Royal greetings, Alysia!
Welcome to planDisney and thank you for bringing us your Walt Disney World Resort vacation planning question. I'm excited to hear that you and your happily ever after will be celebrating your anniversary at The Most Magical Place on Earth in early 2024, and I'm here to help you to prepare for an enchanting getaway!
My sister and I will be among those runners participating in the
2024 Disney Princess Half Marathon and we can't wait for the opportunity to run through Cinderella Castle together! Since the race utilizes a wave start, runners are released in groups starting at 5:00 a.m. and must complete the event within ~3.5 hours after crossing the starting line. Due to the length and logistics of the race, the average runner won't make it to the theme parks to "rope drop" - only the fastest runners would have a chance at making it there that early! Also, many runners return to their
Disney Resort hotels to nap or freshen up before heading to the theme parks for those coveted photos with their medals. Therefore, based on my past experience, I don't expect that you'll face tremendous crowds during the early morning period.
Alysia, I encourage you to take advantage of the
early theme park entry benefit during your stay at
Disney's Pop Century Resort. This special perk enables Guests of Disney Resort hotels to enter the theme parks 30 minutes before they open to the public and is a great opportunity to enjoy lesser crowds and shorter attraction wait times! Once the
Hours & Events Calendar is available for your travel dates, check out the early entry time for
Magic Kingdom Park. I'd aim to take one of the earliest buses available to the theme park because traffic interruptions and detours are possible due to road closures for the race.
If you're unsure about the complimentary bus transportation from Disney's Pop Century Resort on race morning, you might consider upgrading your stay to one of the
Deluxe Resort hotels near Magic Kingdom Park. Disney's Contemporary Resort, Disney's Polynesian Village Resort, and Disney's Grand Floridian Resort & Spa are all within walking distance of Magic Kingdom Park and would make your morning commute extremely quick and easy! Not to mention, a stay at one of these beautiful Resort hotels would be an extra-special way to celebrate your anniversary. Plus, Guests of Deluxe Resort hotels and Deluxe Villa Resorts enjoy
extended evening hours in the theme parks on select dates!
Alysia, I hope you've found this information helpful as you continue to plan a magical and memorable anniversary celebration at the Walt Disney World Resort. I'm wishing you a very special vacation with your one true love! If you have any additional planning questions, please feel free to revisit us at
planDisney anytime. We're here to help you make the most of your time at The Most Magical Place on Earth!
Warm wishes,
Lauren