Marathon Weekend 2025

[1lilspark]

I have looked at other races that might have a similar challenge. I have yet to find one.

Come to Minnesota and do the Loony (10K & 5K on Saturday, 10 Miler on Sunday) or Ultra Loony (10K & 5K on Saturday, Marathon on Sunday) We’ve been voted the most beautiful urban marathon in the US. First weekend in October—which is mostly reasonable weather (except for last year, but we don’t talk about that )

Gasparilla in Tampa has a
15K + 5K Saturday/ Half + 8K Sunday challenge

 

[Disneyhanna]

I appreciate that it’s not the same exact characters out for every race for every race weekend.

Honestly this! As much as we complained about the Disney Jr characters this Marathon Weekend, it was a bold move and I tend to skip characters I've gotten lots of photos with before, so I didn't have to skip too many (and I appreciated the breaks from running )

Loony Challenge in Minneapolis is one I have yet to tackle even though it's local to me (I can do back to back days but not sure how I feel about back to back races the same day LOL).

Flying Pig in Cincinnati is another popular one with multiple races:

Skyline Chili 3-Way Challenge	Skyline Chili 4-Way Challenge
5K	5K
10K	10K
Half Marathon	Full Marathon

If you do their one mile race before as well, you get "extra cheese" lol.

 

[SheHulk]

I have looked at other races that might have a similar challenge. I have yet to find one.

I don't know where you live, but the Philadelphia Marathon weekend in November has a half/full challenge. The weekend has an 8k, half, and full, and you can combine any or all of the races, they have a challenge for each. My friend ran the half with me and then ran the 8k after, and I was definitely jealous of his bigger medal.

I’ve run at least one race at Marathon Weekend since my first in 2012. There is certainly a difference in the race experience and I think there are diminishing returns for any activity you do more than once. I’ll never have the experience I did finishing my first Half Marathon, first Marathon, and first Dopey again.

This is 1000% true.

As for decline in the races, I ran my first WDW Marathon in 2014 and there are tons of little details that have gone away. For example, course entertainment had been much more varied than mostly characters: trumpeters on the balcony in the back of the castle, playing a fanfare as you approached; stilt walkers; trampoline artists (the tumble monkeys maybe). The swag bag as others have mentioned. But I have kept coming back because it's still more fun than most other places. I ran the DL Half with 2 friends that are new to runDisney, and they thought it was magical because they were used to normal road races. At least one of them wants to try to get in to Goofy with me at WDW this year, and I'm sure he will think it's unique and fun. And he'll be right! A bigger proportion of the magic now comes from the runners. it's a festive atmosphere.

The insanity of park ticket prices and attraction lines recently is making it more unattractive to build a vacation around the races though, and given that, and the diminishing returns as Barca33Runner mentioned, I may need to take a break after this one.

 

[Waiting2goback]

I don't know where you live, but the Philadelphia Marathon weekend in November has a half/full challenge. The weekend has an 8k, half, and full, and you can combine any or all of the races, they have a challenge for each. My friend ran the half with me and then ran the 8k after, and I was definitely jealous of his bigger medal.

This is 1000% true.

As for decline in the races, I ran my first WDW Marathon in 2014 and there are tons of little details that have gone away. For example, course entertainment had been much more varied than mostly characters: trumpeters on the balcony in the back of the castle, playing a fanfare as you approached; stilt walkers; trampoline artists (the tumble monkeys maybe). The swag bag as others have mentioned. But I have kept coming back because it's still more fun than most other places. I ran the DL Half with 2 friends that are new to runDisney, and they thought it was magical because they were used to normal road races. At least one of them wants to try to get in to Goofy with me at WDW this year, and I'm sure he will think it's unique and fun. And he'll be right! A bigger proportion of the magic now comes from the runners. it's a festive atmosphere.

The insanity of park ticket prices and attraction lines recently is making it more unattractive to build a vacation around the races though, and given that, and the diminishing returns as Barca33Runner mentioned, I may need to take a break after this one.

