2026 Wine & Dine Half Marathon Weekend

[The Expert]

Not going to lie, even if it isn't season appropriate, I'd love these guys for MW.

Frankly, now that there's no longer an official Disney Halloween race, I'd love these guys to be NEXT year's theme for W&D with emphasis on candy, candy apples + other Halloween treats.
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They are doing a Halloween virtual, so I think that's rD's way of keeping the theme.

 

[Novatrix]

Ohhh I didn't even think of that! Guessing they will somehow try and enforce those start times, but then that complicates someone wanting to drop back and do it with family/friends.

Maybe they'll have a tag that you need to hand in to get into the corral like the shirt tags? Or they'll mark them? I can see this getting messy fast.

They are doing a Halloween virtual, so I think that's rD's way of keeping the theme.

Missed that, didn't realize it was going to be available virtually.

 

[1lilspark]

It will be interesting if you can choose early waves vs late waves with registration

Like red bibs coral up as normal and release from 430-530 ish than from 530-630 the staging area resets and they release the blue bibs from 630-730

The reunion area characters sets are staggered a bit

 

[drummerwife]

This will be my first rD weekend back after a 5 year break and I was only planning on doing the 5k and 10k so I could slowly ramp up my training. Then they announced the themes… rD sure knows how to pry my wallet open, so now I’m planning on doing the 5k and challenge.

 

[Herding_Cats]

So here's my question about this: is this change being driven by runDisney, or by parks/resorts seeing the current slowdown in attendance and changes in travel habits and wanting to encourage more guests?

I think it's a pretty swift change, if it's an attempt to get more people IN the parks and hotels during peak hurricane season. But when you look at it in conjunction with free kids dining, and the other promotions they are running it is giving me pause.

Sure, the 5k (and everything else!) sells out quickly, but I'm assuming they are at a minimum doubling the number of bibs available (and hopefully spreading it the waves more for character lines.)

 

[accm]

So here's my question about this: is this change being driven by runDisney, or by parks/resorts seeing the current slowdown in attendance and changes in travel habits and wanting to encourage more guests?

I think it's a pretty swift change, if it's an attempt to get more people IN the parks and hotels during peak hurricane season. But when you look at it in conjunction with free kids dining, and the other promotions they are running it is giving me pause.

Sure, the 5k (and everything else!) sells out quickly, but I'm assuming they are at a minimum doubling the number of bibs available (and hopefully spreading it the waves more for character lines.)

Honestly, I hadn't thought about that, and was actually confused about the later start time, since everything we've seen shows that the parks wants us out of the parks ASAP.

It being driven by parks/resorts would explain the TV appearance as well.

 

[Herding_Cats]

Honestly, I hadn't thought about that, and was actually confused about the later start time, since everything we've seen shows that the parks wants us out of the parks ASAP.

It being driven by parks/resorts would explain the TV appearance as well.

This was why I was having trouble figuring out why they were adding more slots and THEN lengthening the start window. Don’t bother ticketed guests and Epcot management is sick of dealing with race weekend setups, but HEY let’s add way more people and guarantee that they are here longer on Fridays!

 

[jmasgat]

It being driven by parks/resorts would explain the TV appearance as well.

So basically what they're saying is “Bring us more people and money…..but just don’t get in our way when you do”

 

[Smooth_Whiskey]

Rundisney is gonna have the faster selected times start in the last corral since they won't need very long to run the race. No more selecting the fastest time to try to get corral A.

 

[DisneyParrothead]

No, but the way it works now the return buses don't start running until the last wave has started and passed that area. Which is why I'm betting the return buses will leave from the Epcot bus loop, and not from where they usually leave from.

That would be the smart thing, but every time there’s something new with rD, it’s a cluster. If they don’t move the buses, corral A finishers would have to wait hours to get on a bus.

 

[PrincessV]

I don’t know what to make of the 5K news. I have a hard time believing that anyone involved really thought this through the way WE are now and came up with plans to manage the gazillion obstacles. Kudos to everyone here taking it so well - I saw it and thought “HAHAHAHAHA, oh, absolutely NO! Count me out!”

 

[fatmanatee]

Would be nice if they expanded on this change and explained what we're in for before sign-ups start but probably not!

 

[The Expert]

Would be nice if they expanded on this change and explained what we're in for before sign-ups start but probably not!

You're assuming THEY know what they are doing at this point. I seriously doubt they've figured it out yet.

 

[nostalgic4disney]

Say if you got assigned the last 2 corrals, what is the latest you could arrive so you don’t have to stand around?
I’ve always been in the front corrals and didn’t have to wait long. I don’t mind being in the back but It’s the WAITING!
I won’t have a POT for this race and I am a senior runner (rD since 2014) so I’m sure they will want me in the back.

 

[GreatLakes]

I'm pretty meh on the theme but I want to do the races so I will. I'm hoping to get my son and I registered for the 5K and I'm going to do the half. I'm not sure what to expect exactly for the 5K but it will be what it will be.

 

[jillinastoria]

What is the Wine and Dine Expo normally like? I've only experienced Marathon Weekend, and very little RunDisney merch was available in a woman's small on Friday afternoon. Which I knew to expect, but it was still a little sad.

If I show up for the Wine and Dine Expo on Thursday but in the early afternoon, like 12:30, I know there will probably be lines, but maybe a better selection of merch available? Or does it really all go in the first few hours?

 

[lookingforsunshine]

Another prediction I have with this change is that the expo is going to be even more busy the first day because all these new ppl will need to pick up their bibs on Thursday.

 

[DianaMB333]

Hopefully kids will get late corrals… 430am is too crazy for them… isn’t it?

 

[JediKnightXan]

Hopefully kids will get late corrals… 430am is too crazy for them… isn’t it?

This would be a great thing... If the princess 5K is Elsa, Anna or Snow White in 27 or 28 that will make a much easer sell to the wife to have the kid do it. (Saying 2027 or 2028 sounds so weird some days I still think its 2008...)

I won't be doing this weekend, but my biggest fear is regarding the additional 5K spots on a go forward is this could make registration even more of a mess than it already is. But it is great that they are expanding as it shows can see the demand and hopefully shows RunDisney is making enough money/bringing enough people in that its hopefully not going anywhere for a long time.

I like the 10K theme a lot.

 

[FFigawi]

Say if you got assigned the last 2 corrals, what is the latest you could arrive so you don’t have to stand around?
I’ve always been in the front corrals and didn’t have to wait long. I don’t mind being in the back but It’s the WAITING!
I won’t have a POT for this race and I am a senior runner (rD since 2014) so I’m sure they will want me in the back.

Theoretically, you could get there at 7 for a 730 start. We won’t know for sure until race day or when the race guide comes out.