We were at DHS on Saturday (11/9) and after enjoying all our FP+ there by 12:30, opted to go over to Epcot as there were still a few F&W booths we wanted to check out.
Bad idea. I should have known something was up when we were parked in the furthest lot from the park and it was only 1PM. Then I noticed much of the parking lot was taken over by tents, fences, booths and just plain roped off, I'd say at least 40 if not 50% of the lot was all fenced off.
Oh, then I realized, it was the half-marathon, 5K and 10K weekend and apparently the EPCOT lot is used to start/finish the races. The races for Saturday had long since completed, but everything was still set up for the half-marathon on Sunday.
And, the park, the park was mobbed. No wonder I couldn't get a late FP+ for pretty much anything. Lines for the food booths were 20-30 people deep. In some places, you could hardly walk. We ate at the Canada booth (wow on the beer cheese soup and the steak, but a bit expensive for the very small servings) and then decided to quickly say, well, too crowded for us and to come back another day as we are passholders so we can pretty much visit anytime we want).
Leaving at 3, the traffic to get into Epcot was now backed up all the way to the ticket booth and hardly moving. I have no idea where they were parking anyone as it appeared the entire lot was over filled.
BTW: In Living Color was the Eat to the Beat band and at 2PM, there were plenty of Passholder passes to all three shows available.
So, unless you are a runner, avoid Epcot on race weekends.
DHS crowed was average. And TOT was back at full capacity.
OWD
Ocean Wave Dave
Bad idea. I should have known something was up when we were parked in the furthest lot from the park and it was only 1PM. Then I noticed much of the parking lot was taken over by tents, fences, booths and just plain roped off, I'd say at least 40 if not 50% of the lot was all fenced off.
Oh, then I realized, it was the half-marathon, 5K and 10K weekend and apparently the EPCOT lot is used to start/finish the races. The races for Saturday had long since completed, but everything was still set up for the half-marathon on Sunday.
And, the park, the park was mobbed. No wonder I couldn't get a late FP+ for pretty much anything. Lines for the food booths were 20-30 people deep. In some places, you could hardly walk. We ate at the Canada booth (wow on the beer cheese soup and the steak, but a bit expensive for the very small servings) and then decided to quickly say, well, too crowded for us and to come back another day as we are passholders so we can pretty much visit anytime we want).
Leaving at 3, the traffic to get into Epcot was now backed up all the way to the ticket booth and hardly moving. I have no idea where they were parking anyone as it appeared the entire lot was over filled.
BTW: In Living Color was the Eat to the Beat band and at 2PM, there were plenty of Passholder passes to all three shows available.
So, unless you are a runner, avoid Epcot on race weekends.
DHS crowed was average. And TOT was back at full capacity.
OWD
Ocean Wave Dave
So far I've gotten lots of conflicting reports as to the crowds that day, and even the crowd predictors don't seem to be expecting many, but I'm still skeptical. Your experience makes me wonder if I should switch my ADR's to another day now before it may be too late.