Thank everyone that has chimed in so far. So you mention two things that have me torn. Yes, I used to love going to the parks after the races. And the price of tickets now leaves me with a stomach ache. It’s not that I can’t afford them, I can. I just see the value has dropped for me with the losses of a lot of things I love. I was never a “ride” person. I was all about the “plusses” and I see less of that stuff in the last few years. I have been on trips and not gone on one ride. So if I go for Goody I may not even go to the parks. Which brings me to my second point. The people. For anyone that may remember my story, my wife told me she wanted a divorce. I was out of shape and scared because my life was changing. I wanted to get out of my comfort zone. I turned to Disney. I knew about rundisney from a friend at the time. I HATED running. What better way to get out of my comfort zone. I knew the fact the races were at Disney would ensure I would follow through. I signed up for ToT and got on the thread for that race. I had no idea what I was doing and people on there were very encouraging, supportive, and helpful with my questions. Over the months I progressed with my running and it became fun. I did my POT race in June (10k). Figured why not sign up for a marathon. so I did ToT in October and a marathon two weeks later. That month of October was eye opening. It showed me what I’m capable of and it was because of some of the people on here. I met up with people after the 2018 marathon to drink around the world. I had fun. It would be the chance to do that again and visit some of you all that I would pay for a park ticket.

 

[LilyJC]

Always late, but here’s my SAFD vote:

Guardians!!

 

[motherof5]

As in the past few years, I am starting the thread early for next year. People who experience FOMO over the next week now have a thread to dream upon.

Marathon Weekend is January 8– 12, 2025

Registration is April 9 at 10am EST

Thanks for starting this thread

 

[Herding_Cats]

Curious to see what bundles they try to stick us with this year for the pre-orders, since CrD should be getting links today.

 

[MissLiss279]

Sorry, I missed inserting a quoted post.

Another challenge: The I-35 Challenge includes running the Garmin Kansas City Half or Full Marathon on Saturday and the Des Moines Half or Full Marathon on Sunday. The cities are about 3 hours apart.

There are years where they aren’t on the same weekend (like last year), because each race is the 3rd Saturday or Sunday of the month.

 

[jrsharp21]

One week until the registration circus!!! The anxiety of getting through registration already starting to kick in.

 

[PrincessV]

As often happens, I am in complete agreement with @Bree here, so @Waiting2goback yes, all of this…

Only decline I’ve noticed is with merchandise, the expo and the snack box. Official RD clothing and the “free” race shirt quality is just not the same. Race jackets and shirts I have from 2015 and 2017 are in far better condition than what has been put out the last few years. The expos are much smaller and not as interesting as they used to be. It’s the same handful of vendors at each race. I used to spend quite a bit of time and make a few loops around, but now it’s one loop with a pit stop for my race shirt and I’m outta there. Snack boxes are just way ok. I want Oreos back and I’m not a fan of birdseed covered items or smooshed fruit somethings that are turd colored. My horse eats all and any type of fruit, fruit leather, dried fruit, etc. She wouldn’t touch what they hand out in the snack box

Course entertainment has seen a dramatic improvement with the new entertainment director. Race themes are planned out 2-3 years in advance so he is forced to work with what he’s given. He’s done a fantastic job in getting more characters on course and a better variety too. I appreciate that it’s not the same exact characters out for every race for every race weekend. There are some overlaps, but not like it used to be. Vacation Genie seems to have really taken a vacation with the new director I remember one year with the old director it was bugs life characters three stops in a row - Flik, Hopper and the girl ant.

I’ve been really impressed with the on-course entertainment over the past year! Luckily, I truly do not want any merch from any vendor, so the drop-off in all things expo doesn't bother me at all, but there IS a drop-off there, for sure.

Speaking as someone who used to do every race at WDW in a year, I’ve backed way, way off from that due to the cost. Like, I’m not sure I’m going to register for ANY of the MW races this time, and if I do, it’ll “only” be the 10K. But that’s not due to the experience being disappointing: it’s strictly a budget issue for me.

And on the topic of cost, I’ve been an APholder for 30 years, so I don’t really pay attention to ticket prices - but I know my AP price gets harder and harder to swallow. Are the parks still “worth” it? Maybe. The years I did Dopey, I spent very little time in the parks, so buying tickers would have been a hard pass: I only went in for a couple hours here and there because I had the AP. But if you can handle the Goofy mileage and plenty of park time, there’s still plenty to enjoy!

