On your mark! Get set! Candace, let's Goooooo! I am so excited about the upcoming
Walt Disney World Marathon Weekend, but the number of days left to train is starting to get a bit daunting.
Even if you are not running, I know being at
Walt Disney World Resort during a runDisney weekend can also have you a bit concerned. Hakuna Matata! I am so glad you raced by with this question so I can share what I know to help you have a worry-free philosophy.
Marathon Weekend takes to the Starting Line with a 5K on Thursday (January 9), 10K on Friday (January 10), a half marathon on Saturday (January 11) and a full marathon on Sunday (January 12). These races are super early in the morning, with athletes heading to the event at 3 am and earlier.
With your schedule, you will leave on the morning of the half marathon. This race begins at EPCOT at 5 am and ends at 9:30 am. If you have an early morning flight, add at least a half hour to your planning for potential interruptions with road closures. You can find specific
information on the road closures for the half marathon online. A friend offered me a ride back to my Disney Resorts Collection hotel after the half marathon last year, and I thought the traffic signage and onsite support made it very easy to navigate. An extra half hour should be enough to get to the Orlando airport; time that may come in handy as those security lines can be unpredictable.
Now, how do you spend your days in the magic? I do not think the 5K and 10K races will impact the theme park days. Both of these races are over before the theme parks open. The most race traffic you see will likely be around dining on Friday around 3 pm. If you are looking to enjoy pasta at
Mama Melrose's Ristorante Italiano,
Tony's Town Square Restaurant,
Via Napoli Ristorante e Pizzeria or
Trattoria al Forno, you will find lots of half-marathon runners carb-loading for an early dinner.
I always check the
calendar for park and event hours. If you are staying at a resort eligible for
Extended Evening Theme Park Hours, I recommend enjoying these late-night hours at
Magic Kingdom Park on Wednesday. The 5K athletes will be tucked away in bed before their race, and I would expect this to be an exceptionally magical night for extended hours.
The theme park hours are pretty consistent across the days you are at Walt Disney World Resort. I would consider visiting the Magic Kingdom on Wednesday,
EPCOT on Thursday and
Disney's Hollywood Studios on Friday. Magic Kingdom gets busier on the weekends, and EPCOT on Friday evenings draws many locals looking for a spirited kick-off to their weekend.
Candace, I hope this helps! If you have any other questions, speed back by
planDisney. You have a friend in us!
Thinking of the Happiest Things!
Jana