When is it best to avoid marathon crowds

[rymahoney]

We are running the family 5 k and wondering if I should go jan5th to start our 7 night vacation or jan8th and start it. When will it be best to avoid crowds from marathon?

 

[Bephus]

The marathon does not really increase the crowds in the parks much, you will find that there will be light crowds pretty much any time you go after kids go back to school. With the 5K being the 9th this year you will see more runners coming to the resorts starting the 8th and increasing each day up until Saturday. Saturday and Sunday you will see more runners in the parks with Sunday the most busy but it will still be pretty quiet with lines being very manageable. After Monday most will head home and the parks will pretty much empty out. The biggest impact is traffic each morning during the races and dining reservations are tough to get, especially Friday and Saturday nights.

 

[cewait]

Adding...

Arriving Jan 5 will put you in with the tail end of the New Year's crowd. The parks tend be a little more crowded up through the end of that weekend. Arriving either of your days will put you over the marathon weekend (better than the previous weeked).

If looking to avoid any attraction delay due to the marathon weekend.

Saturday Morning ---
Avoid planning to be at Epcot at rope drop on Saturday. The other parks will be ok.

Sunday Morning ---
Plan on MK to avoid the marathon.
AK will have a residual marathon presence at rope drop if you decide on that park so head to Africa to avoid the race.
DHS will have the event in the park through noon and Epcot through 1.

Traffic Note ---
There are road closures on race mornings. The 10k (assuming it leaves Epcot Parking) will be earlier than most park folks will be out. The half may create slight issues on World Drive for those heading up to MK due to rubbernecking. The Sunday traffic closures will snarl parts of Osceola (the east bound side from AK through WWoS and the west bound from WWoS to World Dr). It will also snarl north bound World Dr from just before Osceola though Buena Vista. Best bet is to add 20 minutes and take Disney buses