My husband and I aren’t usually impulsive people, but in February we decided to visit Walt Disney World, departing just 2 weeks from the day we booked it! We were able to get one of our favorite resorts, made a few dining reservations, and booked our FastPasses. Then in the midst of our research, we realized we would be there during the Princess Marathon Weekend.
Now, my husband and I both like to exercise. He’s a weekend runner, I’m a daily power walker. I tend to enjoy my walks in solitude. I love having that time every day just to myself. I cannot imagine for the life of me trying to run, or walk, with such crowds. Clearly, there are thousands of people who think the exact opposite! I was a little worried that I would somehow feel out of place being surrounded by so many folks who take their running “seriously”. To really heighten my concern, we were staying at the Boardwalk Inn, which just happens to be part of the running course for the 10K that thousands of people would be running on Saturday morning. Additionally, I was concerned that all those thousands of runners and spectators would make for large crowds in the Parks.
I am happy to report that all of my concerns were completely unfounded. We visited all four Parks, and did not find crowds to be a problem. We were able to enjoy many attractions and shows at all of the Parks, without feeling like we spent a lot of time waiting for anything. Even just strolling around taking in all of the sights was relaxing and enjoyable.
Our stay at the Boardwalk Inn was wonderful as always. There was signage in several places letting the runners and spectators know their important information. We did notice many folks roaming around the resort (and Parks as well) wearing RunDisney attire, but they were just enjoying themselves the same way we were. The morning of the 5k, we could very slightly hear some of the partying going on over at Epcot for the runners, but only because we are light sleepers and there was a bit of an echo in the courtyard by our room. The next day when the 10K literally ran outside our resort, you couldn’t miss it! We walked down to visit the Boardwalk Bakery, and just walked along side all the runners and walkers. There were tons of people down there cheering and waving: even the construction workers took a few minutes away from their painting project to cheer runners on. Getting to see how many people dress in costumes and matching outfits was actually rather fun!
We really had a nice experience, and while not “serious” athletes, we never once felt out of place or uncomfortable with the marathon presence. If the opportunity arises again for my family to take a trip during a Marathon weekend, I won’t hesitate to jump on it!
