Should I bother going on Marathon Weekend?

[TRANSPOS]

So we just finalized a plan for WDW Jan 4-Jan 11. It’s been 4 years. We’ve been trying to go but for obvious reasons the past few years have fallen apart. Kids are college aged so this may be the last time we convince them all to go. It took a lot just to get this one week blocked off

Just found out it’s Marathon Weekend. Just how big a disruption is it? We plan on staying off site and having a car.

I am obviously concerned about crowd size, etc. Just as concerned with getting around by car. Our typical routine is rope drop. Leave around lunchtime. Back for late PM/evening.

Looking at the past race route maps — Thurs/Friday with the 5K/10K don’t look horrible. Or am i missing something? MK should be easily accessible Thursday. Friday maybe HS.

Is Thursday/Friday a ton easier than the weekend?

Weekend was thinking AK Sunday. Saturday who knows. Probably avoid Epcot until Monday. Maybe go to universal on Sunday race day. But man that’s a big expense.

So my biggest concern is…..just how disruptive is getting around the weekend by car? I really hate traffic . Also are crowd sizes and lines a TON more?

 

[AnotherWorld]

Hoping someone answers your questions. We'll be there the same week. As you, I didn't realize there was a race until after we booked. I'm curious how crowed MK will be on that Sunday during the big race.

 

[mom2rtk]

Pack your patience Sunday morning. We got stuck on a bus near the MK for 45 minutes on Sunday of Marathon Weekend in 2020. Last year we chose to stay at Pop and travel by Skyliner instead and it worked great. There were holdups in Epcot though until early afternoon (since runners come through the park and they block off part of the path).

 

[AnotherWorld]

Pack your patience Sunday morning. We got stuck on a bus near the MK for 45 minutes on Sunday of Marathon Weekend in 2020. Last year we chose to stay at Pop and travel by Skyliner instead and it worked great. There were holdups in Epcot though until early afternoon (since runners come through the park and they block off part of the path).

Thanks for the information! What time did your bus leave for MK? Was it early morning? That's our check-in day, so it will be late morning or noon before we get on a bus. Was MK crowed that day? Sorry for so many questions. It's the grandkids first trip and we wanted to take them to MK first day.

 

[mom2rtk]

Thanks for the information! What time did your bus leave for MK? Was it early morning? That's our check-in day, so it will be late morning or noon before we get on a bus. Was MK crowed that day? Sorry for so many questions. It's the grandkids first trip and we wanted to take them to MK first day.

We caught the bus around 9AM at Pop Century and entered the park around 10:15. We were late for our breakfast ADR but I think they expected some of that and didn't say anything.

Park wasn't terrible that day. Although you should expect runners to show up in the MK later in the day. They all like to go be photographed with their medals in front of the castle. Expect Photopass lines to be long.

We're heading back for a short trip this year and have no way around doing MK that Sunday. So we're hoping for a better experience, lol.

 

[AnotherWorld]

We caught the bus around 9AM at Pop Century and entered the park around 10:15. We were late for our breakfast ADR but I think they expected some of that and didn't say anything.

Park wasn't terrible that day. Although you should expect runners to show up in the MK later in the day. They all like to go be photographed with their medals in front of the castle. Expect Photopass lines to be long.

We're heading back for a short trip this year and have no way around doing MK that Sunday. So we're hoping for a better experience, lol.

Thanks!! Hope you have a better experience and a magical day!

 

[mom2rtk]

Thanks!! Hope you have a better experience and a magical day!

Thanks! We've been going this time of year because my daughter's in college. Thankfully she graduates in May, so we can ditch Marathon Weekend after this!

 

[Mr. Drauer]

Sunday is the only real day of any disruption because the marathon hits all 4 parks and finishes after park opening at Epcot. Thursday and Friday the races are done well before park opening. Saturday half marathon can have a bit of an issue if you were to go to MK early, or Epcot, but it finishes by 10:00 at Epcot and all roads are back open by then.

 

[mom2rtk]

Sunday is the only real day of any disruption because the marathon hits all 4 parks and finishes after park opening at Epcot. Thursday and Friday the races are done well before park opening. Saturday half marathon can have a bit of an issue if you were to go to MK early, or Epcot, but it finishes by 10:00 at Epcot and all roads are back open by then.

We actually have to get to the MK early on Saturday this year. We had no way to schedule around it. Our choice was Saturday or Sunday, and I figured Saturday might do better.

Do you know much about the race course to know how it will disrupt things?

 

[Mr. Drauer]

We actually have to get to the MK early on Saturday this year. We had no way to schedule around it. Our choice was Saturday or Sunday, and I figured Saturday might do better.

Do you know much about the race course to know how it will disrupt things?

the Saturday half marathon has been from outside of Epcot up World Drive to MK, through MK and back down World Drive and looping back to Epcot (for the last 8 years at least). It starts at 5:00 am, and they release the corrals and waves every 3 minutes, but with 15,000 + runners, it takes until about 6:00 for them all to be out on the course. With a 16:00 minute / mile pace, the last of the pack should be to MK bus area (Mile 5) by about 7:20, so the road into MK and the bus loop should be fully functional by no later than 8:00. They do run the monorail from Epcot really early as they allow spectators to gather on main street pre-park opening to cheer, so that if that is an option, you can to the park that way. The course goes through MK parking lot to TTC, and then down the road past Contemporary to bus loop, but one lane of traffic is open heading to the Contemporary.

 

[mom2rtk]

the Saturday half marathon has been from outside of Epcot up World Drive to MK, through MK and back down World Drive and looping back to Epcot (for the last 8 years at least). It starts at 5:00 am, and they release the corrals and waves every 3 minutes, but with 15,000 + runners, it takes until about 6:00 for them all to be out on the course. With a 16:00 minute / mile pace, the last of the pack should be to MK bus area (Mile 5) by about 7:20, so the road into MK and the bus loop should be fully functional by no later than 8:00. They do run the monorail from Epcot really early as they allow spectators to gather on main street pre-park opening to cheer, so that if that is an option, you can to the park that way. The course goes through MK parking lot to TTC, and then down the road past Contemporary to bus loop, but one lane of traffic is open heading to the Contemporary.

Thank you so much for that rundown.

We are staying at Pop Century and have to be at the MK for an 8:45 AM Capture Your Moment session. Not exactly sure how to make that happen. Maybe just hope for the best. As I said, that was really our only option for this trip.

I guess Disney bus is the only way to get there. Uber would have the same grand transport issues any bus would have.

 

[CdnWDWfan]

I am wondering about timing and marathon too….I had originally planned to do WDW Jan 4-6 (HS/MK/AK), but am trying to decide whether to take advantage of lower ticket costs to do it Jan 7/8/9 instead. (we are also spending a few days at universal) It seems like getting around will be a pain to make rope drop, and weekends are normally much busier anyways, right ? My first instinct was to avoid WDW marathon weekend, but now I am second guessing that idea !