Hiya Laura! Welcome to planDisney!
Oh boy! I'm so glad you stopped by to chat with us today! My fellow panelists and I are always standing by, wands at the ready, to help Guests just like us make the most of their Walt Disney World Resort Vacation! Let's see how I can help make some magic for you today, Laura!
First of all, I'm always a fan of adding an extra day at The Most Magical Place on Earth! While it may take a little adjusting on your part, an additional dose of pixie dust in the park is just what every Guest needs. While
The Walt Disney World Marathon is a popular time for Guests to flock to the resort, all theme parks are still open to the public. This
runDisney race weekend kicks off with a 5k on Thursday, January 5, the day you'd like to add a visit. Usually, during the 5k, the runners clear out pretty early. While you may see increased crowds throughout the weekend due to the races, this will likely be the least busy day.
Additional races occur on Friday, Saturday and Sunday in the form of a 10k, Half-Marathon and Marathon. Each race increases in length, so runner traffic around park opening times increases throughout the weekend. However, you can rest assured that the parks are still open to all Guests, regardless of their running desires and abilities! As long as you see availability on the
Theme Park Reservation Availability Calendar and make
theme park reservations for your visit, you'll be all set and ready to enjoy the magic!
Pro tip from a recent half marathon runner: The longer race days present you with a perfect opportunity to sleep in and visit the theme parks later in the day. Or maybe you grab breakfast or brunch at your
Disney Resort Hotel, then venture to the parks a bit later once crowds have died down. There tends to be an overlap between Guests arriving to visit theme parks, runners finishing up their hard-fought races, and runners' families coming to the finish lines to see their loved ones reach their goals. To avoid these busier times, a later start may just work to your advantage!
Have a magical day,
Ashley