Marathon Weekend 2027

[Disney at Heart]

SAFD Since some are reminiscing favorite past Disney things, I'll add that my perfect Christmas season day would end with the magnificent Osborne Family Dancing Lights!!!

Otherwise, any Disney day is awesome, but the best ones are when hotels are affordable, crowds are low, lines are short, weather is mild, family is well, and friends are hanging out at DATW!

 

[GollyGadget]

I had my first MW dream last night. The course spent extended time in HS and it was nonstop Star Wars characters. No idea which ones because I'm not really a fan and neither is the dream version of myself. I mostly just remember needing to swerve around all of the character lines

 

[PrincessV]

So this SAFD wound up being timely, because… I just had a nearly perfect 24 hours of WDW!

• NO traffic delays on I-4!
• Exact room I requested ready upon arrival!
• A shaded pool lounger and quiet spot at the pool for hours!
• A nearly perfect night at EP: Spaceship Earth, Seas, Test Track (single rider) all walk-on, GOTG LL, one of the best falafels of my life at Tangierine, great show by Command Performance, nice stroll around WS as the sun set, fireworks from a bench all by myself, and new Soarin’ with little wait using EMH! Marred only by the guy next to me on Soarin removing his seatbelt with such vigor, the heavy buckle part snapped back - onto my finger joint. That sucker swelled and turned purple within 5 minutes flat, but a lovely CM got me some ice from the closed Connections so I didn’t have to go all the way to First Aid before walking to my car. (It’s bruised, sore, and stiff today, but no more swelling. Watch your digits on Soarin, folks.)
• Wrapped it up with one of the best night’s sleep I’ve ever had in a hotel room!

I’m slightly concerned that I used up all my vacation luck on this one day, lol!

 

[Herding_Cats]

There's a [seemingly confirmed] rumor going around that they (Disney) are going to start doing reservation checks for busses from DS as a "permanent change" and no longer just during really high-traffic times such as Christmas or Easter. The general consensus on the boards is that AP holders shouldn't be impacted as long as it's not a blackout date since they can still park for free and then use WDW transportation.

Is this something that may impact people who stay offsite from getting to HH for the meetups?

 

[SugarSweetLee]

Is this something that may impact people who stay offsite from getting to HH for the meetups?

Seems like yes. Maybe the meetup location should move to somewhere in Springs.

 

[The Expert]

Seems like yes. Maybe the meetup location should move to somewhere in Springs.

I wouldn't jump to any big changes just yet. We haven't seen it implemented, and it may backfire spectacularly or turn out to not really be an issue. But I'm for sure tracking on it.

 

[smrt1]

There's a [seemingly confirmed] rumor going around that they (Disney) are going to start doing reservation checks for busses from DS as a "permanent change" and no longer just during really high-traffic times such as Christmas or Easter. The general consensus on the boards is that AP holders shouldn't be impacted as long as it's not a blackout date since they can still park for free and then use WDW transportation.

Is this something that may impact people who stay offsite from getting to HH for the meetups?

What is HH? I know I’m going to feel stupid when you tell me.

This is one of those things where I give Disney the benefit of the doubt. If it wasn’t for people trying to scam the system it wouldn’t need to be implemented.

 

[jmasgat]

What is HH? I know I’m going to feel stupid when you tell me.

Hurricane Hannahs is the pool bar at Beach Club. Friday of Marathon weekend, there is a meetup, usually at 2 pm.

 

[Herding_Cats]

As someone who does NOT stay offsite, I can only guess at what measures they use to get onsite. Park at HS and walk? Park at DS and take the bus to BC? We walk to DS from SSR and get on a bus, which, as resort guests shouldn't be impacted.

But yes. It does seem like they are trying to cut down on the whole "park at DS and then bus to the resorts/parks to get around the parking fees" sort of situation.

 

[GuinnessRunner]

So just thought I would share another shiny example of Disney IT queue failures, althought this time in my favor. I am taking my DD and DS to Disneyland for their fall break and it happens to fall at the same time as the Oogie Boogie Bash, which my DD in particular has always wanted to do. They put tickets on sale for a special D23 night today with a message that the waiting room for the virtual queue would open at 8:45 am (PT) and sales starting "no earlier than 9:00 am". So using my experience with RD registration I of course logged into 6 browsers to be ready. Interestingly, one of the browsers kept giving me trouble getting into the waiting room so I just put it aside. As it got closer to the actual 9:00 on sale time, I decided to try that browser again and rather than putting me in the waiting room, it brought me right to the purchase page! I got my tickets, checked out and got my confirmation email before they even started the actual sale. Sure enough as I was reading my confirmation email, I heard the magic music from one of the other browsers that my time was starting. So it certainly is not just for RD events that their queue system struggles, although again in this case I am happy for the failure on their part.

 

[SugarSweetLee]

Interesting...also banning boat access from Springs. No more beignets if you aren't staying somewhere on the route!

https://wdwnt.com/2026/06/disney-springs-will-permanently-ban-watercraft-and-bus-access-for-non-resort-guests-beginning-next-week/

 

[Herding_Cats]

Interesting...also banning boat access from Springs. No more beignets if you aren't staying somewhere on the route!

https://wdwnt.com/2026/06/disney-springs-will-permanently-ban-watercraft-and-bus-access-for-non-resort-guests-beginning-next-week/

I believe, without them actually having implemented the policy at this point in time, if you are an on-site guest in general that you can still access ALL forms of disney transportation. I can't see them cutting their easy profit line by *only* allowing people staying at POR/POFQ/OKW/SSR onto the boats.

