2026 Wine & Dine Half Marathon Weekend

[PrincessV]

Here’s the thing with transportation: it takes time to rearrange cones, relocate law enforcement vehicles and CMs to redirect traffic. I don’t use buses, but as a car driver, I’ve sometimes had to wait for roads to reopen quite some time after runners are long gone from the EP entry/exit roads. I give rD/WDW a lot of flack, but I do think they prioritize road safety and think if part of a parking lot/road is closed, it will remain closed until the full race is finished: no way are they reopening for a short period of time then closing again - the logistics of that are just too sketchy. The pessimist in me assumes there will just be a whole lot more waiting around before and after the 5K.

But also, how does normal EP traffic fit into this? Assuming a 9am opening, resort buses normally start dropping off around 7:30a, right? Just as the last 5Kers start?? Will they go with a 10am opening to delay arrivals? That’s been done before.

It all sounds like a hot mess and I’m very glad it’s not my mess to figure out lol!

 

[KCO5988]

I mean, totally willing to register all 3 W&D races for you in exchange for your NYC marathon slot! (I kid, I kid.)

Hahaha! Believe me I'm stoked to be doing NYC. Registered with my charity before this year's race even happened to make sure I'd get that spot.

Not helpful (but maybe helpful), this year I flew to FL for the mushu 5K on Friday, flew back to DC Saturday and ran MCM on Sunday.

AND while at the expo on Saturday for MCM in DC, I saw someone in an Olaf 10K shirt from THAT morning!

Anything is possible for a great theme.

Hahaha you're not wrong! Maybe if I hadn't just done Dopey and wasn't also doing PW and SS, but I highly doubt I can get DH on board. I already used my "but omg the theme" to win him over on SS because of Winnie the Pooh lol.

 

[KellyKateri]

Saw on instagram someone speculating that the TTC may become a second “parking” location for the 5K. Maybe they’ll split up who can go where and when, but it’s good food for thought.

Have people do the pre-race characters etc all at the TTC, then have buses and monorails running to Epcot. That way, people can take the monorail as an exit after the race.

 

[bmr1591]

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.)

I’m going to guess it’s a rundisney change that parks is reluctantly agreeing to because of the slower expected traffic. The reason I say this is that they’re only increasing the 5K, the one race they can easily get people out of the parks before opening. The others haven’t added space because those affect park ops more dramatically.

 

[accm]

Another thing I considered. I wonder if they're adding enough 5k spots that it won't sell out immediately. So when regular park guests find out their trip is going to be impacted by the race, they have a chance to sign up for a race if they want. Maybe this improves the optics for infrequent guests who don't bother looking into what will be going on during their trip? Maybe people will feel less negative about a race they could sign up for, versus one that was already fully sold out by the time they booked? Or maybe I'm putting way more thought into this than Disney/runDisney...

 

[fatmanatee]

When they first announced this I figured they would add enough spots to fill an additional corral, maybe 20 percent more. That would mean that sellout times probably aren't THAT different than what we've seen in the past. They get more revenue from the races, spread out corral start times so the race isn't as crowded, etc. Assess how it goes in October and if it works out well then maybe you think about adding even more spots.

If they double the spots? No idea how that'll go, across the board.

 

[The Expert]

I can see this happening, actually. They may hold back a chunk of the bibs and release them later or on a regular schedule to give the newbies a chance. I don't hate that idea.

 

[marty3d]

Well, CRAP! We weren't even coming down in October this year, since I'm running Chicago. But I may have to pop down for a few days and stay with my mom just for the 5K.




Yep, all of this. And of course, the 5K is the only race I'm interested in (though I love the Challenge theme). I volunteer as tribute I guess.

They all tie to World Showcase countries! France, Mexico, UK and Germany.

Just catching up on this thread and seeing the themes which may have been a mistake on my part. I can’t possibly consider running the half just 14 days after Chicago can I? That would be crazy.

 

[Novatrix]

Just catching up on this thread and seeing the themes which may have been a mistake on my part. I can’t possibly consider running the half just 14 days after Chicago can I? That would be crazy.

Wrong question to ask this group. How many people did back to back Dopey to Dumbo again?

 

[marty3d]

Wrong question to ask this group. How many people did back to back Dopey to Dumbo again?

