Marathon weekend crowds? Hedging my bets on reservations....

[LdyStormy76]

Food for thought for you since you like to book directly with Disney: for 2019 Disney did offer the guaranteed bib and hotel package prior to general registration opening. I booked everything in March directly with Disney. Once the runDisney site updates with the 2020 information they might offer it again.

 

[GreatLakes]

I'm not sure if anyone has mentioned this yet, I skimmed but could have missed it, but the "late fall" opening of Galaxy's Edge in 2019 is likely Disney talk for December. I think a lot of guests will want to go see that in early January since it gets them past the already ridiculous crowd levels of Christmas.

I would anticipate marathon weekend 2020 being more crowded than average and resort availability to be more limited than it has historically been.

 

[jaxonp]

This past year was crazy. The holiday do effect normal crazy busy to just super crazy busy however, Park Attendance was up across the board in Jan 2018. Will that continue next year? Let's hope it won't be as bad. Many attractions hit 3+ hours that usually have no more than 45 min waits.

 

[jaxonp]

I'm not sure if anyone has mentioned this yet, I skimmed but could have missed it, but the "late fall" opening of Galaxy's Edge in 2019 is likely Disney talk for December. I think a lot of guests will want to go see that in early January since it gets them past the already ridiculous crowd levels of Christmas.

I would anticipate marathon weekend 2020 being more crowded than average and resort availability to be more limited than it has historically been.

Ohh wow I hadn't even thought about that.. talk about cray cray crowds.

 

[flav]

Food for thought for you since you like to book directly with Disney: for 2019 Disney did offer the guaranteed bib and hotel package prior to general registration opening. I booked everything in March directly with Disney. Once the runDisney site updates with the 2020 information they might offer it again.

I am interested in having such guaranteed bibs and hotel for 2020, you just called the Disney Resort Hotel Reservations?

 

[LdyStormy76]

I am interested in having such guaranteed bibs and hotel for 2020, you just called the Disney Resort Hotel Reservations?

After the completion of Marathon Weekend in 2019 start watching the webpage for the release of 2020 dates. After that information is released look on Registration page for the Travel Providers section. There was a specific phone number to call for Disney. It was not their general registration number.

 

[YawningDodo]

Man, I brainfarted hard and forgot that you'd mentioned that about booking directly with Disney. That's great! I'd rather not have to use a travel agent, especially if I do the cruise and have a different travel agent handling that part of it.

 

[flav]

After the completion of Marathon Weekend in 2019 start watching the webpage for the release of 2020 dates. After that information is released look on Registration page for the Travel Providers section. There was a specific phone number to call for Disney. It was not their general registration number.

Thanks. That number does not seem to appear anymore for Marathon weekend 2019 for example. I do not know if it is because they are transitioning systems.

Even the wording on some TA websites seems to suggest that the were allowed to proceed the way they used to this year (implying it is changing?).

I will do as suggested and check just after Marathon weekend 2019 for 2020.

 

[roxymama]

Everyone else did a great job answering questions but I just wanted to chime in and say "I believe in you, you can totally do the 5k, walk, run or both...it is sooooo fun!"
If you are doing couch 2 5k and feel like you get to a week that is too hard, it's ok to repeat the previous week until you want to tackle the next one. If you do a local 5k run/walk in the fall prior to your trip it will take a ton of pressure off, knowing you could handle it. That's my advise