Walt Disney World Resort – Lake Buena Vista, Florida
Running the Walt Disney World Marathon has been one of Janine’s dream races to participate in and at The Walt Disney World Resort, dreams really do come true.
All the hours of training, sweat, soreness & miles culminated into one magical marathon racing 26.2 miles down Main Street USA, through Cinderella Castle & into all four Walt Disney World theme parks with a totally rad 90’s theme to celebrate both the marathon’s 30thAnniversary & Walt Disney World Resort’s 50th Anniversary in 2023, but if you’ve never participated in a runDisney event, you’ve probably got a few questions. Read on as we share our Guide to the Walt Disney World Marathon below:
Why runDisney?
It really is all in the mind. 50% of finishing a marathon is mental (some even argue 90%), and if you ask us – doing anything you can to distract your mind from all the reasons why you should just give up is the most important thing. Going from Mile 0 at the starting line to a finish at Mile 26.2 can challenging & many training plans focus only on the physical instead of also including the mental aspect of the race. Many people believe a full marathon is broken into two halves: the first 20 miles & then the last 6.2 and this is something we subscribe to. The first 20 miles for Janine literally flew by, but those last 6.2 were the longest & most challenging.
runDisney events really help with the mental aspect of running a marathon thanks to their incredible on-course entertainment. From running through all four theme parks & even some resort areas to on-course musical acts, characters, live DJ’s, & hordes of cheering spectators, runDisney does a great job of taking racers mentally from one distraction to another. From the live music & fireworks at the starting line to the first mile, there was a water & Gatorade stop as well as a row of port-o-pots & a full High School Marching Band & Cheerleading Squad providing not only entertainment but incredible motivation from start to finish.
What to Pack
What to pack is determined by how many races you are running. If you’re planning to run all events during Marathon Weekend, be sure to pack enough pairs of socks, shoes, and running gear for each race. Our biggest concern was weather. Running The Walt Disney World Marathon in January opens runners up to a multitude of climate concerns. In 2020, the Marathon was shut down early and runners were directed off the course due to extreme humidity. That of course is out of everyone’s control, but there are things you can plan for.
In 2023, the temperature was 54 degrees Fahrenheit at the starting line on Race Day when her corral was released at 5:30 a.m. This was ideal racing conditions, and of course the heat and humidity rose as the morning went on.
Because of the uncertainty of the weather this time of year, Janine packed everything from long insulated leggings and capris to shorts, tanks, and long sleeves. The week of the race, Janine and every other runner watched the Orlando weather forecast like hawks. She ended up wearing the long-sleeve drifit shirt provided by runDisney and a pair of her favorite running shorts. She did pack two different pairs of running shoes one more insulated for running in cold weather and one more breathable for running in heat.
She also packed another comfortable pair of shoes to wear in the parks before and after the race. Whatever you do – do NOT wear non-supportive shoes, flip flops or sandals and have a 20,000+ step the day before the race. If you do, you will pay for this on race day we promise you. This is a great way to aggravate your IT Bands prior to the race. She didn’t have them then, but she does have a fantastic pair of recovery sandals now that she absolutely can’t live without pre, post & in-between-races. These sandals are unisex and very supportive, and we’ve both done races where we’ve used these afterwards now. Janine has very high arches, and these sandals are uber comfy and help tremendously with recovery!
Purchase Janine’s favorite recovery sandals here
Hydration is key during the race. She was torn about wearing a camelback, but decided against it last minute which was a great decision because it removed the added weight and there were plenty of water stops along the course so it wasn’t necessary.
The absolute most important purchase Janine made for her race apparel was a disposable emergency blanket. The blankets come in three packs, so you can bring a few extra a long and make friends with anyone who might’ve forgot theirs. These were a lifesaver during those hours of standing in the corral prior to the race starting. Understand, you will do a lot of walking and standing prior to even starting the Marathon and purchasing these emergency blankets will help you regulate your body temperature on those cold race mornings.
