Marathon Weekend 2026

[lookingforsunshine]

I hate the MW/PW half course so much, especially since they’ve taken away EPCOT at the beginning. It now has maybe one mile of park time (plus the three on ramps/hills at the end). Last year it was so congested that I ended up being on the course for almost four hours. Please send me positive reframing lol.

 

[KellyKateri]

The 10K course looks super fun!

 

[Goofed98]

It won't load! It's killing me! I haven't been back in 5 years, and I've been waiting for this day, and it won't load!

 

[Herding_Cats]

Can anyone comment on recent road conditions in the vicinity of Poly/GF and if we can expect to be running on the same (or worse) atrocious construction road as last time?

 

[The Expert]

Can anyone comment on recent road conditions in the vicinity of Poly/GF and if we can expect to be running on the same (or worse) atrocious construction road as last time?

We stayed at the new Poly Tower at the end of October and it looked a little better. It appears they were done with one side and were actively building the second side of the roadway where it's being widened.

 

[Tall Todd]

I hate the MW/PW half course so much, especially since they’ve taken away EPCOT at the beginning. It now has maybe one mile of park time (plus the three on ramps/hills at the end). Last year it was so congested that I ended up being on the course for almost four hours. Please send me positive reframing lol.

On the other hand.... It can be a very very fast course.
If everything has to start/finish at Epcot now there's very little variation in the course. People could vote with their pockets, but these races all sellout. So...

 

[Erika10021]

Goodness, I am excited to see the course maps and other information about the races. I can't wait to get there!!

 

[The Expert]

Interesting! They're providing a bus in addition to the monorail for the first half hour of the transportation window for the marathon ONLY. I wonder what brought that on? Having stayed at Bay Lake for MW the last few years, I know the monorail has had some issues, but to have it specific to the marathon and just that first 30 minutes is curious.

Edit to add: I just noticed the monorail doesn't start until 2:30 but the buses from other resorts start at 2am. There must have been an issue getting monorail up and staffed for a 2am start, and they definitely can't have monorail resorts starting 30 minutes later.

 

[Tall Todd]

If your runner is scheduled to hit Main Street between the 730am cutoff and the 830am opening, you're so you see them in Main Street? Or is this a big fat nope?

 

[KCO5988]

Am I dumb/missing something or is there no way to leave EPCOT via car after the 10k until 7am??

 

[The Expert]

If your runner is scheduled to hit Main Street between the 730am cutoff and the 830am opening, you're so you see them in Main Street? Or is this a big fat nope?

You can do it, but you have to be there early. Here's the section of the guide with Spectator info for the Marathon: https://www.rundisneyexpo.run/walt-disney-world-marathon?show=692f3bce90d9256c4f6176b9

We'll also have some info on this included in the doc we put together for the board. I'm going to add some tips and tricks I've been gathering.

 

[KSellers88]

Interesting! They're providing a bus in addition to the monorail for the first half hour of the transportation window for the marathon ONLY. I wonder what brought that on? Having stayed at Bay Lake for MW the last few years, I know the monorail has had some issues, but to have it specific to the marathon and just that first 30 minutes is curious.

Edit to add: I just noticed the monorail doesn't start until 2:30 but the buses from other resorts start at 2am. There must have been an issue getting monorail up and staffed for a 2am start, and they definitely can't have monorail resorts starting 30 minutes later.

View attachment 1029131

I looked at this chart forever trying to interpret it. LOL. Now I do not know if I should go the bus or monorail route.

 

[fatmanatee]

I looked at this chart forever trying to interpret it. LOL. Now I do not know if I should go the bus or monorail route.

I was going to say, this is a hilarious way to make things more confusing, it feels like the time they tried to explain Coast to Coast with a chart. They'll probably have something that explains it better at the resorts but its basically buses if you're leaving between 2 and 2:30 for the marathon, monorail if you're leaving afterward.

 

[The Expert]

I looked at this chart forever trying to interpret it. LOL. Now I do not know if I should go the bus or monorail route.

I'm at Boardwalk this year but if I were staying on the monorail, I'd take the bus because I like to get there early. Even if I drive to a race, I will leave at the same time the first bus picks up. If you're leaving after 2:30am anyway, I'd take the monorail.

 

[KSellers88]

I was going to say, this is a hilarious way to make things more confusing, it feels like the time they tried to explain Coast to Coast with a chart. They'll probably have something that explains it better at the resorts but its basically buses if you're leaving between 2 and 2:30 for the marathon, monorail if you're leaving afterward.

My concern is if a lot of people decide to go the bus route and then they don't have enough buses and I have to walk all the way back up to the monorail. Extra mileage. LOL

 

[StarGirl11]

My main gripes are that they managed to add more to the MK parking lot and I hated that last year since unlike BB where you have general sense of how long to get in and out that place I couldn’t with MK. That might be worse on wheels since we’re low to the ground. But anyway.

Also hey again been absent because the last few months have been crazy. Still been training.

 

[The Expert]

My concern is if a lot of people decide to go the bus route and then they don't have enough buses and I have to walk all the way back up to the monorail. Extra mileage. LOL

I usually wander over from Bay Lake with the intention to arrive about 2am and get on the first monorail, but without fail there's been a delay and that monorail doesn't leave until 2:15 or so. It has never once filled up beyond a few people per car, so I think the buses will be fine.

 

[Herding_Cats]

My main gripes are that they managed to add more to the MK parking lot and I hated that last year since unlike BB where you have general sense of how long to get in and out that place I couldn’t with MK. That might be worse on wheels since we’re low to the ground. But anyway.

Also hey again been absent because the last few months have been crazy. Still been training.

unfortunately with them having to trim off the dinoland section in AK they had to add mileage somewhere and you just know it had to be in a parking lot. *sigh*

 

[KSellers88]

I usually wander over from Bay Lake with the intention to arrive about 2am and get on the first monorail, but without fail there's been a delay and that monorail doesn't leave until 2:15 or so. It has never once filled up beyond a few people per car, so I think the buses will be fine.

Last time I stayed at BLT was 2018 marathon and I remember nothing. I've stayed at POP and AOA more recently and was going off the lines for buses there, but that makes sense about the monorail! Fingers crossed!

 

[StarGirl11]

I hate the MW/PW half course so much, especially since they’ve taken away EPCOT at the beginning. It now has maybe one mile of park time (plus the three on ramps/hills at the end). Last year it was so congested that I ended up being on the course for almost four hours. Please send me positive reframing lol.

Try being on wheels. I’m crossing my fingers that I’ll hit it between waves like last year or Achilles will come through with the guides to help me get through that section. Or both, both would be great. But that part is the worst for potential wrecks. Someone almost always wrecks there from a runner cutting off which is why I’m estatic it’s not in the 10k course. Since it’s three downhills where people aren’t potentially paying attention to us.