I “only” did the back to back halfs…

I apparently will need to get talked out of this somewhere else

 

[The Expert]

Just catching up on this thread and seeing the themes which may have been a mistake on my part. I can’t possibly consider running the half just 14 days after Chicago can I? That would be crazy.

I'm wrestling with the same thing! I'm really only in LOVE with the 5K theme so I think I can manage to avoid the other races.

Wrong question to ask this group. How many people did back to back Dopey to Dumbo again?

I only did the 5K/10K/Half to Dumbo, so I'm obviously fully capable of restraining myself.

 

[marty3d]

I'm wrestling with the same thing! I'm really only in LOVE with the 5K theme so I think I can manage to avoid the other races.


I only did the 5K/10K/Half to Dumbo, so I'm obviously fully capable of restraining myself.

IF I do this it looks like I might have to do a rare offsite hotel stay. Never done a race weekend offsite before but on property rates are a little steep for what would be a quick solo trip. (Luckily flights are cheap).

And yes, I am fully aware that I've gone from "talk me out of this" to looking at rooms and airfare overnight. I think my restraint might be only trying for the half and not doing the challenge. It would be really tempting to add a Grumpy Challenge medal next to the Dopeys I have ...

 

[The Expert]

IF I do this it looks like I might have to do a rare offsite hotel stay. Never done a race weekend offsite before but on property rates are a little steep for what would be a quick solo trip. (Luckily flights are cheap).

And yes, I am fully aware that I've gone from "talk me out of this" to looking at rooms and airfare overnight. I think my restraint might be only trying for the half and not doing the challenge. It would be really tempting to add a Grumpy Challenge medal next to the Dopeys I have ...

Check the Swolfin rates -- I saw something recently about a D23 Gold rate being a good deal, if you're a member. The Bonnet Creek Parkway hotels are sometimes good if they are between conferences. And occasionally Disney hotels show up on Expedia at decent prices.

 

[marty3d]

Check the Swolfin rates -- I saw something recently about a D23 Gold rate being a good deal, if you're a member. The Bonnet Creek Parkway hotels are sometimes good if they are between conferences. And occasionally Disney hotels show up on Expedia at decent prices.

Thanks- Swolfin are usually my go to (I have half my nights booked there for MW27 - just waiting for the second week to release) but they are north of $550pn right now for that weekend with the best rates I can get (or a similarly high number of points). Hadn't thought of the Bonnet Creek Hotels as I tend to default to Marriott - will check those too. Just need to decide how many nights I'm staying if I go.

I probably should have bit the bullet and just bought DVC points when I was there for MW

 

[The Expert]

Hadn't thought of the Bonnet Creek Hotels as I tend to default to Marriott - will check those too.

There's a JW over there that we've stayed at for a race. It was the Everest 5K that we booked at the very end of a DVC stay. DH used Marriott points rather than trying to add on to the reservation. They did run a shuttle iirc, but we had a car so I just drove.

 

[marty3d]

There's a JW over there that we've stayed at for a race. It was the Everest 5K that we booked at the very end of a DVC stay. DH used Marriott points rather than trying to add on to the reservation. They did run a shuttle iirc, but we had a car so I just drove.

Thanks - I always forget the JW. I actually just extended my search to 5 days and was able to grab the Swan on points for a decent points per night. I think they may be excluding some rooms from 3 night searches since we're still pretty far out. I really don't think I'd stay 5 nights but since I can cancel anytime I just grabbed it. (Yes - I also know I've just graduated from "If" to "I booked a room"... I may have a problem ...)

 

[Dopey 2020]

It would be really tempting to add a Grumpy Challenge medal next to the Dopeys I have ...

This

And did I mention…. THIS ^^

 

[lookingforsunshine]

Wrong question to ask this group. How many people did back to back Dopey to Dumbo again?

I did! It actually wasn’t that bad. The DLR half was hard because I had started to come down with a cold but otherwise fine.

Edit to add: I actually think doing Dopey to DLR when there are a few weekends in between is harder than back to back weekends. With back to back weekends, it was technically one trip so I packed once, flew to FL, flew to CA, flew home instead of back home in between, etc. When there’s a break it becomes two trips and feels more draining to me. I have had time to start recovering and then have to jump back in again.