Marathon Weekend 2025

[Disneyhanna]

That is an interesting observation and reminds me that I want to try some naked Tailwind during my last (26 mile) long run next weekend. I usually add flavoring to my Tailwind, but I do get flavor fatigue at the end of long runs and I'm wondering if something unflavored would help me to keep pushing it.

I also found that I don't like to chew things after a certain point. Unfortunately, that caused me the underfueling at Disney (I never recognized that I was moving away from the solid foods at a certain point in my long training runs). Now, I've strategically switched to maple syrup (Endurance Tap) and Coke as fuel for the very end of long runs because they are high sugar liquids that still taste good.

I think naked tailwind tastes great on its own. I tried the flavored versions first and thought it was like drinking syrup, naked is far more palatable. I actually like mixing naked tailwind and something with more electrolytes so I can get the extra carbs and have a few less gels. I can't do tailwind-only as that's just too much liquid for me, but I like it as a supplement as I too get tired of chewing things!

 

[runwithperseverence7]

Driving question. My plan is to use the bus transportation provided but I’m thinking maybe driving on 5k day since I will have my family in tow. That way maybe they can sleep a little later and then we can come home whenever we finish. This will be my first time here so not sure how the traffic situation is going to be. So my question is…if I’m staying at all star music, what would be the latest we could leave the resort and be on time?

 

[nancipants]

I don’t expect this to stick at all, but I figured I’d be the first to look.

 

[GollyGadget]

Driving question. My plan is to use the bus transportation provided but I’m thinking maybe driving on 5k day since I will have my family in tow. That way maybe they can sleep a little later and then we can come home whenever we finish. This will be my first time here so not sure how the traffic situation is going to be. So my question is…if I’m staying at all star music, what would be the latest we could leave the resort and be on time?

What time do you want to arrive is the real question? Arriving at 4am would give you plenty of time to get through security and settled before the race. If you really want to maximize sleeping in, you could aim for 5am which would still give you plenty of time to make it to the start line before it closes but you'd miss all the pre race spectacle and possibly your assigned corral.

There aren't any road closures and there are fewer participants for the 5k so the traffic doesn't get backed up like it can for the half and marathon. The drive should only take 10-15 minutes. The walk to security and the start is approx 15-20 minutes. Once you decide what time you want to arrive, plan for 30-40 minutes from your resort to the start line.

 

[Mr_Incr3dible]

When I ran with @Mr_Incr3dible this past race weekend, there were definitely bananas PRE AK on Bear Island Road. I feel like I remember them being available after AK as well, in the backstage area.

I also remember in 2022 that there were bananas once we were "out" of AK, in the backstage area.

And in 2023, I feel like @The Expert and I specifically commented about how many banana stops there were, and how we never wanted to see another banana again!

Chocolate has always been when we are just entering HS.

Sport beans (which I don't like) have been along the highway to(?) MK, in the parking lot just before the TTC, possibly again post-MK? I don't pay too much attention to those other than to try to not slip on all of the spilled beans and wrappers.

I don't have a recollection of bananas. Interesting. I do seem to recall Blok gels after the Grand Floridian (~mile 12.5) and then the beans somewhere around Blizzard Beach (almost at mile 20) because I remember all the packages and enjoying some beans after I stopped to check on what was going on in my one shoe (a blister as it turned out). And definitely I remember Chocolate Mtn on the way into HS. Little Dove squares last time, IIRC, but one year it was little Snickers. Yum to either one.
The cool towels are post-AK on Western Way; yes save it for later use, especially if they are handing out ice in the BB parking lot.
The 2024 race map shows food at the TTC (~ mile 7.5), but again I have recollection of what was being handed out. My race plan was to carry my own fuel, and then any Bloks or bean flavors that I liked were just bonus fuel. And that is what I did. Hydration was all on rD since they are so kind to be handing it out periodically....

 

[fatmanatee]

Also can't remember who I was talking about whether we're going through the toll booths or not but at least for the half...:

View attachment 918146

It looks like it is supposed to be through the toll booth (see the grey line on the northbound side)

Also I'm not seeing the full on the certification website so they might not have certified the new course yet. Which they do have up until a couple weeks before to do that I think?

That was me. I think this is the older (pre-2025) one? I don't see the 2025 map yet, think it needs to be posted along with the full map.

 

[Jason Bryer]

With all the talk about on course food, I wanted to give a shoutout to something Disney does that I wish every race did, have sponges. Getting one exiting AK has been such a relief the last few years.

 

[lukemorenus]

What time do you want to arrive is the real question? Arriving at 4am would give you plenty of time to get through security and settled before the race. If you really want to maximize sleeping in, you could aim for 5am which would still give you plenty of time to make it to the start line before it closes but you'd miss all the pre race spectacle and possibly your assigned corral.

There aren't any road closures and there are fewer participants for the 5k so the traffic doesn't get backed up like it can for the half and marathon. The drive should only take 10-15 minutes. The walk to security and the start is approx 15-20 minutes. Once you decide what time you want to arrive, plan for 30-40 minutes from your resort to the start line.

Great info! I have a similar question about driving to the 5k --- can you exit the parking lot immediately after the finish, or do you have to wait for the course to clear (like the RunDisney busses have to)?