Purchase your race day emergency blanket here
The final piece of the race puzzle is nutrition. The biggest piece of advice we can give is to never start anything new on race day. This is so important because whether it’s something new for breakfast, some new gel or supplement prior to or during the race, the safest practice is to include these things in your training program and maintain a consistent and safe routine up to and on race day. Obviously, we are all genetically different and what works for you may not work for me. Janine suffers from an autoimmune that attacks, among many things, her stomach, so the ingredients she can safely consume are limited and she had to do a lot of trial and error during training season to find somethings that works for her. As always, you should check with your doctor before beginning any supplements, but this is what works for Janine:
- Janine trained & raced with her favorite energy gels throughout her training season. Out of all the gels & bites she’s used over the years, this is the only formula with ingredients that do not irritate her autoimmune condition/stomach. Janine took one of these gel packs every forty-five minutes during the Marathon. Purchase Janine’s favorite gels here
- Janine also trained & raced with her favorite electrolyte drink which also is the only formula with ingredients that do not irritate her autoimmune condition/stomach. Regular high-test Gatorade is offered on the course, not Gatorade Zero, which has ingredients that Janine cannot tolerate, so she has to be very careful when participating in events and taking free electrolyte drinks. The brand Janine uses is easy on the stomach and safe for most diets. Janine drank one of these before race and one after. Purchase Janine’s favorite electrolyte drink here
Whatever works for you, make sure you have it packed away in your suitcase before leaving town. Janine packed everything necessary for her race in her carry-on, just in case the airlines decided to lose her checked luggage.
Pre-Race
Prior to Race Day, everyone must pick up their race bib at The ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex. For Janine, her race was Sunday and she arrived on Friday morning when she headed straight to ESPN Wide World of Sports via Resort Transportation from her runDisney Host Hotel (The Walt Disney World Dolphin). Collecting your bib is the most important pre-race step, and it must be done in person. If you are running the race with a group of friends and family, everyone must appear at ESPN with their government-issued photo ID in order to collect their bib personally. You cannot collect a race bib for a friend or family member, no exceptions. Once you collect your bib, keep it in a safe place & make sure you have it with you on Race Day!
After you’ve picked up your race bib, the best piece of advice we can provide is for you to take it easy pre-race. Yes, you’re at Walt Disney World and there is a TON of things to do, but it’s better to save all of that for after the race. We’re speaking from experience because with Janine’s autoimmune, she has to take it easy before and after the race since the race takes so much out of her. For anyone, running a marathon takes a lot out of you, but this is especially true if you are running your first marathon or if you suffer from any conditions that may be exacerbated by running long distances. Experienced runDisney aficionados often arrive early in the week and go hard all the way up until race day, but that’s not for everyone and especially not for us. We prefer to arrive on the Friday before our race and take it easy until the Tuesday after our race where we start rope dropping and spending all day on our feet in the Parks. Only you know what works for your body, but the best advice we can give you is to listen to your body. If it’s telling you it’s tired, listen.
Race Day
There are a ton of training methods out there, so we won’t get into Race Prep, but we will say that many first time runDisney participants subscribe to the Jeff Galloway school of run/walk which has been incredibly successful & you can find more information about this method on the runDisney site. In addition, if you are running in a costume (Janine did not), make sure you train in your costume as you do not want any costume-related injuries (chafing, heat-exhaustion, etc.) to occur on Race Day.
Just as you trained both physically and mentally for running the marathon, you should also plan for race day.
Prepare for an early morning
Start time for the race is listed as 5:00 a.m., but all runners regardless of corral should plan to arrive at EPCOT via Walt Disney World Transportation (we recommend because it’s the easiest – trust us) no later than 4:00 a.m.
We set our alarm for 2:00 a.m. on race day to have enough time to eat, shower, stretch & deal with any last minute issues such as sudden weather changes, etc. Do not rely on your resort wake up call. We set our phone alarm and confirmed our requested wake up call only to never receive it.
