Hello there Alena, and welcome to planDisney. How exciting that you'll be visiting from California and enjoying Walt Disney World soon! You no doubt get to enjoy Disneyland on occasion, so this will be a fun, pixie-dusted change indeed. From the Happiest Place on Earth, to the Most Magical Place on Earth.... woo hoo!
I wanted to answer your question when I saw it, because January and February has always been my family's favorite time to go to Walt Disney World. The combination of cooler weather, lower crowds, and off season prices make it a very appealing window. While it's true there are runDisney events hosted during these two months, which somewhat increase the park crowds... in my experience, that is not a deal breaker, or extremely noticeable. Although, I do occasionally find it more challenging to book the exact Disney Resort room type or location that I'm wanting during race weekends. So if you don't have a reservation yet, I recommend you make one as soon as you can!
My son and I just enjoyed an awesome mom-and-teenager trip this past January on the exact dates you are describing. I think the lull in crowds after the holiday season is a terrific time to go! And your strategy of arriving on a Sunday and enjoying the parks early that week is absolutely ideal. We both felt the crowds were low-to-moderate during our stay those first few days in January, and we were able to experience all the attractions we were hoping to with minimal wait times. If you’re concerned about crowds and plan to visit multiple parks, consider going to Magic Kingdom and EPCOT earlier in your stay—before the runDisney weekend crowds start to build. Those tend to be popular post-race parks for guests.
There should not be reduced park hours or closures from the
runDisney Marathon Weekend event itself. They start very early, and do a great job of managing that traffic all before the average guest's park day begins. Some road closures can be expected, so guests are told to expect possible travel delays on race mornings. But if you stay at a Disney Resort and use the
complementary Disney transportation to the parks that should not be as noticeable.
Alena, I hope this helps. I'll be wishing upon a star for you to have a wonderful time at Walt Disney World! Please visit us any time at planDisney if we can answer any other questions.
Adventure is out there!
Tami