Advice needed for CRT on Princess Half Marathon Day

[kstruchen]

Hello! We have our trip booked for Feb 23-Mar 2, 2019! Our first full day will be Sunday the 24th, which is the day of the Princess Half (not running in it, just coming for vacay!). We are planning to go to MK that day because it's my niece's 6th birthday, and fingers crossed, we can get an ADR at CRT. Which meal do you think I'd most likely be able to get a table for? Breakfast? I know very little about running, or marathons, or how long they last, what people do afterward... but I'm assuming a breakfast ADR would have the best odds? Or possibly an early lunch? I'm the vacation planner (for my large family of 17!) and I don't want to let my niece down for her birthday! I am planning to call group dining just prior to day 180 to figure out the best way to do this. TIA for any advice!

 

[bumbershoot]

Don’t worry about the runners. Figure out what you want and try for it. There’s a vast difference in fastness of runners and what they want after, so there’s just no way to plan for that.

DO know that you’ll want to take Disney transportation that day, and take it early, to make every effort to not get caught up in transportation messes.

 

[Dug720]

They do try to time it so that the participants are off Main Street before opening, but occasionally they end up just having an alternate route for the slower participants if they are still ahead of cut-off pace but because of starting delays or corral sizes are not there yet.

So I'm not sure if a PPO would be even available. The event might affect opening time a little, but most of the participants a) will not be done until after park opening unless they are super speedy and b) probably won't be looking to go to a princess meal - at least not until after they've cleaned up and stuff. In my experience, they're far more likely to be hitting up Kona for Tonga Toast or going to an AYCTE place.

 

[_auroraborealis_]

In my experience, distance runners are more likely to land at Epcot after a race.

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[gillep]

In my experience, distance runners are more likely to land at Epcot after a race.

al
co
hol

Yes. That or Disney Springs since there are some that just come for the races and don't do the parks.

 

[kstruchen]

Thanks all! This was helpful.

 

[Swilcox]

Don’t worry about the runners. Figure out what you want and try for it. There’s a vast difference in fastness of runners and what they want after, so there’s just no way to plan for that.

DO know that you’ll want to take Disney transportation that day, and take it early, to make every effort to not get caught up in transportation messes.

The part about transportation is very important if you have an early ADR. During the darkside 1/2 Marathon we almost missed a 7:30 ADR at Ohana’s because of the race. We were traveling by Lift from the yacht club and a few minutes before our driver picked us up Lift cancled all rides until after the roads were clear, getting around certain areas was too hectic. Our driver called us and said he was was just a few minutes from us and we were supposed to be the last ride of his shift so he went ahead and picked us up anyway. If he hadn’t we would have missed our reservation.