Race week crowds??

[Raenstoirm]

My husband and I are heading down for our anniversary (September 25). We haven't narrowed down the exact dates yet, but plan on being there for that day. With the new race over October 1-3, should we plan and leaving right after our anniversary and do the week before it? We were planning on having our anniversary in the middle of our 7-10 day trip (amount of time depends if they offer free dining), but now we don't know. How bad are crowds around races? Do people usually just come for the race weekend and leave after or do they stay a week?

 

[Tiger Lily 03]

I don't know what they expect for the event weekend. Usually, these are "smaller" events as in not nearly as huge in participants as marathon weekend. The event is a night event so you shouldn't have problems with the traffic unless you are going about later at night. There will be probably a good number of the participants who will be there for the weekend only. I am sorry for not having any real specific or valuable input.

 

[FireDancer]

My husband and I are heading down for our anniversary (September 25). We haven't narrowed down the exact dates yet, but plan on being there for that day. With the new race over October 1-3, should we plan and leaving right after our anniversary and do the week before it? We were planning on having our anniversary in the middle of our 7-10 day trip (amount of time depends if they offer free dining), but now we don't know. How bad are crowds around races? Do people usually just come for the race weekend and leave after or do they stay a week?

Keep in mind that this is the first year for this event so this is all speculation.

I think there will be a mix of people who work the run into a normal trip and also many who are doing just the weekend. Like Lily said these smaller races usually draw a lot of us as a second trip where the January weekend is the more standard vacation.

The run is at night which means that many of us will be taking it easy during the day on Saturday and many will also be getting a late start on Sunday. I think Friday and Saturday nights will be pretty crowded in Epcot for two reason. First, it is the first weekend of the show and Friday and Saturday bring a lot of locals out. Second, since this is a short trip for many of us we will be getting discounted single park tickets instead of hopping and the park many of us will be in is Epcot for F&W.

I, for example, will be coming just for the weekend and will be using my GAD-GAD voucher to go to Epcot Saturday all day.

If going to F&W is important to you and being there for your anniversary is also important you really only have the after option. If you don't care a lot about food & Wine or can wait until Monday the 4th to go to Epcot for F&W (many of us will be gone and the locals don't come out in large numbers on week days) then I say go with after. If you don't care about F&W then going the week before will get you lower crowds I think.