The #1 thing that keeps me running at WDW though are the rD friendships I’ve made. I have some running friends I wouldn’t ever get to see in person outside of race weekends, so even if I’m not racing, I’ll show up to spend time with them. I think these boards and other online media have made it so easy to maintain long distance friendships and ramp up the excitement for race weekends, and that’s a big part of what makes Disney races special. THAT hasn’t changed at all, IMO.

 

[Baloo in MI]

@Waiting2goback

First, welcome back! Cool to see your post. Not as long as some of the others, but I have been consistently running MW since 2015; here is my two cents. It has gotten more expensive, and some of the value has dissipated. I would love to see them provide better race shirts for example. The courses have held steady for awhile, would be nice to see a change there. You would be glad to know that WWOS has not been part of the course for a few years now, sadly replaced with time in the Blizard Beach parking lot…

But what keeps me coming back every year is the atmosphere and the community of runDisney. It remains a celebration and positive experience with 10-15k other people excited to run around the mouse’s house! This group still does pre-race meet ups, a Friday afternoon gathering and the DATW in Epcot on the Monday after the marathon.

I hope it works for you to go, I think it is still worth it. Of course anytime I am asked if someone should do runDisney my answer is yes; I’m an enabler!

 

[Herding_Cats]

Are the parks still “worth” it? Maybe. The years I did Dopey, I spent very little time in the parks, so buying tickers would have been a hard pass: I only went in for a couple hours here and there because I had the AP. But if you can handle the Goofy mileage and plenty of park time, there’s still plenty to enjoy!

And also, it's OK to not go to the parks.

The #1 thing that keeps me running at WDW though are the rD friendships I’ve made. I have some running friends I wouldn’t ever get to see in person outside of race weekends, so even if I’m not racing, I’ll show up to spend time with them. I think these boards and other online media have made it so easy to maintain long distance friendships and ramp up the excitement for race weekends, and that’s a big part of what makes Disney races special. THAT hasn’t changed at all, IMO.

THIS is the big thing for me. I didn't run any of the race weekends before covid, so I can't compare the 2, but I can definitely see how there would be a "let down" with weekends after the first couple because it's pretty much impossible to replicate those "first time" feelings and emotions. The on-course fun and seeing my online friends are an enormous part of what keeps me coming back and driving my excitement each year.

 

[Mr_Incr3dible]

Goofy is about the challenge. Disney got me into running at a difficult time in my life (divorce) and helped me get through that period better than I could have thought. That first race was 10 years ago. I always wanted to do Goofy or Dopey just because of the challenge and do it at Disney. Just feels like a “full circle” type of thing ten years later. I don’t care about the characters either. I have never once stopped for a character at a Disney race.

I have looked at other races that might have a similar challenge. I have yet to find one.

Goofy - that's what I'm planning to do for a second year in a row because:
(a) I can do it in a weekend, unlike the Dopey
(b) anniversary of the Goofy
(c) I hate coming all the way down and not maximizing my time there

Expo: I get in and out of there as quickly as possible; I can't think of the last time there was something I wanted or needed. The expo itself is something to navigate while getting my shirts. The merch building, I can spend a bit more time in, but in recent years it has all been slim pickings, even on Wed night. The one time I want Disney to take my money, and they don't have much.

runDisney: the one attraction that has the gift shop at the beginning of the ride....

Disney itself: Yes, I'm in the camp of where they regularly tick me off with their prices and policies. Things like telling the volunteers that they will no longer get any perks is a shaft. Or some of their virtual queue nonsense. ("No rider slots left for today. But it's 5 minutes to closing and no one is here. Yes, but all slots are taken." Grrrr) The cost of the races themselves are huge, but there isn't anywhere else that is such a fun place to run, plus they have to pay cast members for all the character photo ops and starting the day stupid early in the morning. That said, would it kill Disney to include a park ticket with a challenge, half, or marathon entry? It isn't as if we wouldn't make it up in merch or food. The courses? They are what they are. Back in 2011 we ran a longer distance through HS, which was really cool. Now they have us do a cameo and out the door. I'd rather ditch the BB loop and return to the longer HS path, but I'm guessing they don't want us traipsing through Tatooine....