Stay at a runDisney Host Hotel
Even if you’d like to save money and stay somewhere else after the race, we highly recommend you stay at a runDisney Host Hotel the night before the race itself. For our “racecation” (that’s a hotel stay associated with a runDisney event), we stayed at The Walt Disney World Dolphin (a runDisney Host Hotel) figuring it wouldn’t take long to get to the starting line since it’s so close to EPCOT.
However, we boarded our resort shuttle at 2:15 a.m. and did not physically arrive at the EPCOT drop off until 3:45 a.m. due to traffic. Yes, the Walt Disney World Dolphin is within walking distance to EPCOT, but all racers must access the starting line via EPCOT’s Main Entrance. International Gateway is not open for admission prior to the race’s start time.
Also worth noting, Disney Resort Bus Drop off (along with Good Neighbor Hotel Bus Drop Off) is located at the EPCOT Bus areas while Ride Share & Standard Event Parking are an additional distance from the starting line over at the main parking lot area for regular day guests. Basically, Ride Share runners will walk a few extra steps as opposed to those utilizing bus transportation.
The Earlier You Arrive, The Better
We can’t stress enough how important it is that you arrive early on Race Day. We completely understand not wanting to put your body through the added stress of waking up so early & we felt the same, but the last thing you want to do is train for a marathon & then miss your corral’s start. Transportation to EPCOT isn’t the only timesuck on Race Day.
After arriving at the EPCOT drop off, runners then have to go through security and make the long walk from the drop off point (the EPCOT bus stations) to just beyond the Back Stage Lane Parking Lot. How you arrive at EPCOT’s Front Gate, where you’ll go through security, will determine how long it takes for you to get to the starting line and how many additional miles you’ll be walking on top of that 26.2 race you won’t start until atleast5:00 a.m. Again, Disney Resort Buses and Good Neighbor Hotels drop off at the EPCOT Bus areas while Ride Share & Standard Event Parking are an additional distance from the starting line.
The Course
Miles zero through five take racers through the EPCOT parking lots, through backstage areas and briefly into areas of Future World & World Showcase.
Terrain: This section leads runners along EPCOT Center Drive, a highway, up and down on-ramps which have a slight incline and decline, and of course through the theme park itself. Yes, there are areas of the course where things get a bit narrow and so it’s very important as a runner to pace yourself here & not burn yourself out trying to get ahead of everyone – you simply won’t.
Entertainment: For this duration, there were plenty of character stops, DJ’s, spectators (including EPCOT Cast Members) & Photopass photographers along the way to capture those early race moments where everyone is happy, excited & still full of adrenaline. These were some of Janine’s best on-course photos, especially with Spaceship Earth illuminated in the background!
Food & Drink: There were three water & Gatorade stops between miles one through five.
Miles five through nine lead racers down World Drive towards Magic Kingdom, through the Magic Kingdom parking lots & into the Transportation & Ticket Center (also referred to as, “TTC”) where there were both full-service restrooms and also port-o-pots.
Entertainment: Along the way there were more character encounters, DJ’s, water/Gatorade stops. As we exited the TTC, a rousing band of drummers cheered us on & played us out.
Food & Drink: There were three water & Gatorade stops between miles five through nine. Once we entered TTC, volunteers were handing out more water/Gatorade and the sponsored food for the event, Sport Beans (note: this sponsor changes with each race – 2022 offered Stingers).
Miles nine through eleven takes runners under Seven Seas Lagoon, past Disney’s Contemporary Resort, up the steepest hill on World Drive towards a backstage entrance to Magic Kingdom. Along the way, daylight was breaking and monorail drivers horns were honking overhead. If you’re planning to wear air pods & listen to music, this is where you’ll want to give them a break. There’s nothing more exciting than running towards the Magic Kingdom while Monorails honk overhead and thunderous cheers from spectators lining Main Street USA. Spectators were handing out high-fives, Photopass photographers were capturing incredible moments in front of Cinderella Castle and as we made our way through Tomorrowland.
