Crowds during Marathon and MLK Weekend

[PrincessJen09]

Hi everyone! I am trying to lock in my wedding date, but we keep hitting a road block with the Yacht Club. My parents only want to stay at the Yacht Club, but the hotel is sold out (the wedding sales director's words, not mine) for 3 nights during when we wanted to go. So we tried to move it up a week and the Yacht Club is sold out for 3 nights during that week as well! So right now the Sales Director is suggesting January 6th through 16th. That means that we would be there during the Marathon weekend and MLK weekend. My family went during the Marathon weekend 2 years ago (2014) and I remember the parks being pretty empty that weekend, but the crowd calendars are red or showing high crowds. MLK weekend is also showing red and the highest crowds. Can anyone tell me how the crowds really are? I have been during both Spring Break and Christmas to New Years, but my family is used to more off season (think September and October usually, during Food and Wine). We also went one year during Labor Day. So with that in mind, how crowded is it in the parks? Would my family be ok or would they feel like it is crowded? Any tips or experiences would be greatly appreciated! I am really hoping this date can work because otherwise I am not sure when I am going to be able to move the wedding date to. Thanks!

 

[mrsR123]

THe marathon tends to have a greater impact on hotel occupancy than park crowds. So, if hotel rooms are your obstacle, you might still have a problem. The other major impact is to transportation on Saturday and Sunday morning. THere are road closures/reductions between MK and Epcot on both days, and out to Animal Kingdom for Sunday.

I hope you can get something that works well for everyone. Congratulations!

 

[PrincessJen09]

THe marathon tends to have a greater impact on hotel occupancy than park crowds. So, if hotel rooms are your obstacle, you might still have a problem. The other major impact is to transportation on Saturday and Sunday morning. THere are road closures/reductions between MK and Epcot on both days, and out to Animal Kingdom for Sunday.

I hope you can get something that works well for everyone. Congratulations!

Thank you! That's what I remember about the marathon weekend. So just no early morning reservations!

 

[nfouey]

First off...Congrats!

Secondly, YC is a hotel used by many runners and sponsors. It will be very full and impacted by runners. If this will bother you, then I would avoid marathon weekend. The full marathon itself also goes right past the hotel on Sunday.

 

[PCFriar80]

Hi everyone! I am trying to lock in my wedding date, but we keep hitting a road block with the Yacht Club. My parents only want to stay at the Yacht Club, but the hotel is sold out (the wedding sales director's words, not mine) for 3 nights during when we wanted to go. So we tried to move it up a week and the Yacht Club is sold out for 3 nights during that week as well! So right now the Sales Director is suggesting January 6th through 16th. That means that we would be there during the Marathon weekend and MLK weekend. My family went during the Marathon weekend 2 years ago (2014) and I remember the parks being pretty empty that weekend, but the crowd calendars are red or showing high crowds. MLK weekend is also showing red and the highest crowds. Can anyone tell me how the crowds really are? I have been during both Spring Break and Christmas to New Years, but my family is used to more off season (think September and October usually, during Food and Wine). We also went one year during Labor Day. So with that in mind, how crowded is it in the parks? Would my family be ok or would they feel like it is crowded? Any tips or experiences would be greatly appreciated! I am really hoping this date can work because otherwise I am not sure when I am going to be able to move the wedding date to. Thanks!

We've run marathon weekend the past 11 years and to be honest with you, if and when we stop running we would go down the same time again!
We have stayed at the BCVs for all stays and yes there are a lot of runners, but we are generally a nice crowd with one focus that weekend. Crowds from 1/6 - 1/8 are mostly runners with little impact on the parks. Crowds will wind down on 1/9 and start to build around 1/12. Attendance is very manageable and weather can vary. Generally speaking, you'll get lows in the 50's and daytime highs in the upper 60's to low 70's. Having said that, in our 11 years we have seen 30 degrees [2010] and a few years in the 80's. So it can be a wild card but still a great time to go and YC is a great resort! Bottom line, if it was me [us] I would go for it!

 

[PrincessJen09]

Thank you for the responses and congratulations! We don't mind the runners. We honestly wouldn't mind the convention either if the resort wasn't completely full! My family is just used to not waiting in lines. That is the big concern.

 

[mountdew1]

Thank you for the responses and congratulations! We don't mind the runners. We honestly wouldn't mind the convention either if the resort wasn't completely full! My family is just used to not waiting in lines. That is the big concern.

Post Marathon the crowds should taper off each day. Pre Marathon will be a toss up, it depends on when the race falls in relation to NYE. Since Jan 1st is the Sunday before the race this year, I'd expect crowds to be relatively light the week before as most school should go back Monday or Tuesday. I've done a handful of trips during Marathon weekend for the Marathon, and crowds are usually manageable.

 

[cavepig]

We've done marathon weekend twice now ('15 & '16) and crowds weren't bad at all. Line waits were never terrible for the most part, sure you might get a couple longer waits but nothing like Major Holidays/summer/Spring break. Crowds were a little more leading up to the weekend with leftover Christmas/New Years people and then runners coming in. After the weekend races crowds dropped off especially since a lot of runners leave Monday after. Great time to go, so yeah I don't think you'll feel crowded. Just prepare to see lots of runners running around the Yacht club area before and during the races.