Since I'm not down there also doing a vacation, I've come to terms with the fact that it is something I really like doing, and to not pay attention to what I'm spending, and enjoy the atmosphere (like none other!), the medals, and the shirts. I'm not down there for the other race weekends, nor traveling to other cities for races, or even doing very many local races, so I enjoy my MW's.

And I will say this, comparing my 2009/2011 medals and shirts to present day? No comparison. The medals are so much fancier and the shirts more colorful and with more interesting designs. I really enjoy wearing my rD race shirts, and the reactions to the distances.

Fun fact: when I traveled to MW in 2009 for my first ever half and first ever rD race, I didn't know about the medals. I thought it would just be a t-shirt like all the 10K's that I've done, so the medals have been a pleasant surprise.

YMMV

 

[FFigawi]

Thanks for starting this thread

You’re welcome! It’s one of my traditions on New Years Day.

 

[XoxoAmy]

Did the Club runD members get their e-mail with the link for registration today? I just realized I don't have mine! (Will also post on the club runD thread)

 

[fatmanatee]

That said, would it kill Disney to include a park ticket with a challenge, half, or marathon entry? It isn't as if we wouldn't make it up in merch or food.

It's funny, when I ran my first DL half all the way back to 2016 I sorta just assumed that it would come with a free park ticket because it seemed so expensive. Bear in mind I had no sense of how much these things are supposed to cost and this was my second half marathon. Anyway I wasn't thrilled when I realized I would have to purchase a ticket to DL in addition to the race fee.

 

[fatmanatee]

Did the Club runD members get their e-mail with the link for registration today? I just realized I don't have mine! (Will also post on the club runD thread)

I thought they gradually get pushed to members over the course of the day?

 

[DisneyParrothead]

Course entertainment has seen a dramatic improvement with the new entertainment director. Race themes are planned out 2-3 years in advance so he is forced to work with what he’s given. He’s done a fantastic job in getting more characters on course and a better variety too. I appreciate that it’s not the same exact characters out for every race for every race weekend. There are some overlaps, but not like it used to be. Vacation Genie seems to have really taken a vacation with the new director I remember one year with the old director it was bugs life characters three stops in a row - Flik, Hopper and the girl ant.

I'll second this! There were so many characters for Princess, and they were great. I don't have many must stop for characters, but I stopped for Esmeralda and Meg because I've never seen them on course before, and they're never in the parks. Yes there were characters I wouldn't stop for since I haven't seen their movie/am not a fan of their movie, but others are, which is great for those fans.

 

[camaker]

That said, would it kill Disney to include a park ticket with a challenge, half, or marathon entry? It isn't as if we wouldn't make it up in merch or food. The courses?

Don't get me wrong, I'd love to see this, but they're hardly incentivized to sweeten the pot when race weekends are selling out minutes to hours after registration. Runners keep sending the message to Disney that the product is fine overall as it is.

I do remember when I started in 2016 that there were Dopey bibs available in December and in 2018 they were offering discount codes for MW at the Chicago Marathon expo. If those trends had continued, I think we would've seen some improvements to lure people in. Unfortunately, the pandemic happened, resulting in a huge surge in demand that doesn't seem to have been sated. It also doesn't help that MW, at least, is far smaller than it was pre-pandemic.

 

[The Expert]

I HATED running. What better way to get out of my comfort zone. I knew the fact the races were at Disney would ensure I would follow through.

Same!

It showed me what I’m capable of and it was because of some of the people on here.

The #1 thing that keeps me running at WDW though are the rD friendships I’ve made.

But what keeps me coming back every year is the atmosphere and the community of runDisney.

The on-course fun and seeing my online friends are an enormous part of what keeps me coming back and driving my excitement each year.

^^^ ALLLLL OF THIS!! ^^^
It took me a few years to get up the gumption to go to the meetups, but I'm so glad I did! It has become the primary motivator for me to keep signing up for Disney runs specifically.

runDisney: the one attraction that has the gift shop at the beginning of the ride....

LOL!

Did the Club runD members get their e-mail with the link for registration today? I just realized I don't have mine! (Will also post on the club runD thread)

I haven't seen mine yet, but they roll them out through the day. There are a few of us ready to report back on POT and merch details when we get them.