One of the “Top 5” Race Moments for Janine was running from Fantasyland through Cinderella’s Castle at sunrise. The mile ten marker is in Tomorrowland and runners make their way through Fantasyland, Liberty Square, Adventureland, Frontierland & out the Splash Mountain Cast Member Exit through backstage towards Floridian Way where a first aid & water/Gatorade stop awaits.
Entertainment: There were plenty of character stops, DJs, spectators and Cast Members cheering us on. Perhaps the biggest entertainment though was the simple idea of running through Magic Kingdom Park. The idea of having almost the entire park to ourselves during the early morning hours felt almost illegal but so very peaceful.
Miles eleven through sixteen follows Floridian Way along Disney’s Oak Trail & Palm Golf Courses to Bear Island Road and by Reedy Creek Environmental Sciences towards Disney’s Animal Kingdom is said by many to be the toughest portion of the course.
Entertainment: Going from having so much to see while running through Magic Kingdom Park to such a long stretch of roadway can be tough. In all honesty, this section of the course is part highway/part woodlands and the smell coming from Reedy Creek is famously potent. However, there was plenty of distractions along the way in the form of entertainment & character stops. Original ride vehicles from current and past attractions were on display like Space Mountain & 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea. Members of The Adventurers Club were out performing skits along the roadside, Disney Afternoon Characters were scattered along the way and there was a DJ just before Mile 16. The crowd of spectators gathered outside Disney’s Grand Floridian Resort was an incredible morale boost with their cow bells & hilariously motivating signs.
Food & Drink: There were four water/Gatorade stops along the way & Bananas were also distributed at mile 13.5 – the Half Marathon mark.
Miles sixteen through seventeen wind down Conservation Way and through Disney’s Animal Kingdom. We entered the Park via a backstage area and were deposited near the “You Are Beautiful” Wall adjacent to Harambe Market. We ran past Yak & Yeti with the Tree of Life on our Right towards Asia and past Expedition Everest.
There was a sea of spectators in this area & their support was just the fuel Janine needed to keep going after that long stretch of roadway. Many runners in the past have boasted about stopping to ride Expedition Everest during the race which sounded like a great “must-do,” but the attraction’s lines were simply too long as Janine passed. It appears in the past that this ride had “racers only” access during certain events which sounds ideal. After passing Everest, we headed through DinolandUSA and exited the Park through a backstage area on E. Savannah Circle.
Food & Drink: At mile seventeen, we were offered another banana and water/Gatorade.
Miles eighteen through twenty leads runners through the backstage area of Disney’s Animal Kingdom. Here, runners circle out and back towards Conservation Way where you get a chance to pass fellow runners who are just entering miles sixteen through seventeen and heading into the Park. From there, mile twenty through twenty one leads runners down Western Way past Coronado Springs Resort and towards Disney’s Blizzard Beach water park. It should be noted, runners do not run through Blizzard Beach. This has been done in the past, however, recent runs as of 2022 do not enter the water park. This was perhaps the toughest stretch of the course as the sun had all morning to bake the asphalt of the Blizzard Beach parking lot to just the right temperature of completely and utterly humbling humidity.
Food & Drink: Water is available at miles 18.5, 20, and 21 with a tasty snack waiting for you in the Blizzard Beach parking lot at Mile 21.
Miles twenty-two through twenty-three head from Blizzard Beach past the main entrance of Coronado Springs Resort and down Buena Vista Drive over World Drive where runners then take a turn onto Cypress Drive where they enter a backstage area of Disney’s Hollywood Studios. If you’ve ever waited in the extended queue for The Twilight Zone Tower of Terror during COVID’s social distanced ride queues, this is the area you will be running through.
Food & Drink: In this backstage area, you can more water & grab a mini chocolate bar for fuel.
