Marathon Weekend 2026

[The Expert]

SAFD: My grandparents moved to the Clearwater area in the early 1970s, so we would road trip from Missouri to visit them every year, which of course meant a side trip to WDW, mostly at my dad's insistence. He's always been a big kid at heart. When we bought DVC in 2001 and started taking our nieces and nephews. Dad just couldn't NOT tag along. Now that we're starting to get grand nephews (and great grandkids for him), he's still the first one to ask when the next trip is coming.

 

[jmasgat]

SAFD: Divorced parents, mom raising us, so big no on warm, fuzzy Dad memories. But, in the same spirit as having my Mom walk me down the aisle when I got married……my Mom, younger sister, and I did take a vacation in 1973–probably the only one I ever remember taking as money was tight. We went across country to attend the SPBSQSA competition of a family friend. (Barbershop quartet— more entertaining than my 14 yr old self expected). We stopped at Disneyland for 1 day. This was back when it was a la carte— you paid to get in and bought tickets for the rides. I don’t remember much, honestly, and I doubt we did E ticket rides. But it was a big deal to have even gone.

If anyone wants to see the Disneyland guidebook, here’s a link to my album on FB.

https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.2421086134619990&type=3

 

[marty3d]

So, I popped onto the WDW Weekend website last night, and all the events had reverted to "Registration Opening Soon" from "Sold Out". I decided recently that I regret not signing up for the 5k (space theme), so I refreshed llke crazy for an hour. Starting to realize that change in status doesn't mean anything because this morning all the races still say "Registration Opening Soon"! Wine & Dine does also so it must be due to some other unrelated activity over there.
Edited to update: Finally back to Sold Out

I was doing the same this morning! Still hoping to snag a 10k bib since it's likely I'm there that weekend anyway! Very strange - but par for the course for Disney IT

 

[BigEeyore]

SAFD: I was born in SoCal, and my dad started taking me to Disneyland when I was a baby. My parents divorced when I was 7 years old, and my mom and I moved to the east coast, but I would go back to CA to visit my dad twice a year and we would always go to Disneyland. We would get there at opening and stay until closing, doing all the things! He would always let me buy one plush each trip and I still have most of those plush.
So my dad is a huge reason I am the obsessed Dis-nerd I am today!

 

[jrsharp21]

Anybody else been stalking flights for MW? Been watching United and Southwest and neither of them seem to be budging on price, which from Houston is looking like at least $430 round trip. I think last year it was around $350 per person for our tickets. I may just book one way flight out right now so that we secure the first flight out on Tuesday, January 6th. Then look for a return flight later on.

 

[radiodome21]

SAFD: As far as I know my dad never stepped foot in Disney. The only time I ever went as a kid I went with my mom, aunt and grandma. My dad had a trial he was working on so he couldn’t go. Aside from that our only annual vacations were to the Florida panhandle and the Wisconsin Northwoods. I think he would e enjoyed it though.

I will say though my son absolutely loves Disney. He loves our DVC and will participate in his first ever 5k at this October in the Wine and Dine. So in my father’s legacy I’m getting the chance to make memories for him so that one day in 20 years he can post something similar on the SAFD question.

 

[garneska]

SAFD: My best Dad Disney memory is when i ran my first WDW marathon (second overall marathon). My parents, my in laws, and hubby were all there to cheer me on. I knew where everyone was staged. I missed seeing everyone except my Dad and Mom. I saw them outside Animal Kingdom. My dad was tall 6'3. He was towering over most people, so easy for me to pick him out. It was probably mile 16ish, and i was so happy to see my folks. I got a high five and kept going.

 

[RuntheMouse]

Anybody else been stalking flights for MW? Been watching United and Southwest and neither of them seem to be budging on price, which from Houston is looking like at least $430 round trip. I think last year it was around $350 per person for our tickets. I may just book one way flight out right now so that we secure the first flight out on Tuesday, January 6th. Then look for a return flight later on.

Ooofffff! I was stalking earlier in spring and was able to grab RT on Delta from MSP-MCO for $289. I must have gotten it on a dip because I haven’t seen it that low since. How is United with price drops and ecredits? I play that game often with Delta. I like your idea of getting a one way locked up for arrival.

 

[Dopey 2020]

Ooofffff! I was stalking earlier in spring and was able to grab RT on Delta from MSP-MCO for $289. I must have gotten it on a dip because I haven’t seen it that low since. How is United with price drops and ecredits? I play that game often with Delta. I like your idea of getting a one way locked up for arrival.

We never get RT, it doesn’t save anything as opposed to one way each direction, and it makes changes more complicated. It’s kind of a pain to remember to stalk two flights but most times one flight changes substantially and it’s much easier to rebook it. That being said we are usually SW or JB. Got a crazy deal on our trip down in October. Flight dropped from 150 to 70! And DW has companion pass so for two of us cost a total of $81 with fees from BDL to MCO.

