Hi, Shelley!
You really should not be too worried about the crowds from the
runDisney Marathon. While races are going on all weekend, these dedicated runners are up super early (like 3am early!) and races start before dawn so many runners will be finished racing before you even awake from your pixie dusted sleep! Wow, I so admire their dedication.
The only park I suggest you avoid if you do not want to run-into-runners would be Epcot on Sunday. This is marathon day so you will see runners in the home stretch going through Epcot. However, I must say, it really is fun to cheer these athletes on if you decide to visit Epcot on Sunday. Everything is operational in the park, but you may have to use a crosswalk to yield to the runners. Plan on Epcot on Thursday or Friday if you prefer to avoid the runners in this park. Check the calendar for
park hours.
Depending on what resort you are staying at, you may have some transportation detours. Speak to your
lobby concierge for any interruptions that may occur so you can plan accordingly. However, I really would not worry too much about it.
What you should plan ahead for is dining. These runners will be hungry, so dining locations will book up quickly. Have your
dining reservations booked or if you prefer, you can stick to Quick Service locations which do not require reservations.
Enjoy this exciting weekend, and have fun kicking off the New Year in Walt Disney World!
Cathy