Miles twenty-four through twenty-six were Janine’s favorite part of the course, aside from running through Cinderella’s Castle. From backstage at Tower of Terror, runners head down Sunset Boulevard past Rosie’s All American Café, taking a hard left at the Once Upon A Time Gift Shop towards another small backstage area and exiting the park via Perimeter Road where runners are dumped out at the main entrance gates of Disney’s Hollywood Studios park. As they head towards the Disney Skyliner loading area, runners make a hard left onto the EPCOT Resorts Hollywood Studios Connector aka the running path that connects Disney’s Hollywood Studios and the EPCOT Resorts. This is a path that we run often, at least a handful of times on each trip and it is our favorite running path on all of Walt Disney World Property. Running towards the Walt Disney World Swan & Dolphin, onto Disney’s BoardWalk and around Crescent Lake into EPCOT’s World Showcase & backstage areas is absolutely the best feeling.
Spectators, Cast Members, and volunteers line the pathway from Disney’s BoardWalk to EPCOT with their cow bells, hilarious signs & smiling faces. This is the final push, and if you’re dragging at all here this crew will give you the boost to keep going. After being backstage for a few minutes, runners re-enter EPCOT park at Journey Into Imagination and head towards Test Track/Guardians of the Galaxy. Another great area for spectators is the covered walkway between Connections Café & Creations Shop. Cast Members, Spectators and Volunteers also stage in this area and their cheers loudly echo as runners pass by. Janine’s favorite part was the Jammitors rocking out as she ran by Mission Space towards Test Track and into another backstage area towards the finish line.
Food & Drink: There are no more food options until the finish line, but there are two more water stations available to stay hydrated on those final miles. At the finish line, runners receive a banana, a full-size Powerade, a full-size water & a snack box with prepackaged chips, cheese, pretzels & a few other goodies.
It is also worth noting that there are plenty of First Aid tents packed with everything you could need from Tylenol to Biofreeze & beyond (about every 1.5 miles).
For those wondering: yes, every mile was “All That & A Bag of Chips,” & we couldn’t imagine a better first full marathon experience thanks to all the volunteers who kept the runners safe, fueled & hydrated & the spectators who truly kept us going. Their support along the course was truly AMAZING and unlike anything we’ve ever experienced in a race event! Special shout-out to the DJ that played Britney Spears tracks when Janine crossed both the start & finish lines!
Registration
runDisney race events take place at various times throughout the calendar year mostly at Walt Disney World in Orlando, Florida but also at Disneyland in California. We are not joking when we say these races are VERY popular, so registering as early as possible is key. Make sure you research the registration dates for the events that are most important to you, mark them on your calendar, plan ahead & set yourself a few reminders for the morning of.
Janine has been trying to participate in the Marathon since 2014, eagerly logging into her MDE account & sitting in the online Queue on registration day similar to checking into a Southwest flight only to be told every year since 2014 that all races were sold out by the time she even made it into the registration screen. However, in 2022 that was not the case & she was able to finally successfully register for an event, even with an array of technical difficulties on runDisney’s side including their server crashing – the full marathon for 2023.
Many racers will sign up for multiple race events if they are still available when they get into the registration screen. For example, The Dopey Challenge is someone who finishes all four events during Marathon Weekend including the 5k, 10k, half marathon and full marathon on pace. Singing up for all four races can be expensive and it’s a whole other level of challenging your body! We do not recommend this for first time runDisney participants.
Is there a trick to registration for first-timers? Over the years, we’ve talked to many runDisney pros & learned that registration often sells out quickly as large organizations (Advent Health, etc.) & charities (TeamFox, etc.) register racers in bulk, so sometimes it’s best to get in with one of those outfits. Club runDisney is also an option, but it is also another added expense which may or may not be worth it to you. For Janine, she just tried year after year the old-fashioned way & hit the jackpot finally in 2022.
The Cost
When it comes to the cost of participating in a runDisney event, the cost ($218.53 USD/pp) is on par with other Boston Qualifying race events. For example, the New York City Marathon Entry Fee in 2022 was $255.00 USD/pp and the Chicago Marathon Entry Fee in 2022 was $185.00 USD/pp.
