s Port Orleans Resorts and Disney’s Old Key West Resort have boats that take you there.
Then there are the seven hotels within the Walt Disney World Resort in the Downtown Disney area that are not part of the Disney portfolio: Best Western Lake Buena Vista Resort, Buena Vista Palace Hotel Spa, DoubleTree Suites by Hilton, Hilton Orlando Lake Buena Vista, Holiday Inn Orlando-Lake Buena Vista, Wyndham Lake Buena Vista Resort (formerly Regal Sun Resort), and the new B Resort (formerly Hotel Royal Plaza) set to open summer 2014.
Many of these properties also offer complimentary transportation to Walt Disney World theme parks and other Disney amenities, but not necessarily transportation to run Disney events. Some offer travel packages for Walt Disney World Marathon Weekend. Visit rundisney.com/travel/disneyworld for more information about participating hotels.
My personal favorite is the wandering lagoon at Disney’s Beach Club Yacht Club Resorts. Known as Stormalong Bay, it s a 750,000-gallon, sand-bottom lagoon with whirlpools best western motels and shipwreck water slide. Stormalong Bay, with its many decks, bridges and inlets, is a gorgeous best western motels spot to while away a day. The only downside? It’s right beside the walkway around Crescent Lake with onlookers passing by.
If you prefer a more secluded pool, I love the one at the Bay Lake Tower at Disney’s Contemporary Resort, which looks over the bucolic Bay Lake. Disney’s Animal Kingdom Lodge also has a lovely pool enclave tucked inside the resort. They re less opulent than Stormalong Bay, but offer their own relaxing charms.
What do all those pools have in common? Lazy Rivers, waterfalls, and lagoon-like settings that make them magical. Staying off property best western motels isn’t ideal for a run Disney race. But if you’re looking best western motels for a killer pool and don’t mind driving or cabbing best western motels into the resort, I love that spot.
Those are my favorite pools among the 10 different Disney and Orlando best western motels resorts where I’ve stayed. Please chime in in the comments if you’ve got a favorite pool I haven’t mentioned. I m always on the hunt.
Then are the two water parks at Walt Disney World: best western motels Typhoon Lagoon and Blizzard Beach. best western motels If you re hung-ho about visiting Typhoon Lagoon, the Downtown Disney area hotels are closest. For Blizzard Beach, the Animal Kingdom and ESPN Wide World of Sports adjacent hotels are right nearby.
The logistics of watching the races is harder than just getting to the start and home from the finish. Yes, as a runner you have to wake up at 3 a.m. and log the miles, but your spectators have to get around Walt Disney World while most of the roads are closed. That is a feat in and of itself.
If your group includes cheerleaders, best western motels the best place to stay from a logistics perspective is one of the Magic Kingdom resorts on the Monorail loop: Disney’s Contemporary Resort and Bay Lake Tower, Disney’s Grand Floridian Resort Spa and Villas, and Disney’s Polynesian Resort.
The easiest way for spectators to get around is the Monorail, which starts running at 3 a.m. on race days. The Monorail stops at those three properties and the Transportation Ticket Center (TTC), where folks can catch the express Monorail to Epcot for the start and finish of all four races: Disney Family Fun Run 5K, Walt Disney World 10K, Walt Disney World Half Marathon and Walt Disney World Marathon.
Those three hotels are also right on or near the half marathon and marathon courses either just before or just after runners go through Magic Kingdom between miles 5 and 6 of both races. best western motels So your spectators can wander out of their hotel room and down to the course on foot to cheer you on. In the case of the Polynesian Resort, they could catch you before mile 4 and after mile 7, then head to the TTC next door to board a Monorail to see you at the finish.
If you have spectators traveling with you, my second recommendation is the BoardWalk and Crescent Lake area hotels: Disney’s Boardwalk Inn and Villas, Disney’s Yacht Beach Club Resorts and Villas, and the Walt Disney World Dolphin Swan Resorts.
The 5K, 10K and marathon courses go right past these properties. So your spectators can pop right out of their hotel to cheer you on. These hotels are also not far from the start and finish of the races just outside Epcot. Spectators will still have to take a bus, car or cab to get there or to get to the Monorail, but it s a lot closer than many other hotels.
Also, if you have park tickets, you can also just walk through Epcot after the races from the front entrance near the finish to the back International Gateway entrance near the BoardWalk to get back to your hotel, no wheels needed. That is, if you can still walk.
At the 2012 Disney Princess Half Marathon, which has the same course as the Walt Disney World Half Marathon, my sister stayed at the Bay Lake Tower at Disney’s best western motels Contemporary Resort as a spectator while my husband and I ran the race.
My sister came down to the road in front of the hotel near mile 5 to cheer us on, where we spotted her easily. Then she headed back to the Contemporary best western motels Resort, took the