jan. 4-10 crowds?

[like2workout]

i'll be at disneyworld jan. 4-10. do you think the crowds from Christmas and New Year's will have died down by the 4th? there were only 2 resorts with rooms available, which makes me think it may be a big crowd. every single value and moderate resort was totally booked!

[BMan62]

Looks like closer to that weekend it will get pretty busy with those coming in for the marathon --


Disney Marathon Weekend Features Free Seminars
With Fitness & Nutrition Experts, Running Coaches, Former Olympians

LAKE BUENA VISTA, Fla. – Fitness and nutrition experts, running coaches and former Olympians will share tips and perspectives – and answer questions from the audience – during the 2009 Walt Disney World Marathon Weekend Seminar Series Jan. 8-10 at Disney’s Wide World of Sports Complex. More than two dozen topical sessions, typically ranging in duration from 30 to 45 minutes, will be offered without charge over the three days.

Thursday seminars start between 12:30 p.m. and 6 p.m., with Disney Marathon Race Director Jon Hughes wrapping up the day with an hour-long session covering tips and information about this year’s running events. Some highlights of the opening day include a presentation by former 10,000- and 20,000-meter world record holder and Mexico Olympian Arturo Barrios (2:45 p.m.) and sessions focusing on youth – Healthy Kids Challenge Chef presented by Cigna (3:45 p.m.) and Making it Fun for the Kids featuring world-class coach Kevin Hanson and 10-year-old daughter Samantha (4:30 p.m.).

Friday’s schedule kicks off at 11 a.m. with a discussion of ChiRunning and ChiWalking, revolutionary forms of moving that blend T’ai Chi with running and walking, presented by creator Danny Dreyer. Hughes wraps up the schedule with a session beginning at 4:45 p.m.

On Saturday, 1972 Olympian Jeff Galloway opens the schedule at 11 a.m. with a session focusing on tips to run a personal best, with Hughes, joined by Boston Marathon Race Director Dave McGillivray, wrapping up the series at 3:15 p.m.

More information about 2009 Walt Disney World Marathon Weekend presented by Cigna is available at disneysports.com.

***********************************************

More than 550 Brazilians Following 5-Time Champion Adriano Bastos
Into Field of 45,000 Participants for Walt Disney World Marathon Weekend

LAKE BUENA VISTA, Fla. – Five-time champion Adriano Bastos will lead a contingent of more than 550 Brazilians into 2009 Walt Disney World Marathon Weekend presented by Cigna Jan. 8-11. By winning the run through the four Disney theme parks the last four years consecutively and five times since 2003, the 30-year-old Sao Paulo runner has stirred interest throughout his country in the weekend of running and fitness events at the central Florida Vacation Kingdom.

More than 300 Brazilians join Bastos in a field of some 21,500 participants registered for the full (26.2-mile) Disney Marathon on Sunday, Jan. 11. Another group of 250 Brazilians is among the approximately 17,000 runners set for the Disney Half Marathon on Saturday, Jan. 10. Both of those races begin near Epcot at 5:45 a.m.

In all, more than 45,000 people from all 50 U.S. states and more than 60 countries are registered for everything from the famous Diaper Dash for crawlers (12 months and under) to the new Mickey’s Mile (ages 13-under) to the distance road-running events.

Within the huge field of participants will be the most frequently honored athlete in the 16-year history of the Walt Disney World Marathon. Saul Mendoza, a wheelchair racer who was honored as Mexico’s Athlete of the Century for the 20th century, will be vying for a 10th Disney championship. Two athletes new to the Disney Marathon winner’s circle in 2008 also return: Women’s winner Melanie Peters of St. Petersburg, Fla., and women’s wheelchair winner Jacqui Kapinowski of Point Pleasant, N.J.

Disney Marathon weekend begins at noon Jan. 8 with the opening of Disney’s Health & Fitness Expo, a three-day event at Disney’s Wide World of Sports Complex. More information about Walt Disney World Marathon Weekend presented by Cigna is available at disneysports.com./.

We'll be leaving on the 8th, so maybe we'll miss most of the marathon crowds.

[teambricker04]

We are going to be there!!! But, DH is in the marathon and we have some things planned out of the parks before the marathon day. I suspect that you will find this... the resorts being busier than what the parks indicate.

We get to WDW on Friday (we are staying Thursday at the airport) and heading straight to the sports complex for DH to get his bib and check everything out. On Saturday our two little boys (3yo and 1.5yo) are running in the 100m dash. Then Sunday is the Marathon so our morning will consist of that. M-Th we'll be doing the parks full days, but before that it may just be half days with just the boys and I.

I think you should be fine with crowds. The resorts get really full from the marathoners!

[like2workout]

ok, thanks to both of you for the great information! i had trouble booking a room, so was wondering what was going on!