There are certainly more affordable Boston Qualifying races throughout the US & if you do a lot of these types of races throughout the year, the cost does ad up – but we will say without a doubt that the Walt Disney World Marathon was the most well organized, staffed & cleanest race event we’ve ever participated in. From course markings & safety to the condition of restroom facilities, water stations & entertainment, runDisney is in a class of its own & to us, worth every single penny for all those reasons and so much more.
Additional Expenses
One additional note about cost of the race that should be considered as well is that there are additional expenses that you may want to include. Remember, a runDisney race is a race & a vacation, so yes there are the benefits of combining both but there is also the cost of your travel, lodging and food expenses to consider but on top of those things you may want to also keep in mind these additional optional expenses.
Park admission is not included in a runDisney race registration. As a result, Theme Park tickets are still required if you plan to visit any of the four Walt Disney World Resort Theme Parks or Water Parks during your run-cation, so make sure you plan ahead if you’re hoping to visit any Parks post or pre-race. Keep in mind, runDisney has offered a special discounted admission to the Water Parks for race finishers during the 2022 and 2023 season which is a really nice treat & way to relax post-race. Just bring your race bib to the Water Park and purchase a discounted ticket at the ticket booth.
runDisney race specific merchandise is something that sells out fast and the cost adds up quick. If t-shirts, pins, jackets, etc. are important to you, you may want to consider planning your travel to arrive in time for the Wednesday opening of the runDisney Merchandise Shop at ESPN Wide World of Sports. This is the only location where runners can purchase merchandise for the event, and some items will sell out prior to the weekend.
For her race, Janine arrived on Friday morning and headed straight for ESPN Wide World of Sports where she picked up a few t-shirts ($50 USD/each), a spirit jersey ($100 USD/each), pins ($35 USD/each) & a race jacket ($100 USD/each) that specifically said “26.2” Miles. There is also runDisney merchandise available which is the same merchandise that is available year round, but that is not what sells out. Race specific merchandise, especially Challenge specific merchandise. When she arrived Friday morning, most of the Challenge specific merchandise was gone from Goofy to Dopey.
In addition to the cost of merchandise to commemorate your incredible accomplishments, you may also want to consider the purchase of race day photos from Disney PhotoPass Photographers. Whether you snap photos with characters or just want to grab a few of your most memorable on-course photos, this will cost extra. This is something we wish we had known ahead of time because we were under the impression that the race registration fee included all photos – it does not.
Disney PhotoPass Pricing as of this post is as follows:
- All Photos from One Day $69.00 USD (covers a 24 hour period) – This is a great option if you just want to capture all your race day photos and nothing further from your run-cation.
- All Photos from your Entire Vacation $169.00 USD (advanced purchase required) – If you can plan ahead, you will save around $30.00 USD with this option, and we highly recommend this.
- All Photos from your Entire Vacation $199.00 USD – This is the best option so that you can capture all your race-day moments as well as all those post race photos of you and your medal at all four Walt Disney World Theme Parks, and this is what we purchased for Janine’s marathon.
The journey to 26.2 was both the most challenging thing Janine has ever done (both physically & mentally) & also the best thing she’s ever done all at the same time, but she can’t wait to do it all over again! Honestly, if you haven’t done a runDisney event, what are you waiting for?
Congrats to everyone who has ever participated in any of Walt Disney World Marathon Weekend’s races & accomplished seemingly impossible things over the program’s 30 years of existence. Cheers to many more magical miles & moments together runDisney Family! Have you participated in or are you planning to participate in a runDisney race? Let us know in the comments down below.
The comments, opinions, and views set forth on this site are the reflected personal positions of the site’s creators. This site is not an affiliate of runDisney or The Walt Disney Company and all opinions are our own. The comments, opinions, and views set forth within this site are not the official positions of runDisney or the Walt Disney Company, and they do not reflect the agency’s position.
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