How does the Marathon effect a Jan. Vacation?

[DanenRox]

Looking for information about how the WDW Marathons scheduled in January effect (or don't effect) BCV vacations at the same time? Assumming I can secure reservations, should we expect larger crowds in parks, at resorts, are there people running everywhere or do you hardly know it's going on?

 

[nicky mouse]

I also had this question. We're going to be going Jan 1 - 6, with dh's parents. They will stay with napping kids while we go out to the parks in the afternoon, so we're hoping to get something at BCV or BWV to not have to depend on the buses to get back and forth to parks at that time. It will be our first trip "home." I already have a ressie at SSR and won't mind staying there, just think the other to would be a bit more convient for this trip.

Nicole

 

[dianeschlicht]

There certainly are a lot of folks there for the Marathon, but the crowds at the parks aren't bad. The worst part is what it does to traffic on Saturday and Sunday, and the noise from the pre-race area from about 2 AM on is a problem at OKW. Not sure if it is the same problem at BCV, but since it takes place in the Epcot parking lot, it could be.

 

[Lisa1976]

We were at SSR whilst the Marathon was on and we really didn't notice that much difference. We made sure we new where they were starting each day and avoided it or we planned something off site that day. We didnt notice heavy traffic, but then we didnt go to watch any of the runs so not sure on that point

 

[dianeschlicht]

The heavy traffic was on the Epcot to DTD side because a lot of streets and roads were closed. We had a big problem trying to pick up a rental car that day. Saturday's half marathon was a bigger traffic issue than the full marathon was on Sunday.

 

[Jynohn]

We go every year in January and the marathon doesn't cause a noticeable increase in crowds. Many of the runners are there only for the event and are too busy preparing for the race and recovering from it afterward to spend much time in the parks. There are also those of us who make a family vacation out of it, but January is such a slow time of year that it isn't crowded regardless. I agree with those who mentioned that the only problem you'll run into is traffic on Saturday and Sunday morning if you plan on driving anywhere.

If anything, you may have some leftover crowds from the holidays as many schools won't be back in session yet, but I wouldn't worry about the marathon at all. Have a great trip!

 

[ReneeQ]

We usually go to Disney the fourth week of January each year. In 2005 we were going with other family, and had to go the second week of Jan, due to everyone's schedules. We did notice it slightly more crowded than we usually do the fourth week of Jan, but nothing really bad.

The only real problem I had was that we were checking in on the Sat before the marathon the next day on Sun. I had reserved our room at exactly 11 months and my ONLY request was non-smoking. We were at VWL and checked in around 4 PM and they gave us a smoking 2BR. I was QUITE upset, but the CM said the place was booked solid due to the marathon. He spoke to his manager and got us into a non smoking room.

I cannot deal with smoking rooms due to health reasons, and have since learned I can request nonsmoking for medical reasons.

 

[d-r]

A few years ago we didn't notice it, this past year I thought it was pretty annoying. I think the difference is that we have a two-year-old now, and our getting up earlier and getting to the parks at opening time. Don't go to MK or Epcot early those mornings. Especially epcot was a mess, because they had people running through the parks, and guests had to wait and then "run through" openings between the runners. Honestly, I don't think guests should be expected to run through openings in the runners with their families. Also, the magic kingdom the second morning was a little bit of a pain because the busses didn't go up to the regular place, they stopped at the TTC, and they were backed up a long way and it took a long time to get up there to be dropped off. I think we had a breakfast there or something. We didn't plan it well, and went to the wrong parks on the wrong days, and by the afternoon it wasn't a big deal at all. We were remembering the time in the past when we didn't notice it at all, but then in thinking about it, we figured we had just slept through it before. But it was sort of annoying those mornings, and it seems like they could come up with a better way to do it if they are going to have guests who paid money to be in the parks during the time they are running through the parks. Some guests aren't physically able to run through openings in the group of runners to get from point A to point B, and it just doesn't seem like they should be expected to. Also, in epcot, they had much of the pathway around world showcase blocked off, even if no one was running in there, and so you were crowded to one side while most of the path was open. I thought it was annoying and bad show. Disney usually does a much better job at figuring out crowd movements and stuff like that, and I think they could do a better job with this.

 

[Deb & Bill]

In Epcot on Sat this year, they had the Family Fun Run which was supposed to start at 10:30AM and didn't start until 11:15AM. So we run around the World Showcase coming in the park by the bathrooms near Spaceship Earth and leaving again by the Kennels after coming under Spaceship Earth. So there were a lot of 5Kers going through Epcot when normally the World Showcase would not have been open yet. The Family Fun Run used to run at 7AM on Sat morning, but this year they split up the Marathon and Half Marathon into two separate days.

The runners hate the guests who seem to think the runners are in their way and get in the way of the runners. Runners paid a lot to be in this race.

Disney is adding a whole bunch of new runs to the schedule. DL will have a half marathon and 5K race in Sept. There will be the 10K Race for the Taste in October. Minnie Marathon in May. Triathalon in May. Inline Skate also (not sure when).

 

[Jynohn]

I've been going during marathon week for several years, some years as a runner, and some years just for our family vacation. I've never felt like the runners were in the way. If anything, that's part of the reason why Disney schedules the thing so early in the morning. It's a 6AM start so that it the majority of the runners are out of the parks soon after (if not before) they open. Believe me, it's not fun standing around at the start line at 4AM while you're on vacation

I thought it was a lot of fun cheering on the runners that were left in the parks when I got there. In fact, that's what inspired me to register for the marathon myself.

 

[Stitch1404]

This year will be our 4th in a row being in Disney for the marathon. I didn't think the crowds were bad at all. We were staying at the BCV and we just walked toward the International Gateway entrance of Epcot and we could see them all going by, it was really neat.

We did try to drive to Downtown Disney though. We stopped at the gate at the exit of BCV and asked the guard how to drive there and he told us to turn around and go to the pool. He said traffic was stopped and roads were closed and it would take us forever to get there. We took his advice so I don't really know, but I would say avoid driving if you can.

 

[tinker925]

We have been there for the past two Marathon weekends and found the crowds to be fine, except as in prior posts on the morning(s) of the events, traffic does back up. DH is not planning on running the upcoming '07 Marathon, however I think it will be more crowded in '07 due to New Years being so close to the event. That was a good part of the reason we are not going again Jan. 07. The holiday crowd will really be overlapping with the Marathon crowd. Also the weater in Jan '05 was amazing, shorts and tanks for 6 days, this year burrrrrr.