Father and son walking through BOG
  • On Jan 9, 2024
    Timothy from NY Asked Please note that experiences, policies, pricing and other offerings are subject to change and may have changed since the date of this answer.

    My family will be visiting disney for the first time the last week of Feb, but turns out that’s the half marathon. Is it best to do MK that Sunday or Monday to avoid crowds as much as possible? How do we navigate traffic with the road closures?

    Hey there, hi there, Timothy!

    Thanks for stopping by planDisney, where you're always as welcome as can be. You must be thrilled that your family's first Walt Disney World adventure is almost here. Even though my next visit will be far from my first, I'll still be too excited to sleep before I leave.

    It sounds like your family's vacation begins right as Disney Princess Half Marathon Weekend approaches the finish line. Along with several planDisney pals, I'll be participating in the half marathon that Sunday. As a veteran runDisney participant, I'm happy to offer some race-day advice to non-runners.

    runDisney events are planned so that racers will be out of the Magic Kingdom Park and area resorts before the official theme park opening. While the morning race may still impact some roads, if you're a guest of a hotel in the Disney Resorts Collection, your resort transportation will route you around any closures. If you're staying in offsite accommodations, and it won't require too much reshuffling of plans, consider visiting Magic Kingdom Park on Monday.

    If a Sunday visit to Magic Kingdom Park works best for your itinerary, you can safely go ahead with your plans, especially if you take advantage of Early Theme Park Entry. At this time, most runners will still be on the race course or back at their resort - showering, eating, or preparing for their journey home. According to my pictures from last year's Disney Princess Half Marathon Weekend, my fellow runners and I arrived at Magic Kingdom Park around midday to eat lunch and take photos with our medals. We encountered light crowds and enjoyed a pleasant afternoon. We also left before nightfall, exhausted from the morning's 2 AM wake-up call. You'll likely find many runners following a similar schedule, which means the theme parks, in general, shouldn't be more crowded than any other winter weekend.

    I hope this helps, Timothy, and that you have an unforgettable first Walt Disney World adventure with your loved ones. Be sure to look at some of the videos in our planDisney library, especially the attached podcast episode full of tips for first-time visitors. If you think of any other questions before your vacation, please stop by and see us again. We're all ears!

    Have a magical day,
    Betsy
thumbnail image for Betsy

Meet the Panelist: Betsy, Maryland

Greetings! I'm Betsy, a middle school teacher, wife, and mom of two. My family and I love to travel the world, but our best memories are those made when we're visiting Walt Disney World or Disneyland Resort. No matter how many times we visit, there is always something new to see, ride, or eat at the Disney Parks. Learn More About Betsy

Related Video

  • thumbnail image for First Timers at Walt Disney World | planDisney Podcast - Season 2 Episode 2 Full Episode

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