Happy New Year, Yi, and welcome to planDisney! I'm so glad to be able to answer your question today because I'm planning a trip during a
runDisney race weekend in the next few days. It's a really fun and special time to be at Walt Disney World Resort, but running events do tend to bring a lot of guests to the Parks so I'm happy to give you some strategies for your visit!
There are two things to keep in mind when you have a trip coinciding with a runDisney event: itinerary planning and
transportation. Bus routes can be disrupted on race mornings, especially around the
Magic Kingdom and
EPCOT, as some roads close down to accommodate the runners. If you're planning on going to either of those Parks on the morning of a race, leave some extra time and be prepared for your bus ride to take a little bit longer than normal. If you're coming from offsite in your own car or a rideshare, there will be road closures, so be sure to follow the road signs indicating the new traffic patterns.
Race weekends do tend to bring more guests to Walt Disney World, but I've noticed that the crowds don't tend to follow the patterns of a normal day. The runners race very early in the morning and then typically head back to their hotels for showers and a change of clothes, so those early mornings in the Parks tend to be a bit easier to manage. Also, since the races begin before sunrise, the runners head to bed really early, leaving the Parks wide open for other guests who are happy to stay out a bit later. If you're able to plan your day around early mornings and later evenings, perhaps with a break in the middle of the day, you're setting yourself up for a great trip to The Most Magical Place On Earth.
Thanks for visiting us today, Yi, and have a magical day!
Jessica