Tinker Bell Half Marathon effect on crowds

[djk]

I know the Tinker Bell Half Marathon is still almost a year away (scheduled for May 7-10, 2015), but I wanted to get some opinions on the event's impact on crowds... In the past, to what extent has that event increased crowds in the parks?

 

[SMD]

I know the Tinker Bell Half Marathon is still almost a year away (scheduled for May 7-10, 2015), but I wanted to get some opinions on the event's impact on crowds... In the past, to what extent has that event increased crowds in the parks?

It's impossible to say, since it's never been held in May before. But marathon weekends are extremely popular and growing.

 

[camouseketeer]

This past year in January the parks were very busy, almost summer like busy by midday. Keep in mind that Tinker Bell has been held on the MLK 3-day weekend, so that could definitely have had something to do with how busy the parks were.

I would guess that the new May date will be less busy than a 3-day weekend date (even in January), but it will probably be busier than a non-race, non-holiday May weekend.

 

[chrisaman]

To me, the parks are no busier than your ordinary summer day. I can only speak for the eland half marathon weekend but it doesn't feel overwhelmingly crowded for a holiday weekend. I think the half marathon keeps a lot of people out of the park because people go to bed early and stay out of the parks to rest before and after. Idk about tinker bell but I assume it would be the same