Hey there, Cara, and welcome to planDisney! Thanks for stopping by the panel with your question.
Cara, I spoke with a Walt Disney World Guest Services Cast Member and did some additional digging to get to the bottom of your question. I found that since The Walt Disney World Half Marathons occur outside of normal Theme Park operating hours, spectators would not be allowed to cheer on their runners on paths inside the parks. Since spectators will not have access to the park, the shops inside the Theme Parks will also be inaccessible. Spectators can still cheer on their runners from designated locations along the race course outside of the parks. According to the
RunDisney website for the Princess Half Marathon weekend, the Spectator experience continues to be evaluated, and you can check back closer to the event for more information. However, the Half Marathon and Marathon races are longer, and runners may still be in the parks after operating hours have started. In this case, spectators would have access to the Theme Parks and shops. But keep in mind that a
Theme Park Ticket and T
heme Park Reservation are required for entry into the parks. I think it’s safest to plan to experience the parks during regular hours. After all, you can’t go wrong when spending some vacation time in
Magic Kingdom Park!
I hope this helps, Cara! If you have more questions while planning your Disney Vacation,
stop back by and let me know!
You’ve got a friend in me,
PG