Marathon Weekend 2026

[FFigawi]

As in the past few years, I am starting the thread early for next year. People who experience FOMO over the next 12 days now have a thread to dream upon.

Marathon Weekend is Jan 7-11, 2026.

General registration is Mar 11, 2025.

 

[kleph]

pondering taking a stab at the full... my first since WDW 2019. got a half this weekend to guage the status of my legs.

 

[Baloo in MI]

Well in 25 I am finishing my 9th Dopey. So time to declare 2026, so long as registration works out, as my 10th. I would say that I will stop at that point, but that would be a lie!

 

[accm]

Thank you for starting this! I’m missing this MW after running the last 2. Will be returning for 2026 and hopefully running Dopey again .

Are we pretty confident that it’ll be from Jan 7-12? I need to get a final answer from my parents if they’re coming so I can book our room next month

 

[Herding_Cats]

I'm going to declare "not going for 2026" (subject to change depending on DH) but we have all heard that song before.

 

[camaker]

Thank you for starting this! I’m missing this MW after running the last 2. Will be returning for 2026 and hopefully running Dopey again .

Are we pretty confident that it’ll be from Jan 7-12? I need to get a final answer from my parents if they’re coming so I can book our room next month

It's always the weekend before the MLK holiday weekend.

 

[nancipants]

TBD on if I’m in for 2026. I’d say ask me once I finish this marathon, but I might need another week or so to answer logically.

 

[Naomeri]

This year has taught me that until something drastically changes about my home life (meaning I no longer live in a house that will host major Christmas get-togethers) that MW is a "no" for me. I simply can't get the training done properly.

But I like hanging out online with everyone, so here I am

 

[Herding_Cats]

TBD on if I’m in for 2026. I’d say ask me once I finish this marathon, but I might need another week or so to answer logically.

Might want to give it 2 weeks after the marathon. It's a bit like childbirth, where when you get done with the first one you're usually all "NEVER AGAIN" and then a couple of weeks later you think it wasn't really *that* bad was it?

 

[nancipants]

Might want to give it 2 weeks after the marathon. It's a bit like childbirth, where when you get done with the first one you're usually all "NEVER AGAIN" and then a couple of weeks later you think it wasn't really *that* bad was it?

Well in that case, I never did have another kid.

 

[marty3d]

2026... Ask me again in April when reg opens but I am thinking it will be one of 3 options - in order of likelihood:

- Skip MW 2026 - based on the expected dates, it probably won't work for me
- Register for the Half and take a year off marathon training- essentially what I did for MW24. Given the half is on a Saturday, it makes it very easy for me to make it a solo weekend.
- Dopey #4 - very unlikely. But I am really hoping to do the NYC Marathon this year and if I get in and train for that - then maybe????

 

[DisneyParrothead]

This year has taught me that until something drastically changes about my home life (meaning I no longer live in a house that will host major Christmas get-togethers) that MW is a "no" for me. I simply can't get the training done properly.

But I like hanging out online with everyone, so here I am

I’m usually the same. I love the timing of Princess much better but I like reading the threads

 

[Naomeri]

I’m usually the same. I love the timing of Princess much better but I like reading the threads

Yeah, Princess may become my go-to "winter" race weekend in the future

 

[The Expert]

I'm in for MW for the duration, but likely alternating between Dopey and "just" the other three races + spectating the marathon. We'll see if that holds. Now that my mom lives in Celebration, the temptation is real to go ahead and add Princess, which I've skipped most of the time (being so close to MW).

I'm going to declare "not going for 2026" (subject to change depending on DH) but we have all heard that song before.

Challenge accepted! DATW conversation has a way of changing minds.

 

[Herding_Cats]

I'm in for MW for the duration, but likely alternating between Dopey and "just" the other three races + spectating the marathon. We'll see if that holds. Now that my mom lives in Celebration, the temptation is real to go ahead and add Princess, which I've skipped most of the time (being so close to MW).



Challenge accepted! DATW conversation has a way of changing minds.

DH just keeps talking about how it's DS2's senior year (which I think is a ridiculous excuse because we did TWO trips during his brother's senior year!) and blah blah blah. We won't have enough DVC points for a whole week because we borrowed for this trip, but maybe I can talk him into "just" the half or something. Come down by myself or talk another friend into going with me. He seems pretty firm on it though. My secret weapon at this point is that he has a hunting trip to Canada planned with his brother for November.

 

[sandam1]

Right now, I have a tentative plan for MW 2026 to do the 5K, 10K, and the half and then spectate for the full. I'm pretty sure that this year's Dopey is going to be my final marathon - at least for a while - and I'm actually really excited with this plan. I see it as all of the fun of Dopey without having to run 26.2 miles at the end of it.

I haven't talked to my best friend/travel partner to get her thoughts. She is making her second attempt at the half marathon distance and is still struggling to stay healthy while training for the half. I think a lot will depend on how this year's race goes.

 

[WillRunForPizza]

Shockingly, I'm feeling very little FOMO from skipping MW this year (though admittedly part of that is due to the forecast ), so I doubt I'll do it next year. I'm signed up for MCM again, and it takes me a while to get back into gear after a marathon. The timing of Princess just works out better for that.

 

[pluto377]

As of right now, I'm thinking Dopey. I'll be 48 and I'd like to make it my one last hurrah for the marathon. Plus I need revenge for 2022. But ask me again when registration rolls around. I really enjoyed doing the happy challenge in 2023 (5, 10, Half).

 

[The Expert]

Right now, I have a tentative plan for MW 2026 to do the 5K, 10K, and the half and then spectate for the full. I'm pretty sure that this year's Dopey is going to be my final marathon - at least for a while - and I'm actually really excited with this plan. I see it as all of the fun of Dopey without having to run 26.2 miles at the end of it.

I really enjoyed doing the happy challenge in 2023 (5, 10, Half).

I'll just add my positive encouragement to this for anyone who may be worried about FOMO. I also did the Happy Challenge in 2023 and felt zero FOMO for Dopey (though I had done it twice before and I'm glad to be doing it this year). I had SO much fun spectating the marathon from Bay Lake and Epcot, too. I'll alternate this and Dopey until I don't feel like doing the marathon anymore.

 

[WillRunForPizza]

I'll just add my positive encouragement to this for anyone who may be worried about FOMO. I also did the Happy Challenge in 2023 and felt zero FOMO for Dopey (though I'm glad to be doing it this year). I had SO much fun spectating the marathon from Bay Lake and Epcot, too. I'll alternate this and Dopey until I don't feel like doing the marathon anymore.

Lol I will never do Dopey. After four days of waking up at 2 a.m., I would have a mental breakdown . Non-Dopey-ers, unite!