 

[col1]

SAFD: I am hoping my perfect day (or trip) will be happening in the next few weeks.

My kids grew up going to Disney parks trips and cruises once they got older we did not go as much but still from time to time. We have had a couple of family trips to DLP with the Kids and Grandkids but we are are heading out with kids, their partners and the grandkids to Disneyland California then to WDW in Florida.

We went on a couple of trips to WDW on our own in recent years and it was a really nostalgic experience remembering our times there when our kids were little.

I am so looking forward to seeing the Grandkids experience it and us all being there together, I am sure this will be the perfect trip If it gives us as many memories as the ones 20 years + ago.

 

[WDW 4 ME]

SAFD: My perfect Disney day centers around my family. While there are things that we enjoy more than others, if we are all together and nobody is being a moody Judy, everything else can just fall how it falls!

If I’m by myself….early morning run around the boardwalk. Strolling into HS for a Starbucks iced tea, followed by an order of totchos and pop tart at woodys. Slinky dog as a walk on. Some casual shopping, then park hopping. An afternoon nap, then back in the parks. Totchos would probably be the most nutritious thing I would eat all day!

 

[Barca33Runner]

I guess my question is, what problem is this rule supposedly solving?

If it’s supposed to help the efficiency of the bus transportation it won’t because it’s clearly nowhere close to the biggest problem (and possibly isn’t even a problem at all). The primary problem is too few buses followed closely by Disney’s bus procedures seemingly being purpose-written to waste time and promote inefficiency. But fewer buses and slower route turn times equals fewer routes overall equals less gas used and fewer bus drivers getting paid.

If it’s supposedly to stop some type of free parking “hack”, I guess they are probably earning themselves a few extra parking dollars; but I can’t really picture this as something pervasive. This is, in ideal conditions, 30 minutes each way additional time spent getting to the parks. I’m very sure I’d rather pay the money to park than to go through this convoluted system to save a few bucks. I know parking is expensive, but this seems borderline crazy to me.

Maybe I’m missing something, but this seems like a useless solution to a problem that does exist (but not for the reasons they’re suggesting).

 

[PrincessV]

I guess my question is, what problem is this rule supposedly solving?

If it’s supposed to help the efficiency of the bus transportation it won’t because it’s clearly nowhere close to the biggest problem (and possibly isn’t even a problem at all). The primary problem is too few buses followed closely by Disney’s bus procedures seemingly being purpose-written to waste time and promote inefficiency. But fewer buses and slower route turn times equals fewer routes overall equals less gas used and fewer bus drivers getting paid.

If it’s supposedly to stop some type of free parking “hack”, I guess they are probably earning themselves a few extra parking dollars; but I can’t really picture this as something pervasive. This is, in ideal conditions, 30 minutes each way additional time spent getting to the parks. I’m very sure I’d rather pay the money to park than to go through this convoluted system to save a few bucks. I know parking is expensive, but this seems borderline crazy to me.

Maybe I’m missing something, but this seems like a useless solution to a problem that does exist (but not for the reasons they’re suggesting).

Absolutely agree with you on all points here. As a semi-local who used every option I could to park for free in the olden days when parking wasn’t included with all AP levels, the one thing I’d never consider would be parking at Springs to bus to parks. I also seriously doubt your average person staying offsite even considers it, it’s so off most folks’ radar. I cannot believe it’s a big enough problem to warrant this change.

But if they declare it to be a problem… make the change… then decide fewer people are using bus and boat transportation… they can reduce frequency and save money on gas and salaries. Boom.

 

[Herding_Cats]

I also wonder if this is an attempt at solving the problem that social media "influencers" may be creating with their "hacks" AND a way to make people feel like they are getting some sort of exclusivity for their on-site status and increased cost. Some of them are things that have been around forever like go to the Poly and watch HEA from the beach for FREE or the more recent popularity of things at resort QS being posted about and then a bunch of people who aren't staying at All Stars end up there to get some cookie.

Or the fact the cheeseburger spring rolls are apparently at the SSR pool bars now?

At the same time, it's a potential money grab on their part for parking for things like the gingerbread displays (which are there seemingly to drive guests into the resorts?) or the candy easter eggs. Oh sorry, you can't take the bus from DS, you have to pay the $25 to park at MK.

If they're concerned with facilities being overrun (mainly the pools) why wouldn't they just have people verifying a reservation like they do at BC and SaB?

 

[camaker]

DW and I are headed to Disney tomorrow for a post-school year teacher decompression trip. Would someone like to volunteer to handle SAFD this weekend? I know I haven't been the most timely with it lately and I'm sorry. I'll try to get back on track consistently when we get home.

 

[jmasgat]

DW and I are headed to Disney tomorrow for a post-school year teacher decompression trip. Would someone like to volunteer to handle SAFD this weekend? I know I haven't been the most timely with it lately and I'm sorry. I'll try to get back on track consistently when we get home.

I’ll do it. I just thought of a Fathers Day related one. (And no apologies necessary-we appreciate your effort)

 

[Barca33Runner]

I was just about to post that I thought of a possible SAFD, but it’s not topical and can definitely wait for another time.