 

[cburnett11]

I don’t expect this to stick at all, but I figured I’d be the first to look.

Locking it in now… big thanks!

 

[PrincessV]

So, Cone Alley is followed by Path of Congestion, with the added bonus of Bridge of Rage? Excellent. Can’t wait. The upside is maybe after that, the Castle crowding won’t seem so bad?!

 

[GADisneyDad14]

The Bridge of Rage (and subsequent second bridge over the Electrical Water Pageant canal) is also somewhat loud - I usually run there on trips and can barely cross without them making a racket. I can’t imagine with thousands of us.

 

[SheHulk]

I don’t expect this to stick at all, but I figured I’d be the first to look. View attachment 918186

It's a tough job, but somebody has to do it!

 

[GollyGadget]

Great info! I have a similar question about driving to the 5k --- can you exit the parking lot immediately after the finish, or do you have to wait for the course to clear (like the RunDisney busses have to)?

As far as I know, yes, you can exit immediately. The reason the buses can't leave is because they use an exit that is part of the course. I've included the maps below so you can see how the bus transportation is right by the half mile mark of the 5K.

 

[MissLiss279]

Great info! I have a similar question about driving to the 5k --- can you exit the parking lot immediately after the finish, or do you have to wait for the course to clear (like the RunDisney busses have to)?

Like @GollyGadget said, I believe you can leave immediately after the 5k and I don’t think there are any restrictions on normal travel paths.
For the 10k (and other races), I believe you can leave right away also, but your travel path might be altered. I’m so glad to have AppleMaps or Google Maps to re-route me once I get going the direction they make you leave.

 

[MissLiss279]

Regarding chocolate- For the 7 (??) years I have run the marathon, I think it has usually been Dove chocolate (milk or dark ??), but there have been years with little candy bars and full size bags of M&M’s. I remember being really surprised to see full size bags when we got to the chocolate stop. I’m not sure we can really make a guess of what it will be.
I do remember this past year, eating a chocolate, and then almost immediately rounding a corner where a Photopass photographer was and trying not to smile with chocolate in my teeth.

 

[fatmanatee]

I think in 2022 it was Milky Way? Or probably a variety bag of the tiny chocolates that included that.

 

[Tall Todd]

I still don’t know what I think about this narrow bridge when leaving GF. Mile 4.5ish for the Half and 8.25ish for the Full.

View attachment 918137

This feels like a horrible idea.... Same size as stretch from Hollywood Studios to Epcot? At least there you could run on the grass a bit.

 

[Psymonds]

This feels like a horrible idea.... Same size as stretch from Hollywood Studios to Epcot? At least there you could run on the grass a bit.

years ago ran a half that crossed the golden gate bridge, it was 2 miles of ... that.

It wasn't as bad as bay to breakers in it's heyday (dodging floats with drunk people and kegs) but it was like the scene in one of the Cars movies "see the hole" hopefully by that mileage it's thinned out so it's not a bottleneck, or at least they do a good job of necking down gradually before.

 

[PrincessV]

My view of the half course is very jaded by my W&D experience. I’m really hoping they do something differently, because it was pretty awful.

For those who don’t know, the way they did W&D corrals was the standard lettering system… but also each letter was then divided on-site into multiple corrals. So while I was in D, D actually comprised 3 or 4 physical corrals, each named a different color. The deal was that they filled the first of a letter’s corral, then closed it and started loading the next one. Once a corral was closed, there was NO further entry allowed. If you were already in a corral that closed, you were allowed to exit to use the potties or get water, but had a 10-minute return window and had to provide a password to get back in.

I was loaded into the 2nd corral of D and started at the back of it, as I usually do: I have serious issues with feeling trapped in a large crowd, but hanging back in my corral and staying off to one side usually gives me some space and also means having time and room for things to spread out once we actually get moving, before the first wave of the next corral starts behind me and also spreads itself out some. That did not work with the new W&D system. Though they loaded D into 3 or 4 separate corrals, they released them all into one enormous group to walk to the start. And while they seemed to do mini-wave starts, they went FAST: fast enough that things didn’t spread out at all for me. Truly, the entire 13.1 miles was uncomfortably crowded. The BW path was horrendous - we came to a complete stop at the water station. Passing anywhere other than the widest parts of highway was nearly impossible without getting in someone’s way. It was tied with the first Dark Side 10K for the worst race experience I’ve had, only minus anything Star Wars-y to take the edge off.

So, seeing how much of that half course is narrow and how early on it falls is not encouraging from my vantage point. I’m really hoping they don't repeat the W&D system and/or that they take more time between mini-waves.

 

[Bunkie1979]

Regarding chocolate- For the 7 (??) years I have run the marathon, I think it has usually been Dove chocolate (milk or dark ??), but there have been years with little candy bars and full size bags of M&M’s. I remember being really surprised to see full size bags when we got to the chocolate stop. I’m not sure we can really make a guess of what it will be.
I do remember this past year, eating a chocolate, and then almost immediately rounding a corner where a Photopass photographer was and trying not to smile with chocolate in my teeth.

The Dove dark squares are yummy (unless they're gooey from sitting in the sun). At that point in the race though, I would definitely prefer something salty!