 

[Dopey 2020]

SAFD a bit late - I never went to Disney until I was a dad, those early trips are some of the best memories. The magic was real and to see that look of true wonder and amazement on my daughters face is something I won’t forget.

 

[rick1zoo2]

SAFD - We did a lot of camping trips when I was young. I remember camping at Fort Wilderness 1974(?) and then staying at the Polynesian in 1981. My dad appreciated things like the Hoop De Doo review, Country Bear Jamboree, Tiki Room. I think I have inherited his sense of humor (my apologies to my wife). His favorites were Big Al and the scene in Pirates of the Caribbean with the sleeping pirate and pigs. I took my three sons when they were little in 2000 and 2002. My youngest (24) goes with us now about once a year and we have a lot of fun. He will be joining us this year for the Wine and Dine weekend.

 

[Disneyhanna]

This is a beautiful thing when tracking Marathon Weekend flights!

 

[Herding_Cats]

This is a beautiful thing when tracking Marathon Weekend flights!

View attachment 975628

I was just coming to post the same thing! The flights for PW just fell waaaaay down too (although the most affordable ones are terrible with multiple stops and taking 12+ hours)

 

[jrsharp21]

This is a beautiful thing when tracking Marathon Weekend flights!

View attachment 975628

What airline is that for? I just checked United, same prices for me out of Houston.

 

[Herding_Cats]

What airline is that for? I just checked United, same prices for me out of Houston.

for whatever it's worth, last year we initially booked in April, and then cancel/rebooked in September on United. Prices for *some* of the United flights went down this morning for February, but not for all of the airports. I noticed the biggest change in the smaller regional airports, but not for Detroit. YMMV.

 

[DisneyParrothead]

I have SW credits I want to use so I’m stuck waiting on when they’ll drop the next round of dates. I live in Colorado so it’s really either United or Southwest at both airports I use, and they’ve taken over so much they just charge what they want. I have a United card for the miles, but at what point do I just start driving to Orlando?

 

[Herding_Cats]

at what point do I just start driving to Orlando?

We play this game for flying out of our small local airport vs driving to the bigger one. How much would you pay in gas? Would you stop at a hotel? Would you have to pay for parking at your airport in CO? Do you usually rent a car?

 

[Disneyhanna]

What airline is that for? I just checked United, same prices for me out of Houston.

Delta! But I am flying out pretty early. I find that schedule opening tends to be the cheapest for Delta, then it goes up, then drops occasionally a few months out.

 

[jrsharp21]

Anybody else been stalking flights for MW? Been watching United and Southwest and neither of them seem to be budging on price, which from Houston is looking like at least $430 round trip. I think last year it was around $350 per person for our tickets. I may just book one way flight out right now so that we secure the first flight out on Tuesday, January 6th. Then look for a return flight later on.

Lordy, just looked up United flights again for MW and they have jumped up $130 to $572 for a round trip ticket. Ouch.

 

[Mr_Incr3dible]

SAFD: We had one family vacation that wasn't just a weekend camping or a day trip. And that one vacation was two weeks long and started when we drove off from my high school graduation (swell, except that meant I missed the apparently epic graduation party that night....). Part of our vacay was 3 or 4 or 5 days at WDW, including behind the scenes tours of Epcot and in the MK utilidors. It was an amazing amount of splurging by my parents (meaning Mom was going to make the most of the trip). That said, part of the trip was spent having to look at a Disney time share for "free" tickets. Amazingly, my parents went for the time share, but after we got back home and my Mom started going through the fine print, she managed to get our money back after raising a stink about some of the sketchier stuff. (Almost as fun as watching her school an insurance sales person...)

Mom was a huge Disney fan and probably would have enjoyed a yearly trip down there, and we were raised on the WW of Disney on Sunday nights, and nearly every movie I saw was a Disney movie up until my teens. People like Fred McMurray and Dexter Riley (Kurt Russel) were fairly central in our childhood.
My Dad did return to WDW around 2004 or so when he and the goldbricker he married after my mom died met us on a family trip. My 4-year old son was so excited to meet Tigger, Pooh, et al at a character breakfast at Tony's (Crystal Palace was being renovated) and other characters at a breakfast in the AK. I recall that Dad and Goldbrick spent some time with us, maybe they went off and did their own thing for part of the time.

And I say all that to say that my most vivid memory of my Dad was him commenting grumpily, "Every d--n ride you have to go through a gift shop to get out". Me: Yes, Dad. This is Disney. <sigh>
FWIW, my Dad came along at the end of the depression, so he was was very much a child of the depression in his upbringing just wasn't very good at having fun, especially someplace like WDW.

So it was a happy contrast to marry a fellow Disney fan and be taking my kids to WDW at least once a year when they were young and before she went mental (paranoia) and started an ugly divorce. And why, after I started running again and being a semi-frequent visitor, was so glad to take my younger son down there and spend time with him at WDW this past April even though by now he's just part turning 20. But better late than never. I know, way too much info